&nbs
p; I’d seen him dressed up on many occasions, but this was the first time he made me breathless. Black trousers, a blue shirt, and carrying two bags full of ingredients to make dinner.
He definitely hadn’t changed his mind about us. He’d never looked hotter.
“Hey you.”
Drew smiled, his brown eyes connecting with mine. “You look amazing.”
“So do you.”
We stood awkwardly in the doorway and Drew said, “Are you going to let me in?”
“Yes, sorry.” I shifted out of the way so he could step inside. “I was just hoping my tummy would stop acting crazy.”
An uncharacteristic blush crossed Drew’s cheeks. “We can probably work through that together.”
Watching Drew cook in my kitchen, wearing my pink apron to keep his shirt clean, was almost as much fun as eating the meal. He made his famous lasagne, complete with homemade sauce. There was something bizarre about seeing a well-dressed rock star preparing dinner. Surely there were some rules of coolness he was breaking by being so domesticated? He could have at least brought a dessert to flambé so he had something to set fire to.
The food was incredible. I wouldn’t usually have eaten so much on a first date, but I figured it was okay to break that particular rule since we’d been friends for so long. Besides, since Drew had gone to so much effort, it would have been rude not to finish the entire dish. We sat at my Christmas-themed table, holding hands, the conversation flowing as easily as the wine.
“Will you dance with me, Ells?”
The gentle sounds of Sinatra played, and although I’d eaten so much I could barely move, I didn’t have to try too hard to muster enough energy for a slow dance.
I held him close, my head resting against his chest. I loved it there; breathing him in, hearing his heartbeat pounding as hard as mine. He wasn’t one of those guys who drowned himself in cologne. In fact, he rarely wore cologne at all. Drew smelled like the ocean; cool, powerful. Unless he’d been on stage, when he smelled of sweat, and his hands held the woody aroma of his drumsticks. Either way, the scent of him comforted me, excited me.
This was so different from when we danced together at the club. That night was filled with tension, even after I’d calmed him down. Now the tension was different. Aroused instead of angry, both anticipating what would happen next.
“What are you thinking about, Ells?” Drew asked, his hands sliding down to my hips.
“Us. How good it feels to be on a date with you. How much better it is now I don’t have to pretend or hide my feelings anymore.”
I hadn’t been aware of tension in Drew’s body but as I spoke, his muscles loosened beneath my fingers and he pulled me in tighter, as if my words were everything he needed to hear.
He kissed the top of my head. “I didn’t think we’d ever get here.”
“I didn’t think you wanted to.”
He laughed softly. “I didn’t think you wanted to.”
“Well, aren’t we a pair of idiots.” I grinned at him, and he closed his eyes, resting a hand on my cheek.
“You were so worth waiting for, Ellie.”
I loved this side of him. The I-can’t-imagine-being-anywhere-else side. Even so, I couldn’t resist teasing him. “You are the cheesiest rock star ever.”
Drew opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow. “Oh really?”
“Really.”
Without warning, he lifted me off the ground. He crushed his mouth against mine, knocking the breath out of me for the second time that evening. My legs clamped around his waist, my arms around his neck. His fingers moved up and down my spine, unknowingly following the tingles he’d created as his lips claimed mine.
“Still think I’m cheesy?” he asked, his breath hot on my neck.
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Drew laughed and granted my request. I pressed myself into him, loving how easy it was to switch from joking around to... this. As his tongue slid into my mouth, my fingers delved into his hair, curling it between my fingers. The wine on his lips was a million times more intoxicating than if I’d drank the whole bottle myself, and the brush of his stubble against my cheek shot my senses into overdrive. I trembled from the intensity, the long-suppressed desire, and before I could stop it, a small moan escaped me.