Page 76 of The One I Need
“Which part? Me or Magnolia?”
“Both. But especially you and Simon. Not many can handle him at the first meeting.”
“Oh please…I’ve dealt with plenty of Simons in my day. They think they’re so tough, but they are the easiest to knock down a few pegs.”
“I’m going to keep you around just for that.”
We share a smile, which I’m finding that we do a lot. I notice it because I generally don’t smile. At least I used to not smile. But freaking Oliver and his freaking nice guy persona and his freaking voice and his freaking dimples get me every damn time.
“So you two crazy love birds,” Wes says. “Tell us the story. And leave nothing out.”
I give the table a confused look. “Don’t you guys already know everything?”
Simon nods. “We do. But we’re going to need to hear it from you to confirm. Especially the proposal. We’re going to need every second of that.”
“You know I was drunk and I remember only pieces?”
Magically, a pitcher of beer appears on the table and more appetizers than I’ve ever seen a small group eat.
“Even better,” Shane says. Shit, he was so quiet I almost forgot he was there. “Now tell us everything.”
* * *
“Okay,now it’s my turn to ask the questions,” I say. I’ve been playfully grilled for the past hour about our Vegas nuptials. I had prepared myself for the worst, but Oliver’s friends are pretty amazing. Even Simon. I feel a strange kinship to him—probably because he’s an asshole, and I’ve been called way worse than that in my life.
“Yes,” Simon says, rubbing his hands together. “We’ll tell you everything you could want to know about our boy over here.”
“The proposals,” I say. “He’s hinted that there have been many. I need to know how many.”
I think all of the guys start actually bouncing in their seats. That’s until Oliver stands up.
“Nope,” he signals all of the guys to follow him to the bar. “All of you. With me.”
“But it was just about to get good!” Wes says with a whine. “I was going to tell her about the scoreboard proposal!”
Oliver grabs them all and pulls them toward the pool tables. “Not today you’re not.”
Amelia, Betsy and I laugh as the guys head to the other side of the bar.
“Is this the part of the night where the two of you grill me without the guys around?”
Betsy shakes her head. “Absolutely not. It’s the time when you answer a question we’ve been dying to know.”
“She’sbeen dying to know,” Amelia says. “I’ve known Oliver since we were six, and he’s basically a brother to me. Hearing what I’m about to hear is going to potentially scar me for life.”
“Are you about to ask…?”
“Yes,” Betsy says. “The whole nice guy thing. I don’t think it’s a front. I genuinely believe that Oliver is the nicest guy in the world. But, I believe that in bed he’s a freak. Like pull your hair, tell you your praise kink, and leave you wondering what the hell just happened.”
“And I think that he’s a gentle soul and that translates into every facet of his life.”
I turn to look at Oliver, who’s now playing pool with the guys, and I can’t help but bite my lip as I remember the time he did call me a good girl. The time his hand was perfectly gripping onto my throat. I don’t know if he can feel me looking at him, but at that moment he turns and we lock eyes. Does he know what I’m thinking about? The way he’s looking at me makes me think so. It makes me wish I wasn’t keeping him at arm’s length, because the way he’s looking at me right now makes me want to take him into the bathroom, lock the door, and have him fuck me senseless.
“Yes!” Betsy’s yell brings me back to the conversation.
“Yes what?”
“Yes, I was right.”
