“That’s our cue. I’m going to get Denise to a table we can see from the stage,” I tell Aiden. “Can you keep an eye on her too?”
“You got it. I’ll go let Devon know too.” Aiden grabs his beer and goes up to his drum kit on stage, stopping to talk to Devon on the way.
“I missed you.” I whisper into Denise’s ear when I get to her. Even five minutes away feels like too much. “Can we go back to your place after?” I lead her to a table that is close to the stage, right in front of where I will be standing.
She leans in close, her lips brushing my ear in a way that makes me think it’s not an accident. “I have something important to talk to Andrew about, so I asked him to drive me home. I will call you when we’re done talking though, to say goodnight.”
Like hell I’m letting her go home alone with him. “I can come with you,” I tell her. “Just in case he acts like he did in the parking lot.”
“I think that was mostly because he saw us kissing,” she says, her lips right against my ear, sending shivers straight down my spine. “He was fine after you left.”
I reach around behind her, placing my hand at the top of her ass, and I lean in closer to whisper in her ear. “OK, if you think everything is fine, then I trust you. But I will be waiting for your call, and I can’t promise I won’t be in my car nearby, so that I can say goodnight in person.” I keep my face near hers and lick the outer shell of her ear before gently kissing the hollow just behind her jaw until she shivers.
“Cold? Want me to go grab you a sweater?” I ask when I lean back, a knowing smirk on my face.
I watch as she struggles to compose herself. “No,” she squeaks out, “I’m fine.”
I love knowing that I’m getting to her like this. Not the right time, my ass. Something else might be going on, but there’s no denying that she is as crazy for me as I am for her. I may have agreed to give her some time, but I’m going to be as close to her as she’ll let me be during that time. Needing to touch her again, I reach under the table and trace lazy patterns on her thigh with my fingertips.
Andrew is glaring at me from across the table. I lift my chin at him.
“What’s up, Andrew? Having a good night?”
He doesn’t answer me, just looks at Denise. I don’t like the way he’s looking at her. Like he thinks they’re still together. She was pretty clear outside when she told him she’d already broken up with him. He’s just not getting the message. I pull my arm away from her leg and put it around her shoulder, which gets me another glare from Andrew. I don’t think he much likes my answering smirk.
When the door to the bar opens and I see Alex silhouetted against the light from the street, I turn away from Andrew. I don’t want to rush my friends’ special moment but I want this to be over with so I can get more time with Denise. I know she plans to talk to Andrew after the party, but I plan to be next in line for her attention as soon as she’s done.
“Time for me to get up there,” I whisper into Denise’s ear with another kiss on her earlobe. “I’ll be back soon.” I jump up on stage, grab my guitar, and move off to the side where the rest of the guys are waiting.
Connor’s proposal is romantic enough, I guess. He declares his undying love for Alex amidst an ocean of candles. We help him out by playing a new song that he wrote for her calledMeant to Beand I doubt there is a dry eye left in the place by the time he’s done.
If I ever want to propose to Denise, I’m really going to have to step it up.
Hold up! What was that? If I want to propose? I just proposed to her in her closet before we came here tonight. Of course, that proposal just slipped out. But I have been obsessed with her for so long that it only makes sense I would eventually propose. If she really will have me, anyway. I know I’m acting like she will right now, but that doesn’t make it a reality.
Tonight, after she talks to Andrew and sends him on his way, I will tell her how I feel. I’ll tell her the full extent of how I feel. I’ve told her I love her but it doesn’t feel like enough. If I can make her believe that I really love her, and really want to marry her someday, maybe she will agree to give us a chance, to give me a chance. I know I can be the man that she deserves, if only she’ll let me prove it.
Now if I could just figure outhowI’m going to prove it.
