“Now go back to the party and let me think. No shaking your head. I’m fine, and I want you to go back to Liam.” I push him away from me and he slowly rises.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Now get your sexy ass out there before someone steals Liam away from you.” He jumps off the bed and turns, blowing me a kiss. “I love you, Jeff.”
“Ditto, but I love you more.” He grins and slips through the door, shutting out the loud mayhem when he closes it. I get up and lock it. He has a key, so I’m not worried. Anyway, he might get lucky and not need to sleep here tonight.
My cell rings a few minutes later and I grab it off my dresser. It shows a picture of my mom and dad acting silly. “Happy New Year, Dora,” they yell as soon as I answer.
“Happy New Year to you, my wonderful parentals.”
“Have you made your resolution list yet?” Mom asks, and my dad says he loves me and I hear a click. “So, now that your dad is off the phone, I have to tell you that Henry has been bugging me to call you. He says you aren’t helping Drew, and I told him he’s wrong. Of course, Mr. Arrogant says he’s never wrong. So tell me I’m right. You are helping Drew, aren’t you, sweetie?”
What do I say? Henry will know I’m lying, and since he has an in with upstairs management, I don’t know if pissing him off will be any good for me. But I don’t want my mom to know the truth, so I do what I’m being trained to do: I compromise.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m working on it. I just wish Henry would stop being so vague about how I’m supposed to be helping Drew.” I roll my eyes and pray she doesn’t hear the little white lie in my voice.
“Okay, I’ll tell him. So, about this Sunday, are you and Jeff free for dinner? Please tell me you are. Taylor and Bridget are going skiing and won’t be back until late, so I really need reinforcements.”
“I’ll check with Jeff and let you know. Love you, Mom. My battery is in the red zone,” I say as another little white lie slips out.
“All right. Please try for Sunday. I don’t ask for much. Talk to you soon. I’m off to tell Henry he’s wrong. Love it. Night, sweetie, and Happy New Year again.”
My phone clicks before I can respond. Happy frickin’ New Year to me. All I have to look forward to in the next few days is a dysfunctional Sunday. Joy oh joy.
21
“For Christ’s sake, please stop that pounding.” What time is it? I must’ve dozed off. What is that pounding noise, and where is Jeff?
Oh, yeah … now I remember. He’s probably with Liam. The room is partially dark. The only light is a decorative flameless candle that I keep on at night so I don’t break my neck if I need to get up. The pounding is coming from the door to the loft. I slide off the bed, still in my beautiful dress and my eff- me pumps.
“This better be important,” I remark as I open the door.
It’s Drew. My heart starts beating crazily as he moves past me. I shut the door since the party noise is still deafening and my head isn’t really up to it.
“Dora, we need to talk.” I find Drew standing behind me, not close, but too close for comfort.
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I’m a little tired.” Please let him just go. I can’t deal with this right now. My emotions are all over the place, and the monsters in my stomach are awakening, as is my fever and wobbly legs. Great, I’m having another case of Drew flu.
“I’ve been waiting for months now, and I know it sounds corny, but it’s a new year and I want—God, Dora, I want to talk.” He sounds so forlorn and lost, and now he’s tugging at my heart with his words, which by the way just skipped a beat. His voice is enough to make me melt into a puddle of hot goo.
“Okay, but let me go splash some water on my face first.”
I don’t wait for an answer as I move past him to the bathroom. I need to pee, but I didn’t want to discuss bodily functions when most of my body is not functioning right as it is. I turn on the faucet so it will mask the noise, and then I wash my hands, splashing a little cool water on my face. I don’t want to mess up my makeup since I want to look halfway decent when we talk.
What is there to talk about? He kissed me on Halloween and tonight, big deal. I guess I need to go find out.
Calm down, Dora. It’s just Drew.
“Sorry, it took me so long. Wine is not my friend, and it makes me sleepy. I’m awake now, so what’s up?” I hope I sound calm. I think I do. Nonchalant is what I’m really going for.
Shut up, Dora, and listen to him.
“It’s okay.” Drew is sitting on the couch, and I watch as he runs his hand through his hair. By the look of it, he’s done it more than a few times since I left him in. “Come sit beside me, please.” He pats the leather cushion next to him, and I wobble on my heels over to him.
“Wait, let me take these damn shoes off before I fall and break my neck.” Stop rambling, Dora.
“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”
I stumble at the huskiness in his voice and look up to see him watching me remove my shoes. I kick them aside and sit on the edge of the cushion, not knowing what to do with my hands. I end up placing them in my lap as our eyes meet.
“First, I want to explain Halloween.”
My eyes drop down to my lap when he bows his head. “You don’t have to. You were drunk and I was there, and well, we kissed.”
“I wasn’t drunk. In fact, I hadn’t had a sip of anything but water. I saw you as soon as I walked into the room, and I followed you. From the first time I met you, you have haunted my thoughts, and I needed to see if what I felt was real. It was real. I’ve never felt anything more real in my life. My question is: Do I have a chance with you?”
His head is still bowed, and I’m speechless. He wants to have a chance with me. Maybe I didn’t hear him right. My heart is pounding loudly and the menacing butterflies are going hog wild. Maybe I’m dreaming.
Ow! Pinching myself proves I’m wide awake.
“Dora, did you hear me?” He lifts his head, and I see the confident Drew missing.
This is real. He wants me. What should I do? Kiss him, fool, inner Dora shouts. I move closer and take his head in my hands and pull him close so his lips are even with mine. Then I kiss him. This time it’s my tongue that is the initiator, and I feel myself go from warm to burning hot in a matter of milliseconds.
I want this man. I really want him. Not just a kiss, but all of him. I want him in my bed with our bodies fused together. Even if it’s only for a short while, I want him and he wants me.
I push any doubts aside and moan as he pulls me into his arms, deepening the kiss. I feel his hands burning a trail up and down my back, and he pulls me with him as he lays down on the couch. I’m on fire, everywhere. I want him naked, and I boldly reach between us and undo his jeans. He stills, and I wonder if I’ve done something wrong.
“Dora, are you sure?” he whispers as he breaks contact with my mouth.
“I’m so sure,” I say.
He abruptly sits up and lifts me like I weigh ounces instead of pounds. He pulls back the covers on the bed and places me gently on the cool sheets. I panic as he stands up straight, and I think maybe he’s changing his mind, but instead he yanks the polo he’s wearing over his head, revealing the most beautiful twelve pack I remember from art class. With a ghost of a smile, he finishes the job I started and pulls down his jeans, removing his underwear and socks and kicking off his shoes in one fluid motion. The low light in the room shows the extent of his lean muscles, and I’m itching to touch every inch of him. He’s hard and ready, and I stroke him, delighted when he closes his eyes and moans. I can’t believe I made him do that.