by JA Low
“He likes you,” Ariana finishes for me.
“He wouldn’t have stayed married to you if he didn’t,” Stella points out.
“Do you like him?” Chloe asks, but I can hear in her tone she’s really asking if I love him.
“What? No. Not like that,” I quickly add. “I like his dick. That’s a thing of beauty.” This makes my friends smile, which is deflecting from the real issue.
“I’m not going to be able to look at him now…” Stella teases, “… knowing he has a big dick.” We all burst out laughing. “I need a big dick. Does he have a brother?” Stella groans.
“No. But if you want a big dick, sweetheart, I can find you a big dick,” I tell her.
“Yippee.” Stella claps excitedly.
“What happened with stripper man?” Chloe asks.
“Oh, he was fun. He’s on my speed dial if I ever need him… his words.”
Hell, yeah, Stella needs to forget about her stupid crush on EJ and start dating. I can set her up with a million hot guys who will appreciate her more than EJ ever will.
“Now, who’s ready for dessert?” Chloe asks.
33
Anderson
I waited up for Emma to come home but eventually fell asleep waiting. It’s about three in the morning when I hear the elevator doors open and close again. The click-clack of her heels, the sound of an ‘oof’ and a thud, I can imagine she’s kicking off her heels. It goes quiet for a couple of moments, then I hear her rustling around in the kitchen.
Kicking the sheets off, I get out of bed and make my way toward the kitchen.
“Hey.” My voice makes her jump as she stares into the refrigerator.
“What are you still doing up?” Her words are a little slurred as she searches for a bottle of water. Pulling the door open wider, I reach in and grab the bottle and hand it to her, then gently close the door.
“Thanks,” she says sheepishly before opening the top and taking a big drink of the cold water.
“Looks like you had fun, then?” Folding my arms across my chest, I rest my hip against the counter just watching her.
“It was fun.” She gives me a look over her water bottle.
“Did they take the news about us okay, then?” Seeing as she has come home in a happy state, and not in tears, I am assuming it went okay. She places the water bottle down on the counter harder than she means to, and a bit splashes over the top.
“They did.” I watch as the water droplets slide down the side of the plastic bottle and over her hand. “They did say something that seems a little weird to me.”
Okay, she has my attention.
“They think you are in love with me.”
I didn’t mean to laugh at her comment, but it just came to the surface and out of my mouth before I could stop it.
Emma frowns, then she turns around and starts to leave the kitchen.
“Hey.” Grabbing her arm and spinning her around to me, she’s unsteady on her feet, so I reach out with both hands to steady her. Those big, bright, jade-green eyes look up at me, and she appears a little hurt.
“Am I that unlovable?” She looks solemn as she asks the question.
Reaching out, I run my hand along her beautiful face. “You are most certainty loveable.” I give her a small, genuine smile.
“Just not by you, my husband.”
Huh? What’s going on?
What did the girls put in her mind tonight?
“It would be easy to fall in love with you, Emma.”
She pulls herself out of my arms, shaking her head. “I’m going to bed.” Turning her back to me, she slowly makes her way to our bedroom.
She’s just drunk—it’s the alcohol talking.
I watch as she stumbles, placing a steadying hand on the wall as she walks down the hallway, but my stomach sinks when she turns right instead of left into our bedroom.
She’s going into the spare bedroom. Why?
My legs are moving before my brain has caught up, and they eat up the distance between us. My hand lands with a hard thump against the door as she tries to close it on me. “What the hell are you doing?” Pushing the door open, Emma jumps back in surprise as I enter.
“I just…” she wraps her arms around herself, protectively, “… I just need some space.”
Like hell, she does.
“No.” My voice echoes around the room.
“What do you mean, no?” she questions me.
“Exactly what I said. No. I’m not allowing you to have any space from me, Emma.”
This makes her bristle as her back straightens, her jade-green eyes burn with a thousand fires. “You won’t allow me?” She thumps her chest.
“That’s what I said,” I reply, standing my ground.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Her voice raises with anger.
But I don’t answer the question. Instead, I reach out and grab her, throwing her over my shoulder in a fireman’s hold.
“What the fuck…” Emma screams as she thumps my back with her hands.
Ignoring the kidney damage she’s currently inflicting, I walk back across the hallway and into our bedroom, then I throw her onto the bed. I watch her bounce a couple of times before she stops. Those jade-green eyes are shooting what-the- fuck daggers in my direction.
“I don’t want you sleeping in another room,” I tell her. “This is where you need to be… beside me.”
Her face softens a little before she starts to undress. She throws her dress at me, then her bra, but leaves her panties on. Then she pulls back the duvet cover and jumps underneath, then she pats my side with her hand. I follow her directions and slip in beside her.
“You going to tell me what that was all about?” Crossing my arms, I lean back against the headboard and look over at her. She lets out a heavy sigh and leans back against the headboard also. She pulls the duvet up, covering her breasts. Which sucks, but I don’t say anything.
“The girls got into my head. Their images of a fairy tale, and I guess…” She refuses to look at me. “I guess I fell for it, too.” Emma looks over at me, her cheeks pink with what is embarrassment. “They think all this…” she’s waving her hands around the bed, “… us… living and sleeping together means…” she lets out a heavy sigh as her head falls against the headboard, and she closes her eyes, “… we are falling for each other. Or that it’s going to blur the lines.”
Oh. Okay, now I know what’s going on.
We sit in silence for what feels like an eternity.
“I like you, Emma. I think we have established that.” She gives me a side-eye but doesn’t look at me. “And I think you like me, too.” She chuckles. “Sorry… what I mean is you like my dick.” Her face breaks out in a broad smile. “Like I said, the other day, you were a surprise I didn’t see coming.”
She turns to face me.
“I look forward to coming home and seeing you in the kitchen making cocktails, dressed in one of my T-shirts that shows off your gorgeous ass.” Bumping my shoulder against hers, I continue, “I like hearing about your day and about your business.” She raises a surprised brow in my direction at that comment. “I also like your lips being wrapped around my cock.”
Emma laughs out loud.
“What I’m saying is… I like it. I like being with you, and I like fucking you, and if that means I have feelings for you, then yeah, I’ll own it… I have feelings for you.”
Emma’s face stills, those bright jade-green eyes widen as she takes in my honest words.
“I don’t remember what life was like before you came into my life.” Giving her a shrug, the next thing I know, Emma’s straddled me.
“Do you mean all that?” she questions me.
Reaching out, I cup her face. “Yeah, I do.”
“I like you, too, Andy.” She grins. “I like coming home to you. I like how you make me feel safe and secure, yet you give me my freedom.” My thumb runs along her animated face. “I really like your dick.” She gig
gles, which makes him stir. “But, I honestly just like you.”
She leans over and kisses me ever so gently. “I don’t think I want anyone else.” Her words surprise me as she confesses, “I just want you. You’re enough.” Biting down on her bottom lip with worry as if she might have said too much and may be alone in the way she feels.
“You’re enough for me, too, Ems.” I grin at her.
“Are we kind of turning this fake relationship into a real one?” she asks.
“Yeah, I think we are.” Smiling up at her, usually, that thought would fill me with dread but not with Emma. Instead, it fills me with hope.
“You sure?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’m one hundred percent in this. I want this. I want you.” Leaning forward and capturing her lips with mine, I continue, “You and me.” I press my forehead against hers. “You and me against the world.”
She grins.
34
Anderson
Somehow Emma has roped us into a double date with Chloe and Noah. Tonight’s the night where Noah tells his friend that he’s been banging his sister.
“I think telling EJ in a public place is a good idea,” I tease Noah, who looks totally stressed about the whole situation.
“We can tell him that we’re married first, it might soften the blow,” Emma suggests. “That’s what friends are for.”
This woman is fucking perfect. She’s taking one for the team. Loyalty—that’s what she has in spades, and I think that’s what makes her different from all the other women I’ve messed around with. I honestly don’t think they would have been loyal like she constantly is.
“Maybe that’s a good idea,” Noah states as he nervously looks out the window.
“Stop it, guys. My brother isn’t that bad,” Chloe moans.
The whole car erupts with laughter.
“Really? You think he’s going to freak out?” Concern laces Chloe’s face as her brows crinkle.
“I’m putting a hundred on the fact he will punch Noah.” I chuckle.
“You’re such a dick,” Noah growls at me, which makes me laugh harder.
We eventually arrive at EJ’s restaurant after a couple more rounds of smack-talking poor Noah. Stella, EJ’s gorgeous assistant, is waiting for us as we arrive. I don’t know how he hasn’t tapped that yet because she’s such a cutie. Definitely not my taste at all, but right up EJ’s ally.
“I thought the private room would be better for tonight,” Stella advises.
I think that’s probably for the best. It will look bad if the chef is caught punching out a patron. Taking Emma’s hand in mine, we weave in between the tables. Stella shows us to the private dining room, and we take our seats.
“Welcome, team,” EJ booms into the dining room like a grenade hitting us all. He greets each one of us individually before taking a seat.
“How the hell is everyone? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you all.” EJ looks around the room with a massive smile on his face. He’s genuinely happy to see us all.
Yeah, Noah is so fucked.
“Emma and Anderson got married,” Chloe blurts out before the waitress has a moment to pour us some drinks.
“What the fuck!” EJ’s voice raises. “How the hell did that happen?” He looks between us. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d settle down, Ando, my man. Guess it’s just you and me left for the ladies, hey Noah?” EJ turns to Noah.
This makes me chuckle—he has no idea.
“Um… er…” Noah’s speechless for a couple of moments.
“No… don’t tell me you’re seeing someone? Oh, for fuck’s sake. She must have a magic pussy to tame you, too.”
I choke on my beer at EJ’s comment, then burst out laughing because he has no idea what the hell he’s just said. Emma looks over and loses it too.
“Actually…” Noah starts.
EJ’s attention is momentarily distracted by the beautiful waitress pouring the drinks. Noah decides to wait until she’s finished and leaves the room to continue his confession.
“It’s me. I’m the magic pussy,” Chloe blurts out.
Emma and I look at each other.
EJ chokes on his beer. “What the fuck did you just say?” His eyes widen, his face has turned beet red, and his hand looks like it’s about to crush the beer glass he’s holding.
“Noah and I are dating,” Chloe continues like a Band-Aid she’s ripping it off and just going for it.
“Like fuck you are.” EJ’s chair slides out, and he stands, his furious glare is directed firmly at Noah. “I told you if you touched my sister, I would fucking kill you.” He points his finger directly at Noah.
Damn! I knew this would go sideways. I brace myself, ready to jump between the two of them.
“I know… I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t. I love her, man.”
The room falls silent.
Did Noah just say he loved Chloe?
Emma and I turn to each other, our eyes wide over Noah’s words.
“I love him, too,” Chloe adds. The two of them look at each other, and you can see love hearts shooting all around them like they do in the cartoons. It’s so obvious how much they care for each other.
“Yeah.” Noah smiles at Chloe.
I take a sip of my beer, feeling like a little like I’m intruding on a private moment.
“Yeah, you and Frank.”
Who the fuck is Frank?
Emma and I silently ask the question to each other?
Are they in a ‘thruple’ we don’t know about?
“Who the fuck is Frank?” EJ roars.
“Our dog,” Noah tells him.
“You have a fucking dog, too? Next, you’ll be telling me you live together.”
“We kind of do,” Chloe confesses.
EJ rakes his hands through his hair. Is he going to have a heart attack?
“And you’re fucking married.” EJ points at me.
I hold my hands up—I don’t want to be involved in this.
“Have I stepped into the fucking Twilight Zone.”
Thankfully, after a good meal and way too many rounds of shots, the night ended up being fantastic.
“I can’t believe you’re married.” EJ slings his arm around my shoulders as he loosely holds a bottle of beer in his hand. “Thought I could always count on you to be my wingman.” His attention looks over to where Emma is laughing with Chloe and Stella about something.
“Life has a funny way of turning out, you know?”
We explained the story of how Emma and I became married in Vegas to him.
“You seem happy,” EJ muses. “I mean… Emma is gorgeous.”
I elbow EJ as I notice him looking my wife up and down a little too thoroughly, and it makes him laugh.
“Sorry.” He grins at me. “I think of all the women in the world, she probably matches you the best.”
“What do you mean?” I am curious as EJ has known Emma for a long time.
“She’s the kind of girl who can’t be tamed. She’s wild. Crazy. Walks to the beat of her own drum, you know what I mean?” He takes a sip of his beer.
Yeah, I know exactly what he means.
“I’ve seen the guys she’s dated in the past.” He looks over at me, assessing my reaction. I don’t give him one, so he continues, “At first, they think her being a wild child is great, but they soon want to dampen that shit down. Either their egos get out of control, or they think she would be a nice silent accessory on their arm.”
Can’t really imagine Emma being a silent accessory at all.
“She needs someone who embraces her fully, not only the bits that they want.”
“And you think I’m that kind of guy?” Raising a questionable brow in his direction, I ask him the question I want an answer to.
“Yeah, I do. Because you need a woman who embraces who you are, too.” He smirks. “You need someone confident in their own skin, who looks good on your arm, keeps your dick’s attention but has the brains to kee
p you interested, too.” He looks over at me as if daring me to disagree with him, but I don’t say a thing. “You don’t like women who suffocate you.” This is true, but show me a man who does. “Emma needs to feel safe, and you need to feel free.”
“She gave me my freedom at the start.” Picking at the label of the beer, I continue, “We both did.”
“You slept with other people?” EJ asks.
“Yeah.” I turn the bottle in my hand. “And it was fun, of course, but…”
“You grew tired of it?” EJ elbows me.
“Why do I need to go out when I have someone like Emma at home?” Looking over at where Emma’s sitting, taking in her black cocktail dress that hugs her curves, showing off a fair amount of tanned thigh as she has her legs crossed, I let out a long exhale.
“Understandable,” EJ agrees.
“Don’t you get sick of that life?” I question him because EJ is very similar to me, always on to the next woman and never looking back.
“Yeah. But…” he leans back against his chair, “… I don’t trust myself to be the man a good woman deserves yet.” His eyes fall to where Stella is seated.
“You do realize that while you’re out there having fun, there are plenty of men who would be happy to commit to a woman like Stella.”
EJ lets out a heavy sigh. “Like I’ve always said, Stella is the kind of girl you have a relationship with, not fuck around on.” He takes a long gulp of his beer.
“Exactly. And how many other men think she’s perfect wifey material?” EJ shoots me daggers at my comment. “She won’t wait forever,” I warn him.
“I know.” He lets out another sigh. “Now is not the time, though.”
Nodding my head in understanding, he’s not ready to be the man Stella deserves, and at least he’s doing the right thing and not messing her up. But I feel like the longer he waits, the more distance he could put between them, and sometimes you can’t put it back, and you have pushed that person too far away from you to ever get them back.
