She blows a strand of hair out of her face. “What kind of hours do you keep then?”
I scratch the back of my head self-consciously. Here we go. Let’s hope this doesn’t end before it gets started. Because I’m pretty sure I really like this chick.
“Well, it can vary, but usually noon to midnight, almost every day. I try to take one day off a week, though. On the rare occasion I might get two days off.”
I can tell by the expression on her face that the information doesn’t sit well. It usually doesn’t with the nine-to-fivers who are asleep long before I’m off work for the night.
“Hey,” I say, dipping my head to catch her eye and giving her a reassuring smile. “I hope we can find another time to see each other soon.”
Her answering smile is rueful, at best. “Me too,” she agrees.
“How about Friday after work?” I suggest. “But if midnight is too late for you, that’s fine. We’d just have to wait until next week to see each other again.”
Her eyes search mine, and it makes me nervous. Not something I’m used to feeling.
“You don’t have to say anything now,” I hedge, attempting to reassure her. “Just think about it.”
I expect her to hesitate. What I don’t expect is for her to reach out and touch my shoulder, letting her hand trail down my chest. I stay still, trying not to think about how much I like it. And I really don’t want to scare her off. When she looks up at me, wide-eyed, it takes all of my strength not to kiss her.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you think much about the future?” she asks.
Well. Wasn’t expecting that.
“Occasionally,” I reply slowly. “But I try not to most of the time. I prefer to live in the moment. Appreciate where I am, who I’m with, right now.”
“Good,” she whispers, her eyes settling on my mouth. “Kiss me, Drew.” Then she looks up at me from under her eyelashes. Something inside me twists in anticipation.
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” I murmur, my eyes fixed on hers. I lift a hand carefully, swiping a thumb across her cheek. Her skin is so fucking soft. Her eyes close and her lips part as her breathing accelerates. The twist inside spreads to my chest. If one touch can send both of our hearts racing, I can’t even imagine what I’m going to do next will set off.
I lower my mouth to hers gently, giving her time to protest. But she surprises me, opening her lips and kissing me back with a force I didn’t expect. I’m sucked in, and like fireworks have literally exploded, light dances behind my eyelids as her hot mouth melds into mine. Weird sensations crawl over my skin, like I’m being touched in places her hands aren’t. It’s strange, and totally erotic, and like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
“Ahem.”
I spring back and we both turn toward the voice that interrupted us. CJ’s brother Matt stands at the entrance to the living room, eyebrows raised.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he says sarcastically.
CJ shoots him a dirty look. “No, you’re not,” she replies drily.
Matt gestures at her still-propped up foot. “Geez, Cee, maybe we should have a talk about how to date without injuring yourself.”
She rolls her eyes as I try to smother a smile. “I tripped going down the stairs. Before the date, for the record. Don’t you need to go to bed so you can get up early to work ridiculously long hours again tomorrow?”
Matt chuckles at her sass. “Sure do, Sis. Hey Drew, nice to see you again. G’nite lovebirds.”
I give a small wave as Matt passes through and heads upstairs.
“Sorry about that,” CJ says to me after her brother’s gone.
I shrug and rise, realizing I need to go now, while I can, before I try to push this way too far for a first date. “It’s okay, I should get going anyway. You have to be up early tomorrow too.”
She shuffles her leg off the pillow, but I shake my head.
“Don’t get up. I can see myself out.”
She smiles up at me, and I have to restrain myself from kissing her again. She turns away, propping her leg back up. “Thanks for sticking around. I had fun.”
“Me too,” I agree. And suddenly I can’t resist another small taste, so I lean down to place a short, sweet kiss on her lips. Brief sensations like the ones before threaten to topple my resolve. We exchange phone numbers, finally, and I make to leave. “Talk to you soon?”
But the little minx grabs me by the collar as I go to stand. “Yes,” she agrees. “And I’ll see you Friday.” Her eyes are hungry, and I know exactly what she wants. Because damn if I don’t want it too.
With a grin, I lean back in, kissing her with as much enthusiasm as I can manage without losing it completely. It takes all I’ve got to break it off, and by the time I do, we’re both panting. A good sign, and Friday can’t come soon enough.
“See you Friday, beautiful,” I say. “Bye.”
“Bye,” she replies softly.
I can practically feel her eyes on me as I walk to the door. Probably checking out my ass again. I turn and give her one last smile. I walk out the door and head home to take a very cold shower.
Chapter Six
CJ
“You really didn’t have to make me dinner,” I tell Drew as he finishes plating the incredible smelling dish he somehow threw together in minutes.
He looks up at me with a grin. “I made us dinner,” he corrects, wiping his hands on a towel before picking up the plates. “It was a long night, and I’m hungry.”
I stifle a yawn as I follow him into the living room. Despite drinking a huge cup of coffee before coming over, I’m still fighting the exhaustion of being up uncharacteristically late. But seeing Drew answer the door freshly showered, wearing a seriously sexy tight white T-shirt and jeans that perfectly hug his gorgeous backside definitely perked me up.
Either way, I needed this after days of hobbling around. Being with Drew, while a bit nerve-racking, is quickly becoming the highlight of my week. What I didn’t need was the lecture from Matt on not telling Drew about our gifts.
As if it wasn’t hard enough dating as a precog, the decision to tell someone isn’t even totally mine, because I’m not just exposing myself. Matt has all the same aversions as me, and once someone knows, it would be all too easy for them to realize Matt has an ability too. And he’s even more protective of his secret than I am.
While Aunt Meg and Uncle Chuck accept and love us, they also advised against revealing ourselves without good reason. They’re not wrong, as most people, even if they could wrap their head around it, would probably find it a complete invasion of their privacy. I know I would. Though that hasn’t stopped me from wanting to tell people, I’ve managed to avoid it.
I’m not even sure anyone would believe me if I did tell them. My knowledge is harder to prove, since it’s stuff that hasn’t happened yet. Matt’s, on the other hand, is far more dangerous, especially in the business world. He doesn’t even tell me about most of what he Sees, but I know some of it is bad. Much worse than what I usually See.
It’s a reminder that as much as I’d love to have a partner in life, nobody will ever understand me the way my brother does.