by Anita Claire
“So are you.”
“I guess we’ll need to go for a swim. Last time we barely got wet.”
For a response, I kiss her again. Then I say, “But it was fun.”
“It was. I’ll never look at this lake again without thinking of what we just did.”
Chapter 24 – Ana – Talking
We splash around in the lake for the next hour. It’s surprisingly fun, but exhausting. My heart and soul are filled with pleasure and contentment. Lacing my arms around Brody’s shoulders, I kiss him slowly.
“What I could go for is a nap,” I whisper into his ear. His pupils expand as he slowly nods. “Is that all you think about, sex?”
With both of his hands, he squeezes my butt cheeks. “It’s been an hour since we had sex,” he growls through light kisses.
I start rubbing my groin against his. I can feel him starting to harden. “You’re my Energizer Bunny.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Not with what I’m getting. This is fun.”
The two of us head for our packs. “Don’t you think we should put up the tent first? Even though we’re both dark skinned, we’ll burn,” I point out.
He nods. As we quickly erect the tent, I can’t help but snicker. His dick is getting so hard that it could be used as another pole. After throwing my pad in the tent, I crawl inside. Brody quickly follows me. Our bodies instantly intertwine. As I run my fingers along his stubble, I try to keep it casual as I bring up the one thing that mars this day.
“You didn’t use a condom last time. I’m too old to make this kind of mistake.”
‘’You said you have an IUD.”
“Not that mistake getting pregnant but the mistake of disease. I’m a scientist. I should know better.”
“Do you want me to grab a condom?”
“Don’t you think the cat’s already out of the bag?”
“We have been exchanging a lot of bodily fluids,” he remarks.
“This is true. But we should be making an adult decision. We haven’t discussed our…histories. Do you sleep with a lot of women forgetting to…uh, cover up?”
“Cover up?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I never forget to…‘uh, cover up.’”
“You can’t say that, you just did. But are you sleeping with other women?”
“No, I never even dated that woman from the restaurant. There isn’t anyone else. If you’re concerned, we can each get tested. But I don’t carry diseases.”
“As far as you know.”
“As far as I know. Besides, you said it yourself, ‘the cat’s out of the bag.’”
“So now what? We continue to have unprotected sex?” I ask, irritated.
“If it bothers you that much, no, I have condoms in my pants.”
“Wait,” I say as I grab a hold of his arm. “We need to discuss this and come to a joint conclusion. You’re right. As far as both of us know, we aren’t carriers of STDs. But, we both should get tested. If you and I are exclusive…that is, we are exclusive?”
He nods.
I feel my shoulders drop an inch from relief. “Then what could be the harm?”
He shakes his head,no harm.
“Am I rationalizing this or is this a thought-out decision?”
“I’ll get a condom.”
“Wait, no, why?”
“Ana?”
“I’m making a decision, the cat’s out of the bag, we’re exclusive, we’ll both get tested, we can proceed without any condom’s. Does that work for you?”
“Sure.”
I relax. I lean in and kiss his lower lip. He relaxes, at least as much as a man can with a remarkable hard-on. We move to touches, kisses, nibbles, and licks. My body quickens as he grazes my ear with his teeth.
“You’re who I want,” he whispers.
He starts moving inside of me, faster and faster. I grasp his arms and the sensations explode right through me. It feels better without the barrier. I forgot how good raw sex can be. After, as we lie in the tent, I use his chest as my pillow as I come down.
“This is good.” His voice rumbles against my ear.
“Sex without a condom?”
“Everything.”
Emotions swell up inside me since I, too, feel that everything is good. Then I wonder,is this real? There must be a hitch.
“Do we know enough about each other to say this is right?” I question.
“What do you need to know?”
“I’m not sure. The other day, I had lunch with a friend. She asked me a bunch of questions about you. I couldn’t answer any of them.”
“Name one.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-four.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“May seventeenth, you?”
“Thirty-five, January twenty-third.”
“Any more questions?”
“Have you ever been married?”
“No, how about you?”
“Never, but I was engaged.”
His heart rate changes for a beat. “What happened?”
“We started going out when I was in college. When my sister left home for college, we decided to move in together. My dad was against the idea of me living with a guy. So, we got engaged, but we were both busy with grad school. There was always a reason for us not to set a date. Eventually, there were no more excuses and no reason to stay together.”
“Do you still see him?”
“No. It’s strange. We spent so many years together. Now I think the reason we lasted for so long was due more to inertia, rather than anything else. When he moved, we lost our only reason to stay together. He was a good guy, but not as a roommate. I wound up doing all the cooking, cleaning, and paying the bills.”
“Not a good roommate.”
“After taking care of my younger siblings, I naturally fell into taking care of him. Mutual friends tell me he’s in Vermont, married, with a kid.”
“So, it’s over.”
“It was over before it was over. I was just too busy to notice. What about you?”
“I’ve never been engaged.”
“Have you lived with a woman?”
“I grew up with four.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I was in the service until I was thirty. The last three years in Silicon Valley that’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere. I’ve been too busy to stop long enough to have a girlfriend.
“And now?”
“I’m super busy.” Then he stares at me. The atmosphere feels intimate. “I think I might want to reprioritize some of my time. Having a girlfriend feels right.”
“Think?” I question.
He gives me a half-smile before leaning in and kissing me in that special way of his that makes my toes curl.
Chapter 25 – Brody – Logan
With Ana curled up next to me lying under the stars, I feel complete. It’s a feeling I never knew existed. Even more astonishing, I never realized I was missing it. Why was I so reluctant to get involved with her? This is good easy. I know I can figure out how to be with Ana and have the time to run my business. I lie back and take a deep breath. Yeah, this will work out.
I wake with the ache in my back and the smell of the earth that tells me I’m camping. Without opening my eyes, I run my hand along the tarp on the ground. I’m alone. After a big stretch, I find my clothes and climb out of the tent. Ana is up and bent over her little cooker.
“Good morning,” she cheers.
She hands me a camping mug full of coffee. If I was at the office, this coffee would taste terrible, but sitting on the bank of the reservoir alone with Ana, it tastes great. It feels like we’re in this bubble, nothing but the two of us exists. I lean over and kiss her lightly. She smiles. Now I know what it means when people say they’re in bliss.
***
After a week of traveling, by Saturday afternoon, all I can think about is getting home and seeing Ana. Bor
ed, I leave the conference I’m attending early and head back to Silicon Valley. I could use some time out on the trail with Ana. That thought alone scares me. Running a hot growing company that is dead centerin the media spotlight takes unbelievable focus, energy, and all of my time. When I’m in the middle of the action, I can feel all my cylinders firing. It’s an amazing high. But then my mind moves to Ana. The same intensity I have for work, I have for her. My feelings for Ana burn deep down to my soul.How did this happen? When I met her, I wasn’t looking for a woman, more than that, I specifically didn’t want a girlfriend. I figured I would have plenty of time for a girlfriend once my company was sold. But now I feel differently.
As my flight takes off, I wonder where I should take Ana tonight. Of course, I need to think of something other than bed. With a quick check of my texts, I see Logan one of my buddies from CrossFit is having some friends over. Perfect timing, I’ll bring Ana. After landing, I head over to pick her up.
Ana lives on a rustic, quiet street with old houses and big trees. Spotting her truck, I pull into her long driveway. She told me she lives over the garage, which is detached and behind the house. Even though I could text her to come down, I find myself walking around the garage in search of the stairs. I can see why she likes living back here. It’s private, quiet, and feels like you’re in a treehouse. There’s a small deck at the top of the stairs. It has a big twig chair, a number of pots with herbs, and Ana’s hiking boots. I can picture her curled up in this chair enjoying the sunset.
As I knock, I peek through the window. Ana gets up off her couch. She opens the door and twines her arms around my shoulders. Our lips meet as she melts into me.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
“Are we coming back here or are we going to your place? If it’s your place, I’ll need to pack a bag.”
I’ve never been interested in how people live. But with Ana, it feels like it’s information I should know about her. The apartment is small but very tidy. From the entrance, I can see into the bedroom and the second room, which houses a small couch and a TV. The room I’m in has a galley kitchen and a desk instead of a kitchen table. Stacked in a corner are a couple of chairs. All the colors are muted and warm.
“If we stay at my place, we can walk to University Ave in the morning for breakfast, and then go hiking.”
“If we stay at my place I’ll cook breakfast,” she counters.
“I’ve only eaten your camping food. It’s good. I think you’ve convinced me to stay here.”
“Do you have hiking clothes with you?”
“We can pick them up after breakfast.”
“Then I’m ready.”
I look her up and down. She’s wearing boots, jeans and a super-soft sweater that feels good on my fingers. Wrestling with my next impulse doesn’t have to take long. We can spend a half-hour with my buddies as the girlfriends talk politely and the men give each other shit. Or I can spend the next half-hour tasting Ana’s skin. My dick gives me my answer. I don’t hesitate to pick her up and head to her neatly-made bed.
Afterward, we walk down the stairs with our fingers interwoven.
“Oh no,” she exclaims
“What?”
“My landlord. My place is great, but Steven is completely OCD. He’s very particular about everything. He doesn’t like anyone parking on the driveway. He also doesn’t like my truck. But…whatever.”
We approach a slim guy in his late forties. He’s looking at my car. It’s an awesome car. As soon as I had more than two nickels to rub against each other, I bought it. He’s probably wrestling with if he’s pissed a car is parked in his driveway, or if he wants to go for a test drive.
“Steven, nice to see you. We’re heading out,” Ana brightly greets him.
Steven looks me up and down, then his eyes flash along the curve of my car.
“How do you like driving it?” he asks.
“Amazing, it goes from zero to sixty in three-and-a-half seconds. We’re heading out now, but I can take you for a ride tomorrow.”
Steven’s eyes light up.
“Tonight, when we get back, should I park on the street or is it cool if I park on the side of the driveway?”
“Over there is fine.”
I give him a nod of thanks. Ana and I get in my car.
“I can’t believe you just did that. Steven is always having a cow about my truck.”
I set my eyes on her and raise an eyebrow. Her truck looks like it spent the last ten years hauling bulls for a rodeo. This guy’s house and the yard are immaculate. I’m sure her truck is his idea of a nightmare.
We pull up front of Logan’s house.
“How do you know this guy?” she asks.
“CrossFit.”
“These are the guys you get up at four-thirty to be with?”
“I’ve never quite looked at it like that before.”
“Fancy street, big house.”
“He’s Chief Legal Counsel at SpaceNob. He’s the guy who took them public.”
“Wow, even I’ve heard of SpaceNob. And you work out with this guy?”
I nod and get out while Ana remains seated in the car.
“Are you joining me?” I ask.
“I’m feeling a little intimidated.”
“What? Why?”
“This guy,all the guys who are senior executives at SpaceNob...they’re famous.”
“Ana, who cares? I kill him every morning.”
“That’s how you measure people?”
“I don’t measure them by how much money they have or what shit they buy. Logan is a smart guy and he was damn lucky. Now he has an uncontrollable need to spend money. Whatever. I work out with him and the other guys. He never shuts up and gives everyone shit, but I ignore him. We each do our thing. That’s what we’re about.”
“He talks and you ignore him. But you still listen.”
I nod. One more thing I like about Ana—she gets me. I enjoy the feeling of the soft wool of her sweater over the curve of her hip, but I like what’s below it even better.
“Now I get why you have such a fancy car,” she says.
“I’m not keeping up with the Joneses. My car is cool, I couldn’t resist.” As we get near the door, Logan buzzes us in. “Logan is into every gadget imaginable. Like most of what Logan has, it’s over-the- top expensive. He lives by the motto, ‘He who dies with the most shit wins.’”
Ana gasps when we get through the door. The entryway is enormous. It's two stories high with a large stairway made completely out of glass. Of course, Ana is awestruck. That’s the purpose of a crazy-big entrance like this.
“It’s really spooky, walking up those stairs. Logan only lets us do it if we take off our shoes. Even freakier is doing it after you’ve been drinking,” I say.
With my hand on her waist, I escort her in to the great room. The back of the house is a wall of glass doors. Immediately I spot Logan holding court with a few other guys and their dates. They’re all standing and sitting around the large firepit. As we approach, everyone turns and stares. They all look surprised to see me.
“So, a thumbs-up means youare coming,” Logan chides me. Overtly, he checks out Ana, which at some level, pisses me off.
He holds out his hand to her. “I’m Logan. Who could you be?”
Ana simultaneously stiffens and shoots me a look of surprise. Yeah, I definitely should have told Logan I was bringing someone. Ana turns to Logan with a surprisingly gracious smile and she shakes his hand.
“I’m Ana, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Brody has spoken fondly of you.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard Brody say a complete sentence, and none of those words he has spoken I’d identify as sounding fond.”
“Really? When the two of us are together he’s a total chatterbox.”
Logan barks out a laugh as his eyes shoot to me. “Where did you find her?”
Ana is right. When we are alone together, I am a chatterbox.
Logan’s g
irlfriend Hailey joins us. She extends her hand to Ana as a greeting. “I’m Hailey, you’ll need to filter out about seventy-five percent of what any of these guys say to each other. Then again, Brody never says anything. So, really, you need to filter out what Logan says. By the way, I opened a bottle of Champagne, can I get you a glass?”
“I believe it was Mark Twain who said, ‘Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right,’” Ana says.
“Let me get you that glass.”
“And here I thought you were a cyborg,” Logan goads as he hands me a beer.
***
The sun streaking through Ana’s window the following morning wakes me. It takes me a couple of seconds to realize where I am. My hand reaches out along the mattress as I target in on her warmth. Good, she’s still in bed.
“You slept in?” Ana sleepily asks.
“That’s what I was just going to say. When we camped, you were up before me to make coffee.”
“I love sleeping in but I can’t when I’m camping.”
“I never sleep in, but I got up later than you when we were hiking.”
She leans in and gives me a kiss. I grab a hold of her and bring her tight since I want more.
“Your friends were nice,” she says when we finally release our kiss. “Let me guess, you don’t bring too many women to any of Logan’s barbecues?”
“Good guess. Should I apologize to you?”
“I think you should apologize to the host for bringing an extra person.”
“Why? Logan always has plenty of food.”
She moves so her forearms are on my chest and she’s looking down at me. “Brody, that’s what people expect in our society. Please tell me you’re not that devoid of common social etiquette.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like one of my sisters.”
“Then you do know what you’re supposed to do, you just don’t want to do it.”
“It was an impromptu barbecue at Logan’s. He does this every month.”
“Does he live alone in that enormous house?”
“Hailey would love to move in, but I don’t see that happening.”
“Interesting.”
“What, other people’s lives?”
“No, your friends. If you had that kind of money, would you buy a crazy-big house like that and live in it all alone?”