A horn bleeped from the street. I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder. I was quick to lock the door behind me, and I rushed down the walkway toward the dark blue car waiting at the curb.
I ran around to the passenger side. An eager sigh gushed from my lungs when I plopped down into the seat and slammed the door. With a smile, I glanced over to find Aly grinning at me from behind the wheel. “Woohoo! Are you ready to party?”
I laughed. “Yep.”
Ben was away for a week on a business trip, and we were going out.
Aly put her car in gear and flipped it around, and I turned to look in the seat right behind me. “Hey, Ella, sweetness. How are you today?”
Even though her car seat was facing away, I could see her little hands flail, and a coo erupted from her with the mention of her name. My heart pressed at my ribs, and I maneuvered to take her hand.
I’d fallen hard for this little girl. But really she was impossible not to love.
Aly glanced in the rearview mirror. “I can’t believe I’m leaving her tonight.”
“Are you worried?” I asked.
“Do I think something bad will happen to her?” Aly shook her head. “No.” Then she lifted her shoulders in a helpless shrug. “But it feels wrong being away from her.”
A soft smile edged my mouth, as I felt a little more awe at my friend. She was the kind of mom I hoped to be one day. “You and Jared deserve a night out, though, Aly. You both put her before everything, and it’s okay for you to take care of yourselves sometimes, too.”
She returned my smile. “I know… it’s just hard leaving her for the first time. I haven’t been away from her for more than an hour since she was born.”
“I’m sure your mom is more than thrilled she’s finally getting grammy time.” I pouted at her. “You’re kind of a hog, you know.”
Aly laughed. “I know, I know. I can’t help it.”
Ella was already three and a half months old. Every time I saw her she seemed to be more vocal, more interactive. She was growing so fast.
I let my gaze travel out the window.
Three weeks had passed since I’d received the flowers from Christopher. And in that time, we’d become… friends.
Internally, I scoffed, knowing that was a coward’s label. I knew friends didn’t swim through stifling tension, continually aware of each other, dancing around a blatant attraction that we both were trying desperately not to acknowledge.
After receiving the flowers, I made the choice to really make Aly and her family a part of my life. I knew that meant welcoming in Christopher as well, just like I had before, but everything about it felt different now.
The first time I’d seen him after receiving the flowers was just in passing when I was leaving Aly’s house. Our eyes had met tentatively, cautiously, as if he were searching mine for the response to his letter. I’d given him the softest smile, fueled by my own confusion. But the lump wedged in my throat came from the affection I still felt for him.
Since then, we’d kept it light, casual hellos and how are yous that fell very, very short of what needed to be said. We treaded lightly, because we both knew someday things would come to a head and we would have to lay it all out.
Truthfully, I wanted to get to the point where I trusted him enough to believe what he might have to say. I’d already accepted his flowers and letter as an apology for the way he’d treated me when we first saw each other, an apology for his brutal words and that ruthless kiss. More than anything, I wanted to finally forgive him for the past.
The more time I spent with Christopher and his family, the more distant I grew from Ben. At first I thought he’d started to change, but I guess I was coming to realize it was me who was changing. I was beginning to see things in a different light, and that light shined on the fact that he wasn’t so much protective as he was arrogant and controlling.
It’d never been so apparent as when I’d ventured to mention Aly’s name again, telling him I was meeting her for lunch. He’d exploded. Livid, he’d thrown his glass, smashing it against the kitchen wall, pointing a finger at my face as he warned me “one last time” to stay away from her.
Shock had frozen me, my mouth gaping and my eyes wide. Immediately he’d recanted, hugged me, and promised he was only protecting me, but that attack had set alarm bells off in me. Yes, I cared about him. Deeply. I hated the idea of my life without him in it. But more and more I’d been questioning whether he was really good for me.
Aly pulled into the apartment complex where Megan lived. She was waiting for us at the curb. “What’s up, bitches?” she said as she leaned forward and kissed Aly on the cheek, squeezed my shoulder, and then peppered loud kisses all over Ella’s face.
Megan and I had become good friends, our relationship easy and fun and a welcome relief from all the heaviness that seemed to follow me through my life. She was constantly texting me goofy stuff as if she knew I needed a reprieve from the stress of the day.
“Ugh… just so glad the weekend is finally here,” I said. “I think the sun has fried all the kids’ brains. They were completely out of control this week.”
Megan released a sympathetic groan. “I can’t imagine handling a classroom full of five-year-olds. I don’t envy you one bit.”
Lightly I laughed. “Eh. It’s really not so bad. But believe me, they run me ragged by the time I leave at the end of the week.”
Megan tugged at a lock of Aly’s hair. “What about you, momma? Good day?”
“Always.” Then Aly shot her a glare through the mirror, the corner of her mouth twitching with playfulness. “And for the record, if my daughter’s first word is bitch, I’m holding you personally responsible. That means free babysitting for the rest of your life.”
“Ha…” Megan buckled in, grinning. “Have you listened to your husband talk or are you so busy staring at his body that you can’t hear a word he says? That man has the filthiest mouth I’ve ever heard. And like I’d ever charge you to watch my baby girl… huh, Ella,” she crooned toward her.
A giggle hitched in Aly’s throat. “Oh goodness… don’t I know it. He’s working on it, though. I’m supposed to hold back all his favorite things when he slips in front of Ella, and believe me, he really doesn’t want to go without them.” She waggled her brows suggestively.
I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying to stuff the laughter back inside, but it just broke free, right along with Megan’s.
“Right,” Megan drew out. “I’m pretty sure that setup is one destined for failure. Neither of you can keep your hands off each other.”
Aly blushed red, guilty, then went for the most aloof tone she could muster. “What? He’s hot. If you had a husband that looked like mine, you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands to yourself, either.”
I could hear Megan’s eye roll from the backseat. “Um… if I had a husband that looked like yours, I’d never leave the house… and neither would he. He would be chained to my bed.”
Crickets.
Yep.
Total silence as all our eyes darted back and forth from one to another. Then we all busted up.
“Eww, Megan! Don’t be making googly eyes at my man. That’s just wrong and gross and I will kill you,” Aly warned, pointing at her through the rearview mirror, trying to contain her laughter. “Speaking of, Jared wants me to swing by the job site really quick so he can tell Ella good-bye before I drop her at my mom’s. Then we can hit the mall and go get ready, while Jared runs home to grab a shower before we head out.”
Since it was their first night out, Aly wanted to start it with a fast shopping trip, something she hadn’t been able to do since before she had Ella.
My stomach did a flip-flop in anticipation of tonight. This would be the first time I saw Christopher outside the safety of Aly’s house. Yes, all of us were going out. Which meant I was going out with Christopher. Which also meant I was anxious and worried and much too excited. I’d chewed all my nails off, and I was suddenly all too thankful that Aly’d asked us to go shopping with her. I was in desperate need of some retail therapy. Therapy that promised I’d look my best.
Sick?
Yes. Yes. Very sick.
But I didn’t care.
Aly programmed the address into her phone navigation and made a couple of quick turns into the neighborhood where Jared was heading up a complete remodel.
My stomach bottomed out when I saw Christopher’s truck parked at the curb.
Aly slanted me an uncertain glance before she parked behind it.
Jared and a couple of his guys were in the front yard, unloading a piece of granite from the back of a work truck. The lot of them had shed their shirts in the overwhelming heat, and sweat glistened from the contours of their hard bodies.
“Good Lord,” Megan mumbled, “I think I need to change professions.” She poked her head up close to Aly’s shoulder. “Ask Jared if he’s hiring.”
Out the windshield, Aly gawked, unable to tear her eyes from her husband, who caught her staring. He smirked at her, shouted out some orders to his workers, and began to make his way over. Aly opened her door and climbed out to meet him.
Figuring I didn’t need to witness their reunion, I averted my gaze toward the house. What I saw there sent me into a state of panic, my breath jumping out of my lungs.
Oh. My. God.
Christopher sauntered out the front door, raking a hand through his unruly hair. My mouth went dry.
Like the rest, he was shirtless. It’d been a lot of years since I’d seen him without one, and a whole lot had changed.
Swirls of color were inked in intricate patterns across his chest. The distance was too great for me to make out the design, but close enough to have my fingers twitching, wanting to trace the ink, to discover what the patterns meant. The tattoos rolled up and over his collarbones and slipped down over his shoulders, covering the entirety of one arm and a quarter of the other. Muscle rippled and bunched under rays of sunlight that streamed in to kiss his dark, tanned skin.
He was all sweaty and dirty and the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
Fingers were suddenly under my chin, nudging my mouth closed.
Ruffled, I smacked at Megan’s hand. “Stop it,” I hissed, glaring at her in the backseat, and she laughed, her eyes twinkling.
“What? I’m just trying to help a girl out.”
“I don’t need any help.”
Lured, my gaze drifted back to Christopher, who’d noticed Aly’s arrival. The brightest smile lifted his face. Those places he’d singed with his kiss smoldered.
Which was pretty much every inch of me.
God. What was happening to me?
Megan chuckled. “Nope, doesn’t look like you need any help at all.”
When Jared released Aly, Christopher pulled her in for a big hug, then the three of them headed over to Ella’s side of the car. On instinct, I rolled down my window, catching Christopher’s eye. For a flash, surprise flitted across his face, before a slow satisfaction took it over.
“Hey there, Sam,” Jared said as he passed, yanking open the door behind me.
I twisted and grinned back at him. “Hi, Jared. You look… hot,” I teased.
Jared winked. “You think so, huh?”
Aly rolled her eyes at me. “Not you, too.”
“Oh come on, baby,” he said, a ribbing grin slanted in her direction. “I’m sweating like a fucking dog. Sam’s just worried I might die out here.”
I liked Jared. He’d been a decent guy back in high school, even though he’d been pretty cocky, but he’d always had a good heart. Now he had a depth to him that hadn’t been there before. But he was still playful. Fun. And he loved my friend perfectly.
Christopher tipped his head in a cordial tease. “Samantha.” It sounded like silk.
I wanted to kick myself when a small giggle rolled out, but there was nothing I could do to stop it, because it seemed almost like he was trying to one-up Jared by using my full name.
He’d always insisted on it, and damn it, how I liked hearing it roll from his tongue.
Jared unbuckled Ella, his voice soft as he murmured to his daughter, while Christopher and I were locked in some kind of wistful stare.
Christopher shook himself off, tore his gaze away, and said, “My turn.” Gently he took Ella from Jared’s arms. He lifted her face up to his. Her tiny body curled up, and the sweetest smile pulled at her precious mouth. Christopher nuzzled her, whispering words and adorning her with tender kisses.
Again, my heart did that crazy, erratic thing. Except this time it somehow felt soothed. There was no tearing my eyes from the man who for so many years I’d believed to be callous and cold, because there was nothing but love and warmth flowing from him as he adored his niece.
“That bad, huh?” Megan said, her voice completely void of the tease from a moment ago, quiet enough that no one else could hear.
I choked on her assessment. “Yeah,” I admitted. I guess it really was that bad.
Four hours later, we had safely delivered Ella to her grandma, who was ecstatic to have her for the night, and spent way more money than we should have shopping, and now we were back at Aly’s house getting ready. We’d opened up a bottle of wine, and music was blasting as we danced around Aly’s bedroom, trying on all the different clothes we’d bought.
Megan insisted on doing my hair and makeup, telling me two girls weren’t truly friends until they’d done each other’s hair.
Okay.
I just laughed and played along, downing my second glass of wine.
Energy swirled through the room, the promise of a good time. How much had I needed this? Needed them?
I glanced at Aly, who stood in front of the mirror, trying on her tenth pair of heels, searching for the perfect ones to go with her new jeans. She and Megan were belting out a song, singing back and forth to each other like they’d done it a million times, Aly shaking her butt while Megan danced around behind me.
“Karaoke queens!” Megan yelled when the song ended with a fist pump in the air.
“Hell yeah!” Aly shouted back, grinning wide.
Megan caught my eye in the bathroom mirror, smiling and giving me a gentle squeeze on my shoulder. “There,” she said, “all finished.”
She’d curled my hair into soft waves, and it looked so different from my normally superstraight style. It was sexy and a little wild, and the makeup she’d put on my eyes made them smoky and dark.
She went to dab some lipstick on my lips, but I stopped her with a hand on her wrist. “I have a little addiction to this.” I pulled out my clear lip gloss and waved it around. Okay, maybe not an addiction. A sick little obsession.
She laughed. “Rub it in that you have the most gorgeous mouth I’ve ever seen. How is it even possible your lips are so red?” She gasped. “Oh my God… that’s it! You look just like Khaleesi from Game of Thrones but with blue eyes and, you know… without all the dragons and fire. She is my favorite,” she exuded with a starstruck inflection.
“Pssh.” I waved her off and hobbled on the four-inch red heels Megan had insisted I buy. “Not even close.”
She looked me over. “Um, you are completely blind, my friend, if you don’t think you look stunning.”
I looked at myself in the floor-length mirror. Okay, so I had to admit, the way I looked made me feel good.
Beautiful and sexy and confident.
A loud knock sounded at Aly’s bedroom door. “Are you all decent?” Jared called.
“Yep!” Aly shouted back, smoothing herself out just as Jared walked in.
He stalked over to her. “Goddamn, baby, you are a vision.”
She blushed, pushed up on her toes to reach his mouth for a quick kiss. He’d already showered and shaved in the other bathroom. “Are you all about ready?” he asked. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too,” Aly said. “You two ready?” she asked.
“All set.”
Megan and I followed them out just as the front door flew open.
Christopher was there, sucking all the air from the room.
He’d showered but hadn’t shaved, his hair a completely perfect mess. He’d changed into black fitted jeans and a light blue button-down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up his forearms, tattoos exposed, and the first two buttons of the collar were undone, giving a peek at the tattoo on his chest.
Just looking at him shattered me.
He took a faltering step back when he saw me, his gaze raking me up and down, before he tore his eyes away and spoke to the rest in the room. “Everyone ready?”
No. Not even close.