Not Quite Over You
Page 23
She sipped her drink. “I don’t remember exactly how we started dating. Do you?”
“Yes. It was the Saturday before graduation. I was driving into town and I saw you walking along the sidewalk. You had on white shorts and a pink crop top. I took one look at you and I was lost.”
His words jogged her memory. “Oh yeah. You pulled over and wanted to buy me dinner.”
“You told me it was nine-fifteen in the morning and dinner wasn’t for hours. I said I’d wait.”
“You did.”
They looked at each other. She felt the heat between them, the connection, then told herself it was probably one-sided and not to read anything into it.
“You should probably add I was more than a piece of ass,” she murmured, mostly to distract herself.
“You know you were.”
“Because we’d gone to high school together for three years and you’d never noticed me.”
“I’d noticed. I just didn’t do anything.” One shoulder rose and lowered. “I noticed, but I knew when you and I got together, it would be intense and high school was not the place for that.”
She had no idea if he was telling the truth but she hoped he was. That what they’d been together had been as important to him as it had been to her.
“I see it with Cade,” he admitted. “The intensity. The way he looks at Bethany, how he talks about her.”
“They’re getting married—aren’t they supposed to be in love?”
“Sure, but it’s a whole different level. Look at what he’s giving up to be with her.”
“What’s he giving up? She’s an actual princess.”
Drew looked at her. “The royal thing isn’t on any guy’s wish list. In-laws can be terrifying but his father-in-law is a king. I think they still behead people in El Bahar.”
She laughed. “They don’t and you know it. But you might have a point about the prince thing being tough duty. There will be a lot of expectations. Still, Cade’s a good guy. I want them to be happy together.”
“Me, too.”
The sun slipped below the horizon. The air had begun to cool, but it was still pleasant outside.
“You ever date Jasper?”
The question surprised her. She glanced at him. “No. Of course not. He’s with Wynn.”
“Now, but what about before?”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “No, I never dated Jasper. Why would you ask?”
“I thought he might be your type.”
“Because he’s dangerous?” Jasper had an edge about him, a darkness. She knew he had a military background but little else about him. Wynn didn’t talk about Jasper, and Silver had never had the chance to get to know him beyond saying hello.
“Because he’s wounded. Chicks dig a guy who’s wounded.”
“Chicks? You didn’t just say that. Men!” She glanced at him. “You’re really not in a position to be saying anything about any guy I dated. You were engaged to Ashley Lauren Grantham-Greene.”
He groaned. “No. Don’t remind me. That was a hideous mistake.”
“She tried to set your car on fire.”
“I know.”
“What were you thinking? The name alone should have been a tip-off. And she was so stuck-up and pretentious. What if you’d actually married her?”
He angled toward her. “It never would have happened.”
“Oh, I think it might have. Is this where I mention the engagement again?”
“No, it’s not. You think you’re so smart.”
“I am so smart.”
He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Come on. Let’s go inside. I’ll serve you a dinner so delicious, you’ll never mention Ashley Lauren Grantham-Greene again.”
She tried not to react to the heat from where his fingers had touched hers. “That’s got to be some dinner because I kind of like mentioning her.”
They went into the house. He set his empty glass on the table, took hers and put it down as well before turning to face her.
They were standing close. A little too close. She had to tilt her head to stare into his eyes, and every inch of her body was aware of every inch of his.
They had been so good together. The words were whispered by a traitorous part of her body that remembered Drew far too well. Telling herself this was a different place and time didn’t do much to quiet the need that flared inside of her. Telling herself she had to bring up Autumn, and soon, did a slightly better job but not enough to keep her from wishing he would... He would...
CHAPTER SEVEN
DREW’S EYES LOCKED with hers. Silver saw the exact moment he decided to make a move and told herself to get the hell out of there. To not under any circumstances give in to—
He closed the last couple of inches between them and kissed her. That was it—just one gentle, sensual brush of his lips against hers and she was completely and totally gone. Any chance of escape faded as her body surrendered to that single kiss.
What was it about lips on lips? Where did the magic live the rest of the time, and who was really to blame—her body, her head or her heart?
Involuntarily, she raised her arms and rested her hands on his shoulders. She was instantly aware that he was bigger and stronger than he had been before. At eighteen, he’d been as much a boy as a man. Now, more than a decade later, he’d filled out and matured and she couldn’t begin to resist that.
He pressed his mouth more firmly against hers. At the same time he settled his hands on her waist, his thumbs lightly tracing her bottom ribs.
He’d always done that, she thought hazily. Touched her like that, kissed her like that. Even as the thought formed, his tongue swept lazily across her lower lip. As if they had all the time in the world. As if there was no question about what was going to happen next.
At the first stroke of his tongue, need exploded. Heat followed, making her ache and whimper and shake. Powerful hunger took control, overwhelming common sense and self-preservation. She wanted him with a desperation that threatened her very being. This was Drew and she’d always been an eager participant in any game he wanted to play.
He eased back a little and nibbled his way along her jaw. “I’ve seen the dragon tat,” he murmured between nipping caresses. “Any other new ones I should know about?”
“There’s a heart on the right side of my back. You already know about the rose.”
“The dragon and the rose.” He shuddered. “You know you’re killing me, right?”
He wasn’t the only one dying here but she wasn’t going to say that. Instead she reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it off in one easy move.
His gaze skimmed over her and he shook his head, then grabbed her hand. She followed him through the house, up the stairs and into the master bedroom. She had a brief impression of lots of space and a big bed, then Drew pulled back the comforter and sheets, opened a nightstand drawer and set out a handful of condoms before tearing off his own T-shirt.
They toed out of their shoes. Jeans and underwear followed. She paused to unfasten her bra and toss it on the pile of clothes.
They were both naked, but instead of reaching for her, he simply looked. She did the same, taking in the thick muscles of his chest, the narrow waist and hips and his very large, very thick erection. He was ready, she thought with satisfaction. She could see the rapid beating of his heart in a vein in his neck.
“Yes. It was the Saturday before graduation. I was driving into town and I saw you walking along the sidewalk. You had on white shorts and a pink crop top. I took one look at you and I was lost.”
His words jogged her memory. “Oh yeah. You pulled over and wanted to buy me dinner.”
“You told me it was nine-fifteen in the morning and dinner wasn’t for hours. I said I’d wait.”
“You did.”
They looked at each other. She felt the heat between them, the connection, then told herself it was probably one-sided and not to read anything into it.
“You should probably add I was more than a piece of ass,” she murmured, mostly to distract herself.
“You know you were.”
“Because we’d gone to high school together for three years and you’d never noticed me.”
“I’d noticed. I just didn’t do anything.” One shoulder rose and lowered. “I noticed, but I knew when you and I got together, it would be intense and high school was not the place for that.”
She had no idea if he was telling the truth but she hoped he was. That what they’d been together had been as important to him as it had been to her.
“I see it with Cade,” he admitted. “The intensity. The way he looks at Bethany, how he talks about her.”
“They’re getting married—aren’t they supposed to be in love?”
“Sure, but it’s a whole different level. Look at what he’s giving up to be with her.”
“What’s he giving up? She’s an actual princess.”
Drew looked at her. “The royal thing isn’t on any guy’s wish list. In-laws can be terrifying but his father-in-law is a king. I think they still behead people in El Bahar.”
She laughed. “They don’t and you know it. But you might have a point about the prince thing being tough duty. There will be a lot of expectations. Still, Cade’s a good guy. I want them to be happy together.”
“Me, too.”
The sun slipped below the horizon. The air had begun to cool, but it was still pleasant outside.
“You ever date Jasper?”
The question surprised her. She glanced at him. “No. Of course not. He’s with Wynn.”
“Now, but what about before?”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “No, I never dated Jasper. Why would you ask?”
“I thought he might be your type.”
“Because he’s dangerous?” Jasper had an edge about him, a darkness. She knew he had a military background but little else about him. Wynn didn’t talk about Jasper, and Silver had never had the chance to get to know him beyond saying hello.
“Because he’s wounded. Chicks dig a guy who’s wounded.”
“Chicks? You didn’t just say that. Men!” She glanced at him. “You’re really not in a position to be saying anything about any guy I dated. You were engaged to Ashley Lauren Grantham-Greene.”
He groaned. “No. Don’t remind me. That was a hideous mistake.”
“She tried to set your car on fire.”
“I know.”
“What were you thinking? The name alone should have been a tip-off. And she was so stuck-up and pretentious. What if you’d actually married her?”
He angled toward her. “It never would have happened.”
“Oh, I think it might have. Is this where I mention the engagement again?”
“No, it’s not. You think you’re so smart.”
“I am so smart.”
He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Come on. Let’s go inside. I’ll serve you a dinner so delicious, you’ll never mention Ashley Lauren Grantham-Greene again.”
She tried not to react to the heat from where his fingers had touched hers. “That’s got to be some dinner because I kind of like mentioning her.”
They went into the house. He set his empty glass on the table, took hers and put it down as well before turning to face her.
They were standing close. A little too close. She had to tilt her head to stare into his eyes, and every inch of her body was aware of every inch of his.
They had been so good together. The words were whispered by a traitorous part of her body that remembered Drew far too well. Telling herself this was a different place and time didn’t do much to quiet the need that flared inside of her. Telling herself she had to bring up Autumn, and soon, did a slightly better job but not enough to keep her from wishing he would... He would...
CHAPTER SEVEN
DREW’S EYES LOCKED with hers. Silver saw the exact moment he decided to make a move and told herself to get the hell out of there. To not under any circumstances give in to—
He closed the last couple of inches between them and kissed her. That was it—just one gentle, sensual brush of his lips against hers and she was completely and totally gone. Any chance of escape faded as her body surrendered to that single kiss.
What was it about lips on lips? Where did the magic live the rest of the time, and who was really to blame—her body, her head or her heart?
Involuntarily, she raised her arms and rested her hands on his shoulders. She was instantly aware that he was bigger and stronger than he had been before. At eighteen, he’d been as much a boy as a man. Now, more than a decade later, he’d filled out and matured and she couldn’t begin to resist that.
He pressed his mouth more firmly against hers. At the same time he settled his hands on her waist, his thumbs lightly tracing her bottom ribs.
He’d always done that, she thought hazily. Touched her like that, kissed her like that. Even as the thought formed, his tongue swept lazily across her lower lip. As if they had all the time in the world. As if there was no question about what was going to happen next.
At the first stroke of his tongue, need exploded. Heat followed, making her ache and whimper and shake. Powerful hunger took control, overwhelming common sense and self-preservation. She wanted him with a desperation that threatened her very being. This was Drew and she’d always been an eager participant in any game he wanted to play.
He eased back a little and nibbled his way along her jaw. “I’ve seen the dragon tat,” he murmured between nipping caresses. “Any other new ones I should know about?”
“There’s a heart on the right side of my back. You already know about the rose.”
“The dragon and the rose.” He shuddered. “You know you’re killing me, right?”
He wasn’t the only one dying here but she wasn’t going to say that. Instead she reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it off in one easy move.
His gaze skimmed over her and he shook his head, then grabbed her hand. She followed him through the house, up the stairs and into the master bedroom. She had a brief impression of lots of space and a big bed, then Drew pulled back the comforter and sheets, opened a nightstand drawer and set out a handful of condoms before tearing off his own T-shirt.
They toed out of their shoes. Jeans and underwear followed. She paused to unfasten her bra and toss it on the pile of clothes.
They were both naked, but instead of reaching for her, he simply looked. She did the same, taking in the thick muscles of his chest, the narrow waist and hips and his very large, very thick erection. He was ready, she thought with satisfaction. She could see the rapid beating of his heart in a vein in his neck.
