“Go for it. What’s the worst that can happen?”
I thought about what I had told him about jumping in and then checking his pulse. She was right. What was the worst that could happen? I thought about it, running a series of scenarios through my head. The worst thing that could happen was I would get my heart broken and would likely break Jace’s heart in the process.
That was a huge risk. I couldn’t just dive in headfirst without knowing it was worth it. I would tread lightly and let things develop naturally. Then again, me slowing anything down was unheard of. I had one speed—lightning.
“You’re thinking about it,” she commented.
I sighed. “It’s hard not to think about it. Maybe after the festival is done, I’ll give it some more thought, but right now, my time is already stretched thin. I don’t have the time or the energy to try and make a relationship work.”
“But you’ll keep hanging out with him for now—for the sake of the festival,” she said with a wink.
I giggled. “Exactly. This is all about making sure the festival goes off without a hitch. A little pleasure mixed in with business is okay.”
She nodded. “I agree. Does he have a brother?”
I burst into laughter. “Nope. Only child, from what I gathered.”
“Damn. Cousin? Uncle? Friend?”
“I’ll ask.”
“No!”
“I’m just trying to help you out.”
“I was kidding.”
I winked. “I know. I just like to tease you a little.”
Chapter 15
Theo
I drove down the street lined with big houses and lots of minivans. It was an upscale neighborhood with what I assumed would be comprised mostly of families, judging by the various toys in the yards and the SUVs and vans. It was a nice neighborhood.
I had to admit I felt a little relief to know she was doing very well for herself. I hated to be jaded, but the women that I had dated in the past had absolutely been more interested in my money than me. It was something Sawyer had warned me about, and my dad had tried to warn me about it many times, but I never listened. I had been about twenty-five when I finally figured it out. To say it was a blow to my ego was an understatement.
I could almost pinpoint the very minute I had withdrawn from the world. It had been at the end of a date with my girlfriend of six months. She’d been dropping hints about wanting to get married. Then she started to talk about the size of the ring and the house she wanted to live in. When I had taken her back to her small apartment that night, I told her I wouldn’t be inheriting my father’s company or the wealth.
It had been a lie, but it had been a test. She failed. She ghosted me. That was when I knew.
Then the rumors started. She said some pretty shitty things about me. Things that I had still not been able to shake. In the months following the breakup, I would go to parties or charity events and see the whispers and the people pointing. She had created some pretty wild tales about what I liked in bed.
All of it had been bullshit.
She’d been the last real girlfriend I had. I had dated, but I was careful and reserved. I trusted very few people, and none of them were women. I knew it was wrong to judge them all based on what she had done, but she’d burned me bad.
I pulled my car into the driveway, parking alongside Harper’s Camry. I was nervous and anxious at the same time. I walked up the walkway lined with pretty, colorful butterfly lights. From what I knew about Harper, it suited her personality.
I rang the bell and waited. When the door opened, Jace was standing there. I hadn’t expected to see him and wondered if our dinner date included him. I didn’t mind, but it wasn’t what I expected.
“Hi, Jace.”
“Hi, Theo,” he said with a toothy grin. “Come in.”
I followed him into the kitchen, finding Harper with another woman. “Hi,” Harper greeted me. “Theo, this is Kylie, my friend and business partner. Kylie, this is Theo.”
The woman with the long straight dark hair looked at me. She reminded me of a woman from the sixties. She was wearing a long skirt with silver threading that shimmered under the light. I imagined she would smell like patchouli.
“It’s nice to meet you Theo,” she said with a friendly smile. “Harper has told me all about you.”
“Uh oh,” I teased.
She smiled bigger. “Are you ready to go, Jace?” she asked the boy, who was standing beside me.
“Before you go, I have something for you,” I said to Jace.
He looked at me, his eyes brightening. “You do?”
I reached into the pocket of the light jacket I was wearing and handed him the little silver bag we handed out at the end of the tours. “I was hoping you could give these a try over the next few days and let me know what you think.”
“New candy?” he asked excitedly.
I nodded. “Yep, and I trust your judgment. You have good taste.”
“What do you say, Jace?” Harper said.
“Thank you. I will make notes.”
I smiled. “That would be great.”
“All right, kid, let’s get out of here,” Kylie said. “No way are you eating all of that tonight.”
“I won’t,” Jace agreed. “I want to eat it one at a time. That’s how you test flavors.”
He was a smart kid. “See you later,” I said, waving as they walked out the door.
“Let me grab my purse, and I’ll be ready to go,” Harper said.
I took a minute to look around her house. It was very open with lots of pictures of Jace and her at various places. There was a framed picture of an older couple that I assumed were her parents. There was a small bookshelf filled with books meant for kids and a stack of puzzles and games.
“You have a very nice home,” I told her.
“Thank you.”
We headed for my car. She input the address of the restaurant into the GPS, and we set off. I didn’t feel nervous. I had felt nervous on the way over, but now that I was with her, I felt fine. She was the anecdote to my anxiety.
It was a piano bar. She gave her name to the hostess, and we were taken to a table somewhat close to the stage, where there was a beautiful baby grand piano bathed in soft blue light. I couldn’t take my eyes off the piano. I loved pianos. I always felt an urge to run my fingers over the keys to test the sound.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“I like it.”
“They should have someone on the piano soon.”
I nodded. “I look forward to that.”
“Do you prefer seafood or steak?” she asked.
I shrugged. “There are few foods I don’t like,” I said with a laugh.
She grinned. “A man after my own heart.”
We both ordered a glass of white wine with the steak and lobster dinner. I was thrilled to know she wasn’t one of those women that ordered the salad and then ended up eating most of my dinner. An older man took a seat at the piano and began to play. It was all right, but I could hear the notes that weren’t quite right.
“How is the planning going?” I asked her.
“Good. I’m so excited for this one. It’s the biggest yet. I’m a little terrified but excited. I love the fear of doing something different.”
I chuckled. “In that, we are very opposite.”
“It’s an adrenaline rush.”
“Are you one of those people who jumps out of planes?” I asked.
She giggled. “I have done that, but that was a very long time ago. Once I had Jace, things changed. Then I turned thirty, and it was like I woke up old one day.”
“I don’t believe that. Can I ask how old you are?”
Her eyes twinkled. “I don’t know. Didn’t you know you’re never supposed to ask a lady her age or her weight?”
I felt my cheeks blushing. “I’m sorry.”
She reached out and touched my hand. “I’m kidding! I’m thirty-one and not the least bit ashamed
. Part of waking up old was realizing I just really don’t give a shit what anyone thinks.”
“I like that.”
“Good. So, how old are you?”
“Thirty-five.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You look much younger. Maybe it’s the hair.”
I shrugged. “Probably. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told to cut it.”
“Don’t cut it,” she said. “It’s so you. I like it.”
“Thank you.”
Our meals were delivered a short time later. I barely even noticed there were other people in the restaurant. It felt like it was just me and her. We ate and talked like we were sitting at her kitchen table.
“Will you excuse me for a minute?” she asked, putting her napkin on the table and getting up.
I nodded and took a drink of my wine. I had limited myself to the one glass. I listened to the person playing the piano and thought the new player, a young lady, was very talented. To the average ear, I imagined all piano music sounded the same. I felt like I could hear a person’s thoughts and feelings when they played. It was what made some of the best players great.
The music stopped, and I heard a bit of a commotion. I looked toward the stage and saw Harper standing there, holding a microphone in her hand. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she said, her voice cutting through the quiet hum of muted conversations around the restaurant. “Can I please have your attention? I’d like you to welcome a very good friend of mine to the stage. He’s a talented musician, and I just don’t feel right keeping him from the world. Everyone should hear his beautiful music.”
I looked around, hoping like hell she wasn’t talking about me. When no one stood, I looked back to her. She motioned for me to come up to the stage. I shook my head. She only smiled bigger and gestured again.
I couldn’t resist the woman. I got to my feet and slowly walked to the stage. “What are you doing?” I whispered.
“Go ahead, play. Please?”
I knew there was no getting out of it now, unless I stomped off and made a scene. I walked to the piano, sat on the bench, and stared at the keys. Harper stood at the edge of the piano. I looked up at her and let myself get lost in the moment.
I chose one of the more challenging Chopin pieces, Fantaisie-Impromptu. The music carried me away. I stared at the keys without actually seeing them. I got lost, my body swaying as my fingers moved. It was what always happened. I went to someplace where there was no one else.
But unlike all those times, she was with me. I glanced up and found her eyes on me. It was only me and her. I was playing to her. I infused the music with words I couldn’t speak to her.
When my fingers stopped moving and the spell I had created finally released me, I heard clapping. I turned to look into the restaurant and saw people standing and clapping. I looked at Harper. The huge smile on her face confirmed my suspicions.
They were clapping for me.
I got up from the bench, waved, and went back to our table. Harper sat down across from me. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief and something else. My body was humming with energy. It had been a long time, but I recognized what I felt. I was aroused by her. The music and her watching me play had done something to me.
“That was incredible,” she said softly.
“Thanks.”
“I am so impressed. You have a gift. I’m just speechless. Your talent is just crazy.”
I stared at her. Not her. Her mouth. I looked back at her and was sure I saw the same need reflected in her eyes. “Are you ready to go?” I asked, my voice low.
She nodded. “I am.”
I raised my hand to signal the waiter that I was ready for the check. I quickly paid and practically pulled her out of the restaurant. The tension in the car as we drove back to her house was thick. I hoped it wasn’t all in my head. I walked her to the door, giving her the option to send me packing.
“I had a good time tonight,” I told her.
“Me too. Would you like to come in?”
I nodded. She sure as hell didn’t have to ask me twice. We went inside, and I stood in the entryway. The soft light from a table lamp cast a warm glow around the room. I reached out, resting my hand against her cheek before lowering my lips to hers.
I gently pressed my lips against hers, relishing in the feel of her soft lips. The soft kiss wasn’t enough to satisfy my craving for her.
I deepened the kiss, my mouth more forceful over hers until her mouth opened. I knew I was lost the moment my tongue swept inside her mouth, dueling with hers. Our bodies pressed together. I had hoped for a kiss. I had thought I would be okay with just a goodnight kiss.
That was not the case. My body reacted in a way I had been unprepared for. I reached my arms around her, squeezing her tightly against me and groaning with need.
I needed her.
Chapter 16
Harper
His hard body against mine was making me dizzy. He was such a gentle soul, my mind was having trouble pairing the man devouring my mouth with his with the man I had met a few days ago.
His hands reached down, squeezing my ass as he grinded his hips against mine. I had no doubt in my mind what he wanted. I wanted the same.
Foreplay had never been so good as it had been watching him play that piano. I had been wrapped up in a web with him. It was far more erotic than the physical foreplay. My body was humming with need. I felt it in him the moment he looked at me after he stopped playing. I imagined every person in that restaurant saw and felt our need for each other.
It had been explosive.
“Bedroom,” I whispered, pulling my mouth from his.
“Okay.”
I took his hand, kicking off my heels as I led him to my bed. The small lamp on my bedside table was on, leaving just enough light in the room for me to be able to see him. He didn’t look nervous. He looked hungry.
He reached for me again, his hand going to the back of my neck as his mouth closed over mine. I savored the taste of him, running my hand over his arm and feeling the hardness. He wasn’t going to win any bodybuilding competitions, but he was hard in all the right places.
“Jacket,” I whispered, pushing at his jacket.
He stepped back and dropped it to the floor before unbuttoning the dress shirt he’d worn for our date. He looked good in jeans and tees, but in slacks and dress shirts, he looked delicious. The slacks had hugged his trim hips and his perfect ass, making his legs look long. I watched with rapt attention as he dropped the shirt and pulled off the plain white tee underneath.
The man might be shy in the light of day, but in the bedroom, there was no hint of it. As I watched him undo the button on his pants, I reached behind me and pulled the zipper of my dress. His eyes were on me as I let it fall forward before I shimmied it over my hips and stepped out of it. I stood before him in the matching bra and panties I had worn. I hadn’t actually expected anything to happen, but just in case.
“You’re gorgeous,” he rasped.
I stared at the man before me, standing in nothing but a pair of black Calvin Kleins that clung to his body. “You’re not so bad yourself,” I whispered, reaching out to run my hand over his smooth chest.
His hand closed over my wrist, yanking me against him. His other hand went to the back of my head and held me close while his mouth ravished mine once again. I moaned into him, letting myself fall against him. It was like being back in the restaurant with him playing the piano. He was intoxicating.
His hands trailed down my sides. His touch was light and airy, barely brushing over my skin. Goosebumps erupted over my body from head to toe. It was like being touched with a feather. His mouth dropped to my neck, gently kissing before pulling tiny bits of skin between his teeth.
I hadn’t even realized he was moving me toward the bed until I felt it against the back of my legs. I sucked in a breath as he lifted me with ease, depositing me on the bed. I scooted back, my eyes locked with his. His hand reached out, caressing over my n
eck before trailing between my breasts.
I was ready to orgasm with just his touch. It was like being carried on a gossamer cloud of desire and arousal. I thought of nothing else but what he was doing to my body with soft touches. I never knew how erotic the feathery touch could be. It was so much better than the hard grunting and grinding sex was usually like.
“I love your body,” he whispered close to my ear.
His body was stretched out on the bed next to mine as I lay on my back, trying desperately to hold on to reality. His magical hands were roaming over me, caressing every inch of skin. He leaned close, his mouth going to mine as his hand slid under my back and unhooked my bra. I had barely noticed. With my bra gone and my breasts exposed, he turned his attention to the nipples that were hard with desire.
He lavished one, then the other, never sucking too hard or squeezing too much. When his hand drifted over my belly and between my legs, I arched my back, craving his touch.
“I want you,” I told him, ready to beg if that was what it took.
He didn’t answer with words. He answered with a kiss and a tug of my panties. With a little wiggling, I was finally free of the damn things. I felt as if I were on fire. My body ached and burned with need. His slow, methodical touch was driving me crazy with desire.
His fingers brushed over my nether lips, sending a spiral of heat through my body and right down to the very tips of my toes. He gently parted my folds, opening me and exposing my clit. He brushed his finger over the sensitive bud and nearly had me flying off the bed.
“Yes!” I cried out, telling him exactly what I wanted.
“Shh,” he whispered against my lips, his finger rubbing over my clit.
I whimpered. The pleasure was too much. I felt like my body was no longer my own to control. I began to tremble as his finger gently probed my center. I was on the verge, and he was stringing it along to the point I felt like I could possibly die if he didn’t give me the release I was so desperate for.
“Theo, please, you have to help me,” I whimpered.
All About The Treats Page 10
