by S. J. McCoy
Her heart jumped up into her mouth. So he meant it? This really was a date? And he was excited about it? She let her smile speak for her since she didn’t know what to say.
“Do you still want to go to the Boathouse? It’s going to be crazy busy, but at least Ben said he’d keep a table for us.”
“Ben knows?”
He looked so crestfallen, she felt bad. It wasn’t that she minded anyone knowing that they were going out on a date, she was just surprised that he’d told anyone.
He nodded. “Is that okay? Kenzie and Chase know too, I’m sorry.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Of course, it’s okay. At least I know you’re not ashamed of me! And besides, I told Renée and Megan and Michael.”
His smiled was back. “How could a guy be ashamed for people to know that he’s taking you out? I’m as proud as a peacock, if you must know.”
She laughed. “I haven’t heard that expression in years.”
“Yeah, I don’t where that came from. It must be you; you make me all fuzzy headed.” He held her gaze.
There was something in the way he looked at her. Something hopeful, something happy. “I do?” her voice came out as a whisper.
He stepped closer. “You do.”
He was so close now that she had to look up into his eyes. She could feel the heat of his body, his lean hard body that was now so close to her own that they were almost touching. And then they were. His muscular arms slid around her waist. Somehow her arms came up to loop around his neck. Her body came to life as it pressed against him from knees to chest. She was still staring into his eyes, and as she did she believed for a moment that what she saw in them was her future.
He lowered his head and ran his tongue along her lip, making a little sigh escape from somewhere deep inside her. She clung tighter to him and nipped his bottom lip gently. She’d wanted to kiss him for so long; they’d had a couple of close calls already and now it was going to happen. Her eyelids lowered as his mouth covered hers. She’d never been kissed like that in her life! He tasted her gently then explored her with his tongue. One hand slid up her back between her shoulder blades and then the other slid down to hold her ass, pressing her against him. Against the part of him that apparently wanted to do so much more than kiss her. Her body was not only alive, it was now wide awake and screaming—Yes! Please! Now! She kissed him back, trying to tell him what she wouldn’t dare say. If he wanted, they could forget going out and just stay here, go right upstairs, right now. She hadn’t thought she liked sex too much, but she had a feeling Eddie could change that opinion.
Eventually, he lifted his head and smiled down at her, still holding her close, not letting go of his grasp on her ass. “Finally.”
She didn’t understand. For a moment she panicked, did he mean that she’d finally let him come up for air? Had she gotten carried away again?
His next words couldn’t have been more unexpected. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since Vegas.”
“You have?”
He nodded.
“So, why haven’t you?” She couldn’t believe it!
He shook his head. “Because you needed a friend. All you wanted was a friend.” He gave her a wary look. “And I don’t want to do anything that would mess up our friendship.”
“Are you saying you just want friends with benefits?” She wanted to cry, for a moment there she’d thought he wanted more.
“No!” he shook his head rapidly. “I want to be so much more than your friend. I want to be there for you, and for Marcus. I want to be part of your lives. I want you both to be part of my life. But if we can’t have that—if you don’t want that—I don’t want to put our friendship at risk. I don’t want to lose you completely.”
She felt the tears well up and had to smile through them when she saw the worried look on his face. “I do want that! I want to be with you, to find out what we can have together. But I didn’t dare believe that you might want me. I mean look, at me.”
He did. He let his gaze travel over her hungrily. “I do, all the time. You drive me nuts wanting you.”
“I do?” She was stunned.
He grasped her ass a little tighter and held her closer. His hard-on pressed into her belly, sending currents of desire zipping through her. “Can’t you tell?”
She nodded. There was no denying that.
“I thought you didn’t want me. I thought you just needed a friend.”
“Oh, I want you!” There, she’d said it! And she rubbed her hips against him to back up her words. “I just didn’t dream that a guy like you would be interested in a woman like me.”
He laughed. “And I thought a woman like you wouldn’t be interested in a guy like me. Just goes to show how wrong we were, huh?”
“And I’m so glad.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Glad we were wrong.”
He smiled. “Me too.”
She felt bereft as he let go of her and stepped back. “I told myself I wasn’t even going to try to kiss you before I brought you home. I was going to be good, take my time, make sure you were interested.”
She laughed. “And what were you going to do once you did get me home?”
He swaggered his shoulders, turning her insides to mush. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
She so did not want to wait! But it seemed she’d have to. He took a seat at the kitchen table and gave her a rueful smile. “I’ll just sit here and behave myself while you finish getting ready.”
“I only need to grab my purse; that’s all. I won’t be long, I promise.”
He gave her that same smile. “Take your time. I’m going to need a minute to get myself under control before we go out in public.”
She didn’t understand until he looked down at his lap. Oh! That was quite an impressive erection he was sporting! She brought her hand up to her mouth to cover a giggle. “Okay, I’ll leave you to it.”
“Don’t you laugh! It’s your fault!”
She smiled and ran upstairs. She didn’t know what to say! She wasn’t used to having that effect on a man. Her smile faded as she reached the top of the stairs. Guy was the only man she’d slept with in over a decade. The only thing good about that was that it tended to be over quickly. She shuddered. She didn’t need to let her mind go there, and especially not tonight. Tonight was special; it was going to be wonderful!
~ ~ ~
Eddie kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked through the bar. Proud as a peacock! He smirked to himself. It was one of his dad’s sayings. He wondered what his dad would think of April. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself, but he’d love for them to meet each other.
It was crazy busy in here tonight. The bar was at least ten deep. It felt odd to be here as a customer; normally he moved through the place without noticing it. When he was here, he was working. Now it all seemed so different. With all the crowds and the hustle, it felt almost intimidating. He relaxed as he saw Ben waving at them and steered April through the crowd toward him.
“Boy, am I glad you two are here. Keeping that table free has been a nightmare, I’ve evicted three lots of cheerleaders from it already!”
Eddie grasped his shoulder. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“No worries, just go sit down, would you? And what do you want to drink? I’ll put your order in now, so you don’t have to wait too long.”
Once they were seated, Eddie watched April as she looked around. “Is this too busy for you? We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
She smiled, but she seemed uncertain. “No, it’s great, and I don’t know about you, but I’m starving! We should stay and eat at least, especially after Ben kept us a table.”
He nodded his agreement. He wasn’t sure how much fun this was going to be. The place was so busy and so loud, and the band upstairs hadn’t even started yet. Still, they could always get out of here after they’d eaten, maybe go for a walk down by the water or something. He didn’t want to let
his mind stray to taking her home and what might happen when he did.
He scanned the crowd and smiled to himself when he saw Chase behind the bar. They were rushed off their feet back there even with an extra set of hands. Kenzie caught his eye and waved then gave him the thumbs up. He nodded back at her with a grin. She was good people, and he knew she had his back. He and Chase had been best friends for years, and Eddie was so happy that he’d found the right woman.
He looked at April; she was watching the crowd too. Her face lit up when she spotted someone. Eddie followed her gaze and saw Missy making her way over to them. Dan appeared out of the crowd and stepped in front of her. She pointed over to where Eddie and April were sitting. Dan smiled and nodded and stepped in front of her. She held onto his hand and followed in his wake as he pushed his way through the crowd. Missy was so tiny she might have been knocked over in the heaving mass of people otherwise. Eddie smiled to himself. Nah, there was no way she’d let that happen, she might be small in stature, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Eddie didn’t fancy the chances of anyone who got in her way.
She smiled when Dan stopped in front of their table. “Hey, you two. It’s so good to see you! And even better to see you together!”
“Thanks, it’s good to see you, too,” said April. “How’s your dad?”
Missy grinned. “He’s doing great, thanks. He’s making such good progress. Doc’s really pleased with him.” She smiled up at Dan. “And Alice has her hands full.”
“That’s the woman who came to live in with him while he gets over his stroke?” asked Eddie.
Missy nodded. “Yep, she’s awesome. Dad’s taken a real shine to her, and I think it’s mutual.”
“You know it is,” said Dan with a laugh.
“Yeah, but they’re both so strong-willed. It’s fun to watch.”
“Good for him,” said April. “That’s awesome.”
Eddie watched her as she chatted and laughed with Missy. She was so caring and so interested in her friends and what was going on with them. He liked that about her. She had enough troubles of her own, but she still cared about other people.
Missy smiled at him. “Well, we’ll leave you to it. I just wanted to come say hi. The gang has grabbed a couple of the big picnic benches outside if you want to come out later. But I totally understand if you don’t. You guys have a good night.” She turned to April. “And give me a call, will you? We should have lunch.”
Eddie loved the way April smiled at that. He knew she thought the world of Missy and more than that, he had a feeling that she loved being included in life here. It didn’t sound as though she’d had—or been allowed—many friends in her old life.
Dan nodded at them, and he took Missy’s hand and positioned himself in front of her to do battle with the crowds again. Eddie liked him; he was a man of few words, but whenever he did speak it was worth paying attention.
“Do you want to go join the others after we’ve eaten?” he asked April.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Not tonight.”
He was glad. His smile froze on his face as he watched a girl come toward their table. Damn! This was just what he didn’t need. This chick, he couldn’t remember her name, was something of a regular on the summer weekends. He’d entertained her a couple of times.
“Hey, handsome!” she cried when she reached them. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I couldn’t believe my luck when they said you were here, but you’re not playing tonight. I thought you might want to come play with me?”
He didn’t get why women did that. She could see he was here with April. He shook his head. “It’s good to see you.” He didn’t want to be a dick. “I’m playing with April tonight.” He smiled across the table at her and was relieved when she smiled back.
“So, tomorrow night then, when you get done on stage?” she pouted at him then turned a catty smile on April. “You don’t mind do you; there’s enough of him to go around.”
April’s smile faded. She looked so uncomfortable and Eddie hated that it was because of him. She didn’t need that.
“Sorry, sweetie,” he said. “I don’t go around anymore; I should have introduced you properly. This is April, my girlfriend.”
They both stared at him. He was more concerned with April’s reaction than with whatever-her-name's.
To her credit, whatever-her-name smiled once she’d recovered and she nodded at April. “Good for you, girl! I never thought I’d see Eddie go monogamous, but yeah, good for you.”
April smiled back at her. “Thank you.”
Damn, she was so sweet! Eddie shrugged at whatever-her-name. “I hear there’s a band playing upstairs tonight. Seven guys, all brothers.”
Her face lit up at that news. “Oh! Thank you!” She grinned. “You guys enjoy your evening; you know where I’m off to.”
Eddie had to laugh as she pushed her way through the crowd, using her ample chest like a battering ram. He met April’s gaze, a little apprehensive as to what he might see in her eyes. She was smiling at him; she looked happy. Was it because of what he’d said or just because he’d seen whatever-her-name off without a scene? He raised an eyebrow at her and had to smile when she raised one back at him.
“What?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Nothing.”
So she was going to make him bring it up? Okay. He would. “You didn’t call me a liar.”
She looked puzzled. “About what?”
“When I said you were my girlfriend.”
The lighting was dim in here, but it sure looked like she was blushing.
“Are you?”
“I don’t know. Am I?”
“I’d like you to be.”
Her smile was huge. “Then I’d like to be.”
He grinned. “Good.” He realized that he didn’t have a clue about how a normal relationship was supposed to work. He was more used to girls like whatever-her-name who were gone the next morning.
“I’m not sure how it works; I’ve been out of the dating scene since I was a kid,” said April.
“Then we’ll just make it up as we go along,” he said. “I think it works however we decide we want it to.”
She smiled. “I like the sound of that.”
Eddie nodded. He did, too.
Chapter Ten
They pushed their way out of the bar and April felt like a girl again as Eddie took her hand. She turned to smile up at him. Her heart wasn’t just hammering; it felt as though it was doing backflips inside her ribcage. He was so gorgeous. And he was so kind and caring, too. He looked out for her, and she loved that, but he paid attention to other people, too.
That girl who’d come barging over to talk to him; he’d been polite and nice to her. Even if April was sure, not many other guys in his situation would have kept their cool like he had. He’d made sure to find Ben on their way out and thank him again for their table. He’d taken her over to the servers’ station so they could get close enough to the bar to say a quick hi to Kenzie and Chase back there, and he’d taken her outside just long enough to say hi to the gang. She certainly wasn’t used to this! If Guy had taken her out at all, he would have left her sitting by herself. He would have bitched her out if she’d dared talk to anyone, and if someone like that girl had come over to their table, she had no doubt that he would have gone off with her. She shuddered at the memories that came flooding back. Memories she didn’t want to face.
Eddie slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Are you cold?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t, but I like you keeping me warm.”
He smiled and squeezed his arm tighter. “Me too.”
They’d left because it was just way too busy and crowded in there for her liking. Eddie had said that it was too much for him, too and that he was glad to get out of there. She was pretty sure it didn’t bother him; how could it? He played there every weekend, and she was sure a night like this wasn’t too unusual.
“Do you want to go for
a walk, get some fresh, cool air after that place?” he asked.
She nodded. “I think we should walk to my house.” There, she’d said it. She didn’t want to leave him wondering; wondering if she wanted to… if she wanted him. She didn’t think it was fair to put all the pressure on him to make a move or not. She wanted to make it easy for him.
His eyes widened slightly.
“Was that too forward of me?” she asked. They may as well be up front with each other. They weren’t kids.
He shook his head. “Not at all. I like that you said it. I like the idea,” he smiled. “Who am I kidding? I love the idea. But I don’t want to rush. I don’t want to rush you. I don’t want to rush us.”
She had to laugh. “Rush? We’ve known each other for weeks and weeks. Most of the girls you sleep with, you’ve known for hours at the most.”
He stopped walking and put his hands on her shoulders as he looked down into her eyes. “That’s not the same.”
“How is it different?” She didn’t see that. Unless it was that he wanted to sleep with them, and he didn’t want to sleep with her!
“They didn’t matter. They didn’t mean anything. They weren’t important to me.”
She stared up into his eyes. He looked so serious. So intense.
“And you do.”
“Oh.” It felt like all the air rushed out of her lungs on that one little word.
He drew her closer and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I know what you think I am. I know what I’ve been. But you and me? This is different. I like you; I admire you. I’m not going to say I know, but I can guess at some of what you’re been through. You deserve the very best of everything, and I want to be the best version of me, the best man I can be for you.”
She stared up into his eyes and swallowed. Hard. She didn’t want to cry, but she was about to. No one had ever talked to her like that. She’d never felt important to anyone other than Marcus.
Eddie winked at her, making her heart race. “The best version of me doesn’t want to rush you into bed, but every other version of me does.”
