PJ rolled her eyes and then trimmed some of the red roses to tuck into her hair. “He totally frowns a lot. He’s grumpy. But it’s adorable. Which must mean I love him. He ranges around being all grrr and Hey you kids get off my lawn all while he races cars and bikes he built or restored and has a piercing in his ween.”
They both dissolved into giggles. “I’m never going to be able to look at him again without blushing.”
“Whatever. Where is Asa?” PJ looked at her watch.
“Call him. I’m going to run over to Shawn’s to pick him up. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
PJ hugged her sister back. “Love you too. See you guys soon.”
It wasn’t more than five minutes later when Asa rolled up in a sleek black Jag. A paint job she’d finished not too very long ago.
He added to the wow factor when he stepped out wearing a suit and looking so ridiculously gorgeous she pressed her hand to her throat. At dinner with her parents he’d worn a tie and dress pants. But this. Shew. Gunmetal-gray suit with a dark blue shirt and a dark tie. Hair tied back. Intense gaze. Damn. He was hers.
She took in the long prowl of a walk as he headed up the steps and paused, looking her over slowly before he let himself reach her.
There she was, the lamp from her place backlighting her like an angel. If angels wore snug red dresses and roses in their hair.
He bent to brush his lips against her neck. “You look fucking delicious.”
Just a few weeks before, he’d complimented her on a red blouse she’d been wearing. It had looked so pretty against the pale porcelain of her skin with those delightful freckles.
She’d been wearing red more often ever since. Including the auburn streaks throughout her golden-blond hair.
PJ did it because he liked it.
“Thank you.” She smoothed down the front of his shirt and the tie. “I’ve never seen you in a suit before. I’m fully in support of you doing this again. I want to rumple you and muss you and lick you up and down like an ice cream cone.”
Desire tugged him closer to her. Always. “My favorite.”
“Going to keep me on my toes tonight, huh?”
He brought her to him, closing that small space left keeping them apart. After a breath, he led and they began to sway through the living room. She felt so good, the bounty of her body in his arms where she fit just right. “Only if that’s where I need you so I can fuck you deeper.”
She blinked up at him, her smile easy. Not at all weirded out by the stuff he said. “Romantical. Speaking of that, thank you for the roses and the cards. I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her and stepped back before he got any harder.
“Are we waiting on Audra and Tom?”
As usual. Asa was used to what he called Duke-time. Which meant you had to add fifteen minutes to any time Duke said he’d be somewhere. But Audra was a thousand times worse. He had no idea how PJ could handle it on a regular basis.
“They’re going to meet us there. As will Julie and Shawn. No reason to hang around here getting agitated as you wait for people who are perpetually late.”
He snorted. “It’s a little chilly out. Do you want a coat or something?”
She paused to grab a wrap and turn off all the lights.
“Where’s your overnight bag?”
She pointed to the bag she used when she stayed over and he hefted it, holding the door for her and then waiting as she locked up.
“Why are you driving this? Did you get the client to loan it to you?” she asked as he tossed the duffel in the trunk and then opened her door.
“I’m the client.”
He closed her door and went around to the driver’s side.
PJ blinked, sure she’d heard him wrong. “What do you mean you’re the client? I met the client. He looked at my tits for the entire exchange. I charged him extra for that!”
Asa burst out laughing. “I’m going to pop Henry the next time I see him. Asshole. I’m sorry he was a jerk, but it makes me laugh that you charged him extra for being a dick.”
“I charged you extra. Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted something that would be extra work and thus would be expensive and I knew you’d try to do it for your materials or some shit, so I wanted you to do a job like you would for any other client. Henry – he’s an army friend too – might have been an ass to you, but this paint job is fantastic and worth every penny.”
“You didn’t have to have some elaborate scheme. You could have just asked.”
“You’re mad that I wanted you to charge me a real rate instead of the guy-who-makes-me-come-hard rate?”
“I have the right to make that choice if I want to.”
“But I don’t want you to. I don’t want price breaks. When we were first starting out, I remember how hard it was. How close to the margins we were. I didn’t want to put you in a place where you felt you had to take a hit. I can afford it. And you just boosted the value. People will see it tonight too. I’ll have it sold within the month, most likely.”
He just – ugh! PJ worked to keep her voice level. “I counted to ten. Then I had to go to thirty. I appreciate that you thought of me and my business like that. And I know you can afford it. I would have charged you materials and time and that would have been my choice. You made that choice for me, and that’s not cool. I’m usually fine with your need to control stuff. But this is not an area of my life I’ll cede to anyone. Whether I give you a price break or not isn’t about what you want. Don’t you see? This is connected to that other stuff about control and trust. This is my stuff. My choice to make or not. My skills are mine, my time is mine, who I work with and for what rates is mine. You’re not my keeper. I want to be with you, not live through you.”
He blew out a breath. “I just didn’t want you giving me a break you couldn’t afford.”
“I appreciate that you wanted to help me.” She reached out to squeeze his hand. “I love that you want to protect me and keep me from harm. Talk to me, don’t think for me, and we’ll be good. It’s not up to you to decide my pricing. That’s my business. My choice. This going-around-me stuff, it is not cool.”
“Okay. I see what you mean. I’m sorry. I’ll do my best not to do it again.”
“Your best is pretty awesome.”
He used valet so they could get out close to the front doors, not wanting her to have to walk the mile through parking lots. He was a very nice man.
“I’ve been to what seems an incalculable number of trade shows in my life. My first was while I was still an infant. But this is better. This is totally cool.”
Asa nodded, taking PJ’s hand. “Absolutely. Better than cool. This is fantastic.”
She walked along at his side, nerves jittering. He paused, pulling her out of the crowd and standing very close. “Penelope Jean, you are really good at what you do. That’s why your stuff is here on someone else’s dime, dig?”
She nodded. “I know. I do!”
Her mouth firmed and it took all his control not to kiss her as she got rid of the briefest frown.
“I know I do good work.” This time he knew she believed it.
“There you are.” His PJ was confident and strong. She knew she had talent. It was part of the reason people hired her. Her confidence was alluring.
“Next year I hope to have my own booth. With or without Colman.”
“Do it,” Asa challenged.
“I will. Speaking of that, where are you guys?”
“Restoration and custom work is across the hall from where your cars are. Let’s go look at that first and then we can see what’s going on over at the Twisted Steel booth.”
“Debauchery, most likely.”
He bent to kiss her, his mouth against the curve of her cheek. “You’re perfect. I’m proud of you.”