“I’ll walk you out, it seems like we get busier with every passing week. Stay out of dark corners though, even in a small town, you never know what someone is capable of,” his hand lands on my lower back. I wouldn’t think I had too much of an effect on him, yet Lincoln’s warm hand is against my bare skin. My shirt may show some skin, but not enough unless you purposely move it, and that’s exactly what Lincoln does. Add that into the way he’s kneading my back, I think he’s finally making a move.
“Your hands are amazing,” I all but moan. He stops in his tracks. I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud.
“You can’t say shit like that right now, Presley. Not when I can’t have you in my arms,” he responds.
“Oh, well…um, okay. I’ll just get back to the girls,” I turn to move away from Lincoln. His arms come around my waist from behind, his chin on my shoulder.
“Not what I meant, Presley. You deserve more than a quick fuck in a crowded room. I want to take you out, get to know you better, and show you just how I plan on making you mine,” he states.
“Wow,” I’m struck speechless, I didn’t think he really saw me, well, not that much at least.
“Presley,” he groans, “I’m going to walk you to your girls, let you have your night with them. Then later on, when you’re home, all curled up in bed, where I want to be, I’ll call you. But, gorgeous, it’ll be late. So, unless you don’t want what I do, let me know now.”
“Okay, I guess you’ll need my number then?”
“Babe, when a man knows what he wants, he goes after it. That being said, I already have your number,” he claims, and then he moves me towards the back deck, towards Lyla and Callie. His hand back on my lower back, me trying not to moan as he continues his assault on my body.
When we get there, I see the girls have ordered a bottle of wine, and we each have a glass poured. The shock on their faces though, that says it all.
“Thanks, Lincoln,” I turn towards him once we get to the table, taking a chance, I give him a quick peck on the cheek. He doesn’t let me move though, oh no. Not Lincoln, he turns his head and his lips find my own. It’s not an aggressive kiss, not the way I thought it would be after what he said back inside, no, this is sweet, savory, and short.
“You’re welcome, Presley. Ladies enjoy your night,” he nods his head to the girls, gives me one last glance, and then leaves.
“Spill it, right freaking now,” Lyla exclaims.
“Yes, we need all the tea,” Callie states.
I tell them what happened, and we spend our night drinking wine and gossiping. It’s a hell of a combination, but it’s tradition, and it’s something we don’t mess around with.
4
Lincoln
It’s three o’clock in the morning before I’m settled back home and lying in bed. My phone is in the palm of my hand, trying to decide if it’s too late to call Presley or not.
After I made my open play for her, making sure the other men looking at her with their tongues basically panting after her, and letting them know Presley is mine. The best part of all of this is Presley didn’t see the looks the damn bastards were giving her.
After that, I stayed secluded in my office. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be out on the floor. I knew my body would gravitate towards her and nothing would get taken care of. Locking myself in my office was the right thing to do. Even if my heart and body protested against it.
Instead of calling her, just in case she’s asleep, I text her.
Me: You up?
I wait to see if she responds, not really expecting her to be. It’s late as hell and I didn’t think it would be this late when I got home, but we had a few stragglers that couldn’t find a way home. I did what any responsible bar owner would do, I called them an Uber.
Presley: Who’s this?
I don’t bother with a response. I do the one thing I’ve been aching to do all night. I call her, the phone rings once, then twice. It has me thinking she may not answer her phone, when her voice comes over the line, “Hello.”
“Presley,” I all but groan out. Her voice is on the husky tone and I find myself wanting to see, hear, and feel what she looks like all soft and laid out in her bed.
“Hi, Lincoln,” she lets out a yawn. I feel even more like an ass for calling her this late at night.
“I won’t keep you long, I know you’re tired. I just wanted to make sure you made it home safe and sound.”
“Oh yeah, Lyla’s parents picked us up around midnight. I was going to say goodbye, but I didn’t see you anywhere,” she says sleepily.
“I was up in the office, baby. Make sure you save this number, anytime you want to see me I’ll be there,” I respond, my own body starting to pull me under.
“I’d like that, I’m going to let you go. I know you had a long night, and well, I’m tired myself. I really did like seeing you tonight, though,” her sweet voice coming through the line. It has me thinking all kinds of impure thoughts.
“I liked seeing you, too. I have tomorrow off. I’ll call you when I’m up for the day. We can get together, do something. Just the two of us?” I question.
“I’d really like that. Talk to you, well uh…later today then,” she says with a laugh.
“Yeah, you will. Have a good night, sweetheart.”
“Goodnight, Lincoln,” I wait to hear the phone click off, then I put my phone away myself, and drift off to sleep with the thought of Presley in my arms.
5
Presley
I woke up this morning and the first thing I did was start a group call with Lyla and Callie. The best thing our parents ever did for us was make sure we stayed friends from the time we were infants and see it through, even in our emotional teenage years. Heck, even each of our moms were best friends. It’s the most natural thing.
“Did he call?” Lyla questions before she even says hello.
“Hi Lyla. Hey Presley, how is your morning?” I start with a smart aleck reply.
“You guys,” Callie referees, seeing how she’s the mom in the group, she always tries to make things copacetic, she even did the same thing growing up, it’s part of what makes her an amazing mom.
“Well, this question is important,” Lyla grouses.
“He called, we even tentatively made plans for today.” Thinking about Lincoln has me going silent for a moment. I semi listen to Callie and Lyla going back and forth about their day. Apparently, Callie’s princess is asking to see Auntie Lyla. For the most part, my head is in the clouds thinking about Lincoln.
“We’ve lost her,” Callie groans this time around.
“She’s in la-la land,” Lyla admonishes.
“Candy land?” I hear questioned, and that snaps me out of my stupor when I hear Clairabella in the background.
“You guys, I’m here. Geez, give a girl a minute to bask in the moment of the hottest guy in Shiloh to ever call me.” My nerves are starting to show. I’m naturally a quiet and reserved person, but something about Lincoln brings me out of my shell.