Between Him and Us Page 16

  My eyes scrolled through the list, wondering if I’d find Tyler’s name among the twenty or so listed, and when it did, my breath stalled deep in my chest. I wondered why I hadn’t been informed about this. Had I been so checked out that I had no idea what was going on around me?

  “Hey, are you okay?” Easton wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. I rested my head and palm against his chest and nodded.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I wiped the corners of my eyes and managed a faint smile.

  “We should go to this.” He pointed to the poster, and I wasn’t sure if he registered the significance of it all. “I heard Aunt Millie talking about it with someone the other day.”

  I shrugged before answering as if I didn’t care either way. “Maybe.” I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling, and I honestly didn’t want to. I should keep my thoughts of Tyler to when I was alone. Give Easton my full attention when we were together.

  “I could really go for some coffee right now. Did you want to grab a tea?” He squeezed my arm, and I nodded.

  “Why didn’t you get coffee with your breakfast?”

  “They may have the best omelets in town, but their coffee tastes like dirt.” He exaggerated his distaste by cringing, and I laughed, knowing all too well what he meant. Dirt was exactly the taste I would associate with coffee.

  We continued our stroll down the sidewalk and across the street to the water’s edge, avoiding the stench of the dumpsters. A homeless man sat on a bench with a couple of bags at his feet and a little tin can sat at his side. He wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone, and as we approached, Easton dug into his pocket, pulling out a few dollar bills and dropping them in the man’s tin. He looked up and smiled a toothless smile and mumbled, “God bless you.”

  Easton nodded. “And you as well.”

  “Thank you,” the homeless man mumbled again.

  I looked up at Easton, wanting to get a good look at this unbelievably kind and generous man. He never ceased to amaze me, and I had to ask myself how I got so lucky to meet a man like him, especially when I wasn’t even looking.

  “What?” Easton smiled sheepishly, pulling our joined hands to his chest and leaning forward to kiss my hand again, all while holding his eyes to mine. That undeniable feeling I got when I was with him swept away the lingering sadness, and I smiled.

  Easton stopped next to the railing at the water’s edge and enveloped me in his strong arms as I snaked mine around his waist. I needed this, I needed normal. It also helped that I was comfortable around him.

  Gazing over the river, we enjoyed the serenity around us. This was the nice part of coming out here so early in the morning. Not too many people were mulling about, and the ones who were, were busy prepping and planning for their day.

  “When I moved here, a relationship wasn’t part of my plan,” Easton spoke softly while he continued looking out over the water. He kissed my head then rested his chin on top, letting his words dangle between us for a bit. “You weren’t a part of my plan, Lilly.” I tried to pull back, but he refused to let me go. “Quit.” He chuckled softly then carried on. “But now that you’re in my life, I can’t picture it without you in it. What I’m trying to say is . . . I saw his name on the flyer back there, and I know you’ll always love him, but I’m hoping you’ll be able to find room in your heart for me, too.” His confession had my heart squeezing in my chest. I wanted to reassure him, tell him something, anything that would convince him I was feeling the same things he was. Easton was a man who deserved to be loved wholeheartedly.

  “East—” My voice shook.

  “Shh. You don’t have to say anything. I just need you to know you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love you, Lilly. This is all unexpected to me, as much as it is to you, but whenever you’re ready—” My breath hitched, and I let those three small but very powerful words sink in. There he was, being perfect again, and I had no idea how to properly formulate my thoughts and feelings into words. “And if you’re up for it, I think you should agree to let me take you this Friday.”

  “I’d like that.” Aside from his huge admission, my heart felt lighter than a few minutes ago. Happy that he was patient with the pace I was taking.

  “How ’bout that coffee?”

  “Son of a bitch,” I whisper-shouted, and my pen slipped from my fingers as I read the reminder text from Doctor Hardy’s office. I’d completely forgotten.

  “Well, that isn’t a nice thing to say about my mother . . .” The sound of Easton’s unexpected voice had me jumping back in my seat. “Especially, since you haven’t even met her yet.” He chuckled, pushing off the doorjamb and walking into Leeza’s office.

  “Oh my goodness.” I pressed my hand to my chest. “I would never say that about your mother.”

  Easton met me on the other side of the desk, leaned in, and dropped a kiss to my lips. “I know you wouldn’t. I just couldn’t help myself; that was way too easy.”

  “How’d you know I was here?”

  “Tamra.” Easton sat on the edge of the desk and offered me his hand. “Come here.” He pulled me to stand between his legs and whispered close to my lips. “I missed you last night.”

  “I missed you, too.” I pecked his lips. “After the grocery store, I made a side trip to the cemetery—”

  “I would have gone with you. It’s been a couple of weeks since my last visit.”

  “It was an unexpected trip. After I got home, my friend Addie called, and we got to talking. She wants to meet up tonight if it’s okay with you.”

  “Of course it is. As long as you’re with me, we can do whatever it is you like.”

  “Anything?” I teased.

  “Behave, Sunshine.” His words warned me. If I kept at it, he wouldn’t hesitate to tickle me. That was his new form of defense when I misbehaved.

  I laughed then continued, “After I hung up with her, my brother, Dane called, and before I knew it, it was creeping up on eleven, and I wasn’t sure if you were still awake.”

  “I’ll always pick up when you call, even if it’s just to say good night.”

  Easton looked at me adoringly, and I smiled. Taking him in looking fresh and smelling even better, I couldn’t resist combing my fingers through his thick short hair. “Did you just get your hair cut?”

  “I did. Do you like it?”

  “I do. And your beard, too?” My fingers traced the length of his neatly trimmed jawline. “Looking mighty good there, Mr. Tyler.” I flinched the second I realized my one-word slip.

  Quickly forcing a smile, I cleared my throat, but he noticed. I hated that I still reacted the way I did at the sound of Tyler’s name, but I was making an honest effort to change that.

  “Hey?” He tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear, and I wondered if he knew how much that one little touch alone calmed me.

  “I’m fine—really.” I brushed it off. “So what brings you by?”

  “Nothing much. I just needed to kiss you.” He pressed his lips to mine, and this time, he didn’t pull away.

  I opened, allowing him access and all he did was suck on my bottom lip. Teasing me to the point of protesting, but I decided to let it slide. Instead, I concentrated on how his body easily melded to mine. His hard muscles fit perfectly against my soft, and his arms were strong as they wrapped around me. They had become my favorite place to be.

  I think that was why I was so hesitant to tell him about why I was headed to a doctor in three days. A part of me knew that I wasn’t obligated to tell him anything until I’d made a decision, but another part of me was so worried that when I did tell him, he would walk away. Not that I would blame him if he did.

  Had I met with Dr. Hardy and came to a decision prior to meeting him, there wouldn’t be much concern, but that hadn’t happened.

  Still, if Easton found out before I decided to tell him, would he think I had been lying to him all along? How would he react to the situation and the possibility
of me carrying my deceased husband’s child?

  Am I still seriously considering it?

  Easton glanced back over his shoulder, taking in the small mess I had laid out on the desk. Prior to him walking in, I was in the middle of getting some bills paid and updating the salon’s inventory when he came in.

  “Has your sister made you a permanent employee, yet?” I shook my head. “You know, Aunt Millie has been talking about hiring someone to run the flower shop. Said she’s getting too old to keep up with it all. If she found someone to manage the day-to-day operations, she could work a little less and travel a whole lot more. If not, she’s seriously considering selling the place.”

  “Sell it? What! No! She can’t sell the flower shop.”

  “Why not?” He shrugged nonchalantly.

  “What if the person who buys it decides they want to turn it into something entirely different? Or worse, what if they never put any lollipops out? That shop has been around since I was a little girl—I love that place.” I stood there, winded after stating my argument in one breath.

  “Well. Would you know of anyone who might be interested?” He eyed me curiously and a sneaky grin twisted at the corner of his mouth.

  “I’m not sure, but I can ask around.”

  “Well, don’t go asking too far. I think I know of the perfect person who could handle that kind of responsibility. And the benefits are pretty generous, too.” He pulled me by my waist and it didn’t matter how close our bodies were, we were never close enough. His warmth radiated between us, causing a spark to ignite.

  Since the first time we had been intimate, my body seemed to crave his touch. Always in tune to him, knowing when he was near and wanting him to be even closer.

  Leaning in to him, I licked then pulled his bottom lip between my teeth. With both hands, Easton grabbed my ass, squeezing and pulling me toward his groin. My hands went straight to his fresh, new haircut, and he stood, only to toss himself back into the chair, bringing me with him to straddle his hips. I couldn’t help but giggle. The change in position made me feel like I was seventeen all over again.

  “Easton.” I breathed out heavily. “What if someone walks in?”

  “I’m just kissing you, Sunshine.” He smiled against my lips.

  Even after all this time, no one really knew that we were dating—no one meaning Leeza. My sister’s opinion was the only one I truly cared about, and I wasn’t sure how she would react to my having a new man in my life. Not that it mattered; I just wasn’t a fan of being judged.

  “I know b-but—” My words caught in my throat as I felt his bulge against my core, making my body tingle. He was hard and sexy, making me conveniently forget for a second just exactly where we were and the position we were in.

  “You always smell so damn good.” He groaned low, and my head tilted to the side deepening the kiss.

  We sat there lost in each other, exploring with our hands while our mouths silently spoke to the other. My hands crept under his shirt covering the hard ridges and plains of his chest, which made me flush and dizzy with lust. I roughly raked my hands through Easton’s hair, inducing a deep, low growl from his chest right before he grabbed my hips, lifted me, and then placed me on the edge of the desk. He sat back in the chair and rolled himself toward me until his face was buried low on my belly.

  “We could always skip tonight. No. Wait. That won’t work. Maybe we can show our faces then call it an early night. What do you say?” His hands wandered, teasing my inner thighs.

  Continuing in a soft and low tone, he expressed in great detail about all the things he planned to do to my body the next time he got me alone and naked. Just his voice alone made me grow wet and needy, wanting exactly what he was promising.

  Gently gripping his hair in my hands, I pulled him back wanting to get a good look at those beautiful eyes that undid me every time only to be interrupted by a startled, screeching voice. “What the heck!”

  My body froze, and Easton cleared his throat right before I felt the vibrations of his silent chuckle against my stomach. I looked down at him, mortified. My hand twitched, wanting to roughly wipe that cheeky grin off his face.

  “U-umm, Lilly?” Leeza stuttered.

  I pressed my foot on the seat and made sure Easton’s face was tilted up so I wouldn’t knee him in the chin or jaw before carefully pushing him away. I hopped off the desk and took a deep breath before shooting off a silent two-second prayer that Leeza would not have that look on her face.

  “Easton, would you mind giving me and my sister a minute, please?” My voice was small, resembling the entire three feet tall I felt like.

  “Sure.” He nodded, stood, and kissed my forehead, not caring that someone had caught us making out like two horny teenagers. “I’ll pick you up at six.” He politely excused himself from the room, and I dismissed the urge to turn and watch him leave, refusing to let my conflicting expression show. There was a short bout of silence and for once in my adult life, I was afraid of what my sister had to say.

  Waiting there in the deafening silence, we let another minute pass, and my fears multiplied. Finally, Leeza sighed, and my hand shot up in the air.

  “Don’t. Just don’t.” I forced, grinding my teeth together. “I don’t need you—of all people, making me feel guilty.”

  I’m totally overreacting.

  I couldn’t give two shits if I was overreacting. I was in self-preservation mode and running on feelings alone.

  “And what makes you think I would do that?” There was a shift in her voice, quickly going from confused to irritated.

  I bit my lip and shook my head, pushing back my crazy emotions threatening to bombard me all at once. How in the hell was I supposed to explain what she had just walked in on? Not that it was anything bad per se, or even anything I had to explain. I was an adult, after all. But I was sure she had questions—and lots of them. The sound of Leeza’s heels clicking against the hardwood, erasing the short space between us, had me childishly planning an escape route.

  “Lilly?” I ignored her. “Will you stop acting like a four-year-old?” She huffed, and I knew at that point, she wasn’t letting this go that easily. With only the desk separating us, every word she said seemed amplified. “Did you forget who you’re talking to? It isn’t as if I’m going to scold you for making out with some guy.”

  Her comment stung. Easton was not just some guy. He was someone I had become fond of, someone who I had grown exceptionally close to, and who meant a lot to me. For her to think that I would just turn into some kind of tramp pissed me off.

  “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” I faced her with fire in my eyes and gripped the edge of the desk.

  “Whoa. Hold up for a second.” She crossed her arms over her chest, stood tall, and raised one eyebrow, studying me. “What are you so angry about?”

  I ran her question through a proverbial fine-tooth comb and asked myself the same question.

  Why had I become so defensive?

  “Nothing . . . it’s nothing.”

  “Could’ve fooled me,” she mumbled, dropped her arms, and let her hands rest on her hips. “Who was that?”

  Like a jolt of lightning, my nerves shot from my stomach up to my throat. I looked everywhere but at Leeza, hoping to come up with some kind of explanation—anything that would get her off my back.

  “Lilly.” She sighed and shook her head. “Do you forget who you’re talking to? I’m the one that doesn’t judge, remember?”

  She was right, and I was seriously overreacting.

  “That was Easton.” I revealed with a straight face.

  “And who is Easton?”

  “A guy?”

  “Really, Lilly? You expect me to take that as an answer? I know he’s a guy, but what does this guy mean to you?”

  I dropped back into the chair and huffed, frustrated with myself. Leaning my head against the seat back, fixing my gaze on the ceiling, I tried to find the words to explain Easton.

&n
bsp; Since I still wasn’t sure myself, I just shrugged. Easton and I never discussed putting a label on us. Aside from him telling me in the heat of the moment that I was his, I still had no idea.

  “Tell me about him.” My eyes drifted back to her, and nothing about her expression said that she was being glib or judgmental, so I let the words come.

  “He’s awesome, Leez. I have no idea how I found him, or maybe he found me.” I paused. “Remember Tyler’s letter?” She nodded, and as I tried to continue on, I lowered my voice to barely a whisper. “I think maybe Tyler sent him . . . do you think that makes me crazy?”

  “No,” she replied empathetically. “But tell me about this Easton.”

  “Well . . .” A soft smile curled at one corner of my lips. “For one, he’s gorgeous.” She nodded in agreement. “But it’s more than that. Easton is mature, and kind—well beyond his years. And patient, gosh, Leeza, you wouldn’t even believe how patient he is and understanding.” My mind drifted to our first night together and the words he gently spoke to me. How tolerant he had been when I broke down in his arms. “He loves to cook and is really good at it, too. But I think my favorite part . . . is he’s corny and not shy about it. He has such a positive outlook on life, despite having it a little hard growing up—”

  “Did you sleep with him?” she interrupted.

  “Leeza, cut me some slack, will you?”

  She giggled. “Well, did you?”

  If it were anyone else, I would have been inclined to tell them to mind their own business, but this was my only sister. The one person I could always confide in.

  “I would apologize for being so direct, but I need someone I can live vicariously through,” she replied, giving me an unapologetic smile. I bit the inside of my cheek while I fought to avoid her stare.

  Finally, I nodded and made eye contact, only to see the mischief dancing in her eyes.

  “How long?”

  “Two months—”

  “What?” She shrieked. “And you’re only telling me now?” Both her eyebrows rose as she studied me for a short while. “Is it serious?”