Page 52 of Small Town Firsts
“Do you have real glasses? I don’t mind the cups, but…you know.”
I opened the skinny cabinet next to the fridge—the only one he hadn’t searched—and pulled down two large wine glasses. Luckily they didn’t have dust on them, because I couldn’t remember the last time I used one.
He drained almost one bottle into the large glass and grinned. “My kinda girl.” Then did the same with the white and took a piece of pizza out of the box before returning to the couch.
I couldn’t say I ate at my little table all that often, but at least I used a freaking plate. I flipped the top of the box back and nearly groaned. It was dripping with cheese and mushrooms. Hewas kind enough to put peppers and onions on one half of the pie. I took one of each and loaded up my plate and another for him.
Good thing, since he’d already scarfed his slice by the time I followed him with a roll of paper towels under my arm. I handed him a plate, and that stupidly charming broad smile nearly melted my knees. I tossed the paper towels into his lap. “Got some on ya.”
He ripped a sheet off and wiped at his face. “Sorry. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. Gotta keep up my strength for round two.”
“Who says you’re getting a round two?”
He pulled me down into his lap. I yelped and almost upended my plate. “Ronan!”
He dumped me off into the corner of the couch and swung my legs over his lap. “Drink your wine and eat your pizza. We’re watching a movie.”
I tried to lift my legs off him and he only held me tighter, using his forearm to hold me in place as he cradled his plate in one huge palm, sipping his wine almost delicately with the other.
I gave up and leaned back on the arm of the couch, finding the whole situation insane and oddly comforting. “What are we watching?”
“Well, you said you like Criminal Minds, but that puts me off my pizza.”
“Wimp.”
He grunted. “Like Ireland?”
“Never been. You said your brother lives there, right?”
He set his wine down, hit play on the remote, then draped his arm over my legs. “Niall, yeah. I’ve never seen anything so green in my life. I can see why he loves it. I’ve watched a few movies set in Ireland, but this one always amuses me the most.”
I gave a delighted laugh when I saw the opening credits to a movie I’d seen a few times. “You like rom-coms?”
“I like this one.”
And so we ate pizza and each polished off a bottle of wine as Anna, Declan and her beloved Louis Vuitton bumped their way over their wild adventure inLeap Year. He looked over at me as the movie ended, his smile soft as he reached over to brush away the tear that had rolled down my cheek.
“They are both stubborn souls.”
“How do you trust love that happens that fast?” The movies made it seem so amazing, but that was entertainment for you. The fantasy was condensed to eighty-nine minutes.
“Sometimes all it takes is a moment.” He took my glass and set it on the floor beside his then urged me to straddle him.
I had just enough wine in me not to argue. I toyed with the curls that brushed his shoulders. “Is that what you say to all the girls? Here’s a rom-com and now you know you want to lose your panties?”
“Ahh, Sunshine. I already got you out of your panties.” He cupped my ass and settled me against his very happy boxers. “The only ulterior motive I had was to get you to relax.”
“Uh huh.” I lowered my mouth to his. The sharp red wine on his tongue tasted warm and full bodied. A lot like the man under me. He was big and earthy, with a lazy sexiness that I’d never be able to personify.
I was lists and stress and too many jobs to juggle without a whole lot of neurosis.
His big hand stroked up my back, under the old shirt I wore. Unhurried and gentle, he lightly buzzed the tips of his fingers down my spine then back up. The kiss was just as sweet and a little hazy. The heat of the day had soaked into my apartment and wine always left me a little flushed.
Not to mention the heat pumping off his body beneath me.
My hair cascaded around us no matter how much I tried to push it back, but the curls would not be denied thanks to the humidity.
He nipped at my lower lip. “You smell like the moon.”
