That was a sobering scenario. But Shelby was right. “I’m fully prepared to have my heart bludgeoned.”
“Bludgeoned?” Shelby winced. “That’s a harsh word, but probably just how it’d feel. If that happens, I’ll bring the chocolate and wine. Then we’ll hate on men while you get drunk and I get even fatter.”
“That’s assuming I’d share the chocolate. And that’s not a given.”
“You underestimate me.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a chocolate bar. “I never leave home without one. And a barf bag.”
Lori smiled, grateful she had such a wonderful support system. Life was too short to be afraid of another heartbreak. And commitment again. She’d have to work on that one as she went along.
So, she’d finish up her work and then find an excuse to see Deek later. Maybe she’d invite him over for dinner. Or better yet, talk him into cooking for them in that beautiful kitchen he claimed to love to use.
She hadn’t thought of that before. That if she and Deek ended up together, she might never have to cook on a daily basis again. Talk about icing on the cake.
Deek glanced at the time on his computer screen. Annie was supposed to call, but he’d taken Lori’s advice and decided to quit reminding Annie to talk to her son. Since they’d just talked on Monday, maybe Asher wouldn’t be too disappointed if she forgot.
He leaned back in his chair and ran the terms of the deal he’d make with Annie in order to give her the money for the dig. He’d reiterated the option of marriage again, but hadn’t made it a requirement for the money. Her visits home were nonnegotiable, but if Annie didn’t want to marry him, he could live with that now.
He’d ask one more time when she got home and tell her it’d be the last. He didn’t want to be left hanging anymore. He and Asher didn’t deserve to be treated like that.
Annie’s main passion in life was archeology. She’d agreed that this would be her only dig, and then she’d take a museum job after she returned. Which might mean they’d have to move, but he could work from anywhere. However, anywhere but Denver meant he’d never see Lori again. But if they stayed, could he see her every day as just friends and not want her as badly as he wanted her now? He’d thought about her twenty-five times since he’d woken up.
He’d never done that with Annie.
Or maybe he had when he and Annie had first started dating in college. Maybe Lori was just something shiny and new, and he was making a mistake leading her on. But it didn’t feel like a mistake. It felt…right.
His phone dinged with a text that brought him out of his uncertain haze. He picked it up, hoping it was Annie.
Even better, it was Lori.
Hey, Chef Deek. What’s cooking for dinner at your house tonight?
He smiled. Hi, princess. Nothing fit for royalty. I’m serving slop.
Slop???? Served in wooden troughs? And eaten with your hands? Like Henry the VIII style? I guess if it was good enough for a king, I could hang with that.
No. As in sloppy Joes for ten rowdy Cub Scouts. It’ll look like a pigsty around here after they go home. Do princesses ever get on their knees and scrub floors?
You’ve seen what I do best on my knees. And it isn’t cleaning.
Yes. Quite memorable. How about tomorrow night? I’ll cook whatever you guys want.
Can’t. Emily has her soccer team coming over for dinner. We have to come up with a fundraiser before the season starts. Those out-of-town trips aren’t in our budget.
He hated how Lori had to struggle with money, school, and work. She deserved a break, not one more task to add to her life. I’d be happy to fund Emily’s soccer trips.
Nope. That’s nice of you, but we’ll work it out. The only thing I’ll let you buy me is dinner. How about Friday?
Annie wanted a million bucks for a dig, and all Lori asked of him was dinner. Absolutely. Asher just asked if he could spend the night at his friend John’s house, so you and I could have a spend-the-night too.
Perfect. It’s supposed to snow again on Friday, so we might have to work around the weather.
I’ve been dying to try out my new sous vide machine. Want me to make you the best steak you’ve ever had right here? Then after, we can watch a movie in my home theater. Six thirty work?
Yes. I’ll pack my new sexy lingerie. And my kneepads. :0)
He smiled as visions of Lori in sexy lingerie filled his mind. Friday couldn’t come fast enough for him.
Lori was still trying to decide which of her new lingerie to pack on Friday afternoon when Rachel flopped onto Lori’s bed. “What are we telling Emily about why you’re not coming home tonight?”
“I couldn’t bear to lie to her, so Mom is going to call and invite her for a sleepover in a bit.”
Rachel’s eyebrow arched. “You told Mom you’re having a sex date and won’t be home until tomorrow?”
“No!” Lori threw a pillow at Rachel. “And it’s not a sex date. I mean, there will be lots of that, but we’re having dinner and watching a movie too.”
“What are we telling Mom?” Rachel threw the pillow back, even harder.
“Nothing. If all goes well. I mentioned Emily would love an invite, and Mom was super excited to have her. I told her I had a date, so you’d be here when she picks Em up at seven. Emily is never ready to end the fun before eleven the next morning, so I’ll pick her up on my way home, and Mom will never be the wiser.”
Rachel laughed. “You’re a grown-up now, and could tell Mom the truth. She knows we have sex sometimes. You’re just a whole lot louder about it than me.”
“You heard that the other night?” Heat rose up Lori’s neck. She had to look away before her sister saw the full-out blush.
“The neighbors must’ve heard it. I’m sure they said, ‘Hallelujah! Lori is finally getting some!’ Then they probably put their earbuds in and cranked the music like I did. You’re lucky Emily and Asher sleep like the dead.”
Mortified, she slumped down on the edge of the bed. “It’s just that Deek is a fantastic lover. It’s like you feel safe to just…let go.”
“Obviously.” Rachel rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “It’s the same with Marcello and me. You made me miss him. And that. I finally answered when he called this afternoon.”
“And?” Lori stood to finish packing. “Did you tell him about the babies?”
“No. Not yet. I just missed him and wanted to talk. He said he loved me, and as soon as his movie wraps, he wants to spend a whole month with me. He said he’s already cleared his calendar. No easy feat for him.”
“Did you tell him you loved him too?”
“I tried. But I couldn’t. I’ve never told any man I love him.” Rachel closed her eyes, but her tears leaked out anyway. “Damn these pregnancy hormones. They’ve turned me into a blubbering weakling.”
“Crying doesn’t make you weak.” Lori sat down beside her sister again. “And neither does confessing your love for someone. It can actually be freeing.”
“Maybe. But what if he’s just saying that? What if he’s just upset because I left him? He said once that no one has ever broken up with him. He’s always the one who does it first.”
“I don’t think he would have made all the effort to spend a month with you just because he has a bruised ego.”
“I guess.” Rachel shrugged. “Have you told Deek you’re falling in love with him yet?”
“No. I don’t want to put any more pressure on him. He needs to decide who he wants. Me or Annie.” And she needed to decide on the sexy blue undies or the black really sexy ones Rachel picked out as a challenge. Black it was.
“Or, you’re just as afraid to do it as I am.” Rachel wiped away her tears and rolled off the bed. “You only have a few more days to state your case. Telling him you love him might help him decide what to do. And you never know. It might be FREEING.”
“Very funny,” Lori called out to her sister’s retreating back. “Call Marcello tonight and tell him, Rache
l. I promise you won’t be any less of a bad-ass woman in the morning.”
Her sister stopped in the doorway and glanced over her shoulder. “But I will always be a bigger bad-ass than you.”
“That’s debatable.” Lori held a hand out toward her bag. “I just packed the black undies. And I’m the one having a sex date tonight. Not you.”
“Seems I’ve been knocked off my thrown. By a Goody Two-shoes, no less.” Rachel chuckled all the way to the den.
Lori shook her head as she zipped up her bag. She wasn’t a Goody Two-shoes. Well, sometimes, but not tonight. She was going to spend the night with a sexy man and do all kinds of naughty and fun things. But something Rachel said still bugged her. She was right—with limited time to fight for Deek, she needed to tell him how she felt about him. So she would. Maybe while wearing the sexy black undies for extra courage.
13
WHEN THE AX FALLS, THE TRUTH COMES OUT.
“This looks wonderful, Deek.” Lori smiled at the plate Deek had just placed before her.
He hoped she’d like it. They’d had stuffed mushroom appetizers and were on their second glass of wine, and he couldn’t remember a more enjoyable dinner date. He’d thought they’d use the fancy dining room that he never used, but when he started to set the table, she said she’d be just as comfortable at the bar in the kitchen where she’d watched him cook for the last hour. It was nice to have the company and conversation as he chopped and sautéed.
He took a seat next to Lori and glanced at her just as she took her first bite of the steak. It was ridiculous how much he hoped she’d like it.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “Mmmmmmm, Deek. This is incredible.”
Relieved the steak had passed the test, he took his first bite and made an involuntary noise that sounded just like hers. He’d impressed himself. “I’m glad these turned out, being the first time I’ve used that machine. And especially since the snow decided to hold off until later and we could have gone to a restaurant. I’ll make it up to you. Maybe tomorrow?”
Lori shook her head as she chewed. “This is better than any restaurant steak I’ve ever had. But dinner tomorrow sounds great. No matter where we end up having it.”
He smiled as he sipped his wine. Lori was such an easy person to be with. “How did the soccer fundraising summit go last night? Did the girls come up with a plan?”
“Yes. Be prepared for Emily to hit you up to buy candy bars very soon. And don’t you dare buy a whole case or anything. She needs to understand it takes work to pay for what she wants in life.”
“How many come in a case?” He speared an asparagus and popped it into his mouth. He hated vegetables but made himself eat them.
“Like twenty-four or something.” Lori slathered more butter and sour cream onto her baked potato, then passed the condiments to him. “She’s going to have to sell quite a few cases, but it’s doable.”
Then he’d buy twenty candy bars, but he wouldn’t mention it now. “Maybe Asher can help her. I just realized I’ve never made him work for anything. That’s probably not good.”
“There’s not only one way to raise kids. And every kid is different, so I suppose you have to adjust the plan as you go.”
Adjust the plan as you go? Could he adjust his plans for Asher when it came to Annie? Maybe he was planning and hoping too much for something that just wasn’t going to work out. She hadn’t called since last Monday. “Speaking of plans and kids, I booked that new laser tag place for Asher’s party next Saturday. I figured we’d just have something small on Tuesday here, for his actual birthday. Maybe you guys could come for cake?”
Lori blinked at him for a moment before she laid her fork down. “I’m not sure Annie would appreciate us, more specifically me, being here. We’re sleeping together, and women can sense those things.”
“Oh. Right.” He stabbed three more asparagus spears to finish them off so he wouldn’t have to look at them anymore. “That is if Annie even shows up. I haven’t heard one way or the other.”
“We’ll play Tuesday by ear. So after we watch a movie, can I see your comic memorabilia room?”
She was changing the subject. Why was he talking about Annie with Lori anyway? It was just that he felt like he could talk to her about anything. “Yes. And I have a piece that I think you’ll especially enjoy.”
“Can’t wait. What movie did you have in mind for us?” Lori smiled, and the tension he’d just caused seemed to evaporate.
“I doubt you’re an X-Men fan, so it’ll be ladies’ choice.”
“I think Wolverine is pretty damn hot.” Lori shrugged. “I could watch him without his shirt on all night long.”
“Then forget it. We’ll watch a romantic comedy.” He didn’t want her ogling anyone but him. Was that jealousy? He’d never been jealous before.
“That’d be great too.” Lori smiled as she finished off her steak.
After a few more minutes of enjoying their food in comfortable silence, a thought occurred to him. “Did you just trick me into watching a romantic comedy?”
“Yes.” Lori stood and took her empty plate to the sink. “That you figured it out is progress. But I actually do like a good X-Men movie from time to time, so I’ll be happy with whatever we watch.”
Man, she really was the perfect woman.
“Leave the dishes. I haven’t told you this, but I have a housekeeper during the week. She’ll get them in the morning.”
“Seriously?” Lori spun around. “That would be my dream. To never scrub a dish or a toilet again as long as I live. What other great surprises does this place come with?”
He stood and slid his arms around her waist. “There are indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs that I’d hoped to show you a bit later, a ten-seat movie theater, a bar complete with a dance floor, not that I dance, a sauna off the gym, and my favorite place in the house, the video game room. I have an original Pac-Man machine.”
“Pac-Man?” She laid a quick kiss on his lips. “I used to love that game. I bet living here is like living in Disneyland.”
“That was the idea.” It wasn’t nearly as fun to have all those great things without someone who appreciated them, though. “Let’s go pick something out to watch.”
He took her hand and led her to the theater. When they passed by his comic book room, he punched in the code to unlock the door. “Since we’re here. Have a quick look.”
“You keep whatever’s in there locked up?” she asked.
“Yeah. Mostly because Asher loves this room but rarely has clean hands. Some of this is pretty valuable.” He hit the main switch, and the whole room lit up. Everything had lighting to show it off at its best. Even the glass cases were esthetically lit where the most prized of his comic books lived.
Lori’s eyes went wide. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” She slowly walked around the room, studying all the pieces. When she got to the Wonder Woman section that took up a larger amount of space because he’d always thought she was the sexiest superhero there was, Lori stopped and crossed her arms. “Uh-huh. Just as I suspected.” Then she spotted the replica of the Wonder Woman plane, and her hands shot out to pick it up.
But then Lori stopped herself and asked, “May I touch this? My hands are clean. I swear.”
“Of course you can.” He moved behind her and lifted the glass plane, complete with a Wonder Woman action figure inside, and handed it to her. “You remind me of her. Sexy, strong, and good to the core.”
After she studied the plane for a moment, she gently put it back. Then she snuggled her curvy body against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I think you’re even better to look at than Wolverine without his shirt. Sexier, smarter, and lots nicer than any of the X-Men.”
He’d wanted to tell her he was falling in love with her, but he’d just sent an e-mail to Annie last Sunday night asking if she’d reconsider marrying him along with all the other absolute requirements for him to fund her dig. That was before he’
d slept with Lori and realized how much more he wanted from her than just her friendship. If only he knew for sure that Lori felt as strongly for him as he did for her…
But then what?
He had no idea what the hell he was going to do when Annie got back. That is if she ever came back.
Lori laughed at the romantic comedy playing on the twelve-foot-tall screen. She was snuggled up against Deek’s side on the leather reclining seats and enjoying the movie immensely. His theater was awesome, with a top-notch sound system, a tiered floor, so every seat in the place was a good one, and he even had a stocked bar so they could drink wine while they watched. She’d sort of lost count of how many glasses she’d had, but the warm and fuzzy buzz she had was a pleasant one.
When she glanced up at him, still impressed he’d worn a button-down shirt for their date, that same little crease was still on his forehead. Right between his eyes. It had formed in the Wonder Woman room. That was what she’d always think of that room as, now that he’d compared her to a superhero. She whispered, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Fine.” He smiled, but it was forced.
Something was bothering him, so she leaned across his chest and found the remote to pause the movie. Then she crawled onto his lap and cupped his face in her hands. “Then why is this worry line still here?” She traced it with a finger.
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind. That’s all.” He kissed her so sweetly it made her sigh.
When he was done and had left her lips tingling for more, he said, “Can I interest you in skinny-dipping in the pool when this is over? I’ve never done that with anyone, and I’d really like you to be the first.”
“I’d be honored to christen your pool with our nakedness.” The frown line had disappeared on his forehead. Had he been worried about asking to skinny-dip? “But how about I challenge you to a Pac-Man tournament first? Loser has to make breakfast in the morning.”
He shook his head. “You don’t want to do that, Lori. I’m damn good at that game.”
Matched For Love (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Book 3) Page 13