One Good Man (13 page)

"Bored? That game sure wasn't boring." She touched his face. "None of it was," she told him softly. "I had fun hanging out with you."

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One Good Man

by Nona Raines

He waggled his eyebrows. "Well, there's other ways to have fun."

"How true." She drew a finger down his chest and gave him a look she hoped was sultry rather than silly. "There's still Dr. D..."

"Have we decided what letter to start with?"

"Why don't we play it by ear," she suggested, her breath hitching when his warm lips touched the hollow of her throat.

"By ear it is," Matthew murmured, working his way down her body.

Matthew pulled his truck into the lot outside the Pizza Palace. Andie drove her own car because she'd be heading to the airport in Syracuse to pick up her father after dinner. She found a space nearby and parked, but made no move to open her door.

"We'll have a quick bite, Andie," Matthew promised her.

"No big deal."

That's what he thought. To Andie it was not just a big deal; it was a big mistake. After they'd spent most of the day in bed drowsing, talking, and experimenting with the Dictionary of Desire, Matthew persuaded her to go out to dinner with him. Her brain must have been spongy from too much sleep and sex to realize what she was agreeing to.

She and Matthew had been wrapped in a cocoon of fantasy for the past two days. During that time Andie put off thinking about real life. But now the weekend was rapidly coming to a close. In a few hours it would be over. What then? She wished she had the power to turn back the clock or stop time.

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Keep reliving the same weekend again and again, the way Bill Murray relived Groundhog Day in the movie.

But no such luck. Now, at Matthew's insistence, reality had to intrude. The Pizza Palace wouldn't provide the casual anonymity of the fast food drive-thru. They'd be seen together in public, like a real couple. But they weren't a real couple.

But what if more were possible? Did Matthew consider this a date? Was he imagining a future for them beyond the weekend? Could the end of the fantasy be the beginning of something real?

Don't go there. You're setting yourself up for another fall.

Andie got out of her car and met Matthew's smile with a lopsided smile of her own. Side by side they walked to the entrance of the Pizza Palace and stepped inside. It was an ordinary little pizzeria with checkered vinyl tablecloths on the tables and plastic flowers in inexpensive glass vases. The atmosphere was nothing much, but Matthew said the pizza was good. Just inside the door, they glanced around for a free table. It was pretty crowded for a Monday evening, but then it was the tail end of a long weekend. People were winding down and not in the mood to cook.

Matthew went still beside her and brought his hand up to wave at a couple sitting towards the back. They were gesturing him over to their table. Andie immediately noted the resemblance between Matthew and the other man.

Matthew spoke. "That's my brother and his girl."

Andie's head swiveled his way. "Did you know they'd be here?"

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He looked confused by her question. "No. It's a coincidence."

"Well, go on over, say hello."

"Come with me."

Andie's stomach flipped. "No, I'll wait here." She noticed Adam and his girlfriend gazing at her inquisitively. They had to be wondering what Matthew was doing with her. Andie wished she'd never agreed to come.

He took her by the hand. "Come on."

Adam perused Andie while greeting his brother. "Hey, Wash, small world or what?"

Matthew gave his brother a look that seemed to threaten,
don't embarrass me
. "Hey, you two. Andie, this is my brother Adam and his friend Kim. Guys, this is Andie."

Andie nodded and gave what she hoped was a smile. "Hi."

Kim's smile seemed genuine, if tempered with curiosity.

"Why don't you sit down? We got here a few minutes ago ourselves, haven't even ordered yet."

Matthew glanced at Andie. She didn't want to share Matthew with anyone during the last few hours they'd have together. But she didn't want to embarrass him, either, by being unfriendly. She forced herself to smile.

"That's fine."

They sat and while the two men discussed the finer points of double cheese and the merits of sausage versus pepperoni, Andie took Adam's measure just as he took hers. There was no denying the two were brothers. Adam might be a bit taller, his hair darker and his jaw a bit more square, but they both had the same long noses and wide mouths. Even their smiles 122

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were similar, but to Andie's mind Matthew's was open and friendly while his brother's seemed skeptical and almost mocking.

Matthew didn't miss how his brother was giving Andie the once-over. He didn't want her feeling uncomfortable. She was okay with the two of them kicking it in private, but hadn't been eager to be seen with him in public. That bothered him—did she think he wasn't good enough for her? Or was it the other way around? He didn't dare use the word date with her, afraid it would scare her off completely. But Matt wanted Andie to see the possibility of something between them.

Something more than a hot weekend. In an attempt to distract his pain-in-the-ass brother, Matthew asked "How was the picnic?"

Adam rolled his eyes while Kim answered. "It was very nice." She shot him a look as though daring him to disagree.

Adam took the hint and added, "It was all right." His eyes slid toward Andie. "Too bad you two didn't come along."

Matt knew his brother well enough to realize what he was doing—trying to gauge how tight he and Andie were. Matthew had no intention of rising to the bait. "Sounds like fun, but we had other plans."

"I bet." Adam managed to make his response suggestive enough to make Andie blush. Matthew would have gladly given his stupid-ass brother a kick under the table if he wasn't afraid of missing the mark and nailing Kim instead.

Conversation stumbled along until the pizza arrived, whereupon they all were able to relax and dig in. After asking the waitress to bring them some hot sauce, Adam sprinkled 123

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his slice with red pepper flakes then held them out to Matt, giving him a sly look. "Want some, Wash Boy, or is it too rich for your blood?"

"Hand it here, bad ass," Matt told him.

As he sprinkled his pizza, Andie gave Matthew a curious look. "Wash Boy?"

"Yeah, that's his nickname." Adam snickered, while his brother sent him an evil glare. "What, he never told you?

Hey, Wash, you been holding out on your girl."

Andie tensed at being called Matthew's "girl." Her glance flicked towards him, checking his reaction. Here was the test.

Would he acknowledge their relationship or respond with that all-purpose rejoinder
we're just friends
? Matthew squeezed Andie's hand, smiling at her while he inclined his head Adam's way.

"Asshole over here christened me. The laundry was my job as a kid. I told you how my mother worked two jobs, so both of us had to help out around the house. My brother fixed the meals when she had to work late, and I was the clean-up guy. And that included running the washing machine."

Matthew hadn't told Andie much about his home life, so she wanted to hear more. "Were you okay with that?"

Adam blew a raspberry. "Aw, you shoulda heard him bitch and moan."

"Yeah, I had to keep up with you, jerk-off. Anyway, a guy's gotta complain, right? But really, it wasn't bad. At least I learned how to sort laundry." He jerked his thumb at his brother. "That's when I became 'Wash Boy.' One day I found 124

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he'd used a Magic Marker to make a giant W on every one of my T-shirts."

Adam threw back his head and laughed. "That was a good one. You should have seen his face."

Matt frowned. "Yeah, you were a real wit."

"More like half-wit," Kim put in, reaching for her second slice of pizza.

"Oh, geez." Andie had to laugh.

"Yeah, but I got him back." Matt smirked. "Wasn't long after he had to start wearing pink underpants."

She almost choked on her soda. "You didn't."

"Yeah. Although my mom was pretty pissed when she found out I'd
accidentally
mixed up her red sweater in the hot water wash with Adam's underwear. Oh, well." He flashed a grin at Adam, who scowled back at him.

"Asshole. You shoulda heard the shit I had to take from the guys in gym class."

Matthew shrugged and his grin grew a little wider. "Hey, that'll teach you to mess with the Wash Boy."

Kim wiped tomato sauce from her lips and slanted an inquisitive look at Adam. "So you cook? That's a surprise. I've never seen you do more than open a pizza box or stick something in the microwave."

"I'm a good cook," Adam told her with a bit of pride. "I just don't do it much anymore."

"Only do it for someone special, huh?"

Adam stiffened, then shrugged in a show of indifference.

An undercurrent passed between him and Kim. Her teeth flashed as she sank them into her slice and tore out a bite.

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To ease the tension, Andie gestured to the bottle of hot sauce on the table and remarked to Adam, "I see you like your pizza spicy, too."

"He puts that crap on everything," Kim said. "It's disgusting."

Adam leaned back in his chair. "Eh. The wimpy ass stuff they serve here doesn't deserve to be called hot sauce. It's no better than lukewarm. But it makes my wussy brother's eyes water."

His attitude was casual, and in spite of the way he constantly ragged on his little brother, Andie could see Adam loved Matthew. The two brothers soon got into a discussion of their favorite brands of hot sauce, and who between them was the true connoisseur. Andie and Kim had a bonding moment as they glanced at each other and Kim rolled her eyes.
Men and their bullshit
. The guys were still "discussing"

when Andie excused herself to use the restroom.

"So that's what kept you so busy this weekend," Adam remarked.

"Yep." Matthew wasn't crazy about the smirk on his brother's face.

"A librarian, huh? So has she told you
shush, quiet please
when you're in bed yet?" Adam snickered.

"Ha ha. You're a real comedian."

Adam shook his head. "Well, man, now that I see her, it all makes sense."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means St. Matthew the White Knight is escorting his latest damsel in distress around town."

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"What the hell?" Matt snapped. He looked at Kim. "What's he talking about?"

Kim decided to translate. "He means he thinks your girl's a dog."

"For God's sake," Matthew muttered in disgust while Adam spoke at the same time. "I didn't say that!"

Kim gave Adam a knowing look as she picked up her slice of pizza. "It's what you meant. Jesus, you men are such superficial assholes."

"I never said she was a dog," Adam repeated. "But you've got to admit she's not exactly centerfold material."

Kim snorted. "All you jerks think you deserve centerfolds.

Even if you look like crap yourselves."

"I'm not looking for a centerfold." Matthew glared at his brother.

"They're all faked, anyway," Kim put in. "Airbrushed and photo-shopped and all that shit."

Adam held his ground. "C'mon, Wash, I know you. The minute some needy chick shows up, you're right there, dusting off the armor. Like with what's-her-name..."

"Chelsea." Matt filled in the name automatically.

"She's all 'Boo hoo, I'm always falling for bad boys and they're so mean to me. Save me, please.' And you of course ride to the rescue, and what does she do? Dump your ass as soon as hot biker dude shows up."

Adam clicked his tongue in exasperation. "But once she's gone, do you find some hot piece of tail and screw your brains out? No. You hook up with the chubbette. St. Matthew, patron saint of all the lonely fat chicks who can't get laid."

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Matt was speechless. Kim was not. "You're a complete dick!"

Adam remained unruffled by the insult. "Yeah, I'm a dick.

Whatever. But you're not gonna convince me this new girl is anything but your latest pity project."

The three at the table didn't realize the ladies' room was occupied, and Andie had to wait at the locked door. Though hidden behind the partition blocking the view of the ladies'

room from the dining area, Andie was close enough to hear her companions' conversation. When she'd heard her name mentioned of course she had to listen. She was only human.

What she heard made the bottom fall out of her world. A pity project. Right. Pity fuck was more like it. Andie's guts churned. She wanted to puke. God, she was so stupid! It was Logan all over again—another guy pretending to want her, all the time serving his own selfish agenda.

But another part of Andie was relieved. She'd never really believed Matthew was attracted to her. Deep inside she was still the Fat Kid. It all made sense now.

She'd known from the first he was out of her league. The sex was fantastic, but she'd never be able to go out in public with him. People's reactions would be exactly the same as Adam's. She'd look like a fool, an object of sympathy and speculation.

Matthew meant more to her than sex. She enjoyed his companionship, his kindness, his humor. In one weekend she already felt more comfortable with him than she'd ever felt with Douglas.

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Now she knew what she meant to Matthew. She was a poor needy stray, like Marilyn, like Angel. The lonely fat chick, who appeared just when he needed someone new to save.

The question that had niggled at her mercilessly was finally answered. And her heart closed as tightly as a fist.