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cups. “It’s a huge step for you, Lauren.
I know that. And I’m glad to see you make it.”
Lauren heard the finality in Beth’s voice,
a finality that implied, “I hear what you’re saying but pardon me if I don’t
believe you”. Not that she blamed Beth. Lauren had been pretty hard to live
with these past few months. She sighed.
“I guess I’ve been pretty full of myself.
I’m sorry, Beth.”
Beth chuckled. “You had a right to be. I
won’t pretend to understand what you went through over there.” She handed a mug
to Lauren and sat beside her. “I’m glad to hear you talking about the future.
That’s a good step forward.”
“And I’m thinking it’s a future that might
just include Big John, if I didn’t scare him away last night.”
At Beth’s inquiring eyebrow, Lauren related
the fiasco in the parking lot.
“Yeah, but he didn’t run away,” Beth
pointed out when Lauren finished. “He made a point to give Mrs. Boorman
something to gossip about. In fact, you’re going to find your reputation in the
apartment complex seriously discussed by the time you get home today.”
Lauren laughed. “He didn’t run away. And
that’s why I think this one might be—” She stopped and shook her head. “Nope.
Not going to say it. Don’t want to jinx it.”
“Are you going out with him again?”
Before she could answer, her cell phone
gave out a chickadee’s chirp. With a blush, Lauren stood up. “I’m about to find
out. This is him.”
Lauren made for the back deck, sliding the
glass door shut behind her as she answered John’s call with a forced gaiety in
her voice. “Morning!”
“Thought I’d call and see how you were this
morning.” His voice sounded husky, as if he’d just gotten up. Lauren found it
extremely sexy.
“I’m doing quite well, thank you. I don’t
stay down for long.” She rolled her eyes. Could she possibly be more inane?
“Good to hear. There’s a band playing at
Parker’s this Friday night. Would you care to join me?”
Lauren’s heart beat hard. He wanted to see
her again. Tossing her head and affecting a nonchalance she didn’t feel, she
answered, “I’d love to. Shall I meet you there? Or…” She banged the heel of her
hand on her forehead. She was such an idiot. She didn’t want to meet him there,
she wanted him to pick her up and ravish her. Hadn’t he promised to tie her up? Focus, Carr, focus.
“I’ll pick you up at seven. Don’t eat. If
you can last until we get there, they have great chicken wings.”
“You’re on.”
“See you Friday.”
“See you Friday!”
She shut the phone and groaned. The door
slid open immediately.
“Well? Come on, don’t keep me in suspense.
Did he ask you out again?”
Lauren nodded. “I sounded like a
star-struck teenager. I can’t believe I got tongue-tied!”
Beth wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m pretty sure
he’ll manage to straighten out that tongue if you give him half a chance.”
Laughing, they went inside, Beth already
giving her clothing suggestions and pick-up lines.
John snapped shut his phone and stared at
it, puzzled. Lauren sounded particularly chipper this morning. Bright. Perky.
Not adjectives he would’ve used to describe her based on either of their two
previous meetings. Was he rushing things to ask her out on another date so
soon?
Then he remembered the pliant feel of her
lips under his. She felt good in his arms. No, she felt incredible in his arms.
Yeah, perky or not, Lauren Carr deserved another chance.
Through the front window of his bungalow
John saw Will pull into his driveway. How long had his friend had that beat-up,
old Chevy truck? The red paint had long given way to rust in several places,
the tailgate latch replaced with a twist of heavy rope and the springs had
sprung years ago. Yet Will clung to the truck as if it were the love of his
life. John opened the front door as Will rolled down his window.
“Gotta hit the hardware store. Wanna come
with
I know that. And I’m glad to see you make it.”
Lauren heard the finality in Beth’s voice,
a finality that implied, “I hear what you’re saying but pardon me if I don’t
believe you”. Not that she blamed Beth. Lauren had been pretty hard to live
with these past few months. She sighed.
“I guess I’ve been pretty full of myself.
I’m sorry, Beth.”
Beth chuckled. “You had a right to be. I
won’t pretend to understand what you went through over there.” She handed a mug
to Lauren and sat beside her. “I’m glad to hear you talking about the future.
That’s a good step forward.”
“And I’m thinking it’s a future that might
just include Big John, if I didn’t scare him away last night.”
At Beth’s inquiring eyebrow, Lauren related
the fiasco in the parking lot.
“Yeah, but he didn’t run away,” Beth
pointed out when Lauren finished. “He made a point to give Mrs. Boorman
something to gossip about. In fact, you’re going to find your reputation in the
apartment complex seriously discussed by the time you get home today.”
Lauren laughed. “He didn’t run away. And
that’s why I think this one might be—” She stopped and shook her head. “Nope.
Not going to say it. Don’t want to jinx it.”
“Are you going out with him again?”
Before she could answer, her cell phone
gave out a chickadee’s chirp. With a blush, Lauren stood up. “I’m about to find
out. This is him.”
Lauren made for the back deck, sliding the
glass door shut behind her as she answered John’s call with a forced gaiety in
her voice. “Morning!”
“Thought I’d call and see how you were this
morning.” His voice sounded husky, as if he’d just gotten up. Lauren found it
extremely sexy.
“I’m doing quite well, thank you. I don’t
stay down for long.” She rolled her eyes. Could she possibly be more inane?
“Good to hear. There’s a band playing at
Parker’s this Friday night. Would you care to join me?”
Lauren’s heart beat hard. He wanted to see
her again. Tossing her head and affecting a nonchalance she didn’t feel, she
answered, “I’d love to. Shall I meet you there? Or…” She banged the heel of her
hand on her forehead. She was such an idiot. She didn’t want to meet him there,
she wanted him to pick her up and ravish her. Hadn’t he promised to tie her up? Focus, Carr, focus.
“I’ll pick you up at seven. Don’t eat. If
you can last until we get there, they have great chicken wings.”
“You’re on.”
“See you Friday.”
“See you Friday!”
She shut the phone and groaned. The door
slid open immediately.
“Well? Come on, don’t keep me in suspense.
Did he ask you out again?”
Lauren nodded. “I sounded like a
star-struck teenager. I can’t believe I got tongue-tied!”
Beth wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m pretty sure
he’ll manage to straighten out that tongue if you give him half a chance.”
Laughing, they went inside, Beth already
giving her clothing suggestions and pick-up lines.
John snapped shut his phone and stared at
it, puzzled. Lauren sounded particularly chipper this morning. Bright. Perky.
Not adjectives he would’ve used to describe her based on either of their two
previous meetings. Was he rushing things to ask her out on another date so
soon?
Then he remembered the pliant feel of her
lips under his. She felt good in his arms. No, she felt incredible in his arms.
Yeah, perky or not, Lauren Carr deserved another chance.
Through the front window of his bungalow
John saw Will pull into his driveway. How long had his friend had that beat-up,
old Chevy truck? The red paint had long given way to rust in several places,
the tailgate latch replaced with a twist of heavy rope and the springs had
sprung years ago. Yet Will clung to the truck as if it were the love of his
life. John opened the front door as Will rolled down his window.
“Gotta hit the hardware store. Wanna come
with
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