Restrictions (Sterling Family #2)

41. Vivienne

41

VIVIENNE

“ S o, he didn’t take it well?”

I shake my head as we walk along the trail of the zoo. Both Sawyer and I holding onto one of Baz’s little hands.

I didn’t tell him much in the car on the way here. I don’t want Baz to hear, but I did give him fair warning that Asher knows this is a date.

“No. He’s angry, like you said he’d be.”

Although, I don’t understand why. He doesn’t want me that way. Is it just a macho male thing? He had me first and doesn't want his friend doing the same? How is Sawyer any different from me dating a stranger? Hell, if he can be friends with Sawyer, that must make him a good man. You would think he’d want that for me.

Sawyer looks worried as he uses his free hand to brush through his unruly, sandy blond hair. He’s insanely handsome, exactly what you would expect coming from the same background as Asher and I—tall and muscular, perfectly styled hair, sharp jawline, all accentuated by expensive jeans, polo, tennis shoes, and a gold watch on his wrist.

“I should have told him.”

Part of me feels guilty that I didn’t let him, but like I told Asher, I have no idea where this is going, and I didn’t want to upset him for no reason .

And even if I don’t think he has the right to be mad, I still had the same feeling Sawyer did.

“I think he’ll cool down.”

A sexy smirk plays on Sawyer’s lips as he turns his head to glance at me. “You know him better than that.”

Baz is lost in awe as he looks around at all the animals he wants to see, and I sigh. “I do.” I keep my voice low. “But he still doesn’t have any real reason to be mad.”

Sawyer laughs, but it’s not happy, more a quiet scoff. “Yeah. He does.”

I don’t want to come between them. I know Asher has a hard time trusting people, and for whatever reason, Sawyer gained that trust over the years.

We reach the tiger cage, and Baz loses his mind, giggling excitedly when he sees a large tiger pacing the cage. He gets closer, leaving Sawyer and me a few feet away.

I nearly gasp when I feel Sawyer’s much larger hand take my own, slipping his fingers through mine. “It’ll be okay though.”

I look down at our entangled hands and then up at his face, my tongue tracing and wetting my dry lips. “I don’t want to come between you two.”

He smiles, and it’s warm as his other hand tips my chin up to look into his eyes that seem so sincere, which is odd for Sawyer. “It’s too late for that.”

I feel a sick feeling in my gut. “Please don’t say that. You’ve been friends for a long time.”

He nods as his intense gaze washes over me. “We have, but still...” My eyes are focused on his lips as he talks. “I can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss you.”

My breath catches in my throat, and I feel my heart race. I haven’t felt anything close to the way Asher makes me feel with anyone else—until this moment. “I think it would be nice.”

His lips curl into that smirk I'm used to with him. “Nice, hell.” He leans in only enough to brush his lips over mine briefly. “It would be fucking incredible.”

He pulls back as Baz jumps over to us, laughing and smiling and asking for Sawyer to pick him up so he can get a better view of the tigers, which of course he does. Because Sawyer and Baz are like two peas in a pod.

A lot like Baz and Asher.

My heart squeezes, and I can’t deny the pull I feel toward Sawyer. How my thighs clenched together when he was talking about kissing me.

We continue our day at the zoo and stay until closing. Baz is completely worn-out, and by the time I get him in his car seat and buckled in my own, I turn around and the kid is out.

I turn to Sawyer, who smiles back at him and then looks at me. “Guess that’s a good sign.”

“Yeah. He definitely had fun today.”

“Did you?”

I know what he’s asking, and it leaves him vulnerable, which is a side to him I haven’t seen often. “I did.” I look away and out the windshield in front of me. “I really did.”

He turns to face straight ahead too. “I did too. You wanna grab dinner?”

I turn to look back at Baz, who is completely out, and smile. “I do, but I'm not sure Baz is up for that.” He nods his head, backing out of the parking space, and I realize I'm not ready for the date to end yet. Biting my bottom lip nervously, I shrug. “Maybe we could drive to Kansas City.”

He seems intrigued. “Kansas City?”

“Nora lives there. Maybe she would want to watch Baz for a couple hours.”

He smiles at that and nods his head as he drives. “That would be cool with me. Although I’ll miss Baz’s dinner conversation. The kid knows his shit when it comes to Marvel versus DC, and let’s be honest, Viv.” His large shoulder shrugs, and I notice the corded muscle of his bicep flex as he grips the steering wheel. “You just can’t keep up with that.”

I laugh, and it feels really good as I roll my eyes and pull my phone out of my pocket to text Nora. “Yeah, okay. I guess we’ll just have to make do.”

He laughs, tossing his head back as he drives, and I realize how comfortable I feel with him, which of course makes me also feel very uncomfortable.

Nora was more than happy to watch Baz for a couple of hours, and Sawyer and I had a nice meal at the Plaza before picking him up, and he again conks back out in the dark car as we make the trip back to Lawrence.

There was no deep conversation. Mostly just talking about what we want to do now that we’ve both graduated from college.

Consensus, neither one of us have a clue.

When we pull into the drive at my house, my stomach drops when I see Asher’s car already parked there.

I unbuckle slowly and turn to Sawyer. “I really had a good time tonight.” He smiles, and I smile back and shake my head. “I didn’t see that coming.”

He laughs easily at that, keeping quiet as he looks back at Baz fast asleep and then back to me. “I didn’t either.”

“Screw you, I'm a delight.”

He laughs again, leaning closer, and I can smell his expensive cologne. It’s different from Asher’s but still so damn good. “You are. You aren’t nearly the uptight princess I thought you were.”

“So charming.” I smirk and bite my bottom lip, sensing he wants to kiss me, knowing I want him to. His lips are only inches away as I keep my voice a low whisper in the dark car. “You aren’t quite the arrogant, conceited asshole I thought you were.”

He chuckles as his closed hand rests under my chin, his thumb resting on the tip. “Give me time.”

His lips brush against mine before his mouth closes over mine, and we get lost in a kiss, one that sets me on fire and crushes my soul all at once because it’s good.

It’s incredibly good. My mouth opens for his, and his tongue sweeps inside, causing a soft whimper to escape my mouth into his.

And I know this date went well. Really well.

He leaves little kisses against my lips as he pulls away, and I know I want to do it again.

He looks back at Baz, his chest heaving with aroused breaths and then back to me. “Do you want me to carry him in?” He looks forward at the front door, and we both know Asher is inside. “I can calm my body down. I just need a minute.”

I laugh at that, not daring to look at his lap, but knowing exactly what he’s talking about. I clench my thighs together, trying to ease the ache between them and shake my head.

“I don’t think tonight's the night for you to deal with Asher’s wrath.”

“You think you deserve it?”

I bite my bottom lip again and nod. “Maybe.”

“You don’t.” His voice is firm, and I smile, brushing the light stubble over his cheek and smiling.

“I had fun.”

“Let’s do it again.”

I nod my head as I open the door. “Okay.”

I climb out and take Baz in my arms, allowing Sawyer to take his car seat out and put it in the garage before he gives my lips another brief kiss goodbye and leaves.

I balance Baz in my arms as I make my way up to the door, a feeling of dread deep in my belly, but I know I have to face him sometime.

I can do this. I don’t owe him anything.