Kiss a Frog (The Book Club Series 1) (5 page)

This guy will be different.

She sipped at her coffee and watched the sun come up through the large windows in Abby’s living room. Once she finished her coffee and washed out her cup, she found her purse and slipped her shoes on by the door. She had mere hours to get back home and get ready for her date. Her car wasn’t outside, so she pulled her phone from her pocket and called a cab.

There’s no way we drove anywhere last night, we were too drunk.
She grinned at the pieces of things she could remember. It was rare to get Abby and Laura to loosen up. They needed to get crazy more often. They were so much more fun then.

As the cab pulled up in front of Abby’s apartment building, she climbed in and told the man her address.
Here’s to kissing another frog.

Cowboy Take Me Away…

Lily caught another cab back to the mall, and she sat in the food court, nursing a soda while she waited for Charlie. His pictures had shown a muscular, cowboy type, so she scanned the people milling in and out around her, hoping to see him. A few minutes later, she choked on her soda as a man walked into the mall. He wore skin tight blue jeans that featured a lump from hell right about the penis region, and a buttoned up deep green shirt. Cowboy boots adorned his feet, and he swept a white cowboy hat off his head, revealing slightly messy brown hair.

Her ovaries exploded for the second time in less than a week.
I need to get that checked out! Good God, he’s gorgeous!

She stood and smoothed down the front of her pale blue sundress. Since Charlie had been a cowboy type, she’d dressed in her old cowboy boots that were at least a half a size too small, and a sundress and white denim jacket. She’d even braided her long brown hair and carefully applied makeup to hide the side effects of the night before.

Charlie hadn’t spotted her yet, and she sucked in her stomach as she raised her arm to wave and catch his attention. Even from a few feet away, Lily could tell that Charlie was giving her the once over, and his blue eyes seemed to like what he saw.

“Lily?” he called, his voice a roughened timbre that made her shiver involuntarily.

“Charlie?” She held out a hand for him to shake, and squealed as he pulled her into a hug.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus.
Charlie felt like man. All man. Hardened edges, lithe muscles, and warmth. He smelled incredible, a combination of laundry detergent and pure male essence. Lily clamped her thighs together and mentally chastised her lady bits.
Get it together, guys.

As he released her, she stumbled back and giggled. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that!”

Charlie grinned then, a dimple etching in his cheek. “I like surprises. Do you?”

“I do,” Lily breathed, hoping she didn’t look as stupid as she felt right that minute.

“Ready to go riding? I have a helmet for you,” Charlie asked.

“I am, I haven’t been on a bike in forever!” Lily admitted excitedly.

He held out his hand, and she turned to grab her purse and sling it over her shoulder before taking it. A jolt of desire shot through her at the coarse rasp of his calloused hand against her satiny one. “Let’s go then,” he murmured, his mouth suddenly close to her ear.

Lily blushed, feeling very much like a teenager again. They stepped out into the warm sunshine, and Lily covered her eyes with her hand, wincing at the brightness. Charlie’s shiny, red Harley Davidson sat in the front row of the parking lot, and Lily couldn’t stop herself from gasping. “AH! A Harley!” She ran her fingertips over the glossy paint. “It’s a gorgeous bike.”

“Thanks! It’s my baby.” Charlie grinned proudly as he handed her a helmet. He jammed his hat down into a bag on the side of the bike and swung one muscular leg over the seat, settling in. Patting the seat behind him, he winked. “Hop on up, little lady, and let me give you a ride.”

Lily swallowed nervously as she buckled her helmet, and she hiked her skirt to throw a leg over the bike. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she snuggled her cheek into his back and bit her bottom lip as he started the bike. The vibrations from the motor instantly made her hot. Kory had been the master of motorcycle sex, and if she had her way, Charlie would be giving her more than just a bike ride today.

He pulled out of the parking spot and cruised down the road. Lily had forgotten how much fun riding on a bike was. Charlie was a great driver, and they ambled smoothly through traffic, heading out of the city. The wind whipped around her legs, and she carefully tucked her skirt in as tightly as she could while hanging onto Charlie.

Finally, the bike slowed as they neared the beach. Revere Beach was about half an hour outside of Boston and the perfect getaway for the day. Lily’s breath was taken away as she stared at the pristine beach and sparkling water. Charlie coasted into the parking lot and turned off the bike.

“Did you enjoy the ride?” he asked softly.

“I did,” Lily admitted as she swung her leg over the bike and came to standing. She brushed out the wrinkles in her skirt and smiled up at Charlie, who still sat on the bike.

“What do you want to do?”

“Let’s grab something to eat. I’m starving. Then, we’ll see where the day takes us.” Lily offered.

“Sounds great. Hey, there’s a great little Italian place just up the way. Feel like walking?”

“Sure.”

Charlie shifted off the bike and offered his hand again. Lily took it. It felt natural to hold Charlie’s hand. Butterflies swirled up through her belly as they meandered toward the restaurant.

“So, tell me, Lily, why you said yes to meet me?”

“I have to admit, it was the bike.” Lily laughed, her head tipping back as she giggled.

“Ah yeah, the bike tends to either be a selling point for girls or a fear for them. I’m glad you like to ride.” He nudged her side gently with his elbow and winked.

Lily snickered. “I do like to ride. So tell me more about yourself?”

“Ah, well,” Charlie started, seeming to be nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m just a regular guy.”

“What do you do? What about family and friends?”

“I’m a mechanic,” Charlie said finally.

“That’s cool. Motorcycle or car?”

“Both. I’m also really close to my family. My mom is amazing.”

“That’s great! I’m glad you guys have a good relationship. My parents think I’m a total failure because I didn’t go to college like my best friends. They’re good people, just stuck-up. I’m a salesperson, but soon I’ll be a manager.” Lily explained.

“Do you work at the mall?”

Lily squirmed slightly, trying to gauge if it was a good idea to tell him yes or not. She threw caution to the wind. “Yeah, I do.”

“Oh, cool. My mom likes the mall,” Charlie muttered.

Silence fell between them as they came to the restaurant, which was just opening its doors. The waitress sat them at a table and handed them both menus. The little restaurant was small and kitschy, still decorated from a time gone by with red and white checked tablecloths and green curtains.

“Have you been here before?” Lily wondered as she opened her menu. “Can you suggest something good?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been here lots of times. I love the spaghetti.”

“Oh, a classics kind of guy!” Lily laughed. “Sure, I’ll do the spaghetti and meatballs then.” It was strange and wonderful how comfortable she felt with Charlie. Sure, he was gorgeous, but she didn’t completely feel like a spaz around him.

Charlie followed suit, ordering spaghetti and meatballs, and the waitress disappeared with their order. She came back moments later with two glasses of water and a container of breadsticks.

“So, after we eat, do you want to go to the beach?” He suggested.

“Sure, that would be fun,” Lily agreed.

“I-uh, hope you don’t mind picking this up,” Charlie started, his cheeks pinking in embarrassment.

Lily flinched slightly, expecting them to at least go half and half on paying for the dinner. Her meager paycheck wasn’t going to spread but so far. “Um, sure,” she exhaled, mentally calculating how much money she’d be using.
It will be fine. Maybe his mechanic business isn’t doing well
.

“Hey, thanks, I appreciate it. I’ve been helping out my mom with some bills,” he murmured vaguely.

“Oh, well, that’s nice of you.”

A warning rang through her head.
Don’t let him use you!
She mentally flipped off the voice.
Stop it. Just because I’ve been used before doesn’t mean I will be now. He
said
he’s helping out his mom. That’s a good guy!

Their spaghetti came, and Lily piled copious amounts of parmesan on top, while Charlie added lots of red pepper flakes to his.

“You like it spicy?”

“Yeah, I do.” Charlie took a big bite of his spicy pasta. Sweat broke out in little beads on his forehead, and he chugged at his water as he ate.

Lily tucked into her own pasta, finding it mediocre at best. Still, she ate to be polite. Things seemed awkward between them since he’d asked her to pay the bill, and she sought to make the situation better.

“So ah-what do you do for fun?”

Charlie’s eyes lit up then, and he wiped at his mouth before speaking. “I love my bike, obviously, and I enjoy long walks on the beach with my dog Parker.”

“Oh, you have a dog?” Lily asked as she pushed away her spaghetti, bored with the mediocre food.

“Yeah, I do. So, do you want to go for a walk on the beach?” Charlie chugged back the rest of his water and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Lily paid for their lunch, and she took Charlie’s proffered hand as they walked back down the beach. Her feet began to ache, but she suffered through it as they walked.

“Hey, do you mind us going back to the bike?” Lily finally asked, huffing and puffing to keep up with Charlie’s long strides.

“Sure. Want to ah…go somewhere more private?”

Lily blushed hot and bit her bottom lip. “That sounds fun.” The drums between her thighs started up again as she thought of hooking up with Charlie.

“Great!” He pulled her along to the bike and clambered on it quickly.

Lily carefully moved to climb on the bike. Her foot was numb from being jammed in the too tight boot, and instead of making it onto the seat, gravity took over and she tumbled over the side, her face burying in the sand and her ass high in the air. She pushed up and wiped the sand off her face before settling down on her bottom. Heat coursed up her cheeks.

“Well, that was graceful.” She laughed.

Charlie chuckled and slipped off the bike, helping her to stand. “Are you okay?” he asked, concern lacing through his voice.

“I’m okay, I guess. Embarrassed, mostly.” Lily giggled.

“How about we try that again, let me hold on to you.” Charlie gripped her hips, and she shivered slightly at his touch.

“Okay, let’s try it again,” Lily agreed, leaning back against his chest for a moment.

Charlie’s mouth brushed against her ear, and he murmured, “Do you think you could hold on if I took you for a ride on the bike?”

Her breath caught, and she turned to face him. “Depends on what kind of ride you’re talking about...” she breathed, kissing the corner of his firm lips.

His hands caught the sides of her face, and he kissed her then, his lips coaxing a response from her own. She kissed back, her tongue tangling with his. The beach air breezed past them and everything faded away in that moment but the two of them. Lily delighted in the feel of his mouth against her own and the taste of Charlie. She skimmed her fingertips along his chest, excitement building as she felt his incredible muscles.

“Want to go back to my place?” Charlie murmured, his lips still against hers.

“Oh yeah.”

“Well, I’m game if you are. Let’s get you on the bike.”

Lily held his hand as she swung a leg over the bike and settled on the seat. “I’m ready.” She reassured him as she snapped the buckle of her helmet.

Charlie climbed on after her and nestled himself between her thighs. “Let’s go then.”

He started the bike and with a roar, took off down the highway. They rode for a while, the scenery whipping past them. Lily gripped Charlie’s shirt and leaned back slightly, closing her eyes and grinning in delight as she flew along on the bike. She’d really missed riding a bike. As they came back to Boston, her excitement grew. Within a few minutes, he was pulling up to a nice little house in the suburbs and cutting the engine.

“This your place?” Lily asked.

“Yeah, it is. Come on in.” Charlie slipped off the bike and held out his hand.

Lily took his hand and followed him up the steps to the little white house with a red door. Charlie pulled keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He stepped inside, and Lily came after, eyeing his very tidy house. A dog barking made her jump, and a big chocolate Labrador retriever came running into the room, his tongue flopping and drool flying.

“Hey, buddy!” she squeaked nervously.

“Oh, Parker won’t hurt you, will you, big guy?” Charlie ruffled the dog’s ears and began kicking off his boots. “Why don’t you get more comfortable?”

Lily quickly patted the dog’s head and winced as a wet, sloppy tongue lapped at her hand. “Sure,” she started, dropping her purse by the door. Her boots were a little harder to get off, but finally she was able to yank them off. She shrugged off her jacket and dropped it on top of her boots.

Charlie was already whipping off his belt and unbuttoning his shirt. Her mouth went completely dry at the ripped muscles he was revealing. He was built, stacked, and absolutely breathtakingly perfect. He grinned as he paused in unbuttoning his shirt. “Like what you see?”

“Oh hell yes.” Lily gasped. “That’s a big ten-four.”