“Used to?”
Simon sips on his drink. “He doesn’t like being away from the family. He’s a sucker.”
“A sucker?” I ask. “Or a man in love.”
That gets me a smile. “Fine. A man in love. But I miss our nights out. Pierce is my closest mate. Can’t fault the guy for falling in love, but sometimes I feel like everyone is passing me by.”
I sigh. “I know the feeling.”
“Yeah?”
Simon’s fingers toy with the hem of my leggings.
“Ever since my divorce, the store has been my life. And I was fine with it. But now that my siblings are falling in love I feel stuck. I want so much more.”
“Hopefully you’ll get it all, love,” Simon whispers in my ear.
Being with him makes me think I can get it. That I can have it all. Expand my shop, have him, and finally—finally—get the town off my back.
The band starts a new song. Even worse than the last.
“Do they know how bad they are?” It cuts the tension swirling around us.
“I didn’t realize it’d be a showcase like this.” Simon pulls a flyer out of his pocket. “It said the Flying Toaster Machine. I like them.”
I scan the orange paper in his hand and find his mistake. “This is the Flying Toaster Machine Take Two. They are way different from the real band.”
“Christ. I can’t believe I subjected this to you on our first real date.”
I shift, leaning against Simon’s bent leg. “Aren’t all good first dates memorable?”
“Want a way to make it more memorable?”
Simon’s fingers slip under my T-shirt. Warmth seeps through me at the slight touch.
“What do you have in mind?” My voice is breathy.
“Once this godforsaken band is done, I want to take you back to your place and worship you. Show you everything I love about this sexy as fuck body that you have.”
His fingers curl into my side as he takes my earlobe between his teeth. Heat gathers in my core.
“Yeah?”
“Get you all hot and bothered.” Simon’s voice gets growly. The scruff on his jaw against the soft skin of my cheek has my fingers sinking into his forearm. “Perhaps see what new lingerie you have on under this.”
“What makes you think I have something new on under here?”
Simon sweeps my hair back. “I guess that’s something I’ll have to discover once I get you back into bed.”
“Can we go back now?” His words have me wet. I’m ready to leave this band behind and get Simon inside of me.
“Oh no, love.” Simon pulls his hand away from me and leans back. A rush of cool air moves in where he was. “We’re going to enjoy the rest of the show and then we’ll put on our own show.”
“You’re evil.”
“It’ll make it that much better when you come, love.”
“Will it?”
