by Shauna Allen
My kid was hot on my heels as we hightailed it into the grocery store before football practice.
“Can we get cherry, Daddy?” he asked, yanking me to a stop in front of the Capri Sun display.
I glanced at the sugary drinks then at him. “We’re supposed to be bringing water.”
His little face crinkled into a frown. “Okay.”
Sigh. I was such a sucker. “Tell you what. We’ll get the water for practice and the Capri Suns for later. Okay?”
His brown eyes lit up. “Okay.” He grabbed the box of cherry drinks and we hustled down to the water aisle. And right into Miss Tori Waters.
“Hi, Miss Waters,” Ryder said, making her glance up from where she was bent over studying a label. I could’ve used another moment or two to take in that perfectly rounded ass in denim shorts.
She rose and my breath caught. Aerosmith be damned, today’s worn AC/DC tank hugged her in all the right places. “Oh. Hey, guys.” Warm gray eyes flicked to mine then back to Ryder.
“We’ve gotta quit meeting like this.” My gritty voice betrayed me.
She looked back to me, her smile timid. “Well, it is the only grocery store in town.”
“True.”
“Whatcha doin’, Miss Waters?” Ryder hugged his Capri Sun box close to his chest.
“Just picking up a few things then I’m going home to clean. What are you doing?” She took in his football pants and T-shirt. “Got a game today?”
Right. They would’ve talked about his activities in their sessions. She probably knew all about his love of sports by now.
Ry shook his head. “Nah. Just practice.”
I gripped his shoulder. “Well, we gotta be go—”
“Wanna come?” he asked her. “You can watch me. I’m the running back.”
She grinned, lighting up her face. “Yes, I know.”
“So, you’ll come? I’ll run extra fast.”
“Oh . . .” Her gaze zipped back to mine. “I’m not . . .”
Something inside of me broke. Maybe it was the tension of the last few days, worrying about what Kristi had up her sleeve. Maybe it was being desperate for a little female companionship. Maybe it was those big, deep eyes sucking me in. I had no clue what it was, but I knew I wanted to get to know her more. “Yeah, come. You can keep me company.” I bumped Ry’s shoulder with my hip. “The kid might even share one of his drinks with you.”
“Yeah!” Ryder grabbed her hand. “I’ll give you one if you’re thirsty.”
I watched as the indecision slid off her face. “Well, all right. Housework can always wait. It’s not every day I get to see the fastest running back in Baybridge in action.”
She kept ahold of Ry’s hand as we made our way toward the checkout.
“What about your groceries?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I just got here. I’ll come back.”
I grinned and paid for our drinks. I’d be lying if I said my heart wasn’t pounding hard enough to bruise my ribs when she slid into the front seat of my Chevy, filling the car with the scent of peaches and honey.
“So, uh . . .” I cleared my throat and shot a glance her way as I started the car. “How are things going?” I tipped my head toward Ryder.
She smiled, indicating she understood the hidden question. “Good. Slow, but good.”
I nodded and drove out of the lot. Suddenly, I realized how long it’d been since I had a woman in my car. A long ass time.
We drove on quietly, the small town of Baybridge flying past my windows. Quaint, suburban neighborhoods. A string of the few mom ‘n pop stores that had managed to stay open, their signs worn. Our old brick library with its bright flowerbed and flagpole that proudly sported huge, waving American and Texas flags.
As we pulled up to the practice fields behind the high school, it hit home again how much I loved this small town. I’d spent most of my childhood travelling around the world for my dad’s oil field job and I’d seen some pretty awesome stuff. But there was something about being settled in a town where everyone knew you that felt comforting. Safe.
It was also the perfect place to raise a child.
I parked and Ryder scrambled out and bolted for the field, where his coach and a few of his teammates were huddled together.
Tori strolled slowly next to me, close enough that our hands brushed once or twice. She didn’t react to that and kept her face lifted into the breeze as the bright sunshine glinted on her hair like gold.
“Thanks for inviting me,” she said, her voice relaxed. “This is definitely better than cleaning my bathroom.”
“Definitely better.” I smiled and nudged her shoulder just to see how she’d react to my touch.
She smiled as well then surprised me by bumping me back and laughing. I definitely liked playful Tori.
“Given any more thought to my question?” I said without thinking.
“Your question?”
“Yeah.” We settled onto the top bleacher. It was away from the other parents, but I thought it had the best view of the entire field so I could see my kid run. “About going out.”
She kept her face riveted toward the field and I thought she wouldn’t answer. “You were serious?” she finally said.
“As a heart attack.” Yeah, I totally was. It may be a ridiculously bad idea with her being Ry’s counselor, not to mention Kristi nosing back into my life, but I hadn’t been able to shake the idea of time alone with her since the Juicy pants incident. Hell, probably before that.
She faced me, tilting her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose so we were gazing into each other’s eyes. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you asking me out? Why now?”
I swallowed thickly. “Because I like you. Because I’m attracted to you. Because I want to.” I flicked a quick glance to Ryder, who was pulling on his helmet. “If you aren’t interested, you’re welcome to say no.”
When she didn’t say anything, I looked back. She had her plump bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it with indecision.
“You said it wasn’t against any rules, right?”
“Right.”
“So you won’t lose your job or get in trouble or whatever?”
She shook her head.
“You’re not seeing someone else, are you? Waldo?”
Her brows curled down in confusion. “Waldo?”
“The geek you were dancing with at the Funky Monkey who showed up late to my kid’s meeting.”
She laughed, lighting up her whole face. “Everett . . . Vice Principal Myers?” Her head fell as she laughed harder. “That’s . . . Waldo . . . that’s great.”
I did not laugh. “So, you’re not dating him?”
Her gray eyes peered up into mine, the laughter dying away. “Definitely not, though he thinks . . . never mind.”
“He thinks what?” Visions of him putting his grubby little hands on her made my blood boil. Irrational, yes. Instinctive, hell yes.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not seeing him. Not in this lifetime.”
I didn’t like her letting it go, but I didn’t press. “Anyone else?”
She faced me. “No.”
“Not interested then?”
I saw the lie flicker through her eyes, but she must’ve squelched it. She sat up straighter. “I didn’t say that.”
I finally relaxed. “Ah. Now we’re getting somewhere.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re obviously worried I’m too much man for you. That’s okay, I get it . . . Ow!” I grinned when she slapped my arm. “No need for violence, little lady.”
She stifled a grin and kept her eyes pinned to the field. “Sorry.”
“You should be.”
“But I’m not worried.”
I said nothing, waiting.
Sigh. “Fine. I’ll go out with you.” She flashed those big gray eyes my way. “Once. Because I feel sorry for you.”
“A pity date?�
�
She nodded once, her blond locks brushing her shoulder. “Something like that.”
“Huh.” A pity date. Well, I’d take what I could get.
Tori
I’d just agreed to a date with Trace Berringer.
What in the hell was I thinking?
And why couldn’t he have asked me out months ago when I was just a simple waitress and we could’ve gone out and had a good time with no strings? Now that I was his son’s counselor, things were a bit sticky, but, I had to admit, workable. I simply had to keep my head on straight and not let anything between us personally interfere with my professional obligations.
I glanced across the bleachers, a couple rows in front of us. The soccer moms in their tight little tops and shorty shorts were targeting him with some not-so-subtle stares. Football moms. Whatever. They were definitely not happy with my presence. A sick, sadistic part of me wanted to straddle him and stick my tongue down his throat just to give them something to talk about. But I was an intelligent, reasonable, mature, professional woman. I’d never do such a thing.
I snuck a quick peek at his profile. Yeah. I probably would.
But not here. Not now.
Maybe not ever.
He caught me staring and one side of his mouth lifted so perfectly, so mouthwateringly cute, my insides melted just a little.
On instinct, I brushed a wayward curl from his forehead, my fingers running through his thick, rich hair. The smile fell from his lips as our eyes locked. I felt my body leaning into him as his face lowered fractionally toward mine.
My mind went blank, except for the angel on my shoulder, who was screaming in my ear: He’s going to kiss you!
Or was that the devil, delighted we’d finally have our first taste of the man? I think I moaned as his hand cupped the back of my head. My eyes fluttered closed. I tasted his minty sweet breath across my lips.
Then, he . . .
My eyes shot open when his forehead landed against mine gently. He was smiling as he stared at me and brushed the tip of his nose across mine three times.
“What . . .” I swallowed and released my desperate hold on his biceps. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” His nose moved from mine slightly to nuzzle my cheek. “Eskimo kisses.”
“Eskimo kisses?” I was dazed when he pulled away from me, his grin even wider than before.
“Damn. I must not be doing it right if you don’t know.”
Oh, he was doing it right. It just appeared I was the only one melting.
“Did you see me run, Miss Waters? I jumped right over Dylan and ran all the way to the end!”
Ryder’s excitement was filling Trace’s car as we drove toward Taco Bell for dinner, kid’s choice. I shifted and grinned at him in the backseat. “I did.” Well, actually, I think I missed that when his father was killing me with Eskimo kisses, but I’d never tell him that.
Ryder was practically bouncing in his seat. “It was awesome. You need to come to all my practices. I run faster when you’re watching.”
I caught Trace’s furrowed brow and frown, but he quickly got it in check and smoothed out his features to peek in the rearview mirror at his son. “You were pretty awesome.”
What was up with that? He wanted to date me, let me hang out with him and Ryder when we weren’t at school, but he didn’t like that Ryder seemed to be getting attached? Had I crossed some imaginary line in the sand?
Over dinner, I noticed a couple more awkward glances from Trace, so when Ryder jumped up to use the restroom, I set down my taco. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No. Why?”
A quick scan of the restaurant let me know Ryder was still in the bathroom. “Ever since Ryder said something about me coming to his practices, you’ve been getting all frowny.”
“Frowny?”
“Yes. Frowny.” I waved my hand in the general direction of his face. “You’re scrunching your eyebrows and frowning. If you don’t want me here, you can take me home. I was perfectly content to shop and clean today.”
His gaze dropped to the Nacho Supreme between us. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be frowny.” His sparkling eyes caught mine, a hint of an apology in their depths. “It’s not you. I promise.”
I bit my tongue before asking what the issue was. Not my business.
He kept talking anyway. “I’m not sure how much Ry’s told you, but his mom’s not been in the picture since he was born. Long story, but basically, one night stand gone wrong. Baby. Single dad.”
I’d pieced a lot of that together, but I smiled encouragingly, hoping he’d fill in some of the holes. For purely professional purposes I told myself.
He spun his cup around in the rings of condensation, his eyes downturned. “His mom, Kristi, called me recently. She wants to see him . . . to make up for lost time.”
“Oh.”
His eyes shot over my shoulder and I knew by the way his face changed and his posture straightened that Ryder was heading back. “I’m not sure how I feel about it though,” he admitted. “That’s why I’m frowny.” He smiled at Ryder when he slid back into his seat. “Hey, Buddy. Finish up so we can get home, okay?”
The abrupt end to the conversation left me equal parts relieved and sad. I wanted to know more. About Ryder. About Trace. About these strange, overwhelming feelings swirling around my heart.
We finished our meal quickly and Trace drove me back to the store for my car. It seemed so strange that it was only that morning I was contemplating a day of drudgery and chores. Even with Trace’s frowns, it had been a pretty great day. I shifted in my seat and told him so with a smile.
“I’m glad you had fun.” His voice was raspy and his eyes dipped to my lips then flitted back up.
“Bye, Ryder,” I said over my shoulder. “See you at school, okay?”
“’Kay. Bye, Miss Waters.”
I smiled and opened my door, stepping out into the warm pink twilight. I clicked my door closed and strolled in the direction of Betsy, contemplating going ahead and grabbing my groceries while I was there.
“Wait.”
I spun around at Trace’s voice to find him jogging up to me, his long legs eating up the distance quickly. I waited a few feet from my car.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he neared me, his eyes hooded, making me feel like a gazelle about to be consumed by the lion.
I opened my mouth to tell him there was nothing to be sorry about, but he was on me within seconds. Cupping my face, he speared his long fingers through my hair, cradling my skull. He didn’t pause, didn’t speak, didn’t hesitate in any way, as he angled our mouths into perfect alignment and wrecked me with the most savage, crazy, perfect kiss of my life.
His lips were soft yet insistent as his tongue brushed along mine. I fell into him, going along for the ride. This had been unavoidable since the moment we met. I knew that in this moment. It was as if my lips had been carved from his then simply attached to my body, waiting to find their real home.
And, God, was it good.
Dangerous.
I ripped my mouth away and struggled for breath, my forehead to his chest where I heard the frantic bom, bom, bomp of his heart. “Jesus.”
I knew he was smiling without even looking up. “Nope. Trace.”
I couldn’t help my laugh. We stepped away from each other, the air now heavy with possibility. Where did we go from here? What could possibly be the right thing? How could something that felt so freakin’ right be wrong?
I peered up when he reached out and traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “So, when is this pity date gonna be?”
I paused, struggling to wrap my mind around what he was talking about. Then it clicked. Soccer mom hoochies on the bleachers. Eskimo kisses. A date.
I opened my mouth, pausing to study the way his eyes reflected the sinking sun, showing the flecks of gold deep in the misty green. I forcibly shoved the angel on my shoulder into a closet. Screw her.
“Frida
y night?”
His dimple made an encore performance. “Friday. Perfect. I’ll arrange a sitter for Ry and plan on picking you up around seven?”
“Sure.”
He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “Text yourself so I’ll have your number.”
Oh. Right. We hadn’t gotten so far as exchanging phone numbers, but we’d sucked face. I tapped the screen on his phone and sent myself a smiley face emoticon text message.
“There.” I handed the phone back. “I’ll get you my address, too. Or we can meet somewhere—?”
“No. If I only get one pity date, I wanna do it right. I’ll pick you up.”
“Okay.” I forced myself to step away, even as his sweet grin drew me in like a magnet. “See you then.”
After Trace and Ryder drove away, I did my shopping, though I’m not sure how in the hell I managed that with my brain scrambled from his kiss. But, I pulled through and got my stuff home, then spent the rest of the night cleaning like a mad woman. I found that to be the best cure for my wonky hormones.
Though at about 1 a.m., I seriously contemplated texting him and begging for a booty call. He’d probably think I was drunk dialing, though the only thing I was drunk on was him . . . and bathroom cleaner fumes maybe.
I forced myself to bed about three and my dreams were full of him. Naked, slick with sweat, his hard body pressed to mine.
I woke up that morning hot, bothered and slightly grumpy, needing relief in the worst way. I rolled over, punching my pillow, hating Trace just a little bit for having this power over me.
An hour later, my phone buzzed and my heart lurched, stupidly hoping it was him, confessing he was as miserable as me.
I studied the screen and grinned. The only other person on the planet I would’ve wanted to talk to in that moment.
“Hey, Hope.” I rolled to my back and tucked the phone closer to my ear.
“Hi, Tori,” my sweet sister replied with her thick lisp. “You awake? Mom said you might be sleeping.”
I wish. “No. Just lying around. What’re you up to?”
