Lane figured he was really serious. He understood the feeling.
“Yeah, that’s great,” Lane said. “But I don’t know if I want Delilah to come with me. Bringing her implies something that might not be true. You know what I mean? I don’t want to get everyone’s hopes up.” Including his own.
Shaking his head, West stood. “Suit yourself, bro. Bring her or don’t bring her, but make up your mind. She’s still a good friend of mine, and she’s one of Harper’s best friends. I don’t want you jerking her around.”
Anger suffused him, but he told himself to get over it. It was a waste of time, getting mad at his brother. “I’m not jerking her around. She’s a big girl. She knows where I stand.”
“Huh. Better go back over your stance with her, just in case. I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know how breakfast went, okay?”
“See ya,” Lane said distractedly. He turned back to his computer and resumed working on the report, concentrating on getting it just right and not thinking about Delilah.
He didn’t text her either. Or call her. Probably best to forget about her since eventually, he needed to end this. Stringing her along wasn’t cool. He was too busy. Too fucked up. Delilah was like this bright light that needed to shine, and he was the brooding asshole who wanted to spend the rest of his life alone.
He didn’t want to be the one to douse her flame.
DELILAH HAD PRETTY much broken into Lane’s house again. What the hell was wrong with her? He was a deputy sheriff. He carried a gun for a living. He’d already pulled that gun on her once. Did she really want to risk it again?
Delilah sat on the edge of his bed, nibbling on her fingernail. She’d missed him all day and even came up with a sexy little plan to surprise him. But maybe he wasn’t the best person to surprise. He still wasn’t home, and he should’ve gotten off his shift hours ago. So where was he? Still working? Or out with someone else?
She frowned and dropped her hand to her lap, glancing around his bedroom. The room was shrouded in darkness, the sun having fallen behind the mountains that surrounded Wildwood a while ago. And he still wasn’t home.
It was probably best if she left.
But she’d worn the best outfit ever and she didn’t want it to go to waste. She couldn’t even say what had compelled her to buy it. The usual onslaught of catalogs had hit her mailbox around October and November, trying their best to entice her to buy everything for Christmas. She’d almost tossed out the usually depressing lingerie catalog. She loved looking at all that pretty stuff but she didn’t end up buying anything. She didn’t have anyone to wear sexy, matching panty and bra sets for.
But when she’d seen the cute little lingerie set that cost a whoppin’ sixty bucks, she’d told herself she wasn’t allowed to buy it. No way, no how. Sixty dollars was too much to pay for something so frivolous that would most likely end up stuffed in the back of her dresser drawer, long forgotten.
But she couldn’t forget about it. She’d held off for one day. Then two. Three. Until the fourth day when she’d gone on the store’s website, found the outfit, added a sports bra and a cute sweatshirt to her shopping cart, and bought it all. Merry Christmas to her.
Seven months later, she still hadn’t worn the cute little bunny lingerie set. Until now. She was wearing it for Lane, and she had to admit, she was pretty damn adorable.
Deciding to hell with it, she grabbed her phone and sent him a quick text of warning, wanting him to know she was at his place.
I’m waiting for you in your bedroom. Hope you don’t mind.
She stood and went to the mirror that sat over his dresser and studied her reflection, making a little face. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks pink, and her boobs looked good in a soft gray camisole. The material was almost like a sweater, soft and thin. The top was cropped, showing off most of her stomach. The panties gave good coverage. They weren’t crotchless or anything, and she wondered if Lane was into that sort of thing.
God, she really hoped he wasn’t. She’d always thought crotchless panties were sort of . . . weird? Tacky? Ugly? Why bother wearing them? Wasn’t mystery part of the fun?
Her phone buzzed.
You’re at my house? Really?
Biting her lip, she replied.
I am. I have a surprise for you. Unless you’re too tired for surprises.
If he said he was too tired and wanted her gone, she’d be crushed. Her bunny panties were adorable. She knew Lane would love them if he just gave them a chance.
Seriously, she sounded delusional even to herself. Maybe she was the one who was too tired for surprises.
What sort of surprise are you talking about?
Smiling, she shook her head and typed.
If I tell you, then it’s not a surprise.
I’m pretty worn out.