They talked a little hockey, since Duncan’s parents had questions about how the season was going, but not as much as Amber would have thought. When mention arose of the game the next night, they were disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to join them. And actually, so was she. She hadn’t even tried to change her shift at the Sin Bin because she’d been hesitant to meet Duncan’s parents, but now that she had and they seemed so nice, she regretted her crazy fears. Ah well.
It was a pleasant evening. After a long, leisurely meal, a second bottle of wine, and fabulous desserts, they walked with Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong back to The Drake and had a drink at the bar there. Then they all hugged good night, and Lovey and Marc and Amber and Duncan walked out front to get taxis.
“I’m coming to your place tonight,” Lovey told Duncan. “Marc doesn’t sleep great in my bed and you guys have a game tomorrow.”
“Okay.” He glanced at Amber.
“I should go home,” she said, letting him off the hook of inviting her to spend the night in front of his sister.
“I’ll take you home in a taxi,” Duncan said.
“No, I’ll get it.”
“No.” His jaw set. “I’ll take you home.”
He could stay the night at her place. Easton had overnight guests all the time. Well, lately it was just Jamie. But like Marc, he probably wouldn’t sleep well in her double bed.
She gave in. “Okay.” They said good night to Marc and Lovey, who climbed into a waiting taxi, and they took the next one the doorman called.
“Your parents are really nice.” She shifted to face him in the backseat of the taxi.
“Yeah. I’m lucky.”
He was. So lucky. A sort of wistful longing rose up inside her. Damn. It would be nice to have that kind of family again. She thought back to her childhood and happier days, until that world had all come to a screeching halt of betrayal and hurt.
“You’re so quiet tonight.” Duncan reached for her hand. “Everything okay?”
“Um. Yeah. Of course. I guess I’m just tired. And all that wine made me sleepy.”
He nodded.
She thought he’d ask the taxi to wait outside the apartment building, but he didn’t. Inside the apartment, he pulled her into his arms and said, “Thanks for coming tonight.” And he kissed her. Scorching hot and achingly sweet. She kissed him back. Heat built, as it always did when he touched her, and she wanted more.
Seeming to understand, he pulled back with a crooked smile. “Best not get all hot and bothered. You could’ve come to my place tonight, you know.”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted that.”
“Eh. If I can deal with the fact that Lovey’s sleeping with my best friend, she can deal with me having you there.”
“I suppose. Um. You could stay here. I know my bed’s not that big, and Marc doesn’t sleep well in Lovey’s bed, and you have a game tomorrow, but—”
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said with fervent relief.
Her insides went all hot and soft. “Okay, then.”
And she led him down the hall to her room.
He closed the door while she turned on the lamp beside the bed. She watched him look around, taking in her room—clothes piled on the chair, more hanging out of the hamper, papers and books strewn across her small desk, running shoes and gym bag sitting on the floor in a corner. “Good to know you’re not a neat freak.” The corners of his mouth lifted as he turned his attention back to her.
“Why is that good?”
He moved toward her. “My slob tendencies won’t drive you crazy.”
She reached behind her to undo the necklace. “Maybe it would be better if one of us was a neat freak. If we’re both slobs, we could create quite a disaster and neither of us would care.”
His smile stretched wider and he turned her so he could undo the zipper of her dress. “You look really sexy tonight. I love this dress.”
Her cheap black dress. And he loved it. Emotion swelled up huge inside her. As he pushed the dress down her arms and let it drop to the floor, she turned to face him. “Thank you.” She framed his face with her hands and gave him a long, deep kiss. He shrugged out of his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt while she worked on his pants.
The urge to sink to her knees in front of him was powerful. She’d never done that for any guy, ugly memories always surfacing and making that position repugnant. But for some reason, here and now, she wanted to do it, she wanted to give that to Duncan. He gave her so much.
She lowered herself to the floor in front of him, licking her lips. “I want to do this.”