by Ashley Drew
I smile down at her. “Well, you are notorious for getting your way,” I say with a grin, winking. “Right, hot shot?”
Cori presses her forehead into mine, eyeing me through her long lashes as she tries to fight a smile but fails. “Just take me home,” she insists as she makes a trail of kisses along my jaw, pausing to add, “Chicken shit.”
And I do.
The orange shimmers of dusk begin to seep through the blinds as we prepare for another busy Friday at the pub. I’d say there isn’t a better way to spend the night than with the best rock music and one of the craziest crowds in town, but that would be a lie. Because oh yes—I can think of a much, much better way to spend a Friday night, and any minute now, that way will be walking through the doors to take me home, where he can have his way with me. I lean over the bar and bite my bottom lip, before my mouth spreads into a smile.
“Ya know, if you weren’t a cute li’l thing, I might throw a nut at you,” Norman says as his voice pulls me reluctantly out of my racy thoughts. I want to give him a piece of my mind for the unwelcome interruption, but I don’t. First of all, the guy is like a hundred years old and probably doesn’t realize half the things he says anymore. And secondly, why torture myself with daydreams when Nick can turn them into reality later tonight?
I notice Norman’s empty glass and push myself off the bar, grabbing the bottle of Glenfiddich. “You wouldn’t dare, Norman,” I warn, pouring him another round. “And I’m not Nicholas. I wouldn’t hesitate throwing you out of here.”
He swivels the ice in his glass and raises it up to me before taking a sip. “You’re a feisty li’l thing. Nicky boy sure has his hands full with you, don’t he?”
He sure will tonight. “Enjoy that one because it’s your last for today.”
“You know what?” He places his glass on the bar, slowly lifting his finger at me, as if it requires every bit of strength. “You don’t give me much credit. If it weren’t for me, that boy would have never come to his senses about you.”
“Nuh-uh,” Tess interjects, shaking her head as she saunters behind the bar with an empty tray. “You can’t take credit for that one, Norman. That was all me.” She brushes the loose strands of her auburn hair away from her face before flashing a grin. Placing the tray on the bar along with two glasses, she fills them with ice and water. “So, what are these big plans tonight my dad talks of? Why he’s watching this place instead of you and Nicholas?”
I grab my ponytail, twirling my hair though my fingers. “No big plans. I’m guessing Nick will be tired after the week he’s had, so we’ll probably stay in and watch a movie at his place,” I say, smirking.
“Ew. I get it. Spare me the dirty details,” Tess remarks, jutting her palm out.
“Oh, come on, Tess.” I nudge her with my elbow. “Now that it’s out in the open, you and Braiden can hardly keep your hands off each other, too.”
With her hands on her hips, she cocks her head to the side and declares, “Completely different situation. And we’re not as bad as the two of you.” She raises a suggestive eyebrow, and I can only assume she’s referring to the inappropriate show she walked in on in the back office a few weeks ago. My cheeks warm as I fight a smile. “I blame it on the all-inevitable honeymoon phase. Gag me.” She opens her mouth and points her finger inside.
If this is what the honeymoon phase feels like, then dear lord, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us on the actual honeymoon. Well, when it eventually happens, and it probably won’t happen for a while, since Nick and I agreed not to rush things.
In the wake of the tragic events last September, we realized how short and precious life was, and though that should have given us every reason to move our relationship forward as quickly as possible, we agreed to make every second of our time together count. Sure, we waited six years to be together, and though marriage is an inevitable part of our future, we merely want to enjoy each other, and do the normal things couples do when they’re in love—go on dates, travel, make love…
Fine. There was one exception to our agreement. When we said we wouldn’t rush things, we meant no to a shotgun wedding and to popping out kids the next day. I mean, come on! There was enough sexual tension to last Nick and I well beyond our years when Viagra would be in the cards for most.
Our first time happened somewhere in Arizona when we stopped overnight on our trip back home. To describe it as perfect would be too cliché.
I think undeniably mind-blowing sums it up quite nicely.
It doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous as hell because believe me—I was nervous. I’m sure Nick was, too, but he hid it well, taking his sweet time with me as he calmed my nerves and took charge of my body. To this day, I can practically taste the delicious memories of his body coiled with mine; his lips and tongue as it swept over every inch of my skin; the low growl of his voice as he hummed my name in my ear. Nick and I hadn’t fully understood the idea of knowing a person—mind, body, and soul—until we completely unraveled each other that night.
And since then, we’ve probably unraveled each other more times than I can count.
Tess places the two glasses of water on the tray and steadies the weight of it on her palm. “So when is Lover Boy due back from…where was his project this week?”
I glance at the clock above the bar. “Antelope Canyon. And any minute now.” Hopefully not a minute later.
Nick’s photos from his Big Sur project caught the attention of a number of notable publications, and since then, the job offers haven’t stopped pouring in. He’s had more offers than a full-time photographer would be able to handle. Despite my efforts in helping him look after the pub so he can spend more time away, this place remains his number one priority, and he’ll only take on a project if the timing works in our best interest. That’s one of the many things I love about him; his values and priorities never change, no matter what.
“And it looks like it’s my cue to exit,” Tess excuses herself, nodding her head toward the entrance before adding, “Norman, unless you want to watch these two suck face, I advise you skedaddle before it’s too late.”
Tess walks off in a haste, leaving me slightly confused, but when I lift my eyes to the front of the pub, I see him. Nicholas Kelley—best friend and love of my life—beaming at me from the entranceway, his beautiful olive-green eyes hooked into mine. Finding sweet relief, my heart leaps out of my chest and makes a mad dash for him, taking my breath right along with it.
Nick briskly walks toward the bar, and I meet him halfway, my grin mirroring his. He lifts me, pulling me in for a hard kiss as I hook my legs behind his back and throw my arms around his neck. Our very public display of affection earns us a few whistles from some of the customers, and I think I hear Norman’s raspy voice hoot when Nick purposely places his hands under my ass.
“We ought to keep this PG, wouldn’t you say?” I tease, smiling against Nick’s smooth lips. “We have an audience.”
He places a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth. “They don’t have to look. Besides, we run this place. We can do whatever the hell we want,” he proclaims, sliding his nose against my cheek. “Plus, I haven’t seen my girl in four days. I think they’ll understand.”
My hands crawl up the back of his neck and grab fistfuls of his hair. “I missed you like crazy,” I confess, pressing my forehead into his. “But it’s a small price for me to pay if it means you’re pursuing what you love.”
Nick pulls away slightly and gazes into my eyes. Just when I think it’s impossible to fall in love with him even more than I have, my heart proves me wrong because I will never stop falling for this man.
“I’ve already pursued my love…and won her heart.” His breath warm on my skin, he smiles against my cheek before whispering, “Took a little longer than I hoped, but it’s like they say—good things come to those who wait.”
I suppose I can’t really argue with that, can I?
T-Rob—I blame you for all of this. Growing up, I never un
derstood your passion for books, or how you could spend hours at the library, or why you would need five editions of the same book. Then one day, you shoved that book in front of my face, and I finally understood. Thank you for helping me discover my love for the written word.
Tiffany—I’ve probably said this about a thousand times already, and I’ll say it a thousand times more…thank you! You are certainly a master of this craft, helping me see the bigger picture of my story, and I will always be grateful.
My Beta Readers—Thank you ladies! I was lucky enough to find a good group of betas for my first book! It’s nerve-racking to put your work out there for people to critique, but I truly appreciate the honesty of my readers. And Robin, WHEN that time comes, I’ll have a bottle of bubbly ready to go with your name on it!
Raeanne—Not only am I thankful to call you my cousin, but now I can proudly call you my cover designer! Thank you for the work and effort you put into this amazing cover. Your artistic talents are going to take you far.
Leah—Thank you for not making my cheeks overly rosy, or filtering the color on my bleached hair, or cropping out my big-boned legs. In other words, thank you for keeping me REAL! Okay, I might have initially asked you to photoshop the shit out of me, but thank you for not listening to me!
My friends and family (Brodrick/Villongco/Everett)—I am so lucky to have a huge support system of people in my life. Thank you for your faith, love, and encouragement throughout my journey.
Sydney and Zach—Three. Trois. Tres. III. The best stories that I know are the memories I have growing up with the two of you. Thank you for supporting me through this process. Brother—I’ll get you to read my book one of these days; count on it! And Sister—I have the honor of calling you my worst critic, my biggest cheerleader, my beta reader, and my best friend. I love you guys so much!
Mom and Dad—See? My English degree wasn’t a complete waste! I hope this makes up for all of the headaches I caused you in high school. Dad—since you read my book, perhaps I’ll consider writing that alien/mafia/Star Wars crossover love story you want me to write. And Mom—my story made you ugly-cry, so I guess I’ve already found success. Thank you for being my #1 fans. I love you both.
David—What can I say? You’ve been so patient with me over the past two years, allowing me to pursue my passion, and I will forever be grateful for that. I may have written a love story, but even the greatest fictional love story couldn’t top ours. Some might call it cliché: Girl meets boy in the big city. But I don’t care. It’s us and it’s ours. I love you.
Audrey—You’re too young to understand or realize it now, but you’ve literally been beside me through this entire writing journey. Every time you’d nap or turn in for the night, I’d sit next to you, typing away on my keyboard while you lay sprawled across Daddy’s side of the bed, dreaming sweet dreams. You’re my biggest inspiration. I love you, my baby.
You—Thank you for picking up this book and taking a chance on an unknown author. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I loved writing it, and if you did, please spread the word! Your support means everything to me.
A San Francisco Bay Area native, Ashley Drew currently lives in Los Angeles. When she’s not going cross-eyed after writing for five hours straight, or burying her nose in a book, you’ll find her sprawled on her couch watching General Hospital, having alien conspiracy discussions with her husband over a bottle of bubbly, and dancing to Taylor Swift’s 1989 album with her daughter. This is her first novel.
For the latest on Ashley’s upcoming projects, please visit her website:
Ashleydrewwrites.com