by Sherri Hayes
The teasing began as soon as they saw him.
“Hey, hey. He made it,” Baily said.
“Up late last night?” Romeo asked wiggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
Drew ignored their comments, and reached for one of the blueberry muffins laid out on a table set up along the back of the house. “You said eight thirty, didn’t you?”
The guys chuckled, but settled down some when Sophia stepped into the backyard carrying a pitcher. “Thought you boys might like some juice to go with your breakfast. I’ve got some coffee brewing as well. I’ll bring it out when it’s ready.”
Romeo took the pitcher from her and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, baby.”
She smiled and disappeared back inside the house.
After stuffing their faces with muffins, coffee, and the apple juice Sophia had provided, the four of them got to work. By the time lunch rolled around, they had the ground cleared and leveled with sand, and the pool lying in parts on the lawn. Overall, it was a very productive morning.
At noon, Romeo fired up the grill and cooked some burgers and brats. They lazed on the back patio eating and shooting the bull. It was then that the subject of his upcoming afternoon activities resurfaced.
“You going to tell us what’s so important that you’re abandoning us this afternoon?” Irwin asked.
Kyle Irwin was the quietest guy on his crew. He usually kept his head down and went along with whatever was going on. For him to be speaking up, Drew knew what the main topic of conversation had been before he arrived that morning.
He shrugged. “I just have plans, that’s all.”
“Girl plans?” Baily asked.
“Not exactly.”
There were a lot of suggestive noises followed by Romeo lifting his beer in salute. “Well, don’t let us get in the way of you getting some pussy.”
While Drew knew he shouldn’t let the guys get to him—especially since it was nothing he hadn’t dished out before himself on occasion—it irritated him all the same. Beth wasn’t some random hookup. “It’s not like that. We’re friends.”
“You’re blowing us off to go hang out with a girl you’re not banging? Something wrong there, man,” Baily said.
Drew let it go and finished off his burger. He tossed his trash in the garbage bag Sophia brought out earlier that morning, and headed into the house to use the bathroom. On his way back out, he ran into Sophia. She had her arms full with two more pitchers. The sun was beating down on them, and they’d been downing water almost as fast as she could bring it out to them. “Here, let me help you.”
She smiled, and handed him one of the pitchers. “Thanks.”
He opened the sliding door for her, and waited until she was outside before following. The rest of his crew, already several feet away, was huddled around the various parts that would eventually make up the pool.
Sophia took the pitcher from him and laid it on the table. “Eddie tells me you’ve got a hot date this afternoon.”
“Not you, too.”
She chuckled. “You know they’ll find out eventually. The more you keep it from them, the more they’re going to tease you.”
“I know.”
Going up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “You’re a good guy, Drew Parker. I hope whoever she is that she’s good to you.”
Drew nodded. “I should probably cut out. I need to stop at home and grab a shower. Thank you again for keeping us in food and drinks.”
“Anytime. You know that.”
After saying a quick farewell to Baily, Romeo, and Irwin, Drew jumped in his car and drove to his apartment. Once inside, he peeled himself out of his dirty clothes, threw them on top of the washer, and padded naked toward his bathroom. He took his time taking a shower, making sure to wash off all the dirt and grime.
Satisfied he was once again clean, he dried himself off, and then wrapped the towel around his waist so he could shave. Date or not, he wanted to look his best for Beth.
By two thirty, he was ready. Unfortunately, that meant he still had an hour before he needed to meet Beth at the movie theater. He thought about driving to the café and seeing if maybe she wanted to ride to the cinema together, but he wasn’t sure how she’d react to that. The last thing he wanted to do was mess things up.
He lowered himself onto a tan couch, the newest addition to his living room, and tried not to let his nerves get the better of him. Needing a distraction, he pulled out his phone and dialed his parents’ number. His dad was most likely out in the barn, but he was hoping his mom would be home.
“How are you, sweetheart?”
Drew smiled when he heard his mom’s voice come through the phone. “I’m good. How about you?”
“Same old, same old. Not much changes around here.”
He knew that all too well. It was one of the many reasons why he’d left the farm for the city. Although Drew enjoyed the space, he had no desire to shoe horses or milk cows for the rest of his life. “Is Dad staying out of the heat?”
“Oh, you know your father. Ain’t nothing going to keep him away from his animals.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Don’t worry too much about your dad. He can take care of himself. And when he can’t, he’s got me.” She was full of confidence. His mother had always been a take-charge type of woman.
“I still worry about you guys.”
“And you don’t think we worry about you and your brother?” she asked.
“I know you do.”
“Speaking of worrying, are you coming home for the barbecue this year?”
Drew knew she was talking about the annual Memorial Day barbecue his parents held at their house. It was a big deal. All his cousins would be there, as well as many of the surrounding farmers. “I’m not sure yet. I’m going to try to make it, but if I come, I’ll have to leave before dark. I have to work Tuesday.”
“Don’t worry about that. We just want to see our son.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He talked with his mom for a few more minutes before he realized it was already after three and he needed to go. “I’m sorry, Mom, I’m meeting someone at three thirty, so I need to go.”
“A woman?”
Drew bit back a groan.
“Andrew Raymond Parker, are you holding out on me? Have you met someone?” He could hear her hope.
“She’s just a friend.”
Of course, his mother heard what he didn’t say. “But you’re hoping it will eventually be more than that, right?”
He didn’t answer.
“Invite her to come to the barbecue. I’d love to meet her.”
“Mom, I can’t—”
“Yes, you can. You said she’s a friend, right? Well, we’ll have a bunch of friends here. She’ll fit right in.”
Drew wasn’t so sure about that.
“Well?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“You do that. Now, go meet this girl of yours. If she’s the right one for you, she’ll know what a catch you are.”
He laughed. “You’re biased, you know?”
“Of course I am. Doesn’t mean I’m wrong, though.”
Drew shook his head.
“What are you still hanging on the phone for? Go. Scadoodle. I want grandbabies one of these days before I’m too old to enjoy ’em.”
“Goodbye, Mom.”
It was her turn to laugh. “Goodbye, Drew. Take care of yourself. We love you.”
“Love you, too. I’ll call back soon.”
He hung up the phone and lowered his head. So much for keeping Beth a secret for a while, until they figured everything out.
Chapter 10
Most days flew by for Beth while she was at the café. There was plenty of work to keep her busy, and for the months since the fallout with Ben her business had been the only real bright spot in her day-to-day life. Her customers were always able to lift her spirits.
Today had been different. From the m
oment she awoke, Beth’s mind was on her upcoming meeting with Drew. She’d enjoyed her time with him the day before, and despite her reservations, she was looking forward to seeing him again.
She worked doubly hard to stay on top of her work throughout the day so that she could leave a little early. Even Tommy noticed and commented that she must have a date with her firefighter. Beth tried to ignore him, but inside she felt a little giddy. Every time she caught herself getting too worked up¸ she’d remind herself that she still didn’t know all that much about Drew. But even she knew that excuse wasn’t going to hold true much longer. He’d told her about his job, his family, and some of his hobbies. How much more did she need to know?
The sad reality was that no matter how cautious she was, there was always the chance that he’d hurt her—especially now that he was worming his way into her heart. It was crazy really. The man would be a handful for whatever mistress chose to take him on. So why was she beginning to consider it?
Even with the extras she’d done throughout the day, it was after two thirty by the time she was able to leave the café. Having rushed home, Beth jumped into the shower and got herself ready as quickly as she could for her non-date with Drew. She chuckled to herself as she pulled one of her favorite pairs of shorts up over her legs and took a glance in the mirror to see how they made her backside look. Each meeting with him felt more and more like a date no matter how much she insisted otherwise. She cared about her appearance. She cared what he thought of her appearance.
After a final check in the mirror, Beth grabbed her purse off the table and headed for her car.
She spotted him standing near the entrance of the movie theater as soon as she pulled into the parking lot. After finding a place to park, she went to meet him. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He smiled, but it wasn’t the full of life smile he normally flashed her. This one didn’t set off butterflies in her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Drew shook his head. “Nothing. Are you ready to go in? There are a couple of movies starting soon.”
“I’m not concerned about the movies at the moment. I want to know what’s wrong.”
“I told you. It’s nothing.”
She gave him a look that made it clear she wasn’t buying what he was selling.
He ran his hand through his hair. “Look, can we not talk about this here?”
Beth glanced around. While there weren’t a lot of people in their general vicinity, there were enough within hearing distance.
“Where would you feel comfortable talking?” She tried not to think too much about the leap of faith she was taking. Or what it would mean in regards to their relationship.
“We don’t—”
“Where?”
Drew sighed. “There’s a park a few miles from here. Would you be up for a hike?”
“I’ll follow you there.” Without further comment, she turned back toward her car, and waited until he maneuvered his own vehicle out into traffic.
The drive wasn’t far. As Drew said, the park was only a few miles away. There were three other cars in the small lot, but no sign of people. She guessed they were already on the trails.
Beth turned off the engine, exited her vehicle, and joined him a few feet away. “Lead the way.”
He released another loud sigh, and began walking across the parking area to a marked trail.
They trekked down a small hill and around a bend before Drew started talking. “I want you to know that I’ve been completely honest with you in regards to our friendship. I’m completely okay with us being friends.”
A tinge of unease began creeping up her spine. “Why am I sensing a but?”
“I called my mom before I came, and I sort of let it slip that I was meeting you this afternoon.”
He looked incredibly guilty. While Beth wasn’t sure how she felt about his mom knowing about her, she didn’t understand what was causing him to react the way he was.
“I tried to explain that we’re just friends, but you know how mothers are.” He stopped to meet her gaze. “Anyway, I’m supposed to invite you to my family’s Memorial Day barbecue. It’s a huge affair with all my cousins and many of the surrounding farmers.”
Not what she’d been expecting.
“I don’t expect you to go . . . not that I don’t want you to . . . I do . . . but . . .” He shook his head and began walking again. “Mom will want to know if I asked you the next time I talk to her, and I don’t like lying to my mom.”
“So you knew you needed to ask.”
“Yes.”
They strolled side by side in silence for several minutes. Beth didn’t know what to think of the invitation. Of course, she knew that his mother thought they were an item even if Drew had told her otherwise. And Beth thought it was incredibly sweet that he was nervous about saying something to her, yet he did it anyway because he didn’t want to have to lie to his mother. It said a lot about him.
“I’ll think about it and let you know.”
He stopped again. When he faced her, his eyes were wide with disbelief. “What?”
Beth tried to stifle her laugh. “I said I’d think about it. I’m assuming it’s on Memorial Day, correct?”
“Well, yes. It’s—”
“So I have about three weeks before I have to make a decision.”
When he realized she was really considering going to meet his family, he perked up considerably. “You mean you might actually want to go?”
This time she restarted their forward progress. “This thing between us. I’ve been thinking a lot about it. I’m not sure I’m completely ready yet, but I’ll admit, I’m getting there. At this point, I think we should play it by ear and see what happens.”
Drew groaned.
“What?” Beth couldn’t imagine what she could have said that would make him react like that. She thought he’d be thrilled. Wasn’t that what he wanted?
“I have an insane urge to kiss you right now.”
This time she didn’t hold back her laughter.
It took a few seconds, but eventually he joined her. “Sorry, but it’s the truth.”
When she got a hold of herself again, she was feeling lighter than she could remember being in a long time. “I know it is, and believe me I appreciate it. I’m getting there. Just please be patient.”
He reached out and touched her arm, causing her to halt her movement. The look in his eyes caused her breath to hitch, and all thought of patience and waiting flew out the window. She took two steps forward, closing the gap between them. Beth could feel his warm breath brush against her face.
She lifted her right hand and ran her index finger along the seam of his lips. They were soft, and they parted as she continued to rub back and forth. It was as if something was drawing her in . . . something unseen yet irresistible.
Drew closed his eyes, and her gaze fell to his mouth. Despite her earlier assertion, she wanted to kiss him. It was almost a craving it was so potent. She’d never felt anything like it before.
Beth was moments away from succumbing to what she wanted when the sound of someone coming jarred her back to reality. With it came the knowledge of what had almost happened . . . what she’d almost allowed to happen.
Allowed. That was comical. She’d pursued it. She’d let her growing feelings for him and the situation to completely unarm her. What was happening to her?
Frustrated with herself, Beth took off at a faster than natural pace. It didn’t take long for her to hear Drew racing to catch up.
“Beth. Wait. Please.”
As much as she wanted to run away and forget it ever happened, that wasn’t her style. She slowed down and waited until he was beside her again.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked over at him, but didn’t stop walking. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything.”
“I stopped you. None of that would have happened if I hadn’t—”
“Drew, you have nothing to ap
ologize for. That was all me. I set up these rules for our relationship and, apparently, I can’t seem to follow them. That’s my fault, not yours.”
“Still.”
They were coming to the end of the trail. She wasn’t sure if she was glad about that or not. “Maybe there are a few things we need to talk about.”
“Okay.” He sounded as if he were waiting for her to chastise him or something.
“What you did—stopping me—was perfectly normal. I’m the one who stepped over the line and didn’t stick to the limits we’d both agreed to. Just because you’re a sub doesn’t mean you have to be the one always to apologize. It’s me who should be apologizing to you, not the other way around.” She was hoping he understood the weight of what she was saying. Although they were technically alone, she didn’t want to get into a full-scale discussion about the lifestyle out here in the middle of the woods.
“I understand what you’re saying but, Beth, I just told you that I wanted to kiss you. I’m pretty sure that would qualify as a green light on my side of things. And it was your limit, not mine. I have no issues with you kissing me anytime you feel the urge.”
When she glanced up at him, the sparkle in his eyes was back. “Fair enough. But still, if I mess up, now . . . or later . . . don’t hesitate to call me out on it.”
“I can agree to that.”
“Good.”
The trail opened up and Beth realized that they weren’t back at the parking area as she’d originally thought. It was a large open space. The grass had been mowed, and there were a couple of tents along the opposite tree line. Apparently, their hike wasn’t over.
***
Drew had walked the path they’d taken many times over the years. It led to one of his favorite local camping spots. Granted, he had a few, some a lot more remote, but this was where he liked to come if he was limited on time but needed to get away for a day or two. It had seemed logical to bring Beth here.
She glanced up at him and then back at the campsite. “Do you come here a lot?”
“At least once a month when it’s nice. It’s not too far from home, but it’s away from the noise of the city.”
Without further comment, she started toward the small pond on the far side. It was a good distance away from the tents, and it would give them privacy to continue their conversation.