Chasing Love (Love Collection)

by Natalie Ann

  “I can’t say that I’ve ever had a man take a nibble out of my cheek before.” Nor had she ever wanted one to before now.

  “It’s nice I can be a first for you in your life.”

  She wanted to tell him he’d been her first crush. Her first love. But those words had no place right now. Not when they were having sex. Not even when they were making love.

  When she said she loved him for the first time, she wanted him to know she meant it and that it wasn’t the result of other emotions. It wasn’t clouded by anything other than her true feelings for him, and not something guiding her for a short period of time.

  “You said no peeking so I’m saying no talking.”

  He laughed and she was disappointed that he’d moved away from her. She was so tempted to look behind and see what he was doing but instead stayed like she was, listening to him rustling around.

  She didn’t have long to wait before hands slid under her hips and pulled her toward the end of the bed, then he slid into her hard and fast.

  She was primed and ready for him, but it was still a shock to her system. A nice one. A hot one. A thrilling one.

  Her hands went out to the bedspread and held on because she knew deep inside she was going to need an anchor to steady herself.

  Troy held her hips suspended up over the bed, her hands spread out wide, her face turned and her teeth on her lip as he started to glide in and out of her.

  She’d expected hard again, but he wasn’t. He was taking it easy. He was building her up nice and steady and though it felt marvelous, she wasn’t ready to scream like he’d said he was going to make her.

  There was a moment when she wanted to taunt him with it but decided to hold her tongue. She was glad.

  He flipped her over on her back, picked her feet up and put them on his shoulders and then entered her fast again.

  She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt something so deep inside of her before. This was no steady build up. This was no peaceful climb.

  This was him slamming into her as his hands held her feet up high. He’d push her body away with each thrust, then pull her closer, pulling her back toward him.

  There was nothing she could do other than hold on and take it.

  Noises were sounding around the room, some coming from him, some from her.

  “You’re not loud enough,” he said.

  It felt as if her breath was caught in her throat. How could she scream if she couldn’t get enough air in?

  The sensations rushing through her were so great, but she was all coiled up tight just waiting to spring forth like a rattlesnake being poked in a corner, only she couldn’t seem to get there. “Troy,” she said, knowing that she was close to begging.

  He knew what she needed and reached his hand down. He didn’t stroke her, he didn’t touch her lightly. No, he flicked at her swollen bud with a finger like a stick to that rattlesnake. Almost tapping, following some beat in his head.

  Whatever he was doing was all she needed, causing her to let loose a scream so loud she wondered if the neighbors could hear her down the street.

  It wasn’t just that one scream though, but the several that followed.

  Then when he let out a few curse words, he pulled her in tight and held her. He kissed her tenderly. And he laughed, then said, “You sure are noisy.”

  Putting Her Feet Up

  Almost a week later, they still hadn’t figured out what they were going to tell Brian about their relationship. The only thing she and Troy could agree on was the fact that they had to tell everyone soon.

  Who would have thought it would be this hard to tell those closest to you that you’ve been with that someone special you’ve waited your whole life for and are in love?

  It’d been a few weeks since she’d seen her parents. She didn’t visit often. It probably came from living away from home for so many years after butting heads with them so much.

  She’d like to think she was closer to her parents now for having been gone, but it was hard to say. They were still the simple boring people she always thought they were growing up, but now she could at least appreciate that in her busy life.

  And she could accept the fact that maybe she stepped out of their comfort zone too much just for attention.

  Now it was more like everyone understood each other better. Her mother didn’t tsk her tongue over Meena’s hair anymore and her father didn’t rush out of the room when her mother and she got into it. Just like she didn’t roll her eyes when her mother wanted her to bake cookies with her or go to a craft fair.

  Brian had always had her back. Or more so around age fifteen. Though he never got in the middle of her arguments with her parents that she remembered.

  She didn’t have any appointments scheduled for the morning, so she’d left Pulse and said she was running some errands. She knew her father would be at the office. He could have retired years ago, but he’d never sell his insurance company.

  She wondered if he’d ever thought she or Brian would have taken it over. She shuddered just thinking of working in an office daily and dealing with something like insurance or having to wear a suit.

  Her mother had retired from nursing last year. Meena always questioned if she was the oops that happened when her mother was forty, but they’d never admitted it. Maybe that was why she acted out, or tried to stand out so much as a kid. She wanted people to know she was there, that she was wanted.

  “Hi, Mom,” she said, opening the door. Her mother was expecting her.

  “Meena. How have you been?”

  “Good,” she said. “Busy. How about you?”

  “Not busy. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with all my time. In the summer it’s easier and I can spend time outside around the gardens. In the winter I feel like all I do is sit around and watch soap operas or knit blankets and bake cookies for your father to bring to the office.”

  Which was nothing more than her mother had done her whole life when she was working. All that time she tried to get Meena to take part in those activities. She thought the same now as she did back then. Boring! Of course it seemed like all Meena did was work or spend time at Troy’s house relaxing so most would think that was boring too.

  Funny how she never figured she’d be one of those people that would enjoy going home at night and putting her feet up and snuggling her head on Troy’s shoulder.

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  She’d love to ask if her mother wanted to come into the shop and take care of some things, but realized that would be pushing it. If her mother thought her daughter was off kilter, it was nothing compared to some of the girls that worked for her.

  “I could bring cookies to Pulse for you,” her mother offered. “Let’s go in the kitchen and I’ll get you a few and a cup of coffee.”

  Since her mother did bake so well, she followed her to the back of the house and said, “They’d appreciate that.”

  “So what’s on your mind, Meena?”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “I’m your mother and though we haven’t always seen eye to eye, I still know when there is something on your mind or bothering you. What is it? Do you wish you didn’t move back home? Are you looking to leave again?”

  “Is that distress in your voice?” she asked. Could it be? Did her mother want her close by? They’d been happy when she said she was coming back, but they’d never asked her once over the years to return home.

  “Maybe a little,” her mother said and smiled a touch. “Even though I don’t see you often, we still talk once a week and I know you’re close by.”

  “How often do you see Brian?”

  “About the same as you. He’s busy with his firm and trying to find someone. I guess he had a date last week.”

  Troy had found a way to get out of it with Brian. She’d never asked and he didn’t volunteer how. To her, that argument had been buried and she wasn’t going to go looking for a shovel any time soon.

  “That
’s nice. He’s getting itchy feet to settle down, which I don’t understand. He’s young yet.” Thirty-one was still young in her eyes.

  “You don’t want to wait too long and have kids later in life like your father and me.”

  “Why’s that?” she asked.

  Her mother placed a cup of coffee and cookie jar in front of her. “Because your father and I would like grandkids someday and we’d like to be able to enjoy them. We’re getting up there in age.”

  “You’re sixty-six and Dad is seventy.”

  “Which is getting old to chase toddlers. And since it doesn’t look like there are any grandkids in sight, we’ll be even older.”

  She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. It was right there on the tip of her tongue to say she was seeing someone. That she was seeing Troy, but she didn’t want to do that without letting Troy know first.

  “You and Dad are in great health,” she said instead. Which was the truth.

  Her mother sighed. “Meena, what is going on?”

  “I can’t say,” she said.

  “You can’t or you won’t? It’s just like when you were a kid and I had to pull things out of you. Are you afraid I’m going to judge you? I stopped doing that a long time ago.”

  She smiled. “You did. I know you don’t always approve, but you keep it to yourself.”

  “I’ve learned that it’s just hair and clothes and easily changeable. Under it all, you’re still the daughter I raised to be kind and helpful. Respectful to people. Are things hard at work?”

  “No,” she said, feeling her eyes well up. “Work is good. I mean it’s hard, but it’s manageable. I like being my own boss, that’s for sure.”

  “No surprise there. Brian feels the same way. Even Troy wasn’t meant to work for anyone.”

  “Why did you bring up Troy’s name?”

  “To see if you’d have the same reaction as you did as a kid when his name came up.”

  Holy cow, did her mom know? Had she guessed? “What reaction is that?”

  “Every time Troy was at the house, you’d find him and tag along, even go so far as chasing them when they left the house. You never left those two boys alone. And if he wasn’t at the house and you heard his name, your head would pop up and you’d come running from wherever you were to hear anything said about him. Just like your head snapped up now.”

  “So I had a crush on Troy,” she admitted. It wouldn’t hurt to say that.

  “It was more than a crush. I guess the question is, now that you’re back in town are you hoping for more?”

  She’d never outright lied to her parents before and if she didn’t confess right now, then it’d feel like lying. “I was wishing for more for a long time. It seems maybe he was too and we both got that wish.”

  Her mother grinned. “Are you dating Troy?”

  “Would you be upset if I was?”

  “Why the heck would you think that?” she asked. “Troy is like a son to me. If I was going to hand select any man for you, it’d be him.”

  “Why haven’t you ever said that before?” she asked.

  “Because I thought it was just a crush. And crushes fade away oftentimes. You moved and he had his own life. There was no reason to bring it up, especially when you were both so different.”

  “And now?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure if you are as different as you were back then, but that’s for you two to figure out. I’ve got to ask why you’re keeping it a secret. Brian hasn’t said a word, so I’m assuming he doesn’t know?”

  “No, he doesn’t. Troy was afraid to tell him in the beginning. Then I was. And now it’s this thing we can’t figure out how to say or what to do and the longer it goes on the harder and messier it’s going to be.”

  “My only advice to you is to not wait much longer. Take your lumps if you need to, but your brother will come around if he’s even upset to begin with. He’s not stupid. He’s not blind. At least I don’t think he is. I’m guessing he knew about your crush on his best friend too. But be gentle with him.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Troy was his best friend first.”

  “He’s not going to think I’m stealing Troy from him, is he?” she asked, trying not to laugh. But her mother wasn’t smiling. “No way. That’s crazy.”

  “Is it?” her mother asked.

  Acting Stupid

  Only her mother was wrong because her brother was an idiot and hadn’t seen what was in front of his face at all.

  Not only did he not realize she’d had a crush on Troy, but he had no idea Troy felt the same way about her.

  “What the hell do you mean you’ve been sleeping with my sister?” Brian shouted a few days later.

  “Stop your yelling,” Meena shouted back. They were in Troy’s kitchen right now where she and Troy were having dinner when Brian walked in unannounced and wanted to know what was going on.

  “I said we are in a relationship,” Troy said, his voice low and firm. The underlying threat was there, the tone he used on her when she accused him of going on a date with another woman.

  “It’s the same damn thing and you know it. A relationship means sex,” Brian argued.

  “We’re both consenting adults,” Meena said. “And a relationship and sex aren’t the same thing. That’s probably why you’re still single.”

  “I don’t care,” Brian said, baring his teeth at her. “How long has this been going on?”

  “A little over a month,” Troy said.

  “A month. You’ve both had plenty of time and opportunity to tell me and you haven’t. Why?”

  Brian was pacing back and forth. “Because of this,” Troy said. “Your reaction. We’ve been trying to figure out what to say to you. In the beginning we held off to just see where things were going. Then when we knew it was serious, we didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “Hurt me,” Brian said. “I’m the one that should hurt you for touching my sister.”

  “Get over yourself,” Meena said when Brian took a step toward Troy. She loved her brother, but he didn’t have the size or the strength that Troy did. Now he was just acting stupid.

  “Let him say what he wants,” Troy said. “Let him get it off his chest. It will be better that way.”

  “What I want to do is put my fist in your face the same way I did some of the guys that talked smack about Meena back in the day. You remember those days, don’t you, Troy? You were part of it all.”

  “What?” Meena asked, swirling around to Troy. “You never said a word to me. Neither of you did.”

  “Now isn’t the time,” Troy said.

  Troy was right; she’d deal with him another time. She turned back to Brian. “Keep your hands to yourself. Can’t you just open your eyes and see how happy the two of us are? Why can’t you be happy for us?” she said, tears forming in her eyes. She never cried around her brother. If there was one thing she was, it wasn’t a crybaby.

  But this was big.

  This was important.

  This was the man she loved and wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

  “I’ll keep my hands to myself,” Brian said, walking closer to Troy. Brian was only an inch or so shorter, and just not as built. He wore a suit as easily as Troy wore jeans and a tool belt. The two were night and day, even in their looks.

  Brian had dark hair, as opposed to Meena’s as the only natural blonde in her family. Even Troy had dirty blonde hair.

  But the two boys had formed a bond so long ago, there were times they could almost be one.

  Didn’t Troy say Brian had never been mad at him and vice versa? Guess that was all about to change.

  “Just say it, Brian,” Troy said. He wasn’t yelling or ranting like Brian was. “But don’t insult your sister with whatever you’re going to say. What we’ve got is real and it’s solid and we don’t need anyone casting judgment on that.”

  Meena felt her heart racing more. He’d said it was real. It was solid. He didn’t talk a
bout love, but in her mind it was damn close.

  “I trusted you, Troy. You were right there with me all those years when losers came around her. You knew how much I hated it. And you took advantage of it. You took advantage of her.”

  Meena walked forward and shoved Brian. “No one takes advantage of me. No one told you to stand up for me back then. Am I glad you did it? Yeah, I am. But I never asked for it. And I sure the hell don’t need you doing it now. As for trusting Troy? He’s the same guy you’ve known your whole life. He hasn’t betrayed you once.”

  “I can see there is no talking to the two of you,” Brian said, storming out.

  She heard the front door open and close, then turned to Troy. His eyes were glossy, but he was doing a better job holding things back. “That went about as well as I could have hoped for.”

  She walked over and put her arms around his waist, then pulled him in. “I’ll go after him.”

  “I should do it,” he said.

  “No. It’s like you said before. He’s family. He can be mad at me, but he can’t get rid of me. I’ll talk to you later.” She gave him a kiss and walked out the door to follow her pigheaded brother to his house.

  ***

  “Troy, what are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Mom. I’m not bothering you, am I?”

  “Of course not. Come on in out of the cold. Let me turn the coffee on quickly.”

  His mother had been sitting on the couch watching some game show like she always did. She jumped up fast and ran to the kitchen. She’d forever been one to wait on him and his father and he wondered if she missed it in her life too.

  She was still young. Only fifty-five. As far as he knew she hadn’t bothered to date anyone, but if she told him she wanted to, he sure the hell wouldn’t act like Brian did over the discovery of his and Meena’s relationship. He’d like to think he’d be more mature about it.

  “Thanks,” he said when she put a cup in front of him. He hadn’t said a word yet and she let him have that time to gather his thoughts like she always had.

  “Tell me what’s going on, honey. Is work giving you grief? Do you need me to come in and give some of those boys a lecture?”