by S. K. Lessly
There was a long pause before my phone vibrated his reply. Good. Have you eaten?
I replied back. Yes. I looked at the pizza box on my coffee table. I then predicted the next question and took a picture of the box and sent it to him.
He replied back Good, get some rest. See you tomorrow. Call if you need anything.
Dang that was easy. I texted him I would and that I’d see him bright and early.
I sat my phone down in front of me and started to think about everything that had happened between us last night, twice early this morning, and what he did for me when I woke up. I knew I had acted like a brat toward him during breakfast when all he wanted to do was make sure I was okay. I also knew he didn’t deserve how I’d treated him.
He was good to me. He was gentle, kind, considerate, and that was just during the sex. What happened this morning: the breakfast, washing me, shampooing my hair, moisturizing my body and dressing me… Let’s just say I was thankful I could use the water from the spray to hide the tears that were falling. His gentleness overwhelmed me. Outside of my parents, no one had ever treated me the way Shane had this morning. If you top that with how he had handled my body last night, you could imagine what I was going through. I had no idea how to express these foreign emotions I felt and I lashed out. It was a bitch move that he didn’t deserve it.
I picked up my phone and texted. I don’t know how to repay you or how many times I can say thank you for what you did for me today. I’m grateful. Thank you.
I didn’t wait long before he replied and I damn near dropped the phone. No need to thank me. Anything for you.
Shit, what do you say to that? I didn’t reply. I just put my phone down and blankly stared at the credits scrolling down the TV screen. I had missed my favorite part. I shifted on the couch, carefully this time. I laid on my back. I smiled and closed my eyes, thinking about last night. That man… Whew!
Being with Shane Cooper was by far the best sex I ever had period. He was aggressive when he needed to be, taking from me whatever he wanted. Then he was sensual, playful, sexy and spectacular when required. He coveted my body, claiming me for his own and had no problem with telling me that my pussy was his. At first, I told him he was mistaken. My pussy belonged to me. But after a while, I started to just tell him yes I was his over and over again until he was tired of hearing it, which by the way never happened.
And I couldn’t explain away the bouts of various languages I used as he stroked me. I guess I didn’t feel that the English language was enough. Saying ‘harder and faster’ in Italian sounded way better, and I got better results too. It seemed that when I spoke any language other than English, Shane went into overdrive.
I remembered the first time he found out I was bilingual. It was actually the first day we met. He was shocked to learn that I could speak another language other than English, but impressed. What I remembered the most was his reaction to the skill I possessed. What he said was hot and so fucking sexy, it made me cream my panties. It was also the first day I fell in love with him. I hadn’t known it was love until later, but whatever it was I felt that day. I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, like cornflakes to milk, and like black-eyed peas to cornbread. Okay, maybe not the last one, but you get my meaning. Here’s what happened.
Josh and I were on assignment in some city in Italy, close to Rome. We were looking for someone who was selling arms to unsavory people. We were scheduled to conduct our investigation and gain the evidence we needed for the UN to do their thing. Josh and I were good at what we did and were able to locate who we needed in record time. Because we had time to kill, Josh volunteered to show me around the city of Rome since he’d been here multiple times.
We went to see the Spanish Steps, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, and the Sistine Chapel. We even toured the Crypt and Catacombs that were deep underground in Rome. It took a few days to do everything, but I wasn’t complaining. I was having a great time, and hanging out with Josh was amazing. We took an obscene amount of pictures, trying to commemorate our experiences and cataloging our time together.
We had been asked on multiple occasions why he and I never hooked up. We had worked closely together on countless jobs, and I understood how sometimes that could lead to other things. That didn’t happen with us. We never kissed, fucked, or anything. It was crazy to me, and others I might add, that nothing ever developed between us. Josh and I had so much in common.
The second I met him, we hit it off. I think our issue was the lack of chemistry. Even though we both were hot as shit, and besides the fact that I had a low-ball crush on him, we just didn’t see each other that way. We were more like brother and sister than anything else.
Anyway, we ended up spending five days total enjoying the sights of Rome and eating great food. I was able to try out my Italian. I had been studying the language for at least six months and I was able to speak it with no problem. Understanding some of the accents or slang words used by the locals was a different story. It was a challenge, but I hoped within a year I would be able to speak it fluently.
On our last day, Josh told me that his brothers were in town and wanted to hook up. They were taking this thirteen-hour tour that included: seeing the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, hiking the summit of Mount Vesuvius, if weather permitted, visiting the beautiful Bay of Naples, and enjoying an authentic Neopolitan Pizza place for lunch.
I was with it, of course. Like I said, I loved the city and I wanted to soak up as much of its history as I could. He also told me that his brothers were bringing dates with them, which was an odd thing to tell me.
I frowned and said to him, “Why are you telling me that they have dates with them? Why do I care?”
We were sitting inside a building that functioned as a night club off to the side of the Piazza del Popolo. The tour company used the night club during the day as their waiting area for their daily tours. The plan was to meet Josh’s brothers about thirty minutes from the scheduled time to leave. We were a little early.
Josh looked at me with a serious expression and honesty in his voice. “Because I want you to behave and be nice.”
I was actually offended by that comment. I leaned away from him slightly and placed my hand on my chest. “Hey, I’ll have you know that I am always nice to mere mortals.”
Josh smirked at me. “Uh-huh, sure you are.”
“Please name a time that I wasn’t nice to someone that you’ve dated?”
Josh’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, okay…, How about Sandy that sergeant from Fort Bragg.”
I frowned and made a face.
“Or Tara the stewardess from New York. Madison from LA, Carla, Katie…”
I shook my head.
“Okay, okay, but I don’t see your point, Josh. I was nice to them. I was nice to all of your little conquests.” I folded my arms in front of me. “I was especially nice to that girl named Candy.”
“Sandy,” Josh corrected.
I waved him off. “Whatever. The point is I was nice to her.”
Josh grinned. “Oh yeah, so when she came to you for ideas to help her plan my birthday, that was you being nice?”
I shrugged. “What? I was helpful.”
Josh laughed. “Really, you were helpful.”
“Yes, Josh, I was helpful.” I frowned at him, growing really irritated at the implications that I wasn’t a nice person. I may not have liked his little girlfriends or flavors of the month, but I had been cordial to them.
“Oh, I see. So telling Sandy that I loved sushi when you knew I didn’t and telling her that I was a Mets fan when you knew I was Yankees all the way was your way of being helpful?”
“Look,” I told him poking him in his chest. “It’s not my fault she took my advice.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, Josh, seriously. Actually, if you think about it, I did you a favor.”
“Really? How so?” His eyebrows rose incredulously.
“I saved you from wasting
your time with a woman that clearly wasn’t on your level. You had been dating that clueless girl for months. You two went out countless times to dinner as well as other places where white people go on dates like the museum and art galleries. With that being said, I knew you had told her that you didn’t like sushi. And you had been talking about going to the Yankees opener with your brothers and dad for weeks.
Hell, I was there when you told her all about it. So when she had the nerve to ask me for ideas on where to take you to dinner and what your favorite food was, I mentioned something about sushi just trying to be funny. I figured she should know better. Oh, and she knew you liked baseball. She remembered you talking about it, but she couldn’t remember what your favorite team was despite the countless times you wore your Yankees cap, so I helped her with that too. Frankly, you should be thanking me instead of giving me grief.”
Josh laughed and shook his head. “I should be thanking you. Do you know she ended up taking me to one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in New York and paid in advance for a special dinner? Then she bought me four tickets to the home opener game for the Mets. I had to tell that poor woman that I hated sushi and hated the Mets even more.”
I shrugged and stood. “Well, if you weren’t knocking her head into your headboard, giving her a concussion every night, then maybe she would’ve remembered you telling her that you hated sushi and the Mets.”
He laughed again. “Oh, so it’s my fault then?”
“Isn’t it always? I’m taking a walk. Text me when your brothers get here.”
I went in search of a restroom, went potty, and washed my hands. Before I left, I looked myself over in the long mirror next to the exit to make sure I at least looked presentable enough to meet his brothers. I had on a white V-neck style tee shirt, tan shorts, and black combat-looking boots. I had allowed my natural curls to show up today and I tamed them as best I could into a ponytail holder. I fitted a tan cap over my head low to shield my eyes from the harsh sun. I wasn’t trying to win any pageants. After all, we were going hiking sort of, so my casual appearance would do.
I smiled, thinking about meeting Josh’s brothers. Josh had told me a lot about them, and they seemed to be very down to earth and cool. He said that Malcolm, the oldest, was the father of the bunch. He was Mr. Problem Solver, the calm one of the three, the level headed one.
Shane, Josh had told me, was the wild card. Josh had explained that Shane could be very laid back and calm. He laughed all the time and made sure anyone around him had a great time anywhere he went.
‘Just don’t get him mad,’ Josh had told me, and I remembered looking at him puzzled.
“I’m sure his temper isn’t as volatile as yours.” I smirked and rolled my eyes.
Josh just looked at me and nodded his head. “No, Shane’s temper is worse than mine, if you can believe it.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe it.”
“Well, pray that you never get to find out.”
As Josh told me more about his brothers, I tried to picture what they would look like. Josh had told me that people claimed he and his brothers looked alike. I of course didn’t believe that one bit. There was no way all three of the Cooper men would be hot. Surprisingly, he didn’t have any pictures of his brothers on his phone, which was crazy to me. He had pics of different women, but none of his family.
Getting back to Rome, I had freshened up my lips with some red lipstick to give my face some pop and left the restroom. When I got back to the waiting area, Josh was standing in front of a man with one of the warmest and most genuine smiles I had ever seen on his face. I couldn’t see the man’s face because his back turned, but I assumed from the rare smile on Josh’s otherwise stoic features that this was one of his brothers.
Josh caught my eye, and his smile brightened. He nodded at me, and the man in front of him turned in my direction. My eyebrows rose in surprise. My, my, my, his brother was hot as hell. I looked at Josh and then back to his brother and I smiled and walked up to the two men.
Josh pointed to me, but looked to the man standing next to him.
“Malcolm, I’d like you to meet Misty King, my partner and pain in my ass. Misty, this is my older brother and also a pain in my ass, Malcolm.”
Malcolm walked up to me, and as I extended my hand to shake his, he pushed my hand away.
“Please, woman, you’re practically family,” Malcolm told me, his voice deep and warm. He then, to my surprise, pulled me into a huge bear hug, which I had to say was very nice. “We’ve heard nothing but good things. It’s nice to finally meet you,” he praised as he pulled back, giving me a welcoming smile.
I looked up into his eyes and smiled back. “Well, thank you. It’s nice to finally meet you too. And just to be clear, everything he’s told you about me is true. I am as crazy as he said.”
Malcolm laughed. “I have no doubt.”
Did I say that Malcolm Cooper was hot as hell? He was dressed in a short sleeve pullover white polo shirt and blue jeans. He looked to be about two inches taller than Josh, which was about 6’3” or 6’4” and built like a brick house. The handsome man had short dark hair that was tapered along the sides and the back of his head and stopped just above his neck.
He had a full beard along his jaw and mouth and warm blue eyes that made me smile. I could see why Josh labeled Malcolm as the peace maker and father figure. I felt protected sort of when I was briefly in his arms, loads of warmth and acceptance as well. It was as if I could tell him anything and he wouldn’t judge me.
Malcolm looked to his right, and for the first time I noticed he wasn’t alone.
“This is a friend of mine, Bridgette,” he informed me, still smiling broadly.
The woman next to him gave me a pleasant smile and offered her hand to me.
I shook her hand and gave her my best and warmest smile. “It’s nice to meet you,” I said.
“It’s a pleasure,” she replied with a hint of a French accent. She didn’t look at all happy to be here. I didn’t take it personal, though. Judging by the way she was holding Malcolm’s hand, I was sure she’d rather be anywhere but here. Maybe she preferred sunbathing on one of the many beaches in Italy or doing the nasty at some hotel with this big guy.
I smiled brighter at that thought and said to her, in what I believed was her native tongue, “Je ne sais pas pour vous, mais je préfère voir la plage puis visite rochers poussiéreux et un volcan.”
Bridgette’s eyes brightened as I’d hoped, and the sides of her cheeks rose in excitement. I had told her that I would rather see the beach then visit dusty rocks and a volcano.
The now smiling woman gripped my hand tighter and leaned closer to me. “Pouvons-nous aller à cette minute?”
We both laughed, especially when we looked at the two clueless men next to us.
Bridgette was a beautiful woman. She had long straight blonde hair that she wore in a tight ponytail with a sun visor over her eyes. She was about my height and was dressed similarly with tan shorts, a pink tank top, and high-top pink Converse. Her body was lithe and athletic-looking, which added to her feminine hotness.
Still smiling, I looked around the room and then back at Josh, confused. “I thought both of your brothers were going to meet us?”
Malcolm laughed and shook his head. He pulled Bridgette into his arms, and she seemed to melt into his side. I knew the feeling because I had felt the same way a minute ago when he hugged me, which brought a smile to my face.
“Yeah, well, Shane is late to everything,” Malcolm said to me. “We rode the same train to Rome, but once we got in the city, he told me he’d meet us here.”
Josh grunted his disapproval. “I can probably guess why he did that. Are you sure he’s even going to show up?”
“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t he show?” I asked, looking between the two brothers.
Still grinning, Malcolm placed his hand on Josh’s shoulder and squeezed. “Come on Josh, you know Shane. He’ll be here. Look
, Brig and I will go and get everyone’s tickets. Why don’t you text Shane and see how far out he is?”
Malcolm and Bridgette walked to the other side of the building toward the ticket booth to grab our tickets. Josh, frowning as usual, pulled his cell phone from his clip. He started mumbling a few expletives as he moved away from me to text his brother. I was about to ask him again why he thought his brother wasn’t going to show when something or rather someone caught my eye. I became completely distracted.
In the distance, about sixty yards across the room, was one of the sexist men I had ever laid eyes on. Even in this distance, I was so transfixed on him that everything around me fell away. This man was fine as hell, and he was white. I was in unchartered territory here. I typically didn’t go for white guys. It wasn’t that I didn’t find some of them attractive, it was just that I stuck to what I knew and, what came easy. But in this moment, I was ready to switch sides. Damn!
I was in love.
Or maybe it was the breakfast that I’d had this morning churning my belly. Regardless, I could feel myself breaking out in a nervous sweat, which was something I had never done in my life. My mouth instantly went dry. My heart started to beat uncontrollably, and breathing was becoming a luxury. I had found the man of my dreams. I just knew it. I had found someone that I believed I deserved to look at every day for the rest of my life.
I had never experienced this kind of reaction to any man—ever. That’s how I knew that he was the one. I brought my hands up to nervously run them through my hair; something that I always did, but realized quickly that I couldn’t. Instead, I tried to hide these nervous jitters of mine by stuffing my hands in the back pockets of my shorts while I studied the man who would become my future.
This demigod was tall, well over six feet, and built Ford tough. I apologize for that horrible metaphor. It instantly came to mind the moment I laid eyes upon him. I get crazy whenever I’m nervous. Anyway, I noticed from the distance that he had more of a five o’clock shadow along his strong jaw than a full-grown beard, with short dark hair that had a slight curl pattern to it. His hair looked tussled as if he ran his fingers through it a lot.