“To the Fearsome Foursome,” Jill says, and I roll my eyes.
Jill, Becker, Brian, and I are standing at the bar after a Cirque du Soleil show the boys took us to when Jill says the cheesy toast. The four of us have started hanging out whenever the boys have free time. Brian and Becker even carpool on their way over to our place on occasion. When Brian and Becker aren’t working late, the four of us often have dinner together. Sometimes on the weekends, we’ll sprawl on the furniture in our family room and watch a movie together with a glass of wine and a bowl of popcorn.
Jason is tending to business in Chicago, and I wonder if he and Tess are still casually screwing. She went to Colorado to visit her family and I haven’t talked to her in weeks. Brian’s business is booming, and he’s headed out of town to Houston for work tomorrow morning. I considered going with him, but he’ll be working the entire time he’s gone. I promised my mom I’d drive home to Phoenix sometime this summer, but I never said when. This could be a good time.
After a few drinks at the bar, we head home. Tonight, the furthest thing from my mind is another man. I’m focused solely on Brian and the way he makes me feel.
When we get back to my house, I lead him to my bedroom. He doesn’t attack me the minute we close the door behind us like he usually does. Instead, he gives me a sensual kiss that makes my toes curl.
He backs away and clears his throat as he unbuckles his belt. “I don’t really want to go to Houston.”
“I don’t really want you to go.” I step out of my heels and set them in my closet.
“I didn’t bring a condom tonight.” His voice is low when he speaks, and I freeze for a beat inside my closet as I wonder if this means no sex tonight or if he’s getting at something else.
I step out of the closet. “We used all of mine. I can ask Jill.”
He slides his pants down his legs and steps out of them. He goes to work on the buttons on his shirt next as he shakes his head. “I didn’t bring one on purpose. I want to feel you, Reese. All of you. I want to go to Houston with the sweet velvet memory of being inside you, no barriers, just us.”
A seed of worry plants in my mind, but he alleviates it. “I’ve only been with you for the past month. I’ve exercised disciplined responsibility before you.” He finishes undressing then steps toward me, and for the first time, he’s tentative.
“Is this okay?” he asks.
I nod, and then he takes his time to show me how he feels about me as his body moves tenderly over mine.
Just before I fall asleep in his arms, I hear him whisper, “I’m going to miss you so much.”
I’m going to miss him, too.
* * *
I’m bored and lonely without him. I physically felt his love the night before he left, and he’s gone almost an entire week. He texts me often, calls when he can.
I didn’t go to Phoenix. Instead, I stayed home and caught up on some reading and spent time volunteering at my local library. This week’s task was organizing books in the children’s section, and by the time I left today, I felt great about my progress.
It’s the night before he’s scheduled to come home that something changes. It’s a little before ten, and I’ve had two glasses of wine that made me sleepy. I text Brian.
Me: Going to bed soon. Just wanted to say goodnight.
I expect a text back, but he my phone rings a few minutes later instead.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Hi,” he says.
“How’s work?”
“Productive. I wrote three new contracts this afternoon and I’m out now with some clients.”
“Isn’t it almost midnight there?”
“Yeah. We’ve been out for a few hours. You know, wining and dining.”
“Having fun without me?”
“Never.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” His voice is low and husky.
“I’ve been thinking about you all week. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait for the other things we’re going to do tomorrow.”
My heart flutters as I think about what that might mean. I’d be content with just a kiss. My body aches for him, and more than once I’ve thought about reneging on our deal to wait for each other before we tip the scales of pleasure again.
“Fox? You coming?” A woman’s voice calls from the background. She sounds much more sultry than a business associate should sound.
“Shit,” he mutters. “I need to go.”
“Who’s that?” I can’t help myself from asking.
“My secretary.”
The blood in my veins freezes. He doesn’t say her name, but he doesn’t need to for me to know exactly who it is. “You didn’t mention you were traveling with a woman.”
“It’s not like that.”
“It seems kind of like that when you don’t mention her.”
“Fox!” I hear the voice again.
He sighs. “I have to go.”
“Fine,” I snap. I hate the jealousy in my voice. We never labeled what we have as exclusive, but I sort of assumed we were after how much time we’ve been spending together. And just because his secretary is there doesn’t mean he’s sleeping with her.
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know what I mean. I can’t have this conversation now.”
I press my lips together. “Fine.”
“For the record, it’s kind of hot that you’re jealous of my secretary.”
“I’m not jealous,” I mutter. I’m totally jealous, though I’d never admit that. I hate Kelsey and I don’t even know her.
He laughs. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Fine. Bye.”
“That’s the third fine you’ve thrown at me in the last ten seconds.”
“I thought you had to go.”
“I do. I’m sorry, Reese. It’s just you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I say.
“That’s better than fine.”
I chuckle.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hangs up first, and I stare down at my phone for a minute. I’m not typically a jealous person, but knowing sexy and sultry Kelsey is with him in Houston while I’m back here at home is enough to put me on alert. I think back to the conversation we had about her—the one where he said he hadn’t noticed how pretty she is.
If he hadn’t noticed it, then why didn’t he mention that she was going with him to Houston?