26.
Eddie
When our food arrives it smells as good as I had hoped. Lucy has an enormous smile on her face and we were right to order an extra portion of momos, despite the strange looks the waiter gave us.
“Logically, I know they’re basically dumplings, but these are fucking spectacular,” Lucy grins as she dips another of the steamed balls into the sauce before popping it into her mouth.
“Here, finish them off.” I pass her the plate with the remaining two. “I know better than to get in your way when you have that look in your eye.”
She waves half a momo in my direction. “Smart man. And here I was thinking you were just a pretty face.”
“Hey! I’m more than a pretty face. I prefer to think of myself as ruggedly handsome,” I say, puffing out my chest. It has the desired effect. As her giggles tumble forth she places a hand on my shoulder.
“How about mouth-wateringly delicious?”
I pretend to consider it, all the while feeling like the cock of the walk. “I might be able to live with that. But I need you to answer a very serious question for me first.”
She leans forward, her elbows resting on the table as she picks up another dumpling. The movement pushes her breasts forward and allows the neckline of her dress to dip. Yes, this is definitely my favourite outfit on her so far. It’s simple, stunning and subtly sexy in a way that keeps me guessing. Definitely my favourite. “Shoot.”
I lean forward, invading her personal space, and I hear her breath hitch. Damn it, she’s sexy. “Are you talking about me or the momos?”
Her lips curl at the sides in the way that they only do when she’s trying not to smile. But she can’t help it. She’s a naturally smiley person. It’s one of the things I love about her. “That depends.” Her voice is low and husky and the way she is looking at me is sending all sorts of inappropriate thoughts through my head.
I raise an eyebrow at her. “On?”
I hear the momo hit her plate but don’t look away from those beautiful brown eyes. Her fingers find the nape of my neck as we come together in a slow, sultry kiss. I stroke her tongue with mine as her hands start their sensual massage. In that moment I want to forget about everything, push her back into the cushions and show her exactly what she means to me. But however private our little table may seem we are still in public, this is still technically our first date and I don’t want to embarrass her.
“Well?” I say softly.
“Patience.” Her eyes are hazy and sparkling, like a melted Diam bar. She glances down at her plate and picks up the momo with her fork. Slowly she greets it with her tongue, before taking a bite, baring her pearly whites at me, her gaze never leaving mine. I watch as she eats, completely hooked on the movements of her mouth.
Finishing off her mouthful she drops her head forward, those lips curling slightly once more. I can’t stop myself. Before she can speak, my finger is at the corner of her mouth, tracing the slight curve.
“I love your smile,” I say softly. “Especially when you’re trying to hide it. It’s like a secret. And I know you’re about to unleash your wit.”
“Unleash my wit?”
I nod. “Or you think I’m being an idiot. But I rarely am an idiot, so it’s normally option 1.”
“Of course not,” she laughs.
◆◆◆
Lucy is smiling at me softly. In this light, with the moon shining through the clouds above us, she looks almost celestial. I’m stood at the bottom of the steps up to her house, holding back the rain with her oversized umbrella, and I can’t believe the evening is over so soon.
“It’s still early,” she murmurs. “Do you want to come in?”
I want to call out her lie. It must be well past midnight. After the restaurant we went for a drink, and then ended up sharing a chocolate waffle at a dessert place around the corner from the bar. I know if I kissed her now I’d be able to taste the sweet ice cream and toffee. And man do I want to kiss her right now.
I want to do more than that. I want to say yes, follow her up those steps, shut the door and strip her naked. I would worship her, kiss every single beauty spot on her entire body – twice. I would make her come with each and every toy she has in that magnificent draw of hers, bury myself inside her and not come up for air until she was so exhausted that she fell asleep in my arms. And then I would hold her all night, watching the steady rise and fall of her beautiful breasts, thanking gods I don’t believe in for showing me what I was missing out on.
But I can’t. I’m going to do this right. I’m going to be the responsible man I should be for her, the type of man she deserves.
I shake my head. “As much as I want to, I should go. I may not know much about dating, but I know how the first date is supposed to end.”
“Stop saying that.” Her fist thumps my chest ineffectually.
“What?”
“That you don’t know anything about dating. Tonight has been…” she wraps her arms around my neck, stepping forward on a sigh. “Tonight has been perfect. I can’t imagine a better date.”
I grimace. “Shit.”
“What?” Her palm heats my cheek, her eyes filled with a sudden concern that warms me even more.
“If tonight was the perfect date, how am I supposed to top it?” She’s staring at me and I grin. “I’ve shot myself in the foot here.”
She laughs. “You’re an arse.”
“I think you’ll find I’m a mouth-wateringly delicious arse.” I hold up my free hand when she hits my chest again. “Your words, not mine.”
Her elbow hooks around my neck, pulling me so close that I can feel her breath on my cheeks. “Eddie?”
God, her eyes are mesmerizing. “Yes, Luce?”
“Shut up and come inside.”
How am I supposed to resist her when her lips are brushing mine? I can almost taste her she is so close. “If I come inside-“
She swallows the rest of my sentence, her mouth covering mine, and completely undoing me. It’s like she knows exactly how to tear down the last of my restraint. And I am so fucking grateful. God, I love this woman.
“It’s really our fourth date, Eddie. So come the fuck inside.”
“Promise you won’t hate me in the morning?”
“I’ve already tried to hate you, and it doesn’t work. I think you’re safe.”
Her words hurt and I pull away. “I’m so sorry, Luce. I know I caused you so much pain and I made you feel worthless. That was never my intention. I care about you, deeply. I want you, Luce. Only you. And I want to find a way to make it up to you.” I brush my lips across her cheek. “Which is why I’m going to go now.”
“Eddie, I-“
“No,” I smile at her, stroking a thumb across her jaw. “I need you to see this is about more than just sex to me. You are worth so much more. And even though the idea of staying and investigating that sexy fucking draw with you is going to torment me all night, I can’t afford to fuck this up again. You mean too much to me, I don’t think I’d cope. I am so grateful to be talking to you again and that you agreed to come out with me this evening. You’re right, it has been perfect.”
Her lips are curling again. “So maybe Alex isn’t such a wankpot after all?”
“Wankpot?”
She holds up her hands, her smile growing into a full blown grin. “Your word, not mine.”
“Shit.” I run my hand through my hair. “I really was wasted last night, wasn’t I?”
Lucy’s laughing at me now. “But you were kind of adorable with it.”
I grin, put my arm around her shoulders and walk her up the steps to her front door. “Adorable?”
When we reach her door, she turns and points at me. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
I kiss her soundly, stopping her teasing before she has a chance to start. It’s late, it’s cold and she’s tired. I need to say goodnight and let her go. Knowing that I hold her close, stroking my hands through her gorgeous midnight hair. I make this kiss count.
“Good night, Luce.”
She smiles and starts rooting through her purse for her keys. Opening the door she turns. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you?”
“Trust me, love. Everything you do tempts me.” I love her blush so much. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Night, Eddie.”
“Night, Luce.”
She watches as I walk to the gate, shutting it behind me I give her a parting grin. And it stays with me. That smile lasts all the way home. It really has been a wonderful evening. Everything about her makes me happy, and as I walk through my front door I am already planning seeing her again.
I hear the TV in the sitting room, and wandering in I find Alex watching some late night horror film. He grins when he sees me, and moves his legs to make space on the sofa. “Well, hello Romeo! How did it go?”
He can see my smile, he knows how it went, so I ignore the question and ask my own. “Why did we go to the Royale on Friday?”
Turning back to the screen, he shrugs. “It was all Mills’ idea, really. She was moaning about how mopy Lucy’s been and it all just kind of came together.”
“When did you talk to Mills?” I had no idea they were really friends anymore, not with Elizabeth’s unofficial ‘no female friends’ rule.
“I do have friends other than you, you know.”
“I know.”
“And we were only looking out for both of you. It was for your own good.”
He’s being really standoffish and I have no idea why. “I thought you said it was Mills’ idea.”
“Whatever, man,” he huffs, folding his arms across his chest. “Last time I do you any favours.”
This is all totally backfiring and I’ve no idea why. I desperately back peddle. “Look, dude. I’m sorry. What I’m trying to say is thank you. You’re a really good mate, and I appreciate it, you know?”
His cold front warms slightly and he is looking at me again. “So it went well?”
I grin just thinking about Lucy. “Really well. She’s so… and it’s like… when I’m around her I… she makes me… and when she… fuck.” I run my hand through my hair. “I sound like such a loser.”
Alex laughs and slaps my shoulder. “Yeah, you do. But at least you’re a happy one. I’d take that over the Ed I’ve been living with for the past two months any day.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Don’t mention it.” He dismisses my thanks with a wave of his hand, but I can see in his face it registers. “Now the real question is, when are you going to see her again? Did you make plans?”
I shake my head. “I told her I’d call her tomorrow.”
He sighs. “Rookie mistake. Always make plans. Maybe if you-“
“I have a plan.”
“You do?”
I must look like the bloody Cheshire cat my smile is so wide. “I still have her umbrella.”
He laughs. “That’s definitely a problem. You don’t want to inconvenience her.”
I attempt to nod solemnly, failing to keep a straight face. “It might be her only umbrella, and you never know when she might need it.”
“I’d get that back to her as soon as possible if I were you.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right. I will.”