Page 33 of Vodka And Virtue

“Come on, Pita. Let’s dance, before you get yourself into more trouble.”

Hudson led him to the dance floor, and despite the fast beat of the music, they wrapped their arms around each other‘s waists and necks, dancing slowly to the beat of their own song.

Sadie leaned forward. “So you two boys know my boys. All I ask is that you keep an eye on them for me. They need all the help they can get.”

“Yes, ma’am. Will do,” Carlisle answered.

“Are you a couple?”

I hesitated longer than Carlisle, who said, “Yes, ma’am. It’s new.”

My heart soared in my chest. Did he mean it? Or was he just being polite?

“I knew it right away. You two look lovely together. Take my advice, young man. You find yourself a good older man, and you follow his advice and follow your own heart. Both will lead you to the right place. I was never lucky enough to find love for myself, but my boys, Lucky and Murphy, have both found themselves good older men, and they are better for it. I always remind my grandsons that love is a friendship that has caught fire. What you have might be new, but if you can say that man is your friend, you’re on the right path.”

Carlisle swallowed, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he reached for my hand under the table, lacing his fingers through mine and resting them on my knee. I squeezed lightly, and he squeezed back.

This night would go down at the top of my list of absurd unromantic dates, yet somehow, it was turning out to be the absolute best ever.

12

CARLISLE

We werequiet on the drive home, neither of us saying a single word as we let the radio fill the silence between us. I wanted to address the pink elephant sitting in the backseat, but to do so would mean I had to either confirm that we were a couple or defend why we weren’t, and why I had brought it up earlier. Either choice was too awkward a conversation.

Adding to the silent tension between us were the tiny covert glances Rory stole in my direction every time he stopped at a red light. By the time he pulled into my driveway, I felt like I had aged ten years.

“Did you want to come inside?”

He smiled politely. “That’s all right. I’ll let you go so you can get to bed.”

He leaned in to place a soft kiss on my cheek. Again, I wanted to say something, to explain myself or invite him inside again, but that would mean a conversation I wasn’t ready to have with him. Maybe I needed to take time tonight to think things through before I opened my big mouth and stuck my foot in it.

“Thank you for joining me tonight. I appreciated your company.”

"Thank you for not stepping on my toes,” he countered. “New shoes,” he teased, pointing to his shiny loafers.

It was the first time I had seen him wear anything besides leather boots. He really made an effort to impress me tonight. The way he looked in his navy blue suit, molded to his large body like a glove, had held my attention all night. I put the key in the door and unlocked it before turning back to him.

“Well, good night.”

Rory straightened my bowtie, his thick fingers chucking me under the chin lightly.

“Good night, Carly,” his honey-thick voice whispered.

I stepped through the door and shut it behind me, collapsing against it as I took a deep breath. Why? Why was I such a coward when it came to facing my feelings? Although I was still getting to know him, I believed one hundred percent that Rory was someone I could trust. He wouldn’t humiliate or belittle me or manipulate me. It was something I knew instinctively about him. So the reason I was holding back had something to do with me, not him.

I turned and spied through the peephole in the door to see that he was still standing on my front porch. His mouth moved as if he were talking to himself, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Rory was battling some sort of inner conflict, and he appeared to be losing against himself.

He deserved—no, Iwanted—more than the cheek peck he’d given me moments ago. I wanted to feel the tumultuous nauseating roller coaster of emotions I’d felt in the store room when he chased me down and kissed me.

I opened the front door, and his head snapped up, eyes wide. Without a word, I stepped right up to him, balanced on my tiptoes, and slid my arms around his neck, brushing my lips against his. They felt warm and soft, and parted under mine. He groaned into my mouth.

“Carly. Fuck. Needed this. Was afraid to ask.”

“Me, too. Sorry I’m so difficult sometimes.”

“Totally worth it.”

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