Almost in Love (16 page)

“I got this,” Bare said before striding out of the apartment.

She looked at her weepy sister. Kate hardly ever cried. This could take a while. At least she was temporarily excused from the
Dinomonsters
marathon.

“Ian,” Barry roared the minute he opened his apartment door. “What did you do to that poor girl?”

Ian startled and hit pause on the Sox game. “What poor girl?”

“What do you mean what poor girl? Kate! The innocent we sent over here to the lion’s den. I told you to be on your best behavior.”

“I was. All we did was talk and watch some of the game.”

Barry shoved a hand through his hair. “That’s it?”

“Yeah. We had a couple of beers and talked.”

“Oh. She looked a little mussed up.”

Ian smirked. “That was all her. She got a little horny, I guess, what with the beer and the whole”—he finger quoted—“saving herself thing. She sort of shook out her hair and propositioned me. But no big. I told her no thanks.”

Barry sank down on the sofa. “Then why’s she crying?”

Ian shrugged. “PMS?”

Barry shook his head. Maybe Amber could figure it out.

Ian elbowed him. “Looks like somebody got lucky. It was the pirate duds, wasn’t it?”

“Does it matter?” Bare stood, suddenly irritated.

“Not at all,” Ian said. “Long as you’re happy.”

“I’m very happy,” Barry said. He went to his bedroom to change into normal clothes.

He didn’t know what he’d do if he couldn’t get Amber as himself. He hung up the costume carefully. Hell, who was he kidding? He’d take her any way she let him—in costume, out of costume, and any of the many fantasies he’d racked up from those very informative romance novels his mom had left lying around. Those novels featured guys who took command, exactly like Amber wanted. Exactly how he would be. He’d never dominated that way before, but she responded so beautifully, so fully, it spurred him on. He liked that feeling. He liked finding his inner stud muffin. He smiled to himself at that image. Him, a stud muffin. But that’s what he felt like, all thanks to Amber.

~ ~ ~

Amber stroked Kate’s hair. “Explain it again, honey. I can’t help you if I don’t understand why you’re upset.”

Kate sniffled. “I told you. Ian respects me too much to touch me.”

“And you wanted him to…touch you.”

“Look at me!” Kate gestured to herself. “How many guys do you think want me?”

“Um…” Kate was pretty when she took the time to do her hair and makeup and wear clothes that weren’t wrinkled or stained. She looked cute now anyway. Her shirt was clean. Before she could mention that, her sister went on.

“Zero. That’s how many. So I tell everyone I’m saving myself. But I’m really waiting for the first halfway decent guy to help me get rid of this damn virginity. I can’t go off to grad school a virgin!” Fresh wails ensued.

Amber sighed.

Kate wiped her nose with the sleeve of her T-shirt. “That’s why I was so glad to meet Ian. He looked just like Barry only cuter and younger.”

“He’s not cuter than Bare.”

“Yes, he is and just as smart.”

“But—”

“If I can’t have Barry, I want Ian.” Kate’s face crumpled. “But he doesn’t want me!”

Amber fetched the tissue box and gave one to her sister. “How do you know? Did you kiss him or something?” She cringed thinking of her virginal sister throwing herself at the full-of-himself player next door.

Kate blew her nose with a loud honk and crumpled the tissue in one hand. “No, I would never be so forward. I just did this.” She put her hand on Amber’s thigh and slid inward.

Amber grabbed her hand. “Kate! Please! You don’t have to show me.”

“That’s exactly what he did. Grabbed my hand and put it back in my lap.” More tears leaked out.

Amber handed her another tissue. “Okay, I totally get where you’re coming from, but you don’t want to throw yourself at the first guy who comes along. Your first time should be special with someone who really cares about you and will be tender and gentle.”

Kate took off her glasses and wiped them clean. “Like Barry.”

“Yes, like…no, not like Bare.” She went hot remembering the way he pushed her, urged her on, again and again. “Some other guy you meet…down the road.
Not Bare
. And not Ian. No one in the Furnukle family.”

Kate’s eyes widened. She pushed her glasses back on. “Are there more?”

“He did mention a brother in military intelligence.”

Kate perked up. “When can I meet him?”

“Kate! Haven’t you heard anything I said? Cool it.”

“I can’t! I’m hot for Furnukles!”

Dear Lord, what had she unleashed on her poor brainy sister? Of course she couldn’t resist the big brain and tender heart of Bare. And she was just projecting that same image onto his undeserving brother.

She took Kate’s hand. “Promise me you won’t sleep with Ian.”

Kate stared at her lap. “It doesn’t matter, he doesn’t want me.”

“Promise me.”

“Okay, fine, I promise.”

“Good. You want to go shopping for some new grad school outfits? It’ll be a fresh start for you.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Two hours later, sitting with a happy Kate at the mall’s food court, Amber worried for the male population of M.I.T. Sure, it still looked like Kate from the neck up, dirty blond hair in that weird half bun, half ponytail, the oversize tortoiseshell glasses, but then it was a halter top, tight skirt, and heels. She’d tried to steer her sister toward less revealing clothes, but Kate was on a mission. One that made her dress more like her sister. Amber knew how to handle unwanted advances; Kate was like Bambi out there. Even worse, her petite sister had been hiding major curves under her baggy T-shirts. She had a perfect hourglass figure with a narrow waist.

Kate looked like a nerdy Marilyn Monroe.

Her sister pushed her glasses up and chomped on a fry dipped in mayo. “Do you think I should get contacts? I’m a little squeamish about touching my eye, but maybe then a guy would touch me so…it would all work out.”

“Absolutely not. If you’re not comfortable touching your eye, then you should definitely not change that because of some guy.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Amber let out a breath of relief and grabbed a fry. Kate without glasses, with normal hair, would make her a knockout, fending off brainy, horny guys left and right. She had to ease into the dating pool. One thing at a time. Her sister was definitely not ready for what that could unleash.

“Can you take me to that place that did your belly-button piercing?” Kate asked.

Amber choked on her fry. She took a drink of iced tea to force the fry down. “No.”

“Why not?”

“You’re too young, and your mom would kill me.”

“How old were you when you got yours?”

She’d been sixteen and had done it behind her dad and stepmother’s back, but she wasn’t about to admit that. “Twenty-six.”

“That’s not true. That would mean you’ve only had it two years. I remember it when I was in elementary school.”

“Guys hate it,” Amber said. Another lie.

“How about a nose piercing?” Kate asked. “Ooh, a tattoo! I could get a tramp stamp so the guys will know I’m ready.”

Amber dropped her head in her hands and groaned. Why did Kate have to suddenly decide to lose her virginity on her watch?

“I’ll pay for it,” Kate said. “I’ve got lots of cash from tutoring kids for the SATs.”

Amber raised her head and forced a smile. “You are beautiful just like you are. And when the right guy comes along, you’ll know it. Okay? Let’s not mess with perfection.”

Kate’s jaw dropped, showing her chewed-up fry. “You think I’m perfection?”

“Absolutely.”

Kate snorted then gave her a watery smile. “Thanks, Amber. That means a lot coming from you.”

“Well, I mean it. And, can you not wear your new outfits at home? I don’t think your mom will approve.”

Kate waved that away. “She won’t even notice. You know her.”

“She’ll notice this.”

“Okay, fine.”

They finished up and headed back to Amber’s apartment. Ian was loitering on the steps outside, messing with his cell phone. “Hey, ladies,” he called.

“Hey, Ian,” Amber said.

Kate rushed past Amber, then slowed her pace, chin up, working those hips.

“Who’s your friend?” Ian asked before his eyes bugged out. “Kate?”

“Ian,” Kate said over her shoulder before walking up the stairs ahead of them.

Amber turned to see Ian ogling Kate’s barely covered ass.

“Don’t even think about it,” she told him.

“Think about what?” he muttered before following after Kate.

Amber caught up with him. “She’s off-limits.”

He scowled. “Who are you? Her mother?”

“Worse. I’m the one who’ll kick your ass.”

“She’s legal.” He bounded up the stairs. “Kate, wait up!”

Amber followed and heard the door slam to her apartment as Kate slipped inside. Ian stood there, staring at the door. Amber shook her head and went inside.

~ ~ ~

Barry returned to rehearsals on Monday night with an extra spring in his step. He waited on stage to rehearse the act one finale while Toby talked something over with Jasmine and Will. He was so relieved Amber was his girlfriend. His hunger for her was overwhelming. She’d made another of his fantasies come true last night at her place. After she sent Kate grocery shopping, Amber let him tie her up spread-eagled to her bedposts. He got hard again just thinking about her naked, completely open to him. She trusted him, and he rewarded that trust with multiple orgasms until she was begging him to take her. After, she called him a fucking stallion. He loved that. He had her again this morning as soon as she woke up. Every time he saw her, he wanted to be inside her. He’d been afraid he’d push too far, wanting her so much, but she met him each time willingly.

Toby, Jasmine, and Will were deep into discussion. The cast milled around chatting. He tried to think cooling thoughts.
Down, boy
. He glanced backstage where Amber stood, script in hand, at the ready for anyone who forgot a line.

She caught him looking and ran her tongue over her lips slowly, seductively. His cock pulsed against his jeans. He bounded off stage to her side.

“Wench,” he said. “You know what you do to me.”

She grinned saucily. He kissed that saucy mouth. She rubbed herself against him, making his tenting problem far worse.

He pulled back and smacked her ass. “Vixen.”

She smacked him back. “I want you to think about me when you’re with all those flirty Major-General’s daughters.”

“You’re all I ever think about.”

She beamed.

God, he wanted her. He glanced around backstage. No one else was back here. He grabbed her hand.

“All right, people,” Toby called. “From the top.”

“Tonight,” he told her.

“Yes,” she said in a breathy voice that made him question his sanity. How could he not take her right here, right now? The urge to have her was intense, primal, absolutely consuming. He just wanted to grab her by the hair and drive into her. He felt like a fucking caveman consumed with his baser urges. This was what happened when you unleashed your inner stud muffin—he fucking took over. He had to force himself to turn away.

“Where’s our Pirate King?” Toby asked.

He bounded back on stage and flew through rehearsal, eager to finish so he could get Amber alone again. Having her watch him made him up his performance, which made the rest of the cast increase their energy to match his. Especially Kevin, his pirate lieutenant who always tried to outsing him in pure volume. Everything was rolling along smoothly, other than the fact he had to strain his voice to be heard over Kevin. All he could think about was finishing rehearsal and getting back to Amber. And then the fight scene happened.

This was their first time working through it with the police wielding plastic clubs and the pirates wielding wooden swords. Jasmine was coaching them along in how to move on stage while fighting. They were getting the hang of it. Barry was enjoying himself, swinging his sword like the Pirate King when a real sword fight broke out between Kevin and Zac.

The two were crashing their wooden swords against each other. Zac swung hard and clipped Kevin on the shoulder, who retaliated with an impressive swing of his sword in a wide loop over his head, finishing with a hit that Zac parried.

One of the pirates, Alan, added sound effects in the background.
Vwo-ow-ow! Vweem. Vweem.

Barry stifled a laugh. It did look a little like a light saber fight.

“Guys, knock it off!” Jasmine hollered, but she didn’t dare step between the pair. The wooden swords had some heft to them and could hurt if they made a direct hit.

Everyone stopped to watch as the men’s swords clashed into each other.

Vwo-ow-ow!
Alan made his sound effect again. The cast tittered. These two really took their work seriously.

The swords clashed into each other, back and forth, as Kevin and Zac circled each other.

“I know where you want to bury your sword,” Kevin spat. “He won’t have you.”

Zac’s sword was forced almost to the ground, but he rallied and swung back so hard that Kevin’s sword went flying. “It’s none of your business whose sword I polish or bury!”

Kevin somersaulted to get his sword. The cast pushed to the edges of the stage.

Vwo-ow-ow!

Their swords clashed again.

Toby pushed his way to center stage. “What the hell is going on here?”

Zac and Kevin continued their duel.

“Ow!” Zac screamed. “You hit my wrist!” He launched back even fiercer than before.

Vwo-ow-ow. Vwo-ow-ow.

The cast became uneasy, whispering among themselves. Barry heard his name mentioned. The swords clashed over and over as the two men circled each other.

And then a voice rang out: “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”

It was Amber. She stepped between the men and held her arms out, separating them. It broke the tension and everyone laughed. Even Zac. Kevin still looked furious.

“Alderaan is peaceful,” she said. “Give your weapons to Toby.”