“Anything else you need?” he asked and pulled it off the bed.
“Alcohol. A lot of alcohol.”
“It’s probably best we don’t drink a lot of alcohol,” he warned. “We don’t want to slip and do something that lands us in trouble.”
“You’re right. I have to do this stone-cold sober.”
He chuckled and carried my suitcase out of the room. “It’s not like you’re facing a jury trial. It’s Thanksgiving. We eat, hang out, and have fun. You’ve done it before. You can do it again.”
Twenty minutes later, we had our coffees and snacks and were sitting on the freeway with all the other holiday travelers who opted to wait until Thursday morning to travel. I could sense his irritation. He had wanted to leave last night, but I stalled. I didn’t want to stay an extra night if we didn’t have to. I convinced him with sex. It was lowdown and dirty, but he didn’t seem to mind too much that I seduced him into staying home with me one more night.
I reached over and put my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry I’ve been dragging my feet on this,” I told him.
“It’s okay.”
“I like this and I don’t want to upset the balance,” I explained.
“Lily, I get it,” he said. “I feel the same way. No one is going to know. I’m sure you’re going to be swept up with Tamlyn and the other women and my dad and cousins are going to make me watch football. We’ll barely see each other. No one is going to suspect anything. We’ve done this at least ten times before. Don’t feel guilty or you’re going to look guilty.”
“You’re right,” I said.
When we got to his family’s home, it was just as I remembered it. There were already several cars parked along the street, including Tamlyn’s. We didn’t even get out of the car before the front door opened and his family started pouring out to greet us. I was hugged, squeezed, patted, and even pinched for the next fifteen minutes.
“Let’s get a drink,” Tamlyn declared with her arm around me as she led me inside.
Thomas had already been dragged to the garage by a cousin to see a drone he had. I relaxed a little. This was how it always was. I accepted the punch spiked with liquor and hung out in the kitchen with the women.
“How’s school?” Mrs. James asked.
“Good. Difficult, but I’m looking forward to the end of this school thing.”
“I bet,” she sympathized. “Your mother would be so proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
“How is it living with my son?” she asked with a smile.
“He’s been an excellent landlord.” I laughed. “Especially considering I don’t pay rent. I’m the squatter living in his spare bedroom, but he treats me very well. He’s really helped me out.”
“He’s a good boy,” she said proudly.
“Oh no,” Tamlyn groaned. “Here we go again. It’s about to be the Thomas parade. Let’s go out back and you can tell me all about the men in Austin.”
This was the part I had been dreading. We went outside and sat on the patio with the big heater between us. “Okay, you’re acting weird,” I told her. “Are you seeing someone?” I was turning the tables. I was putting the spotlight on her instead of letting her put it on me.
“Actually, I am,” she said with a bright smile.
“What!” I exclaimed. “When? You didn’t tell me!”
“I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I think he could actually be a boyfriend.”
“Holy shit,” I exclaimed. “That’s big. Who is he? Where did you meet him?”
“He’s a baseball player,” she said. “We met at a party. Technically, I met him a couple of months ago but I didn’t think it was going anywhere. He was on the road, and we texted. Then he came back and we’ve been seeing each other. We have a lot in common. He makes me laugh.”
“Did you invite him to dinner?”
She made a choking sound. “No! I am not going to ruin a good thing by bringing him home too soon. He’ll run the other direction if he met this wild bunch.”
I laughed. “That’s true. You might want to ease him into this.”
The door opened and Thomas and his cousin came out. “What are you guys doing out here?” Thomas asked.
“We’re hiding,” Tamlyn answered.
“Girl talk,” I replied.
Thomas looked at me a second too long before I pulled my gaze away. “What are you guys doing out here?” Tamlyn asked.
“Hiding from Dad,” Thomas said with a laugh. “The Cowboys are playing. You know how he feels about them.”
Tamlyn groaned and held her head. “He’s going to be in such a bad mood.”
I found myself watching Thomas. He had a beer in his hand and looked relaxed with one hand in his pocket. “Do you need another drink?” he asked.
“I’m good,” I said.
“Look at you,” Tamlyn cooed. “You’re being so nice. Are you going to ask me if I want another drink?”
“Nope.”
The two of them walked back into the house. Tamlyn turned to me. “Are you guys really getting along?” she asked. “I sense tension.”
“We get along just fine. There’s no tension.”
“Are you sure?” she questioned. “I know he can be a little obnoxious.”
“I swear, he’s a perfect gentleman. We have a very easy relationship. It’s a good setup. I’m so grateful you suggested it. I can’t believe I almost passed up the offer. I live in a beautiful place and don’t have to worry about much of anything.”
“Thank goodness,” she exclaimed. “I’m glad it’s all working out.”
We spent the next couple of hours casually dancing around each other before it was time to sit down to the massive meal. The table had been extended with card tables and some folding chairs to make room for everyone. Somehow, Thomas got situated beside me. Under the table, his hand reached over and rested on my thigh.
I pretended nothing was happening. Throughout dinner, we touched hands and there were even some footsies happening under the table. After dinner, I helped clear the table. I was in the pantry looking for the plastic wrap when I felt a hand on my ass. I spun around to find Thomas had squeezed into the small space. His body pressed mine against the shelves as he kissed me. I should have told him not to do it, but damn if I wasn’t hungry for his kiss as well.
He stepped back, grinned, and walked out of the pantry. I was left stunned and turned on at the same time. It was a drive-by kiss that left me weak in the knees. I turned around and faced the shelves. “What the hell am I looking for?”
“Talking to yourself?” Tamlyn said from behind me as she put a few boxes of crackers on the shelf.
I jumped. “You scared me!”
“You’re in the pantry. Are you expecting a bad guy to rush in here?”
“I don’t remember what I’m looking for,” I said.
“You’re in a turkey coma,” she said.
“Gah, I’m so full,” I groaned. “Plastic wrap. That’s what I’m looking for.”
I found it, grabbed it, and escaped the pantry before any other unexpected visitors could show up. Thomas was in the kitchen with his mom. Her back was to us. He shot me a smile before jerking his head toward the stairs. I widened my eyes and shook my head. He popped out his bottom lip in the cutest little pout.
“Do you need anything else?” I asked Mrs. James.
Thomas nodded his head with his mom completely oblivious to what he was doing. He reached down and cupped his crotch. “Yes,” he mouthed.
I felt myself blushing. He was going to get us caught. She turned around and smiled. “No. You go sit down with the kids and relax. You have done plenty.”
She glanced over at Thomas, who looked as innocent as could be. “Me too?” he asked.
She frowned at him. “What were you doing?”
“What? Nothing. I’m just standing here.”
She didn’t look like she believed him. “Get out of here.”
“I’ll take y
our bag upstairs,” Thomas said.
My bag was already upstairs. “Thanks,” I said with confusion.
He grinned and left the kitchen. I followed him upstairs. He grabbed me and pulled me into his bedroom. “What are you doing?” I hissed.
“I can’t be around you and not touch you,” he whispered. He kissed me again. His hands roamed over my body. I touched him everywhere I could reach as well. I was starving for him. It was so hard to be around him and not touch him.
“I better get back downstairs before Tamlyn comes looking for me,” I breathed.
“Has she said anything?” he asked.
“No. I don’t think she has a clue, but she’s going to if we don’t be careful.”
“I need you,” he groaned and grabbed my hand. He put it against the bulge in his jeans. “I don’t think I can get through this day without being inside you at least once.”
“We said we would be good,” I reminded him. “It’s just a few days.”
“It may as well be an eternity.”
I gave him a quick kiss. “Hang in there. We’ll save it all up for when we get home.”
“My balls are going to be so blue,” he complained. “I’m going to explode.”
“I’m sorry,” I said and left his bedroom.
34
Thomas
I watched her laughing and talking with my mom, aunts, and Tamlyn. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She looked carefree. She looked like she was really having fun. We had both been nervous about coming back, but it was fine. No one suspected anything.
But I was dying. I needed her. I was spoiled and used to being able to touch her whenever I wanted. I missed being able to kiss her whenever the urge arose. I didn’t want to do this like this. I wanted to be with Lily and I wanted everyone to know. At least be aware. I didn’t want the opinions, but I wanted to be able to look at my girlfriend when I wanted.
She was perfect for me. My family loved her and she loved them. We could make this work. This was something we should be able to do. Tamlyn would get on board with it eventually. I knew my mom would be thrilled to have Lily be a real part of our family. She was basically her second daughter as it was now. We could come home for the holidays and anniversaries and be together. We could sleep in the same bedroom without worrying about keeping up appearances for not just us, but anyone that happened to pop in unannounced—Tamlyn.
She must have sensed me looking. She glanced over and gave me a small smile. That was it. I had to have her. I looked around the room and devised a plan. I only needed her for five minutes. A quickie to take the edge off would make this all so much easier. I should have pulled over somewhere before we came home.
My bedroom was about the only place we could get privacy. The bathroom upstairs might work as well. Now, I just had to figure out how to get her up there without anyone noticing the two of us were gone. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I mumbled and got up from the couch.
Unlike the women, the guys weren’t all that invested in conversation. My dad had turned on an old John Wayne movie and they were all focused on it. I quietly moved to the stairs and looked over my shoulder once. As expected, Lily was watching me. I very, very subtly nodded upstairs before going up. I would wait for her. Hopefully, she could find a way to extract herself.
I sat on the edge of the twin bed in my old room. I looked around at the mostly bare walls and remembered sitting in this exact same spot so many times throughout my life. Back then, I had always wondered if I would ever be happy. I would get into a funk and convince myself I would never find a girlfriend or be happy. Sitting here now, waiting for my gorgeous woman to join me in my room for a quickie was very satisfying. If only I could go back to my younger self and promise there were good things to come.
Suddenly, Lily appeared with a bundle of clothes in her arms. She closed the door and dropped the clothes to the floor. She started to strip. “Hurry,” she hissed.
“What are we doing?” I asked and followed her lead. I kicked off my shoes and quickly undid my jeans. If she was getting naked, I was getting naked.
“I told them I wanted to change into my fat pants,” she whispered. “I figure we’ve got five minutes before they suspect anything.”
I grinned and kicked off my jeans as she walked toward me, naked from the waist down. “Five minutes is all I need.”
I grabbed her and squeezed her bare ass as I jerked her lower body against mine. My mouth slammed against hers. Her hands were sliding up my shirt with her nails raking over my skin. “I want you,” she murmured. “You’re killing me with the looks out there.”
I chuckled and dragged her to my bed. We flopped down and immediately decided that was not an option. The bed creaked and groaned under the weight. “Shit,” I said and pulled her up. “Floor?”
She pulled the blanket from my bed and spread it out. “I’m not about to get rug burns.”
“Good plan,” I said.
She dropped to the floor with her knees bent and open as she propped herself up on her elbows. I stared down at her feeling a little shellshocked. I was always taken aback by her beauty. I especially loved when she was willing to be naked and exposed to my view. She didn’t hold back. She didn’t shy away from me. She never insisted we leave the lights off. I got the feeling she liked seeing me as much as I liked seeing her.
“Babe, we’re on a bit of a schedule here,” she said.
“Sorry, but if you knew how delectable you looked sitting there like that…”
She playfully opened her legs a little wider. “Tick tock.”
I quickly sprang into action. I grabbed a condom from my bag and slid it on. I dropped to my knees in front of her and pushed her knees open more. I reached for her, sliding my fingers over her already wet pussy, and smiled. “You’ve been thinking about me.”
Her head dropped back. “If you don’t do this, I’m going to have to do it myself,” she groaned. “Please. Hurry.”
I couldn’t resist a little foreplay and slipped my finger inside her. Her pussy walls tightened around my finger as I probed in and out. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I positioned myself to take her, praying no one came busting through the door.
I pushed inside her and paused. We both let out a sigh of relief. Her head came forward and her eyes locked on mine. “I’ve been waiting for that.”
“Me too,” I whispered before kissing her.
I moved slowly inside her. I didn’t dare fuck her like I wanted to. My bedroom was directly over the dining room. I couldn’t risk them hearing and running upstairs to investigate. I had to take it slow, but it was just as good. It was better than good.
Her hand reached up and grabbed my bicep. She squeezed as her release slammed into her. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. I kissed her to swallow any moans that managed to escape. I found my own release, gently rocking and forcing myself to keep my own cries of pleasure to a soft mewling sound.
I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek once we were both finished and jumped up. I reached down to help her to her feet. “Better?” I asked her with a grin.
She sighed and reached for the pile of clothes she carried into my room. “So much better. It’s going to be so hard to sleep across the hall tonight and not be able to see you.”
“Don’t I know it,” I said and quickly started to dress.
I grabbed the blanket from the floor and tossed it on my bed haphazardly. She had just pulled on her jogger pants when we heard footsteps. “Oh shit,” she hissed.
She grabbed the clothes she’d been wearing and shoved them under my bed about a second before Tamlyn knocked on my door. “Tommy?” she called out.
I rolled my eyes. “What?”
“Is Lily in there?”
It wasn’t like Lily could jump out the window. Tamlyn had obviously already checked her room. Lily looked at me. I waited for her to tell me what to do. She grabbed my toothbrush from the dresser and opened my bedroom door.
“I’m r
ight here,” she said and held up the toothbrush. “I had to get my toothbrush. I helped Thomas pack and accidentally put mine in his bag.”
Tamlyn looked confused. “Oh. Okay. Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” I said. “She was getting her toothbrush. I was trying to take a little nap, but I guess that isn’t going to happen.”
Tamlyn rolled her eyes. “You’re so old. You don’t take naps.”
“I’m going to brush my teeth,” Lily said and quickly escaped.
I wasn’t sure Tamlyn bought the story, but if she didn’t, she wasn’t letting on. “Come on,” Tamlyn said. “They’re serving dessert.”
I groaned and put my hand on my stomach. “Didn’t we just eat?”
“You know you have to eat dessert. Grammy made her famous pecan pie.”
“I hate pecan pie,” I complained.
“But she thinks you love it, which is why she makes it every year. Suck it up, buttercup. Get your ass downstairs. No sneaking off and napping. That’s not fair.”
“Ha!” I exclaimed. “I knew it. You’re jealous that I almost got a nap.”
“Get your ass downstairs,” she said and left the room. I looked around before leaving and saw the condom wrapper lying on the floor in front of my nightstand. “Shit,” I muttered and quickly picked it up.
Had Tamlyn seen it? I hoped not. That might be tough to explain. I caught a glimpse of Lily in Tamlyn’s room across the hall. “She’s gone,” I said.
She looked over her shoulder. “She is?”
“Yes. It’s time for dessert.”
“Do you think she suspects anything?” she asked nervously.
“I don’t think so,” I said. I would keep the condom wrapper incident to myself. “Can I have my toothbrush back?”
She laughed. “Sorry. It was the first thing I could think of.”
“Hey, it worked. Good for you. I had nothing.”
“I’m not sure she believed me,” she said, worried. “I can’t believe I lied to her again. I feel awful.”
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