“Yes, Tori is who I want to bring. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to imply you were an ass.”
“Okay, good. I can handle you calling me an ass, but I didn’t want to tell Gillian it wasn’t going to be Tori.”
“Totally whipped, the whole lot of you men.”
“Seriously, dude, we both know that my beautiful wife could have you eating dirt out of the palm of her hand if she wanted,” Jake said with confidence. And it was true, Jason would do anything for Gillian. And Allie or Morgan for that matter. But it was different for him since he wasn’t scared they’d take away the goods. He laughed and said, “True, but I don’t sound like a pussy when I do it.”
“Whatever, your day will come,” Jake said with certainty. Truth of the matter was, Jason was looking forward to it. As much as he gave Jake and Mike crap over it, he would welcome the day he acted like them. Tori’s face, smiling up at him as he held her close to him came to mind. He smiled at the thought of her. Maybe that day was coming sooner than he realized.
“Anyway, just let me know the time on Sunday, and I’ll be there. But I won’t be answering my phone tonight, so just text me.”
“Oh, I see how it is. Call me whipped then ignore everyone while out with a lady,” Jake teased.
“That’s right. Now get off the phone and enjoy the last of the quiet time with your wife before coming home. Text me when you land; I’ll be there.”
“Thanks Jay, good luck on your date.” Jason could hear Jake laughing as he disconnected the call. The guy was in love with a woman for more than seventeen years before making his move, and he had the nerve to tease him? Shaking his head, Jason double-checked the time. Relaxing when he saw he was on schedule, he made the first stop he needed to before heading home to shower.
TORI turned off the blow dryer in time to hear her cell phone ring. Grabbing it, she saw a missed call from Tessa. Calling her back, she put the speakerphone on and continued to work on her hair.
“Hey girl, you’re going to be mad at me, but I got called in to work,” Tessa said immediately upon answering.
“Seriously?” Tori questioned, surprised that work actually called Tessa.
“Yeah, some idiot called in sick. I was next on the rotation, and since I declined covering the last two times … I was told to come in, not asked.” The remorse in Tessa’s voice was unusual for her. She really did feel bad, so it wasn’t like Tori could be mad at her or tease her about it, because it seemed so out of character for her.
“Don’t worry, Tessa. I can cancel, it’s not a problem. We can make plans for another day.” She tried to hide the disappointment she was feeling, but it was still there.
“I’m so pissed, I really wanted you to get better aquatinted with Captain Orgasm. When I find out who called in, I am totally kicking their ass,” Tessa said with determination.
Tori just laughed. “Calm down, tiger; it’s not that big a deal. I’ll call Jason and reschedule.”
“But I had a motivational speech prepared for you and everything,” Tessa whined.
“I can only imagine what you were going to say. Now get to work before you get written up.”
“Okay,” she relented. “I’ll go, but I won’t like it. I was looking forward to hanging with Lexi, too. Call me tomorrow.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Tori confirmed before hanging up.
Her eyes found her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was tamed, but she hadn’t put any make up on yet, so at least she wouldn’t be sitting at home totally done up with nowhere to go. She sighed with resolve as she picked up her phone and dialed Jason. She hoped that he didn’t think she was blowing him off. In reality, she’d been looking forward to seeing him since watching him leave two nights ago.
When his sexy voice came across the line, she fought the need to stomp her foot in frustration. And not all of the frustration was sexual.
“Well, hello there,” he said.
“Hi,” she said back in a voice that even she thought sounded pathetic.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Good, she obviously did sound pathetic.
“Well, I have to cancel our date tonight. I’m sorry.” Unsure of the best way to cancel a date with a man who could have any chick he wanted and wouldn’t bother with the likes of her after cancelling on him, she sighed again.
“Why? Are you okay?” His voice came across as anxious, instilling her need to reassure him.
“I’m fine, it’s nothing to worry about. Tessa got called into work so I don’t have a babysitter now.”
She heard him exhale … in relief? Well, that might not be a good thing, she thought, frowning.
“That’s the only reason you’re cancelling then?” he asked.
“Yeah. Tess just called me so I’m sorry it’s last minute. I hope I didn’t ruin your evening completely.”
He laughed lightly into the phone this time, and she once again sulked. Why was he laughing?
“Sweet Tori, the only thing that could ruin my evening is not seeing you. Would you be willing to go out still if we brought Lexi with us?” he asked.
“You want to take me on a date with my daughter?” she asked incredulously.
He laughed again. “I love how surprised you sound. Why not? I mean, she’s portable, right? And babies are notorious for sleeping in strange places like car seats, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll just change things up a bit. Does six-thirty still work for you?”
Surprised at his response and alternate suggestions, she found herself nodding. A moment later he said, “Tori, you there?”
“Oh, yes, I’m here. Yes … six-thirty is fine.”
She could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Great! See you soon.”
Caught in a daze of disbelief, she stared at the phone as the call was disconnected. Excitement began to bubble up inside as she realized she was still going out with Jason. And that Lexi would get to come, too. She had to tell Tessa.
Tori: Jason still wants to take me out … with Lexi … how cool is that!
Tessa: OMG, make sure to tell him you’re open for business and accepting donations! If you know what I mean.
Tori: Subtle, Tess. I think everyone would know what you mean by that. Was that the motivational speech?
Tessa: Yep! It’s good advice. You should totally take it.
Tori: I’ll keep that in mind … now get to work. Talk to you tomorrow. ;-)
Tessa: I expect details, girl!
Setting down the phone, she glanced at the clock and set about getting both herself and Lexi ready for their date.
JASON pulled in Tori’s driveway with minutes to spare. The last minute addition of Lexi to the date had him changing things up. He knew she was a great baby so it wasn’t hard to come up with an alternate plan—just required a vehicle change and visit to his brother’s house, and he was ready to go. Hopping out of his truck, fresh from the carwash, he made his way to Tori’s door.
As he passed the front house, he noticed an older man, he assumed was Tori’s landlord, sitting on the back porch. The man appeared to be sizing him up. It was almost funny considering Jason had at least a foot and four decades of youth on the man. But he knew Tori was close to him so Jason understood. Raising his hand, he offered him a hello. Receiving only a nod in response, he smiled and finished the path to Tori’s door.
After knocking, it was only a moment later when she answered with a big smile on her face. “Hi there, come on in.” Stepping away from the door, she moved about the small room grabbing a few things here and there and stuffing them into the diaper bag he remembered from the weekend before. When she bent forward to pick the baby up from the playpen, Jason was treated to an unhindered view of her ass—shaped perfectly—in the snug black pants she was wearing.
His gaze traveled down the length of her legs, taking in the curve of her muscles shown off by the tight fabric. His sudden appreciation for those exact pants was evident in his own. Clearing his throat as he tried to mentally distract
himself, he adjusted his pants. “Is there anything I can help with?”
Standing back up, she swung her long hair around and over her shoulder. It was an erotic vision and didn’t help his current problem. Even when she turned around and smiled, wrestling some of her hair out of Lexi’s grip. He imagined running his hands through it—almost jealous of Lexi being so close to Tori. When she looked over at him, he made sure to smile back, praying she wouldn’t notice his current state of arousal.
“No, I think we’re ready. Are you sure you don’t mind if Lexi comes along? We could always do it another night. Or maybe we could stay in? I know that sounds lame, but I feel bad.”
Walking toward her, he put his hands out for Lexi, and she willingly went to him. He smiled at the baby before turning to Tori. “Did you know you ramble when you’re nervous?”
She smirked as she put her hands on her hips. “Picked up on that, did you? How nice of you to point it out.”
He wasn’t sure if she was trying to scold him or be sarcastic, but he went with the latter and couldn’t help but laugh. “I couldn’t resist seeing if I could make you blush again, but I guess I missed my mark. I’ll have to up my game tonight.”
She shook her head and let out a giggle as she picked up the diaper bag. “Great, a man with a mission.”
Together they walked to the door, and with Lexi in one arm, he reached for her car seat with the other. He paused for her to lock the door before walking to his car. The old man was still sitting on the porch, just as Jason expected he would be. Tori smiled and walked up to the railing near where he was sitting. The man’s face lit up, further confirming the reason for the “sizing up” he got a few minutes before.
Tori introduced Jason to her landlord, Hal. Jason took note of the condition of Hal’s hands and understood why Tori helped him around the house. “Nice to meet you sir. Jason Michaels.”
Jason received a small glare, which might have worked back in the man’s day, but Jason still respected it. “You taking the girls out tonight? Make sure you take good care of them. I made sure to write down your truck information in case you don’t.”
Tori giggled, and Jason only smiled, not wanting to be rude. He admired the protectiveness. It was similar to something Jason would’ve said and done. “Absolutely, sir. I’ll take care of them as if they were my own.”
He got another nod from Hal as Tori leaned in and whispered something in his ear. The old man softened and smiled at her before she kissed his cheek and they were walking to his truck again. Opening the back door to lock the car seat in, he said, “His face lit up when you whispered in his ear. What did you say to him?”
She smiled and gave her a head a small shake. “A girl can’t reveal all of her secrets. How else would she remain mysterious?”
He helped her into the front seat, and when she looked down at him, he said, “I look forward to you revealing any secrets you hold, Tori.” And with a wink, he shut the door.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TORI couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to the drive-in. As a child, she remember going quite a bit with her mother. But when the drive-in near home had been torn down for new buildings to go up, there hadn’t been any left in the area. The thought of being back at one, with her daughter, caused a couple happy tears. Quickly dashing them away, she waited for Jason to pay before leaning over the center console and placing a quick kiss to his cheek. When he looked at her in surprise, she smiled. “Thank you for bringing us here. This is beyond perfect.”
He chuckled as he turned his attention back to maneuvering his truck into a spot. “Feel free to kiss me repeatedly throughout the evening to show your appreciation. I accept all forms and in any location.”
With another kiss on his cheek, she settled back into her seat with a bounce. “I bet you do.”
“Is this one of those secrets?” he asked with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “No, not a secret. More like a really great memory. I used to go with my mom when I was little.”
“Then I’m really glad I thought of it. Now, the important question is, do you want to watch it from inside the truck or from the back?” he asked. She looked to the back of the truck and grinned.
“Do you have anything for us to sit on back there? Or would we just sit on the tailgate or something?”
Jason snorted his disbelief. “What kind of slacker do you take me for? I’ve got whatever we’ll need either way, so you just have to pick.”
“Then definitely in the back. I’ve never done it in the back of a truck,” she said a little too excitedly. When Jason raised his eyebrows and looked to be hiding a smile, she replayed what she said in head. Closing her eyes, she dropped her face to her hands as she groaned, “Oh my God …”
“Well then, we’ll definitely have to rectify that for you,” Jason said with obvious enthusiasm. She didn’t have to look at him to know he was smiling. It could be heard clearly in his tone.
Still shaking her head, she lifted it from her hands when he turned off the engine. Certain her face was a bright shade of pink, she glared at him. He put his hands up in mock surrender. “What? You’ve never watched a movie at the drive-in from the back of a truck, and I aim to please.”
Reaching across the distance of the front seat, she playfully smacked his arm. “You’re doing that on purpose! You should really be careful because two can play that game.”
JASON couldn’t help but laugh as he conceded. “Okay, okay, point taken. I see the error of my ways. I’ll behave so long as you don’t forget to give me those kisses of appreciation.”
She didn’t confirm or deny, so he’d take that as a good sign. He definitely didn’t want to miss out on more kisses. It was like a tiny hit of lust stimulating his nerve endings to pay attention and beg for more. “I’ll get the stuff in back ready, and why don’t you get Lexi out of her seat.”
“Okay,” she agreed in a soft voice before he got out. Moving to the back, he unlatched the straps holding stuff down and went about setting up. He’d picked up the small travel playpen they used with Ella and a few things for when the whole gang went camping or had bonfires—cushions, blankets, puffy beanbag-like chairs, and he even grabbed the portable space heater they used for late night sporting events. He had the playpen set up and was sliding it into position before Tori and Lexi came around.
“Wow, did you have all of this stuff just laying around? Or do you come to the drive-in often?” she asked as he jumped out of the back to meet her on the ground. He was certain there was a hidden question in there, so he made sure to answer it.
“No, I haven’t been here in a while, and never on a date. Not since high school at least. My friends and I go camping and have bonfires at the beach. We seem to have equipment for anything,” he said, reaching out and taking Lexi from her arms. “Climb up, and I’ll hand her to you.”
Once again, he was blessed with a view of her tight backside. Putting down her bag, she turned to him and bent forward, letting her hair fall all around her. It was a test of his restraint as he fought the need to touch it while he handed her the baby. Once she had Lexi, he closed the tailgate and then climbed up.
“Is this your niece’s?” she asked while placing Lexi in the playpen and grabbing stuff for her to play with. Opening the cooler, he pulled out their iced tea and sandwiches, hoping that, of the four he brought, she’d like at least one.
“Yeah, it’s Ella’s. I ran over to my brother’s and borrowed it. Is it okay?” he asked, wondering if maybe it was wrong to assume she wanted to use another baby’s equipment. He suddenly second-guessed his plans.
“Oh yeah, it’s fine. Thank you for doing this,” she said, soothing his concerns. His shoulders relaxed again, and he gave her a smile. Motioning for her to take a seat, he reached out and adjusted the speaker for the movie before settling in. Once seated, he handed her a drink.
“I wasn’t sure what kind of sandwich you’d want, so I got a few. I figured there had to be
one you’d like. I assumed you’d bring food for Lexi, but now I’m wondering if I should’ve brought her some milk or something,” he said, disappointed he hadn’t thought of that sooner.
She smiled and patted him on the arm. “You didn’t need to bring anything for Lexi. She already had her dinner, and I brought her bottles just in case.”
“Okay, good.”
“And I’ll eat whichever sandwich you don’t want; I’m not picky,” she said as she glanced at her options.
He motioned to the food he laid out for them. “No, I insist, ladies first.”
Shrugging, she went about picking her meal. When they both had their choices, they settled back just as the movie started. For the next hour, they snacked and watched the movie, but Jason couldn’t tell you what it was about. He paid more attention to Tori and Lexi than anything else, just enjoying how comfortable it was to be with them. They chatted quietly about things that really didn’t matter, but it gave him more insight to her.
When Lexi started getting fussy, Tori pulled her bottle out, and Jason offered to hold her while she had it. With Lexi settled in his arms, Tori scooted her seat closer to his and tucked a blanket over him and the baby. He was smiling down at Lexi as she stared up at him when he felt Tori press her lips against his cheek again. They lingered longer than the last time, and Jason felt his eyes close as he absorbed her touch. Her lips on his skin had to be one of the most invigorating sensations he’d ever experienced. Intoxicating.
Opening his eyes when she pulled back, he looked over at her. She was still close—her breasts were pushed up against his arm, and her hair was hanging on his chest. Her eyes darted from his, to his lips, and he knew what she was thinking. He was thinking it, too. But he wanted her to come to him. When she ran her tongue along her bottom lip, the sweet anticipation grew. And then she leaned in.
TORI was having trouble fighting the intense need she felt just from being next to Jason. Maybe it was his delicious scent; it made her want to stick her nose in the crook of his neck and inhale deeply. Maybe it was his sexy beard; it made her want to slide her cheek against its soft bristles. Maybe it was his beautiful hazel eyes; the way he looked at her broadcasted the hunger he was holding back. Maybe it was his lips; since they made her want to run her tongue along the seam before slipping inside to taste him.
Love Required (The Real Love Series) Page 12