by K E Osborn
Eddie’s thumb gently rubs across the back of my hand. It sets a fire burning inside of me again so hot, it sends a wave of heat over my skin.
“You don’t have to hide from me, Lyri.”
My eyes slowly lift to his again. His face is stoic. Serious. He wants more than to be fuck buddies—I can tell. He wants the real Lyric Griffin.
He’s into me.
It’s obvious.
I can try to deny it all I want, but by the way my body’s reacting to him, I’m totally into him too.
I need to let go.
Let it all go.
My past.
The hurt.
The anger.
The betrayal.
Eddie is not Corey—he’s nothing like him. I can’t judge Eddie based on something Corey did. I need to give Eddie a chance.
His eyes gleam. “Your brain’s working overtime in there.” His hand comes up, swiping a stray piece of hair away from my face, his finger grazing the side of my cheek.
I relish in his touch. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
He drops his hand, sitting back in his chair, giving me some much-needed distance. Not because I need space, but because if he stays close to me like that, I might throw myself at him. And lunging at a guy across a table before the appetizer is even served is not a good look.
“Well, take your time. I’m not going anywhere, Lyri,” he offers.
A comfortable conversation falls over us as I observe the fire, the orange and yellow flames flickering against the dullness of its confines. It sends shadows dancing across the walls like little ballerinas at a recital. It’s beautiful and exceedingly relaxing.
“You seem calmer now, your mind more at ease.” His voice is low, gentle, as he gazes at me.
I glance back at him. “Yeah, I feel good. I’m enjoying this. This place is… beautiful.”
He stares right at me, full of lust. I see it, the way his eyes wander over my body and face, making my insides turn to mush. “It’s stunning.”
Heat flames my cheeks. I can’t help but feel intoxicated by him. I grab my champagne to try and break the moment. “You never got around to telling me more about your job?”
He sits back in his chair slowly like he’s assessing the situation. As if he’s trying to think about what to say. He’s calculating, taking the moment in, working out his next play, his next words.
It intrigues me.
“Well, as you know, I work for my father in the family business. A thankless job, really. Lots of time spent in the office… paperwork, contracts… boring stuff like that. My best friend, Jase, works with me. Nothing of any interest, to be honest—”
“Wait, your best friend, Jase. This is the first I’m hearing about him,” I offer, wanting to know more.
Eddie snorts out a laugh. “Because he’s a boring little shithead.”
I giggle. “Sounds like a great guy… but, let’s be serious, Eddie. No more beating around the bush. What do you actually do? Accounting? Attorney?” I raise my brow. “Personal assistant?”
He smirks at the last one but sits back in his chair as if he’s thinking it over.
Surely it can’t be that bad.
“My family’s business deals with clients who want to investigate their spouses. We’ve opened a new branch here in LA, and we have a manager, Soren, who’s running everything. Dad and I find the clients who need specialized investigative work.”
I sit back in my chair, letting out a long exhale. “Like… detectives?”
He shrugs. “Kind of. Wives hire our female staff to put their husbands in compromising positions, and then our photographers are there to catch them in the act.”
I open my eyes wide. “Catch their husbands cheating?”
“Close enough… yeah.”
I let out a long breath. “Wow! That’s some next-level shit right there. No wonder you didn’t want to tell me.”
He tenses. “Does this change things?”
I smile. “You working for detectives? Hell, no! This is the coolest thing I think I’ve ever heard.”
His smile falters slightly as he shakes his head. “You can’t tell anyone, though.”
I make a motion of zipping my lips. And he exhales like a weight has been lifted, but there’s still a heaviness surrounding his eyes.
“Let’s talk about you.” His eyes narrow in on me. “You look fantastic in yellow.” His brows wiggle suggestively.
A slow smile spreads across my face. “Thank you, Aria.”
His face scrunches, confused. “Sorry, what?”
I open my eyes wide, realizing I’ve said that out loud. “I mean, think we should order?”
His brows draw together like he’s not convinced but then signals to a hovering waitress. I smile at him as she comes over. Her eyes do not even acknowledge me—she focuses squarely on Eddie.
“Hi, Eddie…” Her sickly-sweet voice grates on my every nerve. “It’s so good to see you here again. What can I get you?” She pushes her fake tits out farther, but he doesn’t take any notice as his eyes stay fixed on me.
“Thanks, Tiff. We’ll have the oysters to start. I’ll have my usual Wagyu steak for my entrée, and Lyri can have the salmon.” He raises his brow at me as if to ask if that’s okay.
What the actual fuck?
He tried to order for us both. I’m half-impressed, half-annoyed, half-outraged—that’s too many halves.
I tense. “Ahh, no… Lyri is hungry and feels like eating something with substance. Lyri will have the Wagyu steak as well, medium, extra whatever comes on the side, please.”
Eddie’s face brightens like he’s impressed. “I’ll have what she’s having.”
“Double it all. Got it! Any dessert?” Tiff asks.
Eddie stares at me for the answer, seeing as I seem to be taking the reins with this.
“Yes, Lyri will have whatever the biggest, sweetest thing is you have.”
Eddie smirks. “Lyri is still talking in third person.”
I steady my shoulders. “Lyri is doing this on purpose.”
He shakes his head. “You’re a strange girl.”
“Woman,” I correct him.
He dips his head. “Woman. Definitely all woman.”
Tiff clears her throat, gaining our attention. “Just one dessert… to share?”
“Yes,” Eddie confirms.
“Hell, no. You think I’m sharing my sugar? Oh, Eddie, you don’t know me at all.”
He shakes his head. “Just the one dessert, thanks, Tiff.” She nods, walking off as I fold my arms over my chest.
“Your loss, big man. No dessert for you.”
“We’ll see.”
“I’m more than capable of ordering for myself.”
He nods. “I know.”
My eyes widen. “That’s it. Just… I know?”
“Mm-hmm,” he mumbles with the biggest smirk on his freaking gorgeous face.
“You really do think you’re some hotshot, don’t you?”
He places his hands on the table in front of him, looping his fingers together like this is a business meeting. “I think I’m testing the waters… seeing how far I can go with you.”
“Why? Why not be yourself?”
He sits back in his chair. “I need to read people in my job, see if they’re really as good as they say. I can’t read you. You’re all over the place.”
He can’t read me just like I can’t read him.
Was coming tonight a good thing? He seems to sense my apprehension, and he suddenly sits forward, his hand rushing out across the table to take mine in his.
My breath catches.
Damn those fireworks.
His eyes meet mine. “Stop overthinking everything I say, Lyri. You might be all over the place, but I like it. I haven’t met a woman like you before. Someone who knows exactly what she wants, but her life is a comfortable chaos. You’re a whirling dervish, and you’ve swept me up in your wake.”
“How very
poetic of you.”
His eyes widen. “See? That! That right there is what I’m talking about. Your take-no-shit attitude. I throw shade at you, you bite back. I say something nice… you throw shit at me anyway.” He runs his free hand through his locks. “I gotta tell you, Lyri… you’re one in a million.”
I’m speechless. Utterly speechless.
He removes his hand from mine.
“Thanks?” I reply, more like a question than an answer.
He chuckles. “You’re welcome.”
I sit back as Tiff brings over a plate of oysters and places them on the table. “Here you go, Eddie.” As she bends, she thrusts her tits out obviously, but Eddie’s eyes don’t leave mine.
This bitch, really? I want to rip her eyes out.
“Thanks, Tiff,” Eddie replies, eyes still on mine.
She flings her head around, stares at me, huffs, then turns, walking off like she’s annoyed.
I scoff. She’s pissed at me? The bitch is hitting on my date.
Eddie lifts his chin at me. “Jealousy suits you.”
I snap my head to him, my mouth dropping open. “As if… she is being ridiculous, though. Look at my boobs, Eddie. They’re so fake and perky, Eddie.”
He bursts out laughing. “If it helps, yours are perky, too.”
My breath catches in my throat. “If it helps… your ass is perky, tight, and firm, and I could go on, but I won’t because it would be rude, Eddie.”
He licks his gorgeous plump lips. His blue aster-colored eyes are locked hard on my lips like he wants to devour them. It makes my clit throb with need.
“Oyster?” he asks as he leans forward, grabbing a shell.
I groan in frustration while reaching for the seafood I’ve never tried, but I figure now is as good a time as any to start. I pick the shell up, assessing it. He’s watching me like a hawk. I don’t want him to know I haven’t done this before, so I just do what I do best.
Fake it till I make it.
Here goes nothing.
I bring the shell to my mouth, tipping it back. I wince a little at the coldness as the slime-ball slides into my mouth. Oh my God! I grimace at the texture, not to mention the weird-ass taste my mouth has suddenly encountered. Eddie chuckles. Guess I’m pulling a face. I pull up my big girl panties and try to chew on it.
It squishes in my mouth, the flavor something I can’t even explain, but the tough and horrible texture assaults me at the same time. It makes me think of mucus, and I immediately want to barf.
Eddie’s having a wow of a time watching me. “Enjoying that?”
I can’t back out now. I have to see this through. “Mm-hmm,” I murmur as I try to consume the lump of incredibly awful goop. Inhaling through my nose, I prepare myself. Mentally building myself up, I count down in my head.
On the count of three.
You can do this, Lyri.
One. Oh God.
Two. It’s so fucking slimy!
Three. This is the worst thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. Ever.
I close my eyes and ingest it.
As it slides down the back of my throat, I feel my gag reflex kick in. I cough a little as I open my eyes to see Eddie with his arms crossed like he’s impressed I got through that fucking ordeal. I stick out my tongue showing him it’s gone.
He brings his hands together in a slow-clap. “That was quite the performance, Miss Griff—”
“What?” I sit taller, defensively. “I loved it.”
You’re an idiot, Lyri.
I already know what he’s going to say before he even opens his damn gorgeous mouth. “Oh, really? Then by all means…” he pushes the plate closer, “… have another.” His smile is as wide as the equator, and I want to burn him just as hot.
But it’s a dare.
I can’t back out now.
I’m in too deep.
I plaster on some fake enthusiasm. “Mmm… delicious.” I lick my lips, picking up another of the fucking disgusting little pieces of slimy snot ball.
Fuck, why do I have to be so stubborn?
“Down the hatch...” I tense my stomach muscles, preparing for the onslaught. I tip the shell up to my mouth, letting the oyster slide in. My body shudders with the intrusion as I close my eyes, pretending to enjoy it. “Mmm…” I moan, but it comes out as more of a cry for help than enjoyment.
I start to chew, and suddenly Eddie bursts out laughing, making my eyes open while he shakes his head at me. I’m momentarily distracted from the foul taste as I take in his hysterics.
“Jesus, Lyri! You’ll do anything to be an independent female, won’t you?”
My eyes bug open, which causes me to chug down the nasty thing. I gasp as my stomach churns from the intrusion. “What the hell does that mean?” I ask, then stick out my tongue trying to rid the damn god-awful taste from it.
He hands me my champagne flute. I take it quickly, have a sip, and swirl it around my mouth to try and wash away any of the disgusting remnants.
“You’ve never had oysters before, have you?”
I swallow a large mouthful with a huge gulp while tilting my head. “What makes you say that?” I question defensively.
He picks up an oyster, puts it to his lips. It falls into his mouth, then he swallows it in one go.
No leaving it in his mouth.
Definitely, no chewing.
Shit. I had it all wrong.
He places the empty shell back on the plate. “A delicacy. A mouthful. Down in one go. Something you know if you’re a connoisseur.”
I slump back in my chair, rolling my eyes. “Well, fancy pants, not all of us are into aphrodisiacs.”
A slow smile creeps up his gorgeous face. “You think that’s why I got them?”
I shrug. “Isn’t it?”
He points to a sign over the bar.
I squint to read the small writing—world’s best oysters.
I sink into myself. “Oh…”
“I wanted to give you the best of everything tonight. Including the world’s best oysters.”
“Oh…” I repeat.
“You said that already,” he mocks.
“Don’t be a dick.”
He leans forward, reaching for my hand again. “Let’s start over.” He pushes the oysters aside with an exhale. “I wanna do this right.”
I link my fingers with his. The feeling of our hands being joined is strange. But it’s a good strange.
“Well, then… hi, Eddie. I’m Lyric. Nice to meet you.”
“It’s really damn good to meet you, too.”
Chapter Seven
We’ve been here for hours. The beginning of the date may have started out rocky, but the rest of it has been amazing. Sure, we’re bantering back and forth in our usual way, but there’s a method to it now.
An ease about it.
We have a rhythm.
We seem to fit together.
I love how this night has turned out.
When dinner came out, there was so much food. I ate all of mine and some of his. Dessert was a massive piece of Devil’s food cake with ice cream, cotton candy, and all kinds of sugar candy attached. Of course, I couldn’t eat it all, just as Eddie had assumed I wouldn’t be able to, so we shared. It was actually kind of nice sharing dessert with him. It was far too sweet for his delicate taste buds, but he ate it anyway.
Now, I know the night is drawing to an end, and we can’t stay here forever, even though I really would love nothing more. The heat and crackle of the fire send warmth over me. The twinkling fairy lights make the ambiance light and playful. The feeling of the room gives an aura of invitation. It makes me want to stay here. The Grove is definitely a place I’m going to be coming back to.
Hopefully, with Eddie.
I drink the last of my soda and lime. After my first two glasses of champagne, I slowed down, knowing I had to drive home. Eddie did the same. We’ve been on soda water ever since.
“This has been an experience, Eddie. It truly has,”
I tell him. “Thank you.”
He stands, walking around to me to pull my chair back, but I help myself up before he can.
He throws his hands in the air in defeat. “Sorry, habit.”
I push my chair back while grabbing my bag. “You gotta learn with me, hotshot. I can manage.”
He purses his lips. “With everything, except oysters.”
I scowl at him playfully as he places his hand on the small of my back. The gesture sends a shiver straight into my core. My breath hitches as we walk toward the exit.
We see Sammy, the front-of-house waitress, on our way out. “Put it on my tab, please, Sammy.”
I go to object, but Sammy cuts in before I can. “Sure thing, Eddie. Have a good night, you two.”
Eddie leads me through the door and out into the chill of the winter air. I instantly wrap my arms around myself for warmth. Eddie pulls off his jacket and places it around my shoulders.
“Eddie, you’ll be freezing.”
He waves me off. “But you’ll be warm. It’s all good, hummingbird.”
I groan. “And if I argue the point?”
“Like you want to argue about the cost of dinner, too?”
“Exactly. We should go Dutch… it’s only fair. I did eat part of your meal, too.”
He leans in, wrapping his arm around me, rubbing up and down my arm as if he’s trying to keep me warm. I think he might be trying to keep himself warm too, but I don’t mind. I’m enjoying him touching me.
His eyes shift down to me as we enter the parking lot. “I want to take you somewhere. Do you trust me?”
“Ah… not really. I don’t know you, but hey…” I shrug, “… let’s do this.”
He laughs as I reach for the passenger-side door of my truck, but he leans in, opening it for me before I can. I glance at him, his smile beaming wide as I narrow my eyes on him. “Mm-hmm… I see what you did there, hotshot.”
He chuckles, sliding his hand onto my lower back. “I was being a gentleman, Lyri. Now get in the truck.”
“You won’t win this game,” I dare him.
“We’ll see,” he states as he dips his head toward the truck with a dirty big grin.
I groan and slide in, shutting the door behind me. Eddie’s beaming from ear to ear as he moves around to hop in and drive. I inwardly high-five myself. He may think he’s won that war, but—I’m only letting him drive now because I want to sit and stare at him.
