Love Unexpected

by Q. B. Tyler

  “Maybe.” I shoot him a grin and take a sip from the water bottle.

  “That you are not using tonight,” Dominic interjects.

  “Hold up, Mr. Uptight knows you have a fake ID?” His eyes widen as he shoots a look of shock towards his brother and then back to me.

  “He knows I don’t drink. I got it so I could get a tattoo,” I explain with a shrug. I can feel Dominic’s eyes boring into the side of my face and I wonder if he thinks I’m going to reveal that I have a nipple ring too. Silly, jealous man.

  “Well, if we’re going to go out for dinner, I should get ready.” My eyes ping pong back and forth between them before making a swift exit to escape the iciness that had spread across the room. I’ve barely made it two steps when I see his text.

  Dominic: Do not touch yourself.

  * * *

  It took an hour of back and forth between Stassia and Seth for us to decide on the restaurant I had suggested first. It’s in D.C., which is a bit of a hike, but it’s worth it for some of the best Italian in the tri-state area. Also, I’m hoping that the D.C. nightlife might entice Seth into staying out to check out the crop and allow Stassia and me to leave because, of course, she wouldn’t be able to get in anywhere after a certain time and I would never let her worry about getting herself home late at night all by herself.

  It was the perfect plan. Now I just hope my baby brother doesn’t fuck it up.

  We are seated pretty quickly, thankfully and I’m pleased that it’s cooled down enough for us to sit outside. Stassia is wearing these high waisted black pants that tie around her waist with a black and white striped strapless shirt that shows way too much fucking skin for my liking. It’s taking everything in me to keep my eyes off of her while I have very inquisitive eyes on me, but it’s like she’s tempting me on purpose. I also haven’t missed the way Seth’s eyes raked over her in appreciation when she came down the stairs, and if he hadn’t averted his eyes as quickly as he did, I might have made them both fucking black.

  Seth insisted on ordering us a bottle of wine and two shots of tequila to start, and I’m more than a little irritated that it seems like he’s trying to get hammered while we’re out with Stassi. But there’s a plan and his alcohol consumption will help it move along a little faster.

  “Stassi, are you ready for school next year?” Seth asks as he takes a sip of the Malbec he’d ordered.

  “Yeah, I think.” She nods, before setting down her menu. I’m not sure why she’s even looking at it, she gets the same thing every time we come here—or go to any Italian restaurant for that matter—meat lasagna and then at least three bites of whatever it is I order. “I’m glad I decided not to go too far after all. So, I can look after this one here.” She points at me and smiles and I try not to hold too much stock in her words. I know as soon as she’s in college, I’ll become just a part of her past. The summer fling someone has before their life changes forever. I’m excited for her, of course, but I do feel a slight pang in my chest when I think about not seeing her every day.

  Not seeing her every day or not fucking her every day?

  I’m not sure of the answer to that question and now isn’t the time for that inner monologue especially when I spot Stassia pulling her hair over one shoulder and exposing her neck to me. She’s still glowing from the beach. Her brown skin is sun kissed and bronzed and making me want to lick the sunrays from it just as I’d done for three days.

  Fuck.

  I take a sip of my wine to try and snap myself out of the sinful path of my thoughts.

  “You’re going to have so much fun, Stassi; college is the best.”

  “It’s not all fun though. She needs to be studying,” I speak up, shooting her a look and then Seth.

  “Lighten up, Dad. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, she’ll do great.” Seth chastises me. He leans back in his chair and flashes Stassi a grin. I know without a doubt he’d never touch her, but I can’t help but feel like he’s being just a bit more playful than usual. I almost saw red when he came downstairs damn near shirtless. I don’t know that Stassi has any complaints about my body, but compared to a swimmer’s body, I can’t help but feel a little jealous that maybe she admired his physique.

  “Yeah, Dad.” Stassi giggles. “Relax.” I can hear the meaning behind her words. Can you stop being so tense? I’m not sure that’s exactly what she means, but the brush against my leg under the table and the light stroke down my calf has me thinking that it’s the point she’s trying to make.

  After we’ve ordered, Stassi gets up to go to the bathroom, and as soon as she’s no longer in earshot, Seth’s gaze shifts to me. “D,” he leans forward, “what the hell is up with you, man?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t ‘what’ me. You’ve been a complete dick all night. Well, really since I got here. What gives? I came here to see you and try and spend time with you and just be there for you after your terrible start to this year. This isn’t like you. Sure, you’re kind of moody and quiet sometimes, but you can usually open up with me. Is something going on?” He actually looks hurt, which makes me feel guilty that my brother is only trying to help and I’m taking out my sexual frustration on not being able to fuck Stassi on him.

  Though he does keep low key eye fucking her and that is pissing me off.

  I lean back and run a hand down my jaw and scratch at the stubble that’s a little more overgrown than I usually have it. “No, just…tired, I guess.”

  He seems to take my answer for the truth because his hard eyes soften slightly. “I know. God, I can’t imagine. I hate what the world has done to you. You don’t deserve it all. You’re a good man and you love hard. It’s fucked up that the universe takes them from you so viciously.”

  I clear my throat to prevent the emotion building in my chest from crawling into my voice. The thought that I haven’t properly mourned Angela flashes through my mind. While I mourned Tessa, I had a therapist and my brother was checking in on me four times a day. There had been a month-long binge where I did nothing but consume whiskey and pizza, and a list of other destructive behaviors while I grieved who had been the love of my life for so long. It wasn’t until I met Angela that I felt myself start to move on. She loved me through that pain, but it took a few years for me to even be ready for her.

  Losing Angela devastated me in a different way, but even I can see the differences in this mourning process. I smile more, I laugh more, I don’t feel bouts of depression or self-destructive thoughts. There were moments I felt I couldn’t breathe because I knew Tessa no longer walked the planet. I haven’t felt that yet about Angela.

  Fuck. What is wrong with me?

  Maybe I’d be feeling those things if I didn’t have Stassi—a woman that makes me smile and laugh—maybe I didn’t feel self-destructive because I know I have to be strong for her.

  Or maybe she’s healing me in the same way Angela did.

  So, what happens after we’re done?

  My thoughts are interrupted by Stassi returning to the table with bright red lips that were not there before she left. Thoughts of sliding my cock through those ruby red lips flash through my head and my cock immediately starts to rise under the table. It’s only made harder by the fact that she hasn’t looked at me since she sat back down and now has her lips wrapped around a straw.

  “Seth,” she says, breaking me from my thoughts, “there was a lady at the bar. She stopped me…” she holds a piece of paper between her fingers. “She wanted you to have this.”

  A wicked grin finds his lips as he reaches for it and she pulls it back out of his reach. “Ah ah ah. What are you going to do for this?”

  “Seriously? Come on, Stass. Give me. Wait, first, was she hot?”

  “I’d say so. She looked easy.” She shrugs.

  “Ha ha.” He mocks and even I let a laugh slip between my lips. I’m not sure what game Stassia is playing right now. If there is even a woman, if that is even her phone number, but I’m willing to play alo
ng with any plan she has if it gets us alone.

  “She says she’s about to meet some friends at a bar around the corner.” She shrugs. “I told her I’m not old enough to get in and that she knew the bouncer to get me in. I mean…if you need your wingman,” she says as her eyes glance over at me.

  Not. Part. Of. The. Plan. Stassia.

  “I don’t want you going to a bar, Stassi.” I voice my opinion that thankfully won’t raise any suspicion.

  “Oh, come on. They’ll probably slap an under twenty-one wrist band on her or something so she can’t order alcohol.”

  “Not the point.”

  “Look, you can hash out the details with her. She might still be there; she was nursing a cocktail when she stopped me,” Stassi interjects.

  “So, wait, what did she say, and are you sure she meant me and not this one?” He rolls his eyes. “Not that there’s any comparison.” He jokes as he points at himself and then at me. “I mean come on, am I right?”

  “Uhhh.” Stassi cocks her head to the side before looking at me and then at him. “I don’t think I want to answer that question.” She giggles. “I’m trying to convince him to buy me a car, after all.” She looks at me and smiles. “I think you’re the most handsome man in all the land,” She says with exaggeration and a giggle, but I hope somewhere inside of her she actually feels that way. “She’s blonde, her name is Rachel, and she’s wearing a red jumpsuit. You can’t miss her.”

  Seth nods and grabs her shoulder as he stands. “Good lookin’ out, Stass. Be right back.”

  I look over my shoulder to make sure he’s gone before I turn back to her. “Absolutely not.”

  “Come on, it’ll be fun!” She puts her hands under her chin and sticks her bottom lip out. That red fucking bottom lip.

  “I shouldn’t give you shit since you put that lipstick on to tempt me.” I glare at her, though I hope she can see the playfulness in my eyes.

  She throws her head back and lets out a hearty laugh, putting a hand over her chest and drawing my eyes back to her skin. “So, you like it then?” She leans forward and puts a hand under her chin before shooting me a sexy wink. “I can’t wait to see it all over your dick later.”

  “And you won’t let us leave Seth, why? Also, is the woman even real?” I whisper as I lean forward as well.

  “Of course, she’s real,” she says looking around me assumedly to make sure Seth isn’t coming back. “It was actually pretty ironic that she stopped me. I think she wanted to make sure I wasn’t with him or anything because she was going to send a drink over but didn’t want to offend me.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I was banging the other guy at the table, of course.” She smiles and my heart almost flies out of my chest, when she rolls her eyes. I let out a sigh of relief when I realize she’s kidding. “Really? I said he was my stepfather’s brother and that he’s only in town for the weekend and she lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.” She shakes her head and scrunches her nose. “I swear, I heard her panties drop. Homegirl needs to close her legs and open a Bible.” She giggles. “I don’t know, I just can’t ever see myself being someone who just fucks anyone with a dick. She’s never even spoken to him and she’s already planning to go home with him.” She shrugs and shakes her head, shaking her dark curls over her shoulders. “Wait! Before he comes back, can we please go? Like an hour tops.”

  “Stass…” I look her over yet again, from her dark wavy hair, past her sweet face, down her slim body, and tiny waist and know without a doubt I’ll probably beat the fuck out of anyone that looks at her sideways. “I don’t think I trust myself not to lose it with you at a bar. I could barely control myself with that knucklehead Carter and now you want to dangle yourself in front of grown ass men?”

  “I don’t want to dangle…I want to skulk off to a dark corner with you and make out.” She raises her eyebrows up and down. “And maybe if it’s crowded enough we can dance.”

  “With Seth at the same club?”

  “Fine, we tell him we’re going to go and then we disappear to go fuck in the car. If he calls you to find out where we are, you say it was loud and I didn’t feel well so we are waiting in the car or something. But at least by then we would have fooled around.”

  I cock my head to the side because the plan is actually pretty perfect. Not the making out in plain sight but the sneaking out for a quickie. We’d parked on a side street that never saw a bunch of traffic unless people were parking.

  “Okay Plan B works.”

  She claps her hands together and I can see the sparkle in her eye at having gotten her way. “Perfect.”

  * * *

  The walk to the bar is quick, which is perfect because it means the walk back to the car won’t be too long. Seth and Rachel seem to be hitting it off pretty well, and Dominic and I are a few steps behind them. Every once in a while our fingers brush against each other and I feel a rush of excitement move through me. Dominic and I haven’t been intimate in a week except for the rushed interaction earlier today and my body is dying to return to that place of intimacy. I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly dry as I think about his cock in my mouth just as I’d promised.

  “The things I’m going to do with that tongue later.” He leans down and growls in my ear and I briefly look forward to make sure they’re still in their own world before turning back to Dominic.

  “The same things I plan to do with yours?” I sass and he raises an eyebrow at me. Dominic looks insanely delicious tonight and I can’t wait to claim him later after watching women ogle him all night. I never really noticed all of the female attention Dominic receives. Or maybe I did, and it didn’t bother me. I’m not sure, but from our waitress to at least three women in the restaurant, Dominic Callahan did not go unnoticed. He is wearing black jeans and a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms, which is my favorite look on a man. I’m not sure if during one of our love drunk induced conversations in Charleston I’d mentioned it because he looked like Stassia Vale’s fantasy come to life.

  Well, he had been a fantasy of mine once upon a time.

  “I can feel you staring at me,” he mumbles and I laugh before turning forward again.

  “You’re so fucking sexy it drives me crazy,” I tell him and his eyes meet mine as we continue walking down the semi-crowded street.

  “You think I drive you crazy now, just wait until I get my tongue on your clit.” I almost choke at his words. Words he says so nonchalantly, like he hasn’t just set a fire between my legs.

  “Oh my God.” I let out a shaky breath and try my best to continue walking effortlessly on the wedges I’d chosen. I glare at him slightly out of the corner of my eye and he seems quite pleased with himself. “Dick,” I mumble.

  “You’ll get it soon, baby. Promise.”

  Rachel is right, and I get in easily enough, especially once she tells her bouncer friend that I definitely won’t be drinking. He stamps my hand with a different stamp just to cover his bases I guess, and ushers me along without another word. Rachel is adamant that Dominic and I have to come to the table that her friends have reserved for the night, and while I wanted to sneak off to get my plan underway, I know I have to play it cool so as to not set off any red flags for Seth.

  What I do not expect, however, is a very pretty brunette that is probably much closer to Dominic’s age and also not his very off-limits stepdaughter to be seated at the table. There is another woman there as well, but she seems to be preoccupied with one of the two men, and my guess is she’s not available. Or maybe this one has already called dibs on ‘Seth’s hot brother.’

  Fuck. I did not think this through.

  After introductions and a list of names I don’t even hear, I realize they are probably expecting us to sit down.

  Luckily, it’s a half booth, and it seems like it will be difficult for us to all squeeze, so Dominic speaks up before anyone can suggest how to create more room. “I’ll get a bottle for the table,
any suggestions?”

  “Oh, I got it,” Seth interjects, probably trying to flex for Rachel. “Let’s go see what they have.” The three of us make our way towards the bar; thankfully, no one offers to come with us. “Dana seems pretty nice; you should talk to her.”

  “Who’s Dana?” Dominic asks, and in this moment, even though I know he’s full of shit and does remember her name because he pays attention when anyone speaks, my heart flutters a bit in my chest.

  “Rachel’s friend! Come on, dude. She’s really pretty and Rachel says she’s single, has a good job, no kids, she just bought a house…” he starts.

  “I am not interested in anything like that right now. I told you.” He puts a hand up to stop him from continuing down his list.

  Seth looks at me and then rolls his eyes before turning towards the bar. “Will you talk to him?”

  “I mean, it’s not that unheard of for a widower to not be ready to jump back in after two months. And you’re describing her as someone to have a relationship with. If you were just trying to get him laid, you would have led with ‘fantastic head game’ or ‘yoga instructor’ or I don’t know ‘pierced nipples.’” I throw that last one in just for fun and Dominic’s eyes flash to mine and then to my chest.

  “Okay fair.” Seth laughs as he raises his arm to wave down a bartender. “You could at least talk to her.”

  “I’m not interested in entertaining someone while my stepdaughter watches. I’m good.” He tells him and I want to add, and the woman he’s banging!

  Seth hands me a glass of water and sighs. “Oh my God, Stassi does not care!” He looks at me and I look up and then back at him.

  “It’s kind of weird. He was married to my mother.” And I’m going to hell for using that one.