With a huff, she sat up, her shorts riding up her slender thighs and her bare toes wiggling in the grass. “Why are you always tickling me?” she asked, her small button nose scrunching up.
“Because I know you hate it,” he answered with a shrug as he sat across from her.
“Why do you do it, then?” Chris tilted her head to the side and frowned.
“I don’t know, Christina, okay?” Andrew shrugged. He could feel his entire face heat up and looked away from her. He didn’t know why he felt like doing that to her. At that age, he thought that was what boys did as he watched his parents play together like that sometimes. His father would often run his fingers along Julia’s sides, tickling her before wrapping her up in a hug. They looked happy and Andrew wanted to be happy like that, too.
“You kids all right here?” Henry asked, coming outside.
Andrew Sr. followed with a tray of food. “Andrew, be careful with Christina. She’s smaller than you,” he warned. The kids were almost the same age, only a few months between their birthdays, but Andrew was almost six inches taller and a solid twenty pound heavier.
Andrew rolled his eyes at his dad. “I know, Dad. I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Yeah, Mr. Miller, Andrew wouldn’t hurt me,” Chris repeated, scooting over to wrap a protective arm around Andrew.
Henry pointed between the two kids and narrowed his eyes. “Behave, you two. We’ll be over at the barbeque.”
Andrew swallowed thickly and murmured, “Yes, sir,” while Chris stifled a giggle, as Henry winked at her.
Andrew sighed and smiled at his reflection. How times had changed. He wondered idly if she still hated being tickled.
Once he got dressed, he was able to relax as he thought of seeing Henry again. He hadn’t seen him at all around town, but then again, Andrew worked from his home and the only time he went out was to get either food or flowers.
Unlike the awkwardness he had felt when meeting some of his ex-girlfriends’ parents, knowing Henry already knew him and part of his background, regarding his parents, made Andrew feel more relaxed. The less he had to explain about his past and familial circumstances, the better.
He took a deep, calming breath and tucked his wallet and keys into his pockets. “It’s now or never.” He left his house with a confident step, knowing he was going toward his destiny.
. . .
Chris had done everything she could to make herself presentable and was now waiting anxiously for Andrew to arrive.
She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so elated about going on a date and figured this was a very good thing.
As she watched Andrew’s car drive up in front of her house, a familiar feeling of warmth spread through her body and she couldn’t help the smile that lit up her face.
“You look beautiful,” Andrew complimented, as she opened the door, not even giving him a chance to knock this time.
He couldn’t help letting his eyes roam up and down her small frame. She took him off guard. The sun dress from the other night was stunning, but this—a mid-thigh length denim skirt paired with a fitted, deep red blouse—left a lot to the imagination, yet skimmed her body and showed off her curves in just the right way.
Andrew also loved when Chris let her hair down; something he noticed she didn’t do much at the shop. But, right now, it hung down her back in large waves, and his fingers itched to run through them.
Chris watched him look at her for a moment and decided she liked the way his gaze fell on her body. She had always felt she was a pretty girl; nothing had ever given her reason to think otherwise. But the way Andrew looked at her made her feel amazing, as if he truly saw her; as if she was beautiful in every way.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she replied, taking a step toward him, skimming his clean shaven cheek with the palm of her hand. She had never seen his face so...smooth. It made him look younger than he was, and even though she loved it when he had scruff on his cheeks, she really liked this look on him, too.
She also liked that he had worn dark wash jeans and a black, crew-neck dress shirt. That shirt would be the death of her, as it showed off his lean muscles and tapered off in all the right places. She also couldn’t help but notice how his hair—which was usually an unruly mess—was shorter than usual.
“You got a haircut?” she commented as a question, after a moment of debating whether or not she should kiss him.
He looked away, the tips of his ears pinking in shy embarrassment. “Yeah...I...I wanted to look nice...for you.”
“You always look nice, Andrew,” she admitted. Since he towered over her and all she could reach was his chin, she kissed it softly, reveling in the feel of his smooth skin under her lips.
His eyes came back to hers, and they regarded each other for a moment. “How do you do that, Chris?” His voice was a soft caress as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
She grinned and rested her arms around his neck. “Do what?”
“You dazzle me.” He smirked and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.
She wondered briefly if it wasn’t the other way around, because from where she stood, Andrew was the one doing the dazzling.
Their kiss was gentle and sweet; their lips moving together in a glorious tango that ended too soon when Andrew pressed two pecks to Chris’s lips then stood to his full height, twining his fingers with hers.
“Shall we?” he asked, motioning toward his car, his voice sounding deeper than usual.
Chris simply nodded, unable to form a coherent sentence to save her own life, and let him lead the way.
Chapter 6
“I would have bought you flowers but...” Andrew shrugged and Chris laughed. He didn’t have to finish the sentence because she knew what he meant. He liked that about her. She was smart and seemed to understand him completely. It made him feel as if maybe she truly was his other half.
Chris shook her head and laughed. “Yeah, as much as I like them, that’s not necessary. Trust me; I see enough of them at work as it is.”
“That just means I’ll have to try harder to figure out something to give you,” Andrew countered. He promised himself he would do whatever he could to show her how much she already meant to him.
Their dinner came and the two made small talk while enjoying the Chinese food they had ordered.
Andrew wasn’t sure what to do on this date of theirs, but the more he had gotten to know Chris, the more he had seen how simple she was...and he liked that, a lot. He figured he would do what he thought she might like and not worry too much about details. She seemed easy going enough, and from his end, he felt if they were meant to be, it didn’t matter what they did as long as they were together.
When they had both finished eating, Andrew paid the bill and took Chris’s hand in his, leading them down the street, in the opposite direction from where he had parked the car. Twilight had settled in around them and the stars shone, adding a romantic flair to the warm, July evening.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I figured we’d play it by ear.” He held her hand in his as they strolled along Main Street toward the park.
“I like that, actually. This is nice. I like spending time with you.” Her declaration made Andrew grin from ear to ear.
“I have to tell you, I’m really glad to hear that, Chris.” He led her to a large swing set. She sat down and let Andrew push her until she was flying high toward the starry night sky.
Her body trembled every time his large hands came into contact with her lower back, sending her flying higher and higher. She giggled into the night air, and after a few moments stopped propelling herself, letting the swing slow down. Closing her eyes, she leaned back until Andrew caught one of the chains and stopped it from moving altogether.
Chris opened her eyes and grinned. From her angle, she could see Andrew standing behind her upside down. “You look funny this way,” she declared, then sat up, angling her body toward him.
Andrew took a seat i
n the swing beside hers. “Do I look better now?” he teased, and swung himself sideways, lightly bumping her swing with his.
“You do.” She nodded and caught his hand in hers.
They were quiet and contemplative, swinging easily while holding hands.
Andrew wanted to tell her how he felt, that he was sure he was falling for her, and do nothing but hold her close. He wasn’t sure how to do that and was afraid of pushing her away.
Too soon, he told himself.
Chris, lost in her own little bubble, couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to bring him home to spend the night. She had all these feelings swirling inside her head. One of them being love, another being lust. She wasn’t sure which one was more prominent or appropriate, but she was afraid of acting on either. Love would surely scare him away, while lust might have him stick around, but for how long?
“Do you want to get some ice cream?” Andrew asked as he stood and pulled her off the swing.
“I made apple pie this afternoon. I was bored. You want to come over and I’ll plate us some fresh pie with whipped cream?” Chris chewed on her lip innocently, wondering if she was being too obvious. She had, in fact, made pie, and was looking forward to a piece, but the thought of Andrew in her house...on her couch...with pie...and whipped cream. Yeah, that thought had her squeezing her thighs together as she slipped her hand in his.
Andrew cleared his throat, as he tried to stop thinking of Chris covered in whipped cream, and nodded, threading their fingers together. “That sounds amazing.”
It will be, Chris thought wryly, then wanted to slap herself. Her little fantasy was going to get her into so much trouble.
They walked back to the car, discussing Chris’s work, then it struck her that she didn’t know what it was he did for a living. He had told her he worked from home, but he had never elaborated. She knew from brief conversations that his job was computer related, however she had been too lost in her own head to ask.
“So, you make websites?” She confirmed after hearing Andrew explain how he had his own web design business.
“Yeah, among other things. It’s a small business and I don’t have that many clients, but the ones I do have are very faithful and they keep me busy. I could have expanded, but I like the way things are right now. It’s just me, a computer—well, a few computers—” he laughed “—and a lot of imagination.”
“That’s really awesome,” she complimented, remembering how he loved to draw as a kid.
“I love my job. Some customers keep me on my toes, and sometimes I have to go on business trips, but for the most part, it’s really great to be my own boss, you know?” He spoke excitedly, and Chris couldn’t stop grinning.
She liked seeing him this hyped-up over something they were discussing. It was when they talked about the things going on in their adult lives that Chris realized they hadn’t been in contact with each other for almost two decades.
This conversation was such a contrast to the illicit thoughts from earlier. She loved that her mind could go from one subject to the other.
“I don’t know what you mean yet, but give me a few more weeks to get used to things being all mine at the shop, and I will.” She winked. Teasing him was becoming one of her favorite things.
“That’s pretty cool, Chris. Daisy’s Flowers is a staple in this town, it’ll be great.” He parked the car next to hers in her driveway and turned off the ignition. “Shall we?”
She nodded and opened her door just as he did his. With her heart thundering inside her chest, she walked up to her dimly lit front door and fished her keys out of her purse, unlocking it and stepping inside. She held the door open until Andrew stepped through, then closed it, locking it behind her out of habit.
They were both quiet as they took off their shoes. For some reason, being here now felt awkward. The sexual tension between the two was palpable and they were both trying hard to deny it.
Andrew didn’t want to be that guy to Chris, and in turn, Chris didn’t want to look like an easy lay, even though her body had other plans.
“Chris?” Andrew watched as she flitted about the kitchen, getting out two plates from a cupboard and a can of whipped cream from the fridge.
Distracting herself was the best thing she could do at the moment.
Nope, she thought, he’s not standing there barefoot and leaning against the counter as if he belongs there. Nope, he doesn’t look like the most delectable thing in this kitchen. Nope, I’m not looking.
Not looking up from her task, which only served to keep her hands busy in case she was so inclined as to maul Andrew, while he stood there looking as though he belonged in her home next to her, she answered, “Mmm?”
Andrew shuffled from one socked foot to the other with his hands tucked in his pockets and his heart on his sleeve. “I really like you. A lot. Like, a lot, lot.” He added the extra “lot” for emphasis. He wasn’t ready for other “L” words unless they finished with “UST” because that was clearly in the air between the two of them.
Hearing his words, Chris took a deep, shaky breath and anchored herself to the countertop, holding on to the edge of it until her knuckles turned white. Without moving or turning to face him, she admitted, “I like you...a lot, lot, too, Andrew. Probably more than I should, considering...you know...”
At some point in the past few weeks, Chris had told Andrew about her recent broken engagement. It had only been mentioned in passing and neither had broached the subject again.
Andrew took a few tentative steps toward her; afraid she would run or maybe even throw him to the curb. “I know, and I won’t push you, Chris. When you’re ready, I’ll be there.”
She let the words sink in and without facing him, whispered, “What if I am ready? What if...what if I feel more for you than I ever did for anyone else...including him?”
Andrew took another step forward, and unable to keep himself from touching her, he moved her hair over her shoulder to get a better look at her face as he spoke. “Then that would make me feel like the luckiest bastard in the world.”
She took in another shuddering breath as his fingers skimmed the sensitive skin on the side of her neck. She instantly felt as though there was nothing standing between them anymore.
“Did you really want pie?” She let go of the counter and turned to face him, quirking an eyebrow and a smile tugging at her lip. Something in the air around them shifted. In that moment, she felt lighter and more certain than ever. This was the right thing.
He smiled ruefully in return and brushed a finger down her arm, making her shiver. “No.”
Without putting any more thought into her actions, Chris threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a heated kiss.
Andrew grinned against her lips, unable to keep his excitement to himself. His body was already betraying him and poking Chris’s hip. His chest felt full and his heart was beating quickly, indicating he wasn’t only thinking with his dick, even though the appendage happened to have its own opinions on the matter.
“Chris—” Andrew broke away from her mouth and dropped a kiss below her ear “—you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.”
“Long enough,” she replied breathlessly, tugging on his shirt, resuming their kiss. Almost twenty years had passed, and even though they still had quite a few things to talk about, this was happening between them right now.
Andrew had pinned Chris to the counter with his hips while his hands were tickling her ribs. He wanted to touch her—badly—and it seemed his mind was no longer in control of his limbs, because his hands found themselves on her breasts, squeezing lightly while his thumbs skimmed her erect nipples.
Andrew’s touch had the desired effect on Chris as her stomach tightened and her entire body buzzed in excitement. It felt so good to be touched this way, reminding Chris it had been too long since anyone had made her body sing this way.
With every squeeze and flick over her tits, she could feel herself clench her
thighs in response. She wasn’t sure how far this thing was going to go tonight, but she was in no way going to stop any of it. They were both grown adults, responsible for their actions, after all.
And it wasn’t as if they didn’t know one another.
“Hmm, that feels good.” Chris threw her head back and let Andrew kiss his way down her throat as his hands made their way under her shirt. When he pulled it up over her breasts and sucked a lace-covered nipple into his mouth, Chris couldn’t stop the porn star moan that slipped past her lips.
“Christ,” she groaned, threading her fingers through Andrew’s hair. She held him to her chest, while he pulled down the cups of her bra and lavished her nipples with his tongue.
Andrew’s face was glued to Chris’s tits, but his hands were free to roam, and roam they did. He skimmed the backs of her thighs with his thumbs, and then lifted her small body onto the counter, giving himself easier access to her goods. He liked that she was shorter than him, but the way his body was bent made his back uncomfortable—not that his back was his only problem, mind you.
“Is this okay?” he asked, releasing her nipple with a pop.
The cool air fanning across Chris’s skin, combined with the sincerity and pure desire she saw in Andrew’s eyes, made her feel as if she was the most important thing in the world to him.
What she didn’t know was: that in this moment, she was.
“It’s more than okay.” She grinned, undoing the buttons of her blouse, letting it slide off her shoulders and onto the floor.
Andrew’s fingers were quick to undo Chris’s lacy, red bra and he unceremoniously flung it behind him, making Chris giggle.
He shrugged unapologetically. “It was in the way.” His eyes perused the newly discovered skin, and he wondered how many years it would have taken to get to this point in their relationship had he stayed around.
“So is this thing, then.” Chris tugged at the bottom of Andrew’s shirt, and he lifted his arms into the air. This let Chris explore the planes of his solid chest with her fingers. They skimmed his skin upward, while her lips made a path up his chest as she took off his shirt. Once she got to his neckline, he reached behind him and removed it. The poor thing was thrown somewhere next to Chris’s discarded bra.
Man in the Moon (Sweet Escapes Book 1) Page 6