Free Loving Lawson by R.J. Lewis Page A

that.”
                  “Yeah? Why?”
                  “Because he’d be another Adonis.”
                  Now both brows went up.
                  Ah, great. Did he think I was complimenting him ? Well, of course I was in a way, but I wasn’t intending on it to sound flirtatious or anything. I’d just… Well… I was referring to all of them, but he didn’t seem to want to recognize that with the smug look on him.
                  “Stop looking at me like that,” I told him.
                  “You just complimented me,” he replied, playfully. “I’m flattered.”
                  “I wasn’t referring to you.”
                  “Who were you referring to?”
                  “All of you, obviously.”
                  “All of me ? Wow, I didn’t think you looked at different parts of my body separately. Which part grabbed you the most? Was it my very big... lips?”
                  I laughed. “Oh, my God, you didn’t just say that.”
                  “I did.”
                  “You know what I meant!”
                  “Either way, that’s still a compliment to me.”
                  I rolled my eyes. “Just because you’re good looking doesn’t mean everything has to immediately be about you.”
                  He tilted his head to the side and his mouth slowly formed into a wide smile. “You think I’m good looking?”
    Oh, God.
    My body was seriously enjoying this strange conversation while my brain was screaming expletives.
                  “Anyways,” I quickly said, steering the conversation far, far away, “back to the question: no, I don’t feel peanut moving around yet. I won’t for a while, either.”
                  “Will you tell me when you do?”
                  I shrugged. “Do you want me to tell you when I do?”
                  He nodded with genuine interest. “Absolutely. I’ve never felt anything like that. I imagine it would be pretty cool. It’s still bizarre to think my nephew is in here.”
                  Whatever heated feelings I had a moment ago cooled off instantly. Nephew. He has his nephew inside you, Allie.
                  A few more seconds passed, and he still hadn’t moved his hand away. I watched him lick his bottom lip slowly, noticed the slow movement of his chest rising and falling, and all the while he just gazed at me like it was the last time he ever would.
                  “Are you waiting for him, Allie?” he abruptly asked in the gentlest voice. “Because you never really answered.”
                  The question was so random. I blinked at him in surprise, trying to sort my thoughts out. I couldn’t even connect to my brain when he was looking at me the way he was, so closely and interestedly. My first thought was to ask him why he wanted to know.
                  “Um,” I was completely speechless. I had to look away just to think clearly. Was I waiting for Ryker? I wanted to tell Heath no, because my heart couldn’t take it anymore with his brother – he hurt me too much. But what would Heath think of me? Would he think I was callous? Was it too hasty telling him I wasn’t going to wait? I could possibly pretend to be thinking on it still, but…
                  “Sorry,” Heath then said with a conflicted look, “shit, it’s none of my business. I’ve just been thinking about him and the way he asked about you when I saw him last. You know, desperate for you and all.”
                  Desperate for me? Now a lump formed in my throat and I had to clear it away just to breathe right. All this thinking about what Heath would think of me and I hadn’t stopped to consider how devastated Ryker would