Page 115 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

“Come in!” I heard her shout.

I walked into the house, still amazed by how beautiful it turned out. It still had the same character but was fresh and ready for a new family to call it home. Which reminded me I still needed to talk to Merritt about that. Things had been happening at breakneck speed.

When she walked into the living room, my breath caught. Her hair was half up, little tendrils falling around her face and neck. She wore a sleek black dress that hugged her in all the right places and accentuated her figure. The design was simple, yet elegant, with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that ended just above her knees. The fabric seemed to shimmer in the light, adding a touch of glamour to her already stunning appearance. The dress hugged her hips and waist perfectly, showing off her hourglass figure. Every movement she made seemed effortless in the dress, as if it was made for her.

My Buttercup was stunning, and I wasn’t about to let her spend Valentine’s Day doing anything less than being treated like the queen she was.

“Wow,” I said, letting out a low whistle. “You are stunning.”

Merritt blushed, a sweet curve of pink lighting up her cheeks. “Thank you,” she replied.

She moved closer, stepping into my open arms. Her perfume was a mixture of jasmine and something uniquely Merritt. It filled my senses and made my heart skip.

“I think I like this look on you,” she said.

I cringed. “You want me to wear a tie all the time?”

“Absolutely not, but you wear it well. I still like the blue-collar thing. You rock that toolbelt.”

“Ready for our date?” I asked, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes.

“Absolutely,” she said with a smile that lit up her entire face. “I can’t wait to see what you have planned.”

“I think you’re going to be surprised,” I said. “Oh, the flowers.”

“They’re gorgeous!” She placed them on the kitchen counter before returning to me.

I opened the door and helped her into my truck, then drove downtown to the restaurant.

“Here?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“And here I thought you’d take me to Riggs’s bar for a beer and call it a date.”

I laughed, grabbing my jacket. “We can do better than Riggs’s bar. Tonight is special. You deserve to be treated like a queen. I can’t take you out on a yacht but I can spring for a nice dinner.”

“Impressive.” She slid her arm through mine as we headed for the door.

The restaurant I picked was all soft lighting and white tablecloths, a far cry from my usual haunts. Tonight the tablecloths were red to match up with the Valentine’s theme. Merritt raised an eyebrow as we were seated, her lips quirking in amusement.

“Who are you, and what have you done with Kannon?” she asked, leaning toward me across the table.

“Just wait,” I said with a smirk. “The night’s still young.”

The truth was, I wanted this to be special. She deserved that. And seeing the way her eyes lit up as the waiter poured her a glass of wine told me I’d made the right call.

We ordered our meals and settled in. “How was it?” I asked. “Leaving Miami.”

“It was bittersweet,” she admitted, sipping her wine. “Saying goodbye was harder than I thought. But it felt right, you know? Like it was time.”

“Miami might’ve been your life for a while, but Dallas is where you’re supposed to be. With me.”

Her eyes softened, and she squeezed my hand. “I know. It feels like coming home.”

“How did Dominique and Lucia take it?”

She sighed a little bit, swirling the wine in her glass. “Lucia, she understood. We cried, we laughed, we promised to text and call every day.” Merritt took a long sip, her gaze far away. “Dominique tends to handle things differently.”