Switch Stance

by M. E. Carter

  “I’ve got, like, ten thousand words.”

  “Uh huh. And how much of that is random dialogue you’ve written down, so you don’t forget it later?”

  Busted.

  Abort! Abort! Divert her attention!

  “So you’re pregnant, huh?”

  That elicits a laugh from her and I know she’s not angry, just worried about my deadline as much as I am.

  Sighing, I level with her. “I’m still struggling. We went to the X Games and I took some good pictures and I thought it would help, but it still isn’t coming.”

  I feel Spencer squeeze my hand in support, making the goosebumps come back.

  “Adi.” I brace myself, knowing that tone. “You are literally on tour with your muse. You can always ditch what you’ve got and write about this experience instead. Your fans would love it.”

  I try to control my breathing, and I’m praying Spencer didn’t overhear what Greer just said. Judging by his over the shoulder look as he changes lanes, I think I’m okay. But what if he heard? I would be mortified. So much so, I’m not sure I’d ever recover—

  “Adi, did you hear me?”

  “Yes,” I squeak out. Spencer gives me a strange look, but I don’t respond and hope he doesn’t figure out the noise is about him.

  “He’s sitting next to you, isn’t he?”

  “Yes.” Another squeak. Another look. Another prayer of thanks that my phone accidentally fixed itself and I don’t have to take calls on speaker anymore. Another mental note that maybe I should make the time to upgrade.

  “Say no more. I’ll keep my trap shut. Unless I’m throwing up.”

  That earns a giggle and a grateful sigh from me. “I promise I’m still working on it, Greer. We have a couple days and are headed into small town Texas, so I’ll try to focus. In fact, I just realized how close you live to Austin, so I hope you’ll swing by the signing?”

  “That’s my plan, babe. Even if it’s just to get a hug and meet this amazing man, I hope to come by. Just . . . have a garbage can right in my line of sight, would you?”

  Aaaand another shot of birth control.

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Speaking of. I gotta go. I’ll . . . oh no—”

  She doesn’t disconnect before the sound of retching begins. Tamping down my own gag reflex, I hang up quickly.

  “You look like you’re about to upchuck.”

  Tossing my phone on the floor like touching it will get me sick too, I know he’s not wrong. “Listening to your editor have morning sickness in the middle of the day will do that to you.”

  “She’s pregnant?”

  “Yep. First trimester. There’s nothing that reminds you you’re not ready to have kids as much as listening to someone else’s misery as they grow a tiny human.”

  He cocks his head at me in question. “Does that mean you want kids someday?”

  “Someday. But I need to get out of my second story apartment first.”

  He crinkles his brow. “You don’t think it’s safe for a baby to live with stairs?”

  “No, I don’t think it’s safe for any baby if I have to carry it downstairs. Walking and chewing bubble gum are just about out of my realm of capabilities. Walking downstairs while holding a squirming, living being is a terrible idea.”

  Spencer laughs and squeezes my hand. I realize he laughs often. It’s a great sound that brings a smile to my face. A short time later, he turns on the blinker, indicating our arrival in Lexington.

  The road forks and instead of turning toward what I can tell is the downtown area of town, Spencer veers left and out toward the outskirts of town. Just a few minutes later, we stop at a large gate, and he leans out his open window to punch in a code on his keypad. The gate opens, we proceed down a long driveway, and stop in front of the most gorgeous house I’ve ever seen.

  Taking my seatbelt off, I can’t peel my eyes away from the high peaks, the brick work, and the lush lawn.

  “Spencer, it’s beautiful,” I breath.

  “Home sweet home,” he answers with a grin. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”

  I don’t waste any time climbing out of his car, my nerves magically fading away.

  Chapter 18

  Spencer

  Watching Aggi take in my house fills me with something I can’t quite put a name on. I spent almost an entire year designing the house, and seeing it through her eyes reminds me of seeing Christmas morning through a child’s. She’s touching each piece of furniture and walking slowly from room to room. Her eyes are the size of saucers when she takes in my office and the floor-to-ceiling shelves I mentioned before.

  “I can’t wait to display my signed Adeline Snow novels on those,” I say, stepping behind her as she runs her hand down the intricate woodwork. When I slide my hands around her waist and bend down to whisper in her ear, she visibly shivers, and I love knowing I have that effect on her. “You can’t forget to sign them before we leave.”

  “Okay.” Her response is a whisper as I place a quick kiss to her cheek before grabbing her hand and continuing our tour.

  “Down this hall are two bedrooms and a full bath.”

  “What’s this door?” She points to a closed door at the end of the hall.

  “Basement. Well, workout room and storage. I had a home gym set up down there and the other half is just a big storage space.”

  The moment we turn into the great room, she gasps. This space is what took the longest to design. Looking at it now, it’s hard to believe how much detail went into the design, but I knew what I wanted and wasn’t willing to compromise. The room combines the kitchen, dining, and main living space into one. A large rock fireplace fills one wall completely while another is nothing but windows. Well, doors. Doors that open and slide into the wall making the outdoor space part of the inside. The kitchen has all the bells and whistles of a gourmet kitchen. Sad to say it’ll never be used to its fullest potential unless I hire a chef.

  “This table is amazing.” Aggi drops my hand and rushes over to the dining table and chairs that weren’t here when I left a few months ago.

  “It is. A buddy of mine owns a custom furniture business and made most of the pieces here. This wasn’t here when I was home last.” Mimicking Aggi’s movements, I run my hand along the top of the table and make a mental note to call Landon and thank him for these pieces. They’re beyond anything I could have imagined.

  “Wha . . . what . . . holy shit, Spencer!”

  I turn my attention to Aggi and see she’s found the focal point of the property. While the outdoor living space is pretty fantastic, and the view across the property is next to none, I know she’s freaking out about the custom skate park I built.

  “Pretty cool, huh?”

  “Cool?” she questions, turning to face me. Her hands are flying as she motions to the backyard. “It’s a skate park. In your yard. Todd is going to die. That’s not me being dramatic either. He may fall over from a heart attack. When we were kids, we would make these little ramps in front of his house and pretend to be professional skaters. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. But, this. This is beyond words.”

  “Want to walk it?”

  I take the wide eyes and extreme head bob as a yes and open the door before grabbing Aggi’s hand and walking her across the patio. We meander past the fire pit and outdoor oven, and across a patch of grass, me taking the time to point out little design features here and there. Really, it’s just an excuse to keep holding her hand.

  Finally, we stand in front of the mini skate park. I’m proud of this little park. It’s not much different than the smaller ones I design for the inner cities, but it gave me the chance to really see what could be done with a smaller space.

  Without much area to work with inside most city limits, I’ve come up with a few options that allow us to drop a skate park right in the middle of city block without much issue. And the design doesn’t only cater to skateboards. Motocross and even scooters are w
elcome as well.

  Sure, not everyone is respectful, or appreciative, of the efforts, but I’d rather have kids being active and perfecting skills than getting into trouble or locking themselves away in front of a screen.

  “It’s amazing, Spencer. I can’t get over it.” The sun is setting in the distance and its warm glow casts a soft light on her; I’m rendered speechless. Without a second thought, I rest my hand on her shoulder and spin her to face me before swooping down to capture her lips with mine.

  Her response is tentative at first but the moment I wrap my hands around her waist and tug her close to me, she relaxes and her arms rest on my shoulders. The kiss is soft and slow, my tongue barely slips out but it’s all the request she needs because my girl opens for me and it’s lightning and thunder combined. A storm brews in me as I deepen the kiss, and I know there will never be another woman in my life who stirs this kind of response from me.

  A soft moan escapes her and it’s my cue to pull back. Slowing the kiss, I move my hands from her waist to her face, cupping the sides as I peck her lips once, then twice before resting my forehead on hers. Our breaths are labored, and a smile appears on both our faces simultaneously.

  “That was . . .” she begins.

  “Yeah it was.” Sighing, I take a small step back, my hands still holding her face as my thumbs brush her pinkened cheeks. “How about we clean up before we make some dinner?”

  “Oh . . . okay.”

  “Hey,” I say. “We aren’t done here. Not by a long shot. But, I want to take my time with you and out here on the halfpipe isn’t where I want you for the first time.”

  A quick intake of breath from Aggi followed by a larger than life smile tells me she’s just fine with that plan. She turns on her heel to walk away, and feeling playful, I smack her ass as I pass her in a light jog up to the house.

  Thanks to my longer strides and the run, I reach the house first. I sent a text to Landon earlier today asking if he’d do me a solid and put a few groceries in the fridge for us, but I have no idea what he bought, so I immediately rush to the kitchen to assess the provisions. By the looks of things, Landon is making up for me not pressing trespassing charges against his girlfriend’s kid.

  The fridge is stocked with not only a few steaks and a small salad, but some breakfast foods, cold cuts, and bread. I’m sure if I check the pantry there will be chips and other basic snacks too. This is my favorite part of small town living. Knowing I have friends I can count on to help me out makes these impromptu visits possible.

  “That’s not fair,” Aggi says between breaths. Closing the refrigerator door, I turn around to find her bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

  “Sweetheart,” I begin as I walk up to her, “did you run?”

  Nodding, she gasps a few more times before standing up straight. “I . . . I . . . good lord, you’re fast. I didn’t want you to leave me standing here not knowing how to get back to the bathroom. This place is like a mini mansion, a girl could get lost.”

  “First, I wouldn’t leave you anywhere. Second, it’s not that big. Five bedrooms, four and a half baths.”

  “Five? I only saw two.”

  “Oh yeah, well two bedrooms on that side”—I motion toward the hallway we were down earlier—“plus the master down that hall and two more upstairs with the rec room.”

  “My goodness, do you plan on holding conventions here or something? Why do you need all that space?”

  Shrugging, I run my hand through my hair and look down while I process my response. How do you tell the woman you’re interested in and barely know that you built this house with a family in mind? That your dream is to fill this house with a wife and children to make it a home? “I like to have options. No big deal.” I clap my hands to break the tension. “Now, let’s get your bag, and I’ll show you to the master bathroom. It’s really the best part of the house. Have you ever used a shower with a rainfall showerhead?”

  Shaking her head, Aggi follows me to where our bags are set and then down the hall to the master. The room isn’t too fancy, but the bathroom is grand. Natural stone and distressed wood, it’s like stepping into a cave. I designed this room for my future wife. A sanctuary for the woman I will spend my life with and who, God willing, will give me a family.

  •••

  “That was amazing. You were right; you are pretty kickass with a grill.”

  “Agnes Sylvester, did you doubt me?” I tease as we finish loading the dishes into the dishwasher.

  Wiping her hands with the dishtowel, she shrugs before tossing the towel my direction and picking up her wine glass. With a chuckle, I twist the towel and playfully snap at her ass as she turns away from me. She yelps and inevitably spills some wine, thank goodness it’s white, making me laugh some more, and I realize I’ve never had a more relaxed evening.

  “Want me to top off that glass and start a fire?”

  “Spencer, it’s at least seventy degrees outside. Why would we have a fire?”

  “It’s romantic?”

  “Is that a question or a statement?” She teases, the wine having relaxed her a bit.

  After I showed Aggi the shower earlier, I left her to freshen up while I marinated the steaks. When she walked out of my room dressed in a pair of shorts and a black tank top with no makeup and her hair loose down her back, I almost fell over. The attraction between us has been building and in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to throw her over my shoulder and take her to my bed.

  Instead, I told her to make herself comfortable and retreated to the shower. When I walked in my bathroom, I was assaulted by the overwhelming scent of vanilla, like I was walking into a field of vanilla beans. I’m not too proud to admit I almost had to take care of myself in the shower when I envisioned Aggi in it only minutes before. Naked.

  I’m pulled from my lustful thoughts when she says my name again and reaches her hand out to my arm. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, sorry. So no fire?”

  “I’m okay without it. How about we just chill on the couch?”

  Nodding, I grab the bottle of wine and follow her to the large sectional. I allow her to sit first, unsure if we’re on the same page. We’ve been flirting, and I’ve managed to sneak in a few quick pecks to her lips since our kiss earlier but that’s it. Aggi isn’t overtly flirtatious like the women I’ve been around the last few years. She isn’t thrusting her chest out or twirling her hair. Instead, she tosses out snark and tells awful jokes.

  “Are you going to stand there holding that bottle or come sit your ass down and fill my glass?”

  “Dang woman, you’re a little demanding with wine in you.”

  Her eyes widen, and her mouth forms an “o” in response.

  With a wink I say, “I like it. It’s sexy when you’re all demanding.”

  Blowing a raspberry, she rolls her eyes and takes a long sip of her wine before thrusting her hand my direction as I sit beside her.

  “What was that response for?”

  “I have never been sexy in my life.”

  “Aggi, you’ve been hanging out with the wrong men because you, sweetheart, are absolutely sexy. One of the sexiest women I’ve been around.”

  Seconds tick as I watch what I’ve said process in her mind. Tilting her head, she slowly takes a sip of wine like she needs the liquid to help her understand what I’m saying. Squinting her eyes, she pulls the glass from her lips and my gaze falls to where her tongue darts out to lick a lingering drop of wine.

  Slowly, I take the wine glass from her hand and place it on the table along with my own before shifting my body and leaning forward. My hand glides up her thigh and to her waist, gently tugging her forward. Meeting me halfway I let her take the lead. When her tiny hand rests on my leg, my dick jumps in anticipation. Her lips are soft and her kiss tentative. Her hand grips my shorts as she deepens the kiss. That’s all the resolve I have because in seconds, I grip her waist and tug her to my lap, her legs straddling me.

>   In the background, I hear the sound of her wine glass toppling over like she accidentally kicked it, but I dismiss it. I don’t care about clean up, that can wait.

  Arms draped around my neck, Aggi leans into me. Chest to chest, we kiss, we lick, we nip. My hands slide under her tank top and graze her skin lightly. I feel the goosebumps scatter her skin as I run my fingers up her sides, and when I reach her breasts, she moans and grinds her hips down my cock. I let out my own groan, or more of a growl, when I realize she isn’t wearing a bra. Fuck. My. Life.

  Unable to control myself, I lift my thumbs, so they gently rub over her hard nipples. Aggi pulls back from the kiss, her head thrown back as she whimpers and mewls.

  “Goddammit baby, you feel so good,” I mumble between kisses to her exposed neck. Grinding, my girl says nothing in response but the way she’s moving her hips tells me she wants this as much as I do.

  Pulling one hand from under her tank, I reach for the top of the neckline and tug it down a little, exposing her nipple before lowering my head to take it into my mouth. Rolling my tongue around it, teasing before sucking, I listen to the sounds of a woman full of lust and need, and I know this night will change everything for us. There’s no going back to simple flirting and holding hands.

  Letting the nipple pop from my mouth, I tug her mouth back to mine as I stand, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist as I walk us to my bedroom.

  “Oh,” we both say simultaneously as we bang our foreheads together.

  Rubbing the red mark, she looks at me sheepishly. “Sorry. I guess my clumsy doesn’t go away when I get horny.”

  All I can do is grin and keep walking. “I don’t mind. I kind of enjoy that we can stop in the middle and laugh sometimes. Makes it more fun that way.”

  She blushes as I cross the threshold, kick the door closed, then pull back and look her in the eye.

  “But on a serious note, I need to make sure you’re sure. Are you? Sure?”

  She nods, but I shake my head in response.

  “Baby, I need you to say it. I need to know you’re in this with me, Aggi.”