He sits up and holds his hand up in front of him. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you something. I know I can be a dick and the two of us are different in a lot of ways, but I think we’re lying to ourselves if we try to pretend we aren’t attracted to one another. I’ve tried to ignore it and I’m sure you have too.” He gives me a wry look. “I can’t anymore. I think about you all the time. Something will happen at work and the first person I want to tell is you. Or I’ll see something on the news and I’ll imagine what you’d have to say about it.” He inhales a deep breath before he continues. “I know I’m risking mortification by putting it all out there because you’ll probably reject me, but I want to give this a go. See what might come of you and me.”
Wow. I didn’t know he had it in him to make himself so vulnerable. I’m impressed. I don’t know if I could admit what he just did. “You really think of me all the time?”
He nods, a small frown on his lips.
“What if things don’t work out and we end up hating each other?”
Keane shrugs. I ignore the way it bunches the muscles in his shoulders. At least I try. It’s hard to concentrate when he’s shirtless. “How would that be any different than before?”
He has a point.
“What about Marlowe?” I ask.
Why does the first guy I’m attracted to in forever have to be the guy I’ve disliked for years and is my best friend’s brother on top of that?
“We don’t have to tell her right away.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “I don’t like the idea of lying to her.”
“How about this.” He takes me by the shoulders. “We’ll see how it goes at first. If after a couple of weeks, we think there’s something to tell her, we will. Together.”
I nod. I’m reluctant to keep it from Marlowe, but why get her upset if this is just a physical attraction to Keane and nothing comes of it?
Am I really going to do this? Try and date Keane Travis? If you’d told me back in high school that I would do this, I would have put money on you being wrong. But sometimes life isn’t quite what you expect. A lesson I should already know after what happened with my dad.
Seventeen
Keane
Twenty-four hours ago, I kissed Fiona and I’ve had blue balls ever since. All I want to do is smash my lips to hers again. Our kiss is like a movie reel rolling through my mind over and over. There are many times in my life when my lack of impulse control has wreaked havoc for not only me but people around me, but yesterday was not one of them.
Yesterday, my split-second decision to pull Fiona in and kiss her paid off in spades because she agreed to us dating. Today is our first official date, even though it’s a lunch date and everyone knows you do lunch when you really don’t want to date someone. But fuck it, she’s at the shelter again tonight, so a lunch date is my only option unless I want to wait until the weekend. Newsflash—I don’t and I won’t.
Ever since she agreed to go out with me, I’ve waited for her to change her mind. Tell me she doesn’t know what she was thinking and cancel.
If only my nerves would calm the hell down. I can’t remember the last time I was nervous about going on a date. Usually, I’m more than confident. Then again, most times it’s me in bed with said woman and later on when she wants to get serious, I extract myself from the situation.
But this date matters. Fiona matters.
Which is why I’m attempting to cook vegan for her. I set my alarm so I’d be up earlier than normal. She arrived home from the shelter a few hours ago and is currently taking a nap before we leave.
I’m putting the finishing touches on the bean salad when footsteps sound behind me. I look over my shoulder to find Fiona dressed in an oversized T-shirt that looks as if it’s been around since before she was born and a pair of sleep shorts that gloriously show off her amazing legs.
“Hello, sleeping beauty.”
She rolls her eyes, but it’s more playful than annoyed. “Hey, what’s all this?” Her gaze skates over the counter to the containers stacked for easy transport.
“This is lunch. Can you be ready to leave in a half an hour?”
“Where are we going?” She steps closer to get a better look at what I prepared.
I wave her off. “No, no. You’ll see all this later. Don’t worry, it’s all vegan approved.”
I raise my hand in the Boy Scouts salute. I’m embarrassing myself since I have no idea how to act around her. For instance, I want to kiss her, but can I or will she back away? Maybe we’re not at that stage yet. We made out twice, but does that mean we can make out whenever I want to or was it a one-time thing and now we start from scratch?
Jesus, what the hell has happened to me? I’m never uncomfortable with a woman.
“At least tell me where we’re going,” she says, rising on her tiptoes to garner a better vantage point.
“It’s a surprise. You’ll see soon enough.” I place my hands on her shoulders and spin her around. “Now go get ready.”
“How will I know what to wear if you don’t tell me where we’re going?” she asks, walking toward the doorway.
“We’ll be outside. That’s all you need to know for now.”
She huffs and exits the kitchen, but I’m fairly sure her mild irritation is just for show. At least I hope so.
About a half hour outside of our small city is a large botanical garden. I remember my grandparents taking Marlowe and me once when I was younger. What I recall specifically is being bored as shit and whining about when we could leave. But now that I’m older, it seems like a place Fiona might enjoy having lunch—at least, I hope.
I’m driving because I’m serious about not riding in the mom mobile. I doubt the thing would make it down the highway without pieces falling off.
We got lucky that today is a nicer day for an outdoor date. I turn my Jeep into the parking lot of the Botanical Gardens, and when we pass the sign, I glance over to witness Fiona’s reaction. Her mouth falls open and she grins. I’ve barely kept my eyes on the road due to her wearing fitted jeans and a tight tank top. Her open beige sweater does nothing to hide the strain of her tits on the black fabric.
“We’re having lunch here?” she asks.
I park my Jeep. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
A nervous chuckle escapes her. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think you’re the kind of guy who goes to this much effort.”
Damn, her comment stings, though I don’t think she intended for it to. It just reminds me of something my parents would say. I smile to mask my hurt feelings. “Only when it matters.”
She blinks as if she’s surprised by my response.
After I’ve paid the entrance fees, we walk the grounds before finding a spot to eat our lunch. A picnic basket would have been nicer than a plastic bag full of containers. I’m not nearly as prepared as I should have been. Fiona carries the blanket in one hand, leaving our hands closest to each other free. I take my chances, wanting to set the tone for our date, and link my fingers with hers.
“Is this okay?” I ask, glancing down at our adjoined hands.
Her gaze falls then bounces back up to mine. “Yeah.”
I let out a relieved breath. Step one complete.
We peruse the gardens. Since it’s not yet summer, there aren’t a ton of flowers in bloom, but the gardens are still works of art. When we reach the far end of the gardens, it opens up into a lush green field that meets a mature forest’s edge. We set up our picnic near the forest.
Once I arrange the blanket on the lawn, I pull out the food and place the containers in the middle of the blanket. Fiona watches in awe, as if she’s surprised more than enamored.
I pat the spot next to me. “Have a seat. I won’t bite… unless you want me to.”
She rolls her eyes but in a more flirtatious gesture and sits on the blanket beside me, looking into each container I open. “What did you make?”
The scent of her coconut and vanilla shampoo waf
ts past me. I lean in and inhale deeply, hoping she doesn’t notice. She smells so damn good. “I tried my hand at a bean salad, kale and mustard salad with quinoa, and there are some veggies to go with a dip. I also prepared a vegan mac and cheese, but I’m skeptical. It looks nasty to me.”
She laughs. “Yeah, some of the vegan cheese can be gross.” She sits on her heels and seems to contemplate all the dishes. “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble.”
I try not to take it to heart that she’s so surprised I’d go the extra mile for someone. She doesn’t really know the real me. “I figured you’d want to eat on our date and I certainly wasn’t going to pack up ribs and wings.”
She chuckles.
“Besides, I enjoyed trying these vegan dishes. They’re a challenge to make taste good. Now, you’re the judge on how I did.”
She smiles. If I didn’t know better, the wall she normally keeps up around me is beginning to crumble. “It’s very thoughtful. Thank you.” She takes one of the plastic plates and fills it.
It’s a little thing, but I like that she doesn’t pretend to eat like a squirrel when we’re together. I take it that she’s comfortable showing me who she really is.
Once her plate is full, I grab my own, figuring this food will never fill me up and I should have made something for myself. I wasn’t sure if she’d think her food was contaminated if I packed a meat product in the same bag though, so I didn’t bother.
Fiona moans around a mouthful of food. Is that how she’d sound if we were naked and I was face down in her lap?
“You like it?” I bite my lip.
“The salad is delicious. The dressing you made is awesome.” She forks another mouthful.
“Thanks. I substituted a few things on one of my favorites.”
“I mean it’s really good.”
Pride has me wanting to puff out my chest. I’d hoped she’d like the food, but I didn’t expect her to rave quite so much.
She tastes the pasta salad and gives me a similar reaction. Once she’s tried everything on her plate, she looks at me, and I hold my breath. “It’s hard to believe you’re not a vegan with how good these are. I might just make you cook for me every day now.” She laughs.
My stomach gets light as if it’s filled with helium and might float away. “Hmm, now what could I ask for in return…”
I lean in, cupping her face, and place a chaste kiss on her lips. They’re warm and soft and I want to kiss her longer, but I don’t want to push my luck, so I draw back.
Her turquoise eyes glitter with an unnamed emotion and she smiles. “I might be able to be talked into giving you more of those if you make this kind of spread every day.”
I grin and take a bite of the salad. We chat and enjoy the scenery. There are certainly worse places to have a picnic than surrounded by a forest on one side and a field of manicured grass and gardens on the other. The few clouds in the otherwise blue sky with the sun beating down only make it more beautiful. A light breeze tussles Fiona’s hair every once in a while. She tucks her hair behind her ear and she’s fucking adorable doing it.
When did I become the guy who even notices shit like that? I guess a small part of me has always noticed Fiona’s mannerisms though.
“So how are you feeling about the big 3-0?” She lifts her water bottle to her lips and takes a sip.
My stomach clenches. Not because I give a shit about turning thirty, but because I have to ask my parents to co-sign when they’re here for my birthday. My future is riding on whether or not my parents sign those papers. Jacques is offering me one hell of an opportunity and I can’t let it go to waste.
“What’s with the frown? Does the idea of entering your thirties really bother you that much?”
I shake my head. “Not at all. The idea of asking my parents to co-sign a loan so I can buy-in on a restaurant bothers me.”
She tilts her head. “You don’t think they’ll say yes?”
I inhale a rough breath and place my plate down. “Not really. They’ve never really seen my potential, just my failures.”
She frowns and her forehead wrinkles. “I’m sure they must be proud of you. You’re the head chef at one of the top restaurants in the city. And your boss wants you to buy-in on a new restaurant. Surely they’ll realize what an accomplishment that is?”
I shrug. After years of feeling like a letdown to my parents, it’s hard to shake the idea that they’ll always see everything I do as not worthy enough.
“Listen…” Fiona slides along the blanket and sits on her heels in front of me. She takes my hands and looks me straight in the eye. “You’re going to convince them to sign. Treat them like you would anyone else you were asking to invest—have a plan put together that shows them how the restaurant will perform, talk about what a big deal it is that Jacques wants to bring you in on this opportunity, and stress the accomplishments you’ve already achieved in the industry. You’re their son. I’m sure they’ll agree.”
I wish her optimism were contagious. I squeeze her hands. “That sounds like a great plan and I have it all in my head, but I’ve never been good at putting together a presentation. Just look at my high school report cards. I’m not Marlowe.” I chuckle, playing it off like the comparison to my super-smart sister isn’t similar to poking a fresh bruise.
“You don’t need to be Marlowe. I’ll help you put together a presentation on my laptop, then all you’ll have to do is click the button to move to the next slide.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I have to do presentations all the time to get corporations to donate to the shelter. I’m happy to help.”
I slip my hand from hers and cup her soft cheek. “You really are a good person right to your core, aren’t you?”
Her eyes dim, but she recovers quickly. I’m not sure what that’s about. Fiona is the most selfless person I know.
“I just try to do my part to make the world a better place,” she says.
I lean in closer and her breath hitches. “You’ve been making my world a better place since I moved in.” I move to kiss her, but a rumble of thunder stops me in my tracks.
We both look up to see a dark, ominous cloud above our heads and all the others following right behind it.
“We should probably head back to the Jeep so we don’t get caught in this. Looks like it could be a big one.”
“Let’s go.” Her gaze darts away and we hurriedly pack the remainder of the food and shove it inside the bag. The air has turned humid and she takes off her sweater, tying it around her waist before she grabs the blanket. “It just got so muggy.”
“Here, I’ll take that.” I’m holding the bag in one hand and I reach out with my free one. Another rumble of thunder sounds, closer this time.
“I can carry it.” She starts off in the direction we came, and I jog to catch up.
We walk double time back through the gardens, along with everyone else who was enjoying them, and I’m thankful when we reach the parking lot without a drop of rain. But when we’re footsteps from the Jeep, a loud crack of thunder sounds and Fiona lets out a yelp. The sky opens up above us and a deluge soaks us both to the bone in an instant.
“Oh my God!” Fiona hunches her shoulders in an attempt to keep dry, but it’s too late.
Seeing her effort to stay dry in this rainstorm, a boisterous laugh erupts from my throat. When she looks at me, her eyes are heated as if she might cuss me out, but then she laughs too.
“We almost made it,” she says loudly over the sound of the rain.
“Almost.”
We stand in the parking lot for a moment, smiling at one another like idiots, until thunder rumbles again. Then both our gazes morph from amusement to desire. She takes in my shirt that is plastered to my chest while I do the same. Her thin black tank top clings to her small frame, highlighting the curve of her chest and the indent of her waist.
I lick my lips, tasting the rain and wishing it were her on my tongue.
“Want to know something, Keane?” Her voice fills with desire.
“What?”
“I’ve always wanted to be kissed in the rain.”
I drop the bag of food and take three steps to her, ripping the blanket from her grasp and tossing it on the ground before I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss the living hell out of her.
Eighteen
Fiona
Keane’s lips touch mine and I wrap my arms around his neck, melting into our kiss. The rain pours down on us, running in rivulets down our faces, but the only thing I care about is him and the feel of his body pressed to mine. The fact that we’re both drenched in a warm spring rain only makes the moment more sensual.
Our tongues glide along one another and he groans right before thunder rumbles above us. He tightens his hold—one hand sliding down to my ass and the other on the back of my head. My hands fall down his body, feeling the hard muscles of his shoulders and his biceps before sliding back up and running over his pecs.
We pull back and rest our foreheads together, both breathing heavily while rain drips down our faces. I can’t believe I’m here with Keane, and my core aches to have him completely. A flash of lightning jolts us back to the present, pulling us out of the moment.
“We need to get in the Jeep,” he says.
“Okay.”
I don’t want to. What I want is to remain out here, kissing him in the rain, but he’s right, we don’t want to be struck by lightning. I wasn’t kidding when I told him this is something I’ve always wanted to do.
We shove everything into the back of the Jeep. The soaked-through blanket flops like a dead fish as though it weighs twenty pounds when I toss it in. We both climb into the Jeep and put on our seat belts. Keane starts the Jeep, and now that I’m out of his arms and away from his lips, the rain settles into my skin through my wet clothes and I shiver.
Three's A Crowd: A Best Friend's Older Brother Rom Com (Love in Apartment #3B Book 2) Page 10
