Bumbled Love by Lila Rose

Chapter Nine

Dustin

Still smiling, I made my way back down the hall after watching Brooke fly out of here like her pants were on fire. I didn’t think she needed to be embarrassed over the phone call. Hell, I wanted to meet her nana because she was hilarious.

The woman consumed all my thoughts. Even Carter and North noticed how I’d changed. I used to flirt with the women who fawned over the team, but now it was like they were nothing. I wanted more. I wanted someone to come home to. Someone who would come to my games. Someone I could call my own. And I wanted that person to be Brooke. My gut spun at the idea of finally having her, and what I wanted with her wasn’t just for one night or a weekend or even a month. I wanted her forever.

Usually, a thought like that had me gagging, but it didn’t when I imagined it with Brooke.

Just as I entered the living room, a phone rang, and it wasn’t my usual ringtone. Moving over to the couch, I realized Brooke had left her phone behind. At least it would give me an excuse to see her again.

Since I was interested in seeing who was ringing, I picked it up and saw Nana Bev’s name. It wouldn’t be very nice of me if I didn’t let her nana know Brooke left her phone.

Smiling, I swiped the screen and put the phone to my ear. “Brooke’s phone.”

“My oh my, and who do we have here?”

My smile widened. “My name’s Dustin Grant, ma’am.”

“Dustin, do you have my granddaughter busy there?” I wanted to laugh at how hopeful she sounded.

“No, ma’am, she accidentally left her phone. I think she’s on her way to you anyway.”

“Dang it, I wanted her to pick up some bourbon for me. Anyway,” she drew out. “Can I ask what the relationship is between you and my granddaughter?”

“Currently, we’re friends, but I’m trying to… woo her.”

She hummed under her breath. “And how long have you known her? What do you do for a living? How much money do you have in your bank account? What blood type are you?”

Laughing, I shook my head. “I’ve known Brooke for a while now. My son, Benjie—”

Her gasp had me stilling. She coughed and exclaimed, “You’re the douche-bucket who took another woman out on a date when my grandbaby was available?”

Fuck.

“Yeah, that was me, and I regret it with my whole damn heart.”

“She adores your boy, you know. Every time I talk to her, it’s all she can talk about.”

“I know she does.” The thought of Brooke with Benjie, how patient and sweet she was with him, warmed me.

“Are you doin’ other women?”

I choked at her bluntness. “No, ma’am.”

“You want my Brooke?”

“I do.”

“She may come across as a hardass sometimes, but knowing her, she wouldn’t want anythin’ with you because of the risk of your boy.”

“What I’m looking for with her isn’t a short-time thing.”

She hummed under her breath again. “On Fridays she comes to my place for dinner.”

What was I supposed to say to that? “That’s, ah, nice.”

“I think you should come also.”

I grinned. “I’d like that, ma’am.”

“Good. Don’t tell her. Let it be a surprise.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“You’d better treat my grandbaby right, Dustin Grant. If you don’t, no matter how your voice sounds, I’m still young enough to kick your ass.”

“I will, ma’am.”

“Call me Nana Bev, boy.” She rattled off her address and then hung up. What we’d planned may have been a little deceitful, but I was willing to do anything to get Brooke to see I was serious and that she needed to trust me. If Nana Bev was willing to help me, then I’d take it.

Nana Bev opened the door and looked me over before she stepped back and waved me in with “You’ll do.”

Chuckling, I stepped into the house and closed the door for her. “It’s nice to actually meet you, Nana Bev.” I handed her the bunch of flowers in my hand.

“Boy, you don’t need to charm my panties off, just my Brooke’s.”

Jesus. Another chuckle left me as she shuffled down further into the living room.

“She should be here any moment.” She moved over to the table in the joined dining room and dropped the flowers into an empty vase on it. Turning to me, she added, “I’ll put water in them in a moment, but I wanna see Brooke’s reaction.” A glint shone in her eyes as she rubbed her hands together. “Take a seat.” I walked to the couch facing the dining room. “No, not there. This one over here so she can see you right away.”

My brows shot up, but I did as I was asked, well… ordered, since I didn’t think arguing with her was the best choice if I wanted to live.

Nana Bev moved around the couch I sat on and slowly sat at the other end. She eyed me like I was a puzzle she was trying to piece together.

“You’re young. Are you sure you’re done screwin’ around?”

Holy shit, her bluntness, once again, had me choking on my own saliva. “Yes, definitely sure.” No other woman caught my eye like Brooke had. Once I’d got my head out of my ass.

“I need great-grandbabies, and Brooke is still young. Are you wanting more kids?”

Kids with Brooke?

Oh shit, I shivered at the idea of Brooke’s rounded belly with my child in it.

Nana Bev cackled. “I’ll take that moony look as a yes.”

A car door slammed out front. Nana Bev and I glanced to the front door. Brooke opened it and stepped in, calling, “Nana Bev—” Her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, and heat hit her cheeks. Brooke’s bag slipped from her shoulder and dropped to the floor. Her phone fell out, the one I’d taken into her work for her, to which she kicked me right back out after a quick thank-you.

“Look, Boo, I have a guest.”

Brooke’s gaze narrowed in on her grandmother. I was glad it wasn’t directed at— Too late, she’d turned it on me.

“What are you doing here?”

“Nana Bev invited me for dinner.” I grinned and stood.

Brooke took a step back.

“Boo, you know I love you, but I’m thinking you need to give this nice young man a chance. He’s promised me he’s over his hookin’ days—”

“Not that I was ever a hooker.” I wanted to clear that up.

Nana Bev rolled her eyes. “It’s time you put your worries aside, Brooke. This handsome man wants you to take a chance on him, and from what I’m seein’, it could be good for the both of you.”

“I… he… no.” She shook her head and scowled at both of us. Her walls were up. If I was in her shoes and someone was telling me to do something, I’d have my back up too. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure this night was a good idea.

Nana Bev’s lips thinned. “How about we just have dinner then?”

Brooke’s gaze flicked to me and back to her grandmother. “All of us?”

“Yes. I invited Dustin here when he and I spoke, after you left your phone at his place. I wanted to get to know the father of the boy you adore.”

Brooke scrunched her nose up, and I was sure she was about to tell me to take a hike, until she sighed. “All right.”

“Good. I’ll finish up in the kitchen and yell when it’s done.”

“I can help,” Brooke offered.

Nana Bev laughed. “Thanks, but no. I want dinner edible.” With my help, she stood and made her way through the dining room into the kitchen.

Brooke shuffled her feet. “How’s Benjie?”

“He’s good.”

She nodded. “That’s great.”

“I can leave if you want me to.” Please say no.

She shrugged. “Nana would kill me if I got rid of her eye candy for the night.”

“Damn right” was yelled from the kitchen.

Grinning, I scratched at my cheek. “You think I’m eye candy?”

Brooke snorted as she picked up her bag and walked over to the couch. She placed her bag on the coffee table and sat. I quickly sat at the other end. “I said she would have thought of you as eye candy, not me.”

“Bullshit,” Nana Bev coughed out.

Leaning in, I told her, “Your nana is awesome.”

Her features softened. “Yeah, she is, but don’t tell her that. It’ll go to her head.”

Winking, I nodded. “My lips are sealed. But back to the eye candy part.”

Brooke groaned, but I caught her smile. “You know you’re good-looking, Dustin.”

“Maybe, but do you like what you see?”

Another groan, and I wanted to feel it on my lips. Her cheeks pinked, and she looked everywhere but at me. “You’re not bad.”

“Not bad?” My tone held an edge of offense to it.

She smiled. “Yeah, not bad.”

“All right.” I nodded. “I can handle that. Not that you’d ask, but I’m completely attracted to you.”

Her eyes widened and she quickly glanced to the kitchen where we heard clattering going on. Her lips thinned before she said, “I like the way I look, but Dustin, don’t pull my leg, okay. I’m not your usual type.”

“Does that matter? Can’t you see that my usual type doesn’t work for me? I damn well love the way you look, Brooke. Don’t question my attraction to you. Shit, I have to try not to embarrass myself when I think of you—”

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Brooke and I both looked behind us to see Nana Bev in the doorway eating some potato chips. “What? This stuff is gettin’ good.”

“Dear God.” Brooke buried her face in her hands. She stood and pointed at me. “That conversation can happen at another time… like never.” She looked to her nana. “Is dinner ready?”

“Sure is. Come help me get it to the table. Both of you.” She rolled her chip packet up and walked back into the kitchen.

Before Brooke could follow, I took her wrist in hand and turned her toward me, cupping her cheek. Leaning in, my lips caressed her ear. She shivered as I placed my other hand on her waist. “I could tell you about all the times I’ve thought of you as I jerked off and came quickly because the thought of you naked turns me the fuck on. Never question how attracted I am to you.” After a brush of my lips to her cheek, I stepped back and found a dazed look in her eyes. It seemed she was having trouble breathing.

Bopping her on the nose, I smiled, winked, and went into the kitchen.

Nana Bev turned. “Where’s Brooke?”

“She needs a moment.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Would it be a good or a bad moment?”

I shrugged. “Good, I reckon.”

Nana Bev grinned. “All right, boy.” She thrust a tray of vegetables at me. “Take this to the table and come back for more.”

There wasn’t a question about me doing as I was told, since Nana Bev kind of scared me. Brooke ended up helping toward the end and we all sat down for a roast dinner. I knew I’d enjoy the company, but I didn’t consider how much. The conversation flowed, the laughter came and went, and Brooke’s tension seemed to slip away.

By the time I walked Brooke out to her car after dinner, we both had smiles on our faces.

What I didn’t like was when her brows pinched as she faced me when we got to her car. She glanced to my vehicle. “I didn’t even see your car parked there.”

Reaching out, I tucked some of her stray blonde hair behind her ear. “Too distracted? Did you have a bad day at work?”

She swallowed and shook her head. “No.” The word came out softly before she grazed her bottom lip with her top teeth. “Dustin… Benjie.”

“We don’t have to tell him anything, for now.”

“But—”

With my hands landing on her hips, I pulled her into me and waited for her gaze to lift to mine. “Please, Brooke, give this a chance.” I’d never wanted anything so bad in my life before. I cocked a brow. “What do you say?”

Another graze to her bottom lip as she looked to the side. “We won’t tell Benjie anything until we know it’s more than… whatever it’ll be?”

“Not a word.”

“I, ah, suppose we could go on a few dates to see if we get along.”

“We do.”

“But there could be something you don’t like about me or me about you.”

“I doubt it, but I’m happy with a few dates to start with.” Forever we could plan together.

She looked to the side. “Okay” was whispered.

“Yeah?”

When her gaze lifted to mine, it was warm. “Yes.”

“Please tell me this is date one and that I can kiss you?”

Her face lightened with humor. “I suppose.”

I dropped my lips to hers as she wrapped her arms around my neck and lifted to her tippy-toes. Tilting my head, I slid the tip of my tongue inside and she took it, opening her mouth to receive a deeper, hotter kiss.

A moan slipped from her lips and joined with my own groan when I tugged her even closer with my hand curled around her waist. I slid the other hand up to cup the back of her head as the kiss went on in a frenzy of nipping, tasting, and enjoying.

My dick was rock hard, and I knew she felt it when she rubbed up and down against it.

Breaking the kiss, I dropped my forehead to hers and panted along with her. “Fuck, darlin’.”

That kiss was better than our first.

That kiss had me wanting it again and again.

That kiss made me want to take her right here and now.

“If I don’t stop, your nana will get more of a show.”

She snorted out a laugh. “We can’t do that.”

“No, we can’t. When can I take you out?”

She hadn’t yet looked away from my lips, reassuring me she wanted more. I would have given it to her, but there was honest concern it’d lead to more. I doubted Nana Bev’s neighbors were ready for a private porn show.

“Darlin’, you’re killing me.” With a quick peck to her lips, I stepped back and ran a hand over my face. “When, Brooke?”

“You have that, ah, Super Bowl game coming up. Maybe after that?”

“I’ll call you.” I smirked. “Will you answer this time?”

She laughed. “Yes.”

“Night, darlin’.” I gave her a stupid wave, not really wanting to leave.

“Goodnight.” Her smile was warm and was all for me.

Goddamn, that made my heart happy.

I nodded to her car. “You’re going to have to leave before me. I can’t walk away from you right now.”

She bit her bottom lip, but the corners of her mouth tipped up. “Talk soon?”

“Yeah, darlin’.”

With a nod, she unlocked her car and climbed in. I waited until she drove off down the road before I moved over to my car. I heard the front door open and saw Nana Bev grinning.

“She’s agreed to a couple of dates to see how things go.”

Nana Bev gave me two thumbs up. “Good job, son.”

“Thanks for your help, Nana Bev.”

I unlocked my car and had the door open when she called, “Don’t fuck this up now or I’ll fuck you up, and not in a sexual way.”

Chuckling, I shot her a salute and got in my car. Finally, I had my shot with the woman who’d consumed my mind and was going to be my future. Not that she knew. There was no way I was screwing this up.