The Dating List (5 page)

"You bet, baby."

He put his arm around her shoulders and fingered the
forest green velour sweatshirt that matched her pants. Grey's eyes
scanned her body quickly. She leaned into his shoulder, placing her
lips on his. They lingered in a sweet kiss.

"Why are you worried?

"Seriously, just hope Colin didn't do something
stupid…"

"Like?" She wiped the counter with a sponge then
raised her gaze to his.

"Like making a pass at Leah or something."

"He wouldn't, would he?" Carrie raised her
eyebrows.

"Didn't you see him stumble all over himself?"

"Yeah, so he was a little impressed by her…" She
began to unload the dishwasher.

"Not impressed, hot for her. He practically had a
boner."

Carrie laughed. "Come on. Leah is much older than he
is and so much more sophisticated. She's been dating big Wall
Street guys…she'd never be interested…"

"You know that, I know that but Colin doesn't. He's
looking for a
woman
, not a girl and Leah fits the bill
perfectly."

"She'll let him down easy…she won't break his heart."
She paused holding a clean platter to look at Grey.

"Unless he does something stupid." He took the
platter from her and returned it to its place on a high shelf.

"Like what?" Carrie asked.

His lips rose in a mischievous grin. "Like this!"

Grey picked her up in his arms and swooped up the
stairs. He raced through the hall, into their bedroom, shutting the
door with his foot before dropping her on the bed. Carrie laughed
until she almost couldn't breathe. He fell down next to her on the
bed.

"And if he should do this…" he kissed her, "then
this," he cupper her breast, "and this," he yanked up her top with
his free hand, "she might very well slap the daylights out of
him."

"Or she might do this," Carrie said before winding
her arms around Grey's neck, pulling him into her arms for a deep,
passionate kiss.

He stretched out next to her, easing his leg over
hers. After she wriggled out of her top, Grey reached around behind
her and snapped open her bra. She shrugged it off while he jerked
his t-shirt over his head, tossing it onto a nearby chair.

"Much better," he murmured, staring at her breasts as
he raised his hands to cover them.

"Is that what Colin said?" She teased him, her eyes
twinkling with mischief.

"What I'm saying." He closed his fingers around her
soft flesh as his lips kissed their way down her neck.

Carrie arched into him, pressing her hips into his,
her fingers combing through his hair. When his lips found her peak,
the slamming of the front door, indicated Colin was home. Grey
swore under his breath.

"Little brothers…crap. Can't believe he's still
showing up at the wrong time." He sat up.

Carrie arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And what inconvenient
times did he show up before?"

Grey sensed color in his cheeks. "You know…"

"Not really. Tell me."

"Stop kidding, Carrie." A smile played with his
lips.

"Like when you were making out with a girl, trying to
get her panties off, you mad seducer," Carrie's fingers tickled his
sides, causing Grey to bend and twitch. A roar of laughter escaped
his mouth as they wrestled with each other. Grey grabbed her hands
and clasped them together in one of his one big ones. He rolled her
over subduing her kicking legs by trapping them between his as his
mouth blew raspberries on her neck. She screamed, convulsing in
laughter as she struggled to free herself from his vise-like grip.
He lifted his mouth from her neck and lowered it possessively on
her lips. The demanding kiss grew deeper, more passionate. She
stopped squirming, relaxing against his hard body, molding hers to
his.

The door burst open and Colin rushed in, stopping so
abruptly he almost fell over when he saw his brother on top of
Carrie, both stripped to the waist. Grey's head popped up. Carrie
screamed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I heard a scream and thought Carrie was in
trouble…I'm so…so… sorry," he said, quickly turning away, blushing
and shutting his eyes.

"Colin…you still haven't learned to knock?" Grey
raised himself up on his elbows to pull the bedspread up over
Carrie.

With his hand over his eyes, Colin backed out of the
room, feeling for the door. Carrie looked at Grey, laughter erupted
from her throat.

"You're not pissed?" Grey asked her.

She shook her head, laughing too hard to speak. After
the bedroom door closed, Grey turned back to face her.

"Now, where were we?" Grey's voice was soft and
low.

"Later, lover. Time to get ready for dinner."

Carrie pushed up with her hands, slung her legs over
the side and stood up.

Grey sighed and shrugged. "Where are we going
tonight?"

"How about Casa Mia? A little guacamole, mariachi
music…it'll be fun."

"And Colin doesn't need fancy clothes. Sounds good.
Can I get a rain check?"

He put his hands on her naked waist and slid them up
and down her sides. Carrie cuddled up to him, pushing her chest
against his. She planted a kiss on his lips.

"I certainly hope so. Leave a girl high and
dry…wanting," she snickered.

He laughed and squeezed her close to him. "That's why
I love you."

She leaned back and raised her eyebrows.

"That and a million other reasons, honey," Grey said,
stopping to nuzzle her neck.

****

Colin ran down the stairs, all the way to the
refrigerator. He grabbed a beer and popped the top. Sitting on a
stool at the counter, he took a long swig hoping his cheeks had
returned to their normal color. In a few minutes the door opened
upstairs. He cleared his throat three times then took a deep breath
but it didn't seem to calm his nerves. Grey and Carrie, wearing
bathrobes, joined him in the kitchen.

"We're going to Casa Mia, little brother. Eight
o'clock," Grey said as if nothing had happened.

"Carrie…I'm so…"

"Forget it, Colin. I have." She patted his arm then
sat down on a stool.

"Vodka and tonic, babe?" Grey asked.

"Sounds good. Where's Leah?"

"Oh my God! Leah! She said to call with the location
of the restaurant," Colin blurted out.

"I'll call her. Be right back." Carrie disappeared
into the den and shut the door.

As Grey gathered the fixings for her drink, he shot a
sly glance at Colin.

"So, what were you and Leah up to that made you so
late? I thought you were only going shopping?"

"Fitting took a while. Seems a great body like mine
isn't so easy to fit." He cleared his throat again.

Grey chuckled. "Go on."

"Then I had to thank her, so we went out for ice
cream…then we went back to her place and had lunch. And she helped
me with a job application…before you know it, it was six
o'clock."

"That's all, little bro?" Grey trained a questioning
stare at his brother while dumping ice cubes into two high ball
glasses.

Colin blushed. "What else would there be?"

"Come on. You can't fool me. I saw the way you were
looking at her…like a fox in a hen house…licking your chops." Grey
poured vodka over the ice.

"If you mean did I notice she's…attractive. Yeah. I
did. So?"

"Just attractive?" Grey cocked an eyebrow while he
poured in tonic water.

"Okay…yeah, she's hot. I noticed. So what?"

"Getting a bit defensive, aren't you? Did ya kiss
her?" Grey stirred the drinks.

Colin could feel the heat travel up his neck. There
was nowhere to turn because he knew it would rise all the way to
his ears. He'd never been able to fool his brother. Anytime Grey
put pressure on Colin, he always 'fessed up.

"So what if I did?"

Grey laughed out loud.

"Chip off the old block. Didn't waste any time, did
you?"

"That's all…all I did. I kissed her…once."

"Ah, but when an Andrews man kisses a woman, even
once, she's spoiled forever for the kiss of another," Grey said,
dramatically, as he squeezed a little chunk of lime into each
drink.

The two men punched each other in the shoulder then
burst into laughter until they could hardly breathe. Carrie
returned, tapping her foot until Grey composed himself. He handed
her a drink. She kissed him before taking a seat next to Colin at
the counter.

"What did I miss?"

"An Andrews brothers inside joke." Grey took a sip of
his drink.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, "You're asking for
trouble."

"Okay, okay," Grey said then he relayed the joke to
her.

"I guess I have to agree," she chuckled, shooting a
flirtatious look at her fiancé.

"So, you kissed her. Hmm. This is moving pretty
quickly. Are you sure you want to take this…trip with Leah?" Grey
sat down on the other side of Colin.

"What do you mean, 'take this trip'?"

Grey coughed. "You know…go the distance…get involved.
Or are you simply seeking a one-night-stand?"

Carrie sat up straight, a stern look washed over her
face. "Colin, you wouldn't, would you?"

"Of course not…not with Leah. Hell, I'm no saint. I'm
not going to tell you I've never had a one-night-stand, but Leah
is…something special."

"She is. You don't know her history." Carrie took a
sip of her drink.

"So tell me." Colin raised the beer bottle to his
lips.

"Well…Leah's husband, Hank…"

"Grey!" Carrie put her glass down hard. "Don't you
think Leah should tell him herself?"

"Maybe, but she hasn't."

"She will."

"Tell me what? Who is Hank? Leah's married?" Colin's
eyes grew wide.

"She's a widow," Carrie said.

"Her husband died?" Colin put his bottle on the
table.

Carrie nodded.

"How long ago?"

"Three years but you should really get this from
her."

"She didn't tell me and I have a right to know."
Colin finished the last of his beer.

"Do you? Why?" Carrie trained her gaze on him.

"Because I care about her."

"You've known her five minutes, Colin." Carrie took a
big gulp of her vodka and tonic.

"We spent the entire day together. I've never known
another woman like her. She's amazing…talented, beautiful, sweet,
smart, sexy…she's got it all."

"She doesn't want to get serious about anyone…not
since Hank died." Carrie lowered her voice.

"She hasn't dated anyone seriously in three
years?"

"Oh, she's dated," Grey put in.

"But no one for long." Carrie confirmed.

"Hell, if Delia's men are flavors of the month,
Leah's are flavors of the week!" Grey chuckled.

Carrie punched his arm lightly.

"Are you saying she sleeps around?"

"Not exactly. But she's been just about fun and
games, lighthearted, no strings…and hanging with men who agreed
with her philosophy." Carried finished her drink.

"I don't want that with her. I want…more."

"I'm not sure she can give you more…or wants to right
now." Carrie put her hand on Colin's arm.

"Then I'll have to change her mind." A frown creased
Colin's brow.

"Colin, why don't you listen? I'm sure there'll be
some really hot chicks at her New Year's party. Find someone there,
someone who's looking for a guy like you," Grey put in.

"And you think Leah isn't?"

"I think Leah has some issues and you'd be better off
with someone who doesn't. Besides, she's off to Paris.
Geographically undesirable…" Grey stood up.

"Time for us to dress," Carrie said, taking Grey's
hand.

"We'll be down in a few." Grey and Carrie climbed the
stairs.

Colin plopped down on the sofa.
Maybe Leah isn't
looking for me right now. But she found me. And what's more…I found
her. I want her and I'm not going to let go.

Colin walked Leah home after their dinner. He joined
Grey and Carrie at the house about ten thirty.

"Nightcap?" Grey asked his brother. "Carrie and I are
about to share some very old sherry."

"I'll try it."

After pouring three small glasses and distributing
them, Grey went to a drawer where he pulled out a piece of lined
paper and a pen. He handed these to Carrie and sat down on the sofa
next to her.

"What's this for?" She asked him.

"Colin's list."

"His list?"

"A dating list. For dating Leah. I assume you asked
her out?" Grey raised his eyebrows in questions when he looked at
Colin.

"Yup. We're going to the Metropolitan Museum tomorrow
and the Natural History on Wednesday. What's a dating list?"

Grey chuckled. "Jenna made a list for me...a marriage
list."

"It's a list that got him engaged to me in the first
place."

"Then Carrie made me a love list. Kept me from losing
her." Grey slipped his arm around her shoulders.

"We're big believers in lists." Carrie smiled.

"Okay, shoot. What do I need to know to date Leah?"
Colin sat back and crossed his legs.

"One, she's sophisticated, knowledgeable…"

"And she hates bathroom humor," Carrie put in.

"I meant…before I was interrupted…she doesn't want to
talk about stupid little stuff."

"That narrows it down perfectly." Colin's sarcasm was
not lost on Grey, who feinted a punch at his brother.

"What Grey means is she doesn't care about basketball
scores," Carrie said.

"Or car racing results…" Grey added.

"Or how big the breasts were on your last
girlfriend." Carrie laughed.

"Be a good listener," Grey said, pointing his finger
at the piece of paper.

Carrie jotted it down.

"That's very important. Women love a guy who listens.
It's so rare!" Carrie chuckled. Grey and Colin frowned, but she
only shrugged in response.