“Not you! The…mushrooms.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
I tilt my head stepping just a little bit closer. “How about now? Getting hungrier? Don’t want to join us for a meal? The shower’s purely voluntary.”
She's trying not to smile, and those eyelashes keep dropping to my lips. “I want to go home.”
“Can I see you again?”
A smile spreads her cherub lips. “You are the most confident man I have ever met in my life.”
“That a yes?”
“Your brother is waiting.”
“Let him wait. Let me take you out.”
“I don’t know.”
Leaning in really close I ask, “Why don’t you know?”
Diana’s eyes smolder, eyelashes heavy as she confesses, “Because you’re trouble.”
The heat of our breath mingles. “You know what my father always taught me, Diana?” I brush my lips against hers, hovering as she shivers. I give her a wink and cross the street, saying over my shoulder, “Always trust your instincts.”
CHAPTER 20
DIANA
Dazed, I watch him cross the street. He holds up his beefy hand to stop traffic, calling to his brother, “Should I wear my badge twenty-four seven? What’s the deal?”
Nathan is leaning against the Jeep’s shiny grill, muscular arms crossed, the family smirk etched into his handsome face.
Trust my instincts.
What if they pull me in two directions? What then?
He has a fan group after him!
How do you date a guy like that?
My body thinks casual sex is the obvious solution. My ovaries are saying, let him in. My brain is telling them, slow your roll. Don’t start flinging eggs out like dice. You’ve got a heart somewhere here too, and it will remember.
He spots me still standing here right where he left me. “You coming?” Suddenly he bursts into a run, nearly nicked by a car. He touches the hood and leaps out of the way, bounding between two parked ones to land on the sidewalk in front of me. “I forgot about your leg. It hurts that bad? Want me to carry you again?”
Wyatt looks so earnest that I find myself nodding and even reaching for him.
Bending at the knees, he pauses, mentally negotiating how best to do this without worsening the bruise. He certainly didn’t give it much thought at the hospital. But he was frustrated with me then. Now he’s being considerate.
And a gentleman.
You see this, Eddie?
“Most interesting Friday I’ve ever had,” I whisper.
“What?” he asks, eyes distant from problem-solving.
“How you carried me today, that worked.”
Wyatt bends and presses his shoulder into my stomach standing up with me draped over it. As he strolls across the street he asks, “How’s that? You okay?”
“I’m awesome.”
Wyatt carefully sets me down, gives me another sexy wink, and helps me into the passenger side. “You’re giving me the front seat? Even though your brother has longer legs and you’ll be dropping me off first?”
Nathan climbs in back as Wyatt says, “Am I dropping you off first? That shower invitation still stands.” He laughs at my expression, moves my dress to make sure all of it is inside, “This is pretty,” and shuts the door.
As Wyatt walks around the front, wiping goo off of his leather jacket, his brother warns me in a low voice, “Don’t take the shower.”
I whip my head around.
He’s serious.
“I wasn’t going to.”
Nathan stares at me, silent.
The driver’s-side door opens and Wyatt jumps in. “Getting hungrier by the second and this food is more disgusting by the second. It’s a race.” He locks eyes with Nathan through the rearview mirror as the car starts. “She lives nearby.”
“Cool.”
“Unless you want to join us for food?”
“I want to go home.”
The humor fades in Wyatt’s eyes. “Right. Here we go.”
Several blocks are passed with classic rock playing and nobody talking. I’m facing the windshield, sneaking glances to his profile lit by passing street-lamps. He’s comfortable, tapping his thumb on the steering wheel.
But I’m not comfy.
That warning is in my head.
Two warnings, actually.
Two in ten minutes.
Not a great sign.
Feeling grim, I ask, “Did you hear from the vet? I didn’t call yet. I was…cleaning today.”
Wyatt’s expression darkens. “Bad news I’m afraid.”
My chest sinks in as I realize what this means. “Oh no! Really?”
He sighs, “Yeah,” genuinely disappointed.
I want to reach out and stroke his arm, console him. He was the one holding her.
Nathan asks what we’re talking about and Wyatt’s story is briefly told. His brother understands the weight of it just the same. “Sorry to hear that. What about the ducklings?”
“I was just going to ask,” I whisper, remembering how cute momma-duck was and what a pity they don’t have her anymore.
“Wildlife is filled up from the storm and who knows what else. Ever been there, Nathan?”
“Not yet. They come to us.”
“Me neither.”
Virginia Highlands is very close by. If somebody asked me whether I was relieved that we’re pulling up to my house right now, it would be a lie if I said yes. This makes two times when I didn’t want to leave him.
Two times when I knew I should.
“Thank you for driving me home.”
He leaps out and jogs around front to open my door. “Want me to carry you?”
I shake my head, and take his hand, wincing as I lower my foot to the patch of grass. “It was nice meeting you, Nathan.”
“See you, Diana,” he smiles, warning absent from his expression like it was never there.
Wyatt laces our fingers together. “I’ll walk you up. Nice place. You live alone?”
“I have a roommate.” Who was sort of in love with your brother Nicholas. If you can fall in love that quickly. Please nobody tell me that you can because I might believe them. “We get along really well. Our personalities balance each other. She’s Type A, and I’m Type Who-cares.”
Wyatt laughs while he raises our hands to lift my weight as we negotiate these steps. “Your leg really is hurting, isn’t it? I feel pretty bad about that. Why’d you go on the date if…you know what? Never mind. None of my business. Conversation for another time. Just get that thing elevated, put some ice on it.”
“I will.”
He chuckles, “You’ve been doing a great job so far.”
“Really, I’ll do that.” Rummaging around my bag I come up empty. “Uh…”
“What? Forget your key?”
“Yes, but I keep one hidden out here.”
Chuckling he starts lifting plants. The second one is where the key normally is but a dirty ring made by time is all he finds. Before he sets it into place and moves on to the next, I tell him, “I used it today. It’s normally right there.”
He points to the hiding place. “You leave your key here? Don’t tell me this is where it lives every day? Are you nuts? I was just fucking around. Never leave your key under a planter. Or your welcome mat. That’s the first place crooks look!”
“Really?”
Wyatt throws his arms up, flabbergasted. “Yes! And you have two women living here? Do not do that, Diana.” He gets closer, face serious. “I’m not kidding. If you hide a key somewhere make it really fucking hidden.”
My voice is small like a child being scolded, “Okay.”
“I mean it.”
“I know. I’ll hide it somewhere else. Where should I hide it?”
The hunt is on. “How about…” Straightening up, he eyes me. “You’re good.”
“What?”
Wagging his forefinger he calls it out, “You’re fucking with m
e.”
“Me? I’d never do that.”
“Yeah right! You need to find the place and tell nobody but—”
The door opens, Lita standing in the frame, sans makeup, messy-bun hanging at an angle, a grey mud mask dried onto her face with holes for her eyes, nostrils and lips. In one hand she’s holding up my keys that I must have left on the accent table.
At the sight of Wyatt Cocker, she yelps and shuts the door so fast we feel a breeze.
We look at each other.
“She thought you were Eddie, so she didn’t clean up.”
He smirks, “Guess I know how she feels about him, huh?” He cups my chin and tilts it. “I’m going to kiss you now, if you want me to.”
I close my eyes, lips parting a little, heartbeat racing. “If you don’t get the answer from this, you don’t deserve your last name.”
Heat emanates from Wyatt’s body as the distance vanishes between us. Our mouths open a little, lips barely touching at first. Then his envelope mine and we blend. A firm hand slides around my back, strong fingers applying pressure. His tongue seeks mine and I let him find it, touching together as waves of excitement drift into all of me.
He feels so good, his breath hot, kisses demanding, that I release all of my inhibitions and throw my arms around his neck, letting the kiss grow deeper with him in the lead. A thick pulse starts to throb, thick between my legs, heat building more with every lick.
Was I hurt? I can’t remember.
Nothing hurts now.
He pulls away, staring at me like he’s trying to figure something out.
I gaze up at him, and watch him lean in again, his lips open.
“No,” I moan, pressing trembling hands into his muscles. I have little willpower but something inside me says aloud, “I have to go.”
He frowns, “Right,” releasing me like if he doesn’t he won’t ever, and turns for the steps.
The old doorknob squeaks in objection. I have some of my own. But don’t look back. If I did I might do something foolish.
CHAPTER 21
DIANA
L ita is waiting just inside the door, mud mask cracked now. She must’ve grimaced a million ways to get it to look like that. There’s a new one on her shocked face right now as she demands, “Why the hell was Wyatt Cocker on our porch with you? Do you have a magic wand or something, turn Eddie into a prince? What. The. Fuck.”
From that kiss…I am floating.
Never been kissed like that where I forget we are even separate beings.
“Diana, you look dazed. Or drunk. Are you drunk?”
“No alcohol needed.”
She gapes at me, stunned.
My limp is more prominent as I enter a living room where dust bunnies no longer greet me.
Lita follows like watching a specimen in a lab, one who just did the miraculous thing scientists had been hoping it would for years. “He kissed you, didn’t he? Just now out there after I interrupted…he kissed you!”
I lower myself onto our couch, “Yep,” and grab her bowl of popcorn, scooping a handful and staring at it. If I shove this into my mouth, the taste will override his. Is it worth it? No.
“Why are you staring at the popcorn?” Lita almost sits on our glass coffee table but realizes that might not be the brightest of ideas. So she pulls a velvet chair closer instead. “Eat the fucking popcorn. You’re freaking me out!”
“But…”
“Eat it!”
Starving, I shove all of it in at once, cheeks puffed like a squirrel’s in November. I feel so damn good that I’m holding back a laugh as I try to chew and swallow.
Lita is reaching to wrap her brain around this, voice filled with wonder. “As soon as you can talk again, tell me everything.” She flies up. “I need some wine. You want some wine? I want wine. I’ll get us some wine. I’m gone.”
After a whole ten seconds, she races back with the opener, a bottle of rosé, and two glasses held upside down by their stems. She mumbles to herself, turning the corkscrew with a fervor, “Why am I doing this before I wash my face? My face is itchy. Why don’t I go wash my freaking face?” Some people pour wine delicately, but not her. Not now. Not tonight. Light pink liquid splashes everywhere, and she hands me my glass with a final and authoritative, “Talk!”
“I met Wyatt Cocker.”
“No shit. I can see that. I have eyes. Explain.” She takes a drink, staring at me.
“He kissed me.”
Her wine splashes. “New information please!”
“I was on the date with Eddie and Wyatt followed us.”
“Why would he do that? Did he just see you, fall instantly in love, and start trailing you?”
On a laugh I explain, “No, they hit me with their car today. The police car. I didn’t fall. I was hit.” My roommate stares at me like I spoke another language, so I launch into the whole story, a ramble that has no punctuation and perhaps makes very little sense. She hangs on every word, taking sips while never once breaking eye contact.
“He wants to see me again.”
“They always say that.” Lita rises, sets down her glass angrily. “I have to wash off my face. It’s driving me nuts.”
The bathroom door slams.
I blink.
Oh no!
Nicholas.
I rambled my story to my curious roommate with zero awareness or empathy to how she felt about Wyatt’s older brother. I remembered it earlier, what made me forget now?
That kiss.
That amazing kiss.
It wiped out all of my reason.
“Lita, I’m sorry!”
The bathroom door flies open and through it I can see her left hand zip back to her face where she’s massaging water into the mask to loosen its hold. “I’m fine! I’m totally fine.”
“You slammed the door. Not normal.”
She rolls her eyes, “I suspected you were lying about that fall. It made no sense that the bruise would be that high!”
“Oh, Lita!”
“It’s fine. I get it now. You were trying to protect me. But don’t fucking lie to me again, Diana!”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t get too close to him! Don’t get attached!”
I drop new popcorn I had grabbed back into the bowl, appetite suspended.
Three warnings.
What a romantic start.
Couldn’t I have been excited about this for more than five minutes?
Maybe I am just a conquest.
I wouldn’t like that.
What girl would?
Perhaps some.
But I’m not exactly a stone wall on two legs. I couldn’t work with Seniors if I was. My heart is mooshy, gushy, and an absolute mess regarding anything to do with love.
Had some good relationships.
Not a ton of drama.
Also not a ton of wow.
This is the one — never had that.
Not yet.
But when I watch a movie and the love story is believable, raw, and true…you will see me crying. Not pretty crying where somebody could photograph it and I wouldn’t be mortified.
Three warnings.
That kiss.
Those hands.
That smirk.
Warn me all they want.
If this is a mistake…
It’s mine to make.
“You want to order pizza?” I call out, a smile spreading on my lips. “I’m suddenly hungry.”
CHAPTER 22
ANOTHER DAY - ACROSS TOWN IN BUCKHEAD
WYATT
G randpa Michael greets me at the door wearing grey slacks and a baby blue button-down, long sleeves rolled up his forearms. Age spots dot tanned skin, hair white and neatly trimmed. “Look at you in uniform. Should I be worried?”
“Everybody should be worried.”
He laughs and I walk into a bear hug, that ends with a few slaps on my back that I don’t return. Despite his being a virile old man, he is over eighty and I
don’t want to be the one who puts him back in the hospital.
“Good to see you Grandpa. How you been?”
“Bored, if I’m honest.”
Grandma Nance strolls in from the kitchen wearing yellow pants, a white blouse and flats, her reading glasses perched on white hair she styles after the late Jackie Kennedy. Never use Onassis when referring to the former First Lady or you’ll hear a vehement, She may have loved him — I don’t know — but it’s John who is with her in Heaven.
Joining us in the foyer, she overhead what was said. “Michael, we just went to Vegas last weekend! And Hawaii two months before.”
“I prefer working over retirement, Nancy, you know that.”
“Blame your son,” she reminds him, referring to Uncle Justin’s success in putting a cap on term limits while he served as Senator. It put his Congressman father out of a job but was the right thing to do. If the President has limits to protect the people from corruption and too much power, then why shouldn’t that apply to our House of Representatives?
We embrace, the smell of lavender and lemon on her, familiar. “I was so happy to hear you were coming by. I can’t remember the last time you visited us alone.”
My cousin Ethan has lunches with them regularly. Now that he’s married and a father, his whole family comes. His sister Emma, too, sometimes. I’m sure Hannah goes, too, if they do.
Sure, we’re all here for our Family BBQs, and those happen often. But just me and them? She’s right. It doesn’t happen. I can say the same for my brothers and sisters, too.
Dad wasn’t close to the family when his service ended in the Marines. He and Mom had us four kids. We were an insular unit. Mom’s sister Kathy and her family would have us over for dinner, or we’d have them. Uncle Jake and Dad are close, and our families would blend. But I can’t remember a single time it was just our family and Grandpa Michael and Grandma Nance.
We head inside, Grandpa resting his hand on my shoulder blade. “How is it for you, Wyatt? Very dangerous?”
Grandma asks with concern. “Are you safe?”
“Of course he’s safe, Nancy. He’s the one keeping you safe!”
“All by myself,” I brag, which makes her laugh.
“I don’t know about that. I like to think I’m the only one keeping her safe,” Grandpa says, dropping his hand to take hers.
Wyatt Cocker (Cocker Brothers Book 23) Page 10