Inside Out
Page 17
Before he could reply, her cell began to ring, and she frowned, looking at the screen. “It’s Elise. Hang on.”
He tried not to be too obvious as he trailed his gaze down, over the curves of her br**sts. Her ni**les stood against the fabric of her shirt. He’d thought, so many times, of how they’d feel in his hands, what the weight would be.
“Yes, of course. Not a big deal. Love you too. See you in a bit.” She ended the call and turned her attention to him again.
“Everything all right?”
“Elise just wanted to borrow a piece of luggage. Would it be too much to ask that we drop it by their house before we go to Adrian’s?”
“Ella”—he hesitated—“you can ask me anything, and I’d do it if it was in my power.”
She stopped what she’d been doing and straightened, her hand on her heart, big green eyes blinking. “Thank you, Andrew. I believe you would.”
And with those words, he was lost in her. She meant it. Saw him as a man who kept his word and one who could be counted on. It wasn’t a calculated statement; she just said it because she believed it. He would have ripped an organ out and given it to her if she’d asked.
The moment between them grew heated until she sighed and took a step back. “I’ll just go grab it then, while you finish your sandwich.” She hurried from the room, and he ate, smiling. Ella Tipton was going to be his. Not just in his head, not just to flirt with. No, he wanted her in a way he’d never wanted anything before, and as it happened, Andrew Copeland was a man who didn’t give up until he got what he wanted.
She grabbed the little bag when they pulled up outside Brody’s. “I’ll be out in just a moment.”
He snorted. “Why don’t I take it for you? It’s a little chilly out there, and it’s pretty warm in the truck.”
She handed it to him, touched. “Are you sure? It’s not a big deal at all.”
“Be right back.” He eased from the car and jogged to the front door, where Brody met him. Brody waved and then blew her a kiss. Laughing at him, she waved back, blushing furiously.
“All right then.” Cope got back in the driver’s seat, and they pulled away from the curb. “I’ve got the champagne, so let’s get on over there. You owe me a dance or three tonight, just sayin’.”
“You’re a great dancer. I, um, noticed last night. A lot of men don’t seem to like dancing.”
God, the way his mouth looked when he smiled totally made her weak in the knees. He wasn’t even looking at her, and the force of his attraction still made her all tingly.
“Ben told me when I was in middle school that girls loved boys who liked to dance. I can’t lie. I totally started dancing at the dances to get girls.”
She laughed again, totally charmed. “It seems to work for you.”
He took her hand and kissed it. Hot and slightly openmouthed, his lips touching the tender skin between her knuckles, and she felt it from toes to ni**les.
“Does it? ’Cause I’m working it, beautiful Ella, I’m working it.”
Ella found herself flustered around Cope when he treated her like a woman instead of a friend. Or when she thought he did, because—hello—why on earth would he when he had women homing in on him like some sort of freaking cupcake or something. But he’d certainly never kissed her before last night, much less done that hot hand thing. Lord above, it was hot and all distracting and totally yummy.
She did notice a difference in how he acted with her. Not just the kissing and the way he got so very close to her when they were together. He was more intense, focused. He looked at her mouth a lot. Oh, and her boobs. Which wasn’t unusual in a man after all. But still.
As they drove to Adrian’s place, Ella simply enjoyed being with him. There was this fluttery feeling in her belly that she realized was the birth of far more intense things between her and Cope. Like it was seconds before the first kiss with someone new. She hadn’t felt that in years. But the memory of it paled in comparison to the reality of what Cope did to her system. Even if it never went anywhere, Ella planned to grab every bit of it she could.
When they arrived, Adrian ambled out, all long, lean and sexy. He did that tip of the chin thing men do with each other, in Cope’s direction. “Thanks for bringing this.” He turned to Ella. “Hey there, Ella. Erin and Elise are in my guest room getting dressed, I said I’d send you when you arrived.”
She blushed. Adrian Brown was something else and then some. Always totally sweet to her and every other person in his life from what she’d seen in the years she’d known him. He was so regular and down-to-earth in his behavior—though not his looks—if she hadn’t seen him on stage, she wouldn’t have pegged him as a celebrity.
“Okay. Thanks, Adrian. Let me know if I can help at all.”
Cope took her hand, staying her. He stepped close, so close he brushed against her when he breathed. His gaze locked with hers and ensnared her. Her heart thundered and she was sure her hands would be fluttering all around if he wasn’t holding them. She prayed they weren’t sweaty. “I’ll take care of the stuff you’ve brought. And don’t forget my dances.”
Even breathless and turned-on, she did manage to engage her brain enough to speak, thank God. “Thank you. And thanks for the ride.” For long moments they stayed there in Adrian’s drive, just looking at each other. A noise behind them shook her free, and she ducked her head. “See you later.”
He tried not to be too obvious as he trailed his gaze down, over the curves of her br**sts. Her ni**les stood against the fabric of her shirt. He’d thought, so many times, of how they’d feel in his hands, what the weight would be.
“Yes, of course. Not a big deal. Love you too. See you in a bit.” She ended the call and turned her attention to him again.
“Everything all right?”
“Elise just wanted to borrow a piece of luggage. Would it be too much to ask that we drop it by their house before we go to Adrian’s?”
“Ella”—he hesitated—“you can ask me anything, and I’d do it if it was in my power.”
She stopped what she’d been doing and straightened, her hand on her heart, big green eyes blinking. “Thank you, Andrew. I believe you would.”
And with those words, he was lost in her. She meant it. Saw him as a man who kept his word and one who could be counted on. It wasn’t a calculated statement; she just said it because she believed it. He would have ripped an organ out and given it to her if she’d asked.
The moment between them grew heated until she sighed and took a step back. “I’ll just go grab it then, while you finish your sandwich.” She hurried from the room, and he ate, smiling. Ella Tipton was going to be his. Not just in his head, not just to flirt with. No, he wanted her in a way he’d never wanted anything before, and as it happened, Andrew Copeland was a man who didn’t give up until he got what he wanted.
She grabbed the little bag when they pulled up outside Brody’s. “I’ll be out in just a moment.”
He snorted. “Why don’t I take it for you? It’s a little chilly out there, and it’s pretty warm in the truck.”
She handed it to him, touched. “Are you sure? It’s not a big deal at all.”
“Be right back.” He eased from the car and jogged to the front door, where Brody met him. Brody waved and then blew her a kiss. Laughing at him, she waved back, blushing furiously.
“All right then.” Cope got back in the driver’s seat, and they pulled away from the curb. “I’ve got the champagne, so let’s get on over there. You owe me a dance or three tonight, just sayin’.”
“You’re a great dancer. I, um, noticed last night. A lot of men don’t seem to like dancing.”
God, the way his mouth looked when he smiled totally made her weak in the knees. He wasn’t even looking at her, and the force of his attraction still made her all tingly.
“Ben told me when I was in middle school that girls loved boys who liked to dance. I can’t lie. I totally started dancing at the dances to get girls.”
She laughed again, totally charmed. “It seems to work for you.”
He took her hand and kissed it. Hot and slightly openmouthed, his lips touching the tender skin between her knuckles, and she felt it from toes to ni**les.
“Does it? ’Cause I’m working it, beautiful Ella, I’m working it.”
Ella found herself flustered around Cope when he treated her like a woman instead of a friend. Or when she thought he did, because—hello—why on earth would he when he had women homing in on him like some sort of freaking cupcake or something. But he’d certainly never kissed her before last night, much less done that hot hand thing. Lord above, it was hot and all distracting and totally yummy.
She did notice a difference in how he acted with her. Not just the kissing and the way he got so very close to her when they were together. He was more intense, focused. He looked at her mouth a lot. Oh, and her boobs. Which wasn’t unusual in a man after all. But still.
As they drove to Adrian’s place, Ella simply enjoyed being with him. There was this fluttery feeling in her belly that she realized was the birth of far more intense things between her and Cope. Like it was seconds before the first kiss with someone new. She hadn’t felt that in years. But the memory of it paled in comparison to the reality of what Cope did to her system. Even if it never went anywhere, Ella planned to grab every bit of it she could.
When they arrived, Adrian ambled out, all long, lean and sexy. He did that tip of the chin thing men do with each other, in Cope’s direction. “Thanks for bringing this.” He turned to Ella. “Hey there, Ella. Erin and Elise are in my guest room getting dressed, I said I’d send you when you arrived.”
She blushed. Adrian Brown was something else and then some. Always totally sweet to her and every other person in his life from what she’d seen in the years she’d known him. He was so regular and down-to-earth in his behavior—though not his looks—if she hadn’t seen him on stage, she wouldn’t have pegged him as a celebrity.
“Okay. Thanks, Adrian. Let me know if I can help at all.”
Cope took her hand, staying her. He stepped close, so close he brushed against her when he breathed. His gaze locked with hers and ensnared her. Her heart thundered and she was sure her hands would be fluttering all around if he wasn’t holding them. She prayed they weren’t sweaty. “I’ll take care of the stuff you’ve brought. And don’t forget my dances.”
Even breathless and turned-on, she did manage to engage her brain enough to speak, thank God. “Thank you. And thanks for the ride.” For long moments they stayed there in Adrian’s drive, just looking at each other. A noise behind them shook her free, and she ducked her head. “See you later.”
