Lilly lowered into a chair and gave him the bag.
He opened it up and took a sandwich for himself and then gave her one.
After unwrapping it, he took a bite, watching her.
She kept stealing glances toward him and quickly looking away.
“Do I scare you?”
“No, of course not. I’m a little … I don’t know what to say.”
The tension between them was driving him crazy. He didn’t want her to be shy around him.
“I read some of your book last night.”
She began to choke on the mouthful of food.
He rushed to her, slapping her back.
She tried to clear her throat. “I’m so sorry. You did?”
“I did.”
“And.”
“And I love it,” he said. “You’ve got some general editing that needs work, but I’m no teacher. The story, it’s amazing.”
“Oh.”
He’d read the first hundred pages after dropping her off at Aunt Betty’s. There was no way he could sleep. Once he started, he hadn’t been able to put the book down. He loved every single word.
By reading it, he felt close to Lilly. She poured her heart and soul into the pages, and he felt her passion, her pains, her desires. The book was erotic, and he felt her frustration. With her mother’s reputation, he knew Lilly didn’t want to explore her needs with just anyone.
“You’re a virgin and you’re ashamed that you want to have sex,” he said.
“Wait? What?”
“Your books give it away. You don’t trust anyone. Men haven’t given you a reason to trust them.”
She licked her lips. “It’s just a book.”
“Some books are. This one, I get the sense you wrote this during a really hard time,” he said.
“You’re not just a dumb mechanic, are you?”
He tapped his head. “There’s a lot going on up here.”
“I should leave.” Lilly stood, and he captured her hand.
“Don’t go. You don’t need to leave.”
“But … this is so … I don’t know how you can even look at me. What I did. The way I threw myself at you.”
“Lilly, I’ve been trying to date you for days,” he said. “Actually, scrap that, for weeks. I didn’t know how to ask. I didn’t know what to say.” He ran his free hand down his face. “You’re a good woman. I’ve fucked a lot of women, Lilly. I’ve had my share. I’m not taken seriously. I’ve never cared about the women I screw. They were some fun. The first time we met, I was climbing out of a woman’s window.”
“You want to date me?”
“Yes. I was being a gentleman last night, but I wanted to take it to the next step. I didn’t realize you couldn’t hold your wine or I’d have never given you any. I love being in your company, Lilly. I want to have so much more with you.”
She finally sat down, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Say something.”
“I’m shocked. All this time you didn’t just want to be my friend?”
“No. I wanted a lot more.” He took her hand, kissing her knuckles.
“The book thing, is that true?”
“I read romance books, yes, that’s true. Ask my mom.”
Lilly rubbed at her temple.
“Are you still feeling a little hung over?”
“A little.”
“You do realize he’s your brother-in-law.”
“Yep, and I also know of his reputation.”
Lilly sipped at her ice water. “I don’t judge him for that.”
“You don’t care that he’s been with lots of women?” Eliza asked.
She thought about it and shook her head. “No, it doesn’t matter what came before, does it? All that matters is what is happening now. I like him, Eliza, I really do. He’s a really good guy.”