The fact that he didn’t correct her told her–in this instance–Bianca hadn’t lied or exaggerated.
And for some reason, that bothered her.
They ate for the next few minutes in total silence. Chelsea finished her wine and poured herself a second glass–something she rarely did–but if ever there was a night that required a little more drinking, this was it.
“I know this probably won’t change anything,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “But I’m sorry. I didn’t know you and I made a decision based on someone else’s words.”
“Thanks.”
“I really did used to be a bit of a pig.” He rolled his eyes. “Although that’s not quite how I would describe myself.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Drew.”
He shifted beside her. “I know I don’t, but I want to explain.” Pushing his plate aside, he turned to fully face her. “Back in high school and college, I was a serial dater, and believe me, so was Jimmy. We were total frat boys, and I’m not proud of how we treated some of the girls we were with.”
She sensed a but coming…
“But we’re older now, and I’d like to think I’ve evolved…matured. Every once in a while, I slip back into that mode–the obnoxious jerk who doesn’t think before he speaks. I know it doesn’t make it right, but…”
“I get it. Believe me.” Then she realized that may have come off as bitchy and figured she owed it to Drew to be honest too. “I kind of hate how you’ve only seen me while we’re out with the group. The rest of the week, I’m a different person, but for some reason whenever we’re out–or I’m out with Bianca, Kendall, and Shauna–I tend to tense up.”
“Why?”
“Why?! Look at them and then look at me! They’re like these tall and beautiful and confident women. We’ve all been friends for years and I’m like the nerdy girl they keep around because they feel sorry for her.”
His eyes went wide. “Chelsea, that’s ridiculous. You’re just as beautiful as they are! I honestly think you’re more beautiful than any of them.”
She was pretty sure her jaw was on the floor and when he started to stammer before reaching for his wine, she figured he hadn’t meant to say what he did.
Or he simply didn’t mean it.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap…
Without thinking, Drew slammed back his glass of wine.
Sure, add alcohol. That ought to make you say less, you idiot!
“So…um…”
Chelsea reached over and placed her hand on top of his. Her skin felt warm and soft and…wait…he shouldn’t be thinking things like that–especially not right now!
Damn wine.
“You…you think I’m beautiful?” she asked, her voice unusually quiet. Then she looked at him and took his breath away. “It’s okay if you were just saying it to make me feel better. I know what I look like and trust me, I know I’m totally lacking compared to the three of them.”
“You’re wrong,” he said, his own voice sounding gruffer than it normally did. “Do you know what I see when the four of you are out together?”
Silently, she shook her head.
“I see Bianca who tries way too hard to be seen. Nothing about her looks natural–like she’s someone who spends hours in the bathroom watching makeup tutorials. Most of the time, she looks like a clown.”
Chelsea smirked but didn’t say a word.
“And Kendall and Shauna look like they’re trying to do everything Bianca does, but not outdoing her,” he went on. “The three of them are like…what was that movie…Mean Girls? Yeah, that’s the one I’m thinking of. They’re the girls that care more about how they look than anything else.”
Her expression fell slightly and he reached for his glass and mentally cursed because it was empty.
“But you? You don’t need all that stuff. You show up and you have a natural way about you that is way more attractive than anything your friends are doing.”
“Drew…”
“It’s true, Chels. I’m sitting right here next to you and I can see you don’t have on a drop of makeup and you…” Go big or go home… “You’re beautiful.” When she started to look away, he reached out and cupped the side of her face. “They only wish they could look as good as you.”
She lowered her eyes briefly before looking at him again. “I doubt that, but you’re sweet to say it.”
“Do you know why Bianca puts you down?” She started to look away again but he wouldn’t let her. “She’s putting you in your place–to make you feel small or doubt yourself–because it’s the only way she can compete.”
“Drew, you really don’t know what you’re talking about. Boys…well, guys…have always chased after her. She was the first girl in our grade back in middle school to have a boyfriend. And not just any boyfriend, the captain of the football team who was two years older. She dated a captain of one sort or another every year.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“And she was the head cheerleader, the homecoming queen, the prom queen…”
“People can be superficial,” he said casually, his hand still caressing her cheek. “She probably developed boobs before everyone. That’s why the guys wanted her.”
“That explains middle school, but not later.”
“Like I said, people–guys–are superficial. Most want to date a girl who looks good but doesn’t have a whole lot to say.”
“That’s awful!”
He couldn’t help but laugh at her indignation. “As much as I hate to quote Bianca, guys are pigs. Present company excluded.”
“Just a few minutes ago, you admitted to being a pig.”
“Used to be. Not anymore. I’m a reformed swine.”
Her laugh was soft and feminine and…sexy. “Well, that’s good to know.”
Reluctantly, Drew lowered his hand and poured the rest of the wine between their two glasses. He was about to make more comparisons about her other two friends when there was a knock at the door. Slowly, he stood and stretched, almost thankful for the disruption. “Dessert,” he said, looking down at her.
“Ooh…okay, let me clear some room. Or maybe we can see if they’ll take some of these plates away.”
Walking over to the door, he couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when he showed her what he ordered for them. It took a few minutes for their dishes to be cleared away and he held their bag of dessert behind his back so she couldn’t sneak a peek. Once it was just the two of them in the room again, he slowly made his way back over to the couch where she was sitting.
“So? What did we get?” she asked, trying to look behind him. “I don’t remember seeing a dessert menu.”
“There was one, but I wasn’t overly impressed with their selection.”
“Oh?”
He nodded. “So I placed a special order and the concierge took care of it.”
“Ooh…I’m intrigued!” She was practically bouncing on the couch.
Sitting next to her, he placed the plain brown paper bag on the coffee table and motioned for her to open it.
“It’s cold,” she said, her smile growing. She pulled out the first container and let out a happy little sound. “Oh, my God! Is this a sundae?”
“It’s not Friendly’s–I know that’s your favorite–but they don’t have them here. So I had to ask for the best ice cream parlor in town and this was who the concierge recommended. I know it’s not exactly the same…”
Before he got another word out, Chelsea was in his lap, in his arms, and hugging him.
“You have no idea how much this means to me,” she said, placing a loud smacking kiss on his cheek. She made no move to climb off of him and he certainly wasn’t in a rush for her to go. “After I got out of the shower, I considered skipping dinner and hiding in the bedroom because I was just feeling so crappy. Now I’m glad I didn’t.” Another kiss on his cheek. “You have made this a totally great night.” And yet another kiss.
&n
bsp; Gently, he lifted her off his lap because…yeah…maybe he was a pig because any more of that and she was going to feel how much her nearness was affecting him.
“Dig in!” he said lightly. “Let’s see how these sundaes measure up!”
Chelsea handed him his dessert and one of the spoons before she took the lid off of her own. Drew found himself holding his breath and praying he made the right choice.
“Oh…my…God,” she moaned. “I think this may be better than Friendly’s.”
“Really?”
She nodded, licking her spoon.
Because clearly, she was trying to kill him.
Forcing himself to focus on his own dessert and not her, he opened his container and took a spoonful of ice cream.
And holy shit, it was amazing.
“I swear this is almost orgasmic,” she said around another spoonful and Drew wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Did she have any idea how sexy she was? Even sitting here in her soft robe and no makeup on and…he wondered what she had on under the robe…
No, Drew! No! Don’t think about that!
But for good measure, he rested the ice cream on his crotch for a minute to try to calm things down.
“Don’t you like yours?” she asked, frowning.
“What? No! It’s great,” he said quickly–maybe a little too quickly. “Brain freeze.”
Of the little head, not the big one…
“I’ve got a bit of it myself, but this is too good to stop.” She leaned back against the cushions and placed her feet up on the coffee table. That’s when he saw her hot pink painted toes.
Cute feet, cute toes, cute robe…in another minute he was going to have to excuse himself. How had he never realized just how attractive she was? Well, he had in the beginning, but how could he have let Bianca or anyone change his mind? Why hadn’t he tried harder to get to know her?
“What’s your weakness, Drew?” she asked, scooping another spoonful of chocolate ice cream from the container.
“What?” he croaked.
“Foodwise. What’s your food weakness?”
“Oh, uh…cake,” he said, thankful she was only talking about food. “Although, if we’re being honest, the icing is my favorite part.”
She looked at him and grinned. “Mine too. I mean, cake is good, but the icing is better. Do you ever eat it right out of the can?”
Laughing, he said, “When I lived at home–you know, with my parents–I would. Although, my mom caught on and would just use extra icing on the cakes.” He smiled at the memory. “And cupcakes were pretty much fifty percent icing.”
“To me, that’s the way a cupcake should be!” Another spoonful of ice cream. “There’s a bakery in town that makes the best cupcakes. Sometimes I stop in there after a long narrating session and treat myself to one.” She paused. “No, wait…I’m lying. The best cupcake I ever had was at Hershey Park. It was like triple chocolate and it was the size of a large muffin.” She shook her spoon in his direction. “Now that was an orgasmic dessert for sure.”
Groaning quietly, Drew wished she’d stop using the word orgasmic.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“You just groaned. Brain freeze slowing you down?”
“Uh…”
“Power through, Drew! You can do it!”
Shoveling a large spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, he knew it was the safest way to keep him from saying something stupid.
Or seducing her.
Or…
Dammit! Brain freeze!
“Want to watch some TV?” Chelsea asked, scooting a little closer. “I know Saturday night television isn’t particularly exciting, but maybe the hotel has Netflix and we can find something.”
“Sure,” he said, focusing on his dessert.
Chelsea stood and got the remote, and once she was back beside him–closer than she was before–she started channel surfing. “Oh, I love this show! I hate that it ended. I must have seen each episode like a dozen times, but they still make me laugh.”
Drew looked up and saw she had stopped on a rerun of The Big Bang Theory. “I’ve watched this, but wasn’t a huge fan.”
“Want me to keep looking?”
Did he? “If you don’t mind…”
“No biggie.” Holding up the remote, she searched some more and stopped on an episode of Outlander.
“How about this? Have you ever watched it before?”
Nodding, Drew ate a little more of his ice cream. He’d not only watched the show, he’d found–at times–he was incredibly turned on by the show.
“So, this is okay?” she prompted.
“I guess so.”
Five minutes later, the main characters were having sex, and beside him, Chelsea let out a soft hum.
“I know it’s not real, but…wow. These two always look like they’re really doing it, don’t you think?”
“Uh…yeah.”
“I swear, this has got to be a bit exaggerated. I mean…people really don’t do it like this, do they?”
Choking on his spoonful of ice cream, Drew coughed and sputtered for several moments. “What the hell, Chelsea?”
“What? I’m just saying, I’ve never been with a guy who was so…you know…enthusiastic! I get they have to make this a little over the top, but…I don’t know…I was just wondering if maybe it’s just me. That I’m the weirdo who’s never had…enthusiastic sex.”
Just keep eating…just keep eating…
She sighed. “Probably just me.”
His spoon hit the bottom of the container and he panicked.
“And honestly, even in porn it’s not like this. It’s loud and frantic, but you can totally tell they’re acting. At least on this show it looks believable–like they’re really making love and we’re just voyeurs taking it all in.”
Oh, God…she can’t possibly not realize how that sounds…
“The last guy I slept with,” she said and then giggled, “I called him four and snore.” Another laugh. “Literally, it was like four pumps and he was done and would fall asleep minutes later. Ugh…the worst.”
Lifting the container to his mouth, Drew threw his head back and drank the last remnants just to have something to do.
“How do guys fall asleep so fast after sex? I mean, look at Jamie there on the screen. He’s not going to fall asleep.”
“Not all guys fall asleep right away after sex, Chelsea.”
Turning to him, spoon in mouth, eyes wide, she said, “Are you sure?”
Change the subject! For the love of it, just change the subject!
Placing the empty container on the coffee table, Drew twisted and faced her. “I’m positive. I’m a guy and I don’t fall asleep right after sex.” He gave her a sexy grin. “Maybe after the second or third time, but definitely not after the first.”
“Second or third? You mean…”
That’s when he realized Chelsea’s sex life was seriously lacking.
And he wanted to do something about it.
No matter how ill-advised it was.
Reaching out, he took the container from her hands and placed it on the coffee table next to his. Then he gently pulled the spoon from her mouth and put it with the remainder of her dessert.
“Drew…”
“Shh…there’s something I need to know,” he said gruffly before his hands cupped her face and he leaned in and kissed her.
8
Why have I never kissed this man before?!
Forget the ice cream or cupcake being orgasmic, kissing Drew was quickly approaching that status. His lips were both soft and firm at the same time–if that was even possible–and his tongue was…well, it certainly knew what it was doing, too.
Moving in closer, Chelsea’s hands slowly moved up his muscular arms before gently scraping around his nape and up into his thick, dark hair. He smelled good, he felt good, and he kissed like…like nothing she’d ever experienced before.
Oh,
God…what if it isn’t that Drew is so good as…I’m just bad at this?
As if reading her mind, his lips left hers. She felt his warm breath against her cheek. “I can hear you thinking from here. If you want to stop…”
She never let him finish. Just as Drew’s hand dropped from her cheeks, she reached up to cup his. “Don’t stop,” she whispered before pulling him back in for another kiss. It was hotter and wetter, and more sensual than the first.
Within minutes, he had pulled her into his lap. Her hands raked through his hair while his were rubbing a hypnotic pattern up and down her back with the occasional butt squeeze. His hands were magnificent and she wanted to feel them on her skin and not just over her robe.
Without breaking the kiss, she untied the belt at her waist and pushed the garment from her shoulders. Drew’s hands immediately went to her bare legs and then around to grab her ass. She moaned into his mouth before he pulled back to look at her.
And that’s when she remembered what she had on underneath.
Oh, no…
“Is that…”
Chelsea tried to close the distance between them and kiss him again, but he wasn’t to be deterred. Wanting to die of embarrassment, she sighed. Leaning back, she let him get a good look at the hot pink nightshirt she was wearing.
With a giant cartoon chicken wearing a bikini and sunglasses that said, “Hot Chick.”
Kill me now.
He looked up at her and then down at her shirt before he laughed softly. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever…”
“You know what,” she quickly interrupted, doing her best to climb off his lap with as much dignity as she could muster. “No one was supposed to see this. I was supposed to be alone in my own room and…”
She never got to finish. Drew hauled her back into his lap, his large hands on her hips, securing her to him.
“I think it’s freaking adorable,” he said, his voice low and seductive–like he wasn’t referring to a chicken wearing a bikini. His gaze was hot and sexy. “I think you’re pretty freaking adorable too.”
Wrong Turn: Road Tripping Series Page 9