Stopit, Holly.
Ishook my head, tossing the memory away with a determination to keep him fromplaguing my mind. I picked up my book with a determination to stop torturingmyself by enjoying some dirty talk between the big-bosomed Caroline and herwell-endowed stable boy.
Alarge hand on my shoulder pulled me from the pages, and with a startled jolt, Iturned to see Brandon kneeling next to me with two cups from the café balancingin his free hand. A pair of Ray Bans were shielding me from seeing hismesmerizing blue eyes, but that was just as well, I thought. Between theraunchiness of the book and the memory of my hands in his hair, I wasn’t sureI’d be able to stop myself from crossingHave Sex on a Bean Bag Chairoffmy Bucket List.
“Areyou stalking me?” I laughed nervously, surprised by his seemingly impeccabletiming.
“Isit that obvious?” he asked with a smile. To my surprise, he handed me one ofthe cups. “I saw you sitting over here. Thought I’d grab you a cup of your leafwater.”
Ithanked him with a playful roll of my eyes. I was touched, and took a sip fromthe steaming cup: lavender Earl Grey. “You remembered.”
“Ihave a good memory,” he said, and shoved a hand through his hair.
Myeyes narrowed as a smile played on my lips. “So, uh, you’re here a lot for someoneI’ve never seen before.”
“Iwas away for a few months, so that’s probably why you never saw me before,”Brandon said casually, sitting down with his back against the shelf behind us.He outstretched his long legs, crossing one over the other, and took theglasses off. “I probably left just as you were moving in.”
Hewas making himself comfortable, I realized, and I eagerly stuffed my book in mybag. “So, you’renotstalking me?”
“Nope,”he said with a slow shake of his head, and pushed a hand through his hair.
“Veryconvenient,” I said in a low voice before taking a sip of my tea.
“Hey.”He pointed a finger at me, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Seizing theopportunity to spend time with you does not constitute as stalking.”
“Fairenough,” I laughed, and let the topic die.
Jessiedroned on with the book she had chosen about a handful of utensils on anadventure to the dishwasher. Would I have been rude to pull my book back out, Iwondered as I yawned. Brandon noticed, and stifled a laugh.
“So,you love this as much as she does, huh?” He gestured towards Anna, stillsleeping peacefully at my feet.
Isnorted, already aware of how absurd it was that I spent forty minutes in abean bag chair while she slept. But, I explained, it was a guaranteed nap forher and a surefire way for me to get some time to myself, even if it did meanbeing trapped in one spot while I listened to some of the worst stories I hadever heard.
"So,you’re saying you don’t love the classic tale ofSpoonyand his trusty companionForky?”
Ilaughed at that, harder than was necessary, and told him a monkey could write abetter story. A few of the other adults turned to shush us and we whispered ourapologies before silently giggling like a couple of misbehaving kids. Foranother ten minutes, we sat there together, listening intently and making facesat each other at the cheesier parts.
WhenStory Time was adjourned, we stayed there on the area rug as the other kids andtheir accompanying adults fled the scene. Anna was still sleeping, and insteadof waking her up as I normally would, I decided to take the time to enjoy hiscompany.
Brandoncombed a hand through his hair and completely against my will, my mind replayeda moment where I did that very act to those very strands of hair.
“So,”he said, as he pulled his legs to his chest and clasped his hands togetheraround his knees, “I wanted to talk to you, but I really suck at crap likethis. I didn’t want to make things awkward, so I’m just going to come out andsay it, and we can go from there, okay?”
“Okay…” My chest tightened, and I expected the worst.
Hisbrow was furrowed, squinting his oceanic blue eyes in frustration while mystomach practiced its cartwheels. “I don’t want to make a big deal out of it,but I did want to say I’m sorry for what happened the other night. Itdefinitelyshouldn’t have happened.”
Iturned away from him, pretending to check on the sleeping Anna while myself-esteem cracked a little deeper. I mean, I didn’t think I wasthathorrible of a kisser, for crying out loud, and he certainly seemed to enjoyhimself while it lasted.
Butlet’s not forget that Stephen is now gay.
“Well,”I said coldly, keeping my eyes on the rise and fall of Anna’s chest and tryingnot to feel too hurt by someone I hardly knew. “I’m not sure how to take that.”
Brandonturned to me then, a line forming across his forehead, and if I hadn’t knownbetter, I would have thought someone just slapped him across the face. I feltmy mission had been accomplished. “Oh, come on, Holly. You know what I mean. Iwas out of line. You were vulnerable, and it shouldn’t have … It should nothave gone as far as it did.”
Iturned to him, softening my expression. “Well, it wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy itwhile it lasted,” I said with a playful smile, lightening the atmosphere. “Anddon’t forget, I kissed you first.”
Hesurprised me by blushing, averting his eyes to the floor. With the opportunitypresented, I allowed myself a quick glance at the soft lips I had the pleasureof enjoying just a few nights before. I smiled to myself, knowing that I wasgoing to always remember the time I made out with a man who could have passedfor the hottest member of a popular boyband.
