Wrapped in Lace (9 page)

“No dates in a year?” Drew asked.

“Lots of first dates. But no second dates.”

“My “bad girl” is celibate?” he asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

He said it in a playful way, but I knew he wanted to know. I couldn’t help but laugh, and I had to cover my mouth so I didn’t spit at him. “Dammit, my bad girl reputation is falling apart.”

“I think I like the good girl even more.”

My heart melted a little but then tightened. “But you’re leaving in a few days. I don’t want to get hurt.”

“It’s less than three hours to Raleigh,” Drew said.

I guess he’d given this some thought, too. That was heart-warming but didn’t make me feel completely better. “Yeah, but if it’s so close, why haven’t you been home in six years?”

“I’m surprised no one in town has told you. Was the biggest town gossip for years.”

“Well, it must be old news now, because no one’s told me.”

“It is.” He cocked a smile then leaned his head down and whispered, “Don’t put the brakes on right when we are just getting started. I really want to see where this goes.”

I wanted him to open up to me, but I knew now wasn’t the time—in a crowded bar. I’m not sure if it was his cute smile, his sweet words, or pure desire, but I wasn’t going to miss this chance. I kissed him softly on the lips. I let my mouth linger close to his, and his lips parted, but he wasn’t saying a word.

Matt slapped his back, forcing us apart. “Let’s get together while you’re in town.”

“Definitely,” Drew said.

“Great, we’ll double date,” Matt said and wrapped his arm around Sabrina’s waist. “Just like old times.”

No one else probably noticed, but I felt Drew tense. “That sounds like fun,” I said, hoping that Drew’s tension wasn’t because of me.

“Maybe New Year’s Eve,” Sabrina said, clapping her hands a little.

Kill me now! Either Sabrina was a piss-poor excuse for a friend or she’d totally forgotten I was going to spend New Year’s Eve with Davis. I knew it was the latter, but that didn’t help the steam I saw coming out of Drew’s ears. He was about to blow a gasket. “Drew will be back in Raleigh by then,” I said, trying not to sound upset.

Drew tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes studying me. “Piper has a thing with Davis that night, anyway.”

This time I wasn’t the only one picking up on the tension or the sarcasm falling off his tongue. He hated the idea of me with Davis. “We should get going,” Matt said, kissing my cheek before shaking Drew’s hand.

Sabrina hugged me tightly and whispered, “Sorry.” Then she hugged Drew, and I heard her whisper to him, “They’re just friends.”

He gave her a slight nod, then they walked out, leaving Drew and I to stare at each other. “They’re great together,” I said, hoping for a nice, safe conversation.

He reached out and took my waist. “So are we.”

“You’re not mad, are you?” I asked, playing with his shirtsleeve.

“I don’t like you going out with Davis. I don’t care what you call it,” Drew said. “But if you tell me you only think of him as a friend and there’s nothing physical going on, then I believe you.”

I hadn’t expected him to be so mature about it. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but that wasn’t it. “Thank you.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m jealous. I hate it, and if he touches you, I’ll punch his face in.”

I started to laugh, thinking that was more the reaction I had anticipated. “Ok.”

“Can we get out of here now?” Drew asked, leaning into my neck, his breath making my body turn into a ball of desire, want, and need.

“Where do you want to go?” I whispered.

His blue eyes gazed into mine, and I could see him trying to come up with an appropriate response. The fact was, we couldn’t go to my house or his Nana’s house. I was more than a little curious to see what he’d come up with.

“Shit,” Rob yelled, throwing his phone down on the bar and disrupting us.

Our moment was over, and a part of me was grateful. I wasn’t sure what my answer would’ve been. I took Drew’s hand and pulled him over to his parents as Rob was ranting. “Everything all right?” I asked.

“The other bartender just bailed. I can’t leave Ellie and Jack at home alone on Christmas Eve. She’ll kill me.” Rob looked towards his father. “Dad?”

Carl raised his hands. “Oh, no, not me. I put in my time. This is your responsibility now.”

Gwyneth slapped her husband’s arm. “You’re really going to keep our son away from his pregnant wife and child on Christmas Eve?”

Carl exhaled. “Rob, I covered for you two days ago and last Saturday and the Friday night before that. I’m supposed to be retired. I told you it was past time to hire some reliable help.”

I hated for Rob to be away from Jack on Christmas Eve, and the Landons didn’t seem like they needed any more strife. “What if Drew and I cover the bar?” I asked.

“What?” Drew cried out.

“It’ll be fun.” I gave him the naughtiest smile I could muster.

“You tend bar?” Rob asked. “You’re an art teacher.”

I always hated being pigeonholed. I straightened my spine. “Try me?”

“What’s in a Long Island Iced Tea?”

“Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, Triple Sec, and lemon juice.” He’d have to do a whole lot better than that to stump me. I caught a glimpse of Drew out of the corner of my eye. He was smiling like a total fool, so proud of me. God, I was falling for him so hard.

“A Screwdriver?”

“Baby stuff, vodka and orange juice.”

“We’ll do it,” Drew said. “I even know how to make a Lemon Drop.”

*

DREW

I was grinning
like a complete buffoon as I wiped down the bar. I always wanted to run this place, but I never imagined it would be so much fun. But then again, I bet Piper could make a root canal fun. She continued to surprise and captivate me. I stole a glance her way, watching as she busily counted our tips for the night.

As soon as Rob walked out the door, she’d cranked the music and challenged me to see who could earn the most tips. She had the whole bar belting out Christmas carols, playing quarters, and dancing. She’d even created a Christmas drink special with vodka, cranberry, and a host of other ingredients, dubbing it the
Mistletoe Martini.
I had no doubt that I’d lost big time. Piper charmed every man in the place except Davis. I wasn’t going to let her wait on him. I, however, was too busy flirting with Piper, pinching her butt, and twirling her around to be bothered to charm any of the other women. I wasn’t sure it counted as a date, but it sure as hell was the best time I’d had with a woman, ever.

“Did you even try?” Piper asked, fanning herself with the money. “I tripled what you made.”

I leaned back on the bar, just staring at her. She was the sexiest Southern beauty I’d ever laid eyes on, and I wanted more of her. “You have a better ass than I do.”

“Not true,” she said, smiling at me.

I guess that meant she liked my ass. I couldn’t get this stupid grin off my face. “Well, you know how to shake it better.”

“Years in the strip clubs. My mom used to tell me that a woman has three moneymakers—her ass, her tits, and her brain. A smart woman knows how to use all three at the same time.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It made me uncomfortable just thinking about Piper growing up that way. I’d never want her to use her body to make money. Her body was mine, even if she didn’t know it yet. I looked up at the clock, finding it was just after midnight. “Merry Christmas.”

Piper looked up, smiling, then walked over and threw her arms around my neck. “Merry Christmas.”

I held her for a minute, second-guessing the whole present thing. It seemed like a good idea earlier, but now I wasn’t so sure. “I got you a little something.” I unwrapped her arms from around my neck and reached into my back pocket, pulling out a little pouch. “Sorry, it’s not wrapped.”

“You got me a present?” Piper asked, her voice befitting a teenage girl.

“Yeah, close your eyes.” I watched her blue eyes close, her lips turned up in an adorable little smile. I took a deep breath as I lifted her wrist in the air and fastened the clasp. Her eyes opened and her mouth dropped open. She wasn’t smiling. She was just staring. Shit, jewelry was too much. She hates it. What the hell do I say now? Piper held up her wrist, looking at the silver vintage bracelet dangling. A slow, sweet smile fell over her pink lips and I took her hand as relief flooded my body. I showed her the charms hanging down. “They all mean something. Like this one is a baseball because we used to play together, the tree because we spent so many hours climbing it, the lips for our first kiss.” I held up another one. “A firefly and. . . .”

Her lips landed on mine with such force it knocked me backwards slightly. “I love it,” she said between at least a dozen kisses. “I can’t believe you bought me a Christmas present. It’s so beautiful.” She looked at it again. “Oh, no! Some are missing. See? These just have hooks with no charms on them.” She started to bend down to search the ground.

I caught her hand. “No, I had them put those like that.”

“Why?”

“Those are for all the new memories we’ll make together.” I saw her eyes start to water. I knew it was sappy, but I also knew she’d love it. Piper had always been a sweet girl, no matter how much she pretended she was tough, could hang with the boys, or be a bad girl. I knew the girl inside. I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand, and she reached up and did the same to me.

Our lips found each other, and our tongues weren’t far behind. Kissing her was like tasting a little bit of heaven. She was warm and soft. Picking her up, I sat her down on the bar.

*

PIPER

The way his
eyes were lapping over me, like he was hungry for me and didn’t know where to start, was so hot. My heart started to pound, my legs throbbing, a deep ache inside. His fingers trailed up my thighs, lifting the hem of my dress. His hands were so strong, yet gentle. The rough callouses seemed to disappear as his fingers slid up the flesh of my inner thighs. He knew exactly how to touch me to drive me crazy. His hands forced open my legs until I was spread-eagle on the bar.

“Let’s find out if you were teasing me about the panties,” he said, his voice low and hungry. His fingers slid higher, then his head shook slightly. “Bad girl, teasing me all night.” His finger slid under the edge of my panties, and I felt myself tremble. “When you shiver like that, it drives me fucking crazy.”

I shivered again, unable to control my body. His finger continued to play with the side of my panties, but he hadn’t touched me yet. The man was a tease in the best way, building up the tension, my want, my craving for him to touch me.

His warm breath tickling my neck, he whispered, “I can feel your heat.”

I wanted him to touch me so badly. I needed him like I’d never needed any other human being, and I felt I could orgasm any minute. I couldn’t believe it. I was never like this, never. “Oh, God.”

He leaned into my neck, but didn’t kiss me. His breath close to my ear, his finger still toying with my panties, he whispered, “Jesus Christ, you are so wet.”

I’m a grown woman, but I still almost died from embarrassment. The man hadn’t touched me yet, and I was dripping on him. Kill me now.

“I like these panties, but they’re in my way,” he said, yanking my panties off in one smooth motion. Hearing them rip made me scream out, the pulse between my legs delicious. “Look at me, Piper.” I found his eyes just as his finger slowly outlined me, gently tracing the curves of my folds like he was memorizing them. His touch was so soft, but he didn’t need to yield any more power. He had complete control of my body. “I could do this all night,” he whispered.

“More,” I moaned, and he chuckled low in his throat.

“You want to come?”

“Yes,” I breathed out. “God, yes.”

His finger slid inside me, and my head tossed back. “But I just got started.”

My hips started to move with his finger. I didn’t care if I seemed greedy or how I looked spread open on the bar. His free hand went to my hip to stop my movement.

“Let me,” he said. “Let me make you come. Let me do all the work. I just want to watch.”

His finger moved faster, then he pressed the palm of his hand on my sweet spot and moved his finger in a
come here
motion. And come I did. My whole body exploded, my head tossed back. I gripped his shoulders for support as my body quaked, but he didn’t leave me. His finger slowed, taking me down slowly from my orgasm, making it last and last until I thought I’d faint.