by Kelli Evans
Amy’s brown eyes lit up. “Great! They’re great, he’s great. We’re trying to have a baby.” She beamed. Her excitement was contagious.
“Oh, Amy!” Roz leaned over and gave her small frame a tight hug. “That’s awesome!”
Roz was so happy for her, she really was, but it made her think about Patrick all over again. It felt as if she couldn’t even go five minutes without him popping into her mind. She wanted to see him again, wanted to feel and smell him again.
What was he doing right now?
Had he been thinking about her?
It felt as if every time she closed her eyes, she could see him smiling that gorgeous smile. It was unsettling. She felt as if she were fifteen all over again.
“Oh, Roz, it really is! He is just the best, and I’ve never been happier and…”
Amy’s lips moved but the words fell on deaf ears. Had she ever been as happy as Amy and Nico?
Was she ever going to be that happy?
Damn straight she was, and she was in control of her own destiny. That was why those feelings for Patrick threw her all off kilter. She liked to be in control, in most aspects of her life. It meant not opening up all the way, and not showing your weaknesses, your soft spot. That was what made her a great detective, and not so great at serious relationships. She had never felt more raw or open as she had when she was with Patrick.
What if they had nothing to talk about when they went to dinner?
What if it was only sexual between them?
What if she was more invested then he was? She could not get her mind to stop running. It drove her nuts.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket again and she paused a moment, taking a breath before reaching for it, sending Amy a quick smile.
It was finally Patrick. Today was crazy. I can’t wait till Friday.
She smiled wide, her heart clutching and her cheeks growing hot.
Roz, Oh yeah? Why’s that?
Patrick, You said yes to dinner so I’m taking you out. Friday 8pm, I’ll pick you up.
Her cheeks felt as if they were going to split she was smiling so wide. Her stomach fluttered around, and a heat pooled between her legs.
“Who was that?” Amy smiled over the rim of her wineglass. Roz had temporarily forgotten she was even there.
“I’m sorry, that was rude of me,” she apologized, setting her phone on the patio table. She grabbed her beer and took a long swig, trying to cool her heated flesh. “That was…a friend.” She twirled one of her curly locks around her finger, smiling again.
“You’ve been somewhere else all night and now you’re practically glowing. That was more than a friend.” Amy laughed.
“It’s this guy I’ve been sleeping with…he’s cute.” She shrugged and took another drink of her beer to avoid saying more.
“The guy you were all over at the retirement party?” One of Amy’s eyebrow’s cocked as she smirked.
“We were not all over each other!” Roz made a thoughtful noise. “Okay, maybe we were.” She laughed, the butterflies in her stomach swirling around as she thought about that night.
“Good for you, girl, get you some good sex.” Amy smiled, raising her wineglass in a toast. Roz tapped her beer bottle gently against her glass, smiling to herself. She was definitely getting some good sex, amazing sex, out-of-this-world sex. She hoped they were as good at the conversation and dinner thing as they were at everything else.
Chapter 14
Patrick
“THIS isn’t what I was expecting.” Roz leaned into him. Her hair was wilder tonight, her lips a little redder, her T-shirt snugger than usual, and her jeans a darker wash than normal. They were subtle differences, but she’d dressed up a little for this.
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know. Not this.” Roz motioned around them.
Chase had bought Jake’s Dive Bar five years ago. Tonight, Patrick and Roz were tucked away at a small circular table, so small their knees knocked under it. They sat close anyway, and he liked that their thighs touched. Sometimes the din of the bar got loud enough to pretend they needed to lean in real close to hear one another.
Out the windowed wall to Patrick’s back was a rustic porch set up above docks that lead to a large inland lake. There were twinkle lights set up on the deck, and the moon sparkled on the lake water. It was warm enough that a few people were seated on the other side of the glass, all of them wearing coats, but they were out there.
“Don’t discount it until you’ve tasted the food. Better than average bar food, I promise.”
“No.” She placed a hand on his forearm and leaned close enough he smelled her shampoo or lotion or whatever that scent was. “I like it. It’s cozy. I like this atmosphere.” She motioned with the neck of her beer bottle around at the wood walls and the erratic placement of funky, unique light fixtures and old blinking traffic lights.
“What can I get for you two?” Bianca asked.
Patrick probably would have gone a different route had he stopped to consider his sister might be working tonight. She worked swing shifts at the hospital in Labor and Delivery and on the side to rake in extra dough she picked up shifts here. She’d offered to give their table to Riordan, the college kid also on the wait staff this evening, but Roz had insisted she stay on as their server.
“Do you know what you want?” He ran his hand down her back and then let his arm rest on her chair. He played with the ends of her hair with his fingers. He couldn’t stop touching her.
“The Blue Gill basket.” Roz handed her menu back to Bianca.
“Good choice. By far the best thing on our menu.” Bianca shot her a friendly wink. “What about you?”
“Yeah, same.” Patrick handed over the menu he’d never even cracked open. “And can we get an order of the mashed potato cheese bombs. And the churros, but if you’d bring those afterward, that’d be awesome.”
“Sure. What are you getting up to after this?”
“Um…? I don’t know.” Roz grinned, leaned back in her seat, and twirled a springy coil of her hair around her finger. She blushed a little and bit the inside of her lip. Jesus, he was not going to survive everything he had planned for this date.
“Nope.” He shook his finger at her.
“What do you mean nope?”
“I know that look and it’s not happening tonight, babe.”
“What?” Roz didn’t even bother to pretend she didn’t know what he insinuated. “Why?”
There was no way he actually meant that. “This is our first date and I’m just not that kind of man.”
Bianca barked out a laugh. “Yeah, okay.”
Patrick shot his sister a look. “I’m taking her to Lootie’s Booty after this. If she’s down to clown.”
Bianca shook her head, her blonde hair brushing her shoulders. “Nothing says romance like Lootie’s Booty. I’ll go put your order in and get you another round.”
“Please. Sounds like I’m going to need it.” Roz swallowed down the last of her beer.
“You have a something against go-karts?”
Roz shifted in her seat so she was more fully facing him. “Go-karts sound like a blast. This no-sex business is another thing entirely.”
“You want me that badly, huh?” Patrick grinned. He was absolutely enjoying this.
“I can hardly think of anything else,” Roz said just before Bianca set their drinks down. Roz watched her walk away before she turned to Patrick, and with a too-sweet smile playing at her lips, said, “I’m a detective, Patrick. It’s my job to wear people down. You have no idea what you’re up against.”
Patrick, liking the sound of that—a lot—just lifted his beer and offered it up for cheers. “Let the games begin.”
“Do you, um…” She trailed her fingers up his arm and then over his shoulder. “Have any requests?”
“Requests?” Patrick asked, taking a long drag on his beer.
&nbs
p; “I’m going to check out the jukebox.” Roz dug a five out of her wallet.
“Go hog-wild.” He grinned and watched her walk away. Her ass in those jeans…damn. She glanced at him over her shoulder, and a rush of tingles rose all over him.
While she swayed her hips and leaned against the jukebox, picking out songs, Bianca had come by with their appetizer and baskets. Patrick tossed a fried mashed potato ball into his mouth.
“Checked Facebook lately?” Bianca took a seat for a moment.
Patrick shrugged. “I mean, today, yeah. I don’t know what time I last looked. Why?”
Bianca nodded for him to do so.
Patrick sighed, and with a roll of his eyes, fished out his phone. He opened the app, and a gazillion little red flags popped up. He wasn’t very good at checking his notifications. But the first post was a sweaty, pale picture of his ex, Sylvia, and her husband, holding a tiny infant swaddled in a pink blanket.
Sylvia and Steve beamed at their baby, Georgia Rose per the caption. Patrick waited for the pang of jealousy to hit him in the chest. The same way it did whenever he thought about her saying she just didn’t want to be tied down anymore. The same way it did when not even a full month later he’d run into her with Steve, the new golden, ripped PE teacher, buying condoms at the convenience store.
He waited for the bitterness to consume him the way it did just four months later when they’d had a small ceremony and cruelly invited him to, which he’d sadistically showed up for. Or when he’d found out they were pregnant not too long after.
But tonight, it didn’t come.
“I’m happy for them,” Patrick told his sister who reassessed him.
“I think I believe you.” Bianca nodded at something over Patrick’s shoulder. “I don’t know her story, or where you guys are at, but I just want you to know that your happiness means everything to me.”
“Aw, big sis.” Patrick stuffed his phone away.
She waved him off, and just like that, she was back on her feet, buzzing from table to bar and bar to kitchen.
The very distinct beat of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” came pounding out of the speakers.
When he looked again, Roz was on her way back from the jukebox, dancing—no—strutting, or some combination of the two, toward him. Each step was with authority and purpose, and each sway of her hips, or caress of her hands against her body, was pure sex. If that was a taste of how she planned on torturing him tonight, he was there for it.
“Nice,” Patrick offered when she sat again, drawing her hand along his back.
“You like that?” She smirked and squeezed her lemon wedge, seasoning her fish.
“Yeah.” Patrick grinned to himself. “I love Def Leppard.”
He caught that look on her face before she masked it again. Neither of them had meant the song.
“So, I hear you have my niece in your class.” Roz swiped the fried Blue Gill meat through some tartar sauce and then brought it her mouth.
“Do I have to guess who?”
Roz finished her bite, and said, “Gabby Cruz?” before starting in on another piece of the flaky fish.
“I should have known.” Patrick dunked a fry in ketchup. “She’s way too cool. She plays the bass oboe and it isn’t exactly rock and roll, you know what I mean? But somehow the bass oboe is hella cool now because she’s playing it. Which is very Roz Abrams. You make everything you touch feel cool.”
“She says you’re her favorite teacher.” The way Roz smiled at him gave him a clutching sensation in his chest that made everything feel warm.
“Note to self, thank Gabby for the glowing letter of recommendation.” Patrick dug into his fish. “I didn’t pay her to say that, I promise. Wait…? Rozalyn, have you been talking to your family about me?”
Roz shrugged. “I love this song.”
“‘Talk Dirty To Me.’ Nice touch.” He allowed her the change in conversation. “I’m sensing a theme.”
She took a swig of beer. “I have no idea what you’re insinuating.”
“Uh-huh.” Patrick smirked. “It’s not going to work. Not tonight.” It totally would. Every time, anywhere, she asked. But she didn’t need to know that yet.
Chapter 15
Roz
“IF you want to put a CD in, there are some in the glovebox,” Patrick offered as they drove to Lootie’s Booty in his cherry-red classic Chevy pick-up. It was as sexy as he was. The dark-wash jeans, nerdy Star Wars T-shirt, and hoodie layered with a dark jacket over were really working in his favor tonight. She could still see some of his tattoos peeking out from the cuff at his wrist. He had trimmed his scruff so it was neat and tidy, and she couldn’t wait to feel it all over her skin.
She pulled out a CD case with old band stickers slapped all over it. One of them was Skeeter and the Eater and it made Roz smile.
“I want to see you play the drums,” she mused, flipping through his CD case.
“You did.” He laughed. “At your uncle’s party.” Oh damn, he was right.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t know I needed to be paying attention then.” She sent him a smirk. His hand came to rest on her upper leg. “You can give me a solo performance, though.” He tightened his hold on her thigh and a rush of heat fluttered across her entire body. He shot her a heated glance, and she was tempted to tell him to pull the truck over now.
Roz flipped another page in his CD case and let out a laugh. “Seriously?” She held the sleeve up so he could see. “Celine Dion?” She burst into a fit of giggles. He sent her an offended look.
“Hey now, don’t knock Miss Celine Dion.” He threw a hand over his heart as if she had wounded him. She couldn’t stop laughing at that point. He sent her a sexy grin that had her heart flipping. “Let’s put it in and I’ll give you a lesson in good music.”
“I never said she wasn’t good music. I’m just surprised that you have a CD of hers at the ready.” She laughed while sliding it in.
“I’m man enough to not be ashamed of what I like.” His hand was back on her thigh now and he shot her a sideways look that was full of heat.
They both knew he didn’t mean Celine Dion.
She bit her lip and slid a little farther down in her seat so his hand rose some on her thigh. He danced his fingers over the seam of her jeans. Goosebumps popped up on her skin and her panties grew damp.
Celine crooned in the background.
Roz cleared her throat and sat straighter. She was starting to slip in her control and she wanted to rein that back in. She needed to clear her foggy mind.
Patrick put his blinker on and pulled into the parking lot of Lootie’s Booty. The place looked pretty busy. She was grateful they were there. The sexual tension was getting almost palpable in the air.
Patrick had his hand on the small of her back as they walked in. There were people and kids all around, playing arcade games and snacking on pizza. There was a laser tag maze off to one side and go-karts to the other. Loud music came out of the speakers and people were talking and laughing. The atmosphere was fun and laid back.
He slid his arm around to her hip so she was flush against his side. He had to lean down and put his lips to her ear so she could hear him over all the chaos. “Want to do go-karts first or did you have something else in mind?” His breath blew down her neck, his beard tickled her ear, and she had to hold back a shiver. She definitely did have something else in mind, something that involved a back road and being bent over the tailgate of his truck.
Roz stood on her tiptoes to get closer to his ear, and he tightened his hand on her hip. “Go-karts are fine.” She subtly dragged her face along his beard as she pulled away. God, he smelled amazing.
He smiled down at her and nodded, leading them in the right direction. They had to go back outside to get to the go-karts and the cool air felt good on her heated cheeks.
They each climbed into their own kart. “You’re going down, Roman,” Roz teased, putti
ng on her seat belt.
“Wanna bet?” He raised an eyebrow. She was intrigued. “If you lose, I get a kiss.” Roz couldn’t hold back a loud laugh. They knew that was already going to happen.
“Okay.” She laughed. “What do I get if I win?”
He sent her a grin that had her stomach fluttering. Before he could answer, the buzzer went off, signaling they could go.
Roz sent him a wink before hitting the gas. The air blew through her hair and nipped her skin. It was brisk and refreshing, and it was what she needed to clear her mind. It was hard to think when he was around. He fried all her nerve endings and left her tingling.
Flying around a curve, she spotted him coming up quick on her side. She already had the little metal petal flattened to the floor so she couldn’t go much faster.
There was another kart in front of her that wasn’t going very fast, and Roz bumped into the back of it, slowing her down.
Patrick smiled wide at her as he flew past. Cursing under her breath, she got her kart back in control and around the slow poke. She smashed the petal to the floor, gaining on him in no time.
She blew him a kiss as she passed him. She was having a blast and wanted to know what she got if she won this little bet.
Coming up on the last curve, she was confident she had a good lead on him. Out of nowhere, he flew up on the side of her, smiling wide and laughing. He was so adorable it took her a second to remember she wanted to win this race.
It was too late at that point, though. He was a nose ahead of her as they pulled back into the corral. She smiled wide, even though she’d lost, she was having a great time.
“Congratulations, sir,” she commended, unbuckling herself. He was out of his kart already and held out a hand to help her up. Once she was eye level, she planted a kiss on his lips. It was a quick one, but her stomach clenched, her heart flipped, and her pussy tightened.
“That doesn’t count.” His arm went around her as they walked away from the karts and toward the building.
