“No, I mean with my brother.” She takes her coffee cup to the counter and refills her cup. “Want a refill?” she asks, bringing the carafe to the table.
“Sure. Thanks.” I look into her face, yet her eyes never leave my coffee cup as she pours. “And yes, he’s amazing.”
She takes her seat again and gives me a pointed stare. “That he is. And he has a lot of money.”
Blood rushes to my face as I match her glare with my own. “And?”
“And a girl like you could find reasons to like a guy like him. He’s generous and seems to really like you.”
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
“A girl like you could use a guy with a lot of money. I’m sure you’ve never been with a guy with such a nice car or a wallet full of cash. Or maybe you have and Sam is just one in a long line.” She leans in. “I’m watching you. I handle all of my family’s money, and I’ll know if you get your hands in there.” She stands and heads toward the mudroom leading to the back door.
“A girl like me? You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She turns back. “Maybe. But like I said, I’m watching you.”
At that moment, Sam strolls in the room, whistling. He stops suddenly, looking between his sister and me, then follows her as she struts outside. I press my hands to my face to press back tears.
Sam bursts back into the door and squats next to my chair. “Eve, hey. You okay?”
“Yeah.” I give him a weak smile.
“I’m going to go yell at my sister. I don’t know what she said, but I’m not surprised and I’m so, so sorry. I’ll be right back, okay?”
I nod and get up to find Aaron, desperate to give him a squeeze. I know what she was implying. It’s not the first time I’ve heard it, but I’ve just gotta shake it off.
Chapter 8
Sam
Seeing the broken sadness in Eve’s eyes makes my blood boil. Fucking Sarah. I wonder what she said now.
“Hey, you leaving so soon?” I call as I follow her. This will go better if she volunteers the information. As the eldest child, she thinks she always knows best.
“Yeah, I can’t watch the train wreck in there anymore.” She shakes her head, arms crossed, squinted eyes staring out over the vineyard speckled with yellow mustard blooms.
“Go ahead, Sarah. Spit it out.” I also cross my arms, planting my feet beside her.
“I know you can’t see it, Sammy, but think about it. She’s probably never seen money like yours. Christ, she’s probably never even been out of the city. She needs someone like you.”
I sigh. “Damn it, what did you say to her?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“You’re way out of line. You have no idea.”
“Do you think living in your neighborhood in a mixed-race relationship is gonna be easy? Raising a black kid? We’ve worked so hard to get where we are. You’re jeopardizing that.”
“I fucking live in LA. There are biracial relationships all over the place. Jesus, Sarah, welcome to this century.”
“Whatever. Just think about it. I can try to wrap my head around the idea if you fall for her charms. She’s probably played men like you before. I’ll try to show support for you anyway. You know that.” She shrugs. “I just had to say something.”
“I’m not going to think about it. Your concerns are based on nothing other than the color of her skin.” I huff. “You know what? Your lack of attempt to get to know her this weekend and now your false accusations are uncalled for. Not sure what your problem is, but you need stay away from her.”
“You’re wearing your heart on your sleeve as always. Good to see you’ve learned from past experiences. Good luck, little bro.” She fakes a smile and hops in her mini-SUV.
Fuck her. She’s always felt I allow women to lead me on. Specifically, Theresa Drazen. Theresa and I have been friends for years, and I was in love with her for several of them. She didn’t see me that way, but that didn’t matter to me. You can’t help who you fall in love with, and I took what I could get from her, even if that meant a platonic lunch once in a while and an occasional invitation to Drazen family gatherings. My sister is too practical of a person to fall in love, so she doesn’t get it. She maintains that I was a fool to wait for Theresa, but I’m a patient man. When Theresa met Daniel Brower, I made the decision to let go. And now I’ve met Eve and I finally feel like I can move on.
Expecting to find Eve broken and crying, I rush back to the kitchen. Instead, I find her with Aaron in the baby backpack, singing a rousing rendition of “Old MacDonald” as she and my mom clean the kitchen.
“With a buck-buck here and a buck-buck there.”
Her beautiful voice echoes above the sound of running water and dishes clanging.
When Aaron joins in, he sings, “But-but,” and it makes me chuckle.
Eve turns to see me and pauses. Her eyes are filled with hurt, but she smiles back. This girl. All that she’s been through, of course she doesn’t let my sister’s words hold her back.
I pull her and Aaron to my chest and squeeze. Feeling this little family against me makes me want to hold them forever. Like a fucking caveman, I have an overwhelming desire to gather them up and flee to find shelter. They make me want to provide. Mate. Hunt and gather. Protect.
We’ve made so many great memories together in such a short time, I can only imagine what the future brings. My sister is wrong about her. I may be wearing my heart on my sleeve again, but this is different. It’s the real thing.
With Aaron snoring in the stroller, we take our last walk around the vineyard before heading home. With one hand on the stroller and one hand holding Eve’s, all I hear is the sound of our footsteps and the stroller wheels crackling against the gravel. Even the birds are quiet, except for the occasional flutter and warble in the nearby apple orchard.
“I’m sorry about my sister’s behavior.” I press my thumb into her palm, keeping my eyes on the road before me.
“I know.”
“I don’t know where that came from. All I know is she’s very protective of me.” I look over and watch a single tear roll down her cheek.
“It’s okay.” She stops and lifts her hand to wipe her face, but I hold her hand and swipe the tear with my thumb.
“No, it’s not. She didn’t even try to get to know you. It’s not okay.”
She lays her head against my chest, and I surround her with my arms and torso. “I know, but it’s not the first time that’s happened. I’m not angry or ashamed, just disappointed.” She sniffs. “We were having such a good weekend.”
“We still are.” I tuck a loose curl behind her ear. “My sister is gone. She won’t come back till after we leave. My parents obviously don’t hold the same opinion.” I kiss her gently. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
I tug at her hand and push the stroller in front of us. Walking past the cabernet and winding through the zinfandel, up the hill and to the right, we approach an area where the property overlooks a wide expanse of Temecula Valley. The sun gleams overhead, illuminating the wild mustard blooms for miles.
She gasps in surprise, then smiles and looks up at me. “You told me about this.”
“Yes. You’ve seen it on our property, but I wanted you to see more.” I move to hug her from behind. We’re both facing the vista, my chest to her back while I kiss and nibble down her neck.
“It’s breathtaking,” she says and leans into me.
“Would it be cheesy for me to say, so are you?”
“Yes, but say it anyway.” She giggles.
I bring my lips right to her ear and whisper, “You’re breathtaking. Even more beautiful than a whole horizon of wild mustard blooms.”
“Sam.”
She sighs and I can feel her goose bumps as I rub my hands along her arms and shoulders. Her nipples poke little tents out of her tight top. I love that saying such simple things creates such an immediate reaction. Feeling her body ag
ainst mine, I’m tempted to bend her over and fuck her from behind until she screams my name, but Aaron is in the stroller beside us. For now, I’m content with a quick squeeze of her tits and a swift smack on her ass.
******
The return drive to LA is quiet, probably because we won’t see each other for a few days after I drop her off. I’m headed to Portland tomorrow morning, and we both know how this goes. We’ll miss each other desperately, then spend days catching up when we’re reunited. I already miss every inch of her.
When I hug and kiss her at her apartment door, I breathe in as much of her as I can, imprinting her essence into my psyche so that when I’m gone, I can recall her almost as if she’s with me.
Pulling away from the curb in front of her apartment building, I glance up at the yellow square that is her bedroom window and decide it’s time to secure what is mine. If Will Santon is right and Matthew is in town, we’re gonna talk.
Chapter 9
Eve
“Wait. How many times?”
“Actually, I lost count. Many, many orgasms each time.”
“Each time? Girl, you were together for twenty-four hours.”
“Yes. Austin is now in my record book.” Mia blows on her wet nail polish and looks at me.
I laugh. “Of course you have a record book.”
“All single ladies should have one.”
“Well, if we’re talking record books, then Sam wins first place in mine just for this weekend alone.”
“You lost count too, didn’t you?”
“Yep. Geez, what are we, teenage boys? It’s like locker room talk in here.” I shake my head and stir the taco meat.
“Okay, you wanna talk feelings instead?”
“Haha, nope. Unless there’s more to your weekend with Austin. Was it insta-love?” I ask, running a knife through a ripe avocado.
“Totally.” She sighs, resting her chin on her hand with a dreamy expression. “I’m planning the wedding and he’s securing our financial future. He’s an investment banker or something.” She blows a bubble with her gum. “What’s up with you? You seem a little down.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I think. The weekend was amazing. His parents are the sweetest, and they loved Aaron. But his sister was un-freaking-believable. She thinks a girl like me, obviously meaning a black girl, would only date Sam for his money.”
“Jesus, what century are we in?” She cracks her gum. “I don’t understand people.”
“I’ll tell you what, it’s got me rethinking my thesis again. The hate is strong and a sistah gotta stand up, you know what I’m sayin’?”
Mia bounces up and out of her chair just as fast as it takes Aaron to stretch his little fingers up to the stove top. This is about his fourteenth attempt.
“I got you!” She sweeps him off his feet and blows raspberries on his little Buddha belly.
His baby laugh brings me back to the first time Aaron met Sam. He scooped him up off the ground at our picnic, and that’s when I knew he would be an okay guy to let into our lives. I remember the way Sam’s strong arms cradled my son and the way he tickled Aaron with his nose. The memory runs through my mind like a movie in slow motion. Ticking slowly with each movement. Aaron’s watermelon dripping onto his shirt. Their bright eyes as they laughed together. Aaron’s bare feet on the grass. Sam pushing him on the swing and playing peek-a-boo. These pictures of the past remind me of how genuine and real he is, how careful and attentive he is. The more I get to know Sam, the more I believe he loves us.
Wait.
He loves us? Is that what he was trying to tell me in Temecula?
I really care about you.
You’re from my wildest dreams.
I feel as though that’s man code for saying he loves me. Maybe I’m off base, but I’m pretty sure he loves me. And as clear as the light of day, I know I love him too.
Chapter 10
Sam
The light brush of a feather moves across my torso, circling one nipple, then the other, sending waves of lust through me. My knees are getting sore from kneeling on the hard stone floor, and I’m faltering on the edge of pain and pleasure.
I’m panting, desperate for more. Her shoes click on the floor before me, but this silk scarf is tied so tightly around my eyes, my eyelids won’t budge. I’m dizzy and deliriously aroused from both her touch and my inability to sense what she will do next. I’ve been ready to come for a while, but I wait for her permission.
Drazen and I frequent Club Edge, a BDSM club in LA, when we’re home on breaks from Stanford, but we’ve always been here as observers, or occasionally we take a sub for a one-nighter to a private room.
Separately.
I’ve never been next to him, blindfolded and naked. His rough breaths and grunts invade my ears, making a similar pattern to my own. All my other senses heightened without my sight, I feel Madame Silk lean down and fill the space between us. She whispers praise for our obedience, but I jump when her fingers twist my nipple. This is why I’m hard as a rock. My balls ache, and all I can do is concentrate on holding back my orgasm until I’m told otherwise.
“Ladies,” she calls.
I hear shuffling on the floor in front of me.
“Boys, stand up.”
Barely able to straighten my legs to stand, the next sensation I feel is a tongue sliding from the root to the tip of my cock. I push my hips forward, which I quickly realize is a mistake when I feel the sting of a slap to my ass.
“Don’t move,” Madame says with a deep, authoritative voice.
“Ah! Yes, ma’am.” I gasp again. The pain sending me closer to the edge, about to blow all over whoever is in front of me.
Madame removes my blindfold, and as my eyes adjust to the soft, yellow light, I see Belladonna before me—well, that’s her name when she’s here at the club anyway. Her arms are tied behind her back, tits pointing straight up at me, as her dark curls cascade down her back. She smiles, looking up at me.
Following Madame’s instructions, Belladonna takes the tip of my cock in her mouth and moans, her expression turning to ecstasy. I look at Madame, and she winks. I never know what she has planned for her parties, but I’m usually rewarded in some way. I smile back before returning my attention to Belladonna’s head now bobbing up and down the long shaft of my cock. She takes every inch, deepthroating like a good girl.
My shouts of release spill into the room, and I come so hard, leaving spurts of come on her face and in her hair. The room starts to darken in the euphoria of my orgasm. As I sweat and shake, my restraints are released and Belladonna helps me to the bed behind us. She lies beside me, cooing appreciation in my ear.
When I recover, I smile and kiss her, flip her onto her back, take a swig of bourbon from the glass on the table beside me, and bury my face in her pussy, ready to return the favor.
My laptop starts to slip off my lap, and catching it startles me back to the present. I look around in a daze, slowly catching my bearings.
Huh. Well, that was interesting.
I push the ottoman away with my feet and bring the recliner back into a sitting position. I must have completely zoned out while I was scanning security video for the guy who has been loitering around the Stock. I rub my face with my hands, wondering why I was daydreaming about those long-lost days. I haven’t thought about them for years, and I’m perfectly happy that I left that lifestyle behind. It’s just like Debbie the Yenta to invade my daydreams like that. Jonathan and Fiona introduced us during a phase in my life when I was into dominant play, and she and I remained friends. Even though I’m technically her boss, we all know Debbie is really the one in charge at the Stock.
After a hard jack off in the shower, my head is finally clear. I need to go in to work.
After walking into the Stock, I invite Debbie to meet in my office to review the security footage. She finds and clips the footage of the guy, and we zoom in. He looks like a real punk: brown hair, built, sloppy cargo shorts, and flip-flops. What k
ind of dick shows up dressed like that at a place like this?
“He caused quite the scene. We told him not to come back. He was pretty drunk before he even came in,” she says, watching him staggering around and spilling his drink.
“Did Robert see him?” I ask. He’s our broodish bartender who’s the size of a bouncer. He’s here all the time, whereas the bouncers are only here in the evenings.
“I’m not sure. Send it to me and I’ll make sure he sees it. I’ll email security. Maybe it’s time to add another guy,” she says, walking out my office door.
Good. Problem solved. Hopefully. Now I can go home and see what Lupita has packed for my trip tomorrow.
On my drive home, I can’t get that guy out of my head. There was something about him that wasn’t quite familiar, but I feel as if I should know who he is. Maybe all punks look alike when they’re making a scene. Debbie was right in booting his ass out, but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing this guy again.
Chapter 11
Sam
This is an earlier flight than I’m used to. At least the sun has almost come up over the horizon. My ears pop as the plane levels off, the engine’s scream changing to a different tone as it settles into its new altitude. The seat belt light dings, the pilot announces the all clear, and the attendant finally brings my coffee. At least Portland is in the same time zone, so my return flight back to California won’t take much out of me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of a young blonde dressed in a tailored, tight black suit, seated directly across the aisle from me. My eyes follow the sleek line up from her black heels, along the straight angle of her crossed legs, past her chest, where the neckline dips low enough to show a sliver of her lacy bra, and up to her red lips touching her coffee cup. I smile politely, cutting eye contact quickly so I don’t give her any ideas. Her body language is already throwing me vibes of interest. I would haul her into the VIP bathroom and have my way with her if I wasn't completely and totally in love with Eve.
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