Chapter 16

Becky shook her head. “I told you he was back in town.” They sat across from each other at Becky’s kitchen table Saturday evening, munching on a tray of decadent cookies Becky had picked up from NCB. Lou was right. Their new baker was fabulous.

“I know.” Joey sighed as she ate another cookie, no longer feeling guilty for leaving Brandon with her mother. Considering her mother had all but thrown her out of the house to have special grandma time, she didn’t know why she bothered with regrets anyway. “Has anyone ever told you that you have too much junk food around the house?”

“What can I say? I only eat like this when my love life sucks.” Becky wolfed down a chocolate chip cookie. “But at least my ex-baby daddy isn’t in town to shake me down for my kid.”

“Thanks so much for putting that into words I can understand,” Joey said drily.

“I aim to please.” Becky washed down the cookie with a glass of milk. “Ah. Well, what do you plan to do now that you’ve finally told Felix to fuck off?” Becky started laughing. “I’m sorry. I feel for you. But I have to know. What was the face he made when you said that?”

Joey mimicked the shock he’d worn, and Becky snorted milk from her nose, which Joey found hilarious. The laughter eased some of the nerves making her head swim.

“God.” Joey started on a snickerdoodle, stress eating and trying to give a crap. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Whoa. Before you get all melodramatic and the-world-is-ending on me, why not see what he wants? Yeah, okay, he totally deserved the fuck off. I agree. He walked away smelling like roses, while you got big as a house and were painted the town whore. Sorry, high school whore.”

“I’d feel a lot better if the word whore stopped being thrown around. I had sex one time and got pregnant. Not like I was rolling around with everyone.”

“I know. I just think it’s funny to call you a ho. You’re about as buttoned up as a girl can get.”

She had to say it. “That’s not what Lou thinks.”

“Go, Team Joey.” Becky high-fived her. “So you and the mechanic have been bumping uglies. And you’re loving it.”

She nodded, her face hot, but she needed to talk about it with someone.

“Does he know about Brandon yet?”

“No, and I’m thinking maybe I should tell him.”

“Because it’s more than bumping uglies. Now you want to stare at that ugliness all the time? Talk to it? Laugh at it?”

“I’m confused. When did I ever say he’s ugly?” Joey frowned. “Lou is seriously good-looking. Like, makes-you-stop-in-your-tracks hotness.”

Becky groaned. “No one ever gets my analogies. Not the fourth graders, the first graders, and not my twenty-five-year-old best friend.”

“Twenty-four.”

“Whatever. My point is you are falling for this guy, and can I just say…I knew it. You don’t do casual sex, Joey. You never have.”

“So?”

“Don’t get defensive. That’s not a bad thing. It’s who you are. You commit. You’re into more than just loving and leaving them. Unlike me. A sexual Mata Hari.”

Joey shook her head. “Sorry, again not getting the comparison. You’re saying you’re a sexual spy?”

“I was going for sexual assassin. Like, I kill because I’m so dang good in the sack. Yes? No? Never mind. Just realize it’s okay to be you, Joey. You spend so much time trying to make your parents happy, Brandon happy, Stef happy, then you forget about making you happy.”

“Not always. I mean, I did what you said. I enjoyed myself with Lou.” A lot. She fanned herself.

“And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just like there’s nothing wrong with wanting to date the guy you’re banging. Or not banging,” she grumbled.

“Oh, Trent still away?”

“No, he came back. But I learned he’s mega religious and a prude too. All that sexiness wasted on a priest.”

Joey choked on her sip of milk. “What?”

“I saw him ‘in uniform’ the other day. Man, talk about throwing me for a loop. I’ve been avoiding him since. I don’t know. Seducing a priest just feels wrong.”

Joey tried not to laugh at her friend’s misery.

“It’s awful, because I really liked him. Like, we have stuff in common. He’s a terrific person.”

“Wait. He lives here. Not at a church. Are you sure he’s a priest?”

“I think it’s some kind of nondenominational thing. That’s why he’s normally dressed in jeans and sweatshirts. Teasing the female population, letting us think we might be able to get lucky. God. And no pun intended there.”

Joey stifled a laugh.

“Yep. Mr. Sweatshirt and Jeans, hence me confusing him for a guy who can have sex.” She growled. “What a tease!”

“Ah, okay. Though pastors can have families, you know, and—”

“That whole helping-his-grandmother bit, him acting like he wanted to see me when he got back. What’s up with that?”

“Maybe he can have a relationship. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted, some religions let their pastors marry, you know.”

“I don’t care. I just can’t. I was raised Roman Catholic. A priest is a priest. Gah. I mean, come on. If we ever did get together, I’d be thinking anal beads, he’d be thinking rosary beads. It would never work.”

Joey started laughing and couldn’t stop.

“You laugh at my misfortune. You are a whore. A sympathy whore.”

Joey caught her breath, still smiling despite her crappy situation. “Okay, that analogy I understood.”

“Well, gee, I’m one for three tonight.” Becky studied her as they looked at the remaining cookies on the tray. She chose a sugared soccer ball. “In honor of Brandon, I’ll take this one.” She bit into it and groaned. “So worth the five extra pounds I’ll have tomorrow. So tell me this. You and Lou. Do you have stuff in common?”

“I think so. He loves his family. He’s loyal. He’s a hard worker.”

“And he likes having sex with you, obviously.”

Joey sighed. “But he doesn’t want children.”

“Oh, wow. You had a talk about kids already?”

Joey explained how Lou had told her. “Like he was warning me or something. I think he knows I’m really into him. I didn’t mean to be. I just can’t turn off my feelings while we’re together. And today, after seeing Felix, I kind of wanted Lou there. I just had a feeling he’d make everything better. He has this sense of strength and stability about him.”

“But he doesn’t want kids.”

Joey groaned and put her head in her hands on the tabletop. “I know.”

“Well, maybe you guys can date and not have a permanent ending. I mean, just because he knows you have a child doesn’t mean you’re angling for a new daddy for Brandon. Are you?”

“No.” Definitely not.

“And then you still have Felix to deal with.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I don’t want to lose Lou. He seems to really appreciate me for me. I kind of need that support right now.”

“So don’t tell him about Brandon.”

“But now it would feel like I’m lying.” So confusing. “Before, I didn’t know Lou that well. And we were just, I don’t know—”

“Horizontal barn dancing? Hitting skins? Shaking the sheets? Waxing some ass? Bonking the—”

“I get it! We were just having sex, okay?”

“Oh, sorry. Just didn’t want any confusion there.”

She glared at Becky, who wasn’t trying too hard not to laugh. She sputtered with her own amusement. “Stop making this funny. I’m stressed.”

“But now you’re smiling. Okay, continue.”

Freakin’ Becky. Joey chuckled, then cleared her throat. “When Lou and I were new and casual friends, him not knowing about Brandon made sense. Now it feels like we’re more, and I want him to know me. All of me.”

“So tell him.” Becky could not seem to make up her mind.

“But what if he leaves?” Hearing herself say that, Joey cringed. “Oh man. I’m not thinking about protecting Brandon anymore. I’m thinking about protecting me. How did that happen?”

“Um, it’s called being normal? You’re too good a mom to ever let a man get between you and your son. Not Lou, not Felix, not anyone. I say tell Lou the truth about why you have to leave early or skip Saturday quickies.” At Joey’s look, she amended, “I mean, Saturday ‘luncheons.’ Then meet with Felix and find out exactly what he wants and why he’s back. After you hear him out, then you might have reason to panic. And hey, you want me there with you when you meet him, let me know. I’d love to tell him to fuck off too. He totally did you wrong.”

“I know. Thanks, Becky.” She moved around the table to hug her best friend. Unfortunately, that left her far enough away from the remaining molasses cookie. They both eyed it before Becky grabbed it and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Mine,” Becky said around the giant cookie, looking like a squirrel storing acorns in her cheeks.

“Ugh. You can have it.”

Becky removed the crumbled mess and licked the one piece she could have shared. “You sure?”

Joey grimaced. “Um, yeah.” Inspired by a bit of humor herself, she added, “And this is why you’re in dating hell with the priest. Not sharing cookies.”

Becky looked at the empty tray with horror. “I think you’re right.”

Joey laughed. “Well, if it’s any consolation, you’re sacrificing the size of your thighs and butt for mine. So thanks.”

Becky shoved the mess of cookie away from her and crossed her fingers at it. “Back, vile sugar!”

“And that’s my cue to go. I have someone to talk to.”

* * *

Lou finished cleaning up his garage, having fixed the faulty gas valve on the mower. With spring edging closer to summer, he knew he needed to be more vigilant about lawn care. It was a guy thing. A green lawn was the equivalent of having a big dick. And if Old Man Lentz thought he could rule the neighborhood with that manicured lawn he paid for, he could think again.

“Hiring a landscaper is cheating.” Lou would stick to his guns. Especially because he didn’t want to waste his money on a lawn guy when he could just as easily get J. to mow the lawn for a Coke, a pack of gum, and a break from his mom.

He finished up, running behind and hoping Joey wouldn’t arrive until he’d had a chance to clean up and throw on a T-shirt and pair of clean jeans. He’d taken off his shirt, now covered with grease, and tried wiping the rest of the grease off with a rag. He was cleaning his hands when Joey pulled up in his drive. Crap.

She parked and walked up the driveway, less spring in her step than usual. She looked cute in a pair of pink shorts and an athletic T-shirt. Such toned thighs and calves on a woman of her stature. Like a mini Amazon. He would have teased her, but she looked frazzled.

“Hey, Joey, what’s up?”

She blinked and saw him standing just inside the garage. Her eyes grew bigger as she stared.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I meant to clean up, but the mower’s been a bitch.” He motioned her closer so he could close the garage. Once it closed, he turned to the back door, but she stopped him. “Princesa, what—”

Her attack took him completely by surprise. She shoved him back against the wall and pulled him down by the neck for a kiss. He opened his mouth to ask what the hell had happened when she thrust her tongue inside his mouth.

Hell yeah.

Had he said he liked his women nonaggressive? He must have been out of his fucking mind because he couldn’t think past the huge bar growing in his pants.

As quickly as she’d instigated it, she backed off. “Sorry, but I had to.” She gave him a smile. “Wow. I’ve never done that before. It felt good. Thanks for taking my mind off my problems.”

He just stared at her, nonplussed. “Sorry?”

She blushed. “I had an awful day. I didn’t want to wait to see you. I was feeling really down, but then here you are. No shirt, all sexy and manly.” She sighed. “So I had to kiss you.”

“Hell no.”

She bit her lip, looking dismayed. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Shut up.” He dragged her with him into the house, back to his bathroom. There he stripped down to nothing. “You too. Clothes off.”

She slowly disrobed, looking confused. “I hope I didn’t—”

“Yeah, you did. I’m hard, I’m horny, and all I want is you. Get in the shower.”

“But I’m not dirty.” A half smile played at her mouth.

“You will be.”

He grabbed a condom and set it on the sink counter, then joined her in the shower. She tried to keep her hair out of it, he could tell, but Lou didn’t want her slinking off after, acting as if she hadn’t been with him. He wanted whomever—wherever—she went to when she wasn’t with him to know she’d been a dirty girl who needed to be clean.

“I actually came to talk to you,” she said.

“Later.” He didn’t give her another chance to speak. He kissed her, ravenous and out of control.

And she lapped it up. Moaning, melting under him while he took charge. He tugged her by the hair to her knees, and she went willingly enough. He didn’t even have to tell her to open her mouth. While he stood with his back to the rushing water, she leaned forward and took him between her lips, then started blowing him with an eagerness that had him close to spilling his load.

“Not yet,” he rasped. He yanked her to her feet and turned her around. Then, before he could second-guess his need to take her bareback, Lou gritted his teeth and reached for the condom. He rolled the condom on, shoved her ankles wider as he yanked her hips back, then thrust home in one solid push through her tight, wet sex.

She moaned his name as he banged her in the shower. And it was incredible. Nothing soft or loving about the act. This was pure possession, aggressive fucking. He owned her orgasm as she came screaming his name while he continued to push for more.

Grinding, thrusting. Getting as deep as he could and knowing it wasn’t enough.

“Coming.” He swore in Spanish as he shot hard, gripping her hips like a lifeline. He saw stars for a moment, light-headed and so incredibly replete, he never wanted to let her go.

He gradually felt the hot water pelting his side, felt her trembling beneath him, pressed against the shower wall. “Hell. Sorry, cariña.” He moved back to give her space.

She turned in his arms and hugged him. Her smaller body so warm and soft against his.

“Whoa. You okay, honey?”

She nodded against his chest. “I missed you.”

Damn, but that made him feel so good. “I missed you too.” Bad to admit? He didn’t care.

She stood there, so close. Not moving, just still in the circle of his arms. He moved back to look at her and saw the worry she couldn’t hide.

“What’s wrong?”

She sniffed. Oh no. No tears.

He hugged her again, pressing her face to his chest. “No crying. You just stand right here and let me make everything better. Okay?” Panicked at the thought of her sadness, he held her.

And she sighed into his arms, snuggled tight. Against his chest, he heard a muffled, “You need soap.”

He pulled back, saw a smudge of grease on her cheeks, and smiled. “You too.”

He refused to let her do anything but stand in the hot water and relax. Lou washed himself free of dirt, then her, taking his time, showing her the affection he felt but couldn’t admit out loud. Not yet. Unable to help himself, he bent to kiss each breast. Then her chin, her cheeks. Her lips.

He sighed into her mouth, so gone on this woman.

“Lou.” She cupped his cheeks, and he lost it. Fuck, he loved the shit out of Josephine Reeves. She must have seen something of it in his eyes, because she blushed and glanced down. “Oh, again?”

He chuckled, his cock having a mind of its own. “Sorry. You get me hard.”

“Thanks, I think.”

He laughed again. “Come on. Let’s dry off, then you can tell me why you assaulted me in the garage.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. That you can’t ever be sorry about. I changed my mind about aggressive women. Jump me anytime.”

They dried off amid teasing. She dressed in her clothes, and he threw on sweats and a T-shirt. Once in his kitchen sipping lemonade, he waited for her to speak, pleased to see her wet hair, evidence of their time together.

She leaned against the counter next to him, a bundle of nerves. “I’ve had a bad day.”

“Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry.” And she wanted to come to him to feel better? He felt like he’d just been handed free rein to showcase his work in the Louvre.

“Someone, a man I used to know, is back in the city. And, well, he’s part of that mistake I made a long time ago.”

Lou said nothing, seeing the pleading look in her eyes.

“I’m afraid he’s going to make life hard for me.”

The hell he was. “’Nuff said. Want me to make him go away?” He didn’t add the permanently. He’d wait for her answer first, then offer it if she seemed game. Lou knew people… Not that he’d bury any bodies or anything. He’d just make the jackass prefer death instead of bothering Joey ever again.

She gaped. “What? Oh, no. No, no.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I didn’t mean he’ll be abusive or nasty. At least, I don’t think he’ll be mean. I’m having a hard time letting go of all my anger toward him. He wants something from me, but I don’t know what yet.”

“Anger is good.” Lust, passion, attraction—not so good.

“Lou, I…” She swallowed nervously.

“What’s wrong?”

In a quiet voice, she admitted, “I didn’t let him tell me what he wanted. I told him…I said for him to fuck off.”

Lou blinked. “You told him to fuck off?” Somehow, he hadn’t seen that coming. He started laughing. The image of cute little Joey Reeves telling some guy to fuck off being absurdly funny.

“Hey.”

He kept laughing.

She looked annoyed, then grudgingly laughed with him. “It wasn’t that funny.”

“It’s hilarious. Sorry, baby. But you look so sweet and innocent. You and the word fuck don’t come into play, unless we’re talking about me and you doing it. Then, yeah.” He winked. She blushed, and they were good once more. “So the guy left you alone after you told him to fuck off, right?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t solve my problem of why he’s back. The smart, mature thing would have been to deal with him and not be so emotional. But I have anger I still haven’t dealt with, I guess.”

“Seems like.” He straightened, took a swig of lemonade, and asked the question. “So what’s the history with this guy?”

She stared him straight in the eye, and he knew it was serious. “Well, he was my first.” She blew out a breath. “He took my virginity. Then he dumped me, and everyone at school knew.”

“What an asshole.” Feeling for the shy, lovely girl she must have been, he wanted to pound the dick. “Can I hit him? Not once, but a couple of times?”

Tears filled her gorgeous brown eyes. “Where were you nine years ago?”

“Ah, let’s see. Keeping Lucia from getting knocked up by her immature boyfriend. Oh, and Carla and Maria from joining a gang. My mother had just started dating Rosie’s dad, and for once, we liked the guy. Oh, and—”

She put two fingers over his lips, and the motion surprised him into complete quiet. “There’s something else. You see, Felix—”

Pounding at the door startled them both. They looked at each other.

“You expecting someone?” she asked him.

“No. Hold on.” He walked to the front, conscious of keeping his woman behind him, protected. He didn’t know when he’d come to identify Joey as “his woman,” but it fit. And though he had nothing to protect her from, it was instinctive to need to try.

He peeked out the front window and swore.

“Lou?”

“It’s bad, Joey.” He opened the door. “My sisters have come calling.”

“And Mama,” his mother piped in from behind Stella, Lucia, and Rosie.

“Fuck.”

“Luis!” His mother stood next to him and stopped, spotting Joey.

He knew what she saw. Joey and her wet hair. Lou looking way too casual for going out, his own hair still damp, curling to his cheeks.

His mother smiled.

“Why is your hair wet, Guapo?” Rosie asked. “Oh, and your friend’s hair is wet too. Did it rain or something?”

Her innocent question turned Joey’s cheeks bright red. Lucia and Stella didn’t even try not to laugh. His mother raised a brow. “I’m sure it’s a coincidence. Hello, Joey. You are Joey, yes?”

Joey nodded. His mother pushed him aside and took Joey’s hand in her own. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Renata”—she nodded at Lou—“this one’s mother.”

“And mine too,” Stella added. “Hi, Joey. Fancy seeing you here.”

Lucia grinned. “I’m Lucia. This is Rosie, our sister. Delivered any flowers lately?”

Before Joey could bolt, Lou’s mother put an arm around her shoulders and dragged her back into the kitchen. It was then he noticed the bags his sisters held. “What’s all this?”

“Dinner,” Rosie said and skipped around him to join his mother and Joey.

“Why are you here?” he asked Stella and Lucia. How the hell had they known Joey would be here now? Her visit had been impromptu.

“Oh, my friend told me,” Stella confessed. “I told Mr. Lentz if he ever saw a pretty, short brunette with a gray Toyota to give me a call. That bowl of chicken-and-corn chilaquiles is for him.”

“I’ll take it to him.” Lucia glided out the front door.

Freakin’ Lentz. Another thing Lou would have to take care of after trouncing the old man in the turf war. Getting the old fart to mind his own damn business.

“So Joey looks pretty with wet hair.” Stella rubbed his head before he could dodge her. “Hmm. You too? Conserving water while you clean up together, hermano?”

“No one likes a nosy little sister.”

“Almost as annoying as a bossy older brother, I’ll bet.” She gave him a wide smile, then walked around him to join the others in the kitchen.

Lou said a few quick prayers. At least they’d left his grandmother at home. He’d count his small blessings.

To his shock, the dinner turned out to be friendly, funny, and perfect. As he’d suspected, Joey fit in with his family as if made to be a Cortez—a thought that haunted him throughout the meal. She answered his mother’s interrogation with grace and humor. Avoided his sisters’ direct questions about her relationship with Lou with a deftness he had to admire. And she treated Rosie like another person, not a little kid who didn’t matter.

“You’re so cute. I bet the boys like you too much,” Joey said to Rosie. “Like the rest of your whole family, you’re too pretty for your own good.” She gave him a look he couldn’t misunderstand. His girl loved his looks. He preened…and saw his mother, Lucia, and Stella exchanging glances.

“We’re the charismatic Cortez family. That’s what my teacher calls us. She likes Lou a lot.”

“I’ll bet,” Joey muttered.

He liked her jealousy too. Hell. He liked everything about her.

“So are you Guapo’s girlfriend? Are you the flower chick? Are you gonna get married and give me a little brother so Mama doesn’t have to?”

“Rosie,” Renata exclaimed. “Manners, m’ija.”

“But Mama, you said—”

“That you should behave,” Lucia cut in. Good timing. Joey looked ready to dart for the door and not look back. To Lou, Lucia added, “Be glad. Stella wanted Abuela to come.”

“Abuela?” Joey looked back and forth from his sisters to him.

“My grandmother,” he explained. “I love her, but she thinks she’s an ace detective. She might be right. Nothing gets past her.”

Joey smiled. “I miss my grandmother. She lives on a farm in Montana, so we don’t see her much.”

“We?” Renata asked. “Do you have siblings, Joey?”

“Just my parents and me. I’m an only child.”

Yet something in Joey’s tone was off. A subtle reminder that she’d been about to tell him something when his mother and the instigators had shown up. He should have been more upset with them, but seeing his girl and his family together only reinforced the notion she belonged with him, by his side.

Now how to get her to open up, trust him, and figure out what role she’d play in his future. Because he kept having weird feelings about seeing her pregnant with his kid. And while having sex, Lou typically didn’t fantasize about impregnating his lover. Jesus, he needed help!

Fortunately, Mama had brought flan. His one great weakness and comfort food.

“Oh, flan.” Joey smiled. “My favorite.”

He was doomed.