“Uh-huh. You know I passed Cosabellas the other day…”
Peyton stiffened.
“…and I saw you in there buying lingerie.”
All eyes swiveled in Peyton’s direction. Mentally, she counted to three, and on cue her sisters lobbed questions at her.
“Who is he?” Sheldon asked.
“When did you meet him?” came from Frankie.
“Is it serious?” Michael tossed in.
And at last from Joey, “Is it who I think it is?”
Normally, Peyton would’ve been annoyed by her sisters’ questions, but all thoughts of Lincoln brought a smile to her lips.
“Good heavens, she’s blushing,” Michael marveled.
Sheldon covered a hand across her heart. “You’ve been holding out on us? That’s blasphemy!”
“It is not.” Peyton swatted Sheldon’s arm. “And since when is it a crime for a woman to shop for lingerie?” That comment went over like bandits, judging by the number of neck swivels and eye rolls. “Okay, I met this guy in New York.”
“I knew it,” Joey clapped her hands. “You’re still talking to that Lincoln guy, aren’t you?”
“Lincoln?” Frankie frowned. “What kind of name is that?”
“I like it,” Peyton defended. “I think it’s different and sexy.”
Sheldon leaned back. “Hmmph. Any bets on how long this will last?”
“I’ll give it two weeks,” Michael piped in. “By then she’ll have a list as long as my arm on what’s wrong with him.”
“I don’t think so,” Joey said. “It’s already been three months.”
Peyton settled back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Do you girls mind not betting on me like I’m some kind of racehorse? Just be happy I’ve found someone I care a lot about.” She shrugged. “He seems to really have his act together. He’s a strong man who loves working with his hands.”
“Uh-huh.” Sheldon sipped her Coke. “I want to know if he’s been working those strong hands on you.”
Frankie, Michael and Joey leaned in close to hear Peyton’s answer.
“As a matter of fact, he’s been the perfect gentleman,” Peyton boasted.
Everyone’s expression deflated and a chorus of “you poor thing” and “heaven forbid” echoed around her before they started laughing.
Peyton joined in. “I know, I know. Gentlemen aren’t normally my type.”
“I think ‘boring’ was the word you once used,” Michael said. “And frankly, I agree. The worst thing in the world is to fall for a guy who’s lousy in bed. I don’t care what anyone says, sex is important.”
“Damn right.” Sheldon patted her pregnant belly for emphasis. “But without a ring, you make sure you wrap it up.”
Peyton held up her hands. “I already know all of this. And to be honest, I wasn’t the one holding out. I’ve been giving signals all over the place and nothing happened. Now I’m sort of glad it hasn’t. There is such a thing as too much too fast.” She smiled to herself while her thoughts drifted to Lincoln. Their long talks every night caused a delicious blush to creep up her cheeks.
“He didn’t even try?” Joey asked, frowning. “That’s unusual.”
“Maybe he needs a little help,” Frankie teased.
“Oh, I know a good doctor where he could get those Viagra pills,” Sheldon said excitedly.
Everyone stared at her.
“What? You stick to what works.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” Peyton said, finishing her drink.
“Well, it’s been three months. Are you guys at least having phone sex?”
Peyton’s mouth slackened momentarily and then she remembered whom she was dealing with. “I’ll never tell.”
“More blasphemy,” Michael said. “All I can say is if you’ve been talking for three months and he hasn’t so much as hinted that he wants to sleep with you, then maybe he’s gay.”
“What?” Peyton waved off the comment. “He’s not gay.”
“You’d be surprised how many men swing both ways. Go get any E. Lynn Harris book. Girl, those things will open your eyes.”
“Oh, Lord,” Frankie said, rolling her eyes. “She’s gone crazy.”
Joey spoke up. “I, for one, am happy for you. Three months have passed and you haven’t jumped on a soapbox about what you hate about this guy. Good for you.”
“That’s because I haven’t found anything I hate about him. He’s…perfect.”
“A perfect man?” Frankie chuckled. “Isn’t that an oxymoron?”
“Sounds like one to me,” Michael agreed.
“He’s perfect for me,” Peyton amended with a wink.
“So when do we get to meet this perfect man?” Michael inquired.
“Next week.” Peyton jiggled her brows. “He’s my date for the wedding.”
“That explains the lingerie.” Sheldon snickered. “Sounds like someone is finally going to try out the goods.”
“Ooh,” the girls sang.
Her sisters had hit the nail on the head and Peyton was sure her face was as bright as a red rose. Bottom line: she was ready to take the next step. She’d loved their time together and she loved that he was her first and last call of the day. She wanted to move past dreaming about sex with Lincoln to actually experiencing it. And this time, she’d get her way even if she had to chain him to the bedposts.
“Well,” Peyton said, while signaling their waiter for a refill, “all I know is no straight man will be able to resist me in my new Cosabellas.”
Sheldon lifted her glass. “Here’s to P.J. and Lincoln getting their groove on.”
Everyone lifted their glasses with a chorus of, “Hear! Hear!”
* * *
The day before Lincoln left for his trip to California, he stood in the center of Local 1492 Dekalb Fire Department. His old colleagues surrounded him and sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” at full volume. A current of conflicting emotions coursed through his body and clogged in his throat.
Omar Preston walked through the crowd, carrying a large fire truck sheet cake covered in candles. Above the top were the words We’ll miss you.
Even though he knew this was going to be a difficult thing to get through, it took everything he had to suppress the water works.
The song ended only to be replaced by a thunderous round of applause. Lincoln made a feeble attempt to blow out the candles and received another whoop of cheers.
Chief Zahn appeared suddenly at his side and pounded his back. “The department sure isn’t going to be the same around here, Lieutenant Carver.”
“I’m not going to be too far away,” he assured him. “I’ve decided to take the fire investigator job with the city.”
“Then we’re glad to still have you as part of the team.”
“Thank you, sir.” From the corner of his eye, Lincoln caught a glimpse of Flex conversing with the captain. He excused himself from Zahn once the two men parted company.
“Hey, buddy. You have a minute?” Lincoln asked.
Flex turned and pumped Lincoln’s hand. “What do you know? It’s the man of the hour.”
Lincoln laughed, but inwardly he wasn’t at all confident in what he was about to do. “I need to talk with you.”
“Sure, what can I do for you?” Flex folded his meaty arms and met Lincoln’s gaze.
Lincoln looked around and was uncomfortable with the fact that they were in earshot of so
many people. “If we could just go where there’s a little more privacy.”
Flex frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no. It’s nothing like that.” His awkward laugh cracked, forcing him to clear his throat. “Maybe we can just go into the captain’s office for a sec.”
Still frowning, Flex narrowed his eyes to scrutinize him, and then finally he nodded. “All right. Sure.”
As Lincoln led the way, he received a few more pats on the back and one good pounding by Omar that nearly caused him to cough up a lung.
“We’re going to miss you, Lieutenant,” someone shouted.
Lincoln waved to them and stepped into the captain’s office. He waited until Flex cleared the threshold before he closed the door.
“Now that you’ve piqued my curiosity, what can I do for you?”
One look into Flex’s intense expression, and Lincoln’s mind was wiped clean of the speech he’d memorized this morning. “It’s, uh, about this girl I’ve been seeing.”
“Oh, this is about relationships again?” Flex relaxed and lowered his tall frame into one of the vacant chairs. “Shoot.”
“Yeah, well, it’s like I said, it’s about this girl I’ve been seeing.”
“You mean Henry’s sister?”
Lincoln opened his mouth to say no, but there must have been a short somewhere in his brain because the word that stumbled out was “Yes.”
“Okay. So what’s up? Has something happened?”
Just tell him. “The problem is I’m feeling a little guilty for sneaking behind my friend’s back. I know you said to just keep this between A and B, but I feel like I’m being dishonest. The last thing I want to do is ruin my friendship with…Henry.”
Flex shrugged. “Then just tell him.”
“Right.” Lincoln nodded, but his burden hadn’t lifted. “What would you do?”
Flex’s frown returned. “What do you mean?”
Lincoln walked over and took a seat behind the captain’s desk. “If a friend of yours just popped up and said that he’s been dating one of your sisters behind your back?”
“Probably kill him.” Flex shrugged and then laughed.
Lincoln laughed awkwardly along with him.
“Besides, I already had a bad experience once in that arena,” Flex added.
“Oh? What happened?” Lincoln asked, but knew the answer.
“Peyton married him. Big mistake.” Flex crossed his arms. “He broke her heart—more so than she’s willing to admit. There’s not a day I don’t wish I could open a can of whoop ass on him. So maybe I’m the wrong guy to be asking.”
“But you said—”
“See, this is why I said keep it between A and B. That way you can avoid a whole bunch of drama.”
Lincoln shook his head. He didn’t like any of this. “No. I can’t continue to sneak around, like some kind of criminal.”
Flex shrugged. “I guess there’s one other option.”
“What is it?”
“Both of you could sit down with Henry together. That way he’ll more likely be influenced by the sister than the back-stabbing friend.”
“Hey!”
“Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away.” He chuckled. “C’mon. It’s not all gloom and doom. Henry doesn’t look like the type to go on a rampage. He’s probably going to be fine with it.”
Lincoln nodded and made his decision. “You’re right. I’ll wait until we can both sit down with…Henry so we can get his approval.”
“Well, there you go.” Flex stood up. “I’m so glad that I was able to help.”
Lincoln pushed himself up and beamed a bright smile at his friend. “I’m glad we had this talk.”
“Any time.” Flex winked. “Any time.”
Chapter 18
“I miss you,” Lincoln confessed the moment Peyton answered her phone. He climbed into bed wearing just a pair of black silk boxers.
“We’ll see each other soon,” her honey-coated voice reminded him. “And I have a surprise for you, too.”
“Hmm. A good surprise, I hope.” He hit his night switch and folded his free hand behind his head.
“I think so.”
Lincoln’s imagination took flight as his already broad smile slid wider. “How about giving me a hint?”
“All right.” Her voice lightened to a lyrical melody that he’d come to love. “It’s strictly for the bedroom.”
“Really?” He instantly pictured her in a soft pink teddy fringed in lace and a thong back. “Is this a visual treat?”
“You can say that.”
“Is this something you wear?”
“Not for long, I hope.”
Lincoln developed an instant hard-on. “You sure know how to torture a guy.”
“I’m only trying to give you something to look forward to. I know I’m looking forward to taking this relationship to the next level.”
“The next level.” He grinned. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Her slight pause surprised and scared him.
“Maybe I should be asking you that question,” she said softly. “Every time I hint at us, uh, getting together, you seem to take a step back. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“No, no. Of course not. Believe me, I want to be with you—more than anything. I also want to make sure that the timing is right. It’s important that we know what’s between us is more than a physical thing, you know?”
“You sure don’t talk like any man I’ve ever known.”
“Maybe that’s why you’re so crazy about me,” he teased. “That—and you’re dying to get into my pants.”
“Am not!”
“You know you’re trying to turn me into your own personal boy toy. Your bedroom is probably filled with a bunch of whips and chains.”
“That’s not true,” she said indignantly, but then burst into laughter.
“I can see you as one of those dominatrix chicks.” His image of Peyton in soft pink transformed. Now her shapely body was covered in black latex. She wore three-inch stiletto heels, a spiked dog collar and wielded a long snakelike whip.
She laughed. “Guess again.”
Lincoln wiped the vision from his mind. “Good, I’d hate to tell you that I don’t swing that way.”
“Ditto. Although you might look cute chained to the bed.”
“Not going to happen,” Lincoln warned sternly, but continued holding on to a light smile. “So tell me more about this surprise. Is it itsy-bitsy?”
“Very,” she whispered.
Lincoln closed his eyes. “Two-piece or a one-piece?”
“Well, there are several. But what I’ve picked out for our first night is a two-piece.”
Lincoln’s solid erection began to throb. “Describe it to me.”
Peyton painted an image of her dressed in a two-piece baby-blue bra and thong set on the canvas in his mind. She twirled around in high-heel pumps and gave him an eyeful of her bare apple-shaped booty.
“Absolutely gorgeous,” he whispered into the phone.
“Can you picture it?” she asked.
“Oh, yes.” The Peyton in his head walked toward him in small measured steps. As he gazed into her eyes, he saw the warm glint of desire.
Lincoln leaned back against the room’s king-size bed and watched his fantasy seductress climb aboard and inch toward him. She didn’t stop until she crawled up the length of his body and sat straddled across his hips. From this angle,
he took pleasure in admiring her hard abs and ample breasts. So much so he couldn’t stop himself from sliding his hands up her soft skin and cupping her firm breasts.
Peyton, too, could see the created fantasy in her head. She could almost feel the way he gently squeezed her breasts. Her insides fluttered with excitement. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his and was completely unprepared at how an array of emotions blended and snaked through her like a living thing.
His hands deserted her breasts and glided to her back where they busily unhooked the bra. In no time the bra was sent flying across the bed and his large hands reclaimed the position around her sensitive mounds.
Their kiss deepened. The taste of him was frighteningly real and earth-shatteringly delicious, but it wasn’t long before their mouths grew hungry and downright possessive.
“Then I’ll roll you onto your back.” Lincoln’s ragged voice drifted over the phone. “And place small kisses down the side of your neck.”
Peyton quivered and slid her hands into his short-cropped hair. It seemed to take forever for his mouth to settle around one of her tanned nipples, and when he did she whimpered. His hands, however, continued their journey downward. She lifted her hips to help him remove that brand-new thong.
As she imagined his fingers dipping inside her, a soft moan fell from her lips and filled the phone line.
Lincoln’s heart hammered. The very idea of her warm slick passage was enough to drive him over the edge. She was squirming beneath him while her body rocked to a rhythm he’d set. “Are you ready for me?”
“Yes.” Her voice quivered over the line. Her breathing became nothing more than thin vapors. How was it possible to be shivering when her body was burning up? It didn’t make sense.
Lincoln’s hands explored her body with light intrusive strokes, while his soft, full lips rained kisses along her breasts, stomach and thighs.
“I want you,” he whispered. “I need you.”
The declaration brought a sheen of tears to moisten her eyes as she quivered beneath his exploration. He described how his head lowered and Peyton could actually feel the slight brush against the triangle of curls nestled between her legs.
Measure of a Man Page 13
