“I don’t want to jinx this.” She feathers her lips across mine. “That’s all.”
“We won’t.” I turn on my side, taking her with me so that we’re flush together. Tuck her hair behind her ear. At least not by going on a date. And she deserves to be wooed. “Let me organize it.”
“Okay.” She snuggles into me.
“Now let’s get some sleep.” I rest my lips against her forehead. Damn. It feels right. Holding her naked body. Falling asleep with her. Planning how we’re going to spend our first date.
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the nerves of anticipation like this.
***
Cap’N Crunch: What counts as a first date these days? Dinner? Flowers? The movies?
Violet Queen: Wait? You have a date?? With the unattainable?
Cap’N Crunch: Fuck, I’m going to screw this up.
“You’re still here, lover boy.” Kiki strolls up beside me, empty cup in hand, while I wait for coffee to finish dripping into two mugs.
“Vale,” I offer. “I think we’ve met a few times.”
“Oh, I know who you are.” She hands me her cup with a wink and cinches her tiger print robe tighter at the waist. She’s paired it with fluffy slippers and a silk bonnet.
“Right.” She probably knows more about me than I know about myself. Girls talk, don’t they? That’s their thing.
She grabs an apple from the large metal bowl full of fruit on the counter, bites into the crisp flesh and chews as she studies me. “So you stayed the night?”
“Yeah.” My phone wolf whistles and I pull it out of my pocket and slide the notification volume to mute. Damn, why haven’t I changed that yet? My only excuse is that I’ve been a tad preoccupied with Lily.
Violet Queen: I have faith in you.
Violet Queen: P.S. What does she like? Start there.
When I glance up again, Kiki is staring at me, one arm crossed over her body, the apple held in the air, an odd expression on her face.
I tuck my phone back into my pocket. “Are you all right?”
“Mmhmm.” She nods. Swallows what’s in her mouth. “Yes. Of course.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“If you’re worried about Lily…” I scoop up fresh coffee. Set the machine to fill her cup.
“It’s not my business,” she says. “But if it was, I would tell you that my girl really likes you and not to be a dick.”
“Understood.” I collect milk and sugar and place them with the coffee on a tray I found in one of the cupboards. Snagging a banana from the fruit bowl, I add that too. “Sorry to cut this short, but…”
“Yes. Go.” She takes another bite of her apple. “Don’t keep her waiting.”
More like I left her sleeping and want to get back to her before she wakes up and thinks I’ve ditched and dashed. I scoop up the tray. “Thanks.”
“Is that coffee I smell?” Lily wanders into the kitchen, and I stop in my tracks. She’s wearing my Tom Cruise button down and her Hungry Caterpillar shorts are barely visible underneath. Her violet tresses hang in wild abandon around her face as she leans against my side and presses a kiss to my jaw.
I haven’t seen Lily Kelly in the morning since… I don’t know… possibly when she was still in high school. Back then I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. Now, my erection is instant and probably obvious. One thing is for sure. I want to see a whole lot more of this just out of bed sexed-up vixen.
She trails her fingers along the wide open collar of the shirt as she peers at the contents of the tray. “That for me?”
“It’s for the Pope.” I clear my throat.
“Oh. Of course.” The corners of her eyes and mouth crinkle as she starts to step around me. “Should I just make my own then?”
“Why don’t you go back to bed.” I clasp her waist to keep her with me. “And let me do something nice for you.”
“Breakfast in bed?” She blinks those wide, delicate greens.
“More like a prelude,” I say. I still have to Yelp the best deli for her ideal breakfast sandwich. “Now be a good girl and run along.”
“Kinky.” Kiki smirks when we both glance at her. “You two are going to be delightful together, my beautiful darlings.”
Lily’s cheeks warm. “It’s not like that. We don’t have a kink.”
Kiki’s phone rings. She pulls it out of the pocket of her knee length robe and checks the screen. “It’s Lewis. Are we telling him about this development now, or surprising him when he gets in tonight?”
“Surprising him.” Lily sighs.
My guess is she’s not thrilled about it because Lewis doesn’t think too kindly of me. Can’t say that I’m shocked. Or bothered by it. He’s a good guy, but he’s always trying to set Lily up with his friends. Used to make me want to tell him to mind his own business. Now I will if I have to. But hopefully it won’t come to that because I know he cares about Lily a lot and I don’t want to put her at odds with her friends.
“A sound decision if you ask me.” She nods and answers the call as she sashays out of the kitchen, the silk of her robe swishing. “Hello, you gorgeous man. How’s my niece or nephew?”
“I didn’t know she and Lewis were related,” I say.
“Oh, they’re not. She’d say the same thing if it were us.”
I wince. “Lily.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not thinking ahead like that. I’m truly not.” She shakes her head, her purple tresses bouncing wildly around her face. Her next words come quicker. “I have a plan. Finish this hotel. Make partner. Build my own brand. Sell my own collection online.” She flicks her hair out of her scarlet face. “It’s just one of those stupid things that you say without thinking it through. Well, I say… you know me. Mouth almost always running ahead of my brain.”
“Lil, it’s okay.” I squeeze her waist. Try to impart some confidence I don’t particularly have.
Truth is I just don’t know if commitment and white picket fences or sham pillows are in my future. And kids, well, that’s a stone thrown too far.
Wanting to be with her is one thing. Scary as fuck, sure, but it’s what I want.
A family? Turning into my father? Propagating Hellman DNA? Screwing up kids? Putting them through hell? That’s the last thing I want to do.
Only Lily doesn’t look at me like I’m all kinds of fucked up. She makes me want to believe anything is possible. That I can be a good man. A decent boyfriend. A dad. Different from my own.
But unfortunately, I have a sense that if I told her about Jessa and my brother and what happened back then she wouldn’t look at me the way she does now.
I need a little time. Bigger balls.
I take a deep breath and so does she. She gets me and I get her. She knows that’s a conversation for another day, and I understand that she always says what’s on her mind. Right now I just want to concentrate on spending the day with her. “Let’s go and get ready. I’m taking you out for breakfast.”