Still the One (10 page)

take in the view. “My lady.” Dean made a grand gesture, sweeping his arms wide as

he showed off the room to his astonished wife. He was not disappointed by her

reaction.

The way her jaw dropped open was comical, as was the loud gasp she gave

when she stepped over the threshold and into the swanky room. She walked slowly

into the suite as if the carpet was made of glass, looking around at everything, big

and small.

She came to a final stop in front of the bar, where she leaned forward and

smelled the lilies. When she rose back up, there was a light in her eyes he hadn‟t

seen in a while.

“Do you like it?” he asked, coming up next to her.

“I love it but”—Creigh paused and glanced around the room once more—“it‟s

way too much. I would have been happy at any motel.”

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63

Dean smiled at her blatant lie. He knew his wife well enough to know she

would have faked it, but it would have grossed her out to even sit on one of the well-

used beds. “No, you wouldn‟t.”

“If it meant having this time alone with you, I would have.” Her lips tilted up

in a half smile. “Of course I would have bathed in hand sanitizer the next day.”

“I don‟t think you‟ll have to do that here.”

“That‟s my point. You must have spent a pretty penny for this place. Please

tell me you didn‟t tap into the kids‟ college fund to pay for this.”

“No, I didn‟t.” But he would have just to see the look on her face. Fortunately

though, he didn‟t have to. “The room didn‟t cost a thing.”

“Liar.”

“Honestly.” Dean held up his right hand as if he were on a witness stand. “The

room was a gift.”

Creigh furrowed her brow. “From whom?”

Dean thought about their benefactor and smiled. “A very thankful customer.”

“What are you guys putting in the beer over there?”

“Not the beer, but a cab.”

“Not getting it.”

“It‟s actually very simple and boring.” Dean pulled the wine out of the carafe

and began to twist off the screw cap. “Grab a glass.”

Creigh picked two flutes off the bar and held them out to him. Dean made sure

to fill her glass up all the way since she loved the wine, and fill his only halfway

since he didn‟t much care for it. But he didn‟t want to ruin the mood by filling up his

glass with beer. Even someone as boorish as him knew better than that.

After filling the glasses, he put the bottle back in the carafe to keep it chilled

and led Creigh over to the private lanai. The terrace was breathtaking, with

sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. It was crazy that from so high up, a town as

loud, rowdy, and sometimes dangerous was stunning from the right angle.

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Lena Matthews

With glass in hand, Creigh made her way over to the railing and peered out

into the vast darkness. “This is so beautiful.”

“I see beauty every day.”

Creigh turned and leaned back on the gate.

“In fact I‟m looking at it right now.”

“Don‟t think sweet-talking is going to get you out of my story.”

Dean laughed. “Never even crossed my mind, cara. The manager of the hotel is

the daughter of one of our regulars. She‟s taking care of us tonight to thank me for

all the nights I‟ve taken care of him. On the nights she can‟t come get him, I make

sure he gets home alive.”

“Dean.” Her eyes glistened in that way that meant soon the waterworks were

going to start.

“Stop it. No.” He waved his hand, trying to downplay it all. “No gushy stuff. I

just do what anyone would do.”

“No. You don‟t. And that‟s what makes you special.”

“Well, Sarah seems to agree, and tonight she came by the bar and asked if

there was a way she could return the favor. The guest who was supposed to stay

here cancelled at the last moment, and since they charged them anyway, she

figured someone should enjoy it. So she offered it to me. And the rest is, as they say,

history.”

“And the flowers”—she gestured with her wineglass to other room—“are they

being
paid forward
as well?”

“No,” he admitted with a smile. “Those I bought at cost. I know you like to

make a profit.”

“And I thank you for it. Although it‟s a little like robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Dean moved next to her and leaned back against the railing. “Do you really

care?”

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65

“Not at all. I love it. All of it.” Creigh looked up at him, her eyes shining like

new pennies. “You. Are. Amazing.”

“No. I‟m not.”

“Oh yes you are. I mean, Dean…you take my breath away.”

“Then we‟re even.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her

in close to him. “You‟ve been doing that to me for years.”

Creigh let out a contented sigh as she snuggled into his side. “I‟m going to be

talking about this for a while. You realize that, don‟t you?”

“Of course.” His little magpie didn‟t know how to shut up. This had just given

her even more reason to chat his ear off. But he didn‟t mind. Tonight was theirs, to

do as they pleased. And if that meant simply sitting side by side all night long and

talking, Dean was in. This evening wasn‟t about sex, even though he planned to

make love to her. This evening was more about them reconnecting as a couple. That

was the most important thing to him.

“How did you arrange all of this? On such short notice.”

As much as Dean would have loved to take all the credit, he couldn‟t. This

wasn‟t just a gift from him to her. This was also a gift from their family to them. “I

have to be honest with you. I‟m a little ashamed by how easy it all was. All I did was

ask and our family came through. There was no hesitation. Everyone was willing.

No, more than willing to help out in any fashion they could. They wanted to do this

for us. They insisted on it.”

“We are so very blessed.”

“That we are.”

“I‟m still in shock that A-mei is willingly watching the kids. I‟m actually a little

afraid. For the kids.”

“You‟re not the only one.” In fact he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop

with that one. Love A-mei as he did, she wouldn‟t have been his first choice as an

overnight sitter. “But Serg is there. Hopefully he‟ll balance things out a bit.”

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Lena Matthews

“And the bar?”

“Gino is covering it, and apparently we have a lot of single staff because no one

minded coming in tonight.”

“Aw. That‟s sad.”

“Cupid‟s off his game this year.”

“I don‟t know about that.” Creigh moved from under his arm to stand in front

of him. “From my view, that half-naked little deity has been working his diaper off.

Not that I deserve any of it.”

Dean frowned. “What are you talking about? You‟ve been wonderful. As usual.

Why would you think differently?”

“I don‟t think differently. I know. I‟ve been neglectful.”

“Of who? The kids are good; you spend hours upon hours at the shop. Who

could you possibly be neglecting?”

“You.”

“Oh, Creigh.” Dean shook his head. “Honey, this isn‟t about you messing up.

This is about us messing up. We‟re both trying so hard to get things going on the

work front and get the kids together and function under a two-parent system again.

It‟s a lot of work. From sunup to sundown. I‟m amazed sex isn‟t the only thing we‟ve

been forgetting to do.”

“It‟s still no excuse. You should come first.”

“Over what? The kids?” Dean shook his head. “I don‟t think so. The kids come

first, for both of us. Our most important job is to take care of them. Us is second,

then work. I wasn‟t mad you went mommy on Hambone. If I hadn‟t been so horny, I

would have suggested he stay myself. I got cranky, but I don‟t want you to think I

feel you did the wrong thing. I said it then. I‟ll say it now. Timing is our only

downfall, and we just have to figure out a way to make it work better. For both of

us. It takes two to make a marriage a success, and I think we‟ve both been a little

remiss about that lately.”

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67

“I‟m so afraid of messing this up again. I can‟t lose you. Not again.”

“That‟s never going to happen,” Dean said forcefully. “Never. I meant it the

first time I said to death do us part, but I really, really, really meant it the second

time.”

Creigh laughed. “Let‟s make sure we don‟t have to redo it a third just so the

message sticks.”

“Oh no, two weddings were enough,” Dean stated emphatically. “We‟re getting

this right this time. There might be a few bumps along the way, but I‟m committed.

To you. To our family. To our love.”

“As am I.” Creigh took a long drink from her glass, then smiled seductively at

him. “Well, now that you have me, what do you plan to do with me?”

Dean tilted his head to the side and pretended to ponder her question. “So

many decisions, so little time.”

“The clock‟s a ticking. You better pick something. I‟d hate if we wasted this

night just talking. I mean, here we don‟t have to be quiet…or nice.”

Lord, he loved the way she thought. “How does a bubble bath for two sound?”

“Devilishly delicious.”

“I‟ll go get it started while you pour yourself another glass and undress.”

“Would you like me to pour you another glass as well?”

Dean glanced down at his hardly touched drink and shook his head. “No, half a

glass is about all I can take. In fact”—he tilted his glass over and poured his

remaining wine into her glass—“one sip was enough. Anyway, I bought this for

you.”

“You know what I like,” she said between sips. “But don‟t think you‟re getting

out of it, buddy. I‟ll make a wine drinker out of you yet.”

“We‟ll see.” He laughed. “There‟s a robe in the bedroom. Change and meet me

in the bathroom for one of your many surprises.”

“I can‟t wait.”

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Lena Matthews

Dean smiled and walked into the bathroom. He couldn‟t wait either. He had

every intention of making this a night neither of them forgot for a long time to

come.

Still the One

69

Chapter Six

As tempting as a bubble bath sounded, Creigh didn‟t rush to join Dean in the

bathroom. She knew it would take a few minutes to run the bath, so she took her

time and explored the suite, trying to memorize every square inch of the room and

file it away in her mental Rolodex. Nights like this didn‟t come around very often,

and she knew this was more than likely a one-time thing—at least in a posh place

like this. She had every intention of repeating this experience again. It wouldn‟t be

as fancy, but it would be just the two of them and that was all they needed.

After pouring herself another drink, she strolled into the bedroom. The stylish

room was as extravagant as the rest of the suite.

“The water‟s cooling,” Dean called out from the other room. “Are you coming?”

“Not yet.” She grinned as she began to undress. “But I better.”

“Oh you will. Many, many times. Trust me.”

She did. Creigh picked up her discarded clothes and placed them on the

ottoman. Using the ponytail holder she kept in her purse for emergencies, she

pulled her hair up in a bun and out of her way. It wasn‟t a sexy look, but it was

better than the minifro she‟d have tomorrow if she just let it hang down. She didn‟t

bother to slip on the white plush robe that was laid across the floral gold comforter,

choosing instead to walk into the bathroom the way she was going to take a bath.

Naked.

The sight that greeted her was as big of a treat as the room itself. Her large,

hulking husband—who couldn‟t have been more macho if he tried—was chest-deep

in one of the largest tubs she‟d ever seen, filled to the brim with bubbles and white

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Lena Matthews

rose petals. He looked as out of place as a preacher in a whorehouse, but she‟d be

damned if he didn‟t look cute.

Amused but trying hard to hide it, she finished off her wine, then set the

empty glass on the marble counter between the double sinks. She walked over to

the tub and sat on the ledge. She reached down and picked up one of the many

white petals floating on top of the water. “I wondered about the roses.”

“Yeah it seemed like a good idea at the time.” Instead of seeming pleased,

Dean‟s face was creased in a frown as he batted at the foam that floated around him

like billowy clouds. “I think I overdid the bubbles.”

That was an understatement, but Creigh would rather drink poison than

admit it. Instead she centered her attention on something more noteworthy. “I

think you look adorable in there.”

“Adorable.” His frown deepened. “Not the look I was going for.”

She couldn‟t imagine why. “Endearing?”

“Try again.”

Her lips twitched with poorly suppressed amusement. “Cute?”

“Eeehhh. No.” Dean let out a defeated sigh and gave in to the froth

surrounding him with as much dignity as a man could have in the same situation.