by Ana E Ross
Tashi felt happy, alive for the first time in her life. Her second winter in Granite Falls would be a far cry from her first. And as she anticipated her lunch date with Michelle, Kaya, and Shaina, she realized that she was about to alter another of her schemas: opening her heart to making new friends, and hopefully growing to trust them.
She’d taken an instant liking to the ladies on Saturday, at Little Erik’s birthday party. She was especially fond of Shaina since they were cousins, by law, and their children would be cousins by blood one day. They were all successful, amazing, sophisticated women and Tashi wanted her relationship with them to be as tight as her husband’s was with theirs. Adam had told her that she had completed the circle of the Billionaires Brides club. Trust, he’d said, was the glue that kept them together. She had to learn to trust.
Tashi pulled her phone from her purse and checked the time. The women would be here soon. She glanced around, trying to find an empty table closest to the riverfront. She spotted an elderly couple vacating one under a big white umbrella with the words “Blue Diamond Bistro” in bold blue letters printed on it. Blue Diamond was a favorite of all the ladies, and so they’d planned to eat lunch there. Besides, it was close to Dr. Kelly’s office, and Andretti Industries, whose private underground garage was theirs to use on a crowded day like today. Tashi hurried over to the table and waited quietly while the busboy cleaned it off.
She was about to sit when her cell phone began to play the ringtone she’d assigned to Adam. Her heart began to hammer as she pressed the ‘accept’ button and raised the phone to her ears.
“Ciao, bella.”
“Ciao.” Tashi felt as if her throat would close up on her. God, just the sound of his voice made her quiver inside. She fell into the nearest chair at the table and took deep breaths to steady her thumping heart.
“I just wanted to hear your voice,” he said. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. I can come by after my lunch date with the girls.”
He growled in frustration. “I would love to see you, cara, but—”
“I know… You have to work.”
“I’ll be tied up in business meetings all day.” He uttered a deep sigh of frustration. “Where are you?”
“At the esplanade. I just left Dr. Kelly’s office.”
“How did your first session go?”
“Really well. I learned a lot about myself. I’ll tell you about it later.” She hung her purse over the back of her chair and laid one arm across the glass surface of the table.
“Hmm. You alone?”
“Yes, for now. I’m waiting for the girls. I just sat down at a table.” She squinted at the noonday sun, shimmering on the river.
“You were delicious this morning,” he said, his voice deepening with passion. “I can still taste you in my mouth and smell you on my breath.”
The walls of Tashi’s vagina began to contract violently at her husband’s erotic words. “Adam,” she whispered, and glanced around wondering if her neighbors could guess the subject of their conversation.
“Close your eyes.”
“What?” Tashi’s mouth trembled.
“Close your eyes and think of me.”
Tashi took a deep breath and did as he asked. It wasn’t like anyone would know her eyes were closed since they were hidden behind her sunglasses, and she was facing the river. Turning her back on a crowd was something she would not have done three weeks ago. Plus, even though she couldn’t see them, she knew her bodyguards were keeping a watchful eye on her. “Okay,” she said, relaxing into the cushion of the chair. “I’m thinking of you.”
“Tell me your sexual fantasy. What do you see?”
Tashi inhaled sharply at the indecent request. Not what she expected, but… “I see me lying naked on the bed—no, no, on the floor of your yoga sanctuary.”
“Our yoga sanctuary, cara.”
“Our yoga sanctuary. Our bodies are bathed in moonlight and you—you’re bending over me, your long hair fanned out over my chest like a silky mist.”
“And?” he prompted, hoarsely.
Caught up in the enthusiasm, Tashi continued in a low sultry voice, “You’re thrusting deep inside me, and I can feel every inch of your huge pulsing cock…”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Oh my God. She’d said cock. Tashi squeezed her legs together to combat the earthquake and the torrent of fluids gushing from inside her. She felt wicked and sinful engaging in phone sex with her husband in broad daylight in the midst of a bustling crowd, and whispering words like cock. When did she become such a strumpet, the proverbial preacher’s daughter gone wild? She felt like the lead role in The Awakening of Tashi Holland.
“What’s my huge, pulsing cock doing to you, baby? How is it making you feel?”
The sound of Adam’s unsteady breaths and his sexy baritone voice squeezed a soft erotic moan out of her. She crossed her legs and locked her knees together. Her toes curled in her fashionable sandals as she fought to control her arousal.
“Excuse me, Miss. My name is Gina and I’m your attendant today. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“Huh?” Tashi’s eyes flew open and she stared into the questioning ones of a young, pretty girl. She hastily pulled herself together and sat up straight. The inner walls of her vagina were still pulsating and her panties were soaked through, but there was nothing she could do about them at the moment. “Just a second,” she said to the girl. “I have to go,” she whispered to Adam.
“I don’t want you to go. I want you to come. For me.”
“Adam, the waitress is standing right here. I promise I’ll do that later.” Wanton frustrations edged through her at being interrupted just when her phone sex was getting good, and the young waitress was too untrained to take a walk and let her finish her conversation.
But Adam was not one to let it go. “Say it. Say you’ll come for me later. Over and over again while I’m thrusting deep inside you.”
Oh, God. This raunchy side of her husband was one Tashi never expected, and it was making her horny and dizzy. She cupped her hand over her mouth and said in a low voice, “Okay, Adam. I’ll come for you later, over and over again while you’re thrusting deep inside me.”
“Vedo l'ora, mia cara. Have a great lunch, and enjoy your time with the girls, Mrs. Andreas.” And with that he was gone.
Mrs. Andreas. That’s who she was. Tashi kept the phone glued to her ears for a few seconds while she tried to bring herself down from that unexpected sexual high. When she thought she could speak without stuttering, she placed it into her purse and gazed up at the waitress. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. Did you have a chance to check the drink menu?” She pointed to the two-sided laminated menu stuck between the salt and pepper shakers on the table.
“No. Um—I ’ll just have—um a bottle of sparkling water with a glass of ice.” She was stuttering anyway. “And I’m waiting for some friends. There will be four of us.”
When the waitress left, Tashi turned sideways in her chair and cased the crowd, looking for her friends who were now fifteen minutes late. She supposed being tardy was excusable when one had children to attend to, especially for Kaya who had five and Michelle who had three. Seeing the women and children in action at the LaCrosse mansion was an eye-popping experience for Tashi. Even though they had nannies, those women were totally devoted to their children and paid attention to their little grumblings as well as their cries of laughter.
Tashi rubbed her left hand over her belly as a warm smile parted her lips. If she were lucky, she would have her own baby in nine months. The morning after she and Adam first made love and hours before their wedding, Tashi had pointed out the fact that they hadn’t used protection. Adam had asked if she regretted it and if she wanted to start some method of birth-control, and when she’d responded negatively, he’d said neither did he. Adam hadn’t come right out and said it, but a pregnancy, Tashi knew, would make their temporary marriage per
manent, and her husband very happy to have his own child to love, even if he didn’t love its mother. Yet.
Tashi’s smile widened as she recalled the tenderness in Adam’s expression as he’d cradled Massimo and Shaina’s daughter, Aria, in his arms, spoke to her tenderly in Italian, and then how enthusiastically he’d played with Bryce and Kaya’s twins, Eli and Elyse, making funny faces and garbling sounds as they squealed with excitement. The kids seemed to love their Uncle Adam, especially Alyssa, Anastasia, and Tiffany who followed him around ceaselessly. He was definitely a big hit with the girls. Adam had told her it was his hair they loved. True. They were always grabbing it, tugging on it, playing with it like a kitten plays with its tail. And Alyssa had pinned a couple of barrettes in it that Adam had worn proudly around.
Tashi had gotten a glimpse into her future as she’d watched Adam and the other husbands romping on the floor with all the kids. Even Jason and Precious who she would think were too old for romping, had been drawn into the fun. This magnificent circle of friends and family really loved each other, and…
“Are you Adam’s wife?”
Tashi’s body stiffened in alarm, but remembering who she was—an Andreas—where she was in a public place, and who was watching her, she took a deep breath and turned her head in the direction of the voice. An attractive medium-height, athletic-looking brunette in casual attire was standing on the other side of the table. Tashi frowned as mild curiosity replaced her initial unease. “Who are you?”
“I’m sorry.” The woman extended a hand. “I’m Claire Forsythe. I’m an old friend of Adam’s. We go way back to childhood.”
Well that didn’t explain how she knew her, Tashi thought shaking her hand. Adam hadn’t made their marriage public knowledge. Only his close friends knew. Out of old habit, she made no attempt to give up her name or any other personal information.
Tashi watched as Claire pulled out a chair on the other side of the table and quite presumptuously sat down. “My sister was at Little Erik’s birthday party on Saturday. She has a son his age. She told me she saw Adam with a strange woman who was wearing a wedding ring, even though he wasn’t wearing one.” Claire Forsythe’s eyes zeroed in on Tashi’s ring finger still resting on her stomach.
Strange! Really?
“She accidently captured you in the background of one of the pictures she took of the kids,” Claire said.
Since she and Adam had left the party shortly after the other guests began to arrive, Tashi was sure it was a calculated move, and that Claire’s sister had taken more than one picture of her. Instinctively, her right hand came up to finger the rings—a platinum wedding band and an enormous diamond engagement ring both studded with emeralds and aquamarine stones. The engagement ring belonged to Adam’s maternal grandmother. He’d had it sized for her the day they’d decided to get married.
Her husband had done a lot of things that day when she was otherwise occupied: ordering a new wardrobe—complete with shoes and handbags—from Joanne’s Boutique, an exclusive store on Main Street Tashi had passed by many times, and having it delivered on Saturday. He’d ordered a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport car from France that was delivered to the estate this morning. He’d also contacted the DMV about a driver’s license with her new name: Tashi Andreas, which she’d picked up before dropping Adam off at Hotel Andreas and heading across town to see Dr. Kelly.
“So it’s true. You’re his wife.” Claire’s jarring voice cut into her reverie.
Tashi took off her sunglasses and stared the woman down. Her gut told her that Claire Forsythe was not here to congratulate her, and that she had some ulterior motive in mind when she’d decided to approach her. She knew she was on her own. Even though Claire was blatantly rude, she wasn’t a threat. Her bodyguards would not intervene unless the woman made an attempt to bodily harm her. Besides, she felt calm and balanced due to both her yoga and meditation sessions with Adam and her talk with Dr. Kelly this morning. She wasn’t going to let this insignificant gnat that had flittered into her air space fluster her. “I guess you and my husband aren’t that close, or he would have informed you of our marriage.”
“Oh, you’re a catty little thing,” Clare hissed, her brown eyes darkening with resentment. “Maybe Adam hasn’t made your marriage public because it’s a farce, or maybe he’s ashamed of you. Ha! He isn’t even wearing a ring.”
Those words cut Tashi to the core, but she pressed her lips together as the waitress approached them. She forced a smile as the girl placed a tray with her bottle of water, her glass of ice, and four menus on the table.
“I see one of your friends has arrived,” she said, opening the bottle and pouring some water into the glass. “What can I get for you?” she asked Claire.
“She’s not my friend, and she isn’t staying,” Tashi said in a cold and exact tone.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed because she’s sitting here.”
“Thanks, Gina.”
The poor girl took off, wheeling through the cluster of tables like she was dodging bullets.
“Tell me, Mrs. Andreas, has your husband told you that he loves you?” Claire resumed her attack.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Which one of Adam’s past serious relationships was she? Tashi wondered, even as her stomach churned at the reality in Claire’s question. She took a sip of her water and welcomed the cool bubbly liquid splashing against her throat.
Claire flashed an evil grin. “He hasn’t, has he? So, it wasn’t for love. What’s the real reason he married a mousy little thing like you? What do you have on him? Did you get pregnant on purpose? Is that how you landed him?”
“Oh my God, Claire. You had your chance and blew it. Stop making a fool of yourself.”
At the sound of Michelle’s calm and collected voice behind her, Tashi let out the breath she’d been holding. She turned as her friends filed into rank around the table like guardian angels to the rescue. They were sophisticatedly dressed in body-hugging designer dresses, sandals, and carrying purses she was certain were as expensive as the one she’d chosen to use today instead of her backpack.
Her backpack days were over, she supposed. She was an Andreas, and she had to present herself as one. Refraining from emotional outbursts in public when approached by venom like Claire Forsythe was expected. Her friends knew the rules, and kept their calm even though she could feel the rage and the disdain simmering behind their eyes.
“Adam is done with you,” Kaya said, coming to stand on one side of Claire. “It’s been ten years. Get over it. Get over him, already.”
Shaina stood on the other side, glaring down on her as if she wanted to punch a hole in her throat. “If that huge rock on my cousin’s finger doesn’t shout, ‘I’ve moved on’, I don’t know what does.”
Warmth crept into Tashi’s cheeks at being called someone’s cousin, even though it was only by law. She not only had friends. She had family.
“That’s still to be determined,” Claire spat, her gaze bouncing from one woman to the next. “Adam isn’t even wearing a wedding band. That should tell you a lot.”
“You’re in my seat,” Michelle said through clenched teeth, her black eyes flashing murder. “No one invited you to sit at this table, and no one wants you to stay. So do us all a favor and go project your demons somewhere else.”
“We’re attracting attention.” Tashi nudged her head in the direction of the tables to their left and right. She didn’t want attention. She didn’t want her bodyguards thinking they needed to intervene.
Shaina and Kaya stepped back, giving their uninvited guest hardly enough space to squeeze past them.
Claire stood up and flipped her glossy long hair over her shoulders. “Good luck, Mrs. Andreas. You’ll need it when Adam tires of you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She glared at the ladies and walked away as indecorously as she’d arrived.
The ladies exchanged hugs and kisses as if Claire was never even there, and then Shaina and Michelle se
ttled into the seats on the opposite side of the table while Kaya sat next to Tashi, who was bubbling inside. It was nice to have friends to look out for her—someone besides paid bodyguards to watch her back. She could have handled Claire on her own, and she was just about to tell her to go take a dive into the river when the ladies showed up. This was an honor she never had before. She was quickly learning the benefits of girlfriend bonding. If she’d had this kind of support in New York, she wouldn’t have gotten mixed up in Scottie’s sick game, but then, she wouldn’t have had to flee to Granite Falls, and she wouldn’t have met Adam.
“Who was she?” Tashi asked the ladies as they looped their bags over the backs of their chairs. It was good to know who her enemies were, especially the ones who filled her with misgivings about her marriage and her husband’s feelings for her. “She said she was Adam’s friend. That they’d been friends since childhood.”
“She’s not his friend. She’s his ex. His nosy, pathetic ex.” Shaina picked up her menu and flipped through it absentmindedly.
“The one who left him at the altar?”
Kaya did a double take. “Adam told you about her?”
With her finger, Tashi made little circles in the condensation on the side of her glass. “Just that he was left standing at the altar. He didn’t mention her name.”
Michelle combed her red-tipped fingers through her short crop of black hair. “That’s because her name is not worth mentioning. But yes, that was her.”
“You must tell Adam that she approached you,” Kaya said, her face clouding with uneasiness. “You don’t want her to become another Victoria.”
The looks the women exchanged sent disturbing quakes rumbling through Tashi. “Who’s Victoria?” she asked Kaya.
“A woman from Bryce’s past,” she answered in a dismal voice. She placed a hand on Tashi’s arm. “I don’t want to spoil our appetites by talking about her. Just promise you’ll let Adam know about your encounter with Claire.”
