by Anita Claire
Chapter 21 – Ana – Family
It’s frustrating to know that Brody’s tied to his phone but he hasn’t sent me anything since Monday. Could it be that he’s so busy he doesn’t have time to respond? Or is he so focused on work that he’s not thinking about me? What if he’s with another woman?Wait, stop ruminating, this is Brody. If I wanted to date a guy who sends me texts every day, I need to find a different man. I decide to take charge of this relationship and text Brody.
Ana:No tox screens yet. Everything is pointing to our toxic spill. Spending another week in meetings.
Shockingly, he responds.
Brody:No longer the coolest job?
Ana:Still cool. Off to the lab (which is cool) to look at the concentrations of the target chemicals in cat poop.
Brody:Cool, but not glamorous.
Ana:What are you up to? Cool? Glamorous?
Brody:Cool – yes; glamorous – no.
Ana:Different jobs, same results.
Brody:Dinner tonight?
Ana:Sure.
Brody:My sister’s in town, she’ll be joining us, okay?
Wait, he’s told his sister about us? What did he say?
Ana:Where? When?
We’ve only been dating for a few weekends. I’m still not sure what to call him, or even if it’s cool if I text him for no reason. This is so unexpected. Is he the guy who starts off great, but then turns into a crazy stalker? Does he get invested too quickly?
Man, my mind is like a ping-pong tournament. I need to focus on work.
***
In the parking garage, I make sure all my clothes are correctly adjusted before I head into Tamarine a posh Vietnamese restaurant in Palo Alto.
Upon entering, I look around at all the Silicon Valley executives. I hope Brody isn’t one of those guys who lives on the financial edge. One of my girlfriends dated a guy like that nice car, nice clothes, he always took her to nice places. Everything was nice, until she learned he was living off his credit cards.
At least, I'm dressed appropriately. Since I spent most of today in meetings, I was already dressedSilicon Valley corporate: jeans, clean boots, and a casual, non-yoga top. Still, it’s hard to dress more casual than engineers. Wildlife biologists are the few who can do it. We rock a scruffy outdoorsy look, making the high-tech workers look…cleaner.
I don’t spot Brody. His sister could be here. I see a couple of women in their thirties. They look like they’re waiting for someone, but none of them look like Brody.
“Do you have a reservation?” the hostess inquires.
“I’m meeting two others. Is there a reservation for Brody Walker?”
“Walker, yes, let me take you to the table.” She leads me to a table where a very attractive Hispanic woman is reading from her phone.
“Are you Brody’s sister?” I ask, wondering if this is the right table. She smiles. It’s the same smile as Brody, but she looks like she uses it more often.
“You must be Ana the Lion Lady.”
“Lion lady? That’s what Brody called me?”
“Brody, no, I overheard some people talking about you two visiting a lion when I was at his office.”
“That must have been Ethan, he was very helpful. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Did Brody tell you what we found?”
“No, he never tells us anything. Since I’m in town this week I told Brody he had to bring Ana the Lion Lady to dinner.”
“That’s why I’m here?”
“Of course.” She extends her hand. “I’m Brody’s twin, Bella. My brother’s poor communication skills don’t seem to be holding you back.”
“Brody communicates well, just more subtle than most of us are used to. I’m learning to read his body language. It’s probably easier for me, since I spend my days with animals. They don’t talk, but they communicate well.”
“Maybe dating a Lion Lady is good for Brody. You definitely aren’t fearful of predators.”
“Hey, that’s a line I used on Brody.”
She politely smiles as an answer and a server takes our drink order.
“What brings you to Silicon Valley?” I ask.
“I have two days of meetings in San Francisco on immigration rights. I’m in practice with my mom. We’re both immigration lawyers.”
“That’s an interesting niche. How’d you decide to do that?”
“I followed in my mom’s footsteps. My parents met when dad was stationed at Fort Bliss and my mom was working in Juarez. Mom’s my inspiration. She raised five kids, moved constantly, and managed to become fluent in English, get her GDA, undergraduate degree, and go to law school. When my parents were first married, they had a terrible time getting my mom a green card. Once she got her law degree, she’s been using it to help Americans married to non-nationals to get their spouses green cards.”
“Brody never told me any of this.”
“Now that’s a surprise.”
“What are you surprised about, Bella?”
Brody’s deep voice reverberates through my body causing sexual tingles. I watch as he leans in and gives Bella a light kiss on the cheek. He sits down next to me. With a small smile, he gently cups my jaw and lightly kisses me on the lips. My heart flutters from this public display of affection.
He casually picks up the menu. “Did you order?”
“Hmmm,” I manage to murmur as I find myself still staring at him with what I imagine to be a silly-ass grin.
“So how long have the two of you been going out?” Bella asks.
Brody stares intently at the menu. “I vote for the Crab Garlic Noodles, Shaking Beef Tenderloin, and some Chili-lime Aubergine.”
“Doesn’t it annoy you when he avoids a question by making a statement as if you never said anything?” Bella asks.
“We met a few months ago,” I respond.
“Should we go for a fourth dish? How hungry are the two of you?” Brody asks.
“Everything looks great. I think I’ll eat whatever is served,” I answer.
“You have the olive complexion and dark hair of a Latina. But you’re not one of us,” Bella comments.
“My parents are Persian.”
“Why is it that Iranians always call themselves Persians?” Bella questions.
“It’s the difference between ethnicity and nationality. Americans of Persian ethnicity who don’t support the clerics, want to separate themselves from the current politics.”
“Now that makes sense.”
“Since you two don’t have an opinion, I’ve decided to order the Lap Chang Sticky Rice,” Brody states.
After giving the waitress our order, Brody stands up. “I need to use the washroom.”
I watch his lean body and broad shoulders disappear as he walks through the restaurant. His sister brings me back to reality.
“So, what’s really going on here?”
“Excuse me?”
“Come on, I can tell. You’re just a gold digger after my brother’s money.”
“Come again?” I sputter out in surprise.
“I’ve got your number, missy.”
“I think you have the wrong number. I assure you the last thing I’m interested in is finding someone to underwrite me.”
She maintains a penetrating stare. I contemplate leaving, or saying something more. But I’ve spent years dealing with my sister, Hell, Bella even comes off like my own sister. Jeez, I just met this guy. Do I now have to deal with Brody’s overprotective twin sister? Instead of answering her, I just smile and thank my lucky stars she lives three thousand miles away. So far I like this guy, but if this sister has any power over him, I’ll need to reevaluate this position.
Chapter 22 - Brody – Walk of Shame
With my arm wrapped around Ana’s waist, we follow Bella out of the restaurant.
“Let’s walk Bella to her car, then we can go back to my place,” I softly whisper into Ana’s ear.
“And I get to do the ‘walk of shame’ tomorrow morning?” she whispers back
.
Good, she’s debating it. It’s the first time I’ve seen her dressed up. She looks sexy as hell in her tight jeans.
“No one will notice.”
She presses her lips together in response, which tells me she needs a little more cajoling. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
A smile creeps out from the edges of Ana’s lips. Squeezing her waist, I keep my voice low. “You know you want to.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Bella interrupts.
“I’m telling Ana we’ll take you to your car first.”
Bella gives me a look that shows she doesn’t believe me. Instead of giving me grief, she grabs my other arm. “That’s a good plan.”
“Where did you park?” I question Bella.
“On the second floor, or maybe the third floor.”
“Do you even remember what your rental car looks like?”
“It’s white, I think.”
I hold out my hand for the keys. “How do you survive?” I ask her.
“I’m used to driving my own car and parking in the same place every day. I’m not like you, I don’t spend my week traveling.”
By constantly pressing the alarm button, we find Bella’s gray car on the third floor. After I’m assured she’s off in the right direction, I turn my attention back to Ana. My theory is that the presumptive yes yields a better outcome than asking. I walk Ana to the parking garage exit.
As we start walking down the street she stops. “Wait, did I agree to this?”
I run my fingers down her face, over her breasts, as desire fills my body like an ache. Threading my fingers through her hair, I pull her tight, and cover her mouth with mine for a very long, satisfying kiss.This, I figure, is the best answer. As we part, I get to appreciate my handiwork. Ana’s cheeks are flushed, her eyes are burning bright, and her lips are slightly swollen. Best of all, she’s having a hard time speaking. Satisfied, I wrap my arm around her shoulders and keep walking. As we pull up to my apartment building, she gets her wits back.
“You used kissing against me,” she protests.
“Against you?”
“Don’t act all naïve. You know what your kisses do to me.”
Damn, her righteous indignations make me smile. I like feisty especially in my bed. The best answer to that question is to lean in and kiss her again. Hey, who am I kidding, she’s hot. I like kissing her.
“Did you throw out those old cookies?” she teases as we enter my apartment.
“Why, are you hungry?”
Gazing up and down her form, I know exactly what I’m hungry for. With a little tug, I pull her close as I loop one of my hands through her hair, while my other hand lands on her ass. Our mouths lock. I can’t think of anything nicer. Wait...yes I can, and I can be doing it in about five minutes.
Leaving her in the bathroom, I strip, and start checking messages as I get in bed. Depending on how long she takes, I might get through them. With all the lights on, since I want to look at her, I get through several texts before she leaves the bathroom.
My body quickens. She stands there looking at me with a coy smile. She’s wearing much sexier underwear than the ones she wore the past two weekends. My dick jumps from the surprise of seeing her bra and panties all feminine and lacey. But it’s the body wearing the underwear that has my attention.
She’s right, I am a predator. All my energy is intent on watching her strip off the last threads of her undergarments. Naked, she stalks toward me. My dick is throbbing as my eyes take in all the lines and curves of her lovely body. Pulling her down to me, my lips get to taste her, my fingers get to touch her, and my dick screams to be inside of her. Our limbs intertwine, and our fingers and tongues explore each other.
To make sure we both enjoy it, I take it slow but not too slow. Her moans, gasps, and whimpers bring me higher and my rhythm gets faster. Waiting for Ana to join me, I hold off my final surge of energy. As I feel her crest, I finally let go and release. We both spike together. That wonderful feeling of total bliss follows. I roll off of her onto my back with my heartbeat throbbing in my ears. I listen to Ana whimper as I feel her shudder. Reaching out my hand, she grasps my fingers.
“Now aren’t you happy you came back with me?” I mummer as my heart rate nears normal.
She snickers. One thing I’ve learned is that it takes Ana about ten minutes to do anything after sex. Her face is flushed and there’s a light dewy glow about her. She is biting her lip and her head isstill tipped back in ecstasy. This gives me time to check out her profile. She has delicate though strong features. Full lips, a strong Greek nose, sharp high cheekbones, large dark eyes and prominent dark eyebrows. Put it all together she is strikingly beautiful. I watch as her lips curl up into a blissful smile. Finally, she rolls over and looks at me. Her smile is soft and warm as she runs her fingers over my chest.
“With a name like Brody Walker, I never thought you’d be Hispanic.”
“Dad’s a white boy from Michigan, mom’s originally from Puebla, Mexico.”
“I gathered that from your sister.” Her fingers draw concentric circles on my chest. This feels amazingly good, almost too good. My dick twitches. Damn, being around her makes my dick think I’m still a teenager.
“You were paying attention,” I say.
“I learned at a very young, but crucial, age never and I mean never let yourself get caught in the middle of one of my twin’s conversations.”
She chuckles, leans over, and kisses me softly on my lips. “That’s good information to know about you.”
“Are you taking notes on me?”
“Hmmm, not like the notes I keep on my lions though maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea. I am a scientist.”
My fingers run along the soft curve of her waist, hips, and thighs as I lean in and kiss her lightly. Even though I know it’s getting late and I need to get up early, my dick hums in anticipation.Can I really be ready to do this again? Why not? With my decision made, I lower my head and nip at her neck and shoulders. She smells good feminine, warm, and sexy. She has her own sweet musky smell, with a fruity note layered in there somewhere. I’ve been invited to a few different wine-tasting parties, but I never understood all those adjectives used to describe wine. I wonder if sommeliers use the same verbiage to describe a woman. Based on smell, I’d give Ana a Parker 98, since I don’t think anyone should ever get 100.
“Really?” she chuckles as she feels my dick poke her. “I’m barely done with my last orgasm.”
She runs her fingers over my dick. It responds immediately, sending a shock through my system. She lightly grabs my balls and my whole body twitches as I hiss.
“How old are you?” She giggles. “I thought only teenagers could do two in a row this quickly.”
“Are you complaining?” My voice sounds husky to my ears. She moves over me, straddling my hips. I gaze up, her tits aren’t large but they’re magnificent. One of my hands cups her breast while my thumb massages her clit. She moans loudly.
She bends down and kisses my bottom lip. Her hair surrounds us, like our own private curtain. I run my dick along her folds, finding the right location. She eases on down on it as I buck up. Her head tilts back as her back arches. With my thumb, I continue to stroke her clit. I’m starting to get it how she likes it. This time, I’m going to let her set the rhythm. As she raises and lowers herself on me, I match her speed. As the pace becomes frantic, she leans down and places her hands on my shoulders. Grasping her hips with both hands, I take over and drive the pace until I can’t control myself anymore.
Exploding inside of her, we gasp in unison. As I pump one last time inside her, she collapses onto my chest. With her cheek resting on my heart, I thread my arms around her and hold her to me. We lie like this for a surprisingly long time. My dick deflates and runs out of her as she continues to twitch from her orgasm. Gently I run my hands up and down her back. I feel shockingly relaxed and amazingly satisfied. Somehow this feels completely right a sensation I’
ve never felt before.
***
In the morning, I silently head out of my apartment, leaving Ana sleeping soundly. Tonight I’m taking the red-eye to New York. I’m going to make a point of getting back to San Francisco in time to see Ana this weekend.
After CrossFit, I pull into my chiropractor’s office. We meet near the door. I’m surprised to see Ana dressed in something different than what she wore last night. She approaches, and when our eyes connect, she blushes. With a step in her direction, I get real close to her, close enough to kiss her lightly on her lips.
The receptionist gasps. Ana snickers.
“You had time to change?” I ask.
“I have back-up clothes in my truck.”
“I would’ve loved to have been in the parking garage for that. Maybe I should call security and get the video.”
“Oh,” she gasps as she places her long slim fingers over her mouth. “I never thought of security cameras. No one was around. Oh yuck, some creepy security guy got an eyeful.”
Not liking the thought of that, I’m not sure how to respond.
“Brody,” the receptionist calls my name before I figure it out.
With the clipboard in hand, I lean toward Ana. “I’m out of town tonight. I’ll text you when I get back.” She rewards me with one of her beautiful smiles.
Chapter 22 – Ana - Lunch with Rachel
After my appointment with my chiropractor, I drive up to the Jasper Ridge lab. For the entire time I’m driving, last evening with Brody flashes through my mind. It’s all skin, touching, and sensations. But mostly what I feel is the sense of falling. The thing is, I don’t know what I’m falling into. It’s way too early to be love. Years ago I thought I was in love with Dale. Obviously, that didn’t work out. Then Christian: brief, lust, and hot, like fireworks. We soared up to the sky, exploded, and then it was over. I’m not looking to repeat past relationships, I’m hoping for something better. When I close my eyes to dream, what am I hoping for? I try to finish that thought. All I can come up with is that I want to fall into something good.
While I walk into the lab I find myself snickering.Just another glamorous day of analyzing cat poop for toxins. I don my lab coat, sit down at my bench, pull out my phone, and take a selfie. I send it to Brody.