“This is more than enough. Let’s go!”
Eyes as blue as the sky on a crisp fall day stare at me and he’s completely erased all of my insecurities about him with that single, encompassing look. A hand extends out to me and I take hold of it. It takes everything I have not to throw myself at him and kiss him.
We walk arm in arm to his car and by the time we get home, my hand is in his pants and we act like two teenagers making out in the car. “Cate, I ah,” and that’s all he says before he sinks his hands in my hair and kisses me. We both pant and claw at each other and I think it’s me who suggests going inside.
“Good idea.” He gets out and rushes to my door, where he helps me out as well. Then he all but drags me to the front door. I stop and think about a quote I read somewhere, sometime about it not being the journey but what you did along the way. And being with Drew reminds me of that. I want to remember every single second of the time we spend together because being with him is that fabulous. I want to inhale his touch, his embrace, his kiss, his beauty, every tiny thing about him. I want to engrave them into my brain so every minute detail is committed to memory, because one day, when I’m old and senile, I want to be able to rely on those memories and pull them forth and with a smile, be happy they were all mine.
His mouth is against mine when he asks, “Whatever put that satisfied look on your face?”
“Thinking about you.”
Without moving his mouth, he says, “Well, let me add to it then.”
“Be mine and Louise’s guest.”
He doesn’t refuse my offer.
A couple of hours later, we sit in the parking lot of the ice rink. He turns to me and smiles, but then his face becomes serious. “Jesus, Cate, don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’d give me the world with your body right here and now.”
I wasn’t aware I was staring at him like that. But it’s true. I would do exactly what he said, without compunction or hesitation, if I could. And I never imagined any guy would ever make me feel like this. Whatever we have going on between us is getting deeper. On the one hand I love it, but on the other, it scares me to death.
He must see that it frightens me because the next words out of his mouth soothe me. His voice is low when he breathes them. “Don’t. Don’t let it scare you away. You are the one person I want to explore. Let’s explore us, Cate. This is the real thing. I know it is.” His mouth crashes into mine, bruising it, and taking my breath away. He’s right. I can’t deny this—whatever it is between us and I can’t push him away, nor do I want to. This may be our one chance in a lifetime to find our own chunk of happiness.
“I won’t let it scare me, Drew.”
“Good. Now kiss me for good luck.”
When we enter the ice rink, I instantly spy Caroline. She’s sitting in the same area we sat last time. She sees me, too, and waves. Drew tells me he’ll catch me after the game.
“Cate, I’m so glad you’re here!” Caroline says, when I take the seat next to hers.
“So am I. Do you think they’ll win?”
“I hope so. Sam’s been talking about this game all week. I’ll be glad when it’s over.”
I can’t help but laugh. Then I look up and see HockeyHo entering. “Oh my.” We both giggle.
Caroline sucks in her breath and I raise my brows. “Would you look at that?”
I cough to cover my bark of laughter. “What the hell? It’s getting close to Thanksgiving. Does she not realize we don’t live in Florida?”
“Guess not,” Caroline sputters between giggles.
HockeyHo is wearing a bikini top festooned in feathers.
“Maybe she thought the shirt with Drew’s number on it wasn’t enough.” I’m just fascinated by her brazen behavior.
“Oh, dear. Check out her hat.”
She’s wearing one of those straw cowboy hats and on the front is pasted a sign that reads, “I’m in love with Drew McKnight.” Then on her ass she has written, “Drew’s #1 Fan.”
“Have you seen her ass?”
Caroline is doubled over. “She won’t give up. I give her credit for perseverance.”
“Yeah, or just pure stupidity.”
The guys take the ice and HockeyHo goes crazy. I can’t help but roll my eyes. Drew looks up at the stands and he appears to be quite mortified when he sees her. I give him a thumbs up. Sam punches him on the arm and the rest of the team starts giving him hell. Poor guy. I have to feel sorry for him. But dayam, that chick is a kook.
During the game, HockeyHo plasters herself and her double D’s that threaten to pop out of her bikini top against the glass and it looks like she’s dry humping it. Where do people like this come from? I’m at a loss.