As the speakers crackled to life and the announcer started to introduce the teams, she swung around to look at the field. When the national anthem played, she rose and stood at attention until it was over. As she sat down, she brushed Gideon’s arm and sent pulses up her spine. The hair on his arm reminded her of soft down and his muscles in his forearm rippled as he reached for her hand and covered it with his own. His skin was warm; his grip, although gentle, like steel. She remembered their night at the movie theater as he stared at her, frozen. She leaned into the solid mass of his body, and the rock softened.
Initially, they watched the game quietly, but soon they joked with each other and the rest of their group. After the third inning, Gideon and Mark went for hot dogs. Lily and Kim chatted about their kids.
“You have a daughter, right?” asked Kim as she leaned toward Lily.
“Yes, Claire. She’s six going on fifteen.” Kim rolled her eyes. “And you?”
“We have a four-year-old son, Adam, and a seven-year-old daughter, Emily. They’re both in love with Gideon. Whenever we go to Mark’s office, they won’t let me leave until we visit him. He’s good with the kids.”
Lily bobbed her head in agreement. “Claire just adores him. He’s been a big help with her too. As much as I try, there are some things that just require a man’s presence and Gideon has been thoughtful and willing to step in.” She tried not to feel weak at her confession.
Kim’s eyes glowed with sympathy. “We should get our kids together sometime. They’re all within the same age-range and I know Emily would love to meet Claire.”
“That would be great.” Lily reached into her purse for a pen and paper and wrote her name and phone number. “Give me a call and we’ll set it up.”
The two women focused their attention on the game as Mark and Gideon returned.
“What’d we miss?” Mark asked as he slid along the row into the empty seat next to his wife. Lily and Kim stared blankly at each other.
“Um…” Kim started to reply.
“Somebody pitched and someone else hit,” Lily said as she attempted to be helpful. Mark and Gideon groaned and shook their heads.
“Pitiful,” Gideon hid a smile. “That’s the best you could do?”
“Well, you didn’t tell me I was supposed to report back to you,” Lily squeaked as she tried to justify her actions. “Besides, Kim and I were busy talking.” She reached over and took a bite of Gideon’s hot dog. The smoky, spicy taste made her mouth water. He grabbed her wrist.
“Wait a minute,” he spluttered. “Are you crazy? First, you don’t pay attention to the game, and now you think I’m going to share my hot dog with you?”
“Yup.” She licked a speck of spicy mustard off the corner of her mouth.
He raised an eyebrow, entranced by the glimpse of her tongue. “And what makes you think that?”
“Because I’m so darn cute,” she retorted. Gideon pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, shook his head and with a sigh, handed over his hot dog.
Lily giggled, took another bite, albeit a small one, and returned it to him as the others laughed. She put her hand on his arm. She made circular motions with his fingers in the hairs curled above his wrist. When he covered her hand with his, she smiled and returned her focus to the game.
Soon it was time for the seventh inning stretch. As everyone else stood up, Lily leaned over and kissed Gideon on the lips. Her gaze trained on his face, he raised his eyebrows in surprise at her unexpected move. His eyes changed from amber to chocolate brown as her lips pressed against his. His lips tasted slightly salty. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his shoulder muscles contracted as he pulled her closer. She longed to taste him more fully. Their kiss deepened and a soft whimper escaped from deep in her throat. Shuffling feet and snapping chairs sounded as everyone took their seats, and Gideon and Lily pulled apart. Joe let out a whistle.
“What was that?” Gideon asked as his gaze remained locked on hers.
“My own seventh inning stretch,” she replied. “Like it?” Here goes nothing. She caught her breath. She’d thought about kissing him all day. Without a chance to discuss their relationship, and fearing he’d brush it off anyway, she decided to take the plunge. Tony said she had to make her feelings clear. She’d fantasized about kissing Gideon, but nothing had prepared her for the reality. His lips had been firm, yet yielded to the slightest pressure of her mouth. He brushed through her hair, caressed the nape of her neck like he owned her. His kiss held the promise of tomorrow; as if all she was required to do was lock her lips to his, hold on, and all her wishes would come true.
Gideon growled, leaned over and brushed his nose against hers. “Oh yeah.” He pressed his lips to hers again. This time it was firmer, more confident, a take-no-prisoners kind of kiss. Lily’s head spun and a joyful sound burbled from deep within her throat. “What’s funny?” He leaned back in his chair, a frown creasing his forehead.
The crack of a bat, the announcer’s comments, the shouts and yells of the fans, as well as the rustle and shuffle of his friends around him came into focus.
“Oh you know, first base, baseball game. You know…” Her voice drifted off and heat flooded her face and chest.
“Guess I’ll have to get tickets to some more games.” He winked at her. When she dropped her gaze to her lap, he backtracked as his voice became hoarse. “Unless you don’t…”
Uncertainty flashed in his eyes. Unable to stare at her for more than a second, he averted his gaze to the field, clasped his hands in his lap and leaned on his knees.
Lily stared at his profile for a minute. The tendons in his neck pulsed and she traced them from his jawbone to his collarbone. The texture of his skin was different from hers— thick and stubbly. His pulse beat beneath her finger and his Adam’s apple rose and fell as he swallowed. She faced him and caressed his jaw. “Have a little faith,” she whispered.
With an almost imperceptible nod, he reached for her hand and tucked it under his arm. Moving in tandem, they watched the game.
At the car, he paused before he unlocked the door. The beep of the car locking system almost drowned out his words. “That kiss back there…”
“I’ve been thinking about kissing you since you kissed me after your business dinner,” she said.
He let out a breath. “Me too. I just never knew how you’d react.”
Lily leaned against the van, the door handle pressed into the small of her back. He wanted to kiss her too? She felt desired, for the first time in a long time. The warmth of the metal penetrated through her thin T-shirt. “And now?”
He pulled her into his lap and stroked her face. His brown eyes dilated behind the lenses. “Now I want to kiss you again.”
He leaned in to kiss her. He slipped his palm to the side of her neck and stroked her skin. Sliding around to the nape of her neck, he played with the cap’s adjustment strap. He flicked his finger from the strap to her skin, until Lily thought she’d go mad. She bent her head back and he pressed her in closer to him. His iron-hard arms encased her body, drawing her in until she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. His kiss was demanding, yet gentle. He roved his lips from her mouth to her jawbone to her neck and back again.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you,” he murmured as he buried his nose in her shoulder and breathed in her scent.
Her chest lightened. “Me too. You’re very sexy, you know that?” She whorled her fingers through his hair and massaged the nape of his neck.
“Definitely.” He raised his head and winked. “It’s the chair, you know.”
“Absolutely.” She grinned and kissed him again. She nibbled his bottom lip then traced the divot in his chin with her thumb.
“We’d better stop now,” he said. She cocked her head to one side as she gripped his shoulders to keep her balance. He squeezed her waist. “Oh, we’ll go further,” he said with a wink, “just not here.”
She licked her top lip, still able to taste where he kissed he
r. Her stomach fluttered in anticipation. “I’ll hold you to that.” Euphoria at finally knocking down his walls flooded through her.
“Good.”
Chapter 14
The phone rang next to Lily’s bed on Sunday morning; a progressive ring that first invaded her dream and then carried her to the brink of consciousness and forced her over the edge into wakefulness. Eyes still closed, she reached for it, put it to her ear and mumbled, “Hello?”
“Did I wake you?”
The deep voice reverberated through her mind, filled the empty places recently vacated by the ringing phone, and she winced. One eye opened and read her clock: nine forty-five.
“What, um, no. I’m awake.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, right, Lil.”
Lily ran a hand through her hair. “Really Gideon, I’m awake.” She worked her lips in an effort to get rid of their stickiness.
“Well, at least you recognize my voice.” His dry tone made her envision the expression that accompanied it—flared nostrils, a raised eyebrow and a parted mouth. A delicious mouth she had kissed yesterday. The thought of his mouth was enough to make her forget he’d woken her on her one and only day to sleep late.
Almost.
“Is there a purpose to this call, or are you doing your good deed for the day and serving as my personal alarm clock?”
“So you admit I woke you.”
“Gideon!” She smiled through her growl.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry I woke you. Funny, but I never pictured you as being cranky in the morning.”
Lily snorted and he continued. “Anyway, thanks for going to the game yesterday.”
She pulled the phone away from her ear. The silence on the other end was louder than the earsplitting ring of the phone. The hitch of his voice and his ragged intake of breath betrayed his nerves. It had been a while since anyone cared about her feelings. Under different circumstances, she might have pushed him to admit his own. Playing games left an acrid taste in her mouth, similar to the sharp taste she fought whenever he mentioned their bargain. And, after they’d teased each other yesterday, she debated her approach to his question—flirty or straightforward? Her flirty side was rusty, geriatric even, and she remembered Tony’s warning. She brought the phone to her ear and decided to go easy on him. “I had a great time. I’m really glad you invited me.” Would he mention their kisses?
“Good.” He expelled a pent-up, hurricane-force breath. “About that kiss—”
She crossed her fingers. “I really liked it.”
“I did, too.” His voice was low and tickled her insides with its intimacy.
Her cheeks warmed and she couldn’t stop the smile from stretching her cheeks. “Good.”
He cleared his throat. “Hey, aren’t you going to Samantha’s for brunch?”
“Yeah, but not until later. Are you going?” She twirled her hair in her fingers and licked her lips. She’d swear she could still taste him, and it made her want more.
“No, I’ve got a basketball game at the center. Too bad Claire’s not home or I’d suggest you guys watch.”
“Yeah, Claire wants to go. When’s your next one? Maybe we can go then.” Hmm, I wonder what we can do at a basketball game? She forced her mind out of the gutter and into the present.
“We play on Tuesday afternoon at four-fifteen.”
Lily rubbed the grit from her eyes as she padded into the kitchen. The cold tile floor curled her toes. “Let me check my calendar.” She turned on the coffee machine as she reached for her calendar. “We’re free, and I have an easy week at work, so I can probably leave a little early. When does the game end?”
“It should be over by six-thirty or so.”
Lily poured her coffee and then opened the fridge to find some juice. She stood like a pelican—one leg straight, the other bent—as she scratched her ankle with her other foot and reached for the orange juice. “Want to come over for dinner afterward?”
“I usually take the kids for pizza afterwards. Why don’t you and Claire join us?”
****
“So, you and my brother—dish!” exclaimed Samantha as she flopped next to Lily with her cup of coffee.
“What do you mean?” Lily molded her face into a detached pose, but her blush betrayed her. Samantha gaped at her and she relented. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” Samantha passed the plate of bagels to her and reached for the cream cheese. Lily selected a sesame bagel, sliced it in half and slathered cream cheese as she described the baseball game.
“The two of you held hands?” Samantha shrieked as she dropped her bagel on the plate.
“Not exactly.” Lily started to explain, but Samantha interrupted.
“Honey, there was physical contact between your hand and his, and it didn’t involve him pushing you out of the way. That to me is holding hands. When’s the wedding?”
“Sam!” By now, Lily’s face was in flames and her friend laughed.
“Seriously, things sound good between you two, really good.” Samantha smiled. “I’m glad.”
“There’s more.”
Samantha leaned away, mouth open, her bagel suspended in midair.
“We kissed. For real this time.” Hearing it out loud, rather than just thinking about it, filled her with joy.
Samantha screeched. “And you waited until now to tell me?”
Happy for the first time in a long time, Lily cackled. “I need a little fun. Besides, you interrupted me.”
Samantha threw her napkin at her. “I want all the details.” Lily obliged. When she finished, Samantha rose from her chair and hugged her. “Wow, my friend the nun and my brother the priest. It couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Samantha, come on!”
“No, I’m serious. The two of you have protested about dating, and found more ways to avoid it, than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s about time you found each other.”
Lily squirmed at the ring of truth to her statement. “I have not been avoiding dating, Sam.”
Samantha shook her head. “Maybe you haven’t done so explicitly, but you spend all your time working and playing with Claire. If it wasn’t for me and my invitations to art openings or movies, you’d never leave the house.”
“I’ve left the house plenty.”
“Yeah, and mostly with Gideon these days.” She grinned.
Lily played with the sesame seeds on her plate. She swirled them around and sucked them off her finger. “Tony asked me if I was interested in Gideon.”
“And what did you tell him?”
It had taken her a long time to get to this point, but she was finally ready to pursue a relationship with Gideon. He made her happy. He cared about her. And she felt the same way about him. “I told him I think I care for Gideon. And I do. We had a great time yesterday and for once, it was easy. There wasn’t this big wall to get through and I could see myself with him. And his kiss.” His kiss was amazing and left her wanting more. Desire pooled in her belly and she clenched her hands.
“So you’re ready to date again?” Sam pierced her with a knowing look.
Lily’s vision blurred and images from her past skated through her mind like photos in a slideshow. “I don’t know if I’m ready to date just anyone yet. I still think of Daniel, and miss him. But I’m ready to be with Gideon, if he wants me. I just can’t always tell if he does.”
“Oh he wants you, Lil. Trust me, he wants you. He may not be ready to admit it yet, but he wants you.”
She gazed at Samantha. “How can you tell? I can’t figure him out. Just when I think I know him, he morphs into someone totally different. Why isn’t anything simple with him?”
It was Samantha’s turn to look away. She drummed her blue-painted fingernails on the table. “I don’t know the specifics, and for those you’d have to ask Gideon anyway, but I do know before the accident he was dating a vile woman named Elaine. I don’t know what happened, but she came to the hospital one time and never returned. I
asked him about her once, but all he’d say was she couldn’t handle it. The hurt on his face made me never ask about her again. And he’s refused to go near a hospital ever since.”
Lily chewed on her bagel as she digested Samantha’s information. “Maybe he doesn’t think I can handle it either,” she mused.
“I don’t know, but he’s never done anything with a woman since the accident. Since he’s let you in this far, chances are he cares about you a lot, more than he’s letting on.”
They ate quietly and Lily told Samantha about the investigation and her time with Tony.
“That’s terrific! You must be relieved.” Samantha hugged her again. “We should all go out and celebrate.”
Lily raised an eyebrow and Samantha blushed. “That’s right, you don’t know yet.”
“Know what?”
“Tony and I went out.”
Lily gasped. “On a date? That’s wonderful! Tell me all about it.”
“Well, it’s still in the early stages, Lil. We’ve only gone on two dates and that was for coffee and dinner earlier this week. I actually asked him out when I dropped Claire off at the center. Gideon talks about him all the time and although I remember him from when we were kids, I haven’t seen him in forever. There was just something about him that intrigued me.”
“What was his reaction to your asking him out? I thought he was a pretty traditional, macho-type guy.”
Sam’s eyes sparkled. “He laughed, because he’d been planning to ask me out and I beat him to it. I don’t think he was focusing on who should have been doing the asking.”
She leaned forward, her voice sharp. “Do you like him?”
“So far. It’s only been two dates, but he makes my insides fluttery. I’ll let you know what happens.”
“Oh gosh, I went with him to the movies,” Lily moaned. “I’m sorry. I had no idea about you two and…”
“Don’t worry about it Lily, it’s fine. Now, as I was saying, we should celebrate.” They made plans and before long, it was time for Lily to leave to pick up Claire. They hugged goodbye at the door.
“Let me know what happens, okay? Oh, and don’t mention Tony and me to my brother. I’ll do it when the time is right.”
A Heart of Little Faith Page 13