The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,32
I needed.
“I was busy with school—”
“And then I disrupted your life,” she says, scrunching her nose.
“Of course not, afterward I was busy trying to please Dad.”
Her smile falls. “I’m sorry. You must miss him a lot.”
I shrug. After my call with Mom, my feelings are a fucking mess. Of course, I miss my father. The man was my hero for years. I stopped looking at him like that once I understood that the company was his everything and I couldn’t keep up with him. I hated him when we fought about my future and … he was gone before we could solve our differences.
“My experience is a bit rusty, but I’m sure this isn’t the kind of conversation people have during their first date.”
She chuckles. “You’re right. Where should I start?” She finishes the last bite. “Color. What is your favorite color?”
“Lilac,” I answer.
“Liar, that’s mine,” she protests. “Yours is green, but you use blue a lot because your mother used to dress you in blue all the time.”
“Because of my eyes,” I remind her. “And I know that your favorite candy is gummy bears.”
I stand up, gathering the plates. “But you could eat your weight in crème brûlée or chocolate cheesecake.”
“What are you saying, Ahern?” She grins, grabbing the glasses and the empty bottle of wine. “Did you make me chocolate cheesecake so I’d put out tonight?”
Her face becomes stern. “Not that I would. I’m not easy.” Those dark eyes sweep my body from head to toe. “Though for you, one day I might make an exception.”
She walks away, laughing all the way to the kitchen.
“You’re impossible, Lyons.” I set the stuff on the counter.
“Yet, you still like me,” she says leaning against the counter.
I walk to her, cupping her face. Our gazes lock. Her eyes shine brightly. I hope it’s because of me. I pull her into my arms, covering her mouth with mine and kissing her hard. Professing all my love for her without saying a word. She might like me enough to go out with me, to love me as her friend, but I swear that I’ll make it my mission to make her fall madly in love with me, just like I am with her.
Chapter Sixteen
Abby
Some days start off looking hopeful. Others, like today, are just perfect.
It’s late June, the sun is out but it’s not scorching hot, and people are smiling. Or maybe it’s just me, since I’ve moved from Denver to cloud nine. That’s where I’ve been since last night when Wes told me that he has feelings for me. He didn’t say that he loved me, but the way he kissed me made it seem so. The same rush of heat I felt while he kissed me burns through my body just at the memory alone. His mouth was firm but gentle. At first, he was hesitant, but that last kiss of the night … I close my eyes remembering the spark that it ignited in me.
Coffee. You must concentrate on the coffee and sandwich you’re planning on buying. Not on the hot, tall, dark man who … and there I go again. It’s so hard not to think of him or what happened last night.
He said he wants more. And that goodnight kiss … it was demanding, giving. It felt as if he was making love to my mouth. His tongue pierced and stroked my mouth, his hands gliding across my body. My nerves jolted at his touch. I wanted him to do so much more than just kiss me. I wanted him to tug my hair down, kiss my neck and …
“Are you okay?” Wes asks.
He shouldn’t be asking, when he’s the one who seems to have put me under some spell. Wes kisses me on the corner of my mouth. My eyes drift closed at the heady sensation of his warm lips caressing me and kissing the scar right above my chin.
“What happened to you?”
“I was five, maybe seven, and tripped in my skates bumping onto the coffee table that was made out of glass.”
“Ouch,” he says, kissing it again.
“It’s okay. Grandma gave me a teddy bear after the doctor stitched me.” I slump my shoulders remembering the bear that I loved so much.
“Oh my God! Oh my God!” Someone clapping like an anxious cheerleader interrupts me.
“It’s you, Abigail Lyons!” The woman on the other side of the counter squeals, staring at me. “It’s been years.”