Tap (Lovibond #1) (9 page)

Off limits, Broussard.

Off.

Limits.

I
’m bummed
when the last band of the night finishes its final song.
That’s the end of our dirty dancing. And no more dancing with arms wound tightly around my waist while warm breath hits the side of my neck.

I enjoyed dancing with Lucas earlier but this time was different. Hotter. More seductive.
It feels like something is happening here. And . . . I like it.

The crowd thins as they move toward the parking areas. “I guess this wraps up day one of the festival.”

“One down. One to go.”

“I guess I’m gonna head back to Ollie's.”

“It's not a good idea for you to drive. The police will be on the lookout for anyone who is driving after drinking. There could be roadblocks.”

It's been hours since the home brew tasting. “I'm fine to drive.”

“I’d feel much better if you’d agree to leave your car here and use our car service.”

My buzz is completely gone. “I'm good. Promise.”

“This is my way of looking at it: you'll never look back in ten years and regret letting someone safely drive you to your brother’s but you might look back in ten years and regret that you didn't.” I guess Lucas is right. Caution never hurt anyone.

“Okay. You win.”

Lucas takes his phone from his pocket. I recognize the swoosh of a text being sent and then the alert of one being received. “Someone will be here in about three minutes.”

“That fast, huh?”

“Speediness. It's one of the things I paid them for.”

I'm not sure what I expected, but this isn't how I pictured parting ways tonight. “Thank you for a wonderful day. I had a really good time.”

“I'm glad to hear that.”

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to entertain me.” I’m sure Lucas had a lot of other things he could have been doing.

“It was my pleasure. Thank you for helping me judge the contest.”

“I think I was more of a student than a helper.”

A black Suburban comes to a stop at the curb. “This is us.”
Us? He’s going to Ollie's with me?

He opens my door for me and then closes it before getting into the seat beside me on the other side. “202 Beechum Street.”

Is Lucas seeing me home safely because I'm his business partner’s sister? Or is this something else? I'm not sure. I'm not even positive I know what I want it to be.

“I haven't been to many beer festivals but I think you’ve done a spectacular job with this one.”

“I had very little to do with the planning process so I can't take credit. That belongs to Stout, Porter, and the event planner.”

“Regardless, so far I think it's a huge success.”

Lucas sighs deeply. “We've been to plenty but this was our first time to host. I didn't realize how much work it would be.”

“All worth it, I'm sure.”

“Getting Lovibond into Tapped Beer Emporium made it worth all the effort.” He’s still grinning about that one.

“Ollie has been after that account forever. He’ll be so excited. Why don’t you call him? I’d love to hear his reaction.”

Lucas clears his throat. “He’s supposed to check in with me tomorrow to see how things are going.”

“’Bout what time?”

“Not sure. Maybe around three.”

“I saw you and Porter speaking with lots of people today. By your smiles, it seemed as though you won a few other accounts. Yes?”

“At least four other companies, so we’re stoked.”

I am so proud of my brother. Who knew this would be where his life would go?

“Can I be there when you tell him the good news?”

Lucas nods. “I’ll try to make that happen.”

The SUV approaches Ollie's apartment and I'm nervous.
Lucas could have put me in the back of the Suburban and let me go. But he didn’t. What are his intentions?

We’ve spent the better part of the last ten hours together. A large portion of the day was getting to know one another. And I’ve enjoyed every moment, especially the flirting.
Lucas may very well be the sexiest man I've ever met. And he’s only become sexier as the day has gone by.

Everyone has something that just does it for them. A total turn-on. Mine is a scrumptious beard. And I love his.
I wonder what it would feel like against my face. My body. That ticklish spot around my groin.

The longer I think about Lucas and how sexy he is, the more I lean toward him, hoping his intentions with me are less than honorable.

The SUV comes to a stop and Lucas is out of the car before I can come up with anything clever to say.

I open my door and step out. He stops, hands on hips. “I was coming around to get that for you.”

“Sorry. I'm not used to anyone opening my door for me.” I'm self-sufficient. Have been for as long as I can remember. I don't need any man to open my door but I admit I don’t mind chivalry. Unfortunately, that is sometimes difficult to find in a man who considers himself a nonconformist.
Equality of the sexes and all.

“Are there no gentleman in Savannah?”

“I’m sure there are, but I've never dated any of them.”

“That’s a shame. Because you deserve to be treated well and with respect.” My father has been telling me nearly the exact same thing since I was twelve.

“Baby girl, don’t settle for a man who doesn’t treat you right. You are worthy of someone who will love and respect you. Hold out. He’s searching for you too. Until that time comes, be the strong, independent woman you were intended to be.”

I don’t know about some man waiting around for me but I love my parents for teaching me it's okay to be a self-reliant woman. Otherwise, I might have ended up like Christie and married someone like Jimmy.

I fish through my bag for the key to Ollie's apartment. “You shouldn't worry. I don't make a habit of allowing men to mistreat me.”

The key is in here somewhere. “Question. Ollie’s pickup and motorcycle are parked here. What is he driving?”

Lucas coughs and clears his throat again. “The company vehicle.”

“Why?”

“The truck’s been giving him a little trouble. He didn’t have enough notice about this trip to have it checked. He didn’t think it would be wise to drive it that far without a mechanic having a look.”

“I guess not.” That would suck to be stranded hundreds of miles from home.

I unlock the door, push it open, and step inside to disarm the alarm. “I can't offer you coffee, tea, or even beer since there is none. But there’s tap water.” I laugh as I recall the ridiculous items stocked in the fridge. “Or maybe a little pickle juice.”

“I’m fine. I don't need anything.”

I shut the keypad cover. “I have to say I find it really odd that Ollie doesn't at least have beer in the refrigerator.” Wouldn't a beer brewer keep some of his product on hand? It's another thing to add to my list of oddities about Ollie’s behavior.

“Most of his time the last few weeks has been spent at the brewery, preparing for the festival. I'm not surprised he hasn't stocked his kitchen. There’s no need when Molly keeps us all fed with her home cooking.”

Molly. I think I remember meeting her today. “Short brunette. Forty-ish. Works in the office?”

“Yeah, but she's actually fifty-ish. She acts like a mom keeping the three of us in line.” I already like this Molly a lot if she feeds my brother.

Lucas is standing in the doorway not making a move to enter. “Would you like to come in?”

His hands go to his hips, and he tilts his head while looking at me. The contact with his eyes makes my body tingle. And I’m pretty sure my temperature just spiked, judging by the heat in my cheeks.

He releases a deep breath through pursed lips before pointing over his shoulder. “I wish I could but the driver is waiting.”

Okay. He’s not interested. That’s too bad. I was starting to have all kinds of kinky fantasies about him pushing me against the wall and doing very dishonorable things to me.

His mouth says one thing but his body says another.

He isn’t moving, but his eyes are as they roam my body.
What is happening? Is he having one last look before he goes?

I don’t want him to leave. I’m contemplating telling him so when he interrupts my plan. “I hope you're still planning to come to the festival tomorrow.”
Is it my imagination or has his voice just deepened?

“Wouldn't miss it.” Not after all the fun I had today. “Thank you for seeing me to Ollie’s safely.”

“You’re very welcome. Call me tomorrow when you're ready to go. I'll pick you up since you’re without your car.”

I sort of forgot about that. “Okay. What time are you planning to get there?”

“Probably around nine. I have to check on everything before the festival starts at twelve.”

I feel like I mooched off Lucas all day. Free beer. Free food. “Is there anything I can do to help tomorrow?”

“I’m not going to put you to work.”

I would probably be helping out if Ollie were here. “I don't mind.”

“We're fully staffed so just come and have fun.”

Not a problem. “I can definitely do that.”

“Do you still have my number from when Stout used my phone to call you?”

“Yeah. I added you to my contacts after he called. I hope that's okay.” Maybe he doesn’t think I’m weird for doing that but I felt I needed to with Ollie acting so peculiar.

“Absolutely.”

I make a call to his phone and wait for it to ring once. “That's me. Now you have my number too.”

“I was just about to ask you for it.” He takes his phone out and begins typing. “Wren Thorn. Adding you to my contacts now.”

There's that name again. Is it weird I like to hear him call me that?

I should choose a nickname for him too.

He’s leaving so do I go for the handshake? The hug? Or what I really want? Dammit. We danced as close as dry-humping teenagers an hour ago.
I don’t want to do the goodnight handshake thing.

I settle for less than I’d like and go in for the middle ground, a hug, all the time hoping it’ll lead to more. “I had a great time today, Brou.”

“Brou?”

“If I get a nickname so do you.”

“Brou. I like it. And I had fun today too, Wren.”

I position my face so he feels my warm breath against his neck. “I’m glad you talked me into sticking around.”

God, he smells good. Woodsy. Masculine. I could stand here sniffing him all night.

He moves and the scruff of his beard scrapes the side of my face, detonating a path of goosebumps down my body. Damn. He barely grazed me. My body would probably go into convulsions if he touched me for real.

Perhaps it
has
been that long.

“I’m very glad you stayed.” Is he really? Or is he being polite? I can’t tell.

We’re approaching that awkward moment where something has to happen. Let go or take it further.
What’s it going to be?

We simultaneously release one another and step apart. No kiss. And that’s disappointing as hell.
I would have enjoyed a goodnight kiss from him.

I cross my arms so he doesn’t see my erect nipples through my shirt. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it.” I watch him from the door for a moment and then close it. I don’t want to watch him walk away.

What the fuck just happened?

He could have sent the driver on if he wanted to stay. But he didn’t.

I gave him the perfect opportunity to kiss me. But he didn’t.

I don’t know how I could have been so wrong about
Brou
. Is it possible I misinterpreted the way we danced? I might say yes, but there’s no way I misread the way he placed his mouth so close to my skin. Unless he’s a huge flirt and had no intention of following through with anything beyond teasing.

I know Ollie is busy being someone else’s hero but right now I need him to be mine.

One minute ticks by. Three. Five. No response from my brother. He’s gone back into the land of radio silence.
Correspondence was nice while it lasted.

“It’s late and I’m tired. I’m not sitting up half the night waiting for you to message me back, Ollie.” Based on his average response time the last couple of weeks, I might hear back from him in three or four days.

I go into the guest room and change into my favorite boxers and matching camisole. I’m almost finished brushing my teeth when I hear the doorbell ring.
Who the hell is that at this time of night?

This isn’t my place so whoever is at the door isn’t here for me.
Probably some damn hoochie looking to hook up with Ollie.

I seriously consider not answering the door until I hear the bell again.
I guess she sees the light on and assumes Ollie is here. She probably isn’t going away.

I crack the door with the intention of turning away a strange woman but instead I find Brou standing on the other side. “Hang on a second.”

I shut the door and unlatch the chain. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. But I forgot something.” He never made it inside so I can’t imagine how he could have left anything behind. He must mean on a different visit to see Ollie.

I open the door wider so he can enter. He shuts it behind him and stops in front of me, eyes roaming my body.
Oh, shit. The way he’s looking at me is . . . lustful.

“What did you forget?” Sheez. That sounded like a bad impression of a frog croaking.

“This.” He steps toward me, so close his chest is pressed against mine. His palms cradle each side of my face when our lips meet.