Page 49
“Playing in pool halls and pubs that would let underage drinkers in was part of my misspent youth.”
“Lick know you can play like that?”
“I can’t give away all my secrets now, can I?” I pot the black with a flourish and chuckle when I get a round of applause. I do a little curtsey and rack up the balls again.
We play another three games, in which I win two of them, and call it quits just before Lick comes back out and finds us. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me like he’s been gone for days, not minutes, and I don’t even care. Every expectation I placed on this man has been wrong. He’s proven himself over and over, and by god, I’m finally starting to believe it.
“What have you two been up to?”
“I was just teaching Emma how to play pool,” Dot says with a wink, making me snort.
“You should have said you wanted to learn. I’d have taught you,” Lick says as Dot gives me a thumbs-up.
I shake my head. “I think I’m good. Maybe we can play against each other, though.”
“Whenever you want.”
“Oh, I know, we could do a bet. If you win, I’ll give you fifty quid, and if I win…well, I’ll think of something.”
He grins down at me. “Doesn’t seem fair taking your money, but…” His fingers move over the swell of my breast. “I’m sure I could think of something I’d want more.”
“Deal.”
Dot hides his smirk as Lick looks up at him. “Thanks for keeping her company.”
“Anytime,” Dot tells him before he walks over and gives me a hug. “Don’t be a stranger while our boy’s away, you hear me?”
“I hear you, Dot. You know I don’t just come here to see Lick, right?”
Dot bites his lip and looks down, dare I say it, almost bashfully.
“Here.” I pull out my phone, type in my password, then hand it over. “Put your number in. I’m going to need someone to keep me sane while Lick is gone.”
He looks to Lick for approval. I don’t look back, but he must nod because Dot takes my phone, adds his number, and hands it back to me. I send him a message saying, “Hey,” and when it chimes, I grin.
“There, now you have mine. If you want to grab a coffee or shoot the shit, give me a call.”
He swallows and nods before dipping down and kissing my cheek and then stalking away like he’s about to squeeze the heads off of some unsuspecting victims.
I press my hand to my cheek in surprise before looking at Lick, who seems just as shocked as I am. He chuckles. “I swear, you think you know a guy.”
I nudge him, making him laugh harder as his dad walks over.
“What did this idiot do now?”
“What makes you think I did something?” Lick complains.
He gives him a look that has me cracking up. Knuckle’s gaze comes to me and softens. “Whatcha doing Sunday?”
“Um…not much. Cleaning, maybe doing some meal prep for work.”
“You’re not working Sunday, though, right?”
“Not this week, no. Why?”
“Because I’m taking you out for food.”
“You are?”
