Page 7 of Rematch
The inn had a huge screened-in back porch furnished with oversized cushioned couches and chairs at the rear of the first floor. It was probably a wonderful spot to hang out during the warmer months. However, because it was December and cold as shit, the summer screens had been replaced with thicker plastic, and there were several heaters scattered around. The space was surprisingly warm and cozy, despite the low temperature outside.
There were fewer people out here, most just standing around, talking. Like her and BFG, it appeared these partygoers had been seeking a quieter place.
He led her to one of the large couches. She claimed one end, expecting him to take the other, so she was surprised—pleasantly—when he plopped down next to her, his leg pressed against hers. Then he went one step further, resting his arm along the back of the couch, his fingers toying with her hair.
The feeling of his fingers there was innocuous enough, but damn if it didn’t send her thoughts straight to the gutter. Because it was on the tip of her tongue to tell BFG to stop messing around and pull it…hard.
Jesus.
Maybe she should slow down on the wine.
“Favorite musician?” Chelsea blurted, trying to distract herself enough that she didn’t give in to the urge to straddle his lap and get to know him in a far more physical way.
Yeah, maybe she should just skip the wine and switch to water.
BFG smirked, and for a moment, it felt as if he knew her thoughts had taken a dirty direction. Mercifully, he went along with her game. “John Lennon.”
“Oh my God. I love him, too.” She lifted the right leg of her jeans and tugged down her sock, revealing a tattoo of the word “Imagine” on her ankle.
He bent down, running his finger over it in disbelief. “Holy shit. That’s an awesome tat.”
“That song never fails to move me.”
He nodded in complete agreement. “My mother used to sing ‘Beautiful Boy’ to me when I was little. It was our lullaby.”
Chelsea smiled at his sweet memory, then they spent a few minutes discussing their favorite John Lennon and Beatles songs.
“Okay. Your turn. Favorite movie,” he said, continuing their game.
“Have you ever seen Serendipity?” she asked.
“With John Cusack?”
She nodded. “I absolutely love it.”
He grinned. “Would you laugh at me if I told you that was one of my all-time favorite movies too? Watch it every year around the holidays, along with Love Actually and Die Hard. Also thanks to my mom. She forced me to watch them with her when I was younger, but now, I find myself pushing play on those old movies every December all on my own. Watched Serendipity a few nights ago.”
Her eyes widened. “Shut up. No way!”
He lifted one shoulder casually. “Kate Beckinsale is fucking hot.”
“I should have known that was reason. And by the way…Die Hard is not a Christmas movie.”
One tiny push, and suddenly they’d launched into the age-old debate. This one lasted for several minutes because apparently BFG had strong feelings about Die Hard, which only made her want to fight harder—not because she cared so much but because his passionate arguments were hilarious. So the more he said yes, it was a holiday movie, the more she said no, until they finally agreed to disagree.
“I need to confess,” he said. “Kate Beckinsale’s not the real reason I love Serendipity. It’s totally the love story. I’ve got a bit of a reputation among my friends for being a romantic.”
“Really?” She thought that was both hysterical and adorable, because it was kind of hard to think of the large, almost rough-looking man as a romantic. He was a big dude who dwarfed her five-foot-five frame. He struck her as more caveman than Casanova, the type of guy who would fling a girl over his shoulder and fireman-carry her all the way to the bedroom. Which, now that she thought about it, was pretty dreamy. “A romantic, huh?”
“Yep. That’s me. A regular Romeo.”
She laughed, amused by his self-deprecating grimace that told her he didn’t hate that nickname as much as he pretended. She was enjoying their game, so she hit him with another question. “Do you have any pets?”
BFG nodded. “Sure do. I have a big-ass aquarium at my place with a couple of fish.”
“Just a couple?”
“Yeah. Clownfish. They can be tricky to place with other fish, as they’re somewhat aggressive. Did you know clownfish pair for life, and they actually thrive with a partner?”
