Chapter 6 #2
I ran into him again at the diner on Wednesday evening. I stopped by to pick up a carryout order for dinner, and he was sitting at a table with a couple of guys wearing 5th Circle Guardian’s cuts. Trick spotted me waiting by the counter and came over to say hello.
I was still a little flustered from our brief encounter on Monday, so I kept my greeting short, not wanting to encourage him.
I seriously underestimated just how little encouragement the man needed.
“Would you like to join us for dinner?”
“Thank you, but I’m just picking up something to take home,” I replied briskly.
He grinned, then spread his arms wide. “Well, I thought you’d never ask. I’m ready to go home with you anytime you want, darlin’.”
Before I could respond, Martie bustled over and placed my bag of food on the counter.
“Leave this poor girl alone, and go finish your dinner before it gets cold,” she scolded him, playfully smacking his shoulder. It was clear that she had a soft spot for the man.
He bent down and planted a kiss on the petite woman’s cheek. “Yes, ma’am.” She merely shook her head fondly, then hurried back to the kitchen.
“Should I box up the rest of my food and meet you at your place?” He arched a brow questioningly, a sly grin on his face.
“No,” I stated firmly, barely resisting the urge to roll my eyes yet again at his antics. At the rate I was going whenever he was around, they would probably roll right out of my head one of these days.
I left him standing at the counter, and later that night, had a dream that I’d actually brought him home. Dream Lauren had one hell of a good time. Real-life Lauren woke up horny, aggravated, and a tiny bit regretful that she hadn’t taken Trick up on his offer.
Late Thursday afternoon, I wearily pushed open the door to the studio entrance and trudged across the parking lot.
As I opened my car door, I heard my name called and turned to find Dustin walking toward me.
He was one of the many narrators and voice actors who booked time at the studios.
We’d completed a radio commercial for a local restaurant last week, and he’d been a dream to work with.
After a few minutes of discussion and a quick run-through of the copy, we’d completed the thirty-second spot in one take.
“Hey, Lauren, I’m glad I caught up with you.” After exchanging pleasantries, Dustin smiled and took a step closer, causing me to tilt my head slightly so I could continue looking him in the eye.
“I really enjoyed working with you last week. I know it’s short notice, but I’d love to take you out to dinner tomorrow night, if you’re free?”
I was surprised, and very flattered, by his interest. Dustin was good-looking, probably three inches taller than me, with blond hair, deep blue eyes, and a dimple in one cheek that popped out every time he smiled. He was undeniably handsome, in a clean-cut, boy-next-door kind of way.
“I’d love to,” I told him straightforwardly. I was too old to play games – pretending the need to act coy and check my schedule or some immature crap like that.
His face lit up, giving my ego a much-needed boost at his eagerness.
We arranged to meet at the steakhouse we’d recorded the ad for, and after exchanging numbers we went our separate ways.
As I pulled out of the parking lot, a vision of Trick and his flirty, winking, smirking face flashed through my mind.
To my shame, for a split-second I compared the two men and found Dustin lacking the sheer sex appeal that Trick wore like a second skin.
Trick had golden, sun-kissed skin, and looked to be at least six-feet-four – tall enough that I could wear an actual pair of high heels and still be shorter than him.
At five-feet-ten, that was a rarity for me.
He had broad shoulders and appeared to be heavily muscled without being ridiculously over-the-top about it.
He clearly didn’t skip leg day or skimp on the lunges, judging by the buns of steel I’d been lucky enough to get a glimpse of, and the way his thick thighs strained against the seams on his jeans.
His hair was cut short on the sides – almost buzzed – and was a little longer on top.
Just enough to grab hold of and pull, if a woman were ever in a position to do so.
The color was a warm, light brown, streaked with lighter blond highlights, especially on the ends.
Since I couldn’t imagine him spending much time in a salon, I assumed the lighter color was from his time spent in the sun.
He had a classic, chiseled jawline, strong cheekbones, and a lush lower lip just perfect for nibbling on.
Again, if a woman were ever in a position to do that sort of thing.
His eyes, though, were probably his best feature.
They were hazel – a mesmerizing blend of greens and browns with gold flecks – and framed by impossibly long lashes that women everywhere would pay good money to have.
The man was sex-on-a-stick, and unfortunately, he knew it.
Flaunted it, as if he were God’s gift to women, so I definitely had to deduct points for that.
Dustin was handsome, charming, and most importantly, didn’t seem the type to be scoping out his next hook-up while talking to me. I wasn’t at all sure the same could be said for Trick.
When Friday evening rolled around, I put the finishing touches on my makeup and slipped into the dress I’d chosen to wear for my date.
It was one of my favorites, and I knew it looked good on me.
Judging by the smile on Dustin’s face when I met him at the entrance to the restaurant, he definitely agreed.
His eyes roved over me, just enough to show his appreciation without being sleazy.
“You look beautiful,” he greeted me, bending down to press a quick kiss to my cheek before reaching for the door and ushering me inside.
We were quickly seated at a quiet booth near the back and made small talk while looking over the menu.
“It all looks so good, I’m going to have trouble deciding what to order,” I confessed.
“I’m going with the biggest steak they have,” Dustin declared. “I skipped lunch because the smell of the fresh paint in the breakroom was so strong, it gave me a headache. I ended up just having a quick snack in the studio instead.”
I nodded because the smell had been overpowering.
I’d walked in to retrieve my salad from the fridge as JD was folding up the tarps he’d put down to protect the floor.
He’d apologized for the odor, then offered to let me eat in his office which was on the other side of the building.
He’d eaten with me, spending most of the time talking about “his girl”, as he called her.
From the sounds of it, he’d been pining over her for years, so I was happy that things seemed to be working out for them this time.
He’d also been concerned when I’d mentioned getting another flat tire, offering to look over my other tires to make sure they were all right.
He’d been relieved when I explained my uncle had already replaced them all for me.
Dustin and I decided to split a few of the side dishes to go along with the steaks we ordered. I stuck to a single glass of red wine, since I was driving, while Dustin ordered a beer from a local brewery.
The conversation flowed freely as we chatted about our careers, and the various projects we’d each worked on over the years. By the time he walked me out to my car, I’d agreed to allow him to pick me up for a second date on the following Friday.
“I can’t wait,” Dustin said softly, his gaze trained on my lips.
He tilted his head and leaned in to kiss me.
After a split-second hesitation, I returned the kiss.
He kept one arm braced on the top of my car door, and wrapped the other around my waist, pulling me closer as his lips opened over mine, his tongue running along the seam of my lips to deepen the kiss.
A jolt of pleasure shot through me, partly because I hadn’t been this close to a man in months, and partly because Beau’s lips were no longer the last ones that had touched mine.
After a few heated moments, I pulled back a little, and he reluctantly released me. He glanced around at the cars surrounding us, as if just remembering that’s where we were.
“Sorry about that,” he said, shaking his head ruefully. “I didn’t mean to get carried away in the middle of the parking lot.
“I didn’t mind,” I assured him with a grin. “I’d better get home, though. I have an early studio time booked for tomorrow.”
He stepped back so I could slide into the driver’s seat, then leaned down and told me to drive safely.
“I’ll see you Friday. Don’t forget to text me your address.”
I nodded as he closed my car door for me, then waited until I’d pulled out of the parking spot before making his way over to his own car. I gave him a smile and a quick wave as I drove off, and I was still smiling by the time I pulled into my driveway.
“Maybe this time, you’ve found a nice guy instead of a douchebag,” I murmured to myself as I entered the house, barely stopping Elvis from trying to escape again.
“Oh, no you don’t,” I scolded him as I picked him up and nuzzled his fur.
He tolerated that for a few seconds before trying to wiggle out of my hold.
As soon as I bent down and released him, he shot off down the hallway toward my bedroom, where I had an overstuffed cat bed for him in the corner of the room.
On the verge of sleep an hour later, my mind replayed the kiss, only this time, it was Trick kissing me instead of Dustin. My eyes popped open and I stared at my bedroom ceiling, wondering what the hell was wrong with me.
“You have shitty taste in men, that’s what’s wrong with you,” I muttered angrily.
I rolled over and bunched my pillow up under my head as I tried to get comfortable.
“Forget about Trick, because he’s sure as hell not losing any sleep over you,” I lectured myself sternly.
I finally fell asleep, after worrying for a bit about my increasing habit of not only talking to myself but also answering myself as well.
“You’re going to end up being a crazy, old cat lady, Lauren Marie. ”