13.
R IN
I found myself getting anxious when I realized that dinner was almost over.
Time with Constance seemed to fly by, probably because it was so easy to talk to her.
However, I knew that the turnover in this restaurant was high and there were probably people waiting for our table.
Since Sho and Avi were now sitting alone at their table, that meant that we weren’t just taking up one spot of prime real estate on a busy evening but two.
Without thinking, I blurted out, “I don’t want this evening to end.”
Stan smiled as she dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. She said, “Neither do I, but it’s still early.”
“I hate taking up two tables when there are others waiting.”
“True. Is there anywhere else we can go?”
“Have you ever been to Wake-n-Bake?” I asked. Stan raised her eyebrows, and I laughed before I said, “It’s a coffee shop and bakery that my cousins own.”
“I thought that was what stoners called it when they got high first thing in the morning.”
“Yep, you get it. They sell both infused and regular bakery items.”
“That’s genius.” Stan groaned before she said, “I’m too full to consume any kind of baked goods right now. Can I have a rain check on that idea?”
“Definitely.” I took one last bite of my fries while I thought about what else we could do. I had a sudden light bulb moment and said, “I’ve got the perfect idea!”
Stan wadded up her napkin and put it in her empty basket before she asked, “Roll me home so I can recover from my food coma?”
“I’m glad you like this place. I’ll make sure to bring you back.” I smiled before I teased, “Well, if you decide that I’m worthy of a second date.”
“The jury is still out,” Stan said primly as she fluttered her lashes and smiled sweetly. “Depends on what you have in mind for the next part of our date.”
I laughed before I admitted, “What I really want to do is not on the table quite yet, but I have an idea for something that will still be entertaining although not nearly as fun.”
Stan raised an eyebrow before she said, “Fun, huh?” Her eyes drifted down to my chest before she said, “I can see how that may be true.”
“Think so?”
Stan’s eyes shot up to mine before she grinned and said, “We’ll see.”
I burst out laughing before I nodded toward Avi and Sho.
As they stood up, I noticed how fluid their movements were and, not for the first time, thought there was much more to these women than a person may think.
They scanned the area as they walked our way, and when they sat down, I had the sudden thought that we had just been joined by predators rather than normal women.
“What’s up?” Avi asked.
“I’d like to take Stan to the boardwalk. There’s usually live music and a bunch of vendors.”
“Where is this place?” Sho asked as she pulled her phone out, probably to do some research.
I gave her the cross streets that I could remember and then smiled at the server as I asked for our bills.
“I’m not going to let you pay for Avi and Sho,” Stan insisted. “That would make our dates very expensive.”
“So, you’ve decided there will be more than one, huh?”
“I’m working toward that. Ask me in the morning.”
“How will I know when to call? You may want to sleep in.”
Without a thought about the two other people sitting at our table, Stan smiled and said, “I guess the easiest way would be to roll over and see if my eyes are open.”
I felt my jaw go slack and heard one of the women snicker before I had the presence of mind to close my mouth. I couldn’t think of anything else to say other than, “Well, then.”
That response elicited a laugh from all the women and made my face suddenly get hot.
I was so glad that none of my family was around because I knew I’d never hear the end of it.
All of my life, I’d been the guy who had found it easy to banter with anyone.
My parents had always said that I’d never met a stranger who didn’t quickly become my friend.
That ability has helped me throughout my life, especially with the opposite sex.
I had perfected the art of casual flirting and loved interacting with women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and walks of life.
And even though I’d encountered so many different types of women and appreciated the many conversations, nothing had prepared me for what it felt like when Stan flirted with me.
And, if the laughter from these women was any indication, I don’t think I was doing a great job at handling it.
But then again, she’d just invited me to stay the night with her, so it made sense that I was off my game, right?
Sure. That was the story I was going to go with.
“Can I ride to the . . . What’s it called again?”
“I guess it’s sort of a street fair,” I answered with a shrug.
“Can I ride over with you?”
“I’m on my motorcycle, though.” I looked at her guards and asked, “How exactly does that work? It doesn’t seat four.”
“Smartass,” Sho muttered.
“They can follow us.”
“You’re killing me, Stan,” Avi said in exasperation.
Constance just smiled at them before she said, “I’m going to live a little, whether you approve or not.”
“What happens if they don’t? Are they going to throw you over their shoulder like a firefighter?” I asked.
Stan smirked and rolled her eyes before she said, “It’s happened before.”
“I will knock you out and drag you by the hair before I even attempt to carry your ass anywhere,” Sho threatened.
Avi looked around before she sighed and said, “I guess we don’t have a choice in the matter, but I would like to ask that you stay off the main roads as much as possible. If you can’t, just stick to roads that are only two-lane so no one can sweep past us and put Stan in danger.”
“That’s gonna have to work,” Sho muttered as she shook her head. “Good grief, Stan. You’re a complete pain in the ass, you know that?”
Stan shrugged a shoulder before she grinned and said, “I do what I can.”
◆◆◆
STAN
Oh my God, Constance! You did not just say that out loud! What the hell is wrong with you?
I took a deep breath and tried to maintain my composure, but then threw caution to the wind and decided to ride on the back of his bike.
Holy shit. When Ciro found out, he was going to kill me, Sho, and Avi . . . in no particular order.
But Ciro wasn’t here, and everyone knew that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
That sounded great in theory, but I already knew it probably wasn’t going to work out in my favor.
However, I was only going to be young once in my life, and I’d played it safe so far.
Of course, being sheltered and guarded since I was old enough to leave the house had something to do with that.
Falling for the two men who were responsible for my safety added to it.
But it had been almost a year since the shooting, and I had yet to start living again. I had spent so much time in hospitals and in meetings with doctors that I was starting to feel like there wasn’t a life outside of that.
Now that I’d finally made peace with the fact that my relationship with Park and Sully had changed forever, I felt freer than I ever had before. I felt like I assumed a woman my age was supposed to feel - like the world was just over the horizon and waiting for me to take it by storm.
And if I happened to do that on the back of a motorcycle with the wind in my hair while my arms were wrapped around a man so hot I needed a cold shower after a five-minute conversation, then so be it.
Once I was settled behind him on the back of his bike, he started it up, and I shivered at the feel of all that power beneath us. He hooked his hands under my knees and pulled me flush against his back.
Rin turned his head to look over his shoulder, so I tilted my head to the side and smiled when he asked, “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready!”
He patted my calf and then checked for traffic before he pulled away from the curb. The ride was slow through this area, with stop lights every other block or so, but when he turned down a side street, he revved the engine and we shot down the road.
Without thinking, I threw my head back and hooted in excitement.
Even though I couldn’t hear him over the engine, I could feel Rin’s body shaking with laughter before he patted my leg again.
By the time we made it to the area he’d told us about, my hair was a tangled mess and my face hurt from smiling.
As soon as he backed his motorcycle up against the curb, he turned it off and twisted around to look at me.
“I’ve never enjoyed a bike ride as much as that,” he said with a smile.
“That was . . . It was . . . I just don’t . . .”
I didn’t have the words to explain just how carefree riding with him made me feel, so I let out another excited squeal before I stretched up and settled my lips on his. He got his arms between us, and I was suddenly yanked off my seat and settled in front of him with my legs draped over his thigh.
Rin’s lips felt like heaven, and his kiss was unlike any I had ever experienced before.
I had been kissed my fair share of times, but this felt different. I had never had the simple touch of someone’s lips send an electric pulse down my spine and set my entire body on fire.
I wasn’t aware of how long we’d been kissing - it could have been thirty seconds or thirty minutes, but it had been long enough to change my entire perspective. I was hungry for more of everything Rin had to offer.
I’d already found that I loved talking to him about everything and nothing at all and that he could make me laugh even when I was down.
I got excited every time my phone buzzed with an incoming text or call because it could be him, and I couldn’t wait to see what he had to say.
Even though I’d impulsively invited him to spend the night, I didn’t regret it at all.
The thought of waking up with him tomorrow was enough to give me a full-body shiver, and somehow I knew that I’d never be the same after a night spent with him.