“Your voice catches when you lie,” he said in an overly familiar way.
“Okay,” she admitted. “I’m lying. Alek most likely won’t leave until he’s convinced I’m okay. Since I was so upset last night that I asked him to sleep with me, he’ll probably insist on staying for at least a week.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Trish finally realized what she’d said and what Nathaniel must think. Why she had even chosen to share that detail, she had no clue, but it was a bad idea.
“I don’t mean we had sex,” she said quickly. Even though she planned on having sex with Alek, Nathaniel definitely didn’t need to know that. “When you get back, I’ll explain everything that happened yesterday. For now, I don’t want to talk about it. I was upset, and I didn’t want to be alone.”
“And I’m sure Alek had no problem climbing into your bed,” Nathaniel practically growled, which made her angry.
“Alek didn’t try anything.” There was no disguising the irritation in her voice. “Could you try to have a little faith in my ability to take care of myself?”
Nathaniel let out a sigh. “Sorry about making you think you had to explain anything. More than that, I’m sorry for making you think I don’t believe you can take care of yourself. I know it might seem that way, but I’m overprotective with the people I care about. When you want to hear about my worst moments, ask Noah what he has to put up with.”
“You’re used to taking care of everyone. I appreciate that you care about me enough to try to take care of me, but you don’t need to worry.”
“Put Alek on the phone,” Nathaniel said.
“Okay.” Trish handed the phone over to Alek, who was now glaring at her.
“Hello,” Alek said stiffly.
There was a pause.
“None of your damn business.”
Another pause.
“Still none of your damn business.”
One more pause.
“Fine, talk to your father, but it’s none of his damn business either. I’d also like to remind you that if he had a problem with me being here, he’d have been at Trish’s door already. Clearly, your father trusts me here with Trish.”
He handed the phone to her and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Nathaniel?” she asked.
“I’m still here,” he said, sounding both embarrassed and annoyed. Trish suspected he was embarrassed that he’d promised to trust her and let her deal with Alek right before threatening Alek. While she liked Nathaniel, he could be a pain in the backside sometimes.
“I’m not sure what was said, but I know you were talking about me,” she said. “I need you to back off. We’re friends, and I appreciate that you care so much about me, but I’ve already told you I can handle Alek.”
“Trish,” Nathaniel said patiently. “We both know you don’t have much experience with men, and Alek will take advantage of that.”
“I can take care of this on my own,” she repeated slowly.
“You’re right, and I want to tell you it won’t happen again,” he said.
Trish giggled. “But you’d be lying.”
“Yeah,” he said, not sounding at all guilty. “Promise you’ll call if you need anything.”
“I promise,” she said with a smile.
They talked for a few minutes about the dig site Nathaniel was at before saying their goodbyes.
Alek rejoined her with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.
Trish gave him a grateful smile as she took the plate. “Thank you for making breakfast. I’m sorry if Nathaniel said anything really rude. He’s a little overprotective.”
Alek gave her a curt nod.
“I shouldn’t have mentioned we’d slept together, but I’m not a good liar.”
“That’s one of your best qualities,” Alek said without looking at her. “I haven’t met many honest people over the years. Honesty can be painful, but it’s still best.”
Trish swallowed the mouthful of egg she’d just taken. “Who hurt you, Alek?”
“Why would you think someone hurt me?” he asked with a fake smile.
“So much for honesty,” she said.
“Sorry,” he said. “That was a knee jerk reaction. It’s not something I really talk about.”
“Just tell me you don’t want to discuss it,” she said. “It’s not like we’re good friends, so there’s no reason for you to confide in me.”
“But I want to tell you,” he said quietly. “That’s part of the problem. I have this strange desire to tell you everything.”
Trish put her fork down and waited while Alek got himself under control. For whatever reason, he was uncomfortable opening up to her. Maybe it had to do with the fact that his relationships outside of the family were all superficial. Come to think of it, he kept his distance from the family, as well.
“It’s not that big of a deal,” he said, trying for a nonchalant tone. “I met a woman, and I thought she was the one, until she met another man and wanted him more. No, it’s not even that she wanted him more. She told me I wasn’t the kind of man a woman marries, that I couldn’t provide her with the security she needed.”
“And that’s why you avoid getting attached now?” she asked with a shake of her head. This couldn’t be all of it.
He nodded. “That’s most of it.”
“Pretty lame reason if you ask me,” she said and took another bite of her eggs.
Alek looked incredulous. “Lame?”
“Yes, lame,” she said. “From what I hear, you’ve been in serious man-whore mode for over two-hundred years. Do you mean to tell me you’ve been mooning over some woman that long?”
“Man-whore mode?” he asked.
“Listen, Alek, I’m not trying to be insensitive, but I expected something bigger.”
“She married my brother, and they have two children,” he continued. “She’s horribly unhappy most of the time, but she’ll never leave him. I have to see the woman I loved miserable with my own jackass of a brother.”
“Wait!” she said. “Are you talking about Justin and Isaiah’s mother?” Caitlin had told her that Justin and Isaiah were a rarity because most of Alek’s brothers only had one child. Trish could see why men would fight over Helena. The woman was stunning.
“Yes,” he admitted. “I’m not still in love with her, so get that idea out of your head. She was right about me being bad husband material, but that’s not why I’ve chosen to remain single either. Seeing Helena with Josef helped me see the futility of finding a wife. My brothers and their spouses have all been miserable.”
“Lydia might make Roman want to jump off a cliff some days, but he seems happy,” she countered.
“Okay, Roman seems happy now, but that hasn’t always been the case. Helena is miserable. Josef is so rigid and set in his ways that he makes her feel guilty about being a nurse. The worst part of their situation is that I can see my brother loves Helena. Hell, Josef loves Helena more than I ever did, but he has no idea how to change. When I see them, it reminds me of the misery my family brings into a marriage.”
“I’m sorry if I was so insensitive about your reasons for being a man-whore. I guess I’d just expected some romance novel worthy back story.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” he said dryly. “I wish you’d stop calling me a man-whore.”
She shrugged. “It’s not an insult. Although, I suppose it would be if I were looking for a relationship with you.”
“I’m not good enough for a relationship?” he asked, and she saw the teasing twinkle in his eyes.
Alek’s transition from annoyed to flirting surprised Trish. Perhaps flirting was his defense mechanism. “I’m not looking for a relationship with anyone,” she told him.
“You should be,” he said seriously. “You’re the kind of woman who deserves to be loved.”
“I agree, but I’m still trying to get my life together.” She logged off of her computer and stood. “I’m going to showe
r, and then I need to run some errands.”
Alek nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
“No,” she said because she had a few errands she didn’t want Alek present for.
“You shouldn’t be out alone until you get used to your new ability. Besides, you can’t drive until you get new glasses anyway.”
She silently cursed him for being right, but she still didn’t want to take Alek with her. “We’re like ten minutes from the mall. Maybe you could drop me off.”
Alek obviously didn’t like that idea.
The doorbell rang, interrupting the argument Alek was obviously preparing for.
“I’ll get it while you get over the fact that you can’t go shopping with me,” Trish said.
Trish was surprised to see Drew on her front porch. Of course, he knew where she lived because he’d attended a party when Lydia and Hannah still lived in the condo, but he’d never stopped by for a visit before.
“Why are you here?” She blushed when she realized how rude she sounded. “Sorry about my poor manners.”
Drew gave her what would be considered a sexy smile on most men. It’s not that Drew wasn’t attractive; he was just a little off.
Drew held up a bag. “Grandmamma wanted me to bring flowers because you died.”
She eyed the bag suspiciously. Sofia was Drew’s grandmother, and she was a little scary. While she’d always been polite to Trish, she’d never been friendly. “There are flowers in that bag?”
“Nah,” Drew said, making his way around her and into the condo. “Why would you want flowers? Those things just sit around and die. Then you gotta try to squeeze them in your trash can. I figured you’d like cookies more.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking the bag. Drew’s thoughtfulness was surprising. “Was that all you wanted?”
“Grandmamma wants me to hang out and talk to you since you’re psychic now,” he said, looking a little embarrassed.
“Is Sofia trying to fix us up?” Trish asked, hoping she didn’t sound as mortified as she felt.
Drew shrugged. “Hard to say. She told me I was too young to date a week ago, and now she’s sending me over to talk to you. Seems kind of strange, but I don’t mind visiting you.”
“She’s taken,” Alek practically barked.
Drew’s smile was so full of mischief that Trish almost laughed. He had every intention of tweaking Alek’s temper further.
“I’m going to shower, and then you can take me to the mall,” she said to Drew.
Drew’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Did you need me to help you? I could wash your front before I help you pick out some sexy panties at the mall. I don’t mind watching you try things on or even helping you in the fitting room.”
“You are not going to the mall with Drew,” Alek said.
Trish chose to ignore him. Hopefully, Drew would still be there when she finished getting ready. Alek was almost definitely trying to intimidate him into leaving, which made it more likely Drew would stay. He enjoyed being a pain in the rear too much to pass up a chance to annoy Alek.
Chapter Fifteen
Just as she’d expected, Drew was lounging on her sofa when she came out of the bedroom. Alek was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, glaring at her. Before that, it appeared he’d been glaring at Drew, who was doing a fantastic job of ignoring him. Trish suspected Drew was used to being glared at by the men in the family.
“It’s not safe for you to go to the mall with Drew,” Alek said.
“Drew is harmless,” she assured him, even knowing that wasn’t exactly true.
Alek looked incredulous. “He’s a bloody sociopath.”
Drew nodded. “He’s right. You shouldn’t get in a car alone with me.” He stood and grinned at her. “Ready to go buy those sexy panties?”
“What makes you think I’m going there to buy undergarments?” Trish asked.
“You blush every time I suggest it,” Drew said with a laugh. Turning toward Alek, Drew’s face sobered. “I’m not going to hurt Trish. She’s one of the only people who are nice to me. The reason she’s bringing me instead of you is that I’ll leave her alone. If Isaiah was here, she’d take him. Truth is, you’re so far up her cute little ass that there is no way she’d get to shop in peace. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll stalk her from outside the stores. I could even send you some pictures of her while she’s shopping.”
Alek let out a frustrated breath, and Trish shocked him by going up on tiptoes to kiss his mouth. Rather than letting her pull back with a quick brush of her lips, Alek’s arm snaked around her waist, and he crushed her against his body for a slow kiss. When Alek released her, she was a little dazed and found him smiling at her as he supported her weight with one arm. “Please be careful,” he whispered.
“I will,” she assured him before heading out with Drew trailing behind her. “You’d better not be staring at my fanny,” she said without turning around.
“Hard to avoid,” Drew said. “Most skinny girls are all flat back there, but you’ve got a nice round ass. I can’t help wondering what it would look like if you put on twenty pounds.”
“Do you ever think before you speak?” she asked as she slid into the passenger seat of his car.
He laughed. “Sure do. I was thinking about how nice your ass is, and how good you’d look if you weren’t so skinny. I was also wondering if your boobs would get even bigger if you put on some weight.”
She was trying hard to look annoyed, but sick as it might be, she found Drew kind of amusing most of the time. “I meant do you ever think that you should keep your mouth shut?”
“Nah,” he said and started the car. “I don’t do polite. I do shocking.”
She smiled while shaking her head. “You certainly do.”
His face sobered. “I meant what I said about you being nice to me. I’d never kill you or anything like that. Even if I thought about it, I wouldn’t do it.”
“Thanks, I think,” she murmured a little uncomfortably. A trip to the mall with Drew might be a bad idea. She closed her eyes to avoid seeing overlays of the past in the moving car.
“So, you want my uncle to bang you? Is that why we’re going to the mall for sexy panties?” Drew asked.
“I suppose you’re assuming that because of the kiss,” she said.
“Nope,” he said seriously. “You know how my kind all have some special gift?”
“Yes, Lydia told me about that, but she never mentioned yours.”
“Mine has been coming in bits and pieces over the last couple of years. I can sense what people want, like sex,” he said. “Also, I know when they’re aroused, and I know what they need to take care of things. I’ve been picking up on how hot you and Alek are for each other since the first time I saw you together. It keeps getting stronger, and sometimes, I get really hard being around the two of you. I’d give just about anything to watch when you finally let Alek fuck you senseless. It’s going to be a truly epic fuck.”
Trish had no idea how to respond to that. She was sure Drew was telling the truth about his ability, and he didn’t seem to be trying to shock her. That was the thing about Drew; he said what he thought without considering how anyone might react.
“When I first met you, I couldn’t pin these things down so well. I knew you were a little hot and bothered the day we met at Hannah’s party, and I was hoping it was me you wanted. Turns out, it was Noah, which I totally don’t get. You’re the type of girl who needs a man who’s gonna talk dirty to her.”
Trish snorted. “I am not that type at all.”
“Sure you are,” Drew insisted. “That’s why you get all wet when Alek is around.”
Trish felt her cheeks heat. “Could we please talk about something else?”
Drew chuckled. “Sometimes I forget how easily shocked you are. I’ll bet my book made you blush like a virgin while you touched yourself.”
“I did not touch myself while I read your book,” Trish nearly g
asped. Okay, so she hadn’t touched herself much while reading Drew’s book. She didn’t read many romances, and never read erotica, so Drew’s book was a surprise. After reading it, she now found herself wondering if she needed to get some book suggestions from Caitlin and Lydia.
Drew chuckled again. “I’m trying to be good— well, as good as I can. You’re making it hard for me by getting turned on thinking about my book.”
While she was a little embarrassed, Trish figured she should be grateful Drew was exercising some self-control.
“Fine, your book is hot,” she admitted. “I’d never even considered trying some of the stuff you mentioned in there.”
“That surprises me,” he said thoughtfully. “I’d have thought your friends would have shared some of their crazier fuck tales. They both seem like the adventurous types.”
“Caitlin and Lydia love sharing with me,” she said. “I think they do it to embarrass me, so I’ve learned to tune them out over the years. But, I’ve had to listen to Caitlin with Justin, and that’s hard to tune out.”
“What kind of stuff did they do?” he asked eagerly. “Justin’s always been uptight, but I got a look at his toy drawer about a year ago, and he’s a freak. From the way they interact, I’d guess Justin is the top in bed, but Caitlin seems like the dominatrix type. With my talent, I can tell Caitlin wants to be dominated in bed, but I don’t know if she’s given in to that yet.”
“Not sharing,” she said.
“Come on,” he crooned. “I’m doing you a favor. Just tell me who’s holding the riding crop in the bedroom.”
Trish let out a sigh. “I really wish I’d brought a spray bottle to use when you’re misbehaving.”
That statement made Drew let out a full-bellied laugh.
Chapter Sixteen
Trish was enjoying her shopping trip, while Drew kept to his word and watched her from a safe distance. Stalking might be the best word to describe what he was doing, and he clearly enjoyed it. Trish was walking out of Victoria’s Secret when an attractive young man separated from his friends to approach her. She stifled a groan. While cute, this guy was way too young. He also wasn’t Alek.
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