This Time Around (Road to Blissville, #4)

by Aimee Nicole Walker

  By the time I got out of the shower, I had several text messages from concerned people who’d heard that Andy was back in town. I just sent the same message to everyone: I’m fine. Thank you. Well, all except Faith, who received: Some best friend you are! You could’ve given me a hint that he was coming back home.

  Switzerland, was her reply.

  Is he really back for good? I asked.

  Um…

  Didn’t she know, or was she trying to think of ways to soften the blow? I stared at her one-word reply for a few moments, trying to figure it out. If he wasn’t going to stick around, she would’ve said so.

  Fuck me! I replied.

  Sloppy seconds just aren’t my style, Faith fired back. Love you, Milo. That will never change.

  Love you too. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.

  I set my phone on the wireless charger and turned out the lights. I expected to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but instead, my brain regurgitated every memory Andy and I had ever made, including the sexy new one from earlier that evening. I shivered beneath the covers even though I wasn’t cold. It wasn’t a fever that racked my body either, it was pain. I thought that I was over Andy Mason and didn’t anticipate that seeing him, or hearing his voice, would impact me like it used to. I was so fucking wrong.

  I also needed Faith to be wrong about Andy’s intention of staying in Blissville. While I was happy for his family, who had missed him dearly, I didn’t think I could handle the upheaval he brought into my orderly world. My momentary lapse in judgment from that night only served as a taunting reminder of the happiness and pleasure I could find in Andy’s arms if only I could trust him again.

  Trust wasn’t something I gave away; it had to be earned. I might’ve given my ass up way too easily, but that was a mistake I wouldn’t make again, no matter how much he tempted me. That filthy, alley fuck was the last time Andy’s dick would kiss my ass until he explained to me where the hell he’d been all these years. Yeah! No more angry fucks and mind-blowing orgasms that rocked me to the core.

  I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, revitalized, and ready to resist Andy’s charms. It was a tad bit presumptuous of me to think that he would seek me out again, but I didn’t exactly discourage him with my slutty behavior the previous night. The Brew was so busy on weekday mornings with the workforce zombies shuffling in to caffeinate themselves before taking on the world that I didn’t have time to worry about my reaction to seeing Andy the morning after.

  Like the day before, I felt his presence before I saw him. That was enough to irritate me, because I didn’t want to feel anything for Andy. Not joy from seeing his bright-blue eyes, not lust to feel his arms around me again, and certainly not longing to know who he’d become while he was gone. This ache he created inside me needed to disappear, and fast. The only way to do that was to show him I wasn’t interested in picking up where we left off—not twelve years ago when he left town, and certainly not the night before when he fucked the logic and sense right out of me.

  Contrary to recent actions, I was no longer the impulsive Milo he used to know. Best he learned that right away.

  “Good morning,” Andy practically purred when he reached the counter. “I’ll have my very big chai latte, but I’d like to get two muffins also. I’m famished this morning.”

  Don’t do it, Milo. Don’t take the bait. “What flavors would you like, Andy? Perhaps a chocolate chip with a sprinkling of regret or blueberry with a dusting of that-ain’t-ever-happening-again?”

  I expected euphoria to flow through my body like endorphins after a good cardio workout when Andy’s hopeful smile slid off his face, but all I felt was sadness. A spark of something else flared in Andy’s eyes. It wasn’t quite happiness or hope; it was something else. A wry grin slowly spread across his face, and I recognized exactly what I saw: Challenge.

  Andy’s eyes said, “Game on.”

  Milo thought he could hide his attraction to me behind his smart mouth? Regret and it ain’t happening again, huh? We’ll just see about that.

  “What’s that sprinkled on the lemony muffin? It looks an awful lot like I’ll take that challenge. What about this one?” I pointed to one that looked to have cranberries and oranges in it. “I’m thinking it’s dusted with I’m-not-going-anywhere.” I looked over at Milo’s twin sister, Maegan, who was smiling from ear to ear as she joined us. “What do you recommend, Mae?”

  “My personal favorites are the banana Milo’s-nuts-are-in-a-twist and he’s-met-his-match mixed berry,” she responded, earning a glare from her brother. “Take your pick, Andy. They’re on the house this morning.”

  I chose the lemon poppy seed and cranberry orange because I’d meant what I said. I accepted his challenge, and I was in town to stay. I wouldn’t say that I won our skirmish, but I at least held my own and lived to fight another day. A smart man would’ve let that be enough, taken his bounty, aka free muffins, and left with a smile on his face. I’d been told I had more brawn than brains plenty of times in my life, so it didn’t surprise me when I planted my ass at a small round table where I could keep an eye on Milo.

  I tried not to be too obvious that I was watching him from under my eyelashes instead of reading the newspaper I had open in front of me.

  “Pssst, you might have a better chance convincing him you’re reading if the paper wasn’t upside down,” Josh Roman whispered sassily.

  Sure enough, the paper was turned upside down the entire time. An embarrassed flush crept up my neck, but I didn’t let that stop me from standing up and greeting Josh with a hug. “It’s good to see a friendly face.”

  “You too, Andy. How are you really?” Josh asked, assessing me. “What’s going on with your hair?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, running my hand over my hair. It was tidy, which wasn’t the case the previous night after Milo fisted it while we kissed and fucked.

  “It’s a little boring, don’t you think?” Josh leaned closer, and I could feel Milo’s scrutiny from across the room. “Listen, come by the salon this afternoon. I’ll work you in for a new haircut and propose an idea I have.”

  “To win over Milo?” I asked hopefully.

  “Oh, honey,” Josh said dramatically, placing his hand over his heart. “I’m not a miracle worker. You’re going to have to put the time and effort in all by yourself. There will be no shortcuts, or haircuts, that take you to the Holy Land that is Milo’s heart.” I’d already been to the Holy Land that was Milo’s ass. Would it really be that hard to make the leap? “While you’re trying to figure it all out, I believe I have a few jobs for you.”

  I perked up at that idea because I did need to find some work—either by launching my own construction company or getting hired on someone else’s crew. “That sounds good. What time?”

  “How does four o’clock work for you?”

  “Perfect!” I told Josh loud enough to a glare from Milo. “See you later.”

  I sat back down at the table, wondering how long it would take before Milo wandered over to ask about the plans I’d made with Josh. I bit my lip to keep from smiling when I saw him wiping down tables that he’d already wiped twice. He worked in a pattern that brought him closer and closer to me. I felt like a fucking spider waiting on his web to pounce on an insect that flew too close. I knew it was only a matter of time before I ensnared Milo, so I would be patient.

  “Are you finished with your tea?” Milo asked haughtily.

  “Um, yeah. It’s empty,” I replied calmly without looking up from my paper. I’d stared at the same fucking headline for the past ten minutes and still didn’t know what it said. “I can throw it out when I’m ready to leave though.”

  “When might that be?” Milo asked snidely.

  I looked up from the paper then and met his cobalt eyes. They sparkled with a combination of curiosity, jealousy, and anger that made me want to pump my fist in victory. I looked around the café and saw that very few people were milling around, so I wasn’t hoggin
g up a table that someone wanted.

  “Eager for me to leave? I really don’t have any place that I need to be until later this afternoon. I was thinking about getting another cup of tea and one of those banana nut muffins.”

  “So long as you’re paying this time,” Milo snarled. “Don’t think I’m giving up my muffins every time you decide that you want them.”

  God, he was so damn cute when he was in a snit. His flushed cheeks, pouty lips, and vibrant eyes reminded me of his post-orgasm afterglow. I didn’t really get a chance to see it in the alley before he took off like a bat out of hell, but I recalled it from years ago.

  “Do you have some type of customer reward card?” I asked. “Buy so many muffins and you get one for free?”

  “No, but that’s a damn good idea, Andy,” Maegan said from behind the counter. When Milo turned to glare at her, she wiggled her fingers in a wave, completely unashamed that she’d been listening in on our conversation. “We can have cards printed up easily enough. We can mark an X in each box or even punch a hole through it.”

  “Yeah, Milo. I want you to punch my hole,” I whispered to him.

  Milo nearly choked on his own tongue before he walked away. The Milo I knew from our youth would’ve stomped, but the grown man moved gracefully and proud. Everything about him drove me wild, especially his determination that we wouldn’t repeat what happened the previous night behind the café.

  After waiting a reasonable amount of time to ensure that Milo knew he didn’t run me off, I left The Brew instead of ordering more tea. I didn’t own a lot of stuff, so there wasn’t much I needed to unpack. The movers had delivered my furniture a few days before I arrived, but I needed to sort through the boxes I’d brought with me. Once that was done, I headed to Target for some household essentials and food items. I ended up buying a bunch of crap I didn’t really need but had to have anyway. After that, it was time to head over to Curl Up and Dye.

  I’d never stepped inside a salon before and expected to feel out of place, but that wasn’t the case. It didn’t hurt that the receptionist, Chaz, was so friendly and cute. Instead of leading me to his salon chair to cut my hair, Josh took me to a door off the sitting room.

  “Squawk! Bend me over and spank my ass!” I whipped my head around and saw a vibrantly blue macaw sizing me up. “Hiya, honey.”

  “Ignore him,” Josh said. “He flirts with everyone. What I want to show you is up in my private residence.”

  “Um,” I said uncertainly as I followed him up the steps.

  Josh held up his hand to show off a shiny ring. “I’m engaged, Andy. I want your carpentry skills, not your body.”

  I chuckled.

  “Gabe and I are getting married this fall, and we’re in the process of buying a new home. This space worked great when it was just me, but we need something that is for us. My proposal is twofold: I want you to do some updating to the house we’re buying, and I’d like to turn this space,” he circled in the middle of the living room with his arms out, “into a luxury spa and massage area.”

  “Sure,” I told him. “I just need you to tell me what you want done, any kind of budget restrictions you have, and the timeline. Same goes for the house you’re buying.”

  “Great! Let me talk to Gabe tonight during our final walkthrough of the house, and I’ll get back to you with a solid plan.” He looked at my hair again and said, “Let’s get to work, shall we?”

  I had to admit that I felt better when I left the salon with a more modern cut and a follow-up appointment for the next month. I wondered what Milo would think of my haircut, but I didn’t dwell on it too much because I was due for dinner at my sister’s house. She insisted on having a welcome-back dinner, even though it was a Tuesday night. I’d deliberately timed my return for a weekday to avoid anyone going to any trouble.

  I didn’t realize how much I missed my family until I walked into Faith’s house. Sure, I’d seen them for holidays and special occasions over the past twelve years, but I had slinked in and out of town with as little fuss as possible. I was home to stay, and the relief and excitement they felt was palpable. It was just too bad that all the Blissville residents weren’t as happy to see me, but I had a plan to change his mind.

  I shoved thoughts of Milo aside and enjoyed time with my parents and sister, even though there were a lot of hints that Faith and I needed to start providing grandkids.

  “Mom,” Faith said in a warning tone. “Is this going to kick off another round of matchmaking?”

  “You get a break now that your brother has returned home,” my mom said then winked at me. “Milo is still single, Andy.”

  I’d guessed as much when he jumped me in the alleyway, but I didn’t share that with my family. “Mom, please don’t get your hopes up,” I told her, recalling that Milo had basically walked away while my dick was still hanging out of my pants. “Twelve years is a long time for us to be apart.”

  “I believe in you, Andy,” she said sweetly.

  “How do you even know that I want Milo?” I asked. Everyone around the table started laughing.

  “If you wanted us to believe that then you should’ve at least stopped by our house and said hello before you went to see Milo. You made your intentions pretty clear,” Dad said. “How was your reunion?”

  “It didn’t go as I had envisioned it,” I replied honestly. I didn’t expect Milo’s hostility that morning when I showed up at the café, nor did I expect him to launch himself in my arms later that night. Milo had always been a walking contradiction, but years ago, I had learned how to decode his actions and understand him. It looked like I would need to refine my Milo-detection skills. “We’ll see what the future holds.”

  “Speaking of future,” Dad said, “have you decided if you’re going into business for yourself? I think there would be plenty of work to keep you busy around here.”

  “Actually, a fantastic opportunity came my way.” I told them about my conversation with Josh.

  “That’s what’s different about you,” Mom said. “I like your new hairstyle.”

  “I told Josh that I didn’t want to mess with gel or mousse or whatever every day, but it does look better.”

  I was ready to get the conversation away from me and Milo, so I did the only thing I could think to do. I threw Faith under the bus. “So, Faith, how was your date on Saturday night?”

  “Date?” Mom and Dad said at the same time.

  Faith narrowed her eyes at me, promising retribution. “It was just a work thing,” she said nonchalantly.

  “On a Saturday night?” Mom asked.

  “And who was this ‘work thing’ with?” Dad wanted to know.

  “Just a guy from work,” Faith replied. “It wasn’t a date. We just met to go over the projected quarterly earnings over burgers and fries.” I could tell by the soft blush on her cheeks that it was more than that, but we didn’t push her.

  “Andy, have you found an NA sponsor and meeting location?” Mom asked. There was no censure or disappointment in her eyes, only a desire to see me stay happy, healthy, and clean.

  “I have,” I answered her. “My sponsor’s name is Oliver and we’re meeting for dinner tomorrow night in Cincinnati. I’ve only chatted with him online and over the phone so far. He seems cool, and he’s been clean for fifteen years. Meetings are held at a church north of Cincinnati. I’m not crazy about the drive time or the location, but it’s the closest chapter I could find.

  “I’m proud of you, Andy,” Dad said warmly. “I imagine the struggle to stay clean is especially hard when your order and balance is upset, but we believe in you.”

  “We do,” Mom said, nodding.

  Faith reached over and squeezed my hand affectionately, which was more than I deserved after throwing her under the bus like I did.

  “Thank you,” I said to all of them. “Your support means so much to me. I’m really a lucky man.”

  It was true. I’d put myself and my family through hell after I left for colle
ge. Many families would have turned their backs on someone who embarrassed them as badly as I had, but not mine.

  After dinner, I ended up driving by The Brew just for the hell of it. Was Milo working late for a second day in a row? I turned the corner at the end of the block and drove slowly so I could see if his car was parked in the alley. Sure enough, Milo’s car was in the same place.

  Like the previous night, I parked my truck and waited outside for him to appear. This time, I leaned against his car so he would see me right away. There were many things I wanted to do to Milo, but scaring him wasn’t one of them.

  “We’re not doing this again,” Milo said firmly when he locked eyes on me. “When did you start slinking through dark alleys looking to pick up action, anyway?”

  “Since last night.”

  Milo’s words said one thing, but his glittering eyes said something entirely different as he stared up at me. I watched him for a few heartbeats then took a risk and reached for him. Milo met me halfway, crashing his mouth against mine just like he had the previous night. My body went up in flames, singeing my common sense and self-preservation.

  I didn’t want a quick fumble in the dark that would end with Milo walking away from me angrily; I wanted long nights with endless kisses. I would settle for what he gave me while I worked to achieve the ultimate goal. My options were to fuck him on top of his car, up against the brick wall again, or carry him to my truck where I could at least lay him down on the back seat. It was an easy decision to make.

  I hoisted Milo up, and he wrapped his legs around my waist. I carried him to my truck while he erotically tongue-fucked my mouth. Milo seemed alarmed when I opened the rear door of my extended cab truck.

  “I thought we could use a bit more privacy,” I said when I set him on the seat.

  I saw the hesitation in his eyes. Was he going to call a halt to this or scoot over and make room for me? “This changes nothing,” Milo growled while whipping his shirt over his head. It changed everything, and we both knew it.