And I feel like shit.
I move and stand by her side. Close enough that she’ll have to work hard to ignore me.
“I’m sorry.” I figure that’s a good place to start. “I overreacted. I shouldn’t have left like that.”
She makes me wait a few seconds before she angles her head and directs her gaze at me. “I don’t want to be in a relationship with you if that’s the way it’s going to be. You disagree with me about something and you simply get up and leave. I won’t do it.”
Turning, I pull her into my arms. “It’s not. I promise, it’s not. The whole you posing naked thing just threw me for a loop.”
I’m gratified she’s not trying to squirm out of my embrace, but she’s stiff, her arms remaining down by her sides. “It’s a lot of money, Troy. And it’s not like it’s Hussler or porn.”
Jesus Christ. I guess that’s to remind me it could be a lot worse.
“What? Did you get offers from them too?” I ask, only half teasing.
I feel her body soften against mine as she playfully shoves against my shoulders. I hold her tight to me. “Maybe. But not that I know of. Plus you know I’d never entertain offers from them.” She scrunches her nose and makes a disgusted face.
Looking down into her beautiful green eyes, I run my hand through the long curly strands of her hair. “What makes Playboy so different? That you’d entertain theirs? That we’re even having this discussion?”
“They’re tasteful.” But the way she says it, it comes out more of a question.
“When’s the last time you’ve looked through a Playboy magazine?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow.
She gives a dry laugh. “Probably not since I found one under Jake’s bed when he was thirteen.” Jake’s her eighteen-year-old brother. He’s bound for college in September on a partial baseball scholarship.
“Here’s what I don’t understand. You’re not an exhibitionist. You don’t like modeling. You don’t want to go into acting, and you couldn’t carry a tune if your life depended on it. Is the money that important?”
Her thick lashes veil her eyes when she lowers her gaze. Her palms rest lightly near my shoulders and upper chest as she takes a deep breath and then expels it slowly. “I’m not going to lie, the money would be nice. But the only reason I told Catherine I’d need time to think about it was because she was so excited. This is a big deal for her. And then you were talking about it as if there was no way I was going to take it.”
“So you were never going to take it?”
She shakes her head. “No. But I didn’t want it to be because you said I shouldn’t,” she says, a touch of belligerence in her voice.
Thanks for the heart attack.
My eyes close on a fervent and silent, Thank God. I enclose her tightly in my arms, her chest flush against mine, and capture her lips in a deep kiss. Without hesitating, she parts her lips and returns it with the same hunger and need that now consumes me.
“Hey, get a room!”
We jerk apart at the bellow of the male voice, bringing our kiss to an end. Two balconies below, a guy I’ve seen around campus, is looking up at us wearing a cocky grin on his face.
“But then, you already got a room in there,” he shouts, gesturing to our apartment with his index finger.
“Very funny, smart ass,” I reply.
“Or feel free to continue. I’m all for watching.” His eyes scan April’s body and that’s when I want to put my fist through his face.
April rolls her eyes. “Seriously, don’t you have anything better to do?” she asks in a bored, supercilious voice.
The guy smiles, leans forward and props his arms on the railing. “Nope.”
“Just what I said, he’s a smart ass,” I say, already tugging April along as I open the door and go back into the apartment. The last thing I hear before I close the door is the idiot’s laughter.
Amusement dances in April’s eyes as she looks up at me. “New rule. No making out in the middle of the day on the balcony.”
I growl and yank her back into my arms. “He might be a smart ass but I think he’s got the right idea. So what’s it gonna be, your room or mine?”
A blush stains her cheekbones. “Now?”
She’s embarrassed. How fuckin’ adorable. “Yes now. And if it makes you feel better, think of it as make-up sex. We did just have our first fight as a couple.”
“We had sex this morning and…” Again with the blushing.
I chuckle. “Don’t worry, having sex now doesn’t mean I won’t give you some tonight.”
“That’s not what I was going to say.”
I cup her ass in my hands and press her against my dick, which is growing harder and longer by the second. “Yeah but it was what you were thinking. Don’t worry, Rosie, with me, you’re going to get it whenever you want. I’ll never deprive you.”
She half laugh half moans as her arms circle my neck and she presses her hips against mine. “You know, you have some ego on you.”
“I know. And you’re about to see and feel it in the flesh.”
That said, I hurry her back to bed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Since my mother’s diagnosis, I’ve made a point to call home once a week. Twice when she was going through her chemo and radiation treatments. If I couldn’t talk to her, I’d usually talk to my dad. I preferred to get her updates from him because he’d give it to me straight. My mom was always fine. Right, like I believed that.
I’ve noticed in the last couple months, since my mom says she’s back to feeling like her old self, if I don’t call by three on Sundays, I’ll get a call from her by four.
“Hey, Mom.” It’s 4:02 on Sunday. It can only be her.
“You didn’t call. I was getting worried.” She always says this and as usual, I can’t help but laugh.
“I was going to. Time kind of got away from me.” Sex with my girlfriend is the best way to spend a lazy Sunday morning—and afternoon and night. What can I say, we have years of not having sex to catch up with.
“How are things going with the new place? Are you and April still getting along?”
I choke back a laugh. “You could say that.”
I can practically see the expression on my mom’s face. The wait-what-am-I-missing look I know she’s wearing right now. “Are you laughing? What’s going on? Did something happen?”
“No. No,” I say, laughing aloud. “I mean yes. Sort of. April and I are together.”
My announcement is met with dead air. Complete silence. I’m not sure if it’s because of shock, she didn’t hear or my meaning hasn’t registered. I give her another second before elaborating, “Dating.” Damn, I didn’t think I’d have to spell it out for her.
“You and April?”
Yep, that’s shock she’s suffering from.
“Yeah.”
More silence. And now I wished I’d face-timed her because I have no idea what’s going on.
“Oh Troy, that’s wonderful. I used to think—I hoped that— This is just wonderful.”
Oh shit, I didn’t think she’d get all emotional about it. I thought she’d be happy but God, it’s not as if I said we’re getting married.
“We’re just dating, Mom. No big deal. Don’t make it into anything more than it is.” This right here, her reaction, is the other thing that scared the crap out of me. Mine and her mother’s expectations, which I knew would be pretty high if we started going out. As you can see, I wasn’t wrong. My mom is probably already planning the wedding, even if she thinks it will be years down the line.
When she speaks again, I can tell by her calmer tone that she’s squelched her excitement and pulled herself together. “I’m not making a big deal of it. You’re only twenty-one. The two of you have years before you’ll be ready for marriage.”
What she doesn’t say aloud is, to each other. But that doesn’t bother me right now.
“So tell me,” her voice is coy now, “when did this happen?”
I look at the phone. Seriously? I don’t care if it’s April and she’s known her since she was a child, we don’t do this talking about my girlfriend thing. Actually, more so because it’s April. Our families ties are close enough.
“So how’s everything at home?” The change of topic is as subtle as a sledgehammer to the temple but I don’t care. My mom is good at getting the message.
Her sigh seems to reach out over the hundreds of miles between us. “Fine,” she says in a starchy voice. “The details are immaterial at this point. It’s the end results that really matter.”
“How’s dad?”
Another notable pause elapses before she admits, “I think something’s going on with the company. Your dad has been on edge the last couple months but every time I ask him what’s going on, he says it’s just been busy.”
My dad’s a workaholic so busy is normal for him. He lives and breathes accounting sheets, and the sun rises and sets on the DOW and NASDAQ. He runs a financial investment firm, what else is he supposed to do, right?
“I’m sure that’s all there is. You know how he is.”
“Yes, but not like this.” She pauses. “Anyway, you’re probably right. I’m sure it’s just the audit.”
In the next few minutes our conversation touches on how well I felt I did on my finals followed by my mom’s subsequent exuberance, my brother’s new girlfriend—whom my mom likes a lot—and my mom’s recent return to tennis, her favorite pastime. When April emerges from the bathroom—freshly showered and looking beautiful in a light-blue summer dress, I tell my mom I have to go, and end the call.
“Was that your mom?” April asks, dropping on the couch beside me and sliding her arms around my chest.
I nod and inhale the light, flowery scent of her and run my hand down her partially bare back.
“Did you tell her about us?”
“I did, so expect a call from your mom soon.” I’m only half teasing. Our mothers are probably on the phone as we speak.
April makes a humming sound in her throat as she tucks her head beneath my chin and murmurs, “No doubt.”
“You know they’ll give us the third degree when we get home, right?” Which will be in less than three weeks. We usually go home for a couple weeks during summer break. This year we’re going the week after Memorial Day.
“Maybe not my mom, since we’re all going to be home at the same time,” she replies, reminding me that her sister had promised to make it home for their brother’s high school graduation next month.
“So what do you want to do tonight?” My hand edges up toward her breast, making it clear how I’d prefer to spend it.
Tilting her head back to look me in the eye, she smilingly chides, “With our clothes on.”
I flash her a lecherous grin. “It’s eerie how you can already read my mind.”
Okay, so no more bedroom gymnastics for now. Although I’d kind of figured that out when she’d insisted she needed to take a shower after our last romp—laughingly turning down my offer to wash her back. I’d reluctantly let her squirm out from under me, but not before I’d stolen one last kiss. She’d left her room sloe-eyed and dazed, and me with a burgeoning hard-on.
But hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.
“No mind reading necessary. This here’s a dead giveaway,” she says, rubbing her hand down the semi in my pants.
Stifling a groan, I warn, “Keep that up and you’re not going anywhere but under me.”
She quickly removes her hand, resting it back on my chest. “Might want to pace yourself or you’re going to burn yourself out.”
“Not a chance.”
“No seriously, do you want to see what everyone is doing? Are you ready to take this show on the road?”
“Sorry, babe, I’m not into voyeurism.” I expect and receive the light slap to my shoulder as she pulls away.
“God, have you always had such a one-track mind?” The smile on her face says she loves it.
My gaze drops to take in the slim length of her beautiful body, and the internal chant of all mine reverberates in my head. “With you? Abso-fuckin-lutely. Tonight, I don’t want to share you with our friends.”
Her pupils dilate and she gets that sleepy, lusty look I’m coming to know so well. If I push, I’m almost sure I can get her naked and on her back in under a minute.
“Well you’re at least going to have to feed me if you expect to get any tonight,” she says in a throaty, dick-tingling purr.
That settles it. We’re going out. “Okay, dinner it is. And then I’m going to have you for dessert.”
Her chortle is agreement enough.
***
“C’mon, it’s too nice to eat inside. Let’s grab a table out there.” I gesture toward the patio of Ling Yu’s, the best Chinese restaurant in town.
April smiles up at me. “Yeah, let’s.”
Holding her hand in mine, we turn to the greeter, a middle-aged, slender Asian woman with short dark hair dressed in a black, kimono-styled dress.
“Can we get a table outside?”
She nods vigorously, replying in a thick Chinese accent, “Yes. Yes.”
We follow her out to the patio and take a table for two on the far right. Our view overlooks acres of well-kept greens that butt up against an eighteen-hole golf course. She leaves us with fervent assurances that someone will be with us soon.
April slowly looks around and then tips her face to the sun. “I love the summer.” At five thirty, the sun still hangs high in the clear, blue sky.
“Technically, it’s still spring,” I remind her.
“Right, but this is summer weather.”
“I’m just glad that these chairs have cushions or the back of my legs would be toast,” I mutter. I’m wearing shorts and they’re warm as hell as it is.
“My legs are fine.”
Angling my head, I look down and eye her bare legs. “Oh yes they are,” I reply, stressing every word. Although, I have to say, I like them better when they’re wrapped around my waist.
A warm blush steals over her face. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Well I did,” I assure her.
“Behave. We’re in public.”
“In case you didn’t know, I’m into all forms of PDA. Get used to it.” To punctuate my point—and because I want her like crazy—I lean over and kiss her on the lips.
For a brief second, she parts her lips, kissing me back before slowly drawing away. She’s staring at me as if she wants to have her wicked way with me, which is exactly how I feel about her.
“Why does this feel so natural?” she asks, her eyes soft and dreamy. “You and me like this?”
“Because it is.” I have to admit, I’m surprised how easily we’ve made the transition and how quickly we navigated our little bump in the road. There’s none of the awkwardness one would expect now that we’ve agreed to take the plunge at the risk of our sixteen-year friendship. I shrug. “Right person and the right time, that’s how I see it.”
Smiling, she covers my hand with hers, weaving our fingers together. “Yeah, I guess that’s what it is. Wait till I tell Vic. She’s going to say it’s about time.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Yeah? She knows how long you’ve been hot for me?” I tease.
April giggles. “If you keep saying stuff like that, the only thing that’s going to be stroked is that gigantic ego of yours.”
I toss back my head and bark out a laugh. “You’re a star at multitasking. I’m sure you can do both.”
She wrinkles her nose at me as she tries in vain to suppress a smile. “Think again.”
I lean over to steal another kiss. The way her lips immediately part under mine is a good indication that she’ll be up to stroking more than my ego when we get back to the apartment.
I reluctantly break the kiss and we settle back into our seats, staring into each other’s eyes. Suddenly, April’s attention shifts, her eyes widening as I hear the door to the patio open behind us.
Abruptly, she lowers her gaze. Her expression is pained as she mumbles under her breath, “Oh crap. We’ve got company.”
I turn to see who she’d been looking at with a sinking sense of dread. I’m hit with an awful feeling of déjà vu when my gaze clashes with my ex’s.
Oh shit.
Blazing blue eyes narrowed and locked on Troy, Melissa strides deliberately toward our table, her blue skirt fluttering around toned tanned thighs. Trailing behind her are her two “besties”, Ana and Hailey, with whom I share the same mutual dislike as I do with their friend.
Lightning isn’t supposed to strike in the same place twice, but here comes Melissa, determined to defy the law of statistical probability. Of course the restaurant is different and Troy is my boyfriend not hers in this scenario, but the scene she’s about to cause is all too familiar.
And I’m positive that it’s not going to be pretty.
Malicious smile in place, Mel stops next to Troy’s chair. “Well what do we have here?” Far from a question, it’s the voice of a female sharpening her claws. After she finishes directing her laser-hot glower at him, she turns it on me. “Just friends, huh?”
“Look, don’t start anything,” he warns, in a low gravelly voice.
Her gaze swings sharply back to him and her back stiffens. “Or you’ll do what?” she demands.
Anger compels me to defend my boyfriend. “Troy doesn’t owe you an explanation because what he does and who he does it with is none of your business. It’s like you don’t understand the meaning of, it’s over. Honestly, you’d think you’d have some pride.” I’m careful to keep the indignation and frustration from my voice only because I don’t do histrionics.
“Pride?” she sputters on an artificial laugh. “I’m supposed to take advice from the girl who gets paid to flash her ass? Um yeah, I don’t think so.”
Troy’s expression is thunderous as the legs of his chair scrape the bricked patio and he pushes to his feet. “C’mon, April, let’s go.”
No!
Look, I understand where he’s coming from. This is his way of protecting me. Remove me from harm’s way. But she’s not going to get away with the betrayed ex-girlfriend melodrama thing this time. I grab his hand and give it a slight tug, urging him back into his seat. “We came here for a nice dinner out. No one is going to spoil that.”
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