by Ann, Natalie
“I don’t think she thought so,” she said, her breath catching as he spent more time between her legs than needed to clean her.
“Do you really want to talk about that, or focus on the fact we are both wet and slippery and turned on?”
“Did anyone tell you that you talk too much, Wyatt?”
He stopped talking and showed her instead.
* * *
An hour later he was standing on his balcony lighting the grill for the steaks. “I’m starving,” he said. “I’m putting two big fat steaks on the heat.”
“Good,” she said. “I could eat one myself.”
“I like a woman with a big appetite for all things in life.”
“Life is meant for living,” she said. “If you are going to just pick at things or deny yourself then you’ll find you’ll be miserable at the end of the day.”
He found that an odd statement. “Is that how you’ve felt since you’ve moved here? That you were denying yourself things?”
“I guess so. I’m not used to being alone and kind of self-imposed it to regroup. It’s boring, let me tell you.”
“I know,” he said. “Especially growing up in my family. I was always around people. I understand when others might want to get away. Jade wanted to get away a lot and be left alone, but not me. Bryce likes the peace and quiet too. Not the rest of us.”
He’d hated when Jade told him to get lost and then would try to go find his brothers who normally told him to scram too. Noah and Drake were the same age as Bryce and the three of them tended to hang out the most when they were younger or in their early teens. Sam was the oldest and hung out with the three of them over Wyatt when he had to. Otherwise he was with his own friends.
Ryder was the baby and the most annoying half the time. Wyatt didn’t mind hanging with Ryder when they were growing up, but he’d rather be with his older brothers.
He supposed he understood why they didn’t want to be with him though since he’d felt that way about Ryder. Being with the older kids was much more fun than the younger ones.
It was the best when they were with the Five. Brody, Aiden, Mason, Cade, and Ella were just a few months younger than he and Ella. They all graduated the same time even though they went to different schools. Well, not different colleges, as he went with Bryce, Noah, Drake, Cade, and Ella to Duke.
But most times now he found he was on his own and hated it. Being an only child would have sucked the big one and as much as family could get on his nerves, he’d gladly take it over the silence.
“I didn’t mind not having siblings, but I had a lot of friends. There were a ton of kids in my neighborhood growing up too. I was always around someone and if no one was around, then I was outside shooting hoops or kicking a ball in the yard.”
“Let me guess, you played more than basketball and soccer?”
“I did,” she said. “Not in college though. Even playing basketball, it’s not like I started. I wasn’t tall enough, but I was fast and that helped.”
“You don’t do anything half assed, do you?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t think you do either. Not with your career. Not with family. Maybe just with women though.”
Back to people thinking he didn’t take things seriously. “The truth is I put so much into my career, and my family means the world to me. I guess it comes back to denying myself. I needed that release after school and work and my family was the one I took it out on. They understood me.”
“But women don’t?” she asked.
“Why all the questions?” he asked her, not sure where this was going.
“Just trying to figure you out,” she said.
“I’m not that hard to read. At least that is what everyone tells me.” He hated that, but he was pretty much an open book. Probably came from talking so much.
“It seems you are easy to read.”
“And you aren’t sure you like it?” he asked. “It didn’t seem that way earlier.” He put the steaks on the grill.
She stood next to him. “I like it. I’m just trying to figure things out. Or figure you out. You’re different than most I’ve dated before. Sort of,” she said.
“Meaning?”
“Just that I normally went for guys that were into sports but I took a backseat then. I dated men that weren’t and I was bored with them.”
“I’m not focused on sports enough that it overtakes my life. I don’t have the time for it. It’s for entertainment. That’s it.” His hands reached for hers and pulled her close. “And I highly doubt you are going to get bored with me.”
“Probably not. But this brings up something else.”
“Oh, you’re bringing something else up,” he said his hips pressing into hers.
“I don’t want anyone at work to know about us,” she said almost killing the rise he had going.
He stepped back. “Why?”
“I don’t want to be judged. I don’t want to be looked at like someone else you are just killing the time with.”
“But that isn’t what we’ve got,” he argued.
“We don’t know what we’ve got after a few weeks. There is no way to know that.”
He knew what it was but could see she was going to be stubborn and wasn’t in the mood to argue. “So what? We act like strangers at work? Ignore each other? No, I’m not doing that. I’m not going to pretend I don’t know you or want you.”
“You’re going to be bullheaded about this?” she asked. “I’m new here. Can’t you put yourself in my shoes? Already one of your somewhat exes was giving me crap—however sweetly.”
She had a point. “We can compromise. We won’t talk about dating or the things I want to do to you in the bedroom, but I’m not ignoring you. We can still talk like we’ve been doing for now. And if we can have lunch together there is no reason not to. You’ve already told plenty of people we were just friends.”
He held his breath while he waited for her response. “Okay. We’ll start that way. Slowly. Not every day either.”
Dodged that bullet. He refused to be hurt that she wanted to keep what they had a secret.
That maybe he wasn’t good enough in her eyes but was afraid to say it.
Hadn’t he felt that enough in his life when he was trying to be the center of attention? When he was trying to show everyone he had what it took to do his job. That he was a good friend. That he could be a good boyfriend.
Yet, he always had to fight to not be alone.
24
Held Out
So, it shouldn’t have come as any surprise that two days had gone by at work and he hadn’t seen or spoken to Adriana during the day.
At least he was able to talk or text at night. Since he was on call for two weeks in a row, the first week for her too, they hadn’t done much more than text last night when he got home from a surgery. Why couldn’t she have been the nurse called in?
Nope, it didn’t always work that way, as some surgeons had their own staff they wanted and nurses were only called in when they were short staffed or more surgeries than scheduled were happening.
At the end of the day on Thursday, he was getting sick and tired of not seeing her. He’d almost felt like she might even be avoiding him on purpose and he needed some advice.
“Hey, got a minute?”
Sam looked up from where he was typing his notes. “Sure. Surprised you’re still here. Did you get held up? You normally run out the door if you can.”
“I’m on call for two weeks. I tried to swap out the weekend of your wedding, but the best I could do was swap weeks.”
“Yikes. Two weeks in a row. That has to be driving you insane,” Sam said when Wyatt walked in and sat down. It normally did.
“Somewhat. I don’t mind. I can get by on little to no sleep and it’s not like I’m called in all that much. It’s just knowing I can’t really commit to much in case I’m called in.” Which meant sitting around more than he liked.
“And what is it you want t
o commit to?” Sam asked, leaning back in his chair.
Wyatt got up to shut the door, then sat back down. “Can I tell you something without it going any further than this room?”
“Of course you can. You look troubled. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Not really. So Adriana and I are dating.”
Sam started to laugh. “Dude, you’ve been dating for weeks. That’s nothing new.”
He smirked. “I finally got her to admit that. Sort of. I guess I should say that it’s more than going out and doing things on the weekend now.”
“Ah. So you’ve had sex. Damn, what’s that, almost a month with someone without making it into the bedroom? That might be a record for you?”
“You would have held out for Dani,” he said.
“And I did. Not a month, but more than normal.”
“See, you get it.”
“No. I don’t get it. Not unless you tell me more. Are you saying you see some kind of a future with her? It’s been a few weeks.”
“Did you know in a few weeks with Dani?” he asked and wondered why he was voicing these things right now.
“Good point. I knew something, but not everything. It takes time.”
“I know she frustrates the shit out of me.”
Sam started to laugh. “You’re a little like Drake in that most stuff doesn’t bother you. At least in terms of the female variety.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So you’ve come to your older cousin for advice?” Sam asked. “I feel honored.”
“Ass.”
“What has you all twisted?”
“She doesn’t want anyone to know at work. You know, but you’re family and you won’t say a word. She wants us to keep our distance and not even talk while we are here though.”
“That’s kind of harsh after you’ve been rolling around in the sheets with her,” Sam said.
And in the shower, then the couch after dinner. He kept that to himself. Sam didn’t need all those details. “My feelings exactly.”
“What is her reason other than not wanting to be lumped into the same category as the other women you’ve dated here?”
“That’s her reason,” he said.
“It’s a legit one but still harsh. She doesn’t want you guys to even talk? You’ve been talking for weeks.”
“That’s what I said. It’s not like I’m going to grab her ass when she walks by or push her against the wall and kiss her.”
“But you want to.”
“That goes without saying,” he said. “But I’ve never done that at work. Not with anyone. I may date, but I’ve always been professional at work.”
Sam lifted his eyebrows, opened a drawer and pulled out three mini balls and chains. “Professional?”
“That’s different,” he argued.
“I’m sure there are more in this office too that I’ll be finding for weeks. At least it’s not as bad as the glitter bombs. Every once in a while I still find some of it and it makes me shudder.”
“That was a good one. Admit it.”
“Easy for you to say,” Sam said. “You weren’t walking around all sparkly and having people laugh and point it out.”
One of his better jokes for sure. “Anyway. Back to me and my problem.”
“I’m trying to figure out what the problem is,” Sam said. “She’s openly admitted you two are dating. She’s seen you naked and she still wants to be around you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I put you to shame and you know it.”
“That’s because you can’t sit still and relax. I can exercise like the next person in the family but not to the point of needing to get off my butt if there was a game on. I suppose that is what makes you two such a good fit. You can tell how athletic she is.”
“Everything is a competition with her.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No. It’s all in good fun,” he said.
“Which is what you always wanted out of a relationship. Be happy and enjoy it. You’re overthinking this way too early.”
“You’re probably right.”
“I know I am. Don’t you have dinner tonight with your parents?” Sam asked.
“Shit. I forgot. How did you even know that?” he asked, standing up. He looked at his watch and still had time. He’d already showered so he could just drive there now.
“Your mother was talking about it on Saturday. You know our mothers are big into our individual nights with them.”
“But it’s with Dani now,” he said to Sam.
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
* * *
Adriana had just changed into her yoga pants and was rolling her mat out when her phone rang. She looked down to see it was her father calling her.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Hi, sweetie. How have you been? I haven’t talked to you much lately.”
Had it been that long? She normally talked to him at least once a week, but she’d been busy over the past few weekends spending time with Wyatt so that thoughts of her father and visiting him had gotten lost.
“Sorry. I’ve been busy and I’m on call this week.”
“Busy is good. What have you been doing? Am I interrupting you now?”
“I was just going to do some yoga, but I haven’t started. I’ve always got time to talk to you. As for what I’ve been doing, just stuff.”
“Stuff, as in…? You aren’t getting into trouble are you?”
She laughed. That had been a running joke with her father when she was growing up. She’d go outside to play or find something to do and he’d always want to know if she was getting into trouble. She never did. For the most part she was a good kid. Or liked to think she was.
Being the other woman wasn’t anything she’d ever thought she’d be or do. Just the opposite actually.
She had morals and ethics and that smashed every single one of them to pieces knocking her down several pegs.
“Never that,” she said. “I’ve been hiking and riding my bike, going to an outdoor concert.”
“Not alone I hope,” he said. “You’re new in the area and you shouldn’t be alone at times. I worry about you.”
Now came the time when she had to decide if she was going to tell her father what was going on. That she was dating Wyatt Fierce.
She suspected he’d be fine with it. He’d just tell her to be careful.
She’d told Wyatt she wanted to keep things quiet, but if his whole family knew, she was wondering if maybe Carolyn Fierce said something to Maggie about her being at the family picnic over the weekend.
If her head had been on straight she would have called her father and told him herself. Now she might be backpedaling.
“No. I’ve been doing all these things with Wyatt.”
“Wyatt Fierce?” her father asked. He didn’t sound like he was aware of anything.
“One and the same,” she said. “Maggie asked his mother to tell him to show me around and he has been. It’s been a few weeks and, well, we’ve gotten close.”
“Close as in dating?” he asked.
“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?”
There was silence on the other line. “Not at all. I just worry about you. You were so hurt and hard on yourself over what happened in California that I’m shocked to see you dating someone else. Another doctor on top of it. Does Wyatt know why you left?”
“I’m shocked myself. I guess he grew on me as it did start out as friends. That was my idea going in. He’s nothing like Spencer. Not in the least. They might both be doctors, but that is all they share. Wyatt knows I left because of a bad breakup but doesn’t know a lot of the details.”
“Nothing at all?” he asked.
“No. Not that it was someone I worked with. Not that it was a doctor. Not that Spencer was married and I was too stupid to see it.” She paused for a minute. “Mom called me a week or so ago and said Spencer called her looking for me.”
“I ho
pe to hell your mother didn’t give him your new number.” She knew her father had her back. Always.
“She said she didn’t. Since I haven’t heard from him, I’ve got to assume that is true. She tried to say I should hear him out. That there are two sides to every story.”
Her father snorted on the other line. “No comment.”
“I hung up on her, Dad. Don’t worry. She knows how I feel about it. I don’t know why she even had to tell me he was looking for me.”
“It bothers her you’re such a good person. She’ll never understand you.”
“No,” she said. “But that’s her problem. Not mine.”
“Don’t change who you are, Adriana. Not for your mother, me, or any man. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you. Don’t worry. I am who I am and I’m proud of it.”
Even if she wasn’t always so proud of her actions.
25
After This Weekend
“Right on time,” his mother said when he walked in the door. “Dinner will be done in a few minutes. Grab a beer and have a seat.”
“I’m on call. No drinking,” he said. “I’ll just take a water. Where’s Dad?”
“Right here,” his father said, walking in in shorts and a T-shirt. “I’ll take a water with you. Smells good in here, Carolyn. What did you make?”
“Spanish rice and enchiladas.”
“New recipe?” he asked his mother and caught her laugh. She’d made Spanish rice before but never enchiladas. Even the Spanish rice looked different.
“I thought maybe you’d like it. Or are getting used to some spicy food?”
“I haven’t had any lately. If it’s in reference to Adriana and her heritage, we haven’t eaten anything Mexican or Spanish yet. She claims there isn’t anything authentic enough around here.”
“Maggie says that Jose is always complaining about that too. She tries new things but has some misses. These are both her recipes I figured I’d try.”
“So you told Maggie that Adriana and I are friends? That she was here this past weekend?” He better forewarn Adriana that if she didn’t tell her family. The last thing he needed was her ticked at him for something else.
