Waiting For Him (7 page)

Today, she was on pins and needles waiting to see what he’d do.

Stone had bold and outrageous down to a fine art. So much so that she’d accused him of being conceited, but the way he kissed, she believed him and when he said he had reason for boasting.

All those promises of satisfaction left her nerve endings sizzling. He wanted to give her time to think about this offer. How could she think of anything else?

What was there to think about anyway? It wasn’t like she could summon up the fortitude to turn him away. Like a starving person offered a meal, he tempted her beyond reason.

As far as her falling for him and getting hurt. She’d thought about that a lot last night and during her classes and while at work.

Thinking of much else hadn’t been possible.

She wasn’t a dummy. She knew how their relationship would go. She’d heard the whispers at work and saw the way the other waitresses stared at him.

Already, she was more invested than him. How could she not be?

Yes, she’d wanted to experience life. Specifically she wanted to experience sex. Now, she just wanted to experience Stone.

Even in her hottest fantasies, she hadn’t dredged up a man even half as appealing as him.

A sexual relationship was, for him, a routine thing.

For her, with Stone, it would be beyond incredible.

She’d rushed home from work, then rushed through a shower. She’d even done some primping for him when there were clearly other things she should have been doing—like laundry, writing her college papers, or cleaning up the pet hair that accumulated in the last twenty-four hours. While she’d hurriedly painted her toenails, the dogs watched in fascination, the cat with disdain.

But she didn’t care.

Consequences be damned, she wanted him. Sooner rather than later. Somehow she’d convince him that she could stay emotionally detached.

Maybe, if she got lucky, in the process she’d convince herself as well.

*****

While Steve pretended great enthusiasm about the door, Stone glanced at Keisha. He smiled when he noticed her watching him in something of a daze, he smiled to himself. If the flush in her cheeks meant anything, her thoughts ran the same course as his.

She’d spiffed up a little today. Her soft brown hair in loose curls, she wore a pretty sundress and she’d painter her toenails. It was sort of endearing that she thought he needed enticement.

Hell, he wanted her so much, she could probably shave her head and wear burlap and he’d still be painting for her. He had it bad and only part of it was her innocence. The rest was pure Keisha, the way she smiled, how she watched him so intently.

The idea that she wanted him enough to give up her virginity, how could any guy be immune to that?

Steve jabbed him with his elbow. Low, so that Keisha wouldn’t hear he said, “I feel like an idiot. How long am I supposed to pretend to measure?”

“Long as it takes.”

“For what? It’s a standard size door. The one we brought will fit and you know it. You don’t need help with any of this, so tell me again, why am I here?”

As if on cue, a knock sounded on Keisha’s front door. Stone almost rubbed his hands together. He couldn’t wait for Steve to see his surprise. “Because I have something for you.”

“Yeah?” He glanced at Keisha with curiosity.

Stone shoved him in the shoulder, making him stagger. “Not that. Don’t even go there.”

Steve laughed as Keisha stepped out of view to greet her guest. “I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Bullshit.”

“Just because you salute every time she looks your way doesn’t mean I feel the same.”

Damn. His Johnson did do a lot of saluting around her, luckily, this time Steve exaggerated.

“She’s hot, Stone. I agree.”

His teeth locked.

“But I have a rule about these things.”

Yeah, he knew that. Steve felt the same as he did. They shared almost everything but never women. “Still,” he groused. “Don’t be ogling her.”

“Got it. When she talks to me, I’ll stare at the ceiling.” He used a shoulder to wipe sweat from his brow. “So what do you have for me? And it better be good since you have me working in this heat, on a Saturday night no less.”

Just then, Alexis’s husky but feminine voice joined Keisha’s in the living room. Steve perked up, going on the alert. Stone gestured for him to come see.

Steve stepped over the doorway and peered into the other room. Awareness settled over him. With obvious appreciation, he gave Alexis a thorough once over. “For me?”

“Yeah.”

Steve’s face lit up in a comical manner.

“What do you think?”

“Damn, man, thank you.”

“All I can promise is an intro. The rest is up to you.”

“Yeah, got it.” Done listening, Steve unglued his feet and moved forward with single-minded purpose. “Hello.” Hand extended, voice deep, he said, “I’m Steve.”

His sudden intrusion surprised both women.

Alexis’s eyes widened with speculation. She looked at Stone, at Keisha and back at Steve again. She accepted his hand. “Hello yourself.”

That went even better than Stone had anticipated. He filled in with more proper introductions. “Alexis is Keisha’s landlord.” To Alexis, he added, “Steve is going to help me with the door.”

“It’ll be my pleasure,” Steve told her.

With a roll of his eyes, Stone stepped over to Keisha and slipped an arm around her lower back. Beneath the insubstantial sundress he idly explored the pronounce indentation of her waist and the firm swell of her hip.

Her curves were as appealing as everything else. He couldn’t wait to touch her bare flesh—and yeah, if he kept thinking that way, he’d embarrass himself.

Keisha seemed more than a little confused by the turn of events.

Stone said, “Why don’t we order a pizza? It’ll be my treat. After Steve and I get the door switched out, we could all sit down to eat.”

Keisha firmed her mouth in annoyance. It was so obvious that she wanted to be alone with him, Stone had a hard time sticking to his plan.

While staring at Alexis with a palpable heat, Steve said, “I could eat.”

Keisha blushed, but Alexis smiled in indulgence.

It took a little nudge from Stone, but finally Keisha regained her wits. “Oh, yes, pizza would be great.” She lifted her brows. “Alexis, will you join us?”

Alexis held Steve’s gaze while deciding and finally nodded. “That sounds like fun.”

Her smile damn near made Stone blush! Poor Steve appeared ready to carry her off somewhere.

Time to get back on track. “All right, then. Ladies if you’ll do the ordering, Steve and I can get to work.” He tipped up Keisha’s face and gave her a warm kiss. “I like my pizza loaded.”

With that, he dragged Steve off to the kitchen.

“Nice surprise,” Steve told him under his breath. Then with a curious look, he added, “Can’t believe you’re passing up the opportunity.”

Yeah, his lack of interest had shocked him a bit, too. He shrugged it off. “She’s Keisha’s neighbor.” More than that, she wasn’t Keisha.

Steve got a hammer and screwdriver from the toolbox to tap out the hinge pins. “Used to be a time when that wouldn’t have bothered you.”

He started to deny it but changed his mind. “Maybe.” He glanced back at Keisha again. “Not this time, though.” It was something about the brown beauty that he couldn’t get enough of.

Alexis grinned, while Keisha kept a hand to her forehead as if bemused.

What were they talking about? The sight of her had him sidetracked. “Did you know you’re an infamous panty-dropper?” Stone recovered.

“Yeah so?”

Stone laughed. “And Keisha called me conceited.”

“Which you are.”

He shook his head. “She’s heard gossip about you at the diner.”

“From the other waitresses?” Steve lowered his voice.

“Yeah.” With satisfaction, Stone said, “Keisha barely remembered you, though.”

“All things considered, I’m glad to hear it.”

He’d been relieved with her lack of interest in Steve too. “I’m counting on you to volunteer some time,” Stone muttered, “For the cause, you know.”

“My cause or yours?”

“Both.” That sounded so mercenary, Stone had to qualify it. “She seems pretty nice.”

“Keisha?”

“No, damn it.” He rounded on Steve, which fascinated the dogs circling them. “Stop thinking about Keisha.”

Steve snickered. “I wasn’t.” And then, probably just to be a pain in the ass, he asked, “So she’s not nice?”

“She’s more than nice, but she’s off-limits to you. I was talking about Alexis.”

“Hey, looking like she looks, I don’t care how nice she might be. As long as she cooperates, count me in.”

“She was already cooperating, and you know it.” Female attention came easier to Steve than it did for Stone. He had to admit that he’d never had a problem in that area. “From what I’ve seen, there are enough repairs to keep us both busy for a while.”

Steve nodded back to the living room, where the women were in close conversation, talking about who knows what. “Trust me, with her to sweeten the deal, it’ll be my pleasure.” He paused a moment, then added, “Is it more than the virgin thing? You know how we both wondered at what it would be like to sleep with a black girl? Just going down the old check list?”

Stone froze. Was that it? Could some stupid fantasy have him panting after her like a hound? He glanced into the kitchen and caught her smile before pulling a piece of hair behind her ear. No, it was so much more.

“Whatever it is man, I have your back.”

That sentiment should have satisfied Stone, but instead it netted him. After they removed the door and set it aside, he ensured the women were out of hearing range. “Don’t do anything to muck this up for me, okay?”

“Anything like what?” Steve started on removing the old hardware. “We’re keeping the doorknobs and deadbolt, right?”

“Matches the rest, so yeah.” He went to work unscrewing the hinges while answering Steve’s first question. “Like getting on Keisha’s bad side.”

“So she’s a gift with strings attached?”

If the women overheard their very sexist joking, they’d both be thrown out. “I’m just saying…”

“Give it a rest, Stone.” He finished dismantling the doorknob. “I can handle things without your input.”

Yeah, he knew that, but still. “I don’t want any negative associations here.”

Steve sat back on his heels and snorted at Stone. “You’re worried about getting tainted by my bad behavior? That’s rich, considering your own bad behavior.”

Yeah, he sounded like a hypocrite, but so what. His past reputation didn’t matter—not with Keisha. “Just watch what you do, okay?”

“Sure thing, Mom.” With the door off the cat ran out and a hot breeze blew in. Steve pushed Bonnie out of the way, then stripped off his shirt. When he tossed it aside, she lay down on it.

That made Stone grin. “She likes you.”

Steve shrugged. “Typical female.”

“Pizza in forty-five minutes,” Keisha called out. “Sorry for the long wait…” She poked her head into the kitchen and stared in dumbfounded surprise.

At Steve. More precisely at Steve’s upper body.

Stone stepped forward to block her view. “Where’d Alexis go?” Damn it, he needed the other woman around to balance things.

“Home. To change. Back soon.” Keisha leaned to see around Stone and cleared her throat. “Are you warm? I can crank up the air or bring out a fan from the bedroom.”

“He’s fine.” Feeling outdone, Stone stripped of his own shirt. “Don’t worry about it.”

Her gaze shot over to him, then widened. She licked her bottom lip, took a step back. Staring at his abs, she said, “Stone, could I have a word with you, please?”

Enjoying her reaction, he said, “Sure.” She could have more than a word.

He got as far as the doorway before Keisha pulled him around to the hallway, went up on tiptoe and plastered herself up against him. Dodging her intent, Stone reversed their positions, with Keisha against the wall and him leading the way into a deep, hot kiss.

Her hands went over his naked chest, up and over his shoulders, then back down again. And damn, but it felt good. Too good.

In rush, Stone stepped back and, snagging her hand, dragged her farther down the hall.

“Stone,” she whispered in a husky voice. “We can’t do this now, not with Steve in the kitchen.” She licked her lips. “Can we?”

Ah, hell. She made him want to do it when that hadn’t even been his thought. He didn’t dare step into a bedroom, so instead he stopped at the end of the hall. “No, we can’t.” Her first time definitely wouldn’t be rushed, or awkward. Not if he could help it. “So don’t tempt me.”

Steve, being good friend, found something to hammer on. Sounding like the toolbox, but whatever. It made some background noise, which gave them a modicum of privacy.

“Then what?” Her brown eyes searched him for answers.