They were alone, technically. Bryn had mysteriously disappeared, and before that, they’d been the only two in this part of the building. But she knew what he meant, and she wanted the same thing.
He took her hand and led her out of her office, turning off the light and closing the door for her. With her fingers woven with his, she followed him to the elevator, almost afraid to look at him. If she did, she might combust with the ferocity of her need for him.
When the elevator door opened on the first floor, she saw that Cris had parked his Tesla in the loading zone, not that, on a Saturday, he would’ve been ticketed. He knew this, even though he wasn’t at Stanford anymore.
Her place, which used to be his place, was closer, and Ainsley knew that’s where he’d go. There was no reason for him to ask.
He parked in her spot, since her car was still at the Kensey building, and came around to open her door, holding out his hand to help her out of the car.
She checked her jacket pockets and rummaged through her bag before she remembered she’d left her keys in her desk drawer.
“It’s okay. I have mine.”
Cris pulled his keys out of his pocket and opened the door, letting her walk through first.
Once the door was closed behind them, Ainsley shrugged her jacket off and threw it on the back of the dining room chair.
“Come with me.” Cris held out his hand and pulled Ainsley into the bedroom, and then down on the bed, next to him, nuzzling her neck with full lips too perfect to be bestowed on a man.
It wasn’t just his lips; everything about him was beautiful. He’d tell her how he loved staring into her bright blue eyes, but his mossy green ones, with flecks of cinnamon and gold, turned her brain to putty.
“Let your hair down, Ains,” he whispered, pulling out the clip that held her long, untamable strands of muted pumpkin-colored hair that hung down past her waist. Each time she’d threaten to trim its length, Cris talked her out of it.
“You’re wearing too many clothes,” he said, grasping the bottom of her sweatshirt and easing it over her head while she focused on shimmying out of the yoga pants she’d worn to the office, thinking no one else would see her today. When her clothes were off, she watched as Cris reached behind him and pulled his shirt over his head, baring the hardness of his torso. Ainsley ran her hands over his skin while he unfastened first his belt, and then his jeans, letting them fall to the floor along with his boxer briefs.
Ainsley rolled with him as he covered her body with his, and then licked the tip of his finger when he ran the pad of it over her plump bottom lip. He scattered kisses on her neck, and then trailed down her body with his tongue.
“Ainsley. Sweet Ainsley,” he murmured as she shivered under his masterful touch. “Do you know how much I love you? It’s why I can’t hide anymore. I won’t hide anymore.”
She couldn’t marry his words with the way his hands and mouth tormented her. Her body instinctively arched to him, as it had since the first time he’d played her naked body like a tightly-strung fiddle.
Ainsley rested her hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “Stop, Cris.”
He raised his head and looked into her eyes, not moving, waiting for her to speak.
“I don’t want to hide anymore either,” she told him, running her fingers through the natural curls of his hair.
Cris turned his head and rested his cheek against her belly. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. “It’s time. I’m ready.”
He put her bags in the back of his car and held her door open. “I have to stop on the way and pick up my tux.”
Ainsley nodded. Her dress was already at her parents’ house. She’d picked it up the same day she picked up the dress she wore for her brother Brodie’s wedding on Thanksgiving.
It was hard to believe that on Christmas Eve, all three of her brothers would be married, or that two months ago, they’d all been single. There had been times Ainsley doubted any of them would ever marry. Especially Maddox.
Mad and Alex had been together a lot longer than she and Cris, and kept it a secret, although not a very closely guarded one. It had taken twenty years before they admitted to each other, and to their families, that they were in love. There’d been rumors about them being together for years, though.
The difference between their relationship and the one she had with Cris was that there’d never been gossip about them. No one had any idea that they’d secretly been together since shortly after Ainsley turned twenty-one.
For six years, they’d hidden their relationship, never being around each other’s families or spending holidays together. They’d even gone as far as driving separate cars when they visited Paso Robles at the same time.
Today all of that would change. Whether she was ready for it or not, Ainsley knew that, if she wanted to be a part of Cris’ life, she had to set aside her fear and tell her family that she’d been lying to them for years.
“We’ll go to Los Cab first,” Cris said once they’d made the turn onto Adelaida Trail.
She agreed with that strategy. If they told Alex first, and she was on their side, she’d get everyone else to fall in line. That hinged on Alex being there instead of at Butler Ranch, though.
Cris reached over and held her hand. “I called and asked her to meet me there,” he said, as though he could read her mind.
“Good,” she murmured, looking out the window as they drove past the same vineyards that had lined this road all of her life. Today her world would change, and either way it went, those vineyards would remain, not like the ones at Butler Ranch that had burned.
If felt as though everything in her life was changing. Her brothers were getting married, and Maddox was moving out of his house on Butler Ranch, and to the property he and Naughton had inherited from Kade. Soon Naughton and Bradley would probably move into the main house, while her parents would take one of the smaller houses that wouldn’t be so hard for them to maintain. Brodie and Peyton were moving even farther away, to their new house near Avila Beach.
Her life with Cris had changed, too. A few months ago, he’d left his position as a staff physician at Stanford Medical Center to become the chief medical officer for Geneco, a research-based corporation, whose mission was to understand and influence the genetic basis of aging. While the company was based in Palo Alto, he’d had to sign the lease on his campus apartment over to Ainsley.
When she came back from Naughton’s wedding, he’d moved all his stuff out. This morning was the first time she’d seen the studio apartment he’d been living in since their breakup.
It dawned on Ainsley that Cris had said me. “Does Alex know I’ll be with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said ‘me,’ not ‘us’.”
“If I had asked my sister to meet both of us at Los Cab, don’t you think she would’ve asked why? You know Alex; she would’ve been like a dog with a bone.”
“Right. Makes sense.”
Cris squeezed her hand. “This was my idea. Remember? I’m the one who’s been pushing for us to come clean.”
Come clean? Like what they’d been doing was dirty?
“Stop it.” Cris’ tone was harsh, but when she turned to look at him, he was smiling. “Ainsley, please.”
“Please, what?”
“You’re an adult, and so am I. Why do you think anyone will even care when they find out we’re together?”
“We’ve talked about this.”
“You’ve talked. I’ve disagreed.”
That made her smile. Every time they’d argued about “coming clean,” as he put it, he had disagreed with what he called her “paranoia.”
“It’s going to be fine, Ains. Trust me.” He squeezed her hand again. He’d done it so much, it was starting to hurt. “Close your eyes and meditate for a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Doc.” It was typical advice from Doctor Alternative-Medicine-Balance-Your-Chi Avila. He was all about things like acupuncture, cupping, and meditation; n
ot as a replacement for traditional medicine, but definitely as an enhancement.
Cris believed that people could, one day, live to be five-hundred, or even older. All he needed to do was figure out the science, or guide his research team to figure it out. He wasn’t the only one who believed it was possible. Even before Geneco finalized their initial operating plan, they’d been given five-hundred-million dollars by a venture capitalist firm.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed each of her fingertips. “Relax, baby. You’re wound so tight.”
Ainsley rolled her shoulders, trying to work out the tension that had settled there.
“There you go,” he coaxed. The man had an arsenal of relaxation methodologies. Some she preferred more than others, mainly the ones that required them both to be naked and touching each other’s bodies. If only they could have some time alone before going to his mother’s house or to her parents’. Wait a minute.
“Cris, where are we staying?”
“I’m not sure yet, but it will work itself out.” Instead of just her fingers, Cris brought her palm to his mouth and kissed it as though he was kissing her lips.
“You better sort it out if you intend to keep doing things like that with your tongue.”
The smoldering look he gave her made Ainsley wonder if they could just skip their visit to Los Cab and find a hotel room in town. If he asked her opinion, that’s what she’d suggest.
“She’s here,” Cris said, almost absentmindedly, but distinctly relieved.
“Were you worried she wouldn’t be?”
He shook his head. “I’m just glad she wasn’t late.”
When they pulled up in front of the house Cris grew up in, and where his mother now lived alone, Ainsley noticed, maybe for the first time, the enormity of the Spanish-style house with an arcaded front and stuccoed walls.
“Do you know that I’ve never been inside of this house?”
“I don’t know when you would’ve had occasion to be.”
Cris parked in the circular drive and came around to open her door. When she climbed out, Ainsley saw Alex coming through one of the arches. She must’ve been waiting for them on the porch.
“Hoo-wee,” she shouted, walking around the Tesla. “That car is almost as pretty as the girl you had riding in it.” Alex walked over to hug Ainsley. “How are you, girlfriend?”
“I’m good, thanks. How are you? Maddox driving you crazy yet?”
“Your brother has been driving me crazy for a couple decades, Ainsley.” Alex laughed. “But about the wedding, no. He’s been great.”
“Put me to work now that I’m finally here. What can your slacker-bridesmaid do to help?”
Cris walked over and put his arm around Ainsley’s shoulders.
“Day-um, you two look good together.” Alex slugged Cristobal. “How come you’ve never asked this pretty girl out? She’s been living right under your nose for…how long? I’ve lost track. Ainsley, how long have you been at Stanford now?”
“Uh…nine years, or so,” Ainsley mumbled and stole a quick glance at Cris, who also happened to be looking at her. She could feel the heat spread from her neck up onto her face. There was nothing she could do to stop it. When she was embarrassed, the world knew it.
She and Cris both looked back at Alex, who had her hand over her mouth.
Cris kissed Ainsley’s forehead. “Good idea, Al. Maybe I should do that.”
“Oh…my…God.”
Ainsley was still waiting for Alex to say more, but Cris was smiling from ear-to-ear.
“This is why we never see you two together.”
Ainsley scrunched her eyebrows.
“Oh…my…God,” she said again. “It’s so obvious.”
“Thought it was about time we came out of the closet, so to speak,” Cris said to his sister.
“About time?” Alex turned to Ainsley. “How long has it been?”
“Uh…six years, or so.” Ainsley wanted to crawl back in Cris’ car and rewind the last twenty minutes. In her time-travel version, she’d have him drop her off at Butler Ranch before coming to Los Cab.
“I’m the first person you’ve told.”
It wasn’t a question, but Ainsley and Cris nodded anyway, and Alex rubbed her hands together.
“This is going to be fun. And I’m glad you picked me. I mean, it’s obvious why you did. Who’s gonna say a word about you keeping this a secret to me—the queen of secret relationships.” Alex pulled Ainsley by the hand, toward the front door. “Come on, let’s go tell Mama.”
They found Mrs. Avila in the kitchen when they went inside.
“Mama, you know Ainsley Butler, right?”
“Of course I do.” Cris and Alex’s mother dropped the spoon she’d been using to stir something on the stove, wiped her hands on her apron, and opened her arms to give Ainsley a hug. Lucia put her palm on Ainsley’s cheek and looked into her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, sweetheart.”
She felt so silly when her eyes filled with tears. It was a stupid reaction, but one she had no control over. Here, Mrs. Avila was being so nice to her, and she was the one who had insisted they continue lying to their families. No wonder Cris had wanted to break things off with her.
She tried to blink away her tears. “Thank you, Mrs. Avila.”
“What’s this? Why are you crying? And please, call me Lucia.”
Ainsley shook her head, knowing if she said anything else, she’d probably cry harder. Lucia reached behind her and picked up the wooden spoon from the counter, and whacked Cris with it.
“Ow! What was that for?” he exclaimed.
“What a beautiful girl, and this is the first time you bring her to see your mama? What’s wrong with you?”
Alex started to laugh, and soon Ainsley did too.
Cris looked baffled until he realized his mother had immediately picked up on what was going on.
“I hope everyone reacts the way you both have,” she murmured.
Lucia took her hand and led her to a chair by the kitchen table. “Sit. I want to talk to you.”
When Alex and Cris followed, Lucia shooed them off. “I want to talk to Ainsley. Go on, now.”
Alex shrugged at Cris, but they both left the kitchen.
“Listen to me. Are you listening?”
Ainsley nodded.
“The past is long gone, mija. God rest my Alfonso’s soul, but what he did to our families…” She shook her head. “Such an awful waste.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Avila. My father was just as much to blame, though.”
“Lucia. Or Mama. Either will work fine for me. Although Sorcha…well, that’s okay. You call her Ma, no?”
Ainsley smiled and nodded.
“Anyway, I don’t think your parents would’ve let it go on so long.”
“I don’t know…”
Lucia patted Ainsley’s hand. “He’s quite a catch, my Cristobal. But he is the one who has gotten the better prize.”
“Thank you.” Ainsley felt her cheeks heating again, but at least she’d stopped crying.
“Do you love him?”
Ainsley nodded again. “I do. Very much.”
“Good. Because he loves you more. A lot more.”
“How do you know that?” Ainsley didn’t doubt Cris loved her, but was curious why Lucia said what she did.
“A madre knows, mija. Wait until you go and see Sorcha. She’ll tell you.”
“I’m not worried about my parents as much as…”
“Ah, your brothers.” Lucia stood and put her hands on her hips. “All I can say is your timing is very, very good.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because they’re all so in love.” Lucia rolled her eyes and twirled her index finger in the air. “They’re crazy with it.”
Ainsley laughed, and so did Lucia.
Alex stuck her head inside the kitchen. “What’s going on in here?”
Lucia pointed at Alex. “She’s loca, too. Everybody is these days. No
weddings for a hundred years, and everybody gets married in a month.”
“It’s more than a month, Mama,” said Alex.
Lucia’s eyes got wide, and she looked between Ainsley and Alex. Just then, Cris stuck his head in the kitchen, too.
“Maybe there’s another wedding?”
“No…no.” Ainsley stuttered. “It’s just that we…you know…with Maddox and Alex…and both of us…in the wedding.”
Lucia elbowed Alex. “You make sure she catches the bouquet, yes?”
11
“You don’t have to go with us,” Cris told Alex while she walked them out to his car.
“First of all, I was going there anyway. And second, I’m not going with you; you’re following me.” Alex snatched Cris’ key fob from his hand. “Mine are in the car.” She pointed to her BMW parked not too far from the Tesla.
“Uh, no.” Cris protested, but Alex just laughed at him. “It’s only a couple miles. What can I do to it in a couple miles?”
Cris glared at her and approached Ainsley. He held both her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “This one will be harder on me than you, Ains.”
“We don’t—”
He kissed her as if he knew she was going to tell him they didn’t have to do this now. But, it would be best to just get it over with, especially since Alex was going to be with them.
What Ainsley thought was a kiss just to shut her up turned into something so much more when Cris backed her up against his car.
What the man could do with his lips and tongue was a marvel. If Alex weren’t watching them, Ainsley would wrap her legs around his waist and let him ravish her all he wanted.
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Thank you, Ainsley. I know this wasn’t easy for you. It means a lot to me that you’re doing this.”
“I love you, Cris.”
“Not as much as I love you. Not even close.”
Ainsley’s brow furrowed again. “Why do you say that? Your mother said it, too.”
“Just look at yourself, Ains. You’re the most beautiful woman in the valley. Maybe even in the universe. You’re smart, you’re funny, and you can definitely hold your own with my sister.” Cris leaned down to look at Alex, who was smiling at him from the driver’s seat. “And just about nobody can do that.”
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