400 First Kisses

by E. L. Todd

  I’d been expecting a very different request. It was sweet, so I couldn’t deny him. After everything he’d done for me, a hug wasn’t much to ask for. “Yeah.”

  He pulled me into his chest and circled his arms completely around me, drawing me into his body with the strength of his core. Even though he was a foot taller than me, he buried his face in my neck and released the air he was holding in his lungs.

  My arms circled his neck, and I closed my eyes. I could feel his heart beating against my skin, slow and steady. He smelled like pine needles and booze from working at the restaurant all night. The fabric of his shirt was exquisitely soft, and I imagined how it would feel to wear one of his shirts to bed.

  Casanova was dead quiet. There weren’t any cars at this time of night, and there weren’t any pedestrians either since everything on Ocean was closed after about nine. It was just the two of us under the cypress tree in his front yard.

  The hug lasted for a long time, stretching into minutes. His breathing evened with every passing minute, growing deeper and steadier. His heart beat at the same pace, still slow and powerful. His lips remained against my neck, but he didn’t kiss me. Sometimes they moved slightly, and they brushed against my skin, sticking to my warm skin.

  It felt nice.

  It reminded me of the way he used to hold me after we’d made love in my bed. He would snuggle with me all night, his powerful body acting as a heater when the cold air came in through the open window I forgot to close.

  After nearly thirty minutes of standing in the driveway, he pulled away and looked at me. Now he didn’t wear an expression of intensity. Instead, it was a look of vulnerability. His hands slowly slid down my waist until they found my hips. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, the embrace lasting for a long time. “Good night…” He finally turned away and let me go, not looking back as he walked into his house and shut the door.

  It took me a moment to process what had just happened, and more importantly, how I felt about it. When he held me like that, I could understand why I softened for him. I could see why I changed my mind about him. Being the center of his universe, the object of his focus, felt really nice.

  I finally shook it off and walked into my house, feeling a little differently toward him than I had that morning.

  13

  Amelia

  I grabbed the plates of the pecan pancakes combo and the eggs Benedict and brought it to the table. “Anything else? More coffee?” I placed the check on the table then walked to the check-in counter. “Well, I’m done for the day.” I untied my apron and hung it up on the hanger.

  Cypress took care of the receipts and the cash in the register. “Me too. I’m tired.”

  “Tired because something happened last night…?”

  He separated the wads of money into piles. A grin stretched his face. “Well, I got a hug.”

  “You’re smiling over a hug?”

  “It was a long hug. I haven’t hugged my wife in years, so it was pretty amazing.”

  My eyes softened, and my heart ached. I wish Evan had loved me that way. When I thought back on our marriage, I wondered if he ever had. “Bree is coming over tonight to spend time with the girls.”

  “I have to work anyway, so I guess that’s fine. Feel her out for me, will ya?”

  “Sure.”

  “I asked for another chance, but she said she still wants a divorce. But at least she said she would keep an open mind…that we could be friends.”

  “You aren’t really going to divorce her, right?”

  “I’m stalling as long as I can.” He placed rubber bands around the rolls of cash and dropped them into the leather bag. “I’m really gonna have to crank up the charm.”

  “How do you plan to do that?”

  “Do push-ups and sit-ups without my shirt on.”

  I laughed because I thought he was joking.

  “I’m being serious. Works pretty well.”

  “And you just leave all your windows open and hope she looks?”

  “Oh, she’ll look. I know my wife. She’s kinda a slut when it comes to me.” He zipped the bag and winked at me.

  I chuckled. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I’m gonna deposit this then head over to Olives. See you later.”

  “Bye.” I watched him walk out before I started cleaning up the diner. There were still a few customers taking their time at the tables, but I cleaned up around them.

  Bree walked in the door after five. She was in a pair of jeans and a dark green sweater. The second she was inside, she unzipped it and hung it on the coat rack. Instead of smiling or even saying hi to me, she looked nervous.

  “They remember you.” I placed my hand on her back. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “But it’s been three years.”

  “Like I’d ever let them forget about their aunt. I talk about you all the time. They’re in the living room.”

  Bree walked into the living room where the girls were playing. When they recognized her, they both jumped to their feet and hugged her at the exact same time. “Aunt Bree!” Rose squealed.

  Bree kneeled down and hugged them, and within seconds, she started to cry. “I missed you…”

  “We missed you too,” Lily whispered.

  I walked into the kitchen to give Bree some privacy. Besides, I was starting to cry, and I’d already cried enough these past two weeks.

  My phone was sitting on the kitchen counter, and it lit up with a text message from Ace. I’m coming by with groceries right now. Cypress told me to pick up a few things.

  The second I realized he was coming, a lump moved into my throat. My heart pounded a little harder, and sweat collected on my palms. I shouldn’t let the butterflies get to me, not when he didn’t even know I existed sexually, but I couldn’t help it. Being alone for a year didn’t help matters. I wouldn’t mind if we just hooked up for a one-night stand and never talked about it again.

  When I walked back into the living room, Bree was coloring with the girls. She and Rose were both working on a pink dragon with a soldier sitting on its back. The TV was on with their favorite cartoon, and Bree fit right in like she used to. I sat on the couch and enjoyed a glass of wine, relieved I had a break from entertaining my kids. Bree was basically a free babysitter.

  Ace knocked on the door a few minutes later.

  I was in my tight jeans and a t-shirt. My hair and makeup were done, so I looked a lot better than I did when I was working at the diner. I opened the door and gave him a warm smile. “Thanks for the delivery.”

  “No problem.” He had a large case of firewood with three brown paper bags sitting on top. It must have weighed sixty pounds, but he carried it effortlessly. He set it on the counter before moving the bags around. “Cypress was working late, so he asked me to stop by Bruno’s Market before they closed.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. I could have picked it up.”

  “Nonsense. I don’t mind.”

  I loved how thick his arms were. They were like tree trunks. I could easily picture him on top of me, his tight ass working hard to thrust into me. I would love to drag my nails down his muscular back and feel his strength.

  I forced myself to look away before I made myself too obvious.

  “Besides, the firewood is pretty heavy.”

  “Huh?” I lost track of what we were talking about.

  He tapped the box with his hand. “I said, the box is heavy.”

  “Oh…I could have managed.”

  He walked up to me and circled his arm around my waist, giving me a quick hug.

  I almost jumped out of my skin because a hug was too sexual for me. I wanted him to press me against the counter and fuck me while my daughters had no idea what was going on in the other room.

  Instead, he gave me a friendly hug and pulled away. “How’s Bree doing?”

  “She’s bonding with the kids. It’s going well.”

  “That’s good. I knew they wouldn’t forge
t about her. They’re too smart.”

  I loved the way he praised my kids. It didn’t seem like he wanted kids of his own right now, but I could tell he would be a good father whenever he was ready.

  “You want me to get out of your hair, or is it cool if I hang around?”

  There was nothing I wanted more. “Of course. You wanna beer?”

  “I’ll help myself.” He snatched one out of the fridge and twisted the cap off. He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles.

  “So…how are things doing with Lady?”

  “Good.” He lowered his voice and turned to me. “Did I tell you I had a threesome the other night?”

  I already didn’t want to hear about Lady, so I certainly didn’t want to hear about another girl in the mix. I was just waiting for the happy news that he’d gotten tired of her and moved on. But if she was willing to do frisky stuff like that, he wasn’t gonna drop her anytime soon. “No…”

  He grinned pompously. “Yeah, pretty crazy. My first one.” He drank his beer and smiled at the same time.

  I wanted to throw up.

  Bree’s voice interrupted our conversation. I didn’t even know she’d been standing there. “Hey, Ace.”

  “Hey, Bree.” He wrapped one arm around her and gave her a hug. “How’s it going with the little ones?”

  “Great,” she said. “I can’t believe how big they’ve gotten. And so smart too.”

  “They get that from Amelia,” Ace said. “Their cuteness too.”

  I felt my cheeks get warm.

  “I’m gonna say hi.” Ace set down his beer and walked into the living room. “How are my girls?”

  I stayed in the kitchen, feeling my sister stare at me without blinking.

  “What?” I wiped my cheek, thinking something was on my face.

  “Nothing.” Her eyes remained narrowed.

  It wasn’t nothing. “What?” I repeated.

  “I just…I thought I saw something there.”

  “Between me and Ace?” I asked incredulously. “He just told me he had a threesome.”

  “And you looked pretty devastated.”

  “No…just grossed out. That’s all.”

  Unfortunately, Bree was the one person in the world who could practically read my mind. “I don’t know…seemed odd.”

  “You’re overthinking it. I’m gonna order a pizza. Do you want any?”

  Bree finally let it go. “Yeah, sure. No sausage though. Yuck.”

  I smiled. “I remember.”

  Ace put the girls to bed even though I hadn’t asked him to before he came back into the living room. He grabbed his beer and took a long drink before he pulled a slice out of the box and dropped it on his plate. “Evan is the biggest piece of shit in the world…but at least he gave you those girls. They’re perfect.” He took an enormous bite, getting half of the pizza into his mouth instantly.

  “Thank you.” A lot of people told me my girls were adorable, and that was because they were. I was biased because I was their mother, but it was the truth. A part of me wished I’d never married Evan and had taken a different path, but I could never regret the beautiful gifts I got out of that marriage.

  Rose and Lily.

  Ace turned to Bree. “How’s it going with Cypress?”

  “I wouldn’t say it’s going,” she said. “I’m just getting to know him all over again. We both worked at Olives last night. That was interesting.”

  “So you guys are working it out?” Ace assumed.

  “No…I’m trying to be his friend for now,” she answered. “He told me he wants to work on our relationship, but I just don’t see him like that right now. It’ll take a long time.”

  “I’m glad you’re keeping an open mind about it,” I said. “Cypress really is a great guy. You aren’t gonna find anyone better.” I felt bad for pressuring my sister when she was capable of making her own decisions, but I didn’t want her to lose Cypress. He more than made up for the terrible mistake he made.

  “Me too,” Ace said. “That guy really loves you.”

  “So I hear,” she whispered.

  Ace ate another piece of pizza. “Well, thanks for the free food. I should get going.” He tossed his paper plate in the garbage and walked to the front door.

  I walked him out. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Yeah.” He gave me a quick hug before he walked out.

  I returned to the living room and was immediately a target for my sister’s hot gaze. “What?”

  “You have a thing for him?”

  How did she pick up on that so quickly? “No. Why?”

  “Because it’s really obvious. You stared at him the entire time.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone eat that fast before.”

  “Oh, shut up.” She rolled her eyes. “Blade can do laps around Ace. You were staring at him for a completely different reason, and we both know it.”

  Dammit.

  “Amelia.”

  “What?” I said with a sigh.

  “Am I right?”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and sank into the couch. “I think you’ve already figured out your answer.”

  “I knew it.” She slammed her hand down on the couch. “How long has this been going on?”

  “I don’t know…a few months. Don’t mention anything to him.”

  She shot me an irritated look. “Oh, come on. Like I ever would.”

  “I don’t know…you have a big mouth.”

  “You know I would never do that. Do Cypress and Blade know?”

  I nodded.

  “Why haven’t you made a move?”

  “He doesn’t see me like that, unfortunately.”

  “He used to have a huge crush on you in high school.”

  “That was ten years ago,” I reminded her. “Now I’m a single mom with two kids.”

  “And still fine as hell,” she said. “Come on, are you a size two?”

  “A four,” I snapped. “But that’s not the point.”

  “If you’re into him, you should tell him. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “He says no, and it’s awkward as hell. That’s what.”

  She shrugged. “Ace isn’t like that. He wouldn’t be weird about it.”

  “Trust me, I know when a man is into me. Ace doesn’t look at me like that. He only sees a friend.”

  “Then give him a reason to see you in a different way.”

  “What am I supposed to do? Just walk up and kiss him and see what happens?”

  “That’d be perfect.”

  I was joking. “I’m not doing that.”

  “Why not? Ace is the kind of guy who would love something like that. It’s spontaneous. It’s sexy.”

  “He’s seeing someone.”

  Bree waved it off. “Whatever. She’s not serious. He’s having threesomes with her. She’s just a piece of ass.”

  “It’s still wrong.”

  “You’re overthinking it. You want him, go get him.”

  “I’m just lonely right now. I probably only like Ace because he’s nice to me.”

  “And he’s hot as hell and built like a brick house,” Bree said. “That has a lot to do with it, I’m sure.”

  “Forget I said anything, okay? Nothing is gonna happen.”

  “Whatever…” Bree got comfortable on the couch and faced the TV.

  “You’re the last person who should be talking about relationships, by the way.”

  “Why?” She propped her feet on the opposite armrest. “Because I’m married to a cheater?”

  “He’s not a cheater.”

  “I distinctly remember him fucking Vanessa in his bed. Yes, he’s a cheater.”

  “That was, like, four years ago.”

  “It wasn’t that long for me, remember?” She hugged a pillow to her chest and watched the TV. “I honestly don’t see how Cypress and I will ever make it work. I don’t see him the way the rest of you do. He’s gorgeous, obviously. He’s
got the sexiest body in the world, duh. But the second I look at him, my heart screams in pain.”

  “You’ll see past it eventually.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “You did the first time.”

  “And I’m still not sure how that happened.” She grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over herself. “Do you mind if I sleep here?”

  “Sure. But I’m gonna wake you up at the crack of dawn when I get my kids ready for school.”

  “That’s fine with me.”

  “Why don’t you want to go home?”

  She gave me a firm look. “You know exactly why.”

  I worked at the diner the following morning, and when the rush was over, I tossed my apron to the side and took care of the register. The rest of the employees cleaned up while I walked upstairs and headed into the office.

  Ace sat at his desk while playing on his phone. “Hey. How was your morning?” He didn’t look up from his phone.

  “Pretty good. It was packed, like usual. I’m excited for the weekend.”

  “Oh yeah…” He finished what he was doing on his phone and tossed it on the table. “I was gonna if you could waitress tomorrow night at Olives. I’ll be there too, but one of my girls called in sick this weekend. Don’t have anyone to replace her.”

  “What about Bree and Cypress?”

  “They’re already working. Blade asked for the night off because he’s having dinner with his parents in Monterey.”

  That was the one thing I hated about this business. When employees flaked, it was up to us to keep the business going. “Alright. I’ll just make sure I get a sitter. Shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “Sorry. You know I hate taking you away from the little ones.”

  I smiled. “I know, Ace.” I sat down and organized the money at my desk. “What are you doing?”

  “I’ve been meaning to finish the bookkeeping for taxes, but since it’s so goddamn boring, I’ve been going at a snail’s pace.”

  “I hear ya.”

  “I’ll get through it. I just need to stop going on social media and distracting myself.”