“Nice to see you, man,” I say. “When did you get in?”
“This morning. I had some flight issues yesterday,” he replies.
“How long are you staying this time?” I ask him as we let go of each other.
“A week. I knew Mom would throw a fit if I only showed up for a day or two, since it’s been a bit since I’ve been back for more than a night or two.”
“Good thinking, maybe we can get out for a run or two while you’re in town.”
“Yeah, I’d love that,” he says.
“I’d like to introduce you to someone,” I tell him, turning to include Megan in our conversation. “Tyler, this is my date for the evening, Megan. Megan, this is my pain in the ass, little brother, Tyler.”
“Who are you calling little?” he quips from beside me as he slings his arm around my shoulders. He might be four years younger than me, but he’s got a good solid two inches on me. And it isn’t like I’m short, I’m six fucking two.
“Nice to meet you, Tyler,” Megan says on a laugh as her eyes bounce between the two of us. Our child-like antics on full display.
“Nice to meet you, as well,” he replies. “Now, tell me how in the hell you convinced this beautiful woman to be your plus one tonight?” Tyler asks me.
“Lucy might have had a hand in arranging it,” I tell him. No sense in trying to hide that fact, as Lucy would never let it be a secret if the topic ever came up around her. “But,” I interject before he can bust my ass about Lucy setting me up, “I asked Megan on my own and she agreed.”
“He’s right,” she confirms to Tyler.
“Still think you could have done better,” he says, his voice full of mirth.
“Like you?” she asks, throwing his humor right back at him.
“Damn. I like this one,” Tyler quips.
“Me too,” I confirm, smiling down at Megan. The more I’m around her, the more I get to talk to her, the more I want to talk to her and get to know her more. The fact that she’s absolutely stunning doesn’t hurt, and I’m kicking myself in the ass for not realizing that before tonight.
“Andrew!” My grandmother calls my name as she descends the stairs of the stage.
“Grandmother,” I greet her, leaning down to place a kiss on her cheek. “How are you today?” I ask.
“Doing just fine. Who’s this lovely lady?” she asks, pushing for an introduction.
“This is Megan, my date for this evening. Megan, this is my grandmother, Alice Montgomery.”
“The one Lucy was telling me about?” she asks, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
“The one and only,” I confirm as I look down at Megan. A soft smile tugs at her lips and all it takes is one look at them and I can’t keep my mind from wandering to what it would be like to have them wrapped around my cock.
“It’s lovely to finally meet you, dear. I’ve heard all about you from my granddaughter.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Montgomery. I’ve heard about you, as well,” she tells her.
“All good, I hope,” she says, giving me a stern look. “And, please, call me Alice.”
“Of course,” Megan assures her with a sincere smile. I like seeing the two of them talking, and the thought of Megan at family dinners or other events at my grandmother’s hits me square in the chest. What would it be like to have someone with me at family events?
“I need to check the podium for my speech, I’ll be right back. I trust the two of you to behave yourselves and not try to run Megan off with all your gory stories of me and my childhood,” I state, looking at my grandmother and brother, giving them both as stern of a look as I can.
“We won’t damage your reputation too much,” Tyler says with a smirk.
“I apologize in advance for anything they say, and don’t believe ninety percent of what they try and tell you,” I plead with Megan.
“Just go. I’m not going anywhere.” She laughs at my discomfort leaving her alone with these two. They might be two of my favorite people on this planet, but they can sometimes throw me under the bus more often than I care for. I look from Megan to my brother to my grandmother, before returning my eyes to hers. “I promise they can’t run me off, at least, not tonight. You are my ride home, after all,” she says quietly.
“I’ll be right back, and if they give you too much crap, you can come up on the stage and get me,” I assure her.
“I’ll be fine, Drew,” she says, rolling her eyes at me now. I don’t know why I’m so worried about this, but I find myself wanting to make the best impression I can with Megan. Without thinking, I reach out and grab her hand, squeezing her fingers with my own before I take off up the stairs, taking them two at a time to reach the top of the stage.
8
MEGAN
I SIT HERE CAPTIVATED by this evening’s events. From the entertainment, to the speeches given. Both Drew and his brother spoke. Told of the importance that his family’s foundation is doing, of the kids, both local and around the world, that the money they have raised has gone to help. The astonishing number of kids they’ve helped live by paying for life-saving medications, operations, and hospital stays. Everything that comes with having a child that suffers from a sometimes-deadly heart condition. With the speeches done, a band begins striking up some music from the stage to help the evening fun continue on. According to the agenda on the table, the band will play for about an hour, and then the live auction will take place, before the band closes out the night. Drew wasn’t lying when he said his grandmother doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to this event, but I can see why she doesn’t. From the sounds of it, they tend to raise millions of dollars from this event alone. That doesn’t include all the other smaller events they have throughout the year that raise money for the foundation, nor the monthly donors they have.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Drew asks when he sits back down after finishing his duties up on stage.
“I am. Your family is amazing, everything this foundation does is amazing,” I tell him.
“I’ll agree with you on that. I’ve always been proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last ten or so years, since it was founded. The first couple of years it was mainly my grandparents and a few family members who all donated, along with a few of their wealthy friends. Now their reach is far and wide.”
“The video they put together was amazing. Made me wish I could afford to donate to the great work that’s being done.”
“Nope. That’s not why I brought you here with me tonight. I know this night is supposed to be about raising money for the foundation, but please don’t feel guilty if you can’t.”
“One day. That’s going on my vision board. My list of goals. Be able to afford to donate to worthy causes like this one.”
“You’ve got a good heart, Megan,” Drew tells me.
“I’d say the same about you,” I reply, leaning in slightly closer so we can hear each other over the noise of the band on stage. Most of our table mates have all gotten up, either mingling amongst the other guests, getting fresh drinks from the bars spread out around the room, or dancing their way around the dance floor set up in front of the stage.
“Would you like anything to drink?” Drew asks.
“I’d love a glass of wine,” I tell him. I stuck to lemonade throughout dinner, but a glass of wine to wind down the night sounds perfect.
“Coming right up,” he tells me as he stands and heads over to one of the bars. I watch as he goes, getting pulled into a few short conversations as he does. It doesn’t look like there’s a stranger in the room when it comes to Drew. I’m sure that comes with being a local and the fact that this is his family’s foundation.
“Sorry that took so long,” he says, placing the glass of wine down in front of me. He’s got a beer bottle of his own in his left hand.
“Not a problem, I enjoyed talking with your parents while you were gone.” I tell him. “Thank you for this,” I say as I pick up my wine and take a he
althy swallow. “Mhmmm,” I hum as the liquid slides down my throat. “That’s a delicious wine, where is it from?”
“That’d be my grandmother’s favorite wine. It is from Von Eck Wineries in California. She serves it at every event she hosts. My grandparents visited the winery before my grandfather died and she’s been hooked ever since. Orders wine directly from them by the case.”
“I can see why, it’s got great flavor,” I tell him. I quickly finish my glass, the flavor of the wine bursting on my tongue and making me relax as the alcohol hits my blood stream. I don’t miss the fact that he’s draped his arm across the back of my chair and his fingers are making small circles along the exposed skin on my neck. The soft touches are sending shivers down my body, settling in my core. It isn’t only the wine that is making me feel all warm inside. While his touches might be brief and small, they feel big in a way that I can’t quite describe. We fall into an easy conversation as we just get to know each other over the course of the hour until it’s time for the live auction.
Drew takes the stage once more, asking first for everyone to return to their seats, and then announcing the auctioneer. He turns the microphone and stage over and they get to work auctioning off a large array of items. From artwork, to trips, to themed baskets filled with all sorts of things. They easily raise hundreds of thousands of dollars as they do so. I sit back and watch those that are here to bid, enjoying how much fun they have while doing so. Drew, himself, bids on a few things and even wins a vacation package to a resort in Hawaii.
“What a night,” Drew says once the crowd starts to thin out.
“I agree. Thank you for inviting me. I had a great time.”
“I’m glad. It was great to have you here with me,” he says, squeezing my hand quickly. All these small touches he’s instigated tonight have me wondering if we could have more between us. “Are you ready to get out of here?” he asks, looking down at his watch. I’ve had such a good time that I haven’t even realized how late it is until he’s mentioned leaving.
“Yes, what time is it, anyways?” I ask, a yawn hitting me.
“Just after eleven,” he says as his hand slides into his tux pants. He lost the jacket a while ago and his shirt sleeves have been rolled up to his elbows, showing off his muscular forearms. It should be illegal for someone as good looking as Drew to wear a tux like he does. I’m shocked that he doesn’t have a line of women behind him for how good he looks tonight. I’ve felt a little special knowing that I’m the one he’s here with tonight. Not that me being his date really means anything. It’s not like we’re really together. I’m just his plus one.
“No wonder I’m yawning,” I say, uncovering my mouth. “It’s past my bedtime,” I tell him.
“Not a night owl?” he asks, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.
“Nope,” I confirm, popping the p. “I’m lucky most nights if I make it to ten before I pass out.”
“Med school and residency conditioned my body to late nights and early mornings. I got so used to running off just a few hours of sleep that I don’t know what to do with myself when I get more than five consecutive hours,” he says on a chuckle.
“I’d die,” I tell him, and laugh as we make our way out to the lobby.
“Our ride should be pulling up soon. I texted him a couple minutes ago.”
“Sounds good,” I reply as I pull the shawl I brought with me around my shoulders. Now that it’s nighttime and the sun is down, the outside temp has dipped, and I get cold easily.
“Are you cold?” Drew asks. “Here, use my jacket,” he says, draping it over my shoulders. I lean forward so that the coat can drop between my chair and my back. I slip my arms into the sleeves and find that my hands only reach to just past where his elbows would be. His scent also hits me, now that I’m wrapped in it, and I find myself sucking in a deep breath. The mixture of his spicy cologne and a woodsy smell has me in a heady drunk-like state. Between the smell and the wine that I drank earlier, I’m feeling really good right about now.
“Our ride is here,” he says, pulling me from my moment.
“Okay,” I reply as I follow him out and to the waiting SUV. The driver has already opened up the ramp and I’m able to slide right in, securing myself as Drew situates himself in the seat next to me.
I think we both hit a wall, as we’re quiet on the ride to my apartment. Drew gets out when the driver stops and waits outside the car while I get out. He walks me up to the doors and waits as I pull my keys out to open the security door. “Thank you again for being my date tonight, Megan. I had a great time,” he says, causing me to grin. I had an amazing time, too. Then, he follows with, “What would you say to a real date? One not subject to my entire crazy family or foundation responsibilities on my part.”
“I’d love that,” I tell him as calmly as I can muster, the butterflies rising in the pit of my stomach once again tonight.
“I’ll text you tomorrow and we can figure something out,” he says, smiling.
“Sounds good,” I reply. He leans down and kisses me on the cheek and turns to walk away. “Drew!” I call out before he’s too far out the door.
“Yeah?” he asks, stopping and turning back in my direction.
“Here’s your jacket,” I tell him, pulling it from my body and holding it out to him.
“Oh, right, thanks,” he says, closing the distance between the two of us. He takes the jacket and slings it over his shoulder. It hangs from the tips of his fingers as he just stands in front of me. We’re locked in a staring contest, of sorts, and all I can think of is what it would be like for him to kiss me, really kiss me. Not the quick peck he placed on my cheek just a moment ago, but a real, lip-locking passionate-filled kiss. What it would be like to feel his tongue against my own, his hands in my hair and against my skin.
“Thanks for letting me use it,” I finally say, breaking the silence. The tension between us is tangible, almost crackling. I’m sure if anyone else was in the room with us now, they’d be able to feel it just as I can. My attraction for this man has increased tenfold, just tonight. Seeing him amongst his family and how he finally relaxed as the night wore on.
In the blink of an eye, Drew closes the small amount of space between us and drops to his haunches as he presses his lips to mine. I gasp, never in a million years did I think that Drew Montgomery would be kissing me. This gorgeous, experienced doctor, who could have any woman he wanted, was kissing me. And I’m kissing him back.
Drew takes advantage, our tongues tangle together as we both explore this connection. His hands raise up to cup my face, as his fingers slide into my hair slightly. Goosebumps break out across my skin as my pulse speeds up.
When we break apart, Drew rests his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry if that was too forward. I just couldn’t not kiss you,” he whispers, his voice deep and gritty.
“No complaints from me,” I say, trying to keep the moment light.
He drops another quick kiss against my lips before he stands back up to his full height. “Good night, Megan. I’ll text you tomorrow,” he says before turning and walking out the door. I stay there, watching out the window as he goes. His stride is determined. I can tell from his body language that he forced himself to leave. To keep his focus on getting to the car and leaving. Had he asked to come up, I don’t know that I would have had the strength to tell him no. Not that I’d sleep with him, but I’d take some more of that kissing, if that was offered.
Once the taillights of the car can no longer be seen, I press the button for the elevator. Thankfully, I have no wait as it’s already down on the ground level. I make my way into my apartment, stopping first in my bedroom and changing into some pajamas, then heading into the bathroom to quickly complete my normal nighttime routine. Once finished in the bathroom, I stop in the kitchen and fill up my water bottle to take to bed with me. I slide into bed, plug in my phone, and see that I have two missed texts, one from Lucy and one from Drew.
Lucy: Hope y
ou had a great time tonight! You looked amazing, and it looked like you had a great time with Drew. Here’re the pics I snapped of the two of you!
Drew: I made it home, wish I was still there kissing you.
I scroll through the few images that Lucy sent me, smiling at some of the candid shots she captured when I didn’t even know she was taking them. She captured moments between Drew and I that paint a picture of something that could be building. One shows the moment we were talking over a glass of wine, when his fingers kept brushing along my neck. Even with the horrible lighting, I can see the blush spread across my skin in the snapshot. I can see the way that we’re both turned toward each other and looking at one another. If the pictures tell a true story, then the attraction is mutual, and that kiss tonight confirms it.
Megan: Thanks for these, even if you were being sneaky taking them. I had a great time. Just got home a little bit ago and about to go to sleep.
Megan: Thanks for the wonderful evening. Kissing can continue again tomorrow… :winky face:
I smile as I hit send on the text to Drew. I check to make sure that I sent it to him and not Lucy. That would be bad if I mixed up that text message.
I set my phone down on my nightstand and pull my Kindle out. I only get a page or so into my book when my phone buzzes next to me. I hold out, reading the rest of my chapter before I pick my phone up to see who texted me back.
Drew: It’s tomorrow…
I smile at his text and see that he sent it at one minute after midnight. I squeal out in excitement at it. The fact that he wants to kiss me again has me shaking in excitement as I lay in my bed. I let my mind wander just a little bit before I reply to him. I dream about what his lips will feel like against my skin, and those thoughts send tingles down my entire body until they settle in my core.
Megan: That it is. Good night Drew. I’ll talk to you later today.
I smile once again as I put my phone back on the nightstand and turn back to my book. I can’t just cave in to his every text or comment yet. If he really wants to pursue something, then he’ll work for it. I don’t make it much longer before I fall asleep reading. I also don’t hear any chimes or vibrations from my phone in that amount of time.
Cocky Doc: A Hero Club Novel Page 5