Chapter 6 Blade
Rain changed from a promise to a reality, so we moved from the deck to indoors.
With dinner over, we wandered into the basement—the area Bear called his man-cave.
It was complete with worn couches, a huge-ass television mounted on the wall and a pool table.
That’s what seemed to beckon us. There’s a single hanging lamp glowing overhead, shining down on the green felt.
Everyone walks over and Bear suggests a game.
We all agree, but I can see Olivia is nervous.
She’s probably never played pool in her life.
The thought makes me smile. This has been the best night I can remember ever having with a woman.
Each second I spend with Olivia is one that captures me more.
I want her so much that I can taste it. If I can end the night leaning over her, teaching her how to shoot pool?
Fuck, that’s almost heaven. The only thing better would be having her agree to move into the bedroom down here and making love to her all night long.
It doesn’t even scare me that I know that sex with Olivia would be different from anything I’ve shared with another woman.
That was fucking. Olivia, she’s special.
I want to take my time with her. Hell, I want to wake up the next morning in her bed.
That’s making love.
Olivia slides behind the cue rack and says, “I don’t really play pool,” she mumbles, her cheeks slightly red.
Ayita grins, grabbing a cue like it’s an extension of her arm. “You can be my partner,” she says without missing a beat. “Old school—girls against the boys.”
I frown. I was hoping to be Olivia’s partner so I could help her with her technique—which is code for keep her in my arms and tease her. Before I can argue, however, Bear shrugs and tosses the rack to the side. “Okay. You girls break first.”
Ayita nudges Olivia with her hip and asks, “You want to break, Livy?”
Olivia bites her lower lip, looks at the balls like they’re a math problem she didn’t study for. “How do you break?”
I can’t stop it. A laugh comes out before I can swallow it down. “Bear, maybe I should be Livy’s partner, so this is fair,” I suggest, hoping Livy agrees immediately.
Bear waves a hand. “Nah. She’ll catch on quickly. She’s too stubborn not to. Ayi, sweetheart, you break.”
Ayita chalks, leans in, and winks at Olivia just before she lines up.
The wink is deliberate. She’s obviously fairly confident the two of them will win.
Maybe she thinks she can get most of the balls and set up easy shots for Olivia.
My competitive spirit begins firing, especially when I see Olivia watching Ayita’s choices closely.
“Okay,” Ayita says, softly. “Just watch me, Olivia.” She breaks like she’s breaking through a brick wall—all muscle.
The balls scatter, one of the solids drifts and drops into the corner like it was always supposed to go there.
Ayita smiles at Olivia and winks at her again.
Olivia’s cheeks color and her smile makes my entire evening.
I would’ve just liked to be the one to cause it.
When it’s Olivia’s turn she mutters, half to herself, “Darn it, I hope I get this right.”
Ayita snorts, and then Olivia takes her cue like she’s taking a breath.
She does something I didn’t expect—lines up a bank shot that would make most players stop and mutter “no way.” She hits the cue ball so that it kisses the long rail, then the object ball glances off two rails and disappears into the corner pocket, an old-school bank-shot combination that’s one of the hardest basic shots in any pool player’s book. Damn.
Bear whistles low. “Blade, I think we’ve been had.”
I turn and look at Olivia—her mouth curved in that mischievous, guilty smile—and the floor underneath me tilts a little. “It would appear that way,” I murmur, trying to recover.
Olivia gives me a small, but-doesn’t-feel-small wink. “Did I do that right, Blade?” she asks, and everyone of us bursts out laughing.
The game gets messy and competitive and ridiculous.
Ayita and Olivia play like they’ve been partners forever.
They talk strategy and trash-talk in the same breath.
Bear and I try to push back, but the girls’ shots keep landing.
Finally, the last ball drops and the girls jump and cry out like they’d won the Super Bowl.
They did, in a way. Olivia whoops the loudest—and the sound of it is like sunshine cutting through the dismal weather outside.
Bear tosses his cue down and grins at us. “Want another round?”
Olivia slides off the rail and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I can’t—I need to get home. I have a busy day tomorrow.”
I cock my head. “It’s Saturday. What are you doing?”
She shrugs. “Saturday is my cleaning day. I’ve got a ton of laundry, sweeping, and dusting to do.”
My mouth twitches. “I think you’re just saying that. Probably to keep me from asking you out to dinner tomorrow.”
She meets my look, eyes steady. “Well, you could ask, but I already have plans for dinner.”
A small crack of jealousy twists through me like a dull stone. I frown, unable to stop the words forming from leaving my mouth. “Who are you going out with?” I try to smooth out my tone to hide my irritation and possessiveness. By the way Bear is smiling at me, I know that I’ve failed epically.
“Saturdays are my cleaning day and then I go out and grab Dad’s favorite takeout and we watch movies,” she says, like it’s the most natural thing in the world for a woman in her prime to choose to spend a Saturday night with her dad.
“What’s his favorite food?” I ask before I can stop myself.
“Chinese,” she says.
Ayita interjects from the corner. “I thought you didn’t like Chinese.”
Olivia chuckles, with a shrug. “I don’t. I pretend to eat.” She laughs again—the sound small and real. “Our Saturdays are Dad’s highlight of the week and that makes me happy.”
“I’ll bring the food,” I respond.
She gives me a look as if I’d said something bold and ridiculous. “What?”
“I’ll bring the food to your house Saturday evening.”
“I don’t remember inviting you, Blade.” Her voice is teasing, but careful.
“I know you’re shy, so I did it for you. You’re welcome.” The grin in my voice is half cocky, half soft.
Ayita and Bear have wandered off, probably to make out.
They’ve both had their fair share of whiskey tonight.
Olivia had only one beer and didn’t drink part of it.
I figure it’s because she’s driving. Something about that I like a lot.
I drink, but not a lot. I like being in control.
Our old man used to lay drunk—on the rare times he’d visit.
Usually, he said hello with his fists and goodbye the same way.
I didn’t have to witness it much because Bear got old enough to put a stop to it, but I saw the scars on our mother and the anger in Bear’s eyes every single time he was mentioned.
I never wanted to be like the man, so I’m very restrained when it comes to drinking.
I clear my head so I can just concentrate on my woman. I see the moment she realizes we’re alone. Now, it’s her and me. Exactly how I want it.
“Where did they go?” Olivia asks, scanning the opening to the kitchen, her cute little ankle boots dangling from her fingers. She lost those somewhere after dinner and before pool.
“I honestly don’t care,” I admit. “I’ve been wanting you alone all damn night.”
“Blade, I honestly do have to go,” she says. I’d like to think she’s disappointed, but I can’t be sure.
“I’ll let you go, but I want your cell number so that I can call and make sure you get home safely.”
Her mouth quirks. “Is that the only reason?”
“Not at-fucking-all,” I grin.
“We’re a bad idea, Blade. We’re too different.”
“Livy—”
“And on that note, I’m not sure you should come over tomorrow. Dad—”
“Some of the best ideas are bad ones, Usdi.”
“Blade …”
“Also, I’ll win your dad over,” I cut in. “It will also make me happy knowing I’m making your day easier.”
“Blade—”
“I’m bringing food and spending Saturday with you and your dad, Livy. It’s happening, so I want you to accept that and in return, I promise to be on my best behavior.”
She squints at me. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I laugh and pull my phone out. “Give me your number, Usdi, so I can be a good boy and walk you outside to your car. It’s good we do it now while the rain has stopped.”
“You need my number to walk me outside?” she asks, stubbornly.
“No, I need it to text you later, so I know you’re home safe.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re very bossy, Blade Aetos?” she huffs.
“Probably,” I say. “I think I can make you like it, though.”
She gives me her number—slowly, like she’s deciding to trust me as she goes.
I type it in, watching her face as the realization hits that we’re suddenly alone and things just tilted.
She looks … overwhelmed—slightly dizzy. It’s an intoxicating look on her and I have to force myself to rein in my hunger for her.
I hate like hell that I’m letting her go, but I know she’s not ready for more.
For that reason alone, I slowly walk her up the steps.
I open her car door. She leans against it like she’s going to say something.
I stop it by pressing my lips to hers, giving her a deep kiss.
It’s not a kiss meant to stoke her desire, but rather the kind that conveys that tonight mattered—that this is not the end.
My hand cups the back of her neck, thumb stretched to feel her pulse.
She kisses me back and opens to me enough that I can tell whatever I’m feeling, she’s dealing with it, too.
We break apart and she gives me a gentle, nervous smile before getting into the car.
I close the door and lean down as she starts the engine and rolls her window down.