He’d wanted to kiss her silent for years. Hell, he’d wanted to kiss her for forever. He’d gone out of his mind wondering what she’d taste like. Now he knew. Her taste was a mix of contradictions, like the woman herself. Sweet and spicy. Sharp and tender. Hot and cool.
Quincy reluctantly drew back. His gaze lifted from her moist, plump lips to her dark, dreamy eyes. “Ramona McCloud, will you go out with me?”
Her lips parted with a smile. “Oh yes. I’ll go out with you, Quincy Spates. But I’ll plan the evening.”
“Fair enough.” Quincy stepped back, drawing Ramona up and into his embrace. Her eyes drifted closed as he lowered his head to hers. “As long as we start right now.”
CHAPTER 37
“This was the worst Christmas I’ve ever had.” Ean fixed his gaze on Darius’s flat-screen television. He was more interested in avoiding his friend’s eye contact than in this New Year’s Eve college football bowl game.
“It was your first Christmas without your father. How’s your mother?” Darius reached forward to bathe his tortilla chip in the salsa bowl sitting on his coffee table.
“She’s better today.” Ean glanced at Darius. “It was nice of you and Leo to stop by.”
The words seemed inadequate. Ean grew quiet as he remembered the dozens of people, including Darius and Leonard, who’d dropped in on him and his mother. Even Ms. Helen had paid a visit. Life in a small town; everyone knew everyone’s business, and rallied around their neighbors in need. Their friends truly seemed interested in helping them through their first Christmas without Paul Fever.
Darius washed down his chips and salsa with a swig of soda. “Your mother makes the best pies.”
That was Darius’s way of saying, “You’re welcome.”
Darius grunted. “Quincy had the right idea. Convince your parents to retire to Florida, then spend the holidays with them, surrounded by beaches and palm trees.”
“Which makes coming back to the snow even harder.” Ean’s tone was dry. The joke helped lift his mood, at least temporarily.
Darius’s tidy two-bedroom apartment bordered on barren. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the calendar in the kitchen, one wouldn’t have any idea it was the holiday season. Ean couldn’t remember the last time Darius had gotten into the Christmas spirit.
“How was your Christmas?” Ean turned to his childhood friend in time to see his features stiffen.
“I survived it.” Darius munched on another chip as he stared at the television. “I always look forward to sharing dessert with your family.”
“We enjoy your company.” Ean’s gaze was once again drawn to his surroundings.
Darius’s bookcase served as the only window to his personality. It was crammed with nonfiction books, most on current events. The pictures on his fireplace mantel chronicled Darius’s years with Ean and Quincy. There were no family photos. You wouldn’t guess his parents lived two blocks away.
“How are things with you and Megan?” Darius’s question distracted Ean from his concern for his friend.
“We exchanged Merry Christmas voice mail messages Christmas morning.” Ean barely registered the wide receiver’s touchdown reception in the end zone.
Darius grunted again. “That’s lame.”
“I know.” Ean’s face heated. Perhaps he and Megan were both cowards, too afraid to face each other. “What exactly is the problem?” Darius seemed to have shaken off his maudlin mood in preference to interrogating Ean on the subject of his love life—or lack thereof.
“I told you. She doesn’t trust me.”
“And you’re basing this charge on her misunderstanding the reason your ex-bosses came to town.” Darius leaned forward and grabbed another fistful of tortilla chips from the bowl on his coffee table.
“That’s right.” Ean heard the righteous indignation in his voice.
“What would you have thought if the situation had been reversed?”
“If I’d been the one who saw Megan having lunch with her former boss?”
“Right.” Darius gestured with a chip. “But she hadn’t told you that her boss was coming to Trinity Falls, or that she was meeting her boss for lunch.”
“I wouldn’t have thought anything. I would’ve waited for her to explain the situation to me.”
“Really?” Darius arched a brow.