by Liz Lovelock
“Because I don’t only want you when I’m old and broke. I want you now. I’m having so much fun with you, and no other woman makes me feel how you do. You make me laugh, and I just want to give you so much more.”
I look at him, and all I see is a hardworking man who pushed to get what he wanted in life. He makes me smile, and this sensation of butterflies never leaves me when I’m with him.
“Scarlett? Say something.”
I have no words. I don’t want to say yes, but I don’t want to say no, either. Lachlan makes me feel light, like nothing else going on around me matters.
Instead of speaking, I place my hands on his firm chest, his heart pounding under my palm. I lean up on my tiptoes, and when our mouths meet, it’s warm, and sensual, and I need to get closer. Our lips move in sync. Could Lachlan be the band-aid for my wounded heart, or is he going to crush it one last time?
When our lips finally pull apart, our breaths are heavy, but Lachlan doesn’t let me go. He secures his arms around me and keeps me against him.
“I’m going to take that as a maybe.” His deep voice tickles places within me, and my mind starts to wonder how far that kiss would go if we weren’t in public.
Taking my shoulders, he turns me around, and there, in front of us, is a picnic blanket with a basket and an ice bucket with a bottle of wine resting in it.
I glance up at him. “Is this for us?”
“Yep. Something special was needed for someone special.”
I take his hand and walk over to our little spot. “Who set this up? How did it not get stolen?”
He laughs. “Oh, I can’t give away all my secrets. Where’s the fun in that? We have to leave a little mystery in the relationship. And I found a company that sets it up and waits for you to arrive and then comes back when you’re done.” When he says relationship, it doesn’t make me want to scurry away and hide under a rock like it would have a week ago, or even a few hours ago. It’s progress.
Lachlan settles himself on the blanket. He takes my hand and pulls me into his lap, once again holding me to his body.
He inhales and sighs. “Damn you are beautiful, Scarlett. I want to get a photo of us, something we can have to remember our time together, even if you don’t want it to move into anything serious.”
He knows just the right things to say to get me to melt in his arms.
I wriggle off his lap and attempt to lighten the mood. “Let’s eat, because I’m starving.”
He opens the picnic basket. “For lunch we’re having meatball subs.” He pulls out two prepacked subs that are clearly store-bought. He then retrieves two containers of salad and another two of what looks like apple pie.
I pick up the wine and fill the two glasses that were in the basket. He holds up his glass, and I clink it.
“To new beginnings,” he says before taking a sip.
We spend the afternoon lying around on the blanket. Being close to Lachlan is perfect. He’s so attentive and always making sure I’m okay.
As we walk back to his car, I step close to him and take his warm, soft hand. “Thank you for today, and I’m sorry I almost ruined it before it began.”
He stops and faces me, our hands still intertwined. Reaching up with his free hand, he swipes a hair away from my face and tucks it behind my ear. He steps closer and stares down at me with soft, lust-filled eyes. “Scarlett, you could never have wrecked the day. Even if you did stay at home, I would have brought the basket to you. Don’t let that man win. He’s not worth it.”
I sigh, his words wreaking havoc on my body. It screams for his touch in places that have missed being tended to. “Can we not end the day here?”
Lachlan gives me a crooked smile. “What do you have in mind?”
Without hesitation, I say, “Come home with me. As scared as I am at how fast things are moving between us, I want to experience more with you.”
My body burns for this man; it’s been so long since I was touched like this. And sex doesn’t have to mean deep feelings. It’s a special moment between two people. This doesn’t have to be the start of something more.
Before I have a chance to think any more, his lips are on mine. He releases my hand and, instead, places his on my hips, tugging me flush against him. He’s pure muscle as my hands press on his chest and then slide around his neck.
He pushes a groan from his lips as our tongues dance, lighting a fire within me, then he pulls back slightly and says, “Let’s get you home.”
My mouth tingles from our kiss, and I fight putting my foot to the floor to get us home quicker—I want her back in my arms.
The ride home is quiet, but out of the corner of my eye, I can see her fingers twisting in knots in her lap. The small area crackles with tension. My throat becomes dry as I recall what it was like having her hands on my flesh. Turning, I’m met with shining eyes. The last time I made love to her was pure magic. But the moment she got out of the shower at the hotel, she completely cut me off and didn’t want to move forward with anything.
Once we park and head up to her apartment, we continue to hold hands and find ways to touch each other. When we get inside, she goes to her fridge.
“Do you want a beer or wine?”
Stepping closer to her, I shut the fridge door. “I’d much rather taste you.”
He cheeks grow pink. I lift her, and she screams playfully. I slide her perfectly round ass on the countertop and push between her legs. My fingers glide through her hair and pull her mouth to mine. A rush of breath mixes between us.
“How about we start this where we ended it last time?” I smile and tug my shirt over my head.
She whistles. “Damn, I think you’ve aged well.”
“Aged? I think you’re mistaken.”
“You’re like a fine wine, Lachlan. With time, you get better and better.”
“How about we head to the shower and pick up where we left off?”
She glances over her shoulder toward a doorway. My fingers grip the bottom of her top and pull it over her head. My chest tightens, my heartbeat an erratic thump. It’s almost painful as I draw in a deep breath. I’ve wanted this—her—for so long, and now she’s here in my arms, her milky soft skin under my fingertips.
She inhales, her chest rising and then falling as she breathes out. It’s a sight to behold, so I do before placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder and lifting her up. Dropping her top on the floor as I cross the living room to her bedroom, I head straight for the shower.
I place her down, and she reaches in and turns on the tap, and it doesn’t take long for the steam to coat our bare skin. Slowly, Scarlett undoes her pants and loses her underwear. Before I can grab her, she dashes into the shower. I quickly lose the remainder of my clothes and join her.
With her back to me, I slip my hands over her hips and slide them up her stomach, cupping her perfect breasts in my hands.
“You’re so beautiful, Scarlett.” I want to say so much more but don’t want her scrambling from the shower in fear. Things like, I’ve never felt this way.
She leans her head back on my chest, and her hands reach behind her and rub my thighs. A small sigh comes from her. Her eyes are closed as I freely roam her body and tenderly kiss her neck.
“I want you, Lachlan,” she whispers.
I nibble her earlobe. “As you wish.”
She spins in my arms, and we’re lost in lips and tongues, devouring each other. The passion drives me forward until we both get our release and are left panting, our bodies still intertwined as I pepper kisses over her bare shoulders.
“Scarlett?”
“Yeah?” she replies breathlessly.
“I don’t want this to end.”
“What?”
“Us.” Every part of me is screaming to keep her. To keep her safe and to show her love every single day.
“I . . . I’m scared things are moving too fast. But at the same time, I like it. I like being with you, Lachlan. I just don’t want my heart broken again.
”
I press my lips to her worried forehead, hopefully kissing away those fears. “I understand. We don’t have to make it public. We can take it slow and enjoy each other, but you’re mine. No other man is allowed to have his hands on you.” Even though I say it with a laugh, deep down, if I saw another man touch her, I’d lose it.
“Okay. Let’s see where this goes,” she says, though the furrow in her brow tells me she’s still uneasy about it.
Pulling her naked body against mine, I say, “You will not be disappointed. This is my chance to show you that I am a decent guy.”
“I already know you’re a decent guy.”
We seal our relationship with another kiss, and I couldn’t be happier.
The bed dips beside me, and my eyes squint open. “Where are you running off to this early on a Sunday?” I mumble. “It’s still dark outside.”
Lachlan’s warm breath tickles my cheek when he says, “I’ve got to go to practice. I’ll message you later.” He pecks my wanting lips.
I wrap my arms around his neck, wanting to keep him with me. “Can’t you stay a little longer?”
“Don’t tempt me, you little temptress. If I’m late, the rest of the team suffers. I can’t have that on my head. Go back to sleep, and I’ll see you later.”
Reluctantly, I release him. “Fine. I’ll talk to you later. You better come back.”
He chuckles. “Trust me, Scarlett, I’m not running off anywhere. Beside you is where I want to be.”
Butterflies swarm my stomach at his tender words. “Okay. Have a good practice.”
With one last kiss, he’s gone, and my bed feels emptier than it has ever been. The weight of Lachlan’s presence is strong. Just wait until I fill the girls in. They’re most likely going to lose their minds.
“Oh, my goodness! You slept with him?” Vivian blurts out the minute I step up to the rack of dresses beside her.
“Shh . . . not so loud.” I glance around the clothing shop and cringe. I don’t need everyone here knowing my business.
“So, what happened?” Dylan turns from what she’s looking at, her questioning eyes burning into mine. “Do I need to punish him?”
“What? No,” I rush. “Gee, how the hell did you know what I was going to tell you?” I turn my accusing eyes on Vivian.
“It’s clear from the smile on your face, and you’re clearly dressed to see him again later.”
I glance down at my flowing, maroon, strappy dress. “I’m not sure how you get that from my wearing this dress.”
“That’s crazy,” Dylan pipes up. She gestures to her own dress; it’s mustard-yellow, fashioned with a brown belt wrapped around her waist. “I wore this on my last date, and when I thought we had a connection, he still broke my heart, and yet, here I am, wearing it.”
Vivian rests a hand on Dylan’s bare shoulder. “I’m sorry to tell you, but you’ve become a coldhearted bitch,” she says then laughs.
I giggle. Vivian can sometimes be too blunt.
Dylan flicks her brown locks over her shoulder. “It’s not my fault all men see is a castrator. I’m good at what I do, and I worked hard to get to where I am.” She tugs her bag which is hanging on her shoulder.
“Dylan . . .” I say, ready to give her a speech, but she cuts me off.
“It’s okay. I know I’m coldhearted. I think after going through men like underwear, I’ve just grown accustomed to being let down by the male species.”
“Perhaps you could castrate Craig for me,” I say teasingly. After seeing how he’s been acting, I don’t think he should procreate.
“What’s the dick done now?” Vivian says. She crosses her arms across her chest.
“Just those photos I sent you yesterday. I’ve gotten nothing today. Should I be worried? He seems to be becoming possessive.” I pick a shirt off another rack and study it while I wait for Vivian’s response.
“Don’t worry. His lawyer is aware of what he’s doing. I told him to talk to him, or I’m going to take matters into my own hands. I will slap him with whatever I can. He’s being a crazy stalker. You just keep letting me know, and I’ll wipe the floor with his face when the time is right.”
I shake my head, grinning.
“You call me coldhearted, but you’re quite perverted. Who says things like ‘wipe the floor with his face’?” Dylan jokes.
“You pair are cut from the same cloth. Thanks for being my friends, and yes, I did sleep with Lachlan.”
They both squeal, and people once again turn our way.
“Perhaps we should head to our lunch reservation,” I say.
“Yep, I’m hungry, and I want to know details about Thor and what he’s like in bed,” Vivian chimes in as we walk out of the store.
We arrive at a casual restaurant and are ushered to a table. It’s quite a busy little place; every table is full. “It’s a good thing I booked,” I say as we take a seat.
“Smart thinking. So, Lachlan . . .” Dylan leaves his name hanging in the air like drying laundry flapping in the breeze.
When she doesn’t continue, I say, “Yeah, Lachlan.”
“Please tell me there’s no secret marriage this time.” Vivian flips through the menu. Her gaze lifts, and she cocks an eyebrow in my direction.
I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re really never going to let me live that down, are you? No, there’s no secret marriage. We’ve just been hanging out and getting to know each other. Let’s call it dating. You know, what regular people do.” I lift the jug of water from the table and pour a glass for each of us.
“And sleeping together,” Dylan states as she’s about to put her glass to her lips.
I shrug. “Well, there’s that, too.” I fill the girls in on the date at the trampoline place and then the picnic. When I finish, they’re both staring at me as though I have two heads.
“It almost seems too good to be true, doesn’t it?” Dylan asks while rubbing her chin. She turns to Vivian.
“I think it’s damn perfect. It’s about time you had some fun. So, what’s he like in bed? Give me details.”
I purse my lips into a thin line. “I’m only going to give you that he’s great in bed. I feel bad, pouring all these details about him. What if someone overhears our conversation and then figures out who he is and uses it to their advantage? I know it sounds stupid.”
Normally, giving the girls all the details is something I enjoy, but when it comes to Lachlan and me, I want to keep what we have in the bedroom between us.
“You are no fun.” Vivian sulks.
“Well, do you remember me telling you he was like dynamite in Vegas?”
She nods.
“It’s ten times better when sober and not hungover. A hundred times better.”
“What’s a hundred times better?” A smooth, caramel-like voice makes me jump. That familiar, tummy-swirling voice brings a smile to my face.
All our heads turn, and I grin up at Lachlan and Wyatt.
“Sorry, you were saying?” Lachlan asks, a knowing grin plastered across his face.
Busted. How much did he hear?
“We were just discussing one of Scarlett’s clients and how her writing has improved so much,” Dylan says.
Thank goodness for her quick thinking. My voice box froze the instant I heard him.
He lifts one side of his lips, and his heated gaze lands on me once again. “Ladies, you remember Wyatt?” He gestures to the large body beside him.
“I do. We met the other night. I never asked; do you play football as well?” Dylan coos in his direction.
She places her elbow on the table and leans forward. I roll my eyes and know exactly what she’s doing. Her flirting isn’t hard to miss.
Wyatt clears his throat. “Uh, no . . . I played back in college, but now I’m an agent and look after this guy. Sorry to rain on the fun, but Lachlan has a meeting to get to, especially if he wants to keep his current job.”
My brow furrows. What does he mean?
“Is your job in trouble?” Vivian jumps in; obviously the lawyer in her has taken over.
Lachlan laughs. “No, it’s just time to renew my contract. Don’t worry, all is fine.”
The tension I didn’t realize was in my shoulders suddenly relaxes.
“Oh, that’s good. If you need a lawyer, you know where to find me,” Vivian says.
Lachlan nods. “Thanks for the offer.”
“Well, we’ll let you ladies get back to your lunch.” Wyatt turns and walks to a table at the back of the restaurant.
“Good to see you,” Lachlan says, and we all giggle.
“He’s a stiff in a suit. He was like that the other night at the charity. No matter how much I tried, he wouldn’t budge,” Dylan offers, which causes an eruption of laughter around our table. “Sorry,” she quickly adds.
“It’s all good. Anyway, I better go. I’ll talk to you later, Scarlett.” He winks and walks away. Meanwhile, I swoon my little heart out.
“Oh, you’ve got it bad for him.” Vivian’s blue eyes pierce mine with a pointed look.
Dylan agrees, “Yes, she does.”
I drop my head to hide the massive grin that’s spread across my face. “I can’t help it. He seems so perfect. I’m honestly waiting for the penny to drop and something bad to happen.” I look back up at them, but I find myself darting my eyes in the direction of Lachlan’s table.
He’s already focused on me. My stomach flips.
“Surely he’s not a crazy man. He’s in the spotlight. Under the microscope. You could easily Google him, and you’d probably find out every bad thing about him,” Vivian offers.
“No, I’m not doing that. I’ll just stress myself out when I see him in images with other girls. Aren’t football players always getting into trouble over women? That’s the normal thing, right? What if I’m just another woman to him?” Dread sours in my stomach like old milk.
“No,” both girls quickly say.
Dylan continues, “If you were just another woman to him, he wouldn’t have made the effort he did yesterday to get you to stay with him. He wouldn’t react to Craig the way he does, either. He’s a good egg, Scarlett. Don’t let doubt ruin your chance at proper happiness.”
