Anxious Love (Love Sick #1) (5 page)

"Okay," I said and stood up. "Where should we go?"

Leah's eyes cut to Mark, who was the most sober out of the crew. Sophie was on her fourth shot, Allie on her third. She rocked back and forth on her barstool and laid her head on the bar as she watched us.

Mark and I had downed three shots, but because of my size and four years of college, my high tolerance worked in my favor. Mark seemed sober, an occupational necessity.

"Can we stay here?" Sophie asked as she tugged on my shirt sleeve. I wondered how many drinks it would take for her to pass out. Her tolerance was high as well. I watched Leah, too. She’d sipped on her second shot all night. "Mark can't leave."

"I'll order from Acme across the street. They'll run it over. What do you guys want?" Mark asked.

I turned back to Leah. She winked at Mark, and he smiled back at her. The non-verbal dialogue in this group would make an insecure guy uncomfortable. Glad I wasn't that kind of guy. I enjoyed being around them, and they made Leah calm and happy. We both suffered from overstimulation and our subtle flirting, touches, looks, and handholding did nothing but leave us both hot and bothered. That was how it was for me, at least.

From the expression on her face, she felt it too.

We finished off dinner and two more shots. As the night wore on, more people entered the bar. Mark, who knew everyone, steered them away from our little group.

Sophie was in a social mood. "Hey guys, come over here. You have to meet our new friend, Ryan Ware."

"Sophie, be quiet," Allie said annoyed at her friend making a scene.

One of the guys in the group, a short dude with shoulder-length brown hair he kept pushing behind his ear, came up to Sophie. They stood eye to eye. From his red face and sweat-stained T-shirt, he had been partying hard and long all afternoon.

"I don't care who he is. I want to know your name, little lady."

"Oh, fuck. Is that really what you're going to use to pick me up?" Sophie laughed in his face. His face grew redder.

Sophie was right, the dude’s accent was weak. The tension in the bar changed and as the guy tried getting in her personal space. I got up and stood behind Sophie as the guy stepped to her. I moved her to my side and placed a hand on the little guy’s chest.

"You had better control your woman," the short guy said.

"Hey buddy, why don't you calm down, and I'll buy you and your friend a drink."

He tested how solid my stance was before backing down and going back to his friends. I respected the guy for trying.

"Sophie, cool it." Allie grabbed Sophie and dragged her to the bathroom in the back of the bar.

Mark served the group of four their drinks. I turned back to find Leah, but she was gone. I spotted her skirt flowing in the breeze outside the door.

"Hey." I stepped out and stood next to her. She stood with her back against the wall, surveying the street. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just needed some air." She smiled, but it was not a happy smile; it was more relief.

I reached out and touched the goose bumps forming on her arm.

"Are you cold?"

She shook her head and tilted her head up. "I'm sorry. Sophie can get out of hand sometimes."

"No, she's fine. A little loud but fine."

She smirked, and I reached down and took her hand. "Actually, I enjoyed meeting them. It's nice to get to know you through their eyes. Made tonight a lot less scary."

"You were scared about tonight?"

"Terrified." I ran my other hand down her arm and captured her small hand in both of mine. I wanted to hold her close but settled for what she gave me. "Why do you think I never talked to you at Poppies?" I pointed at myself. "Chicken shit, right here."

"I don't believe you." She gave me one of her genuine smiles and my insides warmed.

"It's true. Every day, I went in there and thought today's the day. I'm going to talk to her. And every day, I chickened out."

"Why?" she asked.

"I mean look at you. You're beautiful and smart and funny and way out of my league."

"You don't even know me."

"Yeah, but I felt like I did."

She blinked and opened her mouth, but I continued. "Although I was scared to talk to you, I knew we would hit it off." I leaned against the wall next to her, my hand in hers, our shoulders touching.

She leaned into me.

"Then you stopped showing up, and it crushed me a little bit every time."

"You certainly aren't afraid to share your feelings."

I laughed. "My ex-girlfriend wouldn't agree with you."

"Oh, so I'm different." Her tone was sarcastic.

"Yes." I squeezed her hand. "You are different." I stared into her eyes. She held my gaze. "When can I see you again? I want to see you again."

She sighed and stood in front of me. "I want to see you, too, but I'm on deadline at the moment. I'll be working for the next few days nonstop."

"Well, can I call you?" I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.

She seemed to contemplate this request but relented and took it. She entered her number.

A loud roar of laughter erupted from inside the bar, and Leah tensed. She held my hand tighter.

"I do have another request," she said.

"Anything."

"Can you walk Sophie and me home?"

"If it means spending more time with you, then absolutely."

As if on cue, Sophie stumbled out of the bar. "Leah? Where's my girl Leah?"

I dropped Leah's hand to catch Sophie. She tried to drag me back into the bar, but Leah spoke up.

"Soph. Come on. You have to walk me home."

"No, we're having a good time." Her words slurred. "Let's go back in and have another shot."

Leah shook her head and grabbed Sophie's face in her hands. "No, sweetie. We have to go, okay?"

Sophie blinked a few times. Leah's words sobered her up a bit. "Okay."

"I've got good news." Leah's hands moved down to Sophie's shoulders. "Ryan is going to walk us home."

"Oh, what a gentleman."

"It will be my pleasure, little lady," I said in my own cheesy Southern accent, but it must have come off better than I thought.

"God, he's sexy," Sophie loudly whispered in Leah's ear.

Leah blushed.

"I'm going to run in and close out my tab. I'll be right back."

Leah nodded.

As I re-entered the bar, Allie retreated behind the bar. Mark poured more drinks to the group as others joined them.

I waved, and Mark walked over.

"I'm going to walk Sophie and Leah home. Let's close out."

Mark pulled my card off the counter and handed it to me.

"No worries, man. It's going to be a good night. You can get them next time."

I nodded, shook hands with Mark, waved at Allie, and went back outside to find the girls.

I walked between them, placing my hand on both their shoulders, and steered them into the street. "So ladies, which way is home?"

"Dumaine and Decatur," Leah answered. We headed down Iberville.

"Can we walk down Royal instead of Decatur? Fewer people," Leah asked.

"Sure." I pulled Leah closer; my hand rested on her hip. She stiffened at first but relaxed and leaned into me. Sophie walked next to us. At the next block, she peeked over at Leah and mouthed something. She removed my arm from her shoulders and continued walking in front of us.

When we reached Dumaine, we turned right. Halfway down on the next block, we followed Sophie as she led us to a doorway next to a hat shop. She keyed a code in the keypad, and the door buzzed and opened. She marched up the stairs and stopped on the first landing and fished her key out of her pocket.

She unlocked the door but stood at the entrance.

"Soph, you okay?" Leah asked.

She turned and wiped the tears from her face.

"You fuck up and hurt my friend, I will hurt you. You understand?" She tried to sound tough and strong, but regret lingered in her voice.

Leah shook her head. "Wait for me for a second."

I nodded, and Leah pushed Sophie into her place and shut the door behind her. I heard muffled sounds from behind the door. Five minutes later, Leah opened the door.

"I'm so sorry about that." Leah hugged herself.

"No, it's fine. She's just looking out for you."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"My friends are a little overprotective of me."

"It must be nice to have people looking out for you like that," I said.

"They're like family. We try and look out for each other."

"You're lucky to have them. They care about you a lot."

"Yeah," She nodded. "But how about next time, we leave them at home?"

"So there is going to be a next time?" I said as a goofy grin spread across my face.

Leah grinned back and started up the stairs. After a few steps, she turned back around so we stood eye to eye. She reached out and placed her hands on my shoulders. I leaned into her, and she pulled me close. She placed a kiss on my neck and the instant her lips connected with my skin, it happened again. Instant wood.

Fuck me.

"Call me," she whispered in my ear and let go, turned around, and headed up the stairs. I stared at her backside, admiring the shape of her ass as she reached the top of the stairs. When she opened the door at the top of the stairs, she turned back to me. "Thanks for tonight."

"You're welcome."

"You know, if you are looking for a family, I think Sophie would personally sponsor you into our fold?"

I chuckled. "What about you?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Do I get your vote?"

"We'll see." She licked her lips, smiled, and disappeared through the door.

I remained on the steps a few minutes more, hoping she would come back out and invite me in.

As I entered my place, I exhaled and smiled, feeling pretty proud of myself. I’d had a good time.

I held out my hand, remembering what Ryan's hands felt like in mine. He smelled so good, and his scent lingered in the air. His huge hand on my hip as he walked us home had a protective, close to possessive hold on me, and I liked it.

I heard a noise from downstairs and thoughts of Sophie interrupted the warm, fuzzy feelings. Feelings that would normally have me popping a Xanax in an instant.

Sophie and I didn't hang out much outside of our apartment, but I had seen her stumble home. She drank a lot tonight in a short amount of time. I wasn't sure what that was about. I frowned as I grabbed some water from my refrigerator. I pulled my phone and my medicine out of my back pocket. I fished the little white pill out of the thin pill case I kept it in and broke it in half before dropping it.

"Oh, shit." The phone rang and startled me. I didn't recognize the caller ID, but I answered it anyway.

"Hey, gorgeous."

His voice brought all those warm fuzzies back to the surface.

"Why are you calling me?"

"Because you told me to."

"Yeah, I meant to call me someday. What about the whole three-day rule you guys have? Aren't you scared I am going to think you're too desperate?"

"Well, I am now." He laughed, and I joined him. "Honestly, if you didn't get how I felt about you from today, then I am seriously off my game."

"No, I got it." I abandoned the little-lost pill and walked into my room.

"And?" he asked.

"And, what?" I said.

"And I like you too, Ryan," he said in a cute sing-song voice.

"I like you too, Ryan." I closed my eyes and sighed.

"So when can I see you again?"

"Didn't you just get drafted?"

"Yeah." He drew out the word. "What's your point?"

"Shouldn't you be out flashing your NFL card and comparing how many groupies you can bag before training camp with the other draftees?"

"Well, you know they don't issue the card until after I play my first game. So until then…"

"Oh, that's very clever."

"Well, I did go to Notre Dame."

I placed him on speakerphone as I undressed. As soon as I pulled my shirt over my head, he asked, "What are you doing?"

As much sexual tension as we had experienced in the last two days, I had two directions to go with this conversation. My brain was telling me not to get carried away, but my body shivered at the thought of him picturing what he wanted to do to me.

"Changing into my PJs," I said, my voice coming out more throaty and sexy than I had intended.

"Oh, yeah. What do you wear to bed?" he asked. His voice betrayed his mind as well.

"I could say nothing."

"Yeah, I could deal with nothing."

"But that would be a lie." I giggled. "I want to be completely honest with you."

My serious tone made him groan.

I took my skirt off and caught myself in the mirror. I wore black boy shorts and a matching bra. It wasn't overtly sexy, but my reflection was flushed.

I stood to the side and took a photo of my hip. The one his hand covered as we walked the streets of New Orleans. I could still feel the impression of his hand as he guided me home.

I cropped it so he could see what it was, but it didn't include any identifiable features and sent it to him.

His groan came through the phone line muffled. "I can work with that, too."