Page 23 of Trick
Chapter 8
Lauren
I was on my second cup of coffee the next morning when my phone buzzed with an incoming text. I picked it up from the table to see a message from Dustin.
Dustin: I’m sorry again about last night.
Me: No apology needed. I hope it’s something easily fixed.
I received a “thumbs-up” emoji in return, then put the phone down with a sigh as I thought back to the clusterfuck that last night’s date had been.
All through dinner I’d been distracted by thoughts of Trick, and how nicely he filled out his jeans. I’d had a great view of his ass from my spot at the base of the ladder as he’d replaced the battery for me. For several minutes after he’d left, I could swear I’d still felt the side of my face tingling from where he’d touched me. I didn’t even want to think about the jolt of awareness I’d felt in the rest of my body.
Of course, the moment he’d opened his mouth and called mebabeagain, I’d wanted to shove him off the ladder. Beau had always called me that. Of course, he always called every woman that, as I’d learned after discovering his hidden Tinder account and reading the extensive chat history.
Dustin hadn’t seemed to notice my distraction, thank goodness, or my irritation with myself that I kept mentally comparing him to Trick. By the time we’d both declined to order dessert, it was clear to me that the attraction I’d initially felt for Dustin had faded. He was a nice guy, but he wasn’t holding my attention, and I refused to lead him on. I knew that if he asked me out again, I would politely decline.
I had been quiet on the drive back to my place, a fact that Dustin didn’t pick up on simply because his “check engine light” came on as we were leaving the restaurant. By the time we had reached my house, it was obvious that there was something seriously wrong with his car.
We’d barely made it to the duplex, and Dustin was beyond frustrated that his brand-new vehicle was sputtering and lurching each time he accelerated, and that the engine had almost stalled at the last stoplight.
“I just bought this two months ago,” he’d complained, smacking his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. I couldn’t blame him for being aggravated. Car problems were the absolute worst.
He’d pulled to a jerky stop in my driveway, apologizing profusely as the engine sputtered again, and it was obvious that he was equal parts angry and embarrassed. I had assured him that I understood, and he’d left me with nothing more than another apology and a distracted peck on my cheek. I was thankful that he hadn’t mentioned seeing me again, as I would have hated to kick the man when he’d been down, as the saying goes.
I busied myself with some household chores until it was time to shower and get ready for the cookout. After a quick debate about what to wear, I settled on a pair of fitted, navy blueshorts with a light blue sleeveless shirt. I slathered on a little more sunscreen than usual, since I assumed we might be outside on such a nice day, before adding minimal makeup. It wasn’t like I was trying to impress anybody, I reminded myself. I gathered my hair up into a high ponytail and slipped on my favorite sandals before heading out the door.
Ella’s daughter Mia greeted me at their door and told me that everyone was out in the backyard. I was happy I’d made the right call about the extra sunscreen because it looked like we would be eating outside. With my fair skin, it would have been a disaster without it.
I stepped outside and spotted Molly, Ella, and Camille sitting at a picnic table under a shade tree and walked over to join them.
“Hi Lauren, I’m so glad you could make it,” Ella greeted me, as Molly scooted over and gestured for me to sit next to her.
I glanced around, seeing a few familiar faces along with quite a few I’d never met before. “It looks like you have quite a crowd,” I commented, and Ella nodded.
“Brick and his family had plans already, and Cowboy and Michelle took his younger two kids to Texas to visit his sister, but the rest of the club brothers are here, aside from a few who had to work.”
“Who wants to bet whether Viking and Sinner start arguing and burn the burgers this time?” Molly asked.
“I swear those two enjoy bickering more than anyone I’ve ever met,” Ella responded with a chuckle. I laughed, too, having seen it for myself. I glanced over at the huge grilling station on the patio, where Viking and Sinner were clearly in charge. Jagger, King, and several of the club members were standing around talking and keeping an eye on them, as if waiting for theshow to start. I didn’t see Trick and told myself that I wasn’t actually looking for him.
“I was afraid we were going to be late,” Abby said as she hurried over and plopped a large diaper bag down on the ground, before sitting down in a chair at the end of the table.
“Ethan couldn’t find his left shoe and absolutely refused to wear a different pair, then Everly threw a fit about the bow Caleb put in her hair,” she said, gesturing to the grill area where Rome – or Caleb, as she called him – stood with Everly in his arms, the little girl looking adorable even without hair accessories. Ethan was already clambering up the jungle gym that King and Ella had installed for him, and I pretended not to notice as Trick appeared and stood under him, acting as his spotter as the little boy grabbed the top rung on the monkey bars and started making his way across.
Molly unknowingly distracted me by asking how my date had gone, and I gave her the highlights, without revealing that I’d been distracted by thoughts of Trick all night.
“Well, I’m done with dating for a while,” Camille announced. “I went out with a man last week, and we’ve been texting every day since then. Mid-forties, handsome, has a good job, smart, funny, charming…all the things, right? Well, I should have known it was too good to be true. He sent me a message this morning and I’m still stunned…and not in a good way, either.”
She paused for a breath, before picking up her phone to read the text to us. “Good morning, gorgeous,” she intoned dramatically. “I had the most delicious dream about you last night. When I woke up this morning, myding-a-lingwas harder than it’s ever been.”
Abby gasped, Molly’s mouth dropped open, Ella almost choked on her drink, and I just blinked. Repeatedly.
“A fully adult, grown-ass man used the wordding-a-ling,ladies! My flabbers are still gasted, let me tell you. I mean, I’ve heard men call their dicks a lot of things in my life, but I thinkding-a-lingranks up there near the top of the worst.”
The resulting giggles, snorts, and cackles that followed made every head turn our way. King broke off from the group by the grill and ambled over as we tried to compose ourselves.
“It looks like you’re havin’ a good time, sugar.”
