14. Ryan
While Jared finishes the last few things today, I fill out my paperwork and check in with Dad to update him on today’s progress.
As I listen to him drone on about the progress of a remodel he’s doing in Long Beach, my thoughts return to Lanie.
I can’t wait to spend more time with her tonight.
It’s like each minute took an hour to pass.
I can’t wait to finish my day, so I can spend the evening with her.
It’s been hell, attempting to go through the motions of my typical work day.
Finally, when I see Jared heading this way, I make an excuse to end the call with my dad. “Hey, Dad, Jared’s about to leave. I’d better get going.”
“Okay, Son. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”
Jared walks to his truck as if he’s purposely trying to torture me—slow and without a care in the world. He takes his sweet time putting each of his personal tools in his cargo box. Is he gonna pull out a label maker and color code them, too ?
Jesus Christ, man. Just get in your friggin’ truck and leave.
Nope—I can’t be that lucky. The bastard has to pull out his phone and do something with it before even turning over the engine. Finally, he puts his truck in gear and starts rolling down the road.
When his rig is finally out of sight, I grab the bag I’d hastily packed when I ran home this morning.
There’s no way I wanted to waste more time by driving across town before my date tonight.
Before I can exit the vehicle, Lanie’s walking down the steps from the back deck and rounding the corner of the house.
The moment her eyes meet mine, a heart-stopping smile spreads across her face. My chest tightens and apparently, I turn into all thumbs, getting out. Thankfully, she’s none the wiser of the fact that I nearly fall out of my truck when my toe catches on the bottom lip of the doorjamb.
Could I look any less graceful?
Rocking back on her heels, she pulls her lower lip under her teeth. “I wasn’t sure what the plan was. Ready to come inside, or do you need to finish your day first?”
My eyes dart to the bag in the front seat. “If you don’t mind me changing here, I’d rather stay.”
Her eyes roam over me from head to toe. “Yesterday, I noticed you’d showered after work. I’ve got plenty of towels and hot water if you wanna use it.”
Only if you join me , almost rolls off my tongue, but somehow, I manage to keep that thought to myself. Instead, I merely nod and agree. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”
Smiling she reaches for my hand. “Well, we’ve got about thirty minute s until dinner’s ready, so take your time.
” With that, she leads me inside and shows me which bathroom to use.
Wasting no time, as soon as I’m alone, I shuck off my clothes and take the fastest shower humanly possible.
It’s like I can’t get back to her fast enough.
As I descend the stairs, my mouth waters the moment I smell the delicious aroma of Lanie’s cooking.
When I enter the kitchen, the cheesy casserole is on the stove, and on the counter is more cantaloupe from this afternoon along with a salad.
But as I look around the room, Lanie’s nowhere to be found.
Confused, I call out, “Lanie?”
A second later, she appears in the hall. “Just grabbing the growler from the fridge in the garage.”
When I see Pop’s logo, I grin. “Decided to try the Puckering Pear, I see. Is that where you wandered off to today?”
“Yeah, I ended up near Pop’s, and I thought I’d give it a try.”
“What can I do to help with dinner?”
“If you want to open this, I’ll grab us some glasses and plates to dish up.”
“It smells amazing. Thanks again for cooking.”
Effortlessly, we move around the kitchen plating our food and filling our glasses.
When she sits at the bar, I follow suit. “So what else did you do today?”
Sighing, she looks to the ceiling. “Let’s see… after getting some beach therapy, I dropped off my things an d went for a walk. When I got back, I talked on the phone with my sister Raven. I guess their plan is to arrive Friday, and both she and Sloane are scheduled to work this weekend.”
“They already have jobs lined up?” I ask in surprise.
“Yeah, they each have worked them the last couple of summers. Raven’s working at the ropes course here in town and Sloane’s a waitress at the Seaside Hotel.”
“What about Lizzy?”
“She’ll work at a local book shop. Nana set her up with the job last summer and since it’s slow in the winter, the owner’s looking forward to having her back this summer.”
Taking a bite of the chicken casserole, I moan as the savory flavor melts in my mouth. “Mmmm… I think I’m in heaven.” I’m not sure what I expected, but I wasn’t prepared for the cheesy combination of corn, broccoli, and mushrooms.
“Can you see why I don’t like to make it just for myself? I’d eat the entire pan.”
“You’ll certainly have some competition. I’ll definitely be having seconds,” I warn as I fork another piece of chicken into my mouth.
“Good,” she says with a laugh. “Nana always had the best recipes.”
“For the record, if you want to test any others, I’ll gladly volunteer to help you eat them.” Taking another bite, I muse at its perfection. “Damn. This puts any casserole my mom has ever made to shame—though, don’t tell her that.”
Smiling, she offers, “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”
“Mmmmm…. this is good,” Lanie says after trying the Puckering Pear.
“I told ya.” I grin before taking another bite. “It’s one of my favorites.”
For a few moments, the room fills with comfortable silence as we devour the food she’s prepared.
Eventually, we make small talk. I tell her how the siding is coming along on the house and she fills me in on other recipes her nana made that she’d like to try.
If any of them are half as delicious as this meal, I’m eager to taste them.
Of course, I dish us each up seconds, as I’d predicted, and we continue our casual conversation.
When I can’t eat another bite, I push my plate away and ask, “Wanna clean up, then go for a walk?”
“God, I’m stuffed. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach when I eat this. Of course, it tastes so good, so I don’t notice until I’ve completely overindulged.”
“I see we have another thing in common.” I grin as I stand and take her plate to the sink to rinse it off. “Dishwasher clean or dirty?”
“Uh…” She stares at me for a second too long then says, “Dirty.”
“What’s that look for?” I finally ask when she’s still looking at me as if I’ve grown two heads.
Shaking her head, she mutters, “Just trying to see if you’re real.”
What the hell is she talking about? “Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask, reaching for the empty fruit bowl.
“Mmmm…” She purses her lips together as if she’s co ntemplating her words for a response. Then she suddenly shrugs. “You’re doing dishes.”
“Well, last I checked, you cooked. I ate, I can help clean up. It’s not like I’m a neanderthal that doesn’t know how to fend for himself. You’ll be shocked… I even do laundry, know how to clean toilets, and run a vacuum, too.”
She feigns fanning herself as if she might faint. “Now you’re just teasing me.”
Drying off my hands, I stalk over to where she’s now standing in front of the stove and place both hands on the counter at each of her sides, effectively pinning her in place. “Oh, I’m more than just a tease, trust me.” I rasp out much sultrier than I intend, as I slant my lips over hers.
Cocking a brow in challenge, she smirks. “Are you sure about that?”
My voice is gravelly when I rasp out, “What do you think?”
Fisting my shirt, she pulls me closer and my mouth crashes onto hers.
When her tongue sweeps across my lips, they part with ease to let her in and all time ceases to exist. All that matters is how good she tastes, her soft skin, and how this simple kiss completely consumes me.
The way her hands glide through my hair at the base of my neck, and her soft body presses against mine, makes my semi-hard dick turn to steel.
Needing more, I break our kiss and trail my lips along her jaw to that place I’ve quickly learned she loves behind her ear. “God, you feel amazing,” I groan as my fingertips slip under the back of her shirt and run along her spine.
When a dog suddenly barks as a child screams “Get back here,” Lanie and I freeze in place.
Peering around me, she looks at the path people walk along the promenade, between the house and the beach. An entire family lingers just outside the fence and another sits on a bench nearby.
Reaching for my hand, Lanie jerks me in the direction of the stairs as she whisper-shouts. “Follow me.”
“Why are you whispering?” I ask, amused by the pleading look on her face.
As if the people outside could possibly hear her she continues to whisper-shout, “As much as I love this place, I hate the fact that it can also be a fishbowl when the blinds are up.”
“Want me to close them?” I offer.
“No,” she hisses. “That’ll draw too much attention. I’ve got a better idea.”
Tugging on my arm again, I give in and follow. “Okay, but what’s your rush?” I ask through laughter at the ridiculousness of this entire situation. I’m not an exhibitionist, but I still don’t get why she’s in such a hurry.
“ I’m not done kissing you,” she hisses as if she’s annoyed and I should’ve read her mind.
Her bluntness makes me laugh.
Yeah, I can get on board with that.
“Neither was I,” I murmur.
Taking a right at the top of the stairs, she pulls me into a room that faces the ocean. Without saying a word, she reaches behind the sheer curtains to close the wooden blinds .
The moment she’s done she turns with a mischievous grin spread across her face as she loops her hands around my neck. “Now... where were we?”
Pulling her closer, I play along, “Hmmmm… I think we were right about… here…” is the last words I mutter before crashing my lips onto hers.
If I thought our kiss downstairs was consuming, I was wrong. There’s a sense of urgency that wasn’t there before. When my tongue slides in to meet hers, she releases a breathy moan, and all sense of thought disappears as my other senses kick in.
Running my fingers along the hem of her shirt, her soft skin is inviting. She smells like a mixture of fresh ocean breeze with a hint of vanilla and lavender. I feel like I need to taste her everywhere.
Her hands roam my chest, shoulders, and back. She pulls on my shirt as she breaks our kiss and pants, “This needs to go. I wanna feel your skin.”
Not needing to be told twice, I step back and rip my shirt over my head in one move.
The moment I’m standing before her shirtless, her eyes heat as they roam over me.
Before I can close the distance between us, she crosses her arms over her body, grabs the hem of her shirt, and tosses it to the floor.
Between Lanie’s bold expression and the way her chest rises and falls with each heavy breath she takes, I nearly forget how to breathe.
Her skin looks soft and inviting and she has curves that make my wildest fantasies of what she’d look like pale in comparison.
“You’re so beautiful,” escapes without conscious thought .
Her lips quirk and her eyes heat as her tongue runs along her lower lip. I can feel every inch of her eyes roaming over me from head to toe. Her smile turns wicked when she whispers, “You’re pretty handsome yourself.”
“You just gonna stand there and stare? Or are you gonna touch, too?”
When her tongue runs along her lower lip again, it takes everything in my power to stay rooted in place and let her close the distance between us.
“I think…” She pauses as her eyes roam over my chest. When they finally meet my eyes, she reaches for me. “I’d rather touch.”