Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Phoenix
My jaw hurt from talking so much. My jaw literally hurt, as in sore, like an overworked muscle. Sure, I’ve had gab sessions with my mom and sometimes friends, but nonstop conversation wasn’t my style.
Yet when I was with Lyric, it became my style and then some. The words flowed out of me like a fire hydrant being drained, water pouring from the spout.
The more time we spent together, the more I liked him.
I liked him so much I walked around with a goofy-looking smile on my face.
Amara and Chevelle instantly knew the love bug struck, but I told them they were crazy.
I didn’t love Lyric. We were friends, having some fun together.
Working on a project together. There wasn’t anything romantic about it.
We worked side by side building the garden together, using wood to frame it.
We painted the wood a charcoal color and while it dried, we picked up supplies from the garden center.
I filled most of it with soft sand and rocks and various succulent plants.
I also added a few potted plants, some that enjoyed sun and some that enjoyed shade, hoping to fill in any empty space.
Along the back of the garden, I put down soil and mulch and planted several different plants, from tall growing grass to leafy Japanese maples, along with moss and ferns.
After working, we’d catch dinner together, before he dropped me off at my parent’s house, insisting he picked me up there instead of at work. I secretly think he wanted to see where I lived.
Which led to him meeting my parents, because, of course, they started asking questions about the man picking me up and dropping me off every day.
Lyric won them over like he met parents as his day job.
My mom invited him over for dinner next week, and while he told them yes, I doubted he’d be there. We would finish the garden tomorrow.
Next week, I’d go back to the shop, and he’ll have moved on to his next job, our time together in the past.
I was fine with it, expected it even. We were only working together, is all. I referred to us as friends, but were we really? Would we stay in touch like friends would?
After we planted the last fern together, we hugged in celebration, the garden finished. I wanted him to kiss me, begged him silently in my head, but since the day he cupped my cheek and leaned in close, he has tried nothing since.
You kiss him.
The thought left me frozen in place, chills moving up and down my spine. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t put myself out there and pray he kissed me back, knowing there was a damn good chance he might not.
But wasn’t I expecting him to do the same?
Lyric pulled up in front of my parent’s house, the workday over, and our project complete.
I sighed, sadness oozing out of my pores and threatening to choke me. “Well, it was nice working with you. If you ever need an indoor Zen Garden again, don’t hesitate to call.” Kiss him.
Lyric parked his truck but kept the engine running, so the a/c kept us cool. He turned towards me. “Phoenix, I don’t want to say goodbye without knowing when I’ll see you again.”
Kiss him. Now’s your chance.
“Me either.” I swallowed over the lump of emotion in my throat. There’s so much I wanted to say, yet the words wouldn’t form.
“I mean, your parents invited me to dinner, so you can’t get rid of me that easily.” Lyric grinned, and I wanted to take a snapshot, to remember his perfect toothy grin for the rest of my days. “Seriously though, I like you, Phoenix. I like you a lot.”
My heart soared. It literally grew wings and took off. I couldn’t believe this was happening. He liked me.
He likes me back.
Kiss him!
I stepped out of my comfort zone and into a new zone, one where Lyric made me feel like I’d never left my own. With all the strength and courage, I could muster, I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned across the middle console.
Lyric’s expression told me he knew exactly what I was doing.
And he wanted it just as badly as I did.
I didn’t hesitate and when our lips finally connected, a surge of something so powerful ripped through me, unleashing an animalistic carnal instinct. I wanted him.
I wanted him NOW.
Our kiss grew intense quickly and from the view on the outside, there was no way this looked like our first kiss.
No awkward movements or tentative hesitation, only pure desire and the need to get more, more, more.
But as hands roamed and moves became friskier, I backed away, my mouth swollen and tingly. “My parents are home. Last thing I need is for them to catch me making out like a teenager. Hell, I didn’t even do this when I was a teenager.”
Lyric chuckled, the sound low, deep, and sexy. “Come back to my place with me.”
I clasped my hands together as a swarm of butterflies took flight inside my stomach, their wings flapping too loudly to ignore. “I…I…” I lost the words and my cheeks flushed. My shell threatened to pull me back down and away from him.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Phoenix. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. If you’re not ready for something like that, I totally understand.” Lyric took my hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it gently.
I melted into a puddle of goo, right there in the passenger seat of his truck. He’ll understand you’re a virgin.
“I can also just wine and dine you and introduce you to my Gran. It’s Friday, so she’ll want pizza and chocolate cake.”
I burst into laughter. “Pizza and chocolate cake?”
“Yep. It’s our Friday night tradition. I can take you home after. Or you can sleep in my guest room. Or even in my bed and I’ll take the guest room. There’s lots of options.”
The smile wouldn’t leave my face. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” Lyric kissed the back of my hand again.
“Ease my nerves and make me feel comfortable.”
“Guess I’m just a man of many talents.”
“That you are. Okay, I’m down for the Friday night tradition. Let’s go.”
“Really?” Lyric’s face lit up and this time, he kissed me on the lips. It only left me wanting more.
“But I need to tell you one thing first.”
“Anything.”
“I’ve never been with anyone before.”
“I know, you told me you haven’t had a boyfriend.”
“No, I mean…I’m a virgin.”
Lyric paused for a moment, then a wolfish grin spread across his face. “You don’t understand how much of a turn on that is.”
“It is?”
“Oh yes, it is baby.” Lyric gripped the back of my head and swept me into a mind-blowing kiss. “When you’re ready for me, and only when you’re good and ready, no matter how long it takes, you let me know.”
“Okay,” I whispered against his lips. “Now feed me. Please.”
Lyric laughed. He wrapped an arm around me and drove off, all my worries at ease from my sexy mountain man.