“You think so?” he sounded unsure.
“Yeah.”
“Actually, Miles asked me when I was going to be his uncle.”
That didn’t sound too uncertain.
“He did?” My eyes shot open. “What did you say?” This was going to be good.
“I told him I was his uncle. I already feel like I’m part of your family.”
Hopefully he felt that way because he knew he was going to be part of my family. Soon.
“That’s sweet. Thanks for your help today.”
“You’re welcome, but you did all the heavy lifting. You’ll be a great mom someday.”
“You think so?” I asked, sounding unsure even to myself.
James leaned back in the tub and closed his eyes. “Of course.”
“Maybe we should have a baby,” I said, my heart pounding as the words left my mouth.
“Let’s get the house set up first,” he said.
Nope, wrong answer. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. Duh!
“But that doesn’t mean we can’t start practicing now.”
And that was the first time James and I made love in a bubble bath.
They say that when you have kids you can kiss sleep goodbye. I didn’t think this applied to me given that the kids were old enough to sleep through the night in their own beds. But I supposed the old tradition of Saturday morning cartoons never went out of style, at least it was still in full force the next day. It wasn’t even eight o’clock when there were more bodies in the bed than I was comfortable with.
“Wake up, it’s time for breakfast. Can you make pancakes?” Wispy child breath tickled my ear. I shut my eyes tighter and covered my face with the blanket.
“It’s too early, guys,” I mumbled.
“Rise and shine, sleepy head,” Jillian sang as she peeled the covers back. I opened my eyes for a moment and they stared back patiently.
“Okay, five more minutes,” I said and took the covers back, but my respite was short lived. Moments later they had climbed on top of me and yanked the covers off. Must be nice for Uncle James, who was still snoozing on his side of the bed. Miles and Jillian didn’t bother to torture him.
By the time I’d had some coffee and eaten a couple of pancakes, I was glad for the early morning. The sun streamed through the windows, lifting my sleepy spirit, and I had more time with the kids who adorably bounced around in the pajamas, singing theme songs from the morning shows and stuffing pancakes in their mouths.
“Aunt Marin, what are we doing today?” Jillian asked.
“That depends. What do you guys want to do?”
“Something fun,” she said.
“Yeah!” Miles added.
“Do you guys wanna see the Redwoods in Muir Park?” I asked.
“Redwood trees?” Jillian asked.
I nodded.
“Those are the really big ones, right?” Miles raised his arm as high as it could go, jumping to give it more height.
“That’s right,” I said.
“Yeah! Let’s go,” Jillian hollered.
We arrived at the park just after lunchtime, which was perfect because we were all starving. The four of us sat at a dusty picnic table, chewing our turkey sandwiches, grapes, and granola. Jillian and Miles agreed that they were up for the hour and a half trail. Yes, they were balls of energy, but I was unsure about their stamina. I hadn’t been to the park since last summer. Even though it was something I experienced regularly, the Redwoods still took my breath away. To me, trees were the ultimate symbol of life, staying grounded and having roots, while also reaching for the sky, pulling nutrients from the soil and the sun, and creating shelter and food for others.
Call it a hippie-Holly perspective, but the majesty of the Redwoods’ height reminded me that nature was truly amazing. Jillian and Miles walked ahead, and James and I watched as their little eyes ran up the long trees to the sky, squinting and shielding their faces with their hands to improve their vision. To my surprise, neither Jillian nor Miles complained during the hike. In fact, the two were the most quiet they had been over the weekend. I imagined they were taking the magnificence of the forest to heart. They walked a little way ahead and James took my hand.
“Are you having a good time?” I asked, feeling a little guilty that we had to spend the weekend on child duty and had to leave Marvin back at the house. No dogs allowed.
“I’m having a great time,” James said with a smile.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ve always liked hanging out with them.” He looked up, checking to make sure they were still in sight.
“I know, but we’ve never done it for this long.”
“Why, are you tired already?”
“No way, I could do this all day, every day.” Code for, I want a baby soon.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The kids were so tuckered out by the walk that they fell asleep on the ride home. Now that was the quietest they’d been all weekend. James and I were almost as quiet, and as much as I wanted to catch a nap when we returned home, I had to get dinner ready for the kids, which I did happily. But by the end of the night, I was spent. The five of us, Marvin included, cuddled up on the couch to watch one of the new animated movies I’d never heard of, but the kids couldn’t wait to see.
“This is fun,” Jillian said. “Can you come back next weekend?”
“Yeah and Uncle James too,” Miles shot James a big grin and I laughed.
“Probably not next weekend but another time. Maybe you two can stay at our new house,” I said. They shouted and hooted at this idea, even James.
I wasn’t sure when it happened, but sometime during the movie I passed out and when I woke up, the TV was dark and the others were fast asleep, Marvin snoring on the floor. I whipped out my phone for a quick snapshot then nudged James awake.
“Hey, can you help me get the kids up to bed?” I whispered. He nodded in a sleepy daze. It was a good thing James was around because there was no way I could carry either one of those kids upstairs. Jillian maybe, but I didn’t want to risk dropping her.
James lay them gently in their beds, and I tucked them in. I thanked James in a whisper, and he held me for a moment, probably to prop himself up. The poor thing barely opened his eyes.
The next morning was similar to the last. Only this time the kids had plain old cereal instead of fancy pancakes. Before we knew it, Michael and Jennifer were back and it was time for us to head home.
“How were they?” Jennifer asked.
“They were perfect.” I smiled and she seemed relieved.
“Thanks for doing this. We really appreciate it.” Michael shook James’ hand and patted me on the shoulder. Not one for affection.
“Anytime,” James said.
On the highway heading toward the city, James glanced at me. “I have to be honest, I was a little worried about watching them for two days, but they were great. You were great. Maybe we should think about having one of our own soon.”
I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. He obviously thought I was mother material. I had to hand it to Charlotte McQueen. James was making commitments with real estate and talking about a baby. He seemed to be more in love and enamored with me than ever. I couldn’t be sure a proposal was coming, but I had the feeling that the sexy getaway would seal the deal and soon we’d be Mr. and Mrs. James Young.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
South of the Border
“Cabo San Lucas!” Brina, the travel agent, said, spirit fingers going. No wonder Rachel liked her. Both were enthusiastic cheerleaders.
“Isn’t that where the college spring breakers go?” That’s where I’d gone for spring break during my second semester in med school.
“Oh no, honey, I’m not talking about one of those cheap hotels that comes with condoms and hopefully Lysol. I’m talking about a honeymoon resort with beautiful pools, gorgeous beaches, five-star restaurants, helpful staff th
at speaks English. Comprende?” She was a little much, but I was still listening. Brina pulled up photos from a resort in my budget.
Impressive.
“Oh, look! If we book you now to go in two weeks you can get half off.”
Two weeks? That could work. “Book it!”
She high-fived me. My first high-five in ages but totally appropriate. She arranged a suite, champagne, and all the activities that James would love.
I couldn’t wait to tell him, so I didn’t. That night I invited him out for Mexican food at Colibri, where we had our first dinner date almost two years earlier.
“We haven’t been here in a while,” James said, looking over the menu. We usually opted for the hole in the wall Mexican places that didn’t skimp on the refried beans or the guacamole.
“I know, but I have a surprise for you.”
James scrutinized me, most likely trying to guess the surprise before I could reveal it.
“You wanna guess?” I asked.
“I do, but I’ll let you tell me. I know you like to surprise me.”
He was right. I relished those few and far between moments when I could bring him some excitement and joy. “So, what’s the surprise?”
“We’re going to Mexico!” I said.
“We are?”
“Yep, pack your bags, baby. We leave in two weeks!”
He smiled and released a little chuckle. “Yeah, that’s definitely a surprise.”
“I got you, huh?”
“You did.”
“I got this great deal on a resort in Cabo. It’s just for a long weekend, but I thought it’d be nice to have a different kind of vacation. Something sexier than wine country.”
“That’s sweet, Marin. Thank you.” He took my hand and leaned across the table. “But just so you know, there’s nothing sexier than your purple lips after a few glasses of wine.”
My cheeks flushed. I didn’t know a single girl who wasn’t embarrassed about purple wine lips, but if he thought it was sexy then I’d drink up.
“You know, they have wine in Mexico too.”
“Mmm,” he moaned. “I can’t wait.”
I bounced in my chair, clapping my hands. He chuckled, keeping hold of my hand and went back to surveying his menu.
“You know, this was the first place I took you to dinner,” he said.
I peered over my menu at him for a moment, heart-a-flutter. How sweet. He’d remembered.
“Why do you think I brought you here?” I asked.
He raised his eyebrow as if he understood what it was all about, not just the restaurant or the Mexican getaway, but the whole thing.
From that night on, James and I spent every night together, his place or mine. It didn’t matter. If we were together, we were home.
Telly met me over the weekend to purchase some provisions for the trip, meaning lingerie. I needed sexy, and Telly knew sexy.
“What about this?” She held up a skintight black dress that was slashed to show T and A.
“Um, I dunno. It’s a little too . . .”
“What?” She didn’t get it, because she was into everything and I was not.
“Slutty,” I whispered.
“Grow up, Marin. Isn’t this your sexy getaway? You’ve got to be a little slutty. You know what they say, lady in the streets, freak in the sheets.”
True. The whole point of the trip was to show James that I was sexy, spontaneous, and adventurous.
“What about this one?” I held up a lacy red babydoll.
Telly tilted her head. A different angle, perhaps? If all went well, I’d be all over the place wearing it, or not wearing it. I mean really, lingerie stays on for what—ten minutes? I should just go naked.
“It’s not bad, but I think we can do better. Like this.” Telly pulled a sheer teddy that would cover my breasts in a V-shape, showing my navel, and a thong that was covered by a teeny-tiny skirt. Sexy, but not crazy. Just enough to drive him crazy. “You like?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said and nodded slowly. “I like it a lot.” We perused the store a little more before finding another surprise.
“Rachel? Is that you?” Telly called from across the racks. Rachel jerked a little before turning around with a bright smile.
“Hi, Telly, what are you doing here?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
“Shopping for Marin’s getaway.” That’s when Rachel saw me, and seemed to clench her jaw. Weird.
“Marin. You’re both here. Cool,” she said.
“You trying to spice things up with David?” Telly asked, pointing to the crotchless panties she clutched.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Gotta keep the flames burning.” Telly and I both looked at her strangely.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, everything’s great!” Her voice rose to a higher pitch. “Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, Marin, I meant to call you yesterday.”
“What’s up?”
“Guess who was shopping at Gallery of Jewels?” She looked like she had the greatest answer in the world. Apparently I knew it too, because she started nodding.
“James!” I said.
“Yep!”
“Are you serious? Was he ring shopping? Did he buy something? How do you even know?” Please, please, tell me now!
“All I know is he called David and asked where he should buy jewelry.”
“That’s it. Did he say what he was looking for?”
“No, that’s it.”
“Are you sure he went? Maybe he was asking for someone else.” I wanted so badly to believe that he was ring shopping for me, but I didn’t want to get my hopes too high. It was a good sign though.
“He could’ve been, but David got the impression that it was for you.”
“Can you text David and ask? This could be huge!”
Rachel’s smile turned. “He’s busy right now. I’ll ask him later, I promise.” She took her panties to the check out and bid us goodbye. “Oh, Marin,” she called. “Don’t tell David you saw me here. I want it to be a surprise.”
“Okay,” I said. Why would I tell him? After all, he was “busy.” Were panties really a surprise? Hmm, maybe I should get some too.
“That girl is so weird sometimes,” Telly said.
“She’s probably just embarrassed to be lingerie shopping. I know I am.”
“Seriously? How are we best friends?”
“We complement each other. I’m the angel, you’re the devil.” I smirked.
“I know that’s right.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sexy Getaway
James and I caught an early flight the following Friday morning and arrived at the resort by eleven a.m.
Step Five: Sexy Getaway
My lightweight suitcase dragged behind me, across the black marble floors of the lobby. Sun lit the space through the wall of windows and glass doors.
“Baby, this is really nice,” James said.
“Right!” The pictures didn’t do it justice and when we got to the suite I knew it was worth every penny. James and I had never been on a vacation like this, with a suite, champagne on ice, and our own balcony with a Jacuzzi.
“What do you wanna do first?” I asked.
“What do you think?” I thought he was thinking what I was thinking.
I pulled my sundress over my head and showed off a new lacy panty and bra set from the lingerie store. Truth be told, I couldn’t wait to strip. I was aroused the moment I got off the plane. James was ready to go too. He pulled me to him and moaned as he kissed my neck and slid his hands down my body, toying with my panties. I reached underneath his shirt and ran my nails lightly down his back. He popped my bra off and I pushed him toward the bed, pulling his shirt over his head. I didn’t even care that the curtains were wide open. It was muy caliente.
Already the trip had been a success. James and I hadn’t had sex like that in a while. Like kids in a candy store, we didn’t know what to put in our mouths first. It started sensual a
nd slow, him on top of me, me on top of him, then he passionately flipped me around and the sensation was amazing. He was amazing. Yeah, I could do it forever.
By the end, I was dizzy, tingling with exhilaration and exhaustion all rolled into one. After a relaxing hot shower, I searched my suitcase for my bikini. It was the least I’d ever packed for such a trip, nothing but lingerie, bathing suits, and sexy little dresses. James and I dressed and went downstairs to check out the resort and grab some lunch. Like new lovers, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other, or rather, James couldn’t keep his hands off my ass. I didn’t mind one bit.
We were seated outside with a view of the pool and ocean.
“Gracias,” James said, doing his best to speak Spanish. Luckily, most of the staff spoke English because I only knew a few key phrases. The waiter served us mango-flavored Mojitos and we sipped the sweetness quietly, beaming at one another.
“This is really awesome, Marin. Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome.”
“I wish I’d thought of it first.”
“Aw, you can plan the next one,” I said, raising my glass to his.
“You got it, babe.”
After the early flight, the crazy sex, the alcohol, and the gorgeous Cabo sun, we had little to say and spent the afternoon by the pool and napping in the room. By dinnertime we were well rested and starving. A table awaited us outside at the restaurant. Only this time the sun had set, twinkle lights and candles illuminated the restaurant enough to read our menus. I slid my foot out of my sandal and ran it up James’ leg. He spent the entire dinner tickling my knees, kissing my hand, and kissing me from across the table between bites. It was like being in some kind of fantasyland, and I’d always remember it that way.
By the end of the meal, my lips were stained and my body was warm and relaxed, buzzing from the wine. James and I went upstairs and slipped into our bathing suits and into the balcony Jacuzzi. The only light glowed from the hot tub, but we figured out how to turn it off. As the light disappeared, so did my bikini.
The Commitment Test (The Marin Test Series Book 2) Page 12
