by Marilyn Lee
Wasn’t he the pushy one? I smiled and shook my head. “And before you ask, they agree with me.”
He leaned down to touch his lips against my ear. “Are you sure? I could have sworn they wanted to be alone with me while we danced.”
“You’re delusional or have had too much to drink,” I said, stepping away from him.
He smiled. “Or you and they have gone to my head.”
“Do you always flirt so…outrageously on a first date?”
“I’ll let you know—when we have our first date tomorrow.”
I smiled.
He glanced at his watch. “I have to prepare for an early morning meeting tomorrow so I’d better say goodnight.”
I swallowed a lump of disappointment. Just as I was revving up to trade heated sensual barbs he was ready to leave?
He glanced around. “Can I walk you inside or are you staying out and enjoying the rest of the night?”
What was the point of remaining by the pool once he’d left? “I’ll go inside.”
He held the door open for me and followed me inside. In the side hallway, he turned to look down at me. “What kind of food do you like?”
“I’m a Chinese food fanatic, but I also like to be surprised.”
“Is there any type of food you dislike?”
“I’m willing to try anything as long as it’s not excessively hot and spicy.”
“You don’t like hot and spicy?”
“No. Do you?”
He locked his gaze with mine as he nodded slowly. “Oh, yes.”
His suggestive tone made it plain he wasn’t referring to food. I haven’t been shy since my late teens. I can usually trade sexual innuendos without breaking a sweat. But there was something about Grant that made me feel like a teenager crushing for the first time. Even while I told myself I didn’t like the feeling, I embraced it. Welcomed it. Relished it. Grant West was the kind of man who made a female very happy to be a woman.
I looked away, unable to maintain his gaze.
He brushed his hand against the back of mine. “Sorry,” he said softly. “I promise I’ll behave better tomorrow.”
What was up with him and his unwanted promises? I met his gaze and smiled. “It’s okay–”
“You’re clearly embarrassed.”
“It’s that obvious, huh?”
He nodded. “While I find your shyness charming, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“Charming?”
He shrugged. “Actually that’s much more appropriate than the word I’d really like to use, but let’s drop the subject before I’m tempted to say something else inappropriate.”
I nibbled my lip, staring at him. What word did he want to use?
He arched a brow. “If you keep staring at me like that, I can’t be responsible for what I’ll say next,” he warned, his gaze wandering to my breasts.
I gave myself a mental shake and tapped his shoulder. “My eyes are up here, Grant.”
“Sorry.” He flashed me a sexy smile and raised his gaze to mine. “Very nice eyes too.”
“Hmm.”
He glanced at his watch again. “I’m not sure how long my meeting will last tomorrow. Is it okay if I call you mid–morning tomorrow to let you know what time I’ll pick you up?”
“Yes.”
“Great.”
I nodded and waited.
We stood without moving, staring at each other in silence.
As when we danced, I felt my heartbeat quickening. I generally do not kiss on a first date, but I had to struggle not to part my lips and lean forward and engage him in a sensual lip lock he’d remember for weeks. If he wanted to kiss me, I was more than ready.
Apparently he didn’t feel as pressing a need to kiss me as I felt to be kissed. He brushed his hand against mine before he stepped back. “I’d better go find Jen and Jarrod to say good night.”
I nodded, swallowing a lump of disappointment. No locking lips with him tonight. Had I misread him?
“I’m looking forward to having lunch with you tomorrow.”
I smiled.
“Good night, Linea.”
“Good night, Grant.”
“Girls.” He glanced at my breasts, smiled, and then turned away.
Chapter Five
I watched him walk down the hall toward the kitchen. He had a nice ass. He’d look sexy as hell with a pair of tight jeans hanging off his hips and hugging his decidedly unflat ass. Get a grip, Lin or you’ll be obsessing over his ass the way he’s obsessing over your breasts.
I glanced down at my breasts.
And that would be a bad thing? They seemed to ask.
Smiling, I walked in the opposite direction to the living room.
Jarrod stood at the living room patio doors sipping a drink. He turned when I entered the room.
“Where’s Grant?” he asked.
“He’s looking for you and Jen to say good night. It quickly became clear you two had no intentions of returning any time soon.”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry if you found being left alone with him unpleasant.”
“What I find unpleasant is having someone else determine who I should date.”
“Understood. Can I get you a drink, Lin?”
I felt hot and confused. I’d started the day fixated on Jarrod. After having spent a few hours with Grant, it was hard to recall how or why I’d found myself weaving romantic fantasies around Jarrod. He was clearly devoted to Jen, which was endearing. He was also very ordinary compared to Grant.
I definitely needed a drink. I nodded and sat on the loveseat. “Yes. Thanks.”
“Same as before?”
“Yes.”
I watched him pour my drink.
He looked up and met my gaze.
I flashed him a quick, easy smile. It was so good to be able to look at him without having to battle lustful thoughts.
He crossed the room to hand me my drink.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He stood near the loveseat. “Do you mind?”
Hours earlier the thought of sharing the loveseat with him would have sent me into a lustful frenzy. “No. I don’t.”
He sat beside me. “What did you think of Grant?”
“He…he’s…” I sipped my drink and moistened my lips before meeting his gaze. “He’s…has he ever been married?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I assume because he’s never met anyone he wanted to marry.”
Either that or he was…“Is he…gay?”
“No! He’s not.”
That was a relief until I thought of an alternative. “Is he bi?”
“Did he strike you as bi, Lin?”
“No,” I admitted. “But—”
“He’s straight.”
Why would a man in his position need to accept a blind date? I frowned. “Is he involved with anyone?”
He shrugged. “He’s single, attractive, successful…do the math, Lin.”
I definitely did not like the sound of that. “If he’s involved with someone, why did you and Jen go out of your way to throw us together?”
“That was Jen’s idea. Not mine.”
I gave him a cool stare. How like a man to weasel out of a difficult situation by blaming it on his woman. “Oh. So you weren’t in favor of our meeting?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
His terse answer surprised and annoyed me. “Why not?”
“You’re both attractive adults. I can’t see how either of you would need or want assistance or interference from me in arranging your personal lives.”
“Oh. That’s what you meant.”
He frowned. “What did you think I meant?”
I shrugged. “Not all men appreciate full–figured women.”
“Full–figured or skinny as a rail, I’m sure you’d have no problem capturing the attention of the man of your choice.”
Oh, he did have a way with words. But then so did
Grant. Maybe it ran in the family. “Is he seeing someone special?”
“That’s something you should ask him.”
“I will, but why can’t you—”
“Of course Grant’s not dating anyone special, Lin.”
We both looked up as Jen waltzed into the room.
No longer sure I wanted to depend on Jen’s assurance, I turned my attention back to Jarrod.
But he rose and crossed the room to kiss Jen’s cheek. “Would you like a drink?”
“No thanks. Grant said to say good night, hon,” she told Jarrod.
They sat on the sofa before Jen turned her attention back to me. “Grant told me you two are having lunch tomorrow.”
I nodded.
She smiled. “I knew you’d like him.”
I glanced at Jarrod. “No offense, Jarrod, but I didn’t actually say I liked him.”
He arched a brow, but remained silent.
Jen’s grin widened. “Well, he likes you.”
I sipped my drink, fighting to keep a wide smile from spreading across my face. “Did he tell you that?”
“Not exactly, but he did tell me he planned to reschedule a trip to L.A. tomorrow afternoon to take you to lunch. I think that speaks for itself.”
Strangely enough, so did I. I was even more convinced of that when a beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived later that night as Jen, Jarrod, and I were saying good night in the foyer.
Jen grinned from ear to ear. “He certainly knows how to make an impression. Doesn’t he?”
I nodded. “Yes. He does.”
Jen waved at the flowers. “What does the card say?”
I hesitated, not sure I wanted an audience when I read the card. For all I knew he might have sent the flowers to my breasts. My lips twitched at the thought.
Jarrod looked at Jen. “Why don’t we leave Lin alone to discover what the card says for herself?”
Jen looked as if she were about to protest, but Jarrod slipped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the stairs. “Come on.”
Jen grimaced but allowed Jarrod to lead her to the stairs.
I waited until they’d reached the second floor landing before I slowly mounted the stairs. I sat at the vanity in the guest bedroom and reached for the card nestled among the flowers.
Looking forward to tomorrow. GW
He was looking forward to tomorrow? I smiled. So was I. I glanced down. And so were the girls.
I studied my smiling reflection. My eyes sparkled and I could feel excitement coursing through me. After my disastrous introduction to Jarrod, I wasn’t sure how thrilled I wanted to get at the thought of going out with Grant. Normally, I liked the idea of slowly discovering the personality and tastes of a prospective lover. Recalling the games Jen and Jarrod played, and Jarrod’s seeming unwillingness to say if Grant had a special woman in his life filled me with uncertainties. What if Grant liked to play similar games? Or worse, what if he played the game with Jen and Jarrod?
Part of me didn’t want to believe that of him, but I didn’t know him. If Jen, who I’d thought I knew had a kinky nature I’d never suspected, how could I even begin to guess what Grant might be capable of? I shouldn’t care, but I did.
So there was only one way to find out. Still, I hesitated for several minutes before I made my decision. I called the airline to cancel my flight for the following night.
There. It was done. I stared at my reflection again. What now? I had no idea. I’d just take things as they came.
My decision made, I showered and slipped into bed. I lay in the dark recalling that dance out by the pool with Grant before I allowed my thoughts to dwell on him in a more intimate manner.
What would he look like in tight, revealing swimming briefs? Did he have hair on his chest? What did that sexy bottom lip of his feel like in a kiss? What would it taste like? What would it be like to have him French kiss me? What did he look like naked? What would he feel like nude?
Imagining his wide shoulders and big bare chest pressed against my naked breasts sent a rush of moisture pooling inside me. I closed my eyes, imagining his warm hands moving over my naked body. I knew he liked large breasts, but what did he think of a big ass and lots of curves?
Get a grip, Lin. He’s taking you to lunch and he spent much of the night staring at you. He obviously liked everything he saw.
Smiling, I rolled onto my stomach, rubbing my pussy against the mattress. I felt hot and horny. And so relieved to be over Jarrod. Clearly I had not been in love with him after all. It had been that age–old lust, which I now felt for Grant, fickle, horny woman that I was. Grant, who wasn’t married to my oldest friend, was fair game. I could allow my heart to fill with unmitigated lust without an ounce of guilt.
I woke in the middle of the night with my pussy aching as the remnants of a lusty dream where Grant had worked me up into a sexual frenzy by grinding his hard cock against me as we slow danced. Then when we’d torn our clothes off, I’d been disappointed to find his cock lacking in both girth and length. He’d been a lousy lover who had come within a minute of entering me—leaving me unsatisfied. Then he’d had the gall to roll onto his back and start snoring.
I sighed, rolling onto my back. Don’t expect too much of him, Lin. Not all men have big cocks. I’d been fortunate in that all my lovers had possessed nice sized cocks and had been skillful in bed. Sooner or later, I had to encounter a lover who either wasn’t good in bed or had a small dick. And I was old enough to know there were more important things in a relationship than the size of a lover’s cock.
Besides, you’re getting way ahead of yourself, Lin. You two might not even go beyond a first date. Still, it would be a crime for a hunk like Grant to have a small dick.
But that didn’t stop me from falling asleep imagining him eating me to a slow, delicious orgasm that made my toes curl and my back arch as I cried out his name.
Jen woke me just after nine the next morning. She breezed into the room carrying a tray. “Time to rise and shine.”
I groaned and pulled the sheet over my head. “Go away.”
I heard her set the tray on the nightstand before she tugged the sheet from over my head. “Go make yourself decent and then we’ll share breakfast.”
I’d spent most of the night jolting awake from lustful dreams just as Grant was about to fuck me and now all I wanted was to sleep. “Go away.”
“Get up, girl.”
I grimaced at her and dragged myself from the bed, and went into the bathroom. When I emerged from a warm shower wearing a large towel, she sat propped up against the headboard sipping a cup of coffee.
I climbed into bed, inhaling the aroma of the dishes she uncovered. We shared a western omelet, a chunk of garlic bread, and a carafe of hot, milky coffee.
“Do you want to talk about Grant?” Jen asked.
I nodded, putting my coffee cup down. “Does he have a special lady in his life?”
“No.”
“I find it hard to believe he’s not seeing anyone.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t say he wasn’t dating. I said he’s not dating anyone special.”
“If he’s already dating, why did he ask me out?”
She gave me a wide–eyed stare. “Excuse me? Aren’t you dating and didn’t you accept his invitation?”
I grimaced. “I hate when you go all logical on me.”
She smiled. “He liked you, but then I knew he would.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. I just knew. Did you like him?”
Jen’s “I just knew” didn’t really work for me but I knew her well enough to know pushing her to be more specific wouldn’t do any good. “He’s…he’s a hunk with a capital H,” I admitted.
She nodded. “He’s almost as hunky as Jarrod.”
Almost? I stared at her. I could see she was serious. And that made me feel better about her relationship with Jarrod. If she thought Jarrod was a bigger hunk than Grant, she was blinded by love with a huge capit
al L. I didn’t understand or appreciate the game she and Jarrod played, but they seemed happy together.
I smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Almost.”
Just as we finished the carafe of coffee the phone rang. Jen lifted the cordless phone off her waist holster, glanced at the screen, smiled, and passed the phone to me. “Guess who?”
My cheeks flushed and I felt flustered as I took the cordless phone. I pressed the talk button and placed the phone against my ear. “Hello?”
“Hi, Linea. This is Grant.”
“Hi.”
“This meeting is running a little longer than I expected. I don’t foresee being able to pick you up before one o’clock. That means it’ll probably be two before we eat. Is that okay?”
“Yes, but I’m sure I can borrow Jen’s car and meet you somewhere if that will make things easier for you.” I glanced at Jen, who nodded.
“Thanks, but unless you’re dead set against it, I prefer to pick up my dates.”
Call me old–fashioned, but I’m down with a man who wants to treat me like I’m worth expending time and energy over. “Oh. Okay. Fine.”
“Great. I’ll call you when I’m on my way, Linea.”
“Okay.”
“Say hello to the girls for me.”
I smiled and ended the call before I said something impetuous like admitting how much the three of us were looking forward to seeing him again. Actually, there were four of us, if I counted my aching coochie.
Jen took the phone. “What are you going to wear?”
“I’m not sure. It’s just lunch.”
Jen scrambled off the bed. “It’s a first date. You have to dress to impress.” She turned around, a frown on her face. “Actually, I think you’ve already impressed, but let’s just make sure you dress to re–impress. What do you have that’s sexy as hell and would make him have to pick his jaw up off the floor when he arrives to pick you up?”
I got out of bed, shaking my head. “I don’t know that I want to go out of my way to impress him.”
“What? Why wouldn’t you?”
“For one I live in L.A. He lives here.”
Jen parted her lips, seemed to reconsider, and closed her mouth.
I paused, arching a brow. “What?”
She shook her head. “You were about to give me another reason why you don’t want to dress to impress him.”
