My filthy brain adds, but I choose to ignore it. But God, he has such a beautiful laugh.
I commit his features to memory as he continues to chuckle. His eyes lighting up as they crinkle at the corners. The left side of his lips kicking up just a little more than his right side. His pearly white, straight teeth bedazzling.
This is not the side he displays to those around him. I have never seen him laugh or smile so openly or calmly, even with his team. It’s like he carries the pressure of being a captain and maintaining that composed image all the time.
It might sound selfish, but I like that he feels like he can be himself around me and not hide his emotions.
God! He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. The womanwho will get to call him ‘mine’ would be so fucking lucky.
The thought of knowing that that woman won’t be me leaves a sense of loss in its wake.
He must notice my silence and stare because he looks at me. “What?”
I shake my head with a small smile playing on my lips.
Shrugging his shoulders and letting it go, he informs with mirth lingering in his words, “We’re here.”
I look out the window, too lost in him, and see that he pulled the car in front of a food truck.
He again rounds the car and opens my door for me. Offering me his hand, he says with a grin, “Shall we, my lady?”
“We shall, my good sir.” Even though I return his smile as I place my hand in his. Inside, I feel the first crack in the walls I’ve worked so hard to build. And I fear he might not be there when they crumble.
I just hope I can pick myself up when he’s gone.
Twenty Seven
Ezra
With her hand snuggled in mine, I take her to another one of my favorite places. Places I’ve never shared with anyone before. Places I prefer exactly as they are: underrated and undiscovered.
I don’t know if it’s something in the air, or if it’s my lust-addled brain because of the way I came in my pants in the car earlier today as she rode me and came herself, leaving a wet spot behind. Or if it’s the crippling loneliness that threatens to swallow me whole.
Whatever the reason may be, all I know is thatI feel this urgent need to share every part of me with Kaeli Reed. And I can only hope that she handles those with care.
“What would you like to have?” I ask her when we reach the food truck.
Glancing at the menu and not arriving at a conclusion, she shrugs her shoulders. “What’s good here?”
My grin spreads wide with the opening she gives me. “Oh ho ho, you’ve no idea. I’m going to rock your entire world with what we’re about to have.”
Her brow arches, wicked intentions gleaming in her eyes as she gets on her toes and whispers against the shell of my ear, “I’m sure I can think of a few other ways for you to rock my entire world, Ezra.”
My throat bobs with a loud gulp, my grasp on her hand tightening as a thrilled shudder rolls down my spine at the vision of her beneath me. My eyes squint at her cheeky smile. “Behave, Feather,” I growl. “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be seen with a guy who walks around with his dick hard for everyone to see.”
“What if I do?” She doesn’t let go and proceeds to make my life hell, dick hard, and balls blue.
I shift in my place to hide the quickly growing hard-on, as I curse, “Fucking damnit, Feather.”
Taking pity on me, she snickers, “Fine, let’s just order.”
I grab her shoulders and spin her on her feet, and push her forward toward the many chairs and tables that looked like they’d been plucked from a half a dozen different backyards and patched together into a little street-side dining room with a slap on her ass. “Go find us a seat while I order, crazy woman.”
She leaps in surprise and walks ahead with her head thrown back in a laugh. Shaking my head at her as my face splits into a smile that feels foreign to me, I place the order and wait for it.
The moment Steven hands me two servings, I thank him, “Thanks, Steven.”
“You’re welcome, Ezra.” He leans closer as he signals at Kaeli from the corner of his monolid eyes, “By the way, it’s the first time you brought a friend here. She must be someone special, huh?”
