Icing On The Date (The Bannister Brothers #1) (10 page)

The woman smiled apologetically. “Of course you do. Have fun.” She got the kids seated and moved on to the next set of children.

Gabby smiled at the kids. “Hi. I’m Gabby, and this is my friend, Owen.”

Owen gave them a wave. “Hey.”

The little girl looked dreamily at Owen. “I like your outfit. You look kind of like Prince Charming.”

Gabby chuckled as she noticed a pink tinge of embarrassment color Owen’s neck. “He
is
charming.”

“But I’m no prince.” Owen turned to the boy. “What do you like to do for fun, Benjamin?”

The boy pushed his glasses back up his nose. “You can just call me Ben. Everybody else does. I like to read. And I like to build stuff, I guess.”

“That’s cool. What’s your favorite book?”

“I like science fiction. My favorite books are all the Star Wars stories.”

Owen looked up and winked at her. Score—they’d purchased the perfect gift for him. He’d love the Star Wars Lego set.

“How about sports? Do you play any sports?”

“Um, not really. Sometimes I play basketball with my brother.”

“Owen plays hockey,” Gabby told them. “He’s pretty good at it. It’s his job. He plays for a team called the Colorado Summit.”

“Never heard of it,” Ben said. “I’ve never ever seen a hockey game.”

Owen chuckled.

The little girl looked solidly enamored with him, her eyes wide with adoration. “I’ll bet you’re very good at hockey.”

Waiters served their food. They set plates covered in huge steaming steaks, piles of roasted potatoes, and slivers of almond green beans in front of Owen and Gabby. The kids’ plates held mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, and small clusters of grapes.

They dug in, making small talk with the kids.

The food was amazing. Gabby savored the meal, trying not to tally up the cost of each bite. Owen lived in a totally different world than she did. She had a hard time ordering a pizza without a coupon—she couldn’t imagine spending five hundred dollars on one plate of food.

The kids ate all of their nuggets, most of their potatoes, but both left the grapes. Owen grabbed the little cluster from Ben’s plate. “Don’t you like grapes?”

The boy wrinkled his nose. “Nah. Too mushy.”

“What? No way. Grapes are awesome.” He passed one to the boy. “All right, Basketball Ben, see if you can make a shot?” He opened his mouth, inviting the boy to toss the grape in.

Ben laughed and pitched the grape toward Owen’s face. Owen dipped his head and expertly caught the grape in his mouth.

Gabby and Marnie cheered and clapped in applause.

Owen bowed. “I have lots of brothers. This is how dinner typically ended every night in our house.” He held another grape up to Ben. “Now you try.”

Ben shook his head. “No way. Grapes are gross.”

Owen shook the grape at Gabby, a daring gleam in his eye. “How about you?”

Nice. They were at an expensive gala. No one else was lobbing the fruit garnish at their tablemates.

Still, she never backed down from a dare. And she’d grown up with a brother, too. She grinned then opened her mouth.

Laughing, he tossed the grape. Falling short of its mark, the grape missed her mouth and dropped perfectly down the front of her dress and directly into the center of her cleavage. He pumped his first in the air. “Score.”

Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed at Owen. She lowered her voice and murmured, “Not yet, you haven’t.” She glanced at the grape down her dress then back to Owen. “Did you do that on purpose?”

He shrugged and held up another grape. “Wanna try again? I could go for a hat trick?”

“What’s a hat trick?” Ben asked.

Owen answered the boy, but kept his eyes fixed on Gabby, his tone filled with sexual innuendo. “It’s when you score three times in a row. It takes a lot of skill and finesse, but when it happens, it’s pretty exciting, and makes everybody involved really happy.”

Gabby discreetly plucked the grape from between her bosom and set it on her plate. She grinned at Owen. “As much fun as that sounds like, and it does sound pretty great, I think we’d better stay focused on the kids right now. It looks like they’re letting them open their gifts.”

Ben and Marnie jumped up and down in their seats in anticipation. Their eyes gleamed with joy as they accepted the beautifully wrapped gifts.

Ben ripped the wrapping free and held up the box. “Cool. My friend, Caleb, has this one, and it’s awesome. I’m gonna make this tonight.”

Marnie took a more delicate approach. She pulled the bow free and set it on the table before slowly peeling the wrapping back, then squealed in delight at the pink and purple box. “I love it. I can make friendship bracelets for my sisters and the girls in my class.” She looked up shyly at Owen. “I could make you a bracelet, if you want. They have blue stickers.”

Owen smiled. “I’d like that. Blue is my favorite color.”

Both kids seemed to like their gifts, and they politely thanked Gabby and Owen.

The MC for the night approached the microphone at the front of the room and made a few announcements and thanked everyone for coming. He stated a ridiculous sum of money that had been raised by the event and presented a check to the head of the after-school program.

After the applause died down, he instructed the kids to stay at the tables and for the adults to move to the next ballroom where a band had been set up and champagne would be served.

Owen and Gabby wished the kids a Merry Christmas and told them goodbye.

Gabby slipped her arm through Owen’s as he led her into the grand ballroom. “That was so much fun. And I think both kids really liked their presents. We did good.”

“You did good. You picked out their presents.”

“It was a team effort.”

He laughed as they stepped in to the room.

Gabby gasped at the elegantly decorated room. Décor of red, gold, and green shimmered throughout the room. Huge swaths of gold fabric hung in arches from the ceiling, an enormous wreath covered the wall behind the band, and red and gold bows and greenery surrounding twinkling candles made up the centerpieces on the tables. “It’s beautiful.”

The band began to play an old Frank Sinatra tune, and Owen took her hand and drew her out on to the dance floor. “Dance with me.”

She fell easily in step with him, fitting perfectly in the circle of his arms. He led her around the floor, in flawless rhythm to the music. Her heart hammered against her chest at the closeness of him. The scent of his after-shave surrounded her, and she felt like a princess at the ball. Maybe he was Prince Charming.

“You’re pretty good at this,” she said, tilting her head to look up at him.

He shrugged. “My mom loves to dance. She taught all of us boys how to dance and to love music. She made us all take some kind of music lessons. Most of us took either piano or guitar, and one of my brothers learned how to play the drums. We created our own band and used to practice in the garage. We were pretty cool.”

“I’ll bet.” She smiled at the thought of Owen as a teenage boy. “Which did you learn to play?”

“The guitar. But only enough to get by. My younger brother, Nate, really took to it, and went on to form an actual band. He’s pretty good. He plays all around the country, and I guess he’s got quite a following. We should go watch him sometime. If you want.”

He dropped the statement so easily. Like it was no big deal.

She let it hang in the air. Easy or not, he had just asked her to go out. Again. And the way he held his arm around her waist and pulled her to him left no doubt that this wasn’t a favor. This was an actual offer of a date. He was asking to see her again.

“Sure, that sounds fun.” She smiled up at him. “I’d like to do that with you.”

“Good. I think he’s playing later this week. I’ll have him get us some tickets.”

The song ended and a new one began—a classic Elvis tune. Owen made no move to leave the dance floor, and she snuggled in against his chest.

As they danced, she pressed one hand against his chest and marveled at the solid muscle under his shirt. She tried not to drool as thoughts of ripping that shirt off and touching his bare chest filled her head, and she imagined his strong arms lifting her up and carrying her off to bed.

He ran his hand lightly up her bare arm and hummed the song in her ear. She shivered at the feel of his warm breath against her neck, and flames of desire shot through her.

Every nerve in her body was alive and yearning at the nearness of him. Being held in his arms as he spun her around the dance floor was just this side of heaven. Delicious butterflies twirled and looped in her stomach as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Yeah, she’d like to go see his brother’s band with him. She’d like to do a lot of things with him. But she’d start with that.

Chapter Eight

Should he or shouldn’t he?

Owen followed Gabby’s extremely nice-shaped butt up the stairs to her apartment and debated if he should try to kiss her goodnight.

Everything in him wanted to kiss her. Wanted to shove her up against the wall and have his way with her, then carry her into her bedroom and peel off that pretty pink dress. He swallowed at the thought of a naked Gabby lying beneath him.

He continued his internal debate as he stood on the landing and waited for her to unlock her front door. She stepped inside and turned as if to tell him goodnight, but he didn’t give her the chance.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her to him, pressing her body against his as he crushed her lips with his mouth. No slow easy caress of lips, no soft kiss goodnight. He had no patience for that. He needed her mouth, needed to taste her, to feel her.

She met his passion, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. A sexy sigh escaped her lips and his desire for her went mad. Sliding his hand down her back, he cupped her perfectly rounded ass, tipping her hips up and pulling her tighter against him.

Leaning her head back, she gave him access to her slender throat, and he laid a fiery trail of kisses down her neck. She smelled amazing, and he inhaled her scent.

Carnal hunger filled him, and he wanted to devour her. To taste, and suck, and explore, every flawless inch of her. To feast on her body. “God, I want you,” he growled against her ear.

She whimpered in response and arched against him. He couldn’t touch enough of her as his hands slid over her generous curves, caressing and stroking. His large hands moved up her sides and cupped her full breasts.

Unable to bear it for a second longer, he reached down and swept an arm under her legs, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the sofa.

Hating the seconds he wasn’t touching her, he cleared half the throw pillows from the couch, laid her down, and stretched out on top of her. His breath came in ragged gasps as he looked down on her. “Why do you have so many freaking pillows on this sofa?”

She laughed, a sound that was music to his ears. “Why are you talking about my pillows instead of kissing me again?”

He grinned. Dang, he really liked this girl. Not just the way she looked—which was gorgeous, even if she didn’t realize it—or the way her body fit snugly—perfectly—against his, but he liked the way she gave him a hard time. Liked that she saw through all of his bullshit, even called him on it, and yet still liked him anyway.

And he liked the way she felt under him. Yeah, he really liked that. Liked the way her hips squirmed and the way she caught her bottom lip as he slid his hands across her waist and up her ribs.

She wasn’t playing games, wasn’t putting on a show like so many of the bar bunnies and wealthy little debutantes that he’d dated. She looked him in the eye, watching his every move, her breath catching as he drew his hands near her breasts.

He liked teasing her. As much as he wanted to take her right now on this sofa, amidst thirteen throw pillows, he was enjoying the thrill of watching her. Of watching her, feeling her, hearing her make those ridiculously sexy sounds of need as he slowly ran his hands over her body, caressing the exposed skin of her neck, sliding the sleeves of her dress down, grazing the tops of her exposed breasts.

He could feel her nipples harden through her bra as he brushed his thumbs across the lacy pink fabric, and the thought of teasing them with his mouth made parts of him harden as well.

Well,
harder
would be the more appropriate term. He’d been hard for her since he’d followed her up the stairs and imagined grabbing hold of her sweet little ass.

Now he was beyond hard, moving toward painful, he wanted her so bad. Wanted her naked and writhing beneath him, wanted to touch her, to fill her, to drive her to a desire like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

Which was crazy. He didn’t usually let a woman affect him like this. But there was something different about Gabby.

He liked her.
Really
liked her.

Liked the way she talked, the way she laughed, the way she looked, the way she smelled and tasted. God, he loved the way she tasted. Like the scents of the bakery had infused with her skin, she tasted liked vanilla and cupcakes, but like the sexiest cupcakes imaginable.

He dipped his head, nuzzling into her neck and kissing her throat. Peeling down the front of her dress, he ran his lips across her skin, working his way down her chest, teasing the tops of her breasts with his tongue.

Sliding his fingers under the straps of her bra, he slowly swept them down her arms, tugging the fabric and releasing her lush breasts, and earning a sigh of desire from Gabby.

Taking the tender swollen bud of one nipple between his lips, he licked and sucked, as Gabby squirmed beneath him and clutched his shoulders. “God, you are so beautiful,” he murmured against her chest.

“So are you,” she said, her voice breathy as she worked at the buttons of his shirt, freeing each one then tugging the fabric from his pants. She slid his shirt from his shoulders and down his arms. He pulled it off and tossed it to the floor.

He sighed as she ran her hands across his chest and over his arms. She arched her back and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her bare breasts pressed against his chest, and the feel of her skin against his was intoxicating.

And knowing she still wore the glittery high heels gave him another rush of pleasure. He wanted this woman, wanted her now.

Squeezing and caressing, licking and touching—he explored her body with his hands, his lips, and his tongue, discovering what pleased her and what caused her to make those deliciously soft sexy moans of pleasure. He couldn’t get enough of her. And of those sounds.

“You really are an angel,” he said into her neck. He hadn’t meant to say it. Had only thought it, but the words slipped out before he could stop them.

A hard pounding sounded at the front door, startling them both, as a male voice called Gabby’s name.

What the hell?
Who was knocking at her door at midnight?

As if being dashed with cold water, she froze for an instant, then scrambled from beneath him, a note of alarm in her voice. “It’s my brother.”

She adjusted her bra and pulled up her dress, covering herself as she hurried across the room.

Which was a damn shame. Because Gabby Davis had amazing fricking breasts, and he never wanted to see them covered up again.

Her brother called her name again, this time the drunken slur in his voice more evident.

Owen stood, doing some adjusting of his own as he straightened his pants and grabbed his shirt off the floor. What the hell was her brother doing here at this time of night?

Gabby pulled open the door, and a guy with thick brown hair and a messy scruff of a beard leaned against the door jamb with a miserable look on his face.

“I really screwed up this time, Gabby. I think I lost her. For real. She said she never wants to see me again.” His words came out in a slow slur, but the heartbreak was unmistakable and Owen couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for the guy.

“Oh, Justin. Not again,” Gabby said, reaching out for her brother. “She always says that.”

“This time she meant it. She left and she’s not coming back.” He leaned in and fell toward Gabby. She grabbed him before he hit the floor, his weight tipping her backwards. “I don’t feel so good, Sis.”

Owen crossed the room in two steps and wrapped an arm under Justin’s shoulder, taking the brunt of his weight off of Gabby. “Hey there, buddy.”

Justin looked up at Owen in surprise. “Whoa, dude. What are you doing here?” He squinted his eyes in concentration. “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like that Bannister guy from the Colorado Summit?”

Gabby pushed the door shut behind her brother. “He
is
that Bannister guy from the Colorado Summit. Justin, meet Owen Bannister. He’s my date. Owen, meet my little brother, Justin Davis.”

Justin let out a loud drunken laugh and clapped Owen on the back. “That’s so cool. I’m a huge fan, man.”

“I appreciate that. Why don’t you come in and sit down?” Owen led him toward the couch. The couch where he’d been just about to have his way with this guy’s sister.

Awkward.

Justin’s face took on a sickly pallor. “Actually, I think I’m about to be sick.”

“Not on the carpet,” Gabby yelled as she pushed him toward the hallway. “Get to the bathroom this time.”

“I got it,” Owen told her, and dragged Justin down the hall. How did Gabby normally support him? She must be stronger than she looked. The guy was lean, but solidly built. Still, he was no match for Owen’s strength—Owen benched more than this guy weighed. Although usually Owen was knocking down guys bigger than him, not helping them up.

“You don’t have to do this,” Gabby protested. “He’s
my
brother.”

Owen gave her a smile as he dumped Justin on the floor of the bathroom. “It’s no big deal. I’ve got little brothers, too.” He gestured to her dress. “Why don’t you get changed, and let me take care of Justin for a little bit.”

She hesitated a moment, then nodded gratefully and slipped into the room across the hall. Owen glimpsed a dresser and a bed covered in a light green comforter and more throw pillows before she shut the door. What was it with women and throw pillows?

Easier to focus on the abundance of decorative pillows than to think about the fact that they should have already been naked in that bed by now.

The sound of retching drew his attention, and he let go of thoughts of Gabby’s body and focused on her brother.

Thirty minutes later, Justin’s stomach was empty, and Owen had him set up on the futon in the guest room. He’d found some Advil in the bathroom earlier and got him to drink some water. The guy was gonna have a serious hangover in the morning.

Leaving him snoring and with an empty trash can by his head, Owen pulled the door most of the way shut and stepped into the living room.

Gabby stood in the kitchen wearing a pair of black leggings and an orange Manning jersey.

He shook his head as she handed him a steaming cup of tea. “We gotta get you a new jersey. Manning’s all right and all, but I’d rather see you in the red, white, and blue colors of the Summit with the name Bannister across your back.”

Actually he’d rather see her
on
her back. And underneath him. But that ship had sailed. At least for tonight.

She laughed. “I don’t know. I’m pretty loyal to Peyton. It would take a lot to get me out of this jersey.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Is that an invitation? Because it would be my pleasure to get you out of that jersey.”

“Mine too.” Her eyes widened at her bold comment, and she clapped a hand across her mouth. “Did I say that out loud?”

He loved the way her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

She glanced around the kitchen, avoiding his eye, and chewing on her bottom lip—an action that was doing crazy things to his insides. She must have been embarrassed because she quickly changed the subject. “Sorry about tonight. With my brother and all.”

Setting his cup on the counter, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “This isn’t a one-time deal for me, Gabby. I like you. And I’d like to see you again.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss against her lips. “I’d like to see you several times. And without that jersey.”

She grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

She peered up at him from under her lashes. “Thanks for taking care of my brother.”

He brushed off her comment with a wave of his hand. “Really, it was no big deal. I told you, I have brothers too.”

Reaching her hand up, she smoothed his wrinkled shirt. “You’re never gonna get your deposit back on this tux.”

The feel of her hand on his chest sent darts of heat down on his spine. “Don’t worry about it. I own it. The team makes us all buy one. And I have a good dry cleaner.”

“That’s nice of you. It appears Justin is a fan of yours. I had no idea.”

“I’d like you to be a fan of mine, too.” A sudden idea came to him. “Hey, why don’t you and your brother come to a game later this week? We’re playing Friday night. And I think my brother’s band is performing downtown this weekend. Maybe we can catch his gig after the game?”

She smiled. A gorgeous smile that lit her whole face. “I’d like that. And I’m sure Justin would too.”

“Good. I’ll get someone to drop off the tickets and some parking vouchers for you. I’ve got a big exhibition game the next day—it’s a charity thing—mainly for the fans. I’ll get you some tickets to that one, too.” He felt a little guilty for slipping in the exhibition game. He knew Harvey’d said he should get her to go, but he wanted her there as well. So there was no reason to feel bad about it, right?

He picked up her hand. “It’s late. I should probably go and let you get some sleep. Thanks for going with me to the fundraiser tonight. I usually hate those things and avoid ‘em like the plague.”

“I’m glad I could make tonight bearable for you then.” She grinned up at him. “I had a great time. Those kids were adorable, and you are an excellent dancer. All in all, I’d give this night a solid eight out of ten.”