by Kat T. Masen
“You and I don’t do romance,” she reminds me.
She’s right, we do many things, but romance isn’t one of them.
“I’m here, Kate. Always.”
“I know, Noah.” She lowers her head, a shift in her expression as her eyes distance themselves from me. “Go back home. I’ll be just fine.”
I move forward, planting my lips on her forehead. As I slowly pull away, inches away from her, the beat of her chest knocks into mine. Something makes me linger, craving her in a way which blurs the lines between us.
We’ve been down this road that night at the beach. And we both agreed we were perfect as friends.
One wrong move, and I could ruin everything between us.
Pulling back, I graze my thumb against her lip, offering a smile and pushing aside the confusion within me.
“Noah,” she whispers. My name suddenly sounds so different. “Take care, okay?”
There’s a ray of finality in her words. Almost as if this will be the last time she sees me. Nothing will change between us. I have always promised her that.
And I refuse to break my promise, especially when it comes to Kate.
NOAH
Leaving Kate has been difficult but for the best.
In just a few days, my life has shifted from depressing to exhilarating. Something in Morgan has changed—her fun and carefree attitude is a breath of fresh air and takes my mind off Kate.
Although I haven’t told Morgan my whereabouts the past weekend, it doesn’t really matter because she’s everything I need in my life right now. It’s almost as if subconsciously, she knows I don’t need any more stress in my life and shifts her focus to being more open to exploring where we could go, sexually.
Work is hectic and pulls both of us in opposing directions, yet we still manage to find time for each other whenever we have a moment to spare. If it weren’t for our day-to-day responsibilities, I’d demand more of Morgan’s time. However, I know how dedicated she is to her job and her sister, putting my selfish needs on hold until we’re alone.
And I never hold back.
I’m obsessed with her body and find myself worshiping every inch of it. She’s so fucking beautiful that even when I’m not with her, my mind and cock are in sync, desperate to smell her skin and taste it with my tongue.
We have pushed the boundaries, fucking anywhere we can—from the car to the restaurant restrooms. The thrill of almost getting caught only heightens the experience, but neither of us really care. She’s insatiable, and I can’t get enough. My mind is unable to concentrate on anything else besides her.
Something switched—she’s started to open up to me about her life. It comes as a surprise, but one overdue. And one thing I learned about her is that she lives her life on the edge, and so many of her stories replicate myself back home.
Charlie, which comes as no surprise, is overly happy with my newfound obsession. Although, she’s never one to want to lose a bet, she accepts defeat for the greater good. According to her, I have a bounce in my step. Lex is quick to point out that I’ve been getting more action than he’s seen in years. A joke Charlie so passionately weighs in on.
“If my vagina’s closed for business like you claim it is, then perhaps you wouldn’t have two daughters screaming this house down,” she responds sarcastically, then rubs her stomach. “And the bun in the oven which, might I add, is breach and very uncomfortable.”
“Perhaps you need to stop talking about your vagina,” I tell Charlie, almost gagging on my toast.
As much as I love Charlie, Lex, and the girls, it’s definitely time to find my own place.
I have another meeting with a realtor on Monday, hoping to find an affordable place close to work. The LA traffic is still a thorn in my side, the annoying commute doing nothing to calm my growing road rage.
Life almost seems too good to be true. Morgan is happy, and together, we are enjoying our time when we are able. Work gets busier, but I thrive on pressure. The long hours don’t faze me, passing the time while LA soon becomes a part of me.
As the weekend begins to roll in, Charlie decides to have an impromptu barbecue lunch.
“Lex doesn’t get much time off, so when he’s here for the entire weekend, he likes to fire up the grill,” she informs us. “Oh, and Kate will be staying here because she and Lex have a business meeting in Napa on Monday.”
My movements slow down as the coffee machine continues to spout the much-needed beverage my body has been craving.
I nod my head in silence. The guilt of ignoring Kate the past two weeks consumes me. The nagging voice inside my head reminds me that we’re just friends. Kate has a demanding job, more so than me, and with that it means she has no time to stay in contact.
And being the mature man that I am, I choose not to contact her for the integrity of our friendship. She doesn’t need details of how often, or where, I have been fucking Morgan.
“Is everything okay between you two?” Charlie questions, beside me.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
Charlie rubs her stomach, something she often does when I assume the baby is kicking her.
“I sensed Kate’s resistance when I mentioned her staying her. I mean, it took some persuading,” she admits, still gazing at me. “Eric has some couch surfers staying with him, and before you say anything, I’m still unsure of exactly what that entails.”
I don’t want to discuss Kate with Charlie, nor mention Morgan. Frankly, I don’t understand women, but I know this—Kate being here this weekend will be a problem for Morgan. I can’t exactly tell Charlie to uninvite Kate, so the next best thing would be not to attend. Find some excuse.
“If you can help out Lex on the grill, that would be great,” Charlie adds.
There goes that idea.
Saturday morning rolls around fairly quickly. The last few days have been a blur with back-to-back meetings and a quick trip to San Francisco. I shower and pull my chino shorts, black tee, and sneakers on. White seems like a bad idea with all the meat splatter off the grill.
I leave my room, heading toward the kitchen when I hear Kate’s voice.
“I’m fine, Charlie,” Kate asserts, her tone warm yet not her usual perky self. “Work has been busy. That’s all.”
“I know you have a lot going on. I hope you’re practicing self-care?”
What the hell is it with women and self-care? They thrive on it. Men, however, do not.
“Yes, mother,” Kate responds more sarcastically. “I’m taking care of all my needs. Sometimes, even twice a night.”
I chuckle quietly. It’s a typical Kate response, and I realize how much I miss the sound of her voice.
“I love you,” Charlie assures her. “But trust me, no vibrator can replace a real man.”
“But mine tells me he loves me, and sometimes, if you play nice, he’ll even snuggle by your side and whisper sweet nothings in your ear.”
Charlie’s laugh breaks the tension. “Mine used to do that, too. Then Lex got jealous and threw it out.”
The two of them laugh as I inch my way closer to the room. I clear my throat, not wanting to ambush her.
Charlie is quick to say good morning, eyeing the two of us as Kate’s eyes glance toward me. Something odd washes over me, a sense of guilt and pang at the same time. It’s unusual, and I’m not sure what the hell the feelings are.
“Hey.” I smile, keeping my distance.
“Hey.”
Quickly, she diverts her eyes back to her plate. The move surprises me, and while I’d typically call her out on it, Charlie is still watching us.
“I need to grab something in the…” Charlie stares at the ceiling, “… basement.”
“I’ll get it for you,” I offer.
“No, no… it’s small, and I can use the exercise.”
She disappears in a flash, leaving us behind in this awkward position.
Silence falls over the kitchen. I’m unsure of what to say, not wanting to bring u
p Morgan, so I try to find another excuse for my distant behavior.
“I’m glad you’re visiting. Charlie can use some female companionship. A bit too much testosterone in the house.”
“I’m only here for work,” she claims, standing and still avoiding me.
I reach out, grabbing her arm with my hand. The second I do, every part of me misses her, and I realize I’ve been acting like an idiot. “I’m sorry, Kate.”
“I’m not sure what you’re sorry for,” she recites, still unable to look at me.
“Can you look at me, please?”
She lets out a sigh, her blue eyes meeting mine. I miss her crazy ass. The way she pokes fun at me, the endless rants on men and their fucked-up emotions.
“Noah, it is what it is.”
“It is what it is?” I repeat, slightly confused.
“You’ve got another life. I mean, you’re committed now. It’s fine. Listen, I’ve got some emails that need answering.”
She tries to shrug out of my grip, I let go but quickly add, “Kate, please don’t. I need you. Life isn’t the same, and you’re important to me. This is all a learning curve for me. I’m sorry I haven’t checked in.”
“You don’t need to apologize. You’re in love.”
“I’m not in love,” I concede, thrown back by the brutality of her words. “Bros don’t fall in love, remember?”
She nods her head, but the silence lingers until I pull her back to me and embrace her tightly. Her hair still smells like strawberries, and I can’t help but smile at the familiarity once again. Against my chest, I feel her sigh and her body relax. We just need to find a new normal between us, that’s all.
“So, I heard you’re getting serious with your vibrator,” I joke, kissing her hair. “You know he’ll ruin you for all men?”
Kate smacks my chest, pulling back but remaining in my embrace. “What makes you think it’s a he?”
“Because it’s shaped like a dick.”
“Oh, good point…”
“So, are we good?” I ask, resting my hand on her shoulder.
She nods with a grin. “We’re good.”
Charlie walks back in with a fancy plate. “Okay, so let’s get this show on the road. Lex is marinating chicken outback. I tell you what, he never tells me what’s in the marinade since, according to him, it takes hours to prepare, but it tastes amazing. He could be a chef.”
“Is there anything that man can’t do?”
“Do you want the clean or dirty answer?” Charlie asks seriously, keeping her grin to a bare minimum.
“Clean,” Kate and I almost yell in unison.
“Let’s see…” She taps the spoon over her mouth. “He can’t do a French braid.”
My face remains placid. “Can he do a regular braid?”
“Yes,” she responds with a smile. “If you’ve got girls, you’ve gotta learn.”
“Okay, this conversation is over,” I tell them. “So, listen, can I bring Morgan to the barbecue? I think it would be good for her to meet you guys.”
“I finally get to meet the girl who tamed the beast,” Kate snickers.
“Beast? Give me some credit, Kate.”
“Oh, fine. I finally get to meet the girl who stole your heart.”
I almost choke on my coffee. “No, there’s no stealing of hearts. In fact, there are no hearts involved whatsoever.” I laugh nervously.
Charlie puts down her mug and watches me sternly along with Kate. These two women could bring a whole army down with their patronizing stares.
“Shall I tell him?” Charlie looks at Kate, goading a response.
Kate nods her head, agreeing.
“Tell me what?”
“You’re falling for her. Hard,” Charlie asserts.
“I am not,” I lie. “I really enjoy being with her.”
“Denial will only get you so far, Noah,” Kate adds her two cents’ worth. “So, I guess Scarlett’s out of the picture, then?”
“Never say never.”
When the words leave my mouth, I instantly regret them. Scarlett is beautiful. She can charm the universe with just one smile. But I have to admit to myself, as much as it troubles me to do so, that my defense mechanism went up because I’m scared that I am falling for Morgan. I don’t even know how that feels or what it truly means. But whatever it is, I haven’t thought it before, and it’s terrifying me. I’m confusing great sex with love.
“You can’t pursue Scarlett if you’re seeing Morgan.” Charlie’s quick to judge.
I grit through my words. “I’m not seeing her.”
“Then, what are you doing?”
“Having fun. It doesn’t need a label.”
“Okay.” Charlie coughs. “Commitment phobe.”
Kate’s annoying laughter bounces off the walls at the same time the doorbell chimes.
I offer to get it since these two women are driving me insane. I walk to the door, open it, and find my mom standing with a suitcase.
“Mom?”
She steps forward, touching my face before giving me a great big hug. I wrap my arms around her, not realizing how much I’ve missed having her around. She holds onto me for a while, and although I tower over her, her presence alone reminds me of being back home.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, lifting her bag inside.
“An SOS call. Plus, I kinda missed ya, kid.” She smiles.
Closing the door behind her, she follows me to the kitchen. The second Charlie lays eyes on her, she jumps out of her chair and runs to Mom, holding onto her tight. Both of them look sad, almost in tears.
Really? Did someone die here? Women.
Kate introduces herself. Mom watches me with curious eyes. I shake my head and circle my finger around my ear, motioning that Kate is cuckoo.
“I can see that,” Kate bellows. “I’m the crazy one? I’m not the one falling in love with a movie star’s sister.”
Silence falls over the room. I could strangle Kate right now with my bare hands. Mom hides the smile on her face, Charlie turning around and pretending to make coffee.
“I think you forgot to take your crazy pills.” I laugh it off. “Hurry along, Kate, the bus to the mental facility will be here at any moment.”
“Ha-ha.” She smirks. “Should I hand you a collar now or later?”
The girls enter the room, distracting us all while Mom fusses over them. Charlie knew she was coming but kept it quiet to surprise me. Mom’s flown in for a few days for a potential job offer in LA. I have mixed feelings about her being here, mainly because I know it means she’ll have to meet Morgan.
When the kitchen becomes quiet, Mom asks to speak to me outside, alone. We sit on the porch watching the girls play in the backyard.
“I like Kate,” she begins. “The two of you have some uncanny connection.”
“No connection, Mom.” I’m quick to shut down the concept. “Kate is Kate.”
“And what’s that?”
“I don’t know,” I say, unsure. “Someone who I can be myself around without any judgment. She just gets me.”
“And this Morgan?”
I know why Charlie’s not outside watching the girls. She’s hiding because her big fat mouth can’t keep shut.
“Mom, I don’t want to talk about it.”
She appears offended. It’s not that I don’t trust Mom. It just seems like the more I talk about it, the more of a big deal everyone makes it out to be.
“Sorry, Mom,” I quickly say. “It’s complicated, and I’m not sure what to say.”
Pursing her lips together, she remains quiet, not pushing me further. “I ran into Tom last week. He asked how you were.”
My ears perk up immediately. “And Benny?”
“Not sure, kid. I haven’t seen him around much. One of the ladies at the hairdresser’s said he was moving up north somewhere.”
“The ladies at your hairdresser also thought I had knocked up his girlfriend.”
She laughs and
rests her hand on my arm. “I’m sure they both miss you. The three of you were inseparable.”
I don’t want to discuss them anymore, either. They have moved on, and so have I. I have a new life out here and new friends. What happened between us is a thing of the past. It’s time to forget about them and go on with life out here.
I excuse myself when Ava asks to play Barbies and hands me a boy Barbie, ducking to my room to call Morgan.
“Hey, I’ve only got five minutes because I’ve got lawyers coming in. Some moron took pictures of Scarlett in an exclusive spa and wants to sell them to the press,” she answers all in one breath.
“Uh-oh. If it’s any consolation, she’s got a great body. If you’ve got it, flaunt it.”
She keeps quiet over the speaker, and perhaps my words weren’t the right choice. I don’t know how to save myself from here. “So, Lex and Charlie are having a barbecue. Are you free? I’d really love for you to meet them.”
“My dad is here,” she replies.
“That’s okay. I’m sure Charlie won’t mind.”
She remains quiet, then responds in a worried tone, “Uh… okay. So, I guess you’ll meet my dad.”
“Okay, and so for my next piece of news… my mom’s here,” I say slowly.
“Okay.” She follows with, “Is that good or bad?”
“Good, I guess, because I miss her. Bad, maybe, because she, uh—”
“She’ll whip out a baby photo of you in the nude wearing a handbag?”
I laugh. “Ironically, I do have a photo like that. I’ve never brought a girl home…”
More silence.
I hate silence.
“Are you saying you’ve never been in a relationship?” she asks, somewhat shocked at my admission.
“Yes,” I admit, not ashamed of my playboy nature.
“Wow,” she exclaims over the receiver. “After all these years, how do you get out of staying with a woman?”
“Easy,” I answer. “I just wasn’t interested. I didn’t exactly mingle with women wanting a relationship.”
There’s noise in the background. Morgan apologizes, saying goodbye and hanging up the call. A few minutes later, I get a text.