“Too late. I already had to learn about what an amazing lover you were, or are. Whatever.” When he lowered his head, his silence confirming she spoke from experience, I said, “I’d like to leave. If you want to stay, I can take a cab.”
He reached for my hand and I tugged it away. I didn’t look at Dane, but I could sense he wasn’t pleased as I crossed my arms and looked away.
We left the Cave, and what could have been an excellent night turned awful in an instant. I didn’t like feeling uneasy, unhappy with the way things had gone downhill. This was the first time Dane and I had gone out on an actual date, and now it might be the last.
Although I considered myself a strong woman, there was a limit to my strength, and at the moment I felt as if I was on the precipice of losing it. If I hadn’t encountered that woman, if she hadn’t brought my past insecurities crashing back, maybe I wouldn’t have felt that way . . . but I did.
We drove back to my place without even the radio to help soothe the tension between us. When I looked over at Dane, his jaw ticked and he glanced over at me.
“I’m sorry. She caught me by surprise.”
I shrugged and looked out my window. “Whatever. It’s fine.”
“No. No, it isn’t. This isn’t how I wanted the night to go.”
We pulled into the driveway, and Dane killed the engine once he’d parked in front of the guest house. An awkward silence filled the darkness as we sat there a moment, the only sound the car’s engine ticking.
I reached for my door handle. Not meeting his eyes, I said, “Thank you for taking me out tonight.”
“Can I come in? I’d like to talk to you.” When I froze, contemplating his question, he said, “Please, Beverly. I don’t want the night to end this way.”
“Fine.” I didn’t want it to end either, but I also knew I didn’t wish to hear about the orgasms he’d given Blondie.
I climbed out of the car and unlocked the front door. Once we were inside, Dane walked over to the sofa and sat down while I stood nervously in the entryway.
“Coffee?”
“No, thanks. Come and sit with me.” He shifted, resting his back on the arm of the couch so when I sat down beside him, we were forced to face each other.
“Did you like the band?” I asked. Not knowing what to say, I chose something safe. And lame. “And I thought the interior of the bar was so different.”
Dane nodded. “Yes, the band was great, and the bar was too. Listen, Beverly, about—”
I lifted my hand, palm out. “Don’t.”
“I need to.” He leaned forward. “Going out on a limb here, but are you upset because she said we had sex with each other?”
“Congratulations on having an award-winning tongue,” I said tartly, and he at least had the grace to cringe. “Look, we’re just having fun, right? Neither of us does the boyfriend-girlfriend thing, so it’s fine. It’s not like I’m a virgin. By the way, you don’t do threesomes, do you?” Remembering what that awful woman had said about joining us made my skin crawl, and Dane and I weren’t even a couple.
“Still. We were having a good time, and I’m sorry it was ruined. And no, although I’ve been in several threesomes, I prefer foursomes.”
Did I hear him right? “What?”
Dane chuckled. “Golf. I generally play in foursomes. Sometimes there’s three of us, but usually there are four.”
All I could do was smile. He was a great guy, and there was no reason to be acting the way I was. We both had a life before we met each other, and although his was clearly more interesting than mine, I needed to tamp down my emotion.
Finally, I said, “I have an idea.”
“Okay, what?”
Smiling, I said, “Can we pretend that didn’t happen?” Yes, I’d remember it, but I needed to put it aside. To be honest, I was tired of talking about her.
“Can we? Can you?” The hopeful yet questioning tone in his voice made me want to agree.
“Yes. Tell me about your family. Did you have a nice visit with your family at the Outer Banks?” I remembered Dane telling me that family was the most important thing to him. Based on how his face lit up, I was right.
“I have three brothers, one sister, and two great parents, and soon to have a new sister-in-law.”
“Are you the oldest?” Maybe that was why he was so confident. Having to lead the pack.
“No, I’m the middle child. I’m the black sheep of the family.” He let out a chuckle. “Well, my brothers call me that. Not my parents.”
“Why? What do your siblings do?”
“My oldest brother, Drake, was a US senator. Jack owns his own PR company. Josh is a chef and restaurant owner, and Gretchen is freelancing right now, doing web design or something. She’s the princess of the family.”
“Wait a minute. Your brother was Senator Prescott?” Holy shit. How had I not put two and two together?
“He is. He’s the one who’s dating a teacher.”
“Yes, I read about her.” Embarrassed at my stupidity, I closed my eyes a second. “I’m sorry for what they’re going through.”
“Me too. She didn’t deserve what the media put her through.”
I agreed. The press was going after her, looking for anything and everything to taint her reputation, and it had to be rough for both of them.
“They sound wonderful.”
“They are. But my parents are wonderful role models. Dad is a doctor and Mom’s a lawyer.”
“Just like my dad,” I said with a smile. “But my mom doesn’t work. She did when she was younger, but once my dad made chief of surgery at the hospital, she quit and became a country club wife.”
Talking to Dane had become the highlight of my night. He was very easy to hang out with, and I could see us becoming close friends.
The difference was, I never wanted my friends to kiss me as badly as I wanted Dane to. This was uncharted territory for me, and it made me nervous. It also saddened me since I was moving away, and he was most likely going on tour.
The only thing I could do was live for today and not worry about yesterday, or even tomorrow. Just today.
CHAPTER 9
~ Dane ~
Beverly had little quirks that I’d begun to notice. Her nose would crinkle when she was in disagreement with something, her eyes would sparkle when she was excited, and her eyelids would lower when something bothered her or she was upset.
It was the last expression I didn’t want to be responsible for. Unlike the other women I’d spent time with, she was different. I was actually interested in what she had to say, and looked forward to it. Other women’s voices grated on my nerves, but Beverly’s was soothing.
When I’d seen an old one-night stand of mine talking to Beverly at our table, my stomach had knotted. What would Beverly think of me if I told her I didn’t even remember the girl’s name? Having fun and fucking hot women was the norm for me. I wasn’t tied down and had no intention of changing that.
But sitting with Beverly now in her place and chatting with her like this, it was nice. Comfortable, even.
“So,” I said to her, “you’re an only child. I can’t imagine that. No matter what happens, I know my brothers and sister have my back. It had to be hard being on your own.”
She shrugged. “Not really. I suppose when you don’t have something, you don’t miss it. It’s different for you because you have siblings. If they were suddenly gone, you’d feel a void.”
Beverly’s nonchalant attitude about it struck a chord with me. She’d already admitted to not having a lot of friends, but I didn’t peg her for a loner either.
“What did you do when you grew up? Did you have fun neighbors?”
“There were a few kids I played with, but for the most part, I stayed home. My best friends were books.” She laughed. “That admission is a real turn-on, isn’t it?”
“You turn me on, books or no books. The thought of you curled up reading isn’t a bad image. Honestly, Beverly, I think yo
u could make anything sexy just by doing it. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with a well-read woman.”
Man, I sound like such a sap.
“You have a line for everything don’t you?” Her smile was broad, but her eyes didn’t sparkle.
“I told you—I don’t use lines on you. I don’t lie.”
“So, if you wanted to kiss me, what would you say?” Her cheeks took on an adorable shade of pink as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I wouldn’t say a word.”
When a frown line formed on her forehead, I decided to show her instead. In a swift move, I stood and took her hands to pull her to her feet.
“No words,” I said. When she opened her mouth to respond, I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes.
Her lips twitched. “Fine. I’ll be quiet.”
I had to stifle a laugh. Apparently, she was a get the last word in type of woman.
“Close your eyes,” I said softly.
Once she’d complied, I cupped her face between my palms and caressed her cheekbones with my thumbs, making her eyelids flutter. The lower part of my hand was on the curve of her neck, which allowed me to feel her pulse that sped up more with each second.
I dipped my head and grazed my nose ever so gently on hers, followed by my cheek. I caressed her face with mine, rubbing sensuously against her like a lion before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Her throat moved as she swallowed. Using all the patience I could muster, I slowly trailed kisses from her forehead to her lips.
With the slightest touch, my mouth found hers.
At first, the closed-mouth kiss was swift, but the next lingered a bit more—a nip here and a suck there. When I pulled back, her eyes were still closed and looked at peace, even though her pulse said otherwise. So I licked my lips and fused our mouths together, this time swiping the seam of her lips with my tongue, asking for permission to enter, which she granted me.
Beverly reached around my back and rested her hands on my shoulder blades, while one of mine held the back of her head and the other rested on the curve just above her ass. I wanted to watch her, see her reactions flit across her face at my touch, but my eyes closed on their own as I tried to memorize everything about our kiss—her taste, the feel of her tongue as it danced with mine, and the softness of her lips.
When my dick hardened, I broke our kiss and stepped back. There was nothing I wanted more than to be buried deep inside her, but oddly, I wanted to wait.
“Dane?”
Her face was flushed and her eyes darkened with desire. It was a look I’d seen before and knew well. It had just never looked this good.
Gliding a fingertip slowly down her cheek, I focused my gaze on her lips. “That’s how I would ask if I could kiss you.”
“But you didn’t ask,” she said as her breathing steadied.
“And you didn’t object. All you needed to say was no and I would have stopped.” I laced our fingers and stroked one hand with my thumb. “You didn’t want me to stop, did you?”
Our eyes met, and I was temporarily lost in emerald pools that sparkled like gems.
She shook her head. “No. It was pretty incredible.”
“I thought so too,” I said with a smile.
We sat back on the couch but this time, she curled into my side. I played with her hair while she glided her fingertips back and forth across my stomach. Silence surrounded us like it had earlier, but this time it wasn’t awkward. It was nice, comfortable. But there were still things I wanted to know about her.
“Beverly?”
“Hmm?”
“Where are you moving to?”
“Reston. I’m not familiar with the area. Aside from knowing it’s in the northern part of Virginia, not far from the DC area.” She sat up and almost hit my chin with the top of her head. “Wait—your brother lives in DC.”
“He does, and my family lives in Vienna, not far from Reston.” I smiled. “Small world.”
She nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is.”
“I’ll have to give you the name of my brother Josh’s restaurant so you can go there. Tell him you know me, or let me know when you’re going, and I’ll hook you up.” Her eyes widened as she studied me. “Not hook you up with him, silly, hook you up with a great table.” I chuckled. “If you think I’d let any of my brothers get close to you, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Why? We’re just friends, right?” she said lightly, but her eyes didn’t match her tone. “I mean, I’m not your type. After seeing that blond bombshell tonight and that pretty redhead at the course, what would you want with someone like me? Maybe I’m more suitable for one of your brothers.”
Is she kidding?
“First, the redhead is Hannah. She’s got a bit of a schoolgirl crush on me and likes to flirt. And the blonde has nothing on you. One day you’ll believe me, and there’s no way in hell I’m not telling my brothers you’re off-limits.”
Beverly regarded me seriously as she curled her legs under her, propped her elbow on the back of the couch, and propped her head against her hand. “So, tell me about you and golf. When did you start?”
Finally, a subject I’m comfortable with.
“I honestly can’t recall never wanting to play the sport, but when I was about six, my granddad bought me a set of kid clubs. He was a middle child too, so I was his favorite.” I smiled at the memory. “My brothers didn’t seem to care, and Gretch was just a baby. He’d take me into the backyard and teach me to swing, and once I hit more ball than grass, he took me to play with him on a short par-three course. After that, I was hooked. I’d beg him to take me every weekend.”
“Does he still play?”
“He passed away while I was in college.” The thought of my grandfather never seeing everything I’d accomplished as an adult broke my heart. If it weren’t for him, who knew what I’d be doing now.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Beverly placed her hand on mine.
“Thank you. Cancer took a great man from our family. Fucking disease. I never got a chance to say good-bye to him. It progressed too fast, and I didn’t make it home in time.”
Pressure built behind my eyes, making them sting as I shook my head and tried not to cry in front of Beverly. As it was, I couldn’t believe I’d told her as much as I did.
As silence filled her living room, I chided myself. Nothing like cancer to be a mood killer. Way to go, Prescott.
She looked up at me with brimming eyes, then lowered her head. “I lost my favorite aunt to cancer.” Her sweet lips quirked up a bit, but not exactly into a smile or even a grin. “She was the fun one of the family. When she knew my parents were going to be out, she’d come and pick me up. We’d hang out in her kitchen and make the best chocolate brownies. I guess the food was supposed to comfort me, and it did. I leaned on it too much.” She shrugged and looked away. “When I got older, I continued to go there just to hang out with her. We’d talk about life, boys, or the lack thereof. Then she got sick, and I lost not only my aunt but my best friend.”
“I’m sorry.” I pulled Beverly to my chest and rested her head right over my heart, which was thumping a bit quicker with her so close to me. “Do you still make those brownies?”
“No.” She sat up and looked at me with pink-rimmed eyes. “I tried once, but they didn’t taste the same.”
“Did she have a secret ingredient?”
“Love. She believed everything tasted better when you baked with a heart full of love. Sharing your heart was the key. Sad, right?”
“What is?”
“I haven’t had the secret ingredient since she passed away.”
Something indefinable shifted inside me as my heart went out to her. “What about your mom?”
Beverly rolled her eyes with a laugh. “She’s not much of a baker.”
“Maybe one day you’ll have the secret ingredient.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Beverly let out a small yawn with a little squeak at the end of it. “I’m sorry. I
t’s been a long week.”
And that’s my cue.
“Why don’t I head out and let you get some rest.” I gently shifted her body off mine and pushed myself off the couch. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I’m working at a shelter in Garden City tomorrow. I can call you when I get home.”
“Call me before you leave and I’ll pick you up. I’d like to go with you.”
She gave me an incredulous look. “You want to work at the shelter tomorrow?”
“Are you going to be there?”
“Yes.”
“Then yes, I can help out too. Not all golfers are snobs.” When her eyelids lowered as she looked at the floor, I felt like shit for making that comment.
“Pick me up at ten,” she said, looking back up at me, “and don’t wear good clothes because we’ll be painting.”
“Got it. Ten o’clock and no clothes.”
She shook her head and opened the door. “You’re incorrigible. ’Bye, Dane. Thanks for tonight.”
“You’re welcome.” I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before I headed home.
CHAPTER 10
~ Beverly ~
Holy moly, could that man heat up a room. After Dane left, I fanned myself with my hand, but all I kept hearing in my head was “no clothes” over and over again.
Snap out of it, Beverly!
When I finally came out of my Dane stupor, I got ready for bed, grabbed my e-reader, and settled in. However, I couldn’t concentrate on the words the author had written. My mind kept drifting to the kiss I’d shared with him tonight. Trying to keep my composure while his lips were on mine was beyond difficult. Soft, strong lips that knew exactly what they were doing and what they were doing to me would be something I’d never forget.
So much for reading. After I connected my e-reader to its charger, I rolled over, knowing full well my dreams tonight would be filled with visions of the good-looking man who was picking me up in the morning.
Gripped (Prescott #2) Page 7
