Pleasure at Midnight ; His Pick for Passion Page 30

  “Again? Why do you say it like that?”

  “Because you never want to go out. All we do is sit in the house every night.”

  “We go out. We went out on Saturday.”

  He held up a finger. “One night out of the entire week.”

  “Most people go out on weekends. During the week I’m busy and tired. I can’t go out every night.”

  “I’m not asking for every night, just a few nights.”

  “I’m not telling you to stay in with me,” she shot back. “I’m not trying to hold you prisoner or anything. If you want to go out, then go. I’ll be perfectly fine here alone.”

  He pushed the drawer back in forcefully. “Now you’re making its sound like I’m abandoning you.”

  “No, I’m not. I seriously couldn’t care less if you went out without me while I worked. I’m not going to sit here crying because you’re not with me.”

  He jerked as if she’d slapped him. “Good. Stay here. Work. I’m going to Angela’s party.”

  “Fine. Have a great time. I’m going to put up the shoes your housekeeper just dropped in my closet, ice my knee and get some work done.”

  She spun as gracefully as she could with a sore knee and hobbled to her closet. She waited, for what she wasn’t sure. She pulled out pajamas and went into the bathroom to take her own shower while Will dressed for the party. They didn’t exchange words as he prepared to leave.

  He was gone when she got out of the shower. Erin pushed back her disappointment. The hurt and anger over a fight that had erupted out of nowhere. She was left feeling unhappy and alone, something she’d never felt before. Tears pricked her eyes, but she squeezed them shut and swallowed her emotions.

  “Crying is stupid. This entire situation is stupid. You should just go back to Chicago and work from a distance.”

  That thought didn’t make her feel any better. She pushed the fight and thoughts of the fun Will was having at a birthday party without her from her mind. She focused on the proposal and getting the wording straight, instead of wondering how many single women would be at the party. Single women who would be more than happy to keep Will company while his girlfriend stayed home to work.

  He came home four hours later. She was still working on the proposal. She sat in the middle of their bed. Her laptop out and notes from her meetings spread around her. She’d put on pajamas and tied her hair up. She glanced at Will as he came in the room. He stopped at the door and stared at her.

  She broke eye contact first, looking back at the laptop, and tried to pretend as if she hadn’t been watching the clock and wondering if he’d get home before midnight.

  “How was the party?” she asked.

  Will crossed the room and dropped on the bed. With a sweep of his arms he pushed aside her laptop and pulled her close. The smell of cigar smoke and alcohol mingled with the spicy scent that was his.

  “The party was awful because I spent the entire night thinking about you and wishing you were with me.” He nuzzled her neck.

  Erin wanted to push him away. Wanted to hold on to the anger from earlier, but his lips found the sweet spot along her collarbone, and her body relaxed. She’d missed him. “I’ll go next time.”

  “I’ll talk to Juanita about the shoes.” His hand burrowed beneath the covers, found her legs and caressed her thighs. “I’m sorry about earlier. I don’t like fighting with you.”

  Erin opened her thighs. His eager hand quickly lifted to the soft spot between her legs. “I’m sorry, too.”

  He kissed her deep and hard. Then made love to her so thoroughly the only thing Erin could think about was the pleasure she found in his arms, and the joy in knowing it didn’t matter who was at those parties or how much they may want Will, because he’d come home to her arms.

  Chapter 16

  “Have you talked to Dad?”

  Will looked away from the television to Kelly sitting next to him on his couch. His sister had come over to hang out with him for a little bit while the carpets were being cleaned at her place. They’d passed the time in his media room watching a movie and finishing off the cherry slushies Kelly had brought with her.

  Erin was working late. Again. Making deals as she worked on the final details for the auto show that weekend.

  “I haven’t talked to him since last week,” Will answered. “Why?”

  “He’s throwing a party at his place next weekend. He wants us to come by.”

  Will stretched out his legs and rested his feet on the coffee table. He ignored the urge to check his watch and wonder how much longer before Erin got home. “Another party?”

  Kelly laughed. “Yep. Another party. He’s pretty much confirmed you got your party boy gene honestly.”

  “Yeah, but he’s about to outdo me. He’s having something at the house almost every weekend now.” Will didn’t have people in and out of his place like that.

  “Well, you know Dad. He doesn’t like to be left alone.”

  Concern replaced Will’s humor with the situation. Their dad had been a phenomenal basketball player. Famous, successful and the life of every party. He’d loved their mom and was devoted to her for every minute of their marriage. Until she’d died, Will had always considered his dad the rock of their family. After his mother died it became clear really quick that their mother had been the rock, the glue and the protective shield.

  Calvin was lost, depressed and withdrawn without her during the first year after his wife’s death. Then, suddenly, he’d jumped right back into the limelight. Taking full advantage of his prior celebrity status. Attending parties, dating different women and surrounding himself with people. Will loved his dad, but he missed the stable role model he’d once been.

  “It’s like he’s someone else,” Will said. “I didn’t think he’d come around. Then I saw him laughing with Erin last year and I thought maybe he’d get a little better. I just didn’t expect...”

  “What, for him to act like a frat boy?” Kelly said.

  Will shook his head. “That about sums it up.”

  “I think Dad just doesn’t know how to be alone. This is just another phase. He’ll snap out of it.” She sounded optimistic.

  Will wasn’t as confident. “But what if he doesn’t? You know there are a lot of crazy people out there. I don’t want him to get caught up in something stupid.”

  Kelly drew back and gave him an admiring look. “Just listen to you sounding like a worried parent. He’s a grown man who’s been around longer than we have. He can see something stupid coming from a mile away.”

  “So you aren’t worried about this new take-life-by-the-horns, party-hard attitude he’s taken on?”

  “No, I’m not,” Kelly said.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’d rather he be out and about, talking to people and living his life, instead of sitting in the house depressed.” Her brows drew together. “Dad depressed was scary. You know that.”

  Will sighed and rubbed his head. “Yeah... I know.” That didn’t mean he liked the way their dad went from mourning to life of the party overnight. Their dad still grieved for their mom. Will could barely imagine the pain he must be in. Just the idea of something happening to Erin made him break out in a cold sweat. His parents were married for twenty-eight years. His dad had to be hurting.

  Will looked at his watch. This was the hard part about living with Erin. Worrying when she worked later than expected. “Erin should be home soon.”

  Kelly shifted on the couch and faced him. “Are you really okay with her living here?”

  “Of course I am. I wouldn’t have asked her to move in if I didn’t want her here.”

  “You’ve never lived with a woman before. It has to be something to get used to.”

  They were both used to having their own space. They’d spent the first month just getting used to having s
omeone always around. Strong personalities led to the occasional spat. That was to be expected.

  “It is,” he said. “But we’re working through things.”

  “Things like what?” Kelly asked.

  Will thought about the past few weeks with Erin under his roof. He loved having her with him every day. Sleeping next to her. The way her body curled up against his beneath the covers. Talking to her about the plans for the day while they drank coffee after working out together in his gym. All of that was great.

  “Uh-oh,” Kelly said, leaning closer. She pointed a finger at his face. “You’re frowning. Why are you frowning?”

  “I’m not frowning.” He relaxed his features. Maybe he’d frowned just a little bit.

  “Oh now.” Kelly waved her finger. “Spill. What’s wrong?”

  Will ran a hand over his beard. “It’s just...when she gets home she’s usually really tired. Which means even though I’d like to take her out to dinner or go hang out with some of our friends, she’s not really into that.”

  “Well, she is a homebody. You know she doesn’t like hanging out like that.”

  “I know, but we’ve spent nearly every night here. I love my place, but sometimes I’d like to go out.”

  He’d like to pamper her. Give her a chance to relax and enjoy herself after a long day of work. Erin was a homebody. He wasn’t, and he was still getting used to that.

  “What else?” Kelly prompted.

  For a second, he hesitated. Kelly hadn’t been happy about him and Erin, but she knew Erin admittedly better than him in some areas. His sister could help him figure this all out. “She leaves her shoes around the house.”

  Kelly’s brows rose. “Come again?”

  “Wherever she takes them off, she leaves them.”

  “Are you saying she’s sloppy and makes a mess?”

  “No, not like that. Just her shoes. She kicks them off right at the front door and then walks away. Then she frantically searches for them every morning because she forgot where she kicked them off. So she picks another shoe, then there are multiple pairs by the door. I asked Juanita to bring them back up to our bedroom and put them in the closet, and that turned into an argument with Erin.”

  He was still confused about that one. He’d thought he was being helpful by asking Juanita to help organize Erin’s things. True to his word, he’d talked to Juanita about putting Erin’s shoes on the rack. Juanita had apologized profusely and at one point Will thought she might cry. He hated when people cried.

  Kelly turned back to the television. “How is she getting along with Juanita?”

  Kelly’s question was asked too innocently. Which meant she’d already had an idea about how Erin and Juanita were getting along. “I don’t get what’s up with that. Neither of us is here when Juanita comes in to clean. Do you know Erin thought I was sleeping with her? Can you believe that?”

  Kelly shook her head and pressed a hand to her chest. “I can’t. Anyone who knows you, knows you wouldn’t sleep with the woman cleaning up your house. That’s too close to home.”

  Will dropped his legs from the table and swiveled to his sister. Finally, someone who understood what he’d been trying to say. “I know. Much less put her in that type of situation. I thought she’d believed me, but I don’t think she does.”

  Kelly patted his knee. “Just be patient. You know Erin likes to have her way. She’s also got a jealous streak.”

  “Erin? I never saw her as the jealous type.”

  “Well, that’s because you never talked to me about her and her boyfriends before,” Kelly said sweetly.

  “Boyfriends? What boyfriends?” He vaguely remembered Kelly offhand mentioning guys Erin dated, but honestly he hadn’t thought anyone had been serious.

  Kelly rolled her eyes. “Don’t act like no other man was interested in Erin before you. She dated, and she gets jealous easily. Keep that in mind if she, you know, starts to act a little clingy.” Kelly squeezed his knee with the word clingy.

  The word sent chills up Will’s spine. Erin clingy? He couldn’t picture it, but then again, why would she immediately assume he and Juanita were lovers after only one conversation with the woman? Did she really have a jealous streak he never noticed before?

  Clingy, homebody, jealous. Okay...maybe they could work through that. If Kelly was right about Erin, and he had no reason not to trust his sister, as long as he didn’t give Erin any reason to act on those feelings they wouldn’t cause any drama in their relationship. He wasn’t about drama. He’d just work hard to make sure Erin understood he was interested only in her.

  And what if she doesn’t believe you?

  That was a question he didn’t want to think about answering.

  Chapter 17

  “Wow, so Will Hampton is really going to settle down?” The woman’s words were accompanied by a round of disbelieving chuckles.

  For what felt like the hundredth time since arriving with Will at his dad’s party, Erin had to force to keep the smile on her face. She joined in with the round of strained laughter coming from the small group surrounding them. The same bemused amusement from everyone who acted utterly shocked by the idea of Will Hampton in a committed relationship. What’s next—could humans breathe under water?

  Will’s arm around her waist stiffened. Apparently, he, too, was tired of the jokes and snide comments. He pulled her closer to his side and met her gaze. The tension around his smile eased, and his face softened the way they always did when they made eye contact. As if he knew he could get through all the comments and the doubts as long as she believed in him.

  Erin returned his smile. Shoved down her annoyance and own concerns when faced with so many people questioning what was between them. She squeezed him back with the arm she had wrapped around his waist.

  “I am,” Will said, still looking into Erin’s eyes. “I finally realized what was in front of me all these years. No more playing the field for me.” He looked back at the woman in the group, Jocelyn, who’d made the comment. “I’m a one-woman man.”

  Jocelyn raised a brow and studied Erin as if she were a newly discovered species. She probably did deserve a place on the new and incredible discoveries list. The rare woman who could make a playboy give up his bachelor lifestyle and become a one-woman man. Women from all corners of the globe would come and marvel at this rare sight.

  And maybe you’re being a bit melodramatic.

  “I knew it would happen one day.” Oliver Parker, the son of one of Mr. Hampton’s longtime friends, glanced between Erin and Will. Oliver was around the same age as Erin and Will. He’d been around them growing up and had hung out with Will sporadically when they were younger.

  “How did you know that?” Erin asked, surprised.

  Oliver shrugged. “Just a feeling I had. You two never acted like you noticed each other, but it was obvious you did. Will was at every one of your games back in high school and could rattle off all your stats before you could. You knew every girl Will dated and could give Kelly the rundown on her the second Kelly bothered to notice Will was dating someone new.”

  Erin’s face burned. Had her interest in Will’s dating life been that obvious back then? She’d said she paid attention because she wanted to know what type of girl fell for Will’s practiced lines so easily. Guess she only had to look in the mirror to find out.

  Will ran his hand up her back. “Guess you’re right, Oliver. I did always pay attention to what was happening with Erin. See, baby, we were meant to end up here.”

  He kissed her forehead. A murmur of approval went through the previously disbelieving crowd. Well, except for Jocelyn. She still examined Erin as if she held the secret to life.

  Erin smiled and pulled away. “I’m going to grab a drink.”

  Will’s brows drew together slightly. She saw confusion blossoming in his handsome face. Erin smiled
and tried to reassure him with her eyes that everything was okay before she hurried away. Oliver’s belief that she and Will would eventually end up together bothered Erin.

  She’d been obsessed with the various girls Will had hooked up with. He’d only been interested in how well she did on the basketball court. For a guy who’d become a professional basketball player with aspirations to coach one day, that wasn’t exactly a sign he’d been romantically interested in her.

  Had everyone known she’d had a crush on Will? Had they all seen the feelings written on her face and expected her to fall into his arms one day? If so, why did that bother her so much?

  He said he’d always been interested in you, too. What if he was just waiting on the right time to hook you?

  She was halfway to the bar, weaving her way through the multitude of guests at the party, when a warm hand grasped her waist a second before she was pulled back against Will’s solid body. She couldn’t suppress the grin on her face as he lowered his head and kissed her neck as he hugged her tight.

  “Your basketball scores weren’t the only thing I noticed,” he whispered in her ear. “They were just the only things I could talk about with Oliver or anyone else without giving away that I was paying too much attention to my sister’s best friend.”

  She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her hips. “Are you saying you had more lurid thoughts about me back then?”

  “You don’t know half of the lurid thoughts I had about you.” He lowered his head and kissed her quickly. “I just never thought you would take me seriously.”

  “Why not?”

  Uncertainty replaced the playful look in his eye. “No one takes me seriously unless I have a basketball in my hand. My grades were mediocre because I had a hard time focusing in school. I was barely passing. Everyone knew I was only getting by because I could play ball. So I became the guy everyone liked hanging around with so they’d focus on how cool I was instead of how stupid I was.”