Eye Contact Page 21

  “Andie?” he asked, breaking my trance. “You in there?”

  “Sorry…what? Did you… I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “It’s okay. I was asking what you had planned for the day.”

  “You—I mean…oh, nothing. What about you?”

  “Me?” The beginnings of a smile tipped the corners of his lips. “I was hoping to hang out with you.”

  “You were?” I squeaked, regretting the insecurity in my question.

  “Yes,” he whispered, taking my hand into his and bringing it up to his lips. “I was.” He kissed my knuckles.

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll have to run home and change clothes if we’re planning on leaving the house,” he said flirtatiously.

  “We don’t have to leave the house.” I spoke the words almost under my breath, half kidding in an attempt to be enticing.

  He surprised me with a confident and purposeful lunge across the space between us, capturing my face in his hands to kiss me hard. Lost in the passion of our connection, I didn’t think twice about him lifting me into his arms and setting me on top of the counter I’d been eating at just seconds before. Our hands pawed at each other indulgently, mine unable to get enough. The location of the plate with my remaining breakfast didn’t occur to me until we heard it crash to the ground, food flying everywhere as the glass shattered into pieces.

  “I’ll clean it up later,” he promised in between breaths, his advances barely pausing.

  My fingers raked into his hair, bringing his mouth back to mine, and he pulled my bottom closer to him to rest on the edge of the counter. I immediately regretted choosing yoga pants.

  Our breathing was frantic and my skin felt like it was on fire with the heat left behind everywhere his hands touched. Reaching for the edge of my tank top, I yanked it up over my head and threw it aside, baring myself to him—I had come down from my room sans bra.

  His pupils dilated, affirming that I’d made one clothing choice correctly, and his mouth fell to cover my left nipple just seconds after the cool air had hit it. His fingers teased inside the waistband of my pants, and all I could hear in my head was my inner voice telling me to ditch them, and ditch them fast. I pulled back and scooted myself far enough onto the surface of the counter to get leverage, raising my hips up and sliding the pants and my underwear down in one swoop. My feet kicked and my toes curled around the fabric, ripping it away and dropping them to the floor. My body was completely naked to him as his eyes roamed over my skin, flushed and begging for him. The granite was cold underneath me but the smoldering ember of heat between us was plenty hot enough. He began to touch me, his fingertips teasing the skin of my legs and working their way up. It was painfully slow, so torturous and languid. In a career like mine, where speed and efficiency meant life or death, I was used to a fast pace, a frantic grind of hustle and bustle. It was agony, the leisurely, gentle touches of his fingers, but it was also invigorating. He was paying attention, adoring me, memorizing me, and while it was slow, it wasn’t reluctant. It was intentional and maddening. I felt worshipped.

  “God, you’re beautiful,” he said in a low voice as the sound of the button of his jeans popping open sent a shiver of need through me.

  He widened his stance and gripped my hips, his hands massaging my skin and falling to scoop me into his grasp. I was yanked forward roughly, back to the edge as his stare devoured me, nearly turning me into a puddle. With his waist at the perfect level to meet me, he took what he wanted, and after three years of me living in my home alone and single, my kitchen counter finally saw a whole new level of activity and heat.

  Chapter 35

  Vaughn

  We ended up taking our activities back upstairs and spent a few more hours discovering each other. Once our legs were no longer quivering, we were motivated by the growling of our stomachs to get up and venture out. Feeling like a sweaty mess, I insisted we stop by my place long enough for me to rinse off and change clothes. My intentions were good, but my quick shower got interrupted by a brazen Andie pulling the wet curtain back to reveal herself, bare and hungry for more than lunch.

  “Mind if I join you?” she asked tentatively, flirty suggestion in her tone.

  I answered her by extending my hand to grasp hers and tugged her into the warm spray of water. With our bodies slick and molded to one another, we quickly forgot all about getting clean and worked up even more of an appetite. The sound of her moans, the way her skin glistened and flushed red in the subdued warm overhead lighting of my shower stall—it was all intoxicating. I wanted nothing more than to feel what I felt when I saw her head tilt back in pleasure, her eyes closing just before her throaty growl in the moment of euphoria I was bringing her.

  This was it. I had finally found my purpose in life—to please this woman before me, to spend every waking second loving her and making sure she knew just how much.

  The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak them. It was too fast, too much, too soon. I’d never be able to live with myself if I ruined things and scared her off again. My actions would have to be enough for the time being.

  We finally lathered up and rinsed off the past day and a half then got dressed, my lips finding ways to kiss her every chance I got. It was playful and fun, and she was initiating contact just as much as I was, giving me hope and fueling me more and more.

  “So what else is on the agenda for today?” I inquired as I bent down to tie the laces of my Chucks.

  She exhaled a harsh breath as she wrapped her long hair with a hair tie, securing it on top of her head in a haphazard mess that was somehow adorable and looked put together. Once she looked up to meet my eyes, she looked frazzled and troubled.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, I’m just thinking of all the things on my to-do list and got a wave of stress.”

  I walked over to lift her downcast face to mine, concern in my expression. “What is it? Stressed about what?”

  “I have a lot to do, no time to do it, and don’t even know where to start.”

  Bringing her into my arms, her head cradled just perfectly by the crook of my neck, I reassured her. “Start with me. Let me help.”

  She responded with small circles of her hands on my back as her posture relaxed slightly. “Somehow I got myself into the mess of throwing an engagement party for my best friend. It should’ve just been a low-key dinner party, but now it’s almost turned into a miniature wedding.”

  “Sounds like you need a less high-maintenance friend,” I teased, garnering a chuckle from her.

  “She’s just…well, different.”

  “Is this your friend from work? The other doctor? Rowan, right?”

  “Yes, although she’s not a doctor—she’s a physician’s assistant. Anyway, though, yeah. She’s like my sister, my best friend in the world, and I have to get this right.”

  “When is the party?”

  Andie stiffened again and hesitated, finally answering me in a mumble. “In two weeks.”

  “Two weeks?” I exclaimed, shocked and feeling guilty for occupying her entire morning with my own needs.

  “Fifteen days, actually, hence the stress.”

  I took a slow cleansing breath and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the shop door to get a move on. “We need to get going then.”

  Once we were in the Tahoe and buckled up, I hit the button on my dash to pull up my speed dial contacts and selected Angela’s name.

  “Yo, boss man,” she answered after two rings.

  “I need your help. Can you wrap up whatever you’re doing and meet us within the hour?”

  “Us?”

  “Me and Andie.”

  A silence filled the vehicle’s cab as Angela sat, obviously confused. Andie turned to me and mouthed, What are you doing?

  “What do you need help with?” Angela finally replied.

  “Angela? Hi, I’m Andie…I mean, it’s Andie, in the car with Vaughn.”

>   I interrupted Andie’s fumbling with, “Andie is hosting an engagement party for her friend in two weeks and needs major help with planning and making arrangements.”

  “Okay. What would you have me do? I’m not an event planner,” she replied curtly with a bit of attitude.

  “But you’re good at this stuff.”

  “But it’s not my job. You’d be better off hiring a professional party planner or something.”

  “It’s your job to assist me, and this is what I need assistance with today,” I barked, making sure to get the message across. She knew we were on speakerphone in the car, and I was done with her snarky unprofessionalism in front of the woman I was trying to impress.

  Angela audibly scoffed, making a show of rustling papers in the background before speaking again.

  “Okay, fine. I need all the details,” she insisted, proceeding to drill Andie with questions as we drove. She was peppered with inquiries regarding the guest list, numbers, location, what type of food, cooking versus catered, etcetera. She responded with all she wanted and knew, which turned out to be more than I’d originally thought. It was also a relief to Angela to hear that invitations had already been mailed out.

  I pulled into the drive-through of a smoothie place and asked what she wanted, asserting that we didn’t have enough time to sit down and eat. She smiled and gave me the exact name of the smoothie she wanted, confirming that she’d been there many times before and probably got the same thing every time.

  As we drove off, I continued, “Do you have a notepad in your purse? Or any kind of paper?”

  “No, why?”

  “We need to write some things down so you can be organized.”

  “I have a photographic memory, Vaughn. We’re good.”

  My head turned to the side to see her grinning at me, and I wished I wasn’t driving and required to pay attention to the road so I could stare at that beautiful, brilliant woman longer.

  “It’s kind of hot—you taking charge like this.”

  “Stay focused, Andie,” I joked, and she laughed in response.

  “I can’t help it.”

  We picked Angela up and after two hours of driving around, we had accomplished renting tables, chairs, and linens, as well as booking the caterer. She assured me that having it at her home was fine as long as she didn’t have to cook everything and could concentrate on hosting without responsibilities. The caterer had the option for serving staff to handle passing out the food and bussing the plates at the conclusion. They even had a bartender available, but we opted for a package with just beer and wine to keep it simple.

  When she mentioned flowers for decoration and centerpieces, I gave Angela a knowing look in the rearview mirror and knew exactly where to go.

  “You’re going to love this place!” I declared as I headed toward the florist my assistant had recently taken me to. “It’s the weirdest but best little flower shop ever.”

  “Oh, but Ro said she was going to get the flowers.”

  “Nonsense. Call her and tell her you’ll do it,” Angela instructed from behind us, sounding a little too bossy. When she glanced at me and saw that I was slightly offended, Angela noted Andie’s unease and attempted to smooth it over. “Trust me, it will be better if you arrange the flowers and décor—that way everything will be coordinated and you’ll know it’s done right.”

  Andie’s facial expression was accepting, and she visibly relaxed.

  “Do you know what she likes?”

  “Yes. I actually have the link to her Pinterest board so I know exactly what she wants.”

  “Perfect,” I affirmed. “I mean, I’m not exactly sure what that means—Pinterest board—but whatever. As long as you know, we’re golden.” She grinned as she texted her friend the new plan.

  Andie was as uncomfortable in the flower shop as I had originally been, but the quirky florist friend of Angela’s was able to quickly sway her and show us some beautiful options for arrangements. She was adorably no-fuss and decisive, placing an order for multiple centerpieces along with some table arrangements for accent tables and the kitchen counter, and we scheduled delivery for the morning of the dinner party, leaving a few hours of cushion in case something go awry. Just as Andie was signing the bill of sale and agreement for delivery, I looked up at the purple-haired millennial who winked and gave me her thumbs-up of approval. Her opinion of Andie didn’t matter, but for whatever reason, it made me proud and I smiled in return.

  Once back to the car, we both plopped down into the seats and sighed with relief and exhaustion. Angela took a few seconds longer to make it into the vehicle, and Andie turned completely around to thank her.

  “Are you sure you’re not an event planner in real life?”

  Laughing at the obvious compliment, Angela assured her, “I promise I don’t have a hidden event planning side hustle going on.”

  “But you’re so good at it.”

  “I’m just a neurotic, type-A weirdo who sees all the little details.”

  “Well, I appreciate the help,” she said sincerely. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “You could’ve, it just probably would’ve cost you a lot more money and hours of sleep.”

  “You’re probably right. I’ll definitely sleep a little better tonight knowing this is all done.”

  Covering her hand with my own, I leaned over the middle console to capture her mouth with mine, whispering against her lips, “I’ll make sure you go to bed tonight relaxed, satisfied, and worry free.”

  Chapter 36

  Andie

  The days had rushed by, a blur of working my shifts as scheduled and filling every spare waking moment not spent at the hospital with Vaughn.

  Vaughn, I thought to myself with a sigh, picturing his rugged, square jawline sprinkled with scruff that felt so deliciously perfect against my skin. The way his sweet grin brought out the faint dimple on his right cheek was enough to make me want to melt. Even after you got beyond his obvious ridiculously handsome physical attributes, he was everything else. Quickly proving to be one of the smartest people I had ever come to know, I was constantly learning from him, even when he wasn’t intentionally trying to teach me anything. He was intuitive, observant, and the ultimate people watcher, but he didn’t ever just watch. He was sensitive to his surroundings and how people were affected by him or whatever was going on around them. I liked to tease him that he should’ve been a sociology major and he replied with dismissal, saying he didn’t want to be a high school teacher, which, according to him, was the only income-earning job you could ever get with a sociology degree.

  He was always so understanding of my demanding work schedule, but perhaps my favorite thing when coming off of a shift was how he made me feel like the only person in the universe. He dropped everything to talk about my prior twenty-four hours—what kind of patients I saw, what surgeries I performed, their outcomes, whether or not my back ached or feet throbbed, asking if I’d had enough time to eat enough or sleep enough. It was foreign and disarming feeling to be well taken care of, and I loved every second with him.

  It was blatantly obvious that I was falling fast and hard for Vaughn Bennett, and every molecule in my body vibrated with adoration for him. I couldn’t seem to get enough. Every single cell that made me who I was craved him at all times, and I had no doubt he felt the same way. The cloud nine people often spoke of being on was a glorious place to be.

  As I was putting the finishing touches on curling the ends of my hair, I heard my doorbell chime from downstairs and knew it would be him.

  Vaughn had excitedly accepted my invitation to be my date to Rowan’s engagement party. I had teased him by saying something along the lines of, “Since you helped arrange and plan this whole thing, it seems only fitting that you be invited to attend.”

  “Are you asking me to be your date, Dr. Fine?”

  “Would you be interested if I was?”

  “I would be honored to come, and I would be proud to
have you on my arm for any and all future dinner parties.”

  It was cute and I was relieved that I would have some support for the evening since Rowan would be preoccupied the whole night.

  When I opened the front door of my house and the dapper man before me turned around sporting a fitted gray suit, my breath escaped me. He looked incredible, and I was speechless.

  “Hey,” he said eagerly. “I know I’m a bit early, but I didn’t know if you would need any last-minute help.”

  I pulled the door open wider and stepped back to let him inside, still unable to talk. I faced him so I could stare some more, admiring how sharp he looked. A pale blue dress shirt with thin pinstripes lay underneath his light heather gray suit, accessorized with a solid navy blue tie. He came closer and his face turned to worry.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he kissed me on my cheek.

  He smelled even better than he looked, and I could hardly think straight.

  “Andie?” he asked, breaking me out of my trance. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m…well, I just…you look amazing.”

  He laughed a hearty chuckle and brought his hands to cup my face as he looked into my eyes.

  “You were starting to scare me.” He kissed me like I wanted him to, aggressive and firm, claiming me as his before abruptly pulling away.

  I tried to catch my breath, knowing I had to control myself and get ready. The host of the party couldn’t be late to her own event. Vaughn followed me upstairs and sat on the foot of my bed after taking his jacket off. I finished the last few strands of hair still needing to be curled and touched up my makeup, spritzing perfume as we heard the doorbell again.

  “That’s the caterer. Do you mind going downstairs to let them in to set up?” I asked, still in my white terrycloth bathrobe.

  He did as I requested, and I entered my closet to put my dress on. When I walked out, he was standing in the center of my bedroom, frozen, gaze approving. I smiled and slipped my heels on to complete the look. He hadn’t said a word, and I felt almost violated by his eyes.