“I don’t want your five liner—it’s red and black with drilled-out sides for lightweights like you.”
“It’s raspberry and gray, and I am not a lightweight.It’s Aaron Cain!Anyway, you’re missing the point.Why haven’t you made a move?You guys look good together.”
The conversation was starting to border on uncomfortable.Guys didn’t sit around with chicks and discuss their feelings or shit like that.But this was Lia.These were his friends, and they did know him better than anyone else.
Fuck.He couldn’t even explain it to himself, couldn’t find the words or even decide which way the wind was blowing right now.
This was starting to hit a little too close to home.
“Yeah well, enough talking through our girly parts.”He laughed as Lia smacked him in the arm.“I’m going to go save her from a fate worse than Cujo.”
Cujo leaned on the pool table, pursing his lips and blowing on the side of Harper’s face to distract her from her shot.Trent nudged him away with his hip.“That the only way you can win, Cuj?”
Cujo straightened and laughed, winking at Harper.“Harper can take it.”
“She shouldn’t have to.You don’t need to be such an asshole,” Harper’s friend chimed in from the next table, where she was currently playing.
Trent turned to look at her.She was a feisty little thing; her withering glare was trained on Cujo.
“Wow.The kitty has claws,” Cujo responded with a wry grin.“It’s called having fun.”
“No.It’s called being a jerk,” she called back before returning to her game.
Cujo raised one eyebrow at him and shrugged.
They played until they were the only ones left in the pool hall, Drea having eventually joined them.“You redefine the word idiot,” Trent overheard her say to Cujo, who was leaning against the pool table, arms crossed in front of his chest, as Drea gesticulated wildly before him.
The lack of space in the pool hall was totally working in Trent’s favor.The small table with chairs squashed up next to each other meant Harper was sitting so close to him that their thighs touched.
She didn’t visibly flinch when his arm, which was around the back of her chair, occasionally brushed her hair or shoulder.In fact, he was pretty sure he was eliciting the occasional shiver.Every now and then, she’d squint her eyes at him in what he now privately thought of as her sexy-schoolmarm look or would elbow him in the ribs when he intentionally rubbed the back of her neck.
Drea came over to them.“Gotta go, I’m opening up in the morning,” she said, pulling on her jacket and grabbing her purse.“You coming with, Harper, or staying?”
Harper looked at him.“I should go.It’s getting late.”
“I’ll walk you out.”He turned to Pixie.“I’ll be back in a minute to settle up.”
“Take all the time you need, sugar,” she said with a knowing smile.Flipping her the bird with a grin, he walked after Drea and Harper.
“Wait here.I’ll go grab the car,” Drea said and disappeared into the side parking lot, leaving them standing side by side on the curb.
“I had a great time tonight.Thanks, Trent.”
“You’re more than welcome, sweetheart.Anytime.”He paused, for once totally uncertain about what to do.He didn’t want to blow it.But fuck it, you only lived once.
Trent turned to Harper.Remembering their first hug in the studio, he slid one finger into the belt loop of her capris.He rested a hand on the back of her neck.Looking hard into her eyes, he was relieved to see only some mild panic and a healthy dose of attraction—but no fear.
“You know what comes next, right, Harper?”
“Yes,” she said, slightly breathless, running her tongue over her lower lip.
“And you aren’t stopping me?”
“No, I’m not.”
Relief and anticipation surged though him.Tugging on the single denim loop, he pulled her toward him, moving slowly as his hand slid around her waist and settled on her lower back.Trent leaned cautiously toward her, his eyes never losing contact with hers, watching her pupils dilate in anticipation as he brushed her lips with his.
Christ.Her mouth was soft and willing, melting against his.He pulled her tighter to him and kissed her again, slowly running his tongue across her lips, savoring her sweet flavor.If this wasn’t coming home, he didn’t know what was.He heard the soft moan as she lost herself in the kiss, and damn if it wasn’t the sexiest sound he’d ever heard.
