“I don’t think you could get much sexier than you are at this very moment, Anna.” He nipped at her ear and she shivered, dropping the spoon.
“You didn’t see my dress.”
“I don’t need a dress.” He assured her.
“Or my lingerie.” At that, Drew raised an eyebrow, and Anna smiled.
“There was lingerie? Well, we can save that for later.”
“Are you hungry now?” she asked.
“Starved.” He told her, and she had a feeling he wasn’t just craving food. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t looking forward to the latter part of the evening herself.
“Let me just get the pasta going, and we can open your present while we wait.”
“Anna, you didn’t have to get me anything—”
“Nonsense.” She shooed him away and turned to the boiling pot of water, dumping the noodles in and setting a timer. Drew was already sitting on the couch, holding the rectangular gift out in front of him. She hurried toward him, pulling her knees up to her chest as she settled in beside him. “Go on, you can open it.”
He hesitated for a long moment before he began, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she thought he might be shaking a little. Anna wondered if he was nervous.
As soon as the paper fell away, she saw the expression on his face. His eyes shimmered with tears he refused to shed as he looked at the charcoal drawing of his mom.
“Did you draw this?” Drew asked after several moments and she only nodded. Anna was surprised by how well it had turned out, considering she’d only had a picture she’d snapped of the photo on his dresser for reference. If she was being honest with herself, she would have to admit that it was her best work.
Drew couldn’t take his eyes off of it. “It’s…I don’t even have words, Annabelle.”
“I just—I wanted you to have something more than a little frame. She obviously meant the world to you, and I…” Anna let the sentence go, knowing she didn’t need to explain herself.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” she told him. His eyes still shone and she had a hard time looking at him without feeling her heart ache. He was always so guarded—and seeing him struggle with his emotions was almost more than she could take.
The timer sounded, and Anna jumped from the couch, grateful for the escape. She busied herself with the dinner for a few minutes while Drew set the table, pouring wine into the glasses she’d set out.
Halfway through the meal, Anna finally broke the silence. “I’m so glad that the drawing turned out okay. I’ve literally spent every possible moment this week working on it.” Drew set his fork down, looking at her from across the table.
“You mean you weren’t out with Johnny-Do-Gooder?” Anna rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head. “I thought that’s why you were blowing me off.”
“No, silly.” She inhaled slowly. “But he did ask me to prom.” She found she was holding her breath as she waited for him to respond.
“That’s kind of adorable. Little Annabelle, going out on her first date since—what was his name? Alex?”
“Alec. Don’t forget the accountant.” She corrected. “And don’t act like you haven’t taken advantage of rule number one yourself.”
“Actually, I haven’t.” Anna nearly choked on the wine she’d just taken a drink of.
“You mean you haven’t been with…anyone else?” Drew shook his head slowly, his eyes on the plate in front of him.
And suddenly, Anna knew why she’d reacted the way she had last night.
She’d recognized the look in his eye. She’d seen it before, time and time again, as he’d picked up a girl at a party, or a bar, or a baseball game.
Jeff’s voice sounded in her head, reminding her that the quickest way to push Drew away was to sleep with him.
She was starting to lose him.
“Well, that makes two of us.” She told him, rising from the table and heading to the kitchen to rinse her plate.
“Looks like we’re terrible at following rules then, huh?” He appeared beside her, taking her plate into his hands. “I’ve got this. You made dinner.”
“You don’t mind?” He shook his head. “I think I’ll go shower really quickly, then.”
Rather than change into the lingerie she’d brought, she packed it away after her shower and slipped into one of his t-shirts, the mood having taken an unexpected turn.
Deep down, she knew what the right thing to do was—but convincing herself to go through with it…that was going to be the difficult part.
With a deep sigh, Anna opened Drew’s bedroom door to find him sitting on the couch, staring at the drawing. She padded quietly from the room, settling on the couch beside him. “It’s really beautiful, Annabelle.”
“She’s beautiful. I just drew it.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Please don’t,” she asked him. “This was my way of thanking you. For…all of this.” She turned her head so that she could meet his eyes. “None of it would have happened without you—the auction, the prom, the studio.”
She paused a long moment before making herself smile at him, her eyes tearing up even as she did so. “And for me, too.” She gave a small shrug. “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have you these last few months. You’ve been—you’ve been exactly what I needed, Drew.”
“Well, I aim to please.” He told her, and she could see there was a sorrow in his eyes once more.
“And please you have.” He reached out and wiped a tear as it slid down her cheek and Anna turned her head, rolling her eyes at herself. She hadn’t meant to get so emotional.
“Why does it sound like your saying goodbye, Annabelle?” Anna forced herself to smile again.
“Oh, Drew. I think…I think we should take a little time, maybe.” She cursed herself as her eyes welled up once more. “You’re dangerously close to realizing you’ve been in a monogamous relationship for the last three months, and I…I just think that’s asking for all sorts of trouble.”
She couldn’t lose his friendship just because they’d gotten carried away with the benefits.
Drew studied her for a long moment, and she longed to know what he was thinking—but she couldn’t bring herself to ask, for fear that he would tell her she was right. And then he reached out, taking her face in his hands. His thumbs trailed over her cheeks, his eyes searching hers, and she flashed back to a night several years ago when he’d first barreled into her life.
She would never have thought all those years ago that she would be sitting here, her heart suddenly aching at the thought of losing Drew Whitman.
“Could you stay—just tonight then?”
Anna didn’t trust her voice, and so all she did was nod—and within moments, his kiss consumed her.
~*~
Drew lay there for hours after Anna had fallen asleep. He watched her sleep as the night sky faded and the sun rose quietly through the heavy curtains upon his window. He dreaded morning, knowing that Anna was going to wake up, and she was going to leave—and he wasn’t going to stop her.
So he memorized it all, as he’d already done. He remembered the curve of her neck, the feel of her body alongside his, the soft sound of her breathing.
He remembered the feel of her—the desperate way they had made love to each other, so much more intensified tonight than it ever had been before. He had clung to her as she had him, and he had done everything he could to make sure she would remember, too.
When he had walked onto his floor earlier this evening, he’d been greeted by the smell of real food and he’d thought someone must be lucky tonight. And when he’d stepped through the door and seen her standing there, at the stove, her hair up in that messy ponytail…
He’d imagined for just the briefest of moments that it was his life. That he could come home from work and he would find Anna there, so incredibly sexy without even the faintest amount of effort…and she would
smile at him, as she’d done earlier today—and he would feel that love he’d so long ago sworn off.
This was the closest he’d ever come, he knew. It was his best chance, and he couldn’t bring himself to take it.
Morning came, as Drew knew it would. He stayed in bed while she grabbed the few items she’d brought with her, and when he knew she was ready, he pulled on a pair of torn up old jeans and walked her to the door.
“Friends?” she asked him, her voice hardly more than a whisper.
“What else?” He reached out and touched her cheek, trying to ignore the glimmer of hope in her eyes.
It was obvious that she was hurting, but he told himself that it was better this way. Better that she hurt now, while it was still easy to recover from.
He flashed back to the scene he’d imagined earlier, but this time, she didn’t smile at him. She stood at the stove, staring lifelessly into the pot she stirred, and Drew knew that he’d broken her.
He wasn’t capable of giving Anna what she deserved.
He’d known that all along—since the first night he’d met her.
He was too much like his dad—but it was easier that way, wasn’t it?
“Don’t get attached, Drew. Women will inevitably disappoint you.”
Wasn’t that what the old man had always told him? It was one of the few pieces of fatherly advice he’d passed on, and Drew had seen a certain reasoning to that logic.
Then again, he’d never imagined finding someone who could prove it wrong. Or maybe he’d just been afraid to look—he wasn’t sure.
He only knew that he wasn’t planning on finding out.
She was better off without him—that he was sure about.
“I’ll see you around, Annabelle.”
Chapter Sixteen
Anna’s hands were covered with charcoal, a fine layer of dust coating every surface within the small enclosed porch.
She’d thrown herself into her work this week, grateful for the distraction. But now that the weekend was here, she was having trouble thinking about anyone other than Drew Whitman.
They hadn’t spoken once all week, and she knew it was better that way. She had been the one to suggest they take a little time apart, hadn’t she?
This was for the best. They needed time away from one another to cool off a little bit. He needed to sleep with as many random women as possible, and she needed to spend her time finding a suitable man to date rather than just sleep with.
Even though sex with Drew was…well, easily one of the more transcendent experiences of her life.
And, more than that…she thought about the smile that creased his eyes, and that devilish grin with that adorable dimple that never failed to lighten her mood.
Being Drew’s friend was pretty incredible, too.
With a loud sigh, Anna stood up and stretched. She heard Alice shuffling around in the house behind her and she rubbed her hands on her pants before pulling open the back door and stepping inside. “You look like you’ve been busy out there.” Alice commented.
Anna shrugged, opening the refrigerator and grabbing the pitcher of water. “I’m just putting together a few pieces for next weekend.” She had wanted to showcase as many forms of art as possible. She’d already borrowed a few of Alice’s more respectable pieces, and the kids had been working all week long on a variety of projects. “Shouldn’t you be cutting out, like, glitter stars and stuff?”
“Oh, I’ll be doing that this week.” Anna assured her.
“I’m surprised Drew isn’t posted in the living room, surrounded by glue and sparkles.” Anna poured water into a glass, careful to keep her back to Alice.
“Drew and I are…”
“Broken up?” Alice suggested when Anna couldn’t find the words.
“We were never together in the first place.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Anna slammed the refrigerator door with a lot more force than necessary.
“Just leave it alone, would you?”
“Hey, Annie—I didn’t…I didn’t mean anything by it, you know that.” Alice crossed the room and rested her hands on Anna’s shoulders. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she told her little sister. “It’s not even a big deal—we just decided a little time apart was for the best.”
“We as in he, or you?”
“Me.” Anna answered. Alice raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised by that. “He agreed.”
“Good. That sounds like the best move for both of you.” Alice tucked an escaped tendril behind Anna’s ear. “Well, if you need any help—don’t hesitate to ask, okay?”
“I think I’ve got in under control, but I’ll let you know, okay?” Anna waved as her little sister disappeared into the living room and she heard the TV come on. With another sigh, she turned back to the porch and headed out.
Her eyes lingered on the drawing she’d just finished. Her parents, dancing in the living room not more than twenty feet away.
She flipped the page backward and saw an image of Nana, staring up at the night sky, a wine glass in hand.
Finally, she flipped the page one more time and found herself staring at that stupid, perfect little grin.
And, not for the first time, she longed for their easy banter and those effortless smiles shared between them.
Time, she reminded herself.
All they needed was just a little more time, and everything would be fine.
But even as she tried to convince herself, she knew, deep down, that it wasn’t ever going to be that easy for she and Drew again.
~*~
Drew didn’t normally go to the bar during the week. He worked early, and as a general rule, being hung-over—or still drunk—on air was disapproved of.
However, after having gone over a week spending the majority of his time sitting on his couch, beer in hand, memories of her prancing around in his t-shirts haunting him—well, he just couldn’t stand it anymore. So he’d taken a shower, and he’d put on a decent shirt, and he’d decided he was going to put the whole Anna Maloy mess behind him.
Except that he couldn’t.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he ignored it, instead ordering another shot.
Several minutes later, his phone vibrated again, and Drew again ignored it. Whatever it was, it could wait. He was on a mission tonight, and nothing was going to distract him.
Except for a third call.
Without looking to see who was calling, he held the phone to his ear. “This really isn’t a good time.”
“When is, Whitman? I’m starting to feel like that crazy non-girlfriend who just can’t take a hint.” Drew dropped his head, feeling like a total dick.
Right, his best friend.
“Sorry, Jeff, I’ve just been…”
“Busy? You’ve used that one before.” Drew sighed, rising from his barstool and tossing a couple of bills down to cover his tab before he headed toward the door. Even though spring was in full swing, the air was a little cold tonight, but he welcomed it.
“I know, I’m an ass.”
“So, what’s going on?”
For just a moment, Drew considered telling Jeff everything—he was his best friend, after all. Shouldn’t he be the one to get Drew through whatever this phase was?
More than anyone, Jeff probably knew what Drew was going through. Hadn’t Anna just broken up with him, too?
“I’m an ass.” Drew repeated again. He hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but, in all honesty, it probably couldn’t be said enough.
“What’s going on, Drew?” Jeff’s tone was a little more cautious, and Drew forced himself to get it together.
“Nothing, man.” Drew rubbed his hand over his face. “What’s going on with you? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
“Well, I’m actually on vacation. I was thinking—maybe you and Anna could use some extra help with the prom? It’s this weekend, right?”
Panic surged to life within his chest at t
he thought of Jeff showing up—especially this weekend.
“Oh—that’s…I mean, she’s got all that covered, I’m sure.”
“You’re not helping?”
“That’s Anna’s thing. I’ve just been doing what I can here and there. I mean, I’ve barely even seen her lately.”
“Oh.” Jeff fell silent for a minute. “Well, maybe you could come to Chicago for the weekend then? We could go to Wrigley, catch a game…”
“That sounds—yeah, that sounds awesome. But I kind of have to make an appearance this weekend. I mean, I’ve thought about ditching—but I’ve just talked it up so much, I think people kind of expect me to be there.” It wasn’t at all a lie. He’d been seriously considering bailing on the whole event, knowing how annoyed he was going to be watching Johnny-Do-Gooder do…well, anything, really. “Maybe next weekend, though, if you’re still off?”
“Yeah, yeah—that could work.” Jeff sighed.
“I’m sorry, Jeff.”
Sorry for being such a terrible friend. Sorry for falling for the girl you proposed to. Sorry for being such a coward.
“Hey, it’s no big deal. It’s not like you did anything to be sorry for, right?” Drew hated the tone in Jeff’s voice—as if, some how, he had heard Drew’s silent confession, and he knew everything there was to know.
“Right.” He agreed, fully aware that he was lying and hating it. “Listen, I’m gonna let you go—I should probably head home anyway. Work in the morning.”
“Tell Anna I said good luck, okay?”
“Will do.”
When he hung up the phone, he tossed his head back, hitting it against the brick wall.
He was an ass.
And as if to prove his point, he somehow managed to drop his phone on the cement. He didn’t even bother trying to keep his voice down as he swore.
After a deep breath, he leaned down and picked up the phone—and there they were. He stared at the illuminated screen, the two of them smiling happily. He’d changed the wallpaper the morning she’d left, but dropping the phone must have jammed it up.
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