He laughed and kissed her temple. “Just a thought.” He shrugged.
Lauren slapped the tabletop with the palm of her hand. “That’s it. I know what I’m getting you for Christmas, Paige!”
Paige covered her face with her hands and shook her head.
“Next, Eva?” Lauren continued.
Eva was sitting back in her chair, chipping away at the shell of a peanut. She didn’t even look up when Lauren called her out. “Of course I do. I’m the one who’s habitually single all the damn time. I have to find a release somehow.” She grinned.
Lauren raised her shot of tequila. “A toast is in order to that!” We all raised our drinks of choice like she wanted. “To finding a release somehow, because damn it, sometimes that’s all that matters.”
Damn, this girl was definitely going to be a lot to handle. Tonight proved that. I smiled while looking at her, deciding I was ready for the challenge. One hundred percent.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LAUREN
Riding in Ian’s nice-ass truck, I realized how tipsy I’d allowed myself to get. Everything was spinning, but I refused to barf in front of him—or on him. Not happening. I swallowed hard and tried not to groan as we went over a bump in the road. To say that I was thankful Ian knew the way to my apartment without me having to open my mouth and tell him was an understatement.
“You okay over there?” Ian asked. He’d taken his eyes off the road to glance at me for a split-second, but it was still long enough for me to catch the swirls of concern flickering through his eyes. Maybe it wasn’t concern. Maybe he was worried about me barfing all over too. “If you need me to pull over or something, all you have to do is ask.”
Yup, he was worried. I shook my head and inhaled deeply. “No, I’m fine. Just tired.”
Such a lie. I felt horrible. Drinking away your problems only created new ones. I needed to remember this.
Ian chuckled and turned onto my street. “All right, whatever you say.”
Rolling down the passenger window a little more, I let the cool night air billow into the truck, not caring if it messed up my hair. Fresh air was going to be my savior. I pulled a deep breath into my lungs, and held it before exhaling. Instantly, I felt a little better. Closing my eyes, I continued to suck in greedy gulps of air.
“We’re here,” Ian said after I felt his truck come to a stop. He cut the engine and unbuckled. “Need me to help you inside?”
I opened my eyes and reached for the door handle. “No, I’ve got it. I’m not as wasted as you think.” I winked.
“Sure you aren’t.” He smirked.
Pulling the handle and pushing the door open, I moved to slip out of his truck as gracefully as I could manage, but realized all too late I was still buckled in. Laughter burst from my lips.
Ian was in front of me in a second, scratching his head and flashing me that sweet smile of his. He reached over me to undo the seat belt as he shook his head. “Here, I’ll get it.”
With him so close I could smell his guy scent. It filled my nostrils and clogged my mind even more than it already was. The air between us seemed to spark to life. My skin tingled, and I licked my lips as I wondered what it would be like to twine my fingers through his hair and crush my lips to his.
My phone chimed with a new text, breaking my thoughts into tiny pieces. “Thank you,” I muttered once he freed me from the seat belt and stepped back.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered.
He licked his lips and the air between us became electrified with the promise of a kiss.
My phone rang, crushing the moment completely. Ian was staring at me with a pensive look and incredibly intense eyes. Dear God, he looked sexy as hell.
“Maybe you should answer that. Sounds like someone is trying to get a hold of you.” He grinned and leaned against the frame of his truck door.
I waved his words away. “I bet it’s Blaire. She’s probably making sure I made it home all right, and you didn’t try anything on me.”
“That I didn’t try anything on you?” He pointed to himself, and a boyish look of shock spread across his face. “Does she really think so little of me?”
“That’s just Blaire. Don’t take it personally. She’s a studious worrywart.” I slipped off the seat of the truck and turned to grab my purse. “I’ll text her when I get inside.”
Ian walked beside me as I started toward my front door. His hands were crammed into the pockets of his shorts, but he kept looking at me as if he was waiting to reach out and catch me should I fall. Once we reached my door, we paused, facing each other.
“I’d invite you in, but we both know what that would more than likely lead to, and I’m not ready to go there with you,” I admitted in an unabashed way. Tomorrow that sentence would be the one out of the whole night that I would replay and scrutinize repeatedly, wondering why the hell I’d said it. It would definitely be the one to haunt me.
Ian crossed his arms over his solid chest and widened his stance. “Well then, I guess I’d better not come in.” A lopsided smile hung on his lips. He was amused by my words. Holy hell, amusement looked damn good on him.
“Glad we understand each other,” I muttered, gripping my doorknob for more support. “Thanks for the ride home. I hope it wasn’t too far out of your way.”
“It’s fine.” He rocked on the balls of his feet. “When can we do this again?”
“My friends are pretty busy people, but I think I could clear my schedule to hang out with you solo sometime soon.” I smiled. “Here, add your number into my phone.”
I handed him my phone. There was no way I could make the numbers out in my current state. Ian called his phone from mine, and then flashed me a knee-weakening smile before handing it back to me.
“I’ll call you tomorrow and set something up, when you’re better able to remember. I’d rather not have another moment where I’m stressing while wondering if you’re too smashed to know you planned something with me,” he said while walking away from me backward. “Once was enough.”
I laughed and dug in my purse for my keys, thankful he’d allowed us to bypass the awkward moment of whether we should hug or kiss goodnight. “I’ll be waiting.”
Ian nodded and turned back around as he reached the curb. “Goodnight,” he yelled.
“Night.”
After inserting my key, I opened my door and stepped inside. I untied my sandals and shucked them off, leaving them at the door. Tossing my keys and purse on the table, I headed straight for the bathroom to get ready for bed. Bed. Tonight I was sleeping in my bed!
Finishing my nightly routine as quickly as I could, I changed into a comfy tank top and stumbled to where I’d set my purse. Fishing out my cell, I read Blaire’s message.
Are you alive? Just making sure we didn’t send you home drunk with an ax murderer.
I laughed and attempted to type a reply that made sense.
I’m fine. He was a perfect gentleman. ~ Lauren
I didn’t wait for her to respond. Instead, I tossed my phone onto the table and headed straight to bed. Sleep eluded me though. My mind was buzzing with too much—thoughts of Jimmy, my horrible trip, the talk with my mom, and my insane crush on Ian.
When I burped up the horrible taste of tequila, I decided maybe I would be able to fall asleep if I actually put sheets on my bed instead of just draping them over it. Even after I made the bed and climbed back in, I knew I still wouldn’t be able to sleep. My room felt foreign and my mind wouldn’t turn off. Maybe sending Ian away so soon had been a bad thing.
A knock at my front door startled me, waking my mind even more than it already was. I reached for my thin pajama pants from off the floor and quietly crept down the hall. A second knock sounded, and I peered through the peephole to see who was on the other side. Ian’s frustrated face stared back at me.
I opened the door and smiled. “Well, hello.”
“Hey. I’m sorry to bother you. I’m sure you’re ready for bed or whatever, but um...” He
brought a hand up to smooth along the back of his neck. “Do you think you could jump me off?”
“Jump you off?” I stifled a laugh as the words came out of my mouth. He had to know what that odd request had sounded like.
His mouth opened and his eyes widened as the realization of his word choice crashed into him. “I mean. My truck. Could you jump my truck?”
“Now you want me to jump your truck? Look, I know you found all those vibrators beneath my bed, but I’m not as kinky as you’re thinking. I thought I already mentioned this to you once,” I razzed him.
CHAPTER THIRTY
IAN
Jesus, what the hell was wrong with my mouth? Why had I asked her to jump me off? It was what she was wearing. Didn’t she know she’d answered the door in a tank top that showed her nipples? The thing was see-through for crying out loud, and we’d been talking about sex before I said goodnight to her. That didn’t help my poor brain any either. I hung my head back as soon as she said she wasn’t that kinky, and laughed.
“I didn’t think you were. Maybe a little wild, but not incredibly kinky,” I admitted. “My battery is dead. I was wondering if you could use your car to jump my truck off.” That didn’t sound any better. Who would have thought talking about batteries could be so sexual?
“I so could drag this out forever, but I won’t. I know what you mean. Yeah, I could do that.” She grinned.
I ran a hand over my face. “Thank God.”
“Come on in. Let me grab a T-shirt or something.” She moved and motioned for me to step inside. Then she turned and headed toward her bedroom, giving me full view of the lacy, dark thong she was wearing through the thin material of her pajama bottoms.
Did she not own something to sleep in that wasn’t see-through? This woman was killing me right now.
“Thanks,” I managed. It came out sounding muffled to my ears though, so I cleared my throat.
“Why did you wait so long before coming to ask?” She came back down the hall with a T-shirt clasped in her hand. My eyes zeroed in on the inch-wide strip of her flat stomach that came into view as she pulled her arms over her head to put the shirt on. “I can’t believe you’ve been sitting out there this entire time.”
I shrugged. “I was trying to give the thing a minute.”
Also I’d been afraid she would think it was some crazy line to get inside her apartment. With the way I’d worded it, it didn’t seem like the time frame would have mattered much though.
“I hope you know what you’re doing.” She slipped on some flip-flops that were beside her front door. “Because I have no clue.”
“I do. I have some jumper cables. I just need the juice from your battery.” I opened the door and stepped back outside.
Lauren winked as she walked past me. “Yeah, I bet you do.”
Damn it, I’d done it again. I fought the urge to laugh and cover my face with my hands like some girl.
“These innuendos could go on all night while we talk about this, couldn’t they?” She laughed. “Who would have thought talking about jumping off a dead battery could sound so sexy?”
“I swear I just thought the same thing a minute ago.” I chuckled, glad she was the humorous type.
Lauren climbed into her car and started the engine for me. I grabbed the cables from under my seat and popped my hood. When I glanced at Lauren, she was searching around near her floorboard for something. I clamped the cables to the right places and let them hang while I went to see what she was doing.
“Looking for something?” I asked.
“Yeah, the thing to pop my hood. There’s a little handle or something someplace, right? I’ve never done anything under a hood before, but I do know that much.”
I crouched down and slipped my hand along the inside of her car to feel for one. My entire body took notice of how close I was to her legs, and I fought to control my thoughts. “Got it.” I pulled and the distinctive popping sound filled our ears.
“Awesome. Where is it again?” she asked.
I showed her and stood. Even though it was crappy that my battery had died, at least I’d gotten to spend more time with her tonight. Clamping the other ends of the cables onto her car, I waited a minute or two before I tried to start my truck again. It cranked right up on the first try. Relief flooded me.
“Thanks for your help.” I unhooked the cables from her car and wadded them up.
“No problem.” She cut her engine and slipped out of the driver’s seat. Closing her door, she crossed her arms over her chest and rocked on her heels. “So, I guess this is goodnight all over again, huh?”
I slammed the hood of her car down, and then my truck’s. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Call me or something and we can plan that other date, because this little thing—” She motioned between the two of our vehicles. “—doesn’t count.”
I smiled and nodded. “All right, I’ll call you tomorrow. Goodnight again.”
She started to walk away. “Night.”
I watched her walk to her door, and then climbed into my truck. It was already a little after midnight. I was going to be tired as shit tomorrow, but the entire night had been worth it. On my drive home, I planned what I would say to her tomorrow and where I’d take her Friday for our first solo date.
* * * *
The week rolled on, and come Friday, I was a bundle of nerves but still completely ready for our date. Lauren and I had texted a few times as well as talked on the phone throughout the week, but I hadn’t seen her since I’d dropped her off at her place on Monday.
As I rushed through my house, I rubbed my deodorant on while trying to figure out where my good shoes were. Time was running out. If I was going to be at her place to pick her up at six as I’d said I would, then I needed to be out the door in two minutes. Tossing my deodorant on the couch, I slipped on my worn-out Reef sandals and called it good. Loading up my pockets with all the necessities, I walked to the kitchen to refill Mojito’s water and food dishes before I left.
“Be good, okay? I’ll be back later,” I told her as I set her dishes back on the floor.
After grabbing the collared shirt I’d set out earlier off the couch, I headed out the door. Cranking my truck, I let out a muffled sigh of relief when it started on the first try. I’d had no choice but to buy a new battery for it the other day. Right now, I was thankful that I had. I didn’t want to make Lauren wait. She’d think it was payback for the time at the bar. Going just over the speed limit, I made it to her place in record time.
Loud music met my ears as I walked to her front door—it was Rihanna’s whiney voice singing something about love. Knocking, I took a step back and crammed my hands into my pockets while I waited for her to answer. Time ticked away, and I wondered if she’d even heard me. I knocked again and got no response. I hung my head back and let out a low sigh, debating whether I should open the door and walk in. Knocking again was what I decided to do. After waiting for a few more minutes, I finally decided to walk in.
“Hello? Lauren?” I shouted over the music.
She came from down the hall with a confused expression on her face, holding a brush in her hand as though it were the only weapon she would need to fend someone off.
She placed a hand over her heart. “Oh, hey. I didn’t even hear you knock.”
“I did, three times.” I smiled at her. She wore a short denim skirt and a sequined tank top. Her hair was wet and she was barefoot. “This is becoming a thing with you—the whole not hearing me knocking at your door.”
I was trying to tease her, but as the words came from my lips, I realized how stupid they sounded. My eyes trailed down the length of her involuntarily, until they rested on her purple-painted toenails. She was stunning in this unfinished state of readiness, her wet hair falling across her shoulders and her face devoid of any makeup.
Lauren cocked her hip to the side. “Whatever, what are you doing here so early anyway? I’m not even ready yet.”
“I’m not ea
rly,” I insisted.
My heart thumped in my chest. Was I early? I fished my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. 5:57 p.m.
“It’s almost six. Isn’t that the time we agreed on?” I asked.
“It’s almost six?” Her eyes snapped to the wall clock that hung beside her front door. “What the hell? The stupid thing must have died again.”
I glanced over my shoulder at the clock and chuckled. According to it, it was only ten after five.
“Today has been one of those days that just throw me off.” She shook her head and her cheeks tinted to a pink color. “I even got off work at five. I don’t know what the hell I’m thinking.”
“It’s okay. Really.” I walked to her couch and sat. “It’s not like I have reservations anywhere.”
“I’ll be just a minute.” She rushed down the hall.
“Take your time,” I insisted, making myself comfortable on her couch.
The sound of a blow dryer cutting on came from the back of the apartment, and I smiled. Lauren had seemed so flustered and thrown off by the time. One good thing was that she didn’t seem to care I’d seen her without makeup on or her hair fixed just right. I hated girls who were so crazed about that. Hilary had been that way. I added that to the long list I’d been compiling since the day she left me of reasons we would have never worked out in the long run.
Shifting around on the couch, I felt something jab my hip. Reaching beneath me, I pulled out a bra—a leopard-print bra with black lace trim. It had a section of underwire poking out of the bottom on one of the cups. I tossed it to the side. Damn, now there would be thoughts in my head all night long about Lauren wearing nothing but that sexy little thing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
LAUREN
Why the hell did I not realize my clock had been stuck for nearly thirty minutes? I flipped my head over and ran the blow dryer over my roots while running my fingers though my hair. Now he’d seen me without any makeup on. Awesome. If he wasn’t in the living room when I walked out, I knew why. Flipping my head back up, I told myself this was a good thing. If he didn’t want to stick around after he’d seen me mask free, then he wasn’t worth my time. I was done messing around with assholes. This would be his test.
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