“Um, I don’t think so,” he answers, his face contorted in disgust.
“What? Are you afraid?” I tease.
“No, not at all.”
I wave my little snail in front of him, saying, “Prove it.”
He draws in a deep breath and agrees.
But I stop him first. “You must savor this. No nose plugging and swallowing it whole, or you’ll miss all the lovely flavor it imparts.”
His face morphs into one of sheer horror, and I totally crack up.
“You think this is funny, don’t you?” he asks.
“I do. Do you like oysters?”
He straightens in his chair and announces, “Love ’em.”
“Oh, man, are you in for a treat.”
He grabs my tiny fork and pulls the snail off, expecting an alien to explode in his mouth. But when I see the flavor hit his tongue and the delicacy melt in his mouth, pure pleasure erupts over his features.
“Jesus, that was really good.” His eyes are so expressive, I start to chuckle. It would be very difficult for this man to tell a lie.
“Told ya. Now, give me back my fork.”
“Huh-uh. I want another one. I’ll trade you.”
Inspecting his goods versus mine, I say, “I’ll make you a deal. Fifty-fifty split.”
“I’ll take it,” he says, grinning like he won the lottery.
I hold out my hand.
“What?” he asks.
“I still need my fork, or do you know how to extract these little suckers?”
“Hmm. No, but I’m a fast learner.” And he is. He watches me take the next one out, and then his grabby hands have to try. He acts like the kid who just learned how to tie his shoes for the first time.
“You’re the cutest thing in here. If I’d known the escargots would have been such a hit, I would’ve ordered several.”
“And I would’ve eaten them. I’m going to learn how to make these.” He leans back in his chair.
“Really? You like to cook?”
“Oh, well, I sort of do. But I’ve never tried anything like this before. Do they come in the shell like that?”
“No clue. I can barely cook a hot dog.”
“Maybe a cooking class is in order,” he says.
Next comes the main course, which I ordered chateaubriand for two. I didn’t get anything too exotic this time, and I figure beef tenderloin would be perfect. I’m right. Brandon loves it. What man doesn’t love red meat and potatoes?
“Christ, is this good,” he says between bites.
“Can’t go wrong with meat and taters, can you?”
He only stares, gives his head a shake, and chews slowly. After he swallows his bite of food, he says, “I’ll say one thing. You have great taste in food for a woman who doesn’t cook.”
“If you ask me, I have great taste in many things, not only food.”
“Don’t they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” He’s doing his best to maintain a straight face.
“Not according to my Aunt Kendra.”
“Oh? And what does your Aunt Kendra say?”
“Not too long ago, I overheard her telling her friends that the way to a man’s heart was the reverse cowgirl, except that at her age, when you need a new hip, she was going to have to resort to using her mouth.”
It’s a good thing he swallowed his last bite because the bellow of laughter that roars out of him would surely have contained that piece of beef.
“Is your Aunt Kendra local? I want to meet her.”
“Yes, she’s my dad’s oldest sister, and she is something else. She drives my mother batshit crazy because she has no filter. Doesn’t matter where she is or who she’s with. And she is quite entertaining. And sometimes she gives demonstrations. Like the time I walked into my mom’s parlor—”
“Wait, your mom has a parlor?”
“Oh, God, don’t ask. It’s a small den. But anyway, Aunt Kendra was over, along with some of the aunts, and she brought her best friend. Somehow or another, they got on the sexmobile, and Aunt Kendra was demonstrating the Kama Sutra. My mother was horrified. My aunt’s friend acted as the guy, and they were going at it so the women there could get educated.” I do the air quote thing with my fingers. “Apparently, Aunt Kendra had somehow gotten her hands on a copy of the book and was giddy over it. Anyway, sometime after that, my Uncle Gideon—Aunt Kendra’s husband—ended up in the hospital with a back injury.”
Brandon is laughing so hard, he’s holding up his hands, telling me to stop.
“No more. I can’t breathe. Please tell me Aunt Kendra doesn’t have a beehive hairdo.”
“Worse. She has one of those styles where she goes to the beauty shop once a week, and it’s teased out to kingdom come.” I hold my hands out to demonstrate how far.
“Oh, God, I have to meet her. Please? One day, you must introduce us.”
“Do you work on PT Cruisers? That’s what she drives. Mom calls it a clown car.”
“Not usually, but I’ll make an exception for her.”
“Then I’ll bring her in so you can give her a tune-up. After she sees you, you’ll be the one getting tuned up.”
As the waiter clears off the plates, I remind Brandon that our dessert is next.
“I hope your dessert and mine are the same.”
“Why’s that?” I ask.
“Because I’m afraid yours will be better than mine, and I’ll have to steal yours.”
He doesn’t have to worry. I’ve ordered us both chocolate soufflés. And they are delicious. As he eats, his gaze bounces from the dessert to me. I’m not sure if I even look at what my spoon is digging into. I only have eyes for his mouth. If I knew soufflés could be this sexy, I would’ve ordered ten.
The meal ends, and when the bill arrives, he moves to grab it. I slap his hand away. “There is not a chance in hell I’m letting you pay. This is for what you did, and my treat. Besides, if you pay, I’ll never bring Aunt Kendra in.”
He leans back and says, “You drive a hard bargain.”
I pay the bill, and we leave.
“Where did you park?” he asks.
“Down the street. I lucked out.”
“Come on. I’ll walk you.”
When we get to my car, it’s a bit awkward. I want to kiss him goodnight, but I can’t and I’m not quite sure how to handle this. Maybe I should kiss his cheek.
“Brandon, I had a great time. You were a lot of fun to hang out with, and thanks, too, for listening again.”
“Hey, anytime you want to talk, you know where to find me. Seriously.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you for the amazing dinner. It was really awesome.”
He bends down toward me and I can’t have him kissing me, because I know it would lead to more, so I turn my head. But I don’t have to worry at all. He hugs me, and then steps back to open my car door.
“Be safe driving home, Jenna Rhoades.” He walks away, and I can’t help but watch him go. I also can’t help the disappointment the flows through me, and I feel horrible for it. I shouldn’t want another man’s lips on mine. But God help me, I do.
Four
BRANDON
A few days later, I close the hood and face her. It’s cute the way her eyes plead for me to believe her.
“I’m serious. It wouldn’t start, otherwise I wouldn’t have called you,” she says. I can’t help but smile. “No, really. And this totally sucks, because it’s like going to the doctor with a scratchy throat and they just look at you and say they don’t see anything. Or when you call the IT guy to look at your computer, and you’re like it really did give me the blue screen of death.”
The more she talks, the more I want things I can’t have. Taking a deep breath, I remind myself for the millionth time she’s off limits.
“I believe you,” I say, to take the panic look off her face. “It looks like the car just wanted some one-on-one time.”
Her eyes narrow, and
she lifts a finger to wiggle it in my face. “Oh no, you don’t. I didn’t want quality time with you. I thought when it happened, I could call a friend.”
She’s so fucking gorgeous; she can’t help it. “So, that’s what we are now, friends?”
“Why not?” She shrugs.
“I don’t know. Like this is only the second time I’ve had the privilege of meeting you outside of my shop.”
Even the look of offense on her is cute.
“I thought we were friends. I’ve told you things I haven’t even told my bestie.”
I give in to her earnest expression. “We can be friends… for now.”
I hadn’t intended to tack on that last part.
Her eyes shoot wide. “For now?”
“Yeah, like I came over here after work and I’m hungry. A friend would offer to feed me after doing said friend a favor.”
Lips that can make sinners out of us both form an incredulous O before pursing close.
“Actually, that’s why I was headed out. I was in search of dinner.”
“There’s nothing in your fridge?”
“Oh, there’s stuff. But with my cooking skills, nothing that would hit the spot at the moment.”
“Show me,” I say.
A sigh that lifts her breasts exhales from her mouth. “Fine. But you won’t like my cooking.”
Inside, I find of wealth of items to make a meal with. “You’re in luck. I’m hungry enough to cook for both of us.”
“No, that’s not fair.”
“True. I guess you’ll have to make it up to me somehow.”
The wink I toss at her has her opening her mouth, which only hardens my cock. Speechlessly, she continues to gape at me as a blush creeps across her cheeks. She’s fucking edible, so I turn away, trying to maintain this friend zone she has me in and get to work. In less than an hour, we are seated across from each other—she with a wine glass in her hand.
“Honestly, I can’t believe you don’t have a girlfriend. I mean, seriously, I would have never thought to sauté veggies and then steam chicken top. It was so simple, yet delicious.”
“Don’t underestimate the seasoning and some prep time.”
“Seriously though, why are you single?” She zeroes in on me with her index finger held up. “And don’t say you’re one of those guys who doesn’t do relationships. That’s so cliché.”
With a smirk, I quip, “I don’t do relationships.”
Eyeing me, she sets her glass down and raises her hand. “That’s so yesterday. What is the real reason you don’t have some woman waiting for you at home? You cook, you listen, you’re like every girl’s fantasy.”
“Fantasy I’m not. And honestly, I haven’t found the right woman yet.”
“No long-lost love? Some tragic story about a girl who did you wrong and turned you away from relationships?”
Shaking my head, I say, “No. Work, work, and more work. It’s about all the time I have outside of taking care of my little brother.”
“You have a little brother?”
I pick up my glass of white wine, wishing for beer, but she didn’t have any. “He’s almost out of high school, and if he can keep on track, on his way to college.”
“Wow, high school. I guess I should have asked you how old you are.”
“Twenty-four, you?”
“Twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six. I guess that makes me the older woman.”
“Older and wiser.”
“Age is just a number,” she says, holding up her glass for a toast.
I opt for a change in subject.
“How’s Cate?”
“You remembered?” she asks.
“I did.”
“She’s good, I think. D.C. suits her well, which sucks because totally I miss her. It’s kind of hard not having her close. We grew up together like sisters. We even went to college together.”
“Have you told her yet?”
“About what?”
“Your boyfriend.”
Her eyes darken, and her face almost sours. In that moment, I want to know what’s going on in that pretty head of hers.
“I haven’t. And I told you why.”
“You did, but you say she’s your bestie. Don’t you think she’ll be happy you’re happy?”
Polishing off her wine, she takes a while before answering.
“There was never any doubt that she would be happy for me. Hell, she’d jump up and down with me if I wanted. It’s just that I don’t want to remind her of all she’s lost. She’s finally able to get out of bed without crying. Last thing I want is for her to hear my news and think about being without him again.”
“So, things are that good with you and your guy you worry about her knowing?”
Normally, I don’t fish into other people’s business. But I find myself in the position of wanting this woman, one I can’t have. I need to find out how far off limits she really is.
“They’re good.” She shrugs again, and it’s almost as if her words are rehearsed, practiced. “He’s good to me. He’s sweet, kind. He checks off all the boxes, you know?”
“Actually, I didn’t know there were boxes.”
“Well,” she holds up her hand and starts counting off with her fingers, “he comes from a good family, went to the right schools, has a bright future. You know, the boxes that would make him a good husband in the future.”
I nod, though something about what she’s said doesn’t seem like they should come from her lips. I thought she was different.
“If someone doesn’t hit those boxes, they can’t make a good husband?”
All of a sudden, she seems to shake off something. She blinks and then shakes her head as if confused about what she just said.
“No, absolutely not. Those are the boxes my mother has drilled in my head since the first day I told her I had a crush on a boy.”
“You’re dating someone for your mother.”
“No… not exactly. He’s a good guy who’s not around much. But that’s fine. When he’s here, he gives me all his attention.”
“That’s why he isn’t here with you tonight. Does his job take him out of town?”
“Yeah, he sort of lives here part-time and there part-time.”
“You’re doing the long-distance thing?”
“I guess.” She’s speaking, but she’s in her head, too, if the distant look in her eyes is any indicator.
“Whatever works,” I say, confused because she seems to be.
“It works. It was better when Cate was here. I had time for her, you know. Now with her gone, it’s lonely.”
Her eyes land on mine. In them, I know that if I reach over and kiss her, she’ll let me. I lick my lips instead.
“I should clean up and get out of here. I have an early start tomorrow,” I say, needing to get out of Dodge before I do something crazy like kiss her and get kicked out.
She tosses her napkin down because she has cloth napkins, which says rich girl, too rich for my blood. What the hell am I doing? She’s unavailable. And even if she weren’t, our lives are so different.
“No way am I letting you clean up. But you can stay. We can watch a movie,” she suggests.
Her eyes shimmer. In them, I see the vulnerability of the strong woman before me. She wouldn’t have asked, yet she has. I recognize the look. My mother has given me that look many times over the years.
I should leave for both our sakes, yet I hear myself speaking other words. “Sure, why not, as long as I get to pick.”
“Fine by me. What do you want to watch?”
“The Avengers.”
I’d heard a lot about it and hadn’t gotten the chance to see it when it was in the theatres.
“The Avengers it is.”
Finding a comfortable spot on her sofa takes a few awkward moments. We arrange ourselves several inches apart. I stretch my arm behind the sofa, and her head is practically in my hand. As the movie plays and we laugh our asses off, the space bet
ween us starts to evaporate.
I don’t think either of us notices how she ends up curled beside me with her head on my shoulder. It’s when the credits roll that I notice she’s fallen asleep.
Many things run through my head as I scoop her up into my arms. My luck, I find her room under door number one. I lay her on top of her bed and use the throw from the sofa to cover her. I check behind the other doors to confirm I’ve put her in the right room, and I have. Then I clean up the kitchen and leave her a note to bring her car by in the morning for a routine check-up.
As I walk out the door, I wonder if I’m setting myself up to fall for a woman who will never be mine.
Five
JENNA
Several weeks have passed, and I’ve been seeing Brandon here and there. We’re supposed to meet tonight for a quick dinner, but I have to pass because I’m going to be at work late again. As I’m running through my notes for an upcoming meeting with my boss, my office door bursts open, and a tall blonde rushes in, claiming she needs to speak to me and it’s an emergency. Oh, boy. Here we go again.
“He doesn’t want to commit,” Karen whines. She’s an attorney who works in the same building as I do.
“But, Karen, you all have only dated for what? A couple of months?” I ask.
“Six. And that’s not what I’m talking about. He won’t commit to anything—lunch, dinner, a walk in the park, even a stupid trip to the grocery store.”
I guess I’m the love counselor now. “Have you discussed this with him?”
She shoots me a withering glance. “Of course, I have. And do you know what happens? I find myself suddenly naked, in his bed, and his mouth … though he’s not as good as your brother.”
My eyes dart to the ceiling, floor, my shoes, the window, anything to get the sound of her voice out of my head. There is no fucking way I can listen to tales of my brother’s prowess in the bedroom. Ick to the triple max. I la-di-da to myself until she shuts up.
“Jenna? Are you listening to me?”
The Cruel and Beautiful Series Boxset Page 79