“And hosed off.”
“And in bed by eight.”
“I can’t guarantee that,” said Anna. “But if it makes you feel better for me to say it, sure, they’ll be in bed by eight.”
“It’s a school night,” said Amy, hating how naggy she sounded. She rubbed the crease between her eyebrows. “Look, Paisley had a nightmare last night. Maybe this isn’t the best time—”
“Oh, I forgot, I promised Alec I would ask you a favor,” Anna interrupted.
“Uh oh,” grumbled Amy.
“Can Marcos come to the bachelorette party? He’ll hate it, but the idea of us looking all sexy on the dance floor is making Alec’s brain short out. I think he’d feel better if we brought our own bouncer.”
“BYOB.” Amy considered the idea, pleasantly impressed for the umpteenth time at how protective Alec managed to be without being overbearing. Originally the night out dancing was supposed to be just she and Anna—their last hoorah as single ladies—but it had crossed Amy’s mind more than once that this was the first time Anna would be out, drinking, unprotected by Alec, since Maxim’s Stein’s son had slipped her a roofie and caused her to lose three days of her life.
Plus, Marcos had basically saved their lives not too long ago, so she figured it was probably good karma to have him along.
“Sure,” said Amy. “Text me his number and I’ll call him.”
“Thanks,” said Anna. “Now go upstairs and put your party panties on. I can handle this madness. And if I can’t, I’ll call you.”
“You promise you’ll call me.”
Anna ushered her toward the stairs, just as she’d pushed her into the dressing room at Victoria’s Secret earlier that day.
“I promise,” said Anna.
As Amy climbed up the steps, it occurred to her that she hadn’t left Paisley with anyone besides Mike and Iris since Jonathan—or William MacAfee, rather—had taken her to the bridge that night.
She placed a hand on her belly, steadying herself. Everything was going to be fine. Just fine. Anna was as good as family. She’d lay down her life for Paisley, if it came to that, and Alec, well he’d already proved he would lay down his life for Anna.
It took five minutes to finish her hair and fix her makeup, and another five to change into the sexy lingerie she’d washed when she’d gotten home. She’d chosen a dress she thought Mike would like—a lavender sheath with a black lace overlay. To add some funk, she wore a chunky beaded necklace and a silver headband, and then slipped into her lace-up, knee-high boots.
Before she headed down the stairs she took a good look at herself in the mirror. Twice she considered changing her accessories, but that meant a shoe change, and that meant a dress change. She probably should have bought a new outfit for tonight...too late now.
Stepping closer to the glass, she applied a light shade of lipstick. The dark shadow made her green eyes brighter. The gloss made her lips look fuller. Her platinum hair was straight, falling to blunt ends that drew the eye away from her high cheekbones and pointy nose. The dress accentuated what curves she had, and what she was wearing underneath made her feel sexy.
She was sexy.
She grabbed her overnight bag off the bed, filled with her comfy clothes, including her regular bra for tomorrow morning and a toothbrush, and headed for the stairs feeling infinitely more confident.
At the top she wavered, just a little bit, when she saw Mike waiting at the bottom.
In slacks and a crisp white dress shirt, he looked stunning, like something out of a dream. The collar of his shirt was open, showing just a hint of the muscles of his chest, and his sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, exposing his hard, smooth forearms. As he turned to face her, the dark fabric of his pants brushed against the swell of his thigh, and Amy had the sudden urge to touch him there, press her lips there, look up and see if he could maintain that easy, calm control.
Or if the sight of her on her knees was enough to shatter it.
His gaze flicked to hers, then held, and for one long moment he stared. Even from the top of the stairs she could see his jaw flex, and his mouth draw into a thin, tight line that made her wary. And then he smiled, and whatever thoughts had darkened his stare vanished.
That smile stole her breath.
“Damn,” he said so quietly, she must have had super powers to hear it. It felt like that word was for her alone.
She smoothed down the front of her dress and started to walk down the steps, holding the bannister just in case she did something really exciting, like somersaulting her way to a broken neck.
“Looking good, Hummingbird.”
“You should see what else she’s got on,” Anna called.
Amy made a mental note to kick her later. A few more steps, and she saw her friend standing in the living room, arms wrapped around Alec’s waist. The girls, who’d gone back to coloring on the floor, looked up. Now everyone was watching her.
“What is this, prom?” muttered Amy.
“Forgot the corsage,” said Mike. “Knew I missed something.”
She smirked.
“Ready?” he asked, his gaze filling her with hope. She swallowed. Nodded.
“All right, girls,” he said a little louder. “Be as bad as you want for Alec, but do everything Anna says, got it?”
“Got it,” said Chloe.
“Pais, come here real quick.” Amy crouched as her daughter pushed off the floor and met them at the doorway. Her pigtail that had gone crooked sometime while she’d been playing and Amy straightened it unconsciously. She looked like such a kid now. Her cheeks had thinned out, her hair was long. All traces of the sweet little toddler she’d been were gone. It had all happened so fast.
“You’re going to have so much fun with Anna and Alec tonight. You won’t even know I’m gone.”
“I know,” said Paisley.
“If you need me, Anna can call me, okay?”
“I know.”
Amy wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but Paisley was making it pretty easy to walk out the door. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“I’ll see you in the morning. Unless you need me before that.”
“’Kay, bye.” Paisley ran back to Chloe’s side to finish the drawing they were working on. No kiss goodbye. No hug.
“Love you, too,” she said as she stood, overnight bag still in her hand.
“’Kay, bye,” echoed Anna, and gave her a quick hug. “Get out. See ya. Have fun.”
The next thing she knew, she was standing on the front step, the door shut behind her.
She looked up at Mike, who chuckled, and headed for the truck that she’d left parked in the middle of the driveway. He opened the door for her, and helped her inside, and then tried to wedge himself between the steering wheel and the front seat she’d forgotten to adjust back into his regular place.
“Sorry,” she said. “I guess I’m a little shorter than you.”
“Just by three or so feet.” He scooted the seat back as far as it would go, then backed down the driveway and headed toward town.
Each second that passed wound her a little bit tighter. He had to feel it. The tension in the car was so thick you could cut it with a dull spoon. She kept staring at that glove box. It was like she had x-ray vision; she could practically count each foil-covered condom within.
She’d dated before, she reminded herself. But it didn’t help. This was different. It felt different. It felt important, and because of that she was infinitely more worried that she was about to screw it up.
She watched the road. Right turn. Left turn. She looked back over her shoulder, but couldn’t see the house anymore.
This was crazy. She wasn’t going to make it through the whole night like this. She’d have a heart attack. Or a stroke. Or a nervous breakdown.
“I got you something,” he said.
She watched as he pulled a small, square box from his pocket. Her heart tripped in her chest as her mind raced through the different je
welry pieces that could be inside. Surely he hadn’t bought a ring. That would have been insane. They hadn’t even gone on a real date. Plus, if he knew her at all he’d know she was impossible to shop for.
She nearly rolled down the window because there wasn’t nearly enough oxygen in the cab for them both to stay conscious.
“Take it,” he said, extending his arm her direction.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” She should have gotten him something. Was that what people did on dates?
“I know.”
She took the small box, biting the inside of her cheek as she opened the lid. Inside wasn’t jewelry. No gold or silver. No diamonds or other precious stones.
It was buttons.
Twenty or so of them. All different colors and shapes. Some looked almost antique, others like they’d fallen off the girls’ clothes. There was one in the shape of a copper penny, and another made of thick burlap. All of them were unique, like the pieces she could make with them.
“I’ve been saving them for you,” he said, sounding a little uncertain. “I thought you might be able to use them for one or two of your projects.”
She could already picture a collection of them sewn onto one of her simple black dresses in the closet. Or some of the bigger ones on a hairpiece or a brooch.
“Thank you,” she said, her chest tight. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever gotten her.
“Thank you for saying yes to tonight,” he said.
Silence. She stared at the buttons in her lap, and then at him. She imagined him picking them up, one by one. Saving them in his pocket. Touching them throughout the day and thinking of how she’d react when she found out.
Her heart was pounding.
She took a deep breath.
“Stop the car,” she said. She placed the top back on the box and set it at her feet.
One...
He glanced at her, brows raised, and then pulled over on the side of the road. They weren’t even out of the neighborhoods yet, and the streets were quiet. Before he’d even put the car in park, she’d unbuckled her seatbelt.
Two...
“Is everything–”
She climbed onto her knees in the seat, reached for his shirt, and pulled him close. He barely had time to register what was happening before she crushed her lips against his.
For a moment neither of them moved. Her hands fisted his shirt, while his still gripped the steering wheel and the shifter. She didn’t breathe. She didn’t close her eyes.
Something strange happened to her then. An unfamiliar strength began to take hold, rooting deep within her, warming her rigid muscles and spreading out to her limbs. Memories flashed through her mind of hard times, but instead of pain, there was power. Life was hard, and frightening, and sometimes cruel, but she’d endured. And for the first time in a long time, she didn’t consider whether or not she was worthy of him. She considered whether he was worthy of her.
And he was.
She drew back, staring into his eyes in surprise, wondering if that feeling would dissipate. It didn’t.
“Hi,” he said.
She leaned in again, more slowly this time. Taking his bottom lip in hers, she sucked it gently into her mouth. Her eyes drifted closed as she licked it, tentatively, remembering that dark, spicy taste of him. He seemed intent to let her lead, so she tilted her head, and kissed him again, this time a little deeper. His lips parted, and she felt the soft, rough feel of his tongue, and gave a little gasp.
The power she’d felt earlier seemed to multiply in an instant. Her skin was so sensitive, her body so warm. She could feel her blood pounding, her fists trembling, her breasts tingling. Soon she was leaning closer, over the center console, her knees making the leather seat creak. The rough sounds of their uneven breaths filled her ears.
His hand rose to her face, and she nuzzled her cheek into his open palm. His mouth made a wet trail across her jaw, to her neck, and she turned her head so that he could kiss her there. He’d shaved, and his chin was smooth against the tender skin where her pulse beat so frantically beneath.
His other hand found her waist, and then rose up her back, pressing her closer to his hard chest. She finally released his shirt and flattened her palms over his collarbone, sliding outward until she gripped his shoulders. The man was solid muscle, there was no denying it. As if to prove this, his arms flexed, as if her touch had shocked him.
Then he shifted, and his fingers tunneled through her hair, and his lips moved faster, and more urgently. They found her mouth again, but weren’t as gentle as before. Heat ignited in her veins, and she gave a soft moan. At the sound of it, he shuddered. The power inside her swelled, and an unfamiliar need brightened the fire.
It stole her control. She needed to gain her footing; too fast her feet had been swept out from beneath her.
Before they could go any farther, she pushed back.
“Do you want me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he answered immediately. “I want you.”
She let that sink in for a quarter of a second. He wanted her. He was attracted to her.
“I have conditions,” she said, still breathing hard. His hands loosened just slightly in her hair. “If you don’t like them, I can’t do this.”
He bit his top lip, and she imagined herself doing that very same thing to him.
Focus.
“Let’s hear them,” he said.
“You can’t lie to me. Not about anything.”
“Done.”
“We can’t lie to the girls. I lied to Paisley once about something big and I won’t do it again.”
“Done.”
“If this doesn’t work, we don’t get weird. They’re best friends. They can’t be punished for whatever happens with us.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She swallowed.
“If you’re going to be with me, it’s got to just be me.”
He tilted his head.
“If you’ve got a problem...” she hesitated.
“What makes you think it’s not just you?” he asked.
She sat on her heels, half kneeling on the center console, half on the seat. She reminded herself she’d come this far, she couldn’t turn back now.
“You have enough condoms in your glove box to screw half the women in Florida.”
His brows shot up.
“I may or may not have gotten pulled over after I dropped the girls off at school. I needed to find your registration.”
“You...”
“I rolled through a stop sign.” She waved her hand.
He fell back in the seat. “Are you okay?”
It was as if she’d just told him she’d driven into a brick wall. “Yeah. It wasn’t a big deal.”
His brows furrowed. “It could have been a big deal. You could have been hit.”
She remembered his concern about driving the girls to school. He was kind of strict when it came to safety.
“I wasn’t,” she said. “And I’ll never do it again, cross my heart and hope to die. But back to my point.”
“I won’t.”
Her heart sunk. “You won’t?”
“Touch another woman while I’m with you,” he said. “And for the record, I haven’t touched another woman since you moved in.”
She waited for him to say more. Maybe something along the lines of, oh, those condoms? I gave them out to some of the frat boys in one of my college classes.
He didn’t.
“Okay,” she said, unsure of what to do now.
“Anything else?”
She shook her head.
“Amy, those aren’t conditions,” he said. “They’re common courtesies, and any man who doesn’t automatically do those things isn’t worth your time.”
Some of the high she’d felt minutes ago drained away. It wasn’t her favorite thing in the world that he’d had to tell her that. She moved back into her seat, and stared ahead at the line of houses that graced this side of
the street.
“Why’d you kiss me just now?” he asked.
She looked out the side window, clasping her hands together on her lap.
“You want my honesty,” he said. “I want yours. You don’t have to censor yourself. You’re safe with me.”
She looked back at him, turned to face her in the front seat. The collar of his shirt was a little crumpled, but the look in his eyes was sincere. She believed him. She’d known he was safe from the beginning. Sometimes she wondered if that’s why she never thought she could get him. Danger she knew, but kindness made her suspicious.
“I don’t have a good answer,” she said. “I just had to get it out of the way, I guess. I thought it might calm me down.”
He gave her a small smile. “Did it work?”
“Not really.”
She laughed briefly, embarrassed, because whether or not it had worked, it was still awesome.
“I set the scene, but you set the pace,” he said. “Can you do that for me?”
She had been, she realized, since he ‘set the scene’ and brought her and Paisley into his home.
“Yes.”
“I’m a patient man,” he told her.
“But?”
“There is no but.” He turned back toward the road. “You’re worth waiting for. Now, unless you want to make out with me some more, let’s go get something to eat.”
Chapter Ten
He took her to Bern’s Steak House, a place she’d always heard her wealthier clients talk about but had never been to because it didn’t exactly fit her Domino’s Pizza budget. So, being here on a date with Mike was exciting. He’d made reservations, and when the hostess led them to their table, he guided her ahead with a gentle hand on the small of her back.
“Is this all right?” he asked when they were alone.
“All right?” asked Amy, stifling a giggle. “They don’t have a dessert tray, they have a dessert room. They have a whole wine cellar. The hostess just gave me a black cloth napkin because she didn’t want me to get white lint on my dress.” When she realized she was waving her arms, she quickly folded her hands in her lap. She’d been to fancy places before, but it had been a long time ago, and the company was infinitely better than her parents giving each other the silent treatment while her brother played a handheld video game.
More: A Body Work Novel (The Body Work Trilogy Book 4) Page 8