Page 38 of Wandering Closer

She breaks out of her stunned silence, grabbing her bag as well. “Where are we going for dinner?”

I turn and point to the large structure out our window like it’s no big deal. Her giggle is cute, as she pulls things from her bag.

“I figured somewhere out there, but where?”

I lightly grab her shoulders, turning her toward the Space Needle and point again. “There’s a restaurant at the top. We’re eating there.”

“What?” she shrieks in excitement. “I thought it was just a lookout on the top.”

“Nope. It has a restaurant as well. It rotates very slowly, one rotation an hour, so you get 360-degree views while we are up there. Food is pretty amazing, too. I’m going to take a super fast rinse, if that’s okay? Then the bathroom is all yours.” I grab my new clothes and toiletry bag, laying them out.

“Go ahead,” she says, still rifling through her bag.

I take the fastest shower I can, knowing women take time to get ready and we have to leave in forty minutes. My scruff is cleaned up, so I comb my hair to lay nicely. I pull on my dark gray slacks and white button up and head back to the room so Lily can take over. She has a dress laid out on her bed, a pair of heels sitting on the floor below it. She’s not in the room though, she’s leaning on the railing on the balcony, her hips pushed back toward me, and my mouth dries. Her long hair is cascading down her back, and I can see the smile on her face. She’s radiant, and dirty thoughts cross my mind at how badly I want to truss up her natural beauty. To bend her further over that railing and eat her from behind while she enjoys the world at her feet.

Fuck.Now I’m hard and these pants hide nothing with how fitted they are. I do my best to hold my dirty clothes in front of me and make my way to the open balcony door.

“The bathroom is open for you.” She straightens and turns at the sound of my voice. Her eyes widen as they trail down my body, the lust in them showing. My chest puffs out, knowing she likes what she sees.

“Thank you.” She grabs her dress and toiletry bag and takes over the bathroom.

I hear the shower turn on and debate taking care of my problem, but I don’t know how long she’ll be in there. Instead, I think of every unsexy thought I have ever had until my body has calmed down. Thankfully I didn’t because Lily is in and out of the shower in two minutes. I feel bad that she’s rushed. Jen used to take almost two hours to paint her face and get ready, but thiswas the only reservation time available. Surprisingly, I hear the bathroom door open with ten minutes to spare.

Lily steps out, and my soul leaves my body. She has on a long navy blue dress that hugs her every curve. It is simple, a halter style, but when she turns to grab her heels, I see her entire back is exposed. She slips on her heels, grabs her clutch from the bed, then stands and faces me. Loose curls frame the bottom of her long hair, dark liner rimming her blue eyes, and the lightest pink sheen graces her lips. As my eyes trail down, I see the slit on the side of the dress, exposing her lean leg and I have to bite back a groan.

“Can you spin for me?” I ask, before I can stop myself.

Her smirk is wicked when she replies, “Only if you spin for me, too.” She holds her hands out to her sides, then does a slow twirl so I can take in how dangerously low the back of the dress goes, and how it hugs her perfect ass. When she gets all the way around, she twirls her finger for me to do the same. I laugh, but comply, copying her slow spin.

By the time I turn around, she’s staring in a lust filled gaze aimed straight at my dick. “I can’t tell if I like this or the work pants better.”

“I hope the work pants because you’ll see them a lot more. Lily, you look breathtaking. Literally, I am struggling to get a full breath in.”

She giggles and slaps my chest with her clutch. “Oh, hush. Let’s go. I am dying to go to dinner.”

While we wait for the elevator, my phone pings in my pocket. I slip it out to see an email from Kinsley with the latest bill attached and two sentences:I really like her Thoren, don’t screw this up. Tell your brother I said hi.

Yeah, Kinsley, I really like her, too.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

lily

Ithink I’ve died and gone to heaven. The whole way to dinner, my nerves were lit with excitement that only doubled as we rode the elevator up to the restaurant. The minute those elevator doors opened, Thoren’s warm hand settled on the exposed skin on my lower back as he led us to the hostess. Between the heat of his rough hand, and the dining room completely surrounded by windows overlooking the city, I was dying.

“Reservation under James,” Thoren says to the hostess, still not dropping his hand from my back. If he leaves it there much longer, I’m afraid my dress will catch fire with the way my blood is heating.

“Right this way. The rest of your party is already here.”

The server leads us to a table by the window where River and a beautiful woman sit. They are a good looking couple, and I have to admit, River is hot. He has the same hazel eyes as his brother, but with a clean-shaven face and longer, straighter hair. River’s smile stretches wide when he sees us, standing to greet his brother. Thoren is a big guy, but River stands a few inches over him, and is more bulk and less defined in his frame.

They wrap each other in a tight embrace. “It’s good to see you. Looking more like Thor every day, eh?” River jokes, squeezing Thoren’s shoulder.

“He wishes he looked this good,” Thoren quips back. His hand snakes around my waist again. “River, this is Lily. Lily, my brother, River.”

River wraps me in a tight hug before stepping back. “It’s so nice to meet you, Lily.” He looks back to the girl who is still sitting, watching us. “This is Vanessa, my girlfriend.”

Thoren pulls out the chair closest to the window for me to take, and I reach my hand across the table to shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you.” She shakes it with a soft, “likewise.”

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