Page 30 of Embers in the Outfield

“I’ll get you some carpaccio on the house for the beautiful lady. We love our River here, and now he finally brings a girl to my restaurant. I can’t wait to tell Maria.” He claps his hands together, and before we have a chance to thank him, he’s already disappeared into the kitchen.

“Wow, so you really know this place well,” she says as she pulls the menu open. “Also, this is screaming first date, Riv. I told you, what we’re doing isn’t dating.”

I try not to let her reminder sting, but it does nonetheless. I get it; we’re not coming together for anything other than the physical aspect, but it felt wrong not to take her out. Plus, I know how much Kennedy wants this between us, so I may as well have a little fun and draw this out as much as possible. May as well make her sweat a little bit, right?

“Um, yeah, we have been coming here for as long as I can remember. My brother and I eat here a few times a week when we are too tired to cook.” I rub my hands down my jeans as I grab the menu in front of me, trying to act like I don’t know what I want. I’ve had this menu memorized since I learned how to read. “And I’m not just going to use you, Kennedy. I think we can at least hang out here and there without pulling our clothes off.”

I can feel her eyes boring into me. When I look her way, I don’t know if she’s irritated I made us come out tonight or if she appreciates how I’m treating her. Kennedy stares for an extra beat, then brings her eyes down to the menu in front of her.

“What’s good?” she asks after she looks over all the different items.

“You can’t go wrong with anything, but their lasagna is one of my favorite dishes. The ricotta is fresh, and I swear you can never go back to store-bought or even ordering it from another restaurant after you eat this one. It’s incredible.” I solidify my statement with a chef’s kiss, bringing my fingers to my lips and kissing them.

This draws a laugh out of Kennedy, and it seems to relax her a bit.

“I want to be honest with you. I was so nervous today. I thought coming out with you tonight would feel weird. Like whatever energy we were feeling the other times we were together would have fizzled. But, and I can’t believe the words that are going to come out of my mouth right now, I’m really enjoying this side of you, River. I mean it.” She beams a smile my way, and I know how much this is throwing her off. We went from clawing each other’s eyes out to undressing each other with them instead.

“I know what you mean.” And now it’s my turn to bring her knuckles to my lips and kiss them.

“So what’s the plan after this? You coming to my house, or are we going to yours.” She sips her water and looks back at me.

“After this, we are headed to a movie. They’re showing some old ones down the street at the Cinemake. I thought it would be fun to go there.”

I swear her eyes double in size. “What is going on, River? I mean, I thought we were on the same page with this arrangement.” Her irritation is evident in her tone.

“We could still have a little fun in the dark.” I take a drink of my water this time and throw a wink her way. She’s looking at me, and I know she sees right through me.

“You’re going to make me squirm, aren’t you?” I nod at her question, and she throws a napkin at me.

“Fucking jerk,” she hisses.

“Well, soon enough, I’ll be a jerk you want to fuck. It will be well worth it,” I toss out at her. I know that I’m prolonging what we are planning on doing, but something about it makes me want to see her drool for that physical part with us. Okay, so maybe everything I said about making her squirm hasn’t passed. I like seeing that fire in her eyes when I push her a bit further.

Even in the dim lighting of the restaurant, I see her cheeks deepen in color, and I know I’ve got her mind wondering when that night will come. It’s taking everything in me to not throw this gentleman act out the door and run her back to her place.

“Well, let’s hope next time we can skip to dessert then,” she throws out, and the wheels are already turning about the next time we meet up. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and in the end, I’ll get Kennedy, naked and ready for me, at the finish line. Hopefully, I’ll get a little begging to boot.

CHAPTER 12

Kennedy

Ten days.That’s how long it’s been that I’ve been going on fucking dates with River, and it’s like I’m back in high school again. Every night that we hang out, he walks me to my door and rocks me with a mind-bending kiss, even grabbing me in a way I assume he’ll lift me off my feet and take me to bed; he then pulls away and saunters off. And I know he wants more if that tent in his pants is any indication.

Tonight, I will not let this date end until I come. And it will be with River’s dick. I swear.

I put a dress on that showcases my ass and my tits, hoping that will do the trick. I don’t know what kind of willpower that man has, but it ends tonight. I am getting agitated at this point. And he’s not fooling anyone. I know what he’s doing. He’s pushing me to my limits because he must get off on that. Not today, Satan.

Just looking at River, I get hot and bothered now. I think that was his plan all along. He purposely won’t put out this fire that’s seriously consuming my body at this point.

I take one last look in the mirror when I hear the doorbell ring. I came up with a plan of my own tonight. I asked himto pick me up, with plans of heading nowhere other than the bedroom. Enough of this shit.

I walk eagerly to the front door, swinging it open with more force than anticipated. The moment my eyes land on River, I swear I’m salivating.

With the warmer weather, I can see he’s gotten a little more sun. His hair is still a little wet from his shower, and it just adds to his sex appeal. I want to move my fingers through it as he’s between my legs.

“Hey, Skipper, I think you’re drooling, sweetheart.” He chuckles, then pulls me against him.

His kiss is all-consuming, and I moan as he slides his tongue in my mouth.

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