Page 75 of Home Town Advantage
Feeling heat rush to my cheeks, I quickly fix the collar of my blouse. I thought I had it covered.
He subtly rubs his pinkie over mine. “Can I take you out on a date this week?”
I shake my head. “No. This is a top-secret relationship, remember? It’s not like we can just hide away in a restaurant corner. We’ll be recognized wherever we go.”
He licks his lips. “If I promise we won’t be seen, can I take you out? It’s off the beaten path.” He leans over toward my ear, and I feel his warm breath on my neck. “It will be worth your while, I assure you.”
I catch a waft of his scent, and my whole body reacts. My nipples harden, and my panties dampen. Because my body is completely under his control, I’m powerless to do anything but nod in agreement.
He squeezes my hand and breathes, “Good girl.”
And my panties go from damp to drenched with two simple words.
His eyes move up and down my body, landing right on my pussy. His Adam’s apple bobs. “I’ll take care of that when everyone leaves, unless you want me to bend you over the dining room table now.”
I blow out a breath. Lord, please help me get through this night without letting him mount me in front of a full audience.
We turn and walk back toward the group, who are all sitting around with drinks in hand. I love seeing everyone chatting and having a good time in my home.
Presley holds up three fingers. “Three rules. There are only three things you need to do in order to make a woman happy. Smack her ass, tell her she’s pretty, and bring her tacos.”
Layla raises an eyebrow. “That ass smacking better be followed by somelonglovin’.”
He leans over and kisses her cheek. “Always, mi corazón.”
Palmer looks like she’s going to melt. “You two are so cute. What’s the secret to a happy marriage?”
Layla smiles. “Twice a week, we go to a nice restaurant to enjoy good food, good wine, good company, and good conversation. Presley goes on Tuesdays, and I go on Fridays,”she deadpans.
Presley grins widely. “Women aren’t complicated. If you make a mistake, tell her you’re sorry. If she makes a mistake…tell her you’re sorry.”
We all laugh as the caterer lets us know dinner is ready, and we sit at my new dining room table. I feel like such an adult.
They prepared a beautiful meal, but I needed to add a little touch of my own. Vance immediately notices and looks at me from across the table. “Did you give them your mother’s corn casserole recipe?”
I gasp in mock shock. “My mother would disown me if I gave away a well-guarded O’Shea family secret. I made it.”
He immediately reaches for the bowl. “Yum.” He looks around as he scoops multiple spoonfuls onto his plate. “There’s nothing better in the world than the O’Shea family corn casserole.”
Without realizing our full history, Alyssa innocently asks, “Were you two tight growing up? Did you date?”
Not wanting anything heavy to mar this evening, I answer, “Vile Vance is eight years older than me. No dating. He was friends with my brother.” I stick my tongue out at him. “And he would never leave our house. He was like a leech.”
“Did you have a crush on him?” she asks.
The corners of Vance’s mouth raise in amusement, but I simply make a look of disgust. “Yuck. Nope. There’s a reason his nickname is Vile Vance. He was nothing but a smelly teenage boy.”
Not even a little true. I love his smell. I always have. I’d lather myself in it if I could.
Vance chuckles. “Hmm. I seem to remember you tagging along all the time. Always wanting to be with us. I couldn’t have been that smelly, Gully Sulley.”
Beau asks, “What’s with her nickname? I get yours, I share a locker room with you, but why Gully Sulley?”
Vance gives an amused Beau the finger before answering, “She believed anything and everything we told her. One time,we told her that lightning came from a huge camera flash in the sky, and you had to stop and smile toward the sky every time there was lightning. For, like, two years, she would smile at the sky anytime lightning struck.” He chuckles. “She looked like an idiot. People thought something was wrong with her.”
I scrunch my nose. “I still sort of do that. Habit.” Everyone laughs. “One summer, I foolishly cut my own hair. It was terrible, and I was hysterical over it. Vance and Finn told me if I taped watermelon seeds to my forehead all summer, it would grow back faster. And I did it. Every damn day.”
Vance lets out a loud laugh. “Oh my god, I forgot about that. She thought the more seeds she taped to her head, the faster her hair would grow. All freakin’ summer, she had those seeds on her head.Allover her head.”
