by Cee, DW
“Did you see how he tried to sit in between Lilah and Nolan at the kid’s table during dinner?” Chloe was laughing hard, too. “He’s going to be a nightmare when Lilah starts dating.”
“Didn’t you hear him complain at the dinner table? He said he thought Lilah would be like her mother and not date until her husband came along.” I was too damn pleased with his dilemma.
Chloe added, “That’s when his wife told him that she obviously took after her daddy in the dating department. I thought Donovan would keel over when he thought about his past. He couldn’t stop groaning and Jake couldn’t stop counting all the girls he’s ever dated.”
Chloe and I got a late start to our excursion. With Brendan and his son appearing at Reid Place, and with Lilah and Nolan’s sudden fascination with one another, Laney invited us all to stay for dinner. The Taylors opened up their home to anyone who was on the block—which was about everyone. Max, Jane, and their three boys joined as well as Nick and his son. Nick explained that Bee, who was heavily pregnant, couldn’t make it because she was at work hoping to tie up loose ends before having their second child. Eventually, the grandparents joined, along with Estelle. I spoke with my future grandmother for most of dinner.
“I can’t believe how sharp Estelle is. I hope I’m that alert in my nineties.”
“Look at the duke. He’s still smarter than you or your father.”
“No doubt,” I agreed.
“So where are we headed?”
“Not far, now that the day has passed us. I wanted to take you up to Napa and spend a few days exploring the wineries, but we missed our flight. Laney suggested we go up to their beach house and spend the night there, instead. Do you mind?”
I don’t know what kind of response I expected from Chloe, but a silent one wasn’t it. I wondered if I made an error in assuming her growing feelings for me.
“Where is this going, Michael?”
“It’s not obvious to you? The unmistakable chemistry between us—was it all in my head?”
“It wasn’t in your head. There is always something between us no matter how much we deny it. It’s been there since our youth and I still feel it now.”
“But?”
“I just worry that’s all it is. A part of me wants to say the hell with it and enjoy being with a man, regardless of the emotional consequences. But, the bigger part of me knows how devastating that emotional consequence can be, especially with you being the man.”
“Tell me, Chlo-No, do you have feelings for me?”
Her answer was a shy but affirmative “yes.”
“I have feelings for you too. Can’t we just go with those feelings and see where we might end up?”
“Are you sure you’re over your fiancée?”
“That would be ex-fiancée and yes, I’m over her.” I liked the progress we were making. “Are you over Brendan? Or maybe the better question is, have you and Brendan started something again?”
“Brendan and I…he’d like for there to be something between us, but I don’t know that I agree. I like Nolan. I like Brendan, too, but…I don’t know. It’s a different sort of like. Being with them is fun. We three have a great time when we’re together, but that’s it—I think.”
“Are you sure? The Brendan I watched tonight was a possessive one who realized my intentions were more than friendship toward you. Has he not mentioned wanting to date you?”
She thought about it somewhat and answered, “Kinda, sort of? Brendan and I—I don’t know.”
From Chloe’s answers, I decided Brendan was no threat. “I will assume, then, that tonight begins our official date?”
“Date?” she asked. “It’s almost bedtime. As soon as we arrive at Laney’s beach house, I’m headed straight for bed.”
“Speaking of…” This was an awkward conversation to bring up.
Knowing me as well as she did, Chloe answered, “Not tonight. If you’re serious about starting something, I want it done right. You can woo me into your bed. There will be no free passes.”
“Damn. I thought earlier today…never mind.”
Chloe laughed at me and revealed, “If I hopped into bed with you every time there was a speck of sexual chemistry, we’d be bound to the bed.”
“Shit, Chlo-No. You can’t say things like that when I’ve been thinking about you in my bed all day today. Now, all I have to look forward to is an aggravated night’s sleep.”
“I was told there are two double bunk beds in the kids’ room. I won’t sleep in the same bed with you, but I won’t refuse you a neighboring bunk bed if you want to sleep in the same room as I.”
“Damn! I don’t know what would be worse. Being alone in a big bed, or being alone is a small bed.”
“I tell you what,” Chloe started her sentence when we arrived at the beach house. “After we wash up, why don’t you join me in the bottom bunk and we can talk about the ten years we’ve missed out on as friends. If I don’t fall asleep before your story is done, I’ll think about sharing a twin-sized bed with you—just to sleep.”
“Yes!”
We were on our way…
Chloe: New Beginning (With Hormones Galore!)
To both our chagrin, we spent the night in separate beds. My body urged me to have Michael hop into the twin-sized bed where we could snuggle the entire night. If all the bodily contact led to other “stuff,” I wouldn’t complain. In fact, my body would be mighty happy. However, like two old folks, we fell asleep within minutes of Michael starting his story. What losers we were.
When I woke up, Michael was already out of bed and making a racket outside.
“What the hell are you doing? It sounds like the house is about to crumble to the ground.”
“I’m trying to cook up some breakfast,” he answered with a grin.
I walked over to the small kitchen and saw a mess to top all messes. He had used every bowl in the cupboard and the result was something that resembled burnt French toast with a glob of fruit.
“When did you learn to cook?”
“Um, by watching Addie when I was a little boy.”
“Is that one piece of burnt toast for you or for me?”
His grin got wider. “I thought we’d share.”
“While the thought was sweet, I think you’ve created a mountain of work for us. Who’s cleaning this up?” I pointed to the debacle in the kitchen.
“Us after breakfast?” Michael was being his irresistible self and I couldn’t help but grin with him.
“How about I treat us to breakfast at that local beach café and after we’ve filled our bodies with sustenance, we come back to this…whatever this is?” I couldn’t believe the mess Michael made to the result of one piece of bread with some fruit on it. I had to take a picture and send it to Laney.
Don’t burn down our love shack! was the text Donovan returned.
“Let’s go. I’m starved after working so hard. I don’t know how Addie feeds all of us. This cooking business isn’t for wimps.”
“How do you eat if you don’t at least know how to toast a crumpet or two?”
“Addie sends food to my flat every few days.”
“You’re kidding me!” I groaned. “You’re a grown man, and your parents’ housekeeper still sends you a basket full of food?”
“Yep. You know how much Addie loves me,” Michael answered.
“Dear God! Is there any woman out there who can resist your charms?”
Linking his fingers with mine, he said, “You’ve done a fine job of resisting me for years. Tell me how much you’ve missed me, Chlo-No.”
Knowing how easily Michael got riled up, I decided to play hard-to-get. “I was way too busy to miss you, Your Grace. Plus, why would I miss someone who never thought twice about me? As you had your fiancées, I had my legion of lovers—in every city, in fact.”
“Yeah?” Michael sounded peeved. “Tell me about this legion of yours.”
“There was Andre in Paris. Pietro was always waiting and available in Rome. Frank was a dear in Munich, and my favorite, Adnan, couldn’t wait for me to return to Istanbul.” That was about as far as I got in my listing of names. Michael picked me up and flung me over his shoulder.
“Really, Chlo-No? I don’t believe you.” No matter the amount of protest, he carried me to the restaurant in this boorish manner.
“I have too much blood rushing to my head,” I complained.
“Good. Maybe all that blood will get you to remember your story correctly. Tell it to me again.” I was seated upright in a restaurant chair with Michael in my face. “Andre, Pietro, Frank, Adnan? Who are these men? Were they really your lovers?”
“In the course of ten years, is it unthinkable for me to have had four lovers? You’ve have two fiancées, and I’m sure a slew of women in your bed,” I challenged.
“You know I don’t sleep around and I know you don’t sleep around. Tell me who these men are.” Michael arms still trapped me in my chair and his face was still inches from my own.
Michael was calling my bluff. Confession time came way too early, but it was that or have the restaurant patrons wonder why we were attached at the chair.
“All four guys were my right-hand men. They worked with me countless times and I trusted no one else when I was coordinating a wedding in their respective cities. There. You satisfied?” I stuck my tongue out like a little girl. What a blessed mistake that was!
Michael took my gesture as a challenge and put his mouth on mine, swallowing my tongue. That woke up every hormone in my body. I had goosebumps from the tongue-dueling, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. My womanly parts tingled and howled for more.
“I’m satisfied, for now. Let’s refuel and continue this conversation, in private, back at the beach house.”
“Shit, Michael,” I whispered. “Where did that come from?”
“Years of pent-up, unfulfilled sex drives?” He looked smug. “You’ve always been a horny one, Chlo-No. I hate to know how many men have experienced your enthusiasm in bed.”
“I’m sure my legion of men is paltry compared to your masses of women.”
“Let’s hurry and eat. We’re spending the rest of today in bed.” Michael announced and finally moved away from me.
“Uh…” Michael looked disappointed at what might come next. “Any chance we can continue this back at Grandpa Harry’s home?”
“Why?”
“Because…I kinda don’t want to do anything in Laney’s house. It would be too weird to do anything sexual with you in your ex’s home.”
Michael thought about what I’d said and agreed. “All right. We eat. We clean up the kitchen. We go home and have sex.”
“Deal!”
So much for making him chase after me. One tongue sucking was all it took. I couldn’t wait to hop into bed with Michael. Whatever happened to strong, independent Chloe? Those damn hormones were what happened.
Brendan: (An Unwanted, Unexpected) New Beginning
“Dad! Look who’s here!” Nole was jumping up and down, excited as hell that his mother was sitting in my living room.
“Brendan.” She nodded, looking like the queen herself.
Shit. This was unexpected and unwelcomed. “Veronica. What brings you to this part of earth?”
“My son lives here most of the time. I thought I should see what kind of environment he’s living in.”
What the hell? “He’s living in the same house he was born in—you know the one you and I were married in? The one you chose to leave so you could pursue your career? The one that wasn’t glamorous enough or big enough for a fancy model like you? Remember this little house?”
“So testy, Brendan. Let’s not argue in front of our son. He’s too smart not to notice what’s happening between us.” The air with which she spoke drove me nuts. I hated the condescension blended with concern for our son. “Can we all go out for dinner? Nolan and I haven’t eaten yet.”
What could I say when this woman made my son so happy? “Where should we go, Nole? Whatcha’ wanna eat?”
“Hamburger and fries, Dad. Mom can have a salad.”
“Is that all right with you?” I asked my ex.
“Sure,” she answered tamely.
Something was up. She was suddenly too docile for my liking. I’d get to the bottom of why she was here.
“Mom. You want to see my new Lego creation? I built this gigantic battleship today. You want to join in the battle? Who do you want to be? Emperor Palpatine? A Storm Trooper? I know! You want to be Padme, huh? You want to be a princess?”
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be, Son. After dinner? Your father’s waiting.”
“All right, Mommy.” Nolan ran to her and hugged her really hard. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Veronica answered with sincerity and carried him in her arms. “I love you Nolan.”
OK. I couldn’t take it. “What’s up?” I asked.
“What?” she asked with too much innocence.
“You are not the ‘I love you, I missed you’ kind of mother. Why are you here and what’s your motive? I don’t want you hurting my son.”
“My son?” she mouthed. At least she had the courtesy to keep this between us. “Let’s talk later.” She ignored me the rest of dinner and spent an unusual amount of time with her son.
I let her be. In all the years Nolan’s been alive, this was the most attentive I’d seen her with him. Sad to say, I married and had a child with a woman who didn’t like children.
Dinner was an innocuous affair. We actually looked like a family of three out on the town. Nole talked our ears off and his mother listened to every word. Once we were back home, we needed to have a serious talk.
“He was asking for you but soon fell asleep.” Veronica walked out of Nolan’s room completely ready for bed, herself. We’d just arrived back at home. How had we progressed to this? Whatever this was, it was not good.
“Why are you dressed in a nightgown?” Damn, she looked fine in that nightie. Don’t look. Don’t stare. Whatever you do, don’t drool. Those were words I kept telling myself.
“I don’t have a place to stay, Brendan. Can I stay here with you and Nolan for a few days?” Those sultry eyes. I didn’t know what I fell for first when Veronica and I met—the sultry eyes or the luscious mouth. Shit! Don’t go there, again, Brendan O’Shaughnessy. Once was enough.
“No.” I uttered as forcefully as possible.
“Come on, Brendan. You can’t possibly kick me out. I used to live here.” Her whining was another one of my downfalls. That voice just sucked me in. Those were not the right words to think about when my supermodel ex was standing before me in a silky nightie. It’s as though she knew I’d been a celibate monk for too long.
“Used to. That means you no longer live here.”
“I’ve nowhere to go.” Damn! The whine again.
I had to move away from her. “Fine. Stay here tonight. First thing in the morning, you need to confess why you’re here. If you hurt Nolan in any way, I swear, I’m going to ask for full custody next time we see a judge.”
“How could you accuse me of hurting our son? I love him. He’s the only one in the world who loves me in return.” Damn. Were those tears in her eyes? I was a sucker for her tears. Not the right word again—I was in deep shit.
“What’s going on, Veronica. Spill it. I don’t have time for games.”
“All right I’ll tell you why I’m here. Let’s sit by the window in your bedroom. I love watching the ocean from there.”
Why me? What sane man could think straight when his supermodel ex-wife was in a nightie, sitting so close to his bed? What choice did I have when she walked into the bedroom? I followed her without a fight.
“Talk.”
“As you know, I just turned thirty and I realized I had no one in my life. The only one I could call family is Nolan and he lives with
you most of the time. My life is empty, Brendan. I don’t like it.”
“I thought you were seeing that photographer?”
“He was nobody serious. Since you, I haven’t had a serious relationship. No one matches up to you.”
“What?” Why the hell would she say that?
“It’s true. No man compares to you, Brendan. You were my first, and maybe only, love. I’m sorry I walked out on us, Brendan. It wasn’t because I didn’t love you. I was young and scared that I’d lose my career if I was tied down to a family. Everyone in my business thought I was crazy getting married and having a baby. They all told me my body would never be good enough. After I had Nolan, I had to prove everyone wrong. That’s why I threw myself into my career.”