Chapter Twenty #2
"That's true," I said. "Then I’ll order you an Uber."
"Really?" The corners of her mouth twitched. "Why do we want to start that argument again?"
Jeremy snatched his head up, and she pressed her lips together. Her tone had been flirty, and he could tell that it was different than usual. We were walking a very fine line.
"Riley," I said in a determined voice.
"Fine," she replied.
"Thank you." I knew she didn't like splurging, and I had asked her to come here, so this felt like a fair deal.
I turned to Jeremy. "Buddy, we're going to wait here until the Uber picks Riley up, and then we're going home, okay?"
"Sure.” He turned to face her. “Thank you for coming tonight, Riley."
"Of course. I'm glad you guys thought about me."
"I did," Jeremy said proudly, "not Dad."
I laughed and glanced at Riley, giving her a look that indicated otherwise. I’d been thinking about her more than I wanted to admit.
Her Uber arrived a few minutes later, and her jaw dropped. "What did you order, Uber Luxury?"
“What do you mean?"
"This is a Mercedes!"
"I always order the most comfortable option."
She opened her mouth, but I narrowed my eyes, and then she closed it again. If she was her usual sassy self, Jeremy would pick up on something for sure.
"Thanks. Both of you have a great evening."
Jeremy was busy investigating the magnets we'd bought earlier today. He didn't even glance up. I kept an eye on him while I tilted closer to Riley.
"Thank you for joining us, Riley. It was the highlight of the day."
Her lips parted slightly as she lowered herself into the car, and I closed the door.
As the Uber drove away, I turned to Jeremy. "Come on, buddy. We're ready to go home."
After a quick dinner, and despite my fears that the ice cream would give him too much energy, he went out like a light at eight thirty. The excitement of the day had probably counteracted the effects of the sugar.
I paced the living room, unable to relax. I needed to talk to Riley. Ideally, I’d do that face-to-face, but I wasn't going to leave my son alone at home.
I was seconds away from calling Mom or Finn and Knox and asking them to come watch him, then stopped myself.
First, they’d realize I was up to something, and I didn't want a million Sterlings weighing in on this.
I didn't actually want anyone's advice. And second, Jeremy himself would be scared if he woke up and I wasn't here. He’d think something bad had happened.
I didn't want to put him in that position.
Damn it! I couldn't believe that I was desperate enough to even consider calling my family. No, I wasn't going to see Riley tonight, but that didn't mean I couldn't call her.
I went outside on the terrace. I had too much energy coursing through my body to sit on the couch, so I stood at the edge, looking down at the pool.
"Come on, Riley, pick up."
She answered after a few rings. "Hey." Her voice was soft.
"You were asleep?" I asked.
"Yeah, I don't know how that happened. I came home and lay on my bed to read and must have zoned out. I even dropped my Kindle on my chest.”
“Then go back to sleep.”
“No, if I sleep now, I’ll wake up at three o'clock in the morning What's wrong? Did something happen with Jeremy? Does he not want to sleep? You could try persuading him by saying that Mr. Beagles is going to visit him in his dreams."
"You know about that?" I said, stunned. He’d lost Mr. Beagles years ago.
"Yeah. One day, he told me that sometimes he dreamed about him, and then I made up this whole thing that Mr. Beagles is out there somewhere and visiting him in his dreams. So the more he sleeps, the more he’ll visit him."
"You’re amazing," I said, and that was the honest-to-God truth. Jeremy had had many nannies, but none had taken the time to understand his worries and come up with ideas to comfort him. I didn't want to ruin this for him.
And yet, Riley and I needed to talk.
"Riley," I said.
She groaned. "You don't have to say it."
"You don't even know what I was about to tell you."
"Something about how this can’t happen because you don't want to have to sneak around with me in bathrooms or outside them. And, most of all, because this would be complicated for Jeremy."
I closed my eyes. She was right. I was going to say a variation of that. But now that she'd said the words, they all felt like excuses. Nothing that wouldn't be manageable.
"I want you, Riley" was all I said.
She gasped. "Oh wow. That did not go the way I thought it would."
"Everything you said is true," I admitted, putting my hand on the railing and looking down, "but I still want you." I paused and then added. "I need you."
"Really?" Her voice was a mere whisper.
"I don't know how it happened. I just know that it's true. Of course it's complicated, but I'd never forgive myself if I didn’t at least tell you this."
"Well, tell me more, because I definitely like what I'm hearing. I'm not dreaming, am I?"
"You're so fucking not. If I were there, I’d prove it to you. I'd touch you until you’d beg for me."
She giggled. "Well, now I know I'm not dreaming because I never have dirty dreams."
I sucked in my breath. The idea of her having dirty dreams was enough to make me hard. I groaned.
"What was that?"
"We should talk about this face-to-face."
"Oh, okay. What do you propose?"
"A date," I said.
"Really? But how? When?"
I swallowed hard. "My youngest brother wants to take Jeremy away for the weekend on Friday.”
"Okay, then, Friday it is," she said. "In a minute," she called out.
"What's that?" I asked.
"My roommates want to talk to me."
"See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. See you."
I was already counting down the days to Friday.