Rafael
I never thought it would happen to me. In fact, I’d been certain it wouldn’t. Then I spent an entire day with Emery Bellerose, and I realized the way I’d felt upon meeting her wasn’t an anomaly at all. Far from it. The crazy alpha shit my father, Mateo and most recently Alejandro spouted off like it was fact? The joke was on me because it was all fucking real. Down to the smallest particle of matter in my body, I knew that Emery was the only woman in the world I wanted, the only one I’d ever want. The chemistry between us was explosive, but with her just having broken up with a cheating douchebag fuck, I knew she probably needed time.
After spending the afternoon out at the pool, we’d all separated for an hour to shower and change before re-assembling in the kitchen to make dinner. I’d been down for something quick and easy, but somehow Kaya talked Emery and Ava into making a massive meal because she’d found a recipe for beef Wellington with spinach and blue cheese that she wanted to try. The next thing I knew all of the guys had been recruited to get down to the store for supplies.
When we got back from that shopping trip, we ended up spending two hours working our asses off in the kitchen helping to make the world’s biggest dinner. The girls were so persuasive that even Joaquin’s lazy ass wound up joining in to help, which was surprising because as the baby of the family, he was spoiled as fuck—a point he’d argue until he was blue in the face.
The big downside of the day was Emery asking about the paparazzi situation at her house when my brothers and I returned from the supermarket. Having to affirm for her that, yes, they were still there really sucked.
“I need to pull on my big girl pants, rip the band-aid off and get on the internet,” she sighed.
“But not today,” Kaya said firmly. “You can take all of this on tomorrow. You’re having a good time— allow yourself to have a break.”
I was thrilled that my thoughts aligned with Kaya’s because having Emery’s best friend on the same page definitely wasn’t a bad thing. In my opinion, there was plenty of time to deal with the bullshit that waited for Emery beyond our gates.
After a dinner where Kaya made the beef Wellington her bitch, and the rest of us had risen to the challenge with appetizers, sides, and desserts, we’d all migrated out to the outdoor patio. In an effort to have our feathered friend loosen up more toward Dio, Emery gave the warmed-up wheat bread she’d cut up for his snack to my brother to give to Elvis.
The second we came out the door and Emery called out to Elvis that there was bread he hauled ass to get over to us—but he stopped short when he realized Diego was the one with the food. His little neck cocked back and forth while he looked at the three of us skeptically. The expression on his little face said I really want that bread, but I don’t know who had the bright idea to let this guy hold my food.
“Dio wants to be your friend,” Emery explained.
Elvis was visibly unmoved. I don’t think I want more friends, Mom. Especially not this big oaf.
“Give him a break, little dude. He’s a sad sack who could use a little Elvis in his life,” I joked. “Maybe you can train him to play catch with you.”
My dude didn’t back down. He just stared at me like I don’t need him to play catch with me. I have you, Mom, Kaya, and Alejandro. This imposter probably can’t throw anyway.
“I feel like it’s the first day of school and the biggest bully in the place isn’t down to be my friend,” Dio muttered.
Elvis threw back his head and laughed like he’d understood what my brother had said. The expression on his face when he stopped cackling and looked back to Dio said you should be scared, douchebag.
Crouching down, Emery pointed her finger at her little man. “Elvis,” she said firmly. “You’re being a pill. If you want your bread, you need to let Dio feed it to you. He’s Rafe’s brother and Mommy’s friend—and he isn’t going anywhere.”
I crouched down next to Emery. “Mommy is right. That’s my brother, Elvis. I love him. You will love him too if you give him a chance. He is our family.”
The word family seemed to trigger something in Elvis—and whatever it was, it relaxed him. He looked up at Diego without any kind of attitude as he waited for my brother to make the next move.
“I’m just a guy standing here with warm bread, asking you not to peck me to death. I’m not above feeding you whatever it takes to make you like me,” Diego offered.
Elvis’s little eyes lit the fuck up. Yeah, the little shit knew what feed you whatever it takes meant, and he was going to hold my brother to it. He rubbed his small head against Emery’s arm and pecked at me twice before he sauntered toward Dio to accept his food. My brother played it smart and took a knee so he’d be at peacock level before he held out the food. Without further hesitation, Elvis began munching on his warm wheat bread, allowing Dio near him with seeming ease. Understanding what a victory it was, Diego kept up a steady stream of nonsensical conversation to put him at ease.
By unspoken agreement, Emery and I didn’t draw attention to it—we just stood and left him to it, not wanting to derail the progress that had been made. When Elvis didn’t get all up in arms when the two of us started to walk away, we knew we were right.
When we got to the table where everyone was sitting, I held out the chair next to Kaya for her before I took the one on the other side of Emery and sat down. The three of us surreptitiously watched for the next few minutes while Elvis ate his bread. The entire time Dio was there Elvis looked engaged and not hostile at all, which was a great sign.
Once Diego was finished and at the table with us, Joaquin whistled to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s play Cards Against Humanity.”
It was a good suggestion, one we all agreed to without hesitation.
Q went into the house to grab the game while Diego and I went to the bar to gather drinks.
“We’ve got stuff for piña coladas, daiquiris or margaritas, and then there’s also beer, wine and whatever liquor could possibly float your boat,” Dio announced. “Who wants what?”
Emery and Kaya answered in unison. “Piña coladas!”
Laughing at their enthusiasm, I pressed a button that brought up a blender that was stored beneath the counter. After scooping in ice and pouring white rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream into the blender, I looked over my shoulder at Ava. “You didn’t place your order.”
She waved me off with a grimace. “You guys are insane. I can barely move after all the food we ate at dinner. If I add anything else on top of it, I’ll explode.”
Ava was right, dinner had been a lot, but I wasn’t so full that I couldn’t drink a beer. Still, I wasn’t surprised when Mateo called out that he just wanted a bottle of water. As always, the two of them were a team. Sometimes I found it annoying, other times I was jealous. With Emery around, I finally got it. When your priority was another person, everything was different.
After the piña coladas were finished blending, I poured them into two tall hurricane glasses, added straws and cherries, and then took them to the girls before going back to help Alejandro bring the rest of the drinks. Like Diego and I, Jandro had chosen beer. Knowing that Q would also want beer, I grabbed one without having to ask which brand he’d want since we all favored Moritz beer. Mateo was the only one of the five of us who honestly preferred wine, but if he was going to drink a beer, he was in for Moritz, too.
Over the next few hours, the drinks flowed as we played. No one was near drunk, but those of us drinking were relaxed and having a great time. It was barely nine o’clock when Mateo hustled Ava up to bed because she yawned a few times. I loved my brother, but he seriously took the caveman thing too far sometimes. I felt confident she could’ve stayed awake a while longer and possibly had a drink or two, but his grizzly ass grabbed her up and took her back to the cave to hibernate.
After they left, the rest of us kept right on going. I wasn’t a group games kind of guy, but Cards Against Humanity with everyone was a fucking blast. Possibly this was because Emery was seated next to me, which meant I got to take in her scent, her smile, and the way she threw back her head and laughed when dirty cards came up.
Around midnight I noticed Kaya having a whispered conversation with Emery. Moments after they finished talking, Jandro announced that they were headed up to bed. Diego left next, and he actually seemed bummed out that Elvis was up on the roof of the guesthouse already asleep. Finally cluing into the death stare I was giving him, Joaquin packed it in next, which left Emery and I—finally—alone.
“We have a conversation to finish,” I said, reminding her that we’d been talking in the pool hours earlier.
She wrinkled her nose as she twirled a piece of her hair around her index finger. “I was hoping you forgot,” she sighed.
I lifted my brows and gave her a dubious look. “Since it was a conversation with you there’s not a chance in hell I’d forget a word of it.”
She looked stunned—but not unhappy with my very clear interest in her.
“If we have to talk about it I need something hot to drink,” she sighed. “I noticed there were hot chocolate cups and whipped cream in the fridge of the guesthouse. Want to come over?”
She’d never have to ask me twice. “You’ve got yourself a deal,” I answered. “I’m going to stop in the kitchen here and grab another piece of the chocolate cake we had earlier. That icing is too good to resist. You want some?”
Emery shook her head in the negative as she stood and pushed in her chair. “If we’re going into the big kitchen I’m heating up leftovers. The potatoes Lyonnaise are calling my name from the fridge.”
We went from the patio directly into the kitchen. Emery heated up a plate with some leftover beef wellington and the potatoes Lyonnaise she’d initially come in for, while I got my extra-large slice of chocolate cake and two pastries from the display on the counter. Once we both had what we wanted I took control of the plates and had her lead the way to the guesthouse. We both laughed when we closed in on the front door and Elvis opened one eye and peeked over at us in a way that made clear that he was enjoying his sleep. Emery blew a kiss at him and said, “Night, baby boy.” Elvis answered by making a sound in his throat before he promptly closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
In the guesthouse, I set our plates on the counter and had Emery sit down and eat her food while it was still hot. While she ate, I went back and forth between enjoying bites of my dessert and making two cups of hot chocolate that I garnished with whipped cream. After we were both finished eating, I quickly washed the plates off and set them on the counter for me to take to the main house when I left. Taking charge of our mugs, I followed her into the living room.
Once I took a seat on the corner of the ultra-soft gray couch, Emery sat down sideways on the next cushion over so that she could face me. Crossing her legs pretzel style, she sighed as she took a sip of hot chocolate. When she pulled the cup back, and I saw that there were remnants of whipped cream on her top and bottom lip, it took self-control I didn’t realize I possessed in order not to lick it away.
Even to my ears, my voice sounded husky when I said, “You have a little cream on your lips.”
She chuckled as she wiped at first her top and then her bottom lip with her left thumb. When she licked the excess cream off the tip of her thumb, I nearly lost my shit.
“Estás tratando de matarme,” I mumbled, telling her in Spanish that she was trying to kill me.
Emery tilted her head to the side as her sexy little nose scrunched up. “I missed that entirely because you said it too low and too fast.”
I made a dismissive gesture. “I’ve already forgotten.”
The way she looked at me said she didn’t believe me for even a moment. Luckily she didn’t push it, which I appreciated. Eager to take her mind off of it I said, “Before we were interrupted in the pool you were saying the story about your ex got worse. I want—no, I need to know what he did to you.”
Looking down, Emery absently traced a figure eight against her knee with her index finger.
“I can’t tell if you’re asking because you really want to know, or if you’re just being polite.”
I’d been very cautious with her, not wanting to overplay my hand too early on account of the fact that she’d just broken up with someone, but her asking me directly meant I had the opportunity to be direct—if she wanted it that way. Leaning forward, I put my hand over the hand she was tracing over her skin with. Her soft gasp heated my blood up by about five hundred degrees.
“You want the real answer or do you want me to give you something generic?”
Her cheeks went pink as she raised her eyes to meet mine. Taking a deep breath she blurted, “Real. I choose real.”