“You’re really okay with that?” I wondered aloud.
Pulling me to him, he kissed me softly and then deepened it. His tongue glided across mine and I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of his hands on my waist, holding me against him. “Just as long as I can kiss you anytime I want, I’ll be happy to wait for when you’re ready. Right now, I want to take you on a date.”
“I’d like that.”
Chapter 16
Summer
We ended up eating at a fancy steakhouse that had the best chocolate cake I’d ever tasted. The steak was good, but nothing compared to the dessert. “Are you going to start serving chocolate cake at the restaurant now?” Evan teased.
“I might have to. The only problem is that I’d probably gain fifty pounds if I did.” That was why we were walking around the gardens at the hotel. I had eaten so much I could barely move.
Evan chuckled. “You’d still be sexy if you did. For so long, all I’ve been around are women who only cared about what they looked like. I almost thought that was going to be my life, a trophy, with an endless parade of women who only wanted me to be in the spotlight.”
“I would rather be alone than live like that.”
“I basically was. At least until you decided to be mine.”
I smiled up at him. “Same here.” We continued walking until we reached a gazebo that was right in the middle of the gardens, surrounded by lush flowers. The sun bathed the sky in warm glows of pink and orange, signaling its retreat; it was breathtaking. “What’s the longest relationship you’ve ever had?” I asked.
He snorted. “I don’t think you can consider any of the women I’ve dated ‘relationships.’ Lindsey was the longest at three months. She was just like the others. They’d get pissed when I wouldn’t shower them in gifts. I knew their games and I wasn’t going to play along.”
“I don’t expect gifts. You know that, right?” I whispered, facing him.
“I know. But there isn’t anything I wouldn’t give you.”
We sat in silence until the last remnant of the sun disappeared in the distance. Hand in hand, we walked back to the room, stealing glances here and there. When he opened the door, a chilled bottle of wine waited for us on the counter. “You’re not trying to get me drunk, are you?” I teased.
He chuckled lightly. “No, I just thought you’d like it.” When I got closer to the bottle, I recognized the label immediately. It was my favorite white wine. I hopped up on the counter and watched him open it.
“I see someone has been paying attention.”
He poured me a glass and handed it to me. “I’ve known for a while. Every time I’d come into the restaurant, you’d ask Grayson for a glass once the night was coming to a close.”
I took a sip and studied him. “I didn’t think you really noticed me back then.”
Shrugging, he poured himself a glass and swirled it around. “I did, but Lara was the one who warned me away. Even my sister told me to back off.”
“That might have been a good thing. I wasn’t in my right mind back then. So much has changed.”
He tapped my glass with his. “I’ll drink to that.”
I drank the rest of my wine, and he poured me another glass. “Are you going to miss seeing me at the field every day?” I asked. Now that my first-aid and CPR certifications were renewed, my time with the team was done, at least until Kate took time off with the baby. I would probably help out a little bit, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it full-time while she was gone. Lara and Grayson would still need me at the restaurant.
Gently, Evan placed his hands on my knees and spread my legs apart so he could stand between them. My insides clenched with just the simple touch of his body to mine. “I will, but now you’ll have nights free to be with me. I’d rather not share you with my teammates.”
“Why, Evan, were you jealous?” I teased.
He drank the rest of his wine, keeping his hungry gaze on mine. “I’m not going to lie. Seeing the way they looked at you was enough to drive me in-fucking-sane.”
Setting my glass down, I placed my hands on his cheeks. “You don’t have to worry about that now. I’m yours…completely.” I took a deep breath and reached for his hand, his heated gray gaze swirling with desire. I guided his hand up to my shoulder and slid it down, along with my dress strap.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked huskily.
I nodded and dropped the other strap of my dress. “Yes.”
Leaning over, he placed his lips on my shoulder, kissing his way up my neck. His cock grew hard between my legs, pushing into me. “How long has it been?”
“Not since Austin,” I whispered.