Rush cleared his throat. He glanced toward the doorway Ben had just gone through and scowled. “If he—if anyone—bothers you, let me know.”
He knew he sounded possessive. It wasn’t like him, but thetruth was, he didn’t want anyone looking at Lily Hart like that. Not when he could still feel her smooth legs wrapped around his waist while he slid into her heat.
“He’s harmless,” she’d assured him. “Anyway, thanks again. For… everything.” She thrust the bag into his hands. Their fingers had touched, and she’d jumped back like an electric current had shocked her.
“You need anything, Lily, I’m around,” he’d finally said gruffly.
“Great, thanks.” She’d nodded quickly and hightailed it out of there before he could think of a reason to have her stay.
Now, weeks later, he was still thinking about the way her hands had trembled and her cheeks had burned, giving her away.
He couldn’t be missing her. Not when they’d shared only one weekend of the hottest sex he’d ever had in his life.
And yet here he was, alone in his truck, half frozen, and fully miserable, replaying the way she’d smiled at him in the lobby, like some teenager.
He shifted on the bench seat, loosening his limbs as the heat finally pushed through the vents.
One weekend. That was all it was supposed to be. But Lily Hart had a way of getting under his skin.
He hadn’t figured out how to get her out.
Chapter Twenty
“It’s dairy.It’s definitely dairy, but…” Bradley Benson closed his eyes, savoring another gigantic bite of the bacon-and-cheese-loaded potato skin, and moaned orgasmically. “Oh my gosh. It’s so worth it. I haven’t been able to eat cheese in years. It gives me liquid diarrhea.” He stuffed the last bite in and closed his eyes, nodding happily with a long string of melted cheddar hanging from his mouth.
“So sorry to hear,” Lily murmured, glancing surreptitiously at her watch.
Alas, Bradley Benson did not have a mustache.
He did, however, have a fascination with his food allergies, and after an hour and a half of being regaled with the intimate details of his gastrointestinal distress, Lily was ready to fake an asthma attack just to get out of there.
The date had crashed and burned somewhere around the phrasenoxious gas, and now she was just focused on holding the flaming wreckage together until she could escape back to Evie’s apartment.
Lily let her gaze wander around the crowded Northfield Pub, packed as always on a Friday night withlocals enjoying one of Killian Kennedy’s famous dinner specials and the wide selection of local Finger Lakes wine and beer. Lily’s stomach rumbled pitifully—no maple bourbon-glazed pork chops with crispy brussels sprouts for her, thanks to Bradley Benson’s confessions.
Shehadto stop agreeing to these blind dates.
Amber sat at the bar, chatting with Killian and Ford Clairmont, Theo’s youngest brother, while Theo stood behind her, sipping a beer. Amber caught Lily’s eye and gave her a knowing wink and an eyebrow waggle, silently asking what everyone else in the bar was wondering.
Good date?
Lily smiled brightly and gave her a subtle thumbs-up.The best! So fun!
Then she looked away before her sister could read the truth on her face.
Amber looked radiant as usual, heavily pregnant and glowing, wearing a cream-colored sweater that would’ve made anyone else resemble a hay bale. But not Amber. Of course not. Her sister glowed, like one of those women in maternity shoots who somehow managed to look ethereal while preparing to launch a human.
Theo reached over mid-conversation to rub his wife’s shoulders and press a kiss to her temple.
Lily swallowed, blinking fast.
It must be nice to be loved that way. She had certainly pictured that in her future. The happy home, the adorable kids. The husband who chose her without question. She was happy for her sisters, of course. Allie had Davis. Amber had Theo. And Lily… she had Bradley Benson and his cheddar string.
Lily glanced toward the dartboard, where a few of the guys from the Northfield Fire Department were playing darts.
There was Johnny Rossi with his fiancée, Grace Kellylookalike Charlotte Thornton—they were getting married this summer—plus that handsome firefighter Jake Kinsey, Ethan Doyle, a whole table of rookies, and the fire chief, Peter Buttaglia. Cap, as he was known around town, was dating her aunt Sophia. He caught her eye and lifted a bushy white brow.You good?
She gave him a reassuring smile.
