Inside Out - Lauren Dane [57]
“You’re welcome.” She wore her joy on her skin, in her features, making the smile she gave him utterly infectious. Fuck, he was happy to be there with her. It did something to him, to watch her there with his friends, with those people he loved, and to know she felt the same about them. To a guy like him, a guy who put a lot of importance on connection to family and community, that she did too was simply a sign of how perfect she was for him.
“Are you free next weekend?” He needed to get that established right off. She wasn’t just some woman he dated, they had more, and he wanted everyone to understand that. Especially Ella. The challenge would be to let her see his intentions without making her feel hemmed in or controlled.
“Sure. Wait.” She eyed him carefully. “For what? My answer depends on yours. Ice camping? I’m busy. Other things that won’t get me killed or give me frostbite? I’m available.”
He laughed. “I was thinking of going to the ocean. No hiking or anything. One of my friends owns a house out there and offered it to me for the weekend. If it wasn’t so damned cold already, I’d suggest a trip out on the bike. But we can save that until the spring since we know how you feel about ice camping.”
She looked at him seriously without speaking, and he got nervous. “I mean, obviously he’s got more than one bedroom. It’s not . . . that’s up to you. God, I’m fucking this up.” He actually fumbled; he never fumbled. Good god.
Laughing, she hugged him briefly. “Yes, I’m free.” She leaned a little closer. “It sounds like fun.”
Her voice rose in a delightfully squeaky way at the end.
“All right. We can leave Friday night and get back Sunday after breakfast? Does that work?”
She nodded slowly, and he went back to his pizza.
The group hung on for another two hours until Cope was just about ready to text his brother to get the hell out of there so he could leave with Ella. Finally Erin stood and stretched her back.
“I gotta call it a night, boys and girls.”
Everyone got up and tossed money down, put coats and hats on and headed toward the sidewalk just out front.
“You ready to go?” Cope said it quietly, his lips close to her ear. “Care to come back to my house for a while? I’ve got some ice cream to go with the cake you have left over.”
“Mmm, cake.” She actually giggled, and his cock hardened. What the hell else was she going to do that would turn him on so unintentionally? “Your house? Or the condo? I mean, yes to either. But I’d love to see the house.”
He smiled at how easily flustered she got. “My house. I’ve finished enough that I’ve decided to live there. At least on the weekends. It’s got a well-stocked fridge, my couch and electronics in the bedroom.” And a bed. He shivered a moment at the thought of her in it, at the very real tension between them that could lead them there. But he didn’t want to rush her.
“Are you cold?” She angled her head to see his face.
“Nope. I’m ...” He broke off to return Brody and Elise’s good-byes.
“I expect to hear every last filthy detail,” Elise whispered to Ella, though not quietly enough.
Ella’s laugh resurrected the shiver.
“Have her home by midnight, son,” Ben called to him.
“Ha. Take care of your pregnant wife. Ella is in good hands.”
There was much hooting and laughter at that. Ella waved at them all with both hands. “Moving right along. Jeez. See you all later. Don’t forget about me now that I’m not going to be pulling your coffee every day.”
“Oh my silly, sweet Ella.” Erin hugged her. “This is what we do. Every Friday night we come here, eat pizza, drink some beer or water, and we play pool while we catch up. Every. Friday. You are one of us, and you will have more time to do such things now that you have no more school and only one job. So there. There’s no forgetting, dumb ass.”
“We’re like the Mafia. Once you’re in, you’re in for life.” Cope hugged her to him. As if he had any intention of not seeing her every chance he got. Pfft.
“See you all next week. Erin, get some sleep!” Ella let him open her door before