Picking Up the Pieces (Pieces, #2)(45)

I looked in the mirror as I applied my makeup, gearing up for a hopefully hot date with Adam. We were going to a new steakhouse that had just opened near us. The place was trendy, and I wanted to make sure I looked the part. Drawing back from the mirror slightly, I took in my deep blue wool dress that hugged my toned body. I paired it with a pair of patterned black tights that added a touch of naughtiness. Topped off with four inch black stilettos, even I had to admit that I looked smoking hot. Putting the cap back on my lip gloss and giving my lips one last pop in the mirror, I walked out of my room and into the living room to wait for Adam.

I looked around the apartment and took inventory of what was missing. As Amanda spent more time at Shane’s, she had been slowly removing items from our house and taking them to his. I was bracing myself for the conversation where she told me she was moving out and tried to take half of my stuff with her when she went. We had already gotten into it earlier in the week because I noticed her walking out with our blender. That I’d bought.

“But I need it,” she had whined.

“Tough shit. And Shane’s a friggin’ nutritionist. There’s no way he doesn’t have a blender.”

“His makes my smoothies taste weird,” she continued as she clutched the blender like I was trying to steal her firstborn.

“It does not, you blasphemous liar. Now put it back.”

“Is 'blasphemous' a real word?”

I looked at her with irritation, partly because she dared to question my vocabulary and partly because she was a conniving thief.

“He always puts gross things in his blender. Like kale. Who the f*ck drinks kale? I can’t share a blender with him. All of the healthy stuff will seep in.”

I just continued to stare at her, making it clear that I wasn’t going to back down.

“Fine,” she huffed as she turned to return my property to its rightful place. “You need to get some,” she muttered.

“What was that?” I asked with an edge to my voice that I didn't really feel.

“Bitch, you heard me.”

I let loose a deep laugh, shaking my head at the craziness that was Amanda.

I started keeping a mental inventory of my shit after that. But as I glanced around at the empty spaces scattered throughout our living room, I couldn’t help but let a little sadness creep in. I was going to miss that crazy bitch.

Just then, the buzzer rang. I walked over to the intercom and held down the button. “Hello?”

“Hey, Lily. It’s me.”

I could hear the smile in his voice. It made me melt a little. “Me who?”

“Uh, hopefully the only guy you’re expecting tonight.”

Even though his voice was playful, I immediately regretted teasing him when I heard his response. I wondered if his mind had traveled where mine did: to the fact that there had been times when he hadn’t been the only guy who had made visits to my apartment. Dropping my head slightly, I tried to compose myself quickly before I replied. You’re not that girl anymore. You won’t f*ck up this time. I lifted my head and interjected happiness into my voice. “I’ll be right down.”

Throwing on my coat, I hurried from the apartment and descended the stairs to meet Adam. He was waiting in the foyer, his blond hair gelled to messy perfection, a black pea coat stretched over his solid arms, his hands shoved into his dark jeans. His back was to me, giving me a moment to eye-f*ck the shit out of him through the glass door that separated us. Adam and I had done our fair share of making out and allowing our hands to roam each other’s bodies, but we hadn’t been intimate yet. And God did I need to be intimate with Adam. It was all I could do to keep myself from throwing open the door, tackling him to the ground, and straddling his face. Keep it in your pants, Lily. Inhaling deeply, I pulled open the door.

Upon hearing me, Adam spun around, a wide smile lighting up his beautiful face. I felt the familiar slickness between my legs as his eyes appraised me from head to toe, spending a little extra time on the good parts.

I sauntered over to him with my sexiest strut. “Hey,” I breathed as I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and lifted my lips to his. My intention had been to simply share a quick kiss, but as soon as our lips met, the need spilled out of us. Our tongues intertwined, invading each other’s mouths roughly, wildly. His hands skimmed up my body before pressing firmly into my lower back, pulling me tighter to him. I had no idea how long we stood there, and it didn’t matter. I could’ve stood there forever wrapped up in the moment, in him, in us. He eventually pulled away, letting a low growl escape from his throat. Just when I thought I couldn’t be more turned on.

“Hi,” he said breathlessly. We laughed softly as we both backed up slightly. “You ready to go?”

“Yup,” I said as I looped an arm through his and let him lead me outside.

***

It only took us about ten minutes to drive to the restaurant. Adam and I fell into easy conversation about who-cares-what. I would’ve happily talked about knitting, as long as I got to be near him while I did it.

Once inside the restaurant, we were shown to a table nestled in a corner. The lighting was dim, and it instantly made me think of how hot it would be to make love to Adam by candlelight. Attempting to push this thought from my mind, I opened the menu and studied it. But I couldn’t focus on the words. Jesus Christ, the man’s sexiness has made me forget how to read.