“Fine, but don’t expect a spectacular costume.”
“Deal,” he agrees. “I’ll pick you up.”
“Sounds good. See you later.”
I watch as he gets in his car and drives away. I stand at the door long after his taillights disappear, trying to work out why I’m always such a coward when it matters the most. I should tell Val the truth, and I should’ve kissed Watson earlier.
I pull out my phone and type out a text to him.
Everett: I wanted to kiss you earlier.
I delete it without sending and shake my head at myself. The next time I see him, I’m going to be brave, I promise myself. Next time.
Chapter 10
Watson
“This spandex isn’t doing me any favors,” I complain to Jordy, my phone on speaker, sitting on the bathroom sink as I check myself over in the mirror.
“I bet you look hot,” he assures me.
I hope Ev will think so. I almost groan out loud at that dumbass thought. We are friends, period. I don’t know why I can’t get that through my thick skull. Maybe because he sends the cutest texts and always seems so damn eager when I suggest we hang out.
He’s excited to have someone to talk to, that’s all. I slip my shoes on and crane my neck to check out my ass.
“Yeah, I look pretty good, actually,” I agree with Jordy.
“Maybe you’ll find some fun tonight,” he says, humor ringing in his voice. “God knows you could use it.”
“Look who’s talking,” I scoff, leaning over the sink to carefully apply my lipstick in the mirror. The annual Halloween party at Jack’s bar is epic and known by all as one of the best hookup nights of the year. I could find someone to go home with tonight. I should find someone to go home with tonight.
“I don’t want to get invested in anyone right before I move,” he reasons.
“I’m not talking about getting engaged; I’m talking about getting a blowjob,” I tease.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” he agrees halfheartedly. I’d call him on it, but then he might press me to find a hookup too, and I really don’t want to go there.
“Okay, I’m going to hang up because I need to go pick up Ev. I’ll see you and Mia there in a bit.”
“See you soon,” he says back, and we both hang up.
I’m not sure why I insisted on the two of us driving together, and I’m glad he didn’t question me on it, because I probably would’ve had to come up with a babbled excuse on the spot.
It’s a fairly warm night as I stand on his front porch, waiting for him to come to the door. There’s a little bit of a chill when the wind kicks up, but considering it’s late October, it’s downright balmy. Gotta love the unpredictable weather of a Midwest fall.
After a minute or so, his front door swings open, and I nearly swallow my tongue at the sight in front of me. He’s dressed in a hardhat, a pair of holey, worn jeans, sturdy looking work boots, and a toolbelt. That’s it. No shirt, his muscled, hairy chest on full display.
“You look…wow,” I mutter, my cock hardening and my mouth going dry as I stare shamelessly at him. I’m glad it’s dark out because spandex and an unexpected hard on are not the best combination.
“I wasn’t sure if it was lame to go out for Halloween dressed as a construction worker when that’s already my job, but I didn’t exactly have many other costume options on hand last minute.”
“It’s not lame,” I assure him, still unable to tear my eyes off of his dusky nipples, which happen to be pierced. Exactly how far over the friendship line would I be leaping if I leaned forward and tugged one of those silver barbells between my teeth?
“And you’re…” He takes in my costume with an amused grin, his eyes roaming from my red pumps up to my black spandex pants, and tight black top. The look is completed with a blonde wig. “You’re Sandy,” he finally guesses.
“Tell me about it, stud,” I say in my best Sandy impression.
He throws his head back and laughs. “I love it. You look amazing.”
“Thank you. Mia is Danny, you should see how well she rocks the leather jacket and pompadour hairdo. And Jordy is Rizzo. It’s too bad I didn’t invite you until the last minute, you could’ve been Frenchie.”
“Ah, well, maybe next year we can do West Side Story. I call Maria if we do,” he suggests.
“Deal,” I agree. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yup.” He steps outside and turns around to lock his door before following me to my car.
The heavy clomp of his boots as he follows me is oddly arousing, and I so need to pull it together. It’s going to be a long night if I can’t get my dick under control. Okay, fine, just one more quick fantasy…Ev grabbing me and tugging me around to face him, pulling my body flush against all of those hard muscles and bare flesh, his nose brushing against mine as his eyes dart to my lipstick-painted mouth. The fantasy is so vivid, I swear I can smell the scent of his woodsy deodorant surrounding me, feel his heart beating against mine with our chests pressed together.
“Wats,” imaginary Ev murmurs in a low, hungry voice.
“Wats?” The jarring sound of real-life Ev yanks me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry, got lost in my thoughts there for a second,” I apologize, unlocking the car and slipping inside.
While we drive to the bar, Ev tells me about him and Val taking Livi trick or treating earlier in the night and all about the last-minute costume drama they had when she nearly changed her mind yesterday about what she wanted to go as. I laugh as he talks about his daughter, my heart feeling a little mushy at the love in his voice.
I’ve always been a sucker for men who are good with kids, for obvious reasons. It’s starting to feel like a little bit of a cosmic joke that he checks off every last item on my perfect man list when I know I shouldn’t touch him.
If he’d dated literally anyone before, I might say fuck it and make a move, but I know where he’s at. Anything that happens won’t be anything more than the first step on his own road, not the foundation of a relationship. He should play the field, slut it up with as many men as he can manage, make up for lost time. Which is why I am not going to do anything stupid.
Jack’s is packed when we get there. I end up having to park in the parking lot next door because there are so many cars crammed in at the bar.
“Wow, this is crazy,” Ev says as we get out of the car and make our way over to the bar.
“Didn’t you know that Halloween is basically gay Christmas?” I joke. “This is the busiest night of the year at Jack’s.”
“The guys have invited me to Wooley’s for the Halloween thing almost every year, but I always told them Livi was too much of a handful, all hopped up on candy and everything.”
“You didn’t want to go?” I ask.
“I was afraid to want much of anything for a long time,” he admits. “I felt like I was just barely holding the floodgates closed, and if I cracked them open at all, everything would come gushing out.”
“Well, you know I don’t mind you gushing all over me,” I say, and then cringe as Ev laughs. “You know what, I’m just going to own that one. Don’t you hate it when people say, ‘no pun intended’? Intend your puns, you cowards.”