Page 14 of Love at First Slice
“I should go back to help with some of the clean-up and serving up the desserts,” I noted. I didn’t want to leave. Not in the least.
“Right,” he said, his eyes glued to mine.
I forced myself to turn, and he was right beside me, matching me step for step until we were one away from the living room. His hand found mine, and our fingers tangled. My heart picked up its pace as I turned to look up at him. Standing side by side made our size difference very clear. His broad shoulders suddenly blocked the view of the living room.
“Would you like to sit outside with a slice of pie with me? Later, I mean,” he asked. I licked my lips and nodded slowly.
“I’d like that,” I whispered, my voice sounding a little husky in my own ears. “Once dessert’s all served up and stuff? If that’s cool? I want to help the girls.”
“Of course,” he answered. “Maybe I can help?” he offered, but I shook my head.
“Oh no!” I said a little too loudly. I didn’t want to imagine what the girls would say or do if he walked in there and helped. “It’s okay. We got it. So, later?” I asked, tripping over my words like a klutz.
I was terrible at the whole flirting thing. My eyes dropped to the floor to study the tops of my brown suede flats like they were the most interesting thing in the world. His fingertips touched my chin and tipped my head up. Our eyes connected, and I swallowed hard.
“How are you so damn pretty?” he rasped, almost like he hadn’t meant to say the words out loud.
My brows bunched.Me, pretty?I swallowed, and his eyes dropped my mouth. My lips tingled for his. Ached.
“You feel this, too.” It wasn’t a question but a statement. Even then, my body completely overheated, I nodded. “I’ll get us our dessert and wait outside.” My thighs pressed together for relief. “Any allergies, preferences?” he asked. My lips parted, and I shook my head. His thumb moved from my chin and dragged against the too-plump flesh, making me shiver. Goose bumps flared from head to toe as my nipples tightened and dragged against my satin bra.
He breathed in deeply, and I wondered if he could smell me; not just the perfume I’d spritzed on before I hurried out of my apartment but my arousal.
The crazy need I felt for him.
“See you in a little bit,” he said, his voice reassuring, before he stepped out of the way. I somehow found the strength to head straight into the kitchen, where I knew the girls were waiting for me.
7.Mark
Ihad no idea what the hell had come over me. It felt like the man I’d been mere hours ago, between when I left my place and when I arrived, had changed.
Completely.
Irrevocably.
I watched as she walked past me and into the kitchen with her girls. I knew they were looking at me, whispering about what was going on. What the hellwasgoing on?
“You good?” Brewster asked as he came to stand next to me, a beer in his hand. Austin flanked him.
“What are we looking at?” the bartender asked. I glanced at him. I stood at my full height, and even though I was six feet, he was taller, probably about six four, six six. But that wasn’t what I found intimidating. The fucker was a good-looking guy, and judging by the easy smile on his face and the way he carried himself, he knew it.
“I’m looking at my woman,” Brew muttered with clear annoyance in his tone, “You need to keep your eyes somewhere else.” Austin chuckled.
“Afraid of some friendly competition?” he teased. From what I knew of him, he didn’t seem like the kind of man to try and snatch up someone else’s woman.
“Shut up.” Brew shoulder-bumped him. “She’s moving in tomorrow.” Austin whistled before patting Brewster on the back.
“Congrats, man.” He shook his head. “That’s fast, though, no? You two got together when?”
“Halloween,” Brew answered. Less than a month, I calculated.
I didn’t know Brewster Graham all that well other than the few times I’d gone to see homes with him. He was a good guy from what I had seen, but he didn’t seem like an impatient man or one to jump into anything.
“You’re welcome,” Austin said with a smile on his face, clearly trying to poke the bear.
“I’m welcome?” Brew asked, his brows bunched.
“If it weren’t for me… you two wouldn’t have met,” Austin said. They might have kept talking after that, but I swallowed hard and got lost in my head. My thoughts ran through my mind a million miles an hour.Could fate and destiny be that fickle?
