Hearing his words made the tightness in my chest release. “I’m glad…otherwise, this phone call would’ve been hella awkward.”
West chuckled through his paced breathing. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way. I have to run–literally.”
“Okay– one last thing — if you’re running why did you pick up?” I asked.
“You just want to hear it again, huh? I missed you,” he replied, and I could hear the smile on his lips.
“Well, have fun running. See you soon.”
“Mhmm,” he said, and I knew he was picking up his pace.
I hung up and looked down at Bagel, whose eyes were wide as if to say, what took you so long? I shrugged as I reached across the couch and grabbed my book, settling in to read. At some point during my reading, I ended up sleeping, only to be woken up by the feel of my cell phone buzzing against the couch.
West – Be there in twenty
I shot up, and Bagel groaned, narrowing his eyes as he cuddled back against me. Twenty minutes? I hadn’t even showered. I managed to shower, get dressed and throw on some mascara before the doorbell rang.
“You look like you just showered,” West said, nodding at my wet hair.
I blushed, running a hand through it and pulling it into a tiny ponytail. “I kind of fell asleep with a book.”
West laughed as he tipped on his toes, and I was sure he could see completely behind me or down my shirt from the angle. I tilted my head up, and he laughed, scratching his chin. “That’s adorable.”
“What?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. I hoped he didn’t think my breasts were adorable. My face burned at the thought. They weren’t big, but I didn’t think they were small enough to be called adorable.
He pointed to the back of my head. “The ponytail. I’m pretty sure I could make a bigger one with my hair.”
He ran his fingers through the top length of his hair until he reached the back and then turned, showing it to me. It was definitely longer by at least an inch. He turned back around, and I crossed my arms.
“You’re a guy let me remind you. Exactly why are you proud of that?” I asked as I narrowed my gaze at him.
He blushed for a moment before regaining his confidence. He ran his hand through it again, his bicep flexing as he did. “You know you like my hair.”
I rose an eyebrow at him. “And you don’t like mine?”
He looked at my hair and then back to my face, a crooked smile pulling up the edge of his lips. “I love your hair.” His arm reached around me, pulling the tiny ponytail out, his face lowering to mine. “But I prefer it down.”
I swallowed hard, my mouth watering. His eyes searched mine, and my pulse spiked as our lips lingered over one another. It was incredible how a few simple words changed the dynamic made by that invisible line, which was far less visible now.
“If you insist,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders and pulling away to grab my purse from the table next to the stairs. I didn’t want to pull away, but my bedroom was way too close to where we were now. “So where’s this fantastic cafe?”
“You’ll seriously wear it down for me?” he asked, his hands now firmly planted in the front of his pockets with his thumbs sticking out. The position flexed his chest muscles beneath his gray t-shirt.
“I’m not wearing any makeup, so why the hell not?” I replied.
“I didn’t notice,” West said as he opened the door for me.
I shook my head at him and his grin. “Now that’s a bold-faced lie.”
His brow furrowed over his eyes. “No, it’s not. The first thing I notice about you is your smile– and you don’t usually wear that sticky shit on your lips, so this is no different. Then I notice your eyes– the way they turn an almost turquoise color when you’re happy or a stormy gray when you’re upset.”
I stopped in my tracks, and he turned to face me, lips pursed. “What color are they now?”
“Turquoise,” he replied stepping forward. My lips parted as I stared up at him. His eyes were lighter now—like green sea foam– something I recognized as him being happy. They shifted to a bluer hue when he was upset. The fact he knew the same thing about me made my body tingle.
“I’m also hungry– so maybe you’re mistaken–maybe they’re just this color because of that,” I replied, finally finding my voice.
He coughed, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, that’s it. Apparently, you’re hungry ninety-nine percent of the time you’re around me.”
We fell in step together.
“It’s possible,” I replied as he opened the door to the car for me.
He raised an eyebrow. “Which begs to question what exactly you’re hungry for.”
You.
I got into the car without responding, and when we began to drive the conversation moved to something less filled with sexual innuendos and thinly veiled attraction. Throughout lunch, we laughed, and when there was no food left I looked around the now empty cafe biting my lip.
“What’s on your mind?” West asked, and his eyes flicked across my face.
“I don’t want to go home.” I bit my lip, and his eyes fell to them, causing his jaw to clench.
“Then I won’t bring you home,” he replied, standing and holding his hand out to me.
I hopped off the stool, placing my hand in his and let it stay there as we walked out. “Where are you going to take me?”
“Cloud watching,” he replied as he unlocked his car, staring over the roof at me as I blinked at him. “I promise it’s fun.”
We drove in a comfortable silence, and I watched as the crowded houses disappeared, getting farther and farther apart until we drove up to a small ranch.
West put the car in park and smiled over at me as I narrowed my eyes at him. “What? You said not to take you home– this is my home– I assume that’s okay?”
I got out of the car and stared at the little house. “I imagined it to be bigger.”
“Why?” West asked. “It’s just me and the two pups.”
“Well, being on television and famous and all,” I replied as I glanced around the well-manicured yard.
“I’m not very flashy,” he said, and I blinked at him as I turned and looked at his orange Audi. “Well, other than that.”
“Mhmm.” I rolled my eyes, and he laughed as he nodded inside.
“Try to be quiet — I don’t want to wake the pups up. They’ll get in the way of the cloud watching,” he said, and I stifled a giggle as we snuck into his house. He grabbed a throw from over the couch and then lead the way to the backyard. He laid out the blanket and then sat on it, looking expectantly up at me. I gave in and sat down next to him.
“So how does this work?” I asked as we laid down to look up at the sky.
He looked at me from the corner of his eyes. “We watch the clouds and tell each other what we see.”
“Cat,” I said, pointing. He narrowed his eyes, looking in the general direction I was pointing and then frowned shaking his head. I moved closer to him, so our heads were barely an inch apart. “There.”
“Ah,” he said, his eyes moving to look at me from their corners again.
“Your turn,” I said, and he pointed to the sky.
“Heart,” he replied, and I shook my head, even though I saw it. I put my hand up as if I was trying to use it to pinpoint it. He laughed and put his hand over mine, taking it and moving it to where the cloud was and tracing its shape.
“Mhmm,” I managed to get out as I let our fingers weave together. A jolt rushed through my body as I turned on my elbow and he did the same. “Tell me something,” I said looking at our hands together.
“What?” he asked, and his voice was low and deep. The color of his eyes deepened as my gaze rose to his.
“Are the rumors true?” I asked as my heart pounded in my chest so much it hurt. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer.
“Which ones?” he asked, and when my eyebrows rose he swallowed. His tongue ran over his lips before he rep
lied. “Ah, those ones. Sure, I’ve had a lot of girlfriends in the past few years.” His jaw clenched, and his hand loosened from mine, going to my face. The back of his fingers brushed against the curve of my chin, and I fought the urge to close my eyes. “That’s not who I am, though.”
I put my hand over his, and his palm flattened against my cheek. Tingles spread throughout my body as I locked my eyes on his. “You don’t seem like that kind of guy.”
His forehead dipped towards mine, and our lips were only separated by his thumb. “I’m not. I wish I could explain, River–just things happened, and I pushed everyone away–but I don’t want to push you away. I want to take you into me and never let you go.”
My voice was barely a whisper as I replied, “Then don’t. Please don’t.”
His eyes raced over mine as we sat up and his other hand found my face. His thumb moved, and his lips danced over mine, soft and tentative. My hands slid up his arms to the back of his head as the kiss deepened, and despite the undeniable heat between us, it didn’t become physically driven. He pulled me into his lap as his lips parted mine, his tongue moving into my mouth and my body trembled against him. He pulled away, and I pressed our foreheads together as I looked down at him.
“It took you long enough,” I said, biting my lip as I raised my eyebrows.
His hand moved up my spine, coming to cup the back of my head as he leaned up and kissed me again. “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment you fell into my arms at my shop.” The words were playful, but his eyes were serious as he moved my bangs from my eyes. “I just wanted to make sure this was different.”
“Is it?”
His lips reached for mine again and behind the softness of the kiss was a passion I never felt before. Where with Adam it always felt like yearning kept in too long, this was a friendship overcast by a stronger emotional and physical pull. My chest tightened with the feeling of it, and his mouth trailed down my chin as his hand moved my hair away from my neck so he could kiss the vein that pulsed with the way my heart was beating out of control.
His lips moved up to my ear, and he whispered the words I needed to hear, “Yes.”
Chapter 50
When I came in later than usual on Monday, Charlie turned in her chair and narrowed her eyes at me. “Tattoos, huh?”
I stopped, cocking my head at her. “Excuse me?”
She signaled to her arms. “Tattoos–not just a friend.”
“I’ll have you know that’s not why I’m late,” I replied, and I knew my face was a bright red from the burning of my cheeks. We only kissed…until the stars came out and Sadie and Walter started howling their heads off, which reminded me I needed to get home to my beagle baby. This morning I woke up to my favorite thing– a text from West. It was a simple good morning, Beautiful, but that didn’t matter. The fact he woke up thinking of me was what did. She wiggled her eyebrows at me, and I pulled my cell phone out of my purse. I placed it on her desk and tapped the screen, so the screensaver showed. West shirtless with the beagles.
Her mouth dropped as she cocked her head, pen going into the corner of her mouth as she said, “I’m totally jealous.”
I smirked as I turned and winked at her over my shoulder. When I got back to my desk, my phone vibrated.
West – Think I could pull you away for lunch today?
I sat back in my chair and smiled.
Only if I can get a veggie Ruben.
I opened my MacBook and typed in my password, glancing down at my cell phone to see the response.
Your wish is my command.
I logged into my email first, stopping on the HR job posting. It was for Boston, Jesse’s district, but I was still curious who it was. Jobs rarely opened up here, and it was even rarer that someone gave one up. I opened the job description, and my stomach twisted into angry knots. Social Media Manager– that was Tara’s job. I pulled up IM and typed in her name, staring at the green “Available” icon next to a picture of her, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. Instead, I typed in Jesse’s number and picked up my phone.
“Hey…so you saw?” Jesse asked, and his voice was low. I wondered if the tone of disappointment was meant for me calling about it or for her quitting.
“Yeah…am I allowed to ask?” I tapped my finger against my desk as I swallowed.
“Yes, but I’m not sure you’ll really want to know.”
I considered his words for a moment. “I’ll be fine.”
“She’s quitting. She’s going on tour with Adam and Fade Burn as their manager,” he replied, and his tone softened. “Are you okay?”
My mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. Adam on tour with Fade Burn. Tara their manager. Somehow I managed to reply, “Sure. Good for them.”
Are they dating — is she the ‘something like that’? Surprisingly, my heart beat didn’t quicken, and I realized I just wanted them to be happy– even if that meant they were together.
“The bad news, well, worse news, is that she gave her notice today and today is her last day.”
“She’s leaving us high and dry?” I asked, putting my head in my hand. “She’s going to be hard to replace. She knows social media better than anyone.”
“There’s already some interest from a few individuals in your district — Jared and Ally.”
I looked at the time on the email. “It’s only been an hour — you’d swear they were running away from me or something.”
Jesse chuckled to himself. “I don’t think that’s the case. It’s a good opportunity, one that only comes once in a great while. We need to fill the spot quickly, though. Do you think you can reach out to them and arrange interviews today? I want to make a decision by Friday.”
“Sure. I’ll have two hours today that are free, so I’ll get them in then,” I said as I pulled up my calendar; so much for lunch.
“Great, and why are you in at such a normal hour?”
It was my turn to laugh. “When you’re happy you tend to sleep better.”
“I’m glad to hear that, River. You deserve to be happy. Benefit, I was totally right.”
“Oh, really? I swear you’re the one that told me to stay away from him.”
“Knowing you’d go right to him.”
“Let me remind you I knew him before you even mentioned it.”
“Good point. Either way, I’m glad to hear you’ve let him in.” I could hear the smile on Jesse’s face. “You both need something good to happen.”
Things happened. West’s words rang in my head, and I wondered what that meant.
“Let me know what you think of our candidates.”
“Sure thing,” I replied before hanging up the phone and staring at my packed calendar. At that moment, staring at the blue blocks over most of my week, I was overwhelmed. I sighed as I picked up my phone.
Looks like lunch will have to wait. My free time just got booked.
My phone buzzed a moment later as I pulled my notebooks and files out of my briefcase.
How about I bring lunch and we can eat while you work?
Before I could respond another text came.
Not trying to be pushy. You should eat, though and I know if you get too busy you’ll forget those strawberries and only eat the granola bar.
I laughed to myself, shaking my head. He nailed it.
I’d love a sexy delivery man for lunch.
My face burned as I realized that did not say what I meant. Although…
I mean to have a sexy man deliver my lunch.
I watched the three dots showing he was responding.
You could always have both.
I glanced around my office, open glass everywhere. Yeah, that was not happening. Still the thought of more than kissing with West made my whole body tingle. I put my head in my hands as I breathed in slowly. I hit the reply button.
If only.
Between interviewing Jared and Ally and my normal tasks the morning flew past. When West walked in the door with the brown paper b
ag, my head was spinning, and my mind drifted back to Tara. West sat across from me, handing me an amazing drink concoction of pomegranate, chocolate and other amazing things that made my tongue tingle when it hit it.
“I got you the veggie Reuben like you asked,” he said as he handed it to me, and I gave him a smile. As I unwrapped the foil, my eyes drifted back to my computer and the IM screen I’d been staring at for hours. Tara’s smiling face looked back at me, and I chewed my lip before looking down at my sandwich.
“You okay?” West asked, and my gaze lifted up to his. He sat back in the chair, wiping his hands with a brown napkin. His eyebrows hovered over his green eyes as they raced back and forth over my face.
I looked back over at the IM. “I just have something on my mind.”
“Which is?” West leaned forward onto his tattooed forearms, and I fought the urge to sit in his lap.
“My ex-best friend gave her resignation, and she’s leaving today. I just keep wanting to say something, but I don’t know what to say. I know what I want to say, but I doubt she’d listen.”
West chewed on the inside of his lip, his fingers stretching out in front of him. “You never know until you try.”
“It’s complicated,” I said before sighing and glancing back at the computer screen. She was still showing as available.
“Ex-boyfriend complicated?”
I inhaled, nodding at the same time. I didn’t know how he knew, but it made it easier to explain. “She was –is– friends with him, and she didn’t agree with my choice.”
“It wasn’t her choice to make, but she made the choice not to be your friend any longer because of it,” he replied, tapping his thumbs against the desk before looking up at me. “Still, I think you should at least try to talk to her before she leaves. Especially if it’s going to bug you if you don’t.”
I put my hand to my forehead. “I’m scared.”
West’s hand reached across the desk, moving my own down so he could weave his fingers between mine. “Why don’t you call her now– that way, no matter what happens, I’ll be here for you.”
He squeezed my hand, and I picked up the receiver, clicking on her phone icon. It rang a few times, and then just when I thought she was going to send me to voicemail and never return my call, the phone picked up. It was silent on the other end for a moment before she spoke, “Hi.”
Faded Perfection (Beautifully Flawed Book 2) Page 24