Third Date (12 page)

A giant ring I decided to wear, caught the seam of his pants. A small string was dangling, and I, trying to be nice, decided to pluck it away. That single gesture left him with a giant hole in his ass, and his bare backside on display.

Unbeknownst to me, Kyle had decided to not wear boxers. I suppose he thought the night would end with us in the backseat of his car.

But he ran out mortified, leaving me alone, shocked, and single the next morning. He didn't speak to me again after that, and we had every class together our senior year.

“How are the kids?” I asked, trying to send our conversation in a totally different direction.

“You see this?” Gina asked, pointing at her scalp.

“See what?” Leaning over, I examined her head.

“The freaking gray hairs, the kids are giving them to me, I know it.” Shaking her head, she went on. “You're lucky you only have one, Kin. And your one is a damn angel. Do you have any idea how lucky you are?”

“Yeah, but you know a teenage girl is a handful. You have boys, you only have to worry about a few penises. I have to worry about every damn one when she gets older, so I'm lucky now, but we might be on different plains by then.”

Laughing, Gina shot me a wide stare. “I never thought about that, holy fuck you're right.” Brushing the hair from her face, she asked. “Where is the little one anyway?”

“She's out with my mom, they should be back soon.”

“Nice. So when do you meet with Layne again? Did he tell you what the next step is?”

A quick snap of my chest shot me up right, my fingers nervously danced over my glass. “Oh, uh, well... I'm supposed to go out on another date this weekend.”

I don't want to. I want Layne.

But I understood his rationale, and I couldn't deny the fact I had the same thoughts. Except that didn't make the idea sit any better in my chest. My heart burned for him, my body ached for him to just touch me one more time.

I didn't need another date, I needed more of him.

There was a piece of me that wanted to tell him that when he was here. But he made it pretty clear, it couldn't happen again. Was it a mistake? Did he regret what happened?

My heart ached not being able to ask him. It was bad enough I couldn't ask him about who he was, or about his past. Maybe he wanted to hide it, or bury it the same way I tried to bury the pain from mine.

Layne had mentioned one small fact, he was a foster child. And that might be the only insight I ever get into his world. One fact the rest of the world and magazines didn't know.

Either way... I would never get my answer.

The front door burst open, Fay popping through holding a bag from Dino's Burger Hut. “Mommy, look what I got!” She yelled, running at full speed towards me, holding out a bright yellow toy.

“What is it?” I asked, grabbing her shoulders, and stopping her before she knocked us both over.

“It's a T-Rex!”

“Very cool, Fay,” I said, hugging her tightly.

My mother stepped in a few seconds behind her, her eyes falling over me before a short snap towards Gina. “Gina Reynolds, how's the hips, Sweetheart? Still limber?”

Gina chuckled, shaking her head. “As they've always been, Mrs. Culver. Thanks for asking. How's the age, still climbing?” Smirking, she looked at me from the corner of her eye.

My mother and Gina had never really seen eye to eye. Both of them were hard headed, with strong personalities. And from my perspective, the same damn person.

But, hell, what do I know. Neither one would ever admit that they genuinely liked the other, but the tiny smirks that filled their faces, showed they respected each other.

“Oh, Honey, I'm like a fine wine. Just ask my husband.”

“Mom, gross.” I snapped.

“Oh yeah, like you should talk. Who's this mattress man Fay went on and on about?”

“Wh—what?” Stumbling on my tongue, Gina whipped her head around.

“Mattress man?
What's your mom talking about?”

“Nothing, it's nothing,” I said, waving a hand in the air. “Was Fay good?”

Shaking her finger, my mother closed the door and peered at me through a sideways glance. “She was fine, except for all this talk about a man who fixed your bed and hers. And then she couldn't stop talking about how he loved your pancakes. Care to explain?”

“No, I don't. Honestly, it's none of your business.”

“Kin, who's the mattress man? Did you slip him in after I left that night?” Gina's lips slit open, teeth biting down on her tongue. “Do tell.”

“I don't want to talk about it, look, I have work tomorrow. I'm happy you stopped by, Gina, and thank you Mom, for taking Fay out to dinner. But I need to get some sleep.” Standing, I stepped to the door and tore it open.

Gina's smile was endless, plastered from ear to ear. “You have some explaining to do, Missy, I'll call you tomorrow.”

“Oh, Gina,” My mother said, lifting her hand and letting it sway in the air. “You have enough kids, you don't need to use my daughter's wild night to get you riled up for your husband.”

“You know, you're very insightful, but I need details. How do you think I even have sex anymore? It's through others, because my life lacks excitement.”

“No, Honey, excitement just got worn out on you and your loose lips.”

Giggling, Gina pointed her thumb over her shoulder as she walked out the door. “I love your mom, she's great.”

Nodding, my lips pulled tight. “Yes, she's wonderful.”

My mother followed Gina out the door, her brows furrowed. “Don't say you love me, you're not supposed to love me. Love the fact that you haven't hit menopause yet, because that's when shit goes dry, and trust me, you won't like that one bit.”

Slamming a palm to my forehead, I watched the two women climb into their cars. Gina still gawked at me, pointing at my mom and laughing, and my mother sneered, winking in my direction.

The two of them have tried to make me think that neither liked each other, they were such liars. If I didn't know better, I bet Gina was going to call my mom and try to get any information she could.

Mind you, her info would be manipulated by the words of a five year old and the mind of my mother. Either way, I was going to be questioned at some point like a criminal in the interrogation room.

Lucky me.

Closing the door, I leaned against the wood, biting my thumbnail. I wanted to tell Gina how incredible my night was with Layne. The way his hips dug down as he stretched me open, the feel of his muscles under my fingertips, the heat that turned my body from cold to tempered.

Gina would have eaten it up, eyes wide, ears pressing closer with each word. But I had to pretend it didn't happen, erase the blushing cheeks, and after sex glow.

A second date was being dangled in front of my face, and all I really wanted was to cuddle up into the strong arms of Layne. I wasn't excited to dip my toes into the pool of men, I found exactly what I wanted.

But wanting didn't change the fact I was his client.

Wanting didn't make me brush away that he had a professional career to uphold.

It was need that was making my heart burn for him.

And need sat like a million pounds in my stomach.

I needed Layne.

Layne

T
urning on the bluetooth, I scrolled through my music. Finding a nice heavy metal song to wait for Kinsley, I sat in my car parked in front of her house.

Tonight was the next date I set up, and even while making the call, acid sat on the back of my tongue.

This wasn't what I wanted, I just didn't have an option right now.

But sitting somewhere deep inside, the thought of handing off this woman made me ill. My stomach churned with tornadoes, tearing me apart from the inside out. My hands were shaking, chest tight and constricted as if I couldn't breathe.

Kinsley had taken over my mind, my body, my soul. She was amazing, no one else deserved her.

I was sure of that.

She was too incredible to just place in the hands of some guy I didn't know, and wasn't going to like.

Because despite my efforts to keep work and play separate, she had seeped in, sealing her place. Everything I'd ever looked for in the perfect woman was tempting my strength to keep the line drawn.

How long can I ignore this?

A shadow crossed the hood of the car, catching my attention. Lifting my head to look out the passenger window, my eyes shot open, jaw hanging loose. Every inch of sinew shook, firming in electric pops that radiated through my body.

Kinsley was walking down the driveway, legs glistening under the lights off the house. Her hips swayed, rocking side to side with every step. A tight black dress glazed her body like paint, covering her skin, but exaggerating her curves.

The wind blew up, catching her hair and fanning out the long strands. She looked like a goddess, sent from above to dangle her web of seduction. I was completely mesmerized, she looked so sexy, so smooth, so...

Forbidden.

Don't do this to yourself, it's not fair.

A smile perched on her bright red lips, eyes stabbing into my heart and coiling around like the twinge of piercing nails. Her strides were long and fluent, the heels taking her legs and extending them for miles. Miles I could explore, kiss, bite, lick...

“Ah, damn!” Kinsley yelled, catching her heel in an invisible divot in the pavement. Her shoulders shot forward, legs stumbling to catch up, palms slamming down hard on the hood of my car with a heavy thump.

Throwing the door open, I ran to her side. “Are you alright?” Stretching my arms out, I gripped her elbow, eyes darting over her body, looking for an injury.

Rubbing her ankle, she laughed. “Yeah, I'm good. Stupid driveway tried to throw me off, you saw that right?” Winking, she rolled her foot around while resting against the hood.

“Those evil driveways, always trying to ruin someone's swagger.” My hand brushed up her arm, fingers finding the dip in her spine.

Fire torched my hand, the intense burning climbed up my arm and clawed its way over my chest. I couldn't even innocently touch the woman without feeling some sort of aftershock.

Kinsley's eyes lit up, twinkling briefly before she tore them away. “Ready to try this whole date thing again? Maybe this time I won't injure the guy.”

The word
date,
stabbed my heart like a serrated knife. Was
I
ready?

No fucking way.

Swallowing hard, I forced the giant lump down my throat. “Yeah, sure, let's do this.”

Tilting her head, she eyed me curiously. “You alright?”

Pushing a smile out, I grabbed the trim of my door. “Absolutely, Beautiful, tonight's the night for you. I can feel it.”

“Oh yeah, you think so?” Slipping into the seat beside me, Kinsley rested her hands in her lap.

I tried so hard to fake my excitement, to make her think that I believed what awful words were coming out of my mouth. “I think this guy might suit you perfect.”

Wrapping my fingers around the steering wheel—if the fabricated ring had to breathe—I would've cut off its air supply. In the darkness of the car, I was hoping she didn't see my discomfort; nostrils flaring out, lips pulled in tight.

I didn't want to be bothered by the thought of her with another man, but it was there. Eating away at my nerves, making my knuckles drain to white.

You can't get involved with her. You have another family to find.

“I guess we'll just have to see.” Kinsley let her head drift towards the window, watching the buildings stream by.

I wasn't sure what she was thinking. Was she thinking about me the same way I thought about her?

Did she feel the same heat I did?

Forcing the thoughts away, I feathered the pedal and drove us to the next awaiting match.

Pulling up to the club, I parked the car. “Okay, the guy's name is Flynn—”

Giggling, she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Flynn?”

My eyes shot to her throat, the pulse in her neck jumping as I raised a hand to the back of her seat. Watching her shudder with my arm so close, a warm flash stroked my face. My fingers itched to touch her again, to feel her silky skin, to wrap her hair up tight and yank her over the seat.

Clearing my throat, I pulled my hand back, wiping my palm on my thigh. “Yeah, Flynn. He's in construction, a little rough around the edges, but he has a son about the age of your daughter. I thought maybe that would be a nice connection for you two.”

Nice connection... We have a connection.

We blend perfectly.

How long will I torture myself with this one?

“You gave me more details this time. Why?”

Running a hand over my jaw, I said, “I have a confession. Taylor is a good friend of mine, he's the one I use for all first dates. The second date is an actual match I set up.”

“Ahh, I see. So Taylor was like a placebo, see how I do, and stuff. But this one's a real date, smart.” Shuffling in her seat, she tugged her skirt down nervously, breathing out a heavy gush of air.

The urge to stroke her thigh climbed through my thoughts. Balling my fist, I snapped my head towards the windshield. I couldn't look at her, she was making my muscles have a mind of their own.

With each passing second, I was becoming more and more aware of how much I wanted her. The longer we sat side by side, the more I inhaled the sweet flowery perfume, and watched her sparkle in the low lights; the harder it was becoming for me to keep my hands in place, to keep my eye on the job I was supposed to do...

To keep myself from turning the car around and bringing her home for the pure determination to make her mine again.

Control yourself.

But I don't want to.

Biting my lip, I watched the front door of the club. “I've had time to perfect my methods.”

“You've perfected a lot of things.” A playful smile teased her lip, lashes ruffling her lids.

She looked amazing, and it took every inch of control to not lean over and kiss her. My mouth was buzzing remembering her lips from the night at her house, cock sparking to life with how she felt wrapped around me, flashes of her naked body drenched my brain.