Borrowing Trouble (11 page)

Chapter Nineteen

“People do this every day?” said Trip with amazement as he flopped on my sofa.

“I think it’s called parenting.”

“They completely exhausted me. The entire time we were at the zoo Miriam insisted she was a mermaid and I was the seahorse she rode. I tried to put her down and she threatened me. Said she and you wouldn’t play with me ever again if I put her down. Her feet didn’t touch the ground for three hours. Three hours. It was like hefting a bag of concrete around on my back.”

“I still can’t believe we got a private tour with a keeper. I thought Simon was going to lose his shit when we got to help make meals for the grizzly bears. I’m not too cool to admit that it was really an amazing experience.” I bent over and gave Trip a slow, lush kiss on his lips. As his hands crept up my sides, I pulled back.

Not so fast, Mr. Brannon.
“Drink?”

“Thanks for the kiss, but thank my mom for the tour. I called her from my car when we were going to the zoo and she set it up. And hell yes to that drink. Got something stronger than wine?”

“I’ve got the cure for what ails you, Mr. Brannon.”

“So, we’re playing doctor? You show me yours. I’ll show you mine.” Trip rose up on his elbows with his long denim-clad legs stretched out in front of him and waggled his sandy eyebrows. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously and I felt my heart completely give way.

Amazing. I thought it was when he mopped up Miri’s spilled milk at lunch without a complaint while at the same time convincing Simon to eat some apple slices. How is this possible? He’s either going to make me happy for the rest of my life or ruin me.

Trip kicked off his boat shoes, which landed on the floor with two thumps. I laughed. “Shall, I bring you a drink while you make yourself comfortable?”

“You are a true angel of mercy.”

“Succor and comfort coming your way.” In my kitchen I fixed a generous glass of Knob Creek with just a splash of water and carried it into my bedroom where after a quick sponge bath I slipped out of my Saturday play clothes into the playsuit I’d bought for Trip. A black mesh chemise with matching panties. I brushed my hair out, attempting to rid it of the kinks from being in a ponytail all day, and swiped on some lip-gloss.

I hope you like your present, Mr. Brannon.

I swirled my index finger in the bourbon and dabbed it behind my ears, between my breasts, and along the top of my panties. I picked up the glass and a narrow box tied with an oversized silver satin bow and winked at myself in the mirror, giving myself a little pep talk.

Yup. Hello, sexpot. Let’s do this.

I entered the living room and stood barefoot on the hardwood floor, holding the bourbon in front of me and the box behind my back. Trip picked his head up from where he’d been dozing on the sofa and simply stared. “We’re going on a zoo tour every Saturday.” I laughed and stalked over to him, swaying my hips back and forth in my best effort at seduction. “Christ, Marisa. Definitely not family-friendly.”

“Do you want your present?”

Trip reached for the glass. “Nuh-uh,” I clucked at him. “This is for me. This is for you.” Trip eagerly took the slim box while not removing his eyes from my breasts. My nipples hardened under his gaze and my body pulsed with anticipation of his touch.

“Definitely not a bike.”

“Definitely not a bike. But I think you might enjoy the ride nonetheless.”

Trip shook his head. “I have no words.” His fingers fumbled with the bow on the box. Finally, he slid it off the box and dropped it onto the coffee table.

“You might want to keep that.”

“Because you’re suddenly into ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’?” I swirled my index finger in the glass of bourbon and placed it in my mouth.
I’m so subtle, but he liked it last time.
I made my eyes grow big and hollowed my cheeks as I sucked the liquor off my finger. “The present can wait.”

I removed my finger from my mouth and pointed at him. “No. Open your present.”

Holding the silver ribbon across his palm, he opened the box. His jaw went slack and I saw him shift uncomfortably in his jeans. “Miss Tanner. I can confirm this is indeed not a bike, but it appears to be a bike themed tie. More specifically, tiny embroidered rabbits riding bicycles. Now why would you give me this?”

“Because you look handsome in ties and I’m a sucker for Paul Smith?” I coyly offered.

“I think it’s going to look a lot better on you.” Trip placed both the ribbon and the navy twill tie on the coffee table and stood up. “I suddenly feel very overdressed.” He wrenched off his royal blue and white checked button down and slipped out of his jeans. My eyes shot to the bulge in his plaid boxers. “Something interest you, Miss Tanner?”

“In particular?” I lifted the glass to my lips and took a large sloppy swallow, letting the liquor flow down my chin and drip onto my accentuated cleavage.

Well, the idea of this was sexy. I’m not sure about the execution. In for a penny, in for a pound. I’m going with it.

“Whoopsie. Clumsy me. I know what you said about spilling bourbon. I guess you’ll just have to lick it off me,” I teased as I brushed the liquid off my lips and chin and tailed my hand across the tops of my breasts. Looking straight into Trip’s blue eyes, I lifted the glass to my sternum and poured out a small amount into my cleavage. The next sound I heard was Trip’s growl as he slung me over his shoulder and marched to the bedroom, playfully smacking my bottom with the tie and ribbon while wiggling my panties down my legs.

He sat me on the edge of the bed and whispered in my ear. “If you become the least bit unhappy, you tell me.” I nodded and Trip nipped my earlobe between his teeth. A current of electricity shot down my spine and curled my toes.

Taking my hands, he pressed my palms together, fastening them with a looping silver bow. Enfolding my hands in his, he leaned in and whispered. “I tied it like shoelaces. Grab an end with your teeth, tug, and you’re free, okay?”

Trip ran a stream of lush and slow kiss down my neck, and after paying homage to each breast with gentle caresses of thumbs to nipples, he continued his course, pushing up my chemise and laying kisses and licks down the entire length of my body. Reaching my knees, he dropped to his, and continued his course down my right leg. He cupped my feet in his hands, raising them and silently urging me to lie on my back. I complied, letting myself sink into the lofty down duvet. My gaze traveled to the lush floral wallpaper that enveloped my bedroom’s walls and ceilings. The light from the one small candle I had lit bathed us in a warm intimacy. He kissed my instep and my leg automatically jerked. “Shhh, relax.” I closed my eyes and willed myself to surrender to his affection.
He’s going to tie me up. Like really. Tie me up. Holy shit.

“Just focus on the feelings. Try not to think.”

Ha.
“Ha.”
Oh shit, I said that aloud!

“Okay, naughty girl, you’ve left me no choice.” Trip dove towards my now-dripping cleft, assaulting me with his mouth.

“Fuck,” I drawled, arching into him. His deft fingers joined in the exploration and I bucked. I reached to fist the duvet and was surprised to find my hands restrained by the bow.
Oh fuck. I really am tied up.
The silver ribbon held firm, tugging on my wrists, but not cutting into my flesh.
Relax, relax, relax. Focus on the feelings. Trip’s tongue on me. Trip’s tongue on me.
I lifted my head to watch Trip work between my thighs. A hand snaked up and fingers pinched a nipple. “Holy fuck.”
Green eyes met blue and all thought left my mind as my body shook then melted.

As I came down, Trip worked his way back down my legs, once again taking my feet in his hands. I threw my tied hands over my head. I felt the twill silk of the tie loop around my ankles and tug firm.
I’m game. Hell, I’m all in.
Trip’s head pressed between my thighs. He hooked my feet behind his head and began to push up. “You are so delicious,” he growled. “Hands.”

I offered the bound present to him. He bowed his head and I placed them on the back of his neck, next to my feet. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” He slowly leaned forward, pressing himself against my entrance. I ached to complete the connection, but couldn’t move.
Holy fuck. I am totally at his disposal. This is hot. Please, please, please.

“Please,” I begged, our noses a hairsbreadth apart. “Please fuck me.”

“You are my world.” He continued to worship me with words while pressing into me in one long, smooth motion, filling me more fully than I thought possible and only stopping when he reached his end. Trip’s mouth met mine. “I love you,” he breathed into me as our lips danced. On his knees, he rocked our bodies slowly and then with a fevered pitch. I came apart once more and Trip collapsed on me, lavishing more words of love.

Chapter Twenty

Sunday morning I pillowed my head on Trip’s chest and draped a leg over his thighs.
Mmm. Skin on skin. I feel like melted butter.
As I was drifting back off to sleep, comfortable in my own bed, he shuddered and began to stir. I felt a kiss land on the crown of my head.

“Morning,” he yawned. “Come with me.”

I smiled and twirled a finger around his nipple. “Again?”

His dick stiffened and he groaned, wrapping me in his arms. “You are too quick for me, especially before coffee. Yes, again, and, yes, in London.”

I sighed. “Okay,” I moved my top leg over his thighs like a bow playing a cello, long and slow, eventually pressing up on his balls with my thigh and griping his erection in my hand. “Yes to now, but London is still a no.” I crawled over and down his body and put an end to the discussion with my mouth.

***

“Last chance,” said Trip, loading the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.

“Your flight leaves in about two hours and unless you ducked out last night while I was sleeping, you probably still have to pack. Plus, despite the temptation to buy an insanely expensive last minute ticket out of the country and probably end up on some government watch-list because of it, I do have a life here.”

“Come on. There is internet at the hotel. I’ll get a suite, so you can have space. Working remotely for a week wouldn’t kill you.”

I left the kitchen and padded toward my front door, wrapped in my lavender bathrobe and nothing else. Trip followed. “It wouldn’t kill me. And I do it sometimes, but from my place or a condo at the beach. Not a hotel room where I’m twiddling my thumbs waiting for my boyfriend to get done with meetings.”

“It wouldn’t be like that.”

“Listen, I’m sorry that New York didn’t happen. You were so kind to come here. So unexpected. I promise we’ll have a weekend away again soon, but it would be exactly like that. You’d be on London time. I’d be up at weird hours, talking to clients and opposing counsel. We’d see each other for dinner and that’s if you could get away from your meetings. It’s just not worth it.”

“I can make it worth it.” He wrapped me up tightly in his arms, curving his body around mine. “Really worth it,” he whispered.

I squirmed. “If you get us started, you know you’re going to miss your flight.”

“There will be others.”

“Trip,” I pleaded. “Don’t make this harder. It’s a week. You didn’t know me three months ago. You can survive without me.”

“Not happily, I can’t.”

“Will it be easier knowing that I won’t be happy either?” I whispered into his chest, rubbing my face in yesterday’s blue and white checked button down and trying to memorize his scent and feel.

“Marginally.” He held me at arm’s length, meeting my eyes with his. “Sure you won’t come?”

“Not this time. Sometime, sure, when I can work my schedule out, but not last minute and not when we’d never see each other.”

“Okay,” he said, leaning to plant a quick kiss on my forehead. “I’m holding you do that. So, next weekend again?”

“It’s like you’re my secret weekend boyfriend. I’m not sure that we can lock ourselves away again. It’d be what? The third weekend in a row? I’m overdue for some time with my parents and you with yours and then you haven’t really gone cycling with the guys for what, a month now? Plus, you know today would normally be dinner at Josh and Erica’s. If Josh gets his act together and comes home, then she’ll probably want to have dinner next Sunday instead. ”

Trip rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “I’m sorry Erica and Josh are a mess, but let’s not let their problems become ours, okay? Maybe we can get our parents together for dinner at my place next Saturday night.”

“It is way too early for that.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Yup. It is. Okay, you hit the road. Or the skies. Go sell that dollhouse division.”

“Shh,” said Trip, reaching for the doorknob. “Don’t give away all my secrets.”

***

Erica, oh shit, what’s going on now?
I worried over the caller ID display for a second before answering. “Hey, chicka!” I answered joyfully, hoping she wouldn’t hear the concern in my happy greeting.

“Risa?”

“Oh, hey, Miri! Everything okay?”

“I love him! He is the best boyfriend ever!”

“You have a boyfriend?”

“No, silly Risa. You have a boyfriend. And I love him. I love him so much!”

“That’s great. He is really nice.”

“I love the dollhouse! It is the most beautiful dollhouse in the entire world! It is going to be super huge! And it has furniture!”

Dollhouse? Trip sent her a dollhouse? Why would he do that. They are fond of each other, but come on, Trip, don’t break her little heart. She’s tiny. Oh, shit! Miri’s birthday!
I looked at my calendar.
Fuck. Today. I totally forgot.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart! I love you!”

“I’m five now! I get to go to school with Simon!”

Well, not until next fall, but yes, yes, you do.

“Are you coming to dinner tonight? I picked out chocolate cake!”

Shit.
I looked at my watch. It was four-thirty on Thursday. “Of course, I’ll be there.”

“Good. Mommy said you were really busy, but I knew you were coming to dinner. Daddy is in New York. I miss him.”

“Oh, honey, I’m sure he misses you, too.”

“Can you come over now?” Miriam whined. “I really want to play with the dollhouse and Mommy said that you have to build it for me because your boyfriend sent it.”

Ah ha,
so this is my punishment.
“Yes, I will be out there for dinner. I love you. Go give your mommy a hug and tell her I’ll be there in about an hour.”
If I leave now, I’ll have time to get her something. I cannot believe I forgot.

Once in my car, I dialed Trip. After many rings, his smooth voice filled the space. “Trip Brannon.”

“So do you not have caller ID or do you just not check it before you answer?”

“Well, hello, Marisa, fancy hearing from you. It’s like midnight here, so I didn’t even look, and no, I don’t trust it.”

“Oh, fuck. I totally forgot about the time difference. Did I wake you up?” I cringed.

“No, I just got back from dinner and finished packing. My flight is in the morning. So, did you call for phone sex?”

“Um, no. In fact, I just left my office a little early today to head out to Erica’s. Seems like I have a dollhouse to put together this evening.”

“Shit. I forgot to tell you. While we were at the zoo, Miriam kept asking me to come to her birthday dinner. I told her I’d be out of town, but I’d send a present. I meant to tell you that I sent one of our dollhouses, but I guess I forgot.”

“You’re making me look bad. A dollhouse. I’d completely blanked.”

“You forgot about Miriam’s birthday? Isn’t that like you forgetting your own?”

“No, it’s just been a crazy week. And it’s next month by the way.”

“What is?”

“My birthday. November. The big three-seven.” I sighed. “Oh, and while I’ve got you on the phone, I need on your calendar next week.”

“You’ve got me all week. In fact, I think you may have a hard time getting rid of me.”

“Ignoring your threat to stalk me, I need on your calendar for work. I think we need to make one last run at trying to settle the Priddy lawsuit before I fully get into trial gear and you start getting big bills from me.”

“
Start
getting big bills from you? You mean you require more than payment in donuts?”

“Well, donuts can’t buy me shoes.”

“Okay, I’ll have Jenny set you something up. I’m too tired to look at my calendar right now.”

“And I’m on the cusp of rush hour, heading to Erica’s, and I have to stop and get a gift.”

“No, you don’t. The dollhouse is from both of us. I’m confident that I got that bit right at least. There should have been a card. I know I told Jenny to make it from both of us.”

“Well, that’s forward. Will you take care of my Christmas shopping, too?”

“If that means you’ll keep me around that long, absolutely.”

“Hardy har har. Okay, you get some sleep. We still on for dinner tomorrow?”

“Absolutely. And all weekend.”

“You really are my secret weekend boyfriend.”

“Hate to burst your bubble, but I’m going to be in Memphis for the next few weeks unless something blows up.”

“I can live with that. Can we do normal things, like have a lunch date?”

“If lunch date is code for a nooner, then yes, yes we can. Every day in fact.” I rolled my eyes.

“Okay, before you get too wound up, good night, Trip. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

“I hope you mean that, Marisa.”

“I mean it.”

I ended the call and immediately dialed Erica to confirm that the dollhouse did indeed come with a card and that Miriam knew it was from both me and Trip.
Look at us, giving presents together. Like a real couple. Are we a real couple? I guess we are. We essentially live together on the weekends. We talk or text or email or play Scrabble constantly. We say “I love you.” While we’re having sex.
I feverishly began to plow through my time with Trip.
Has he ever used those words not on the cusp of orgasm? He’s joked a few times using the “l” word, but no, he hasn’t. Not like I have either, though. And what would it change? Nothing. It’s only been a few months. Calm down. Just enjoy it. Don’t create needless anxiety. Yeah, right. Like I can stop worrying.

My thoughts bounced around my head crazily until I turned into Erica’s subdivision and started following a silver BMW SUV.
No, he’s in New York.
Followed it all the way to Erica’s house, staring at the blue Columbia alumni sticker on the back window.
Fucking Josh.
He parked in the driveway and I pulled in behind him. I threw my car in park and jumped out, meeting him as he was slinging a messenger bag on over his shoulder.

“Hey, Marisa!” he greeted me like nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Josh,” I hissed. “Listen, Erica is super upset with you.”

“I can imagine.” He nodded his head in agreement.

“You back for a while now?”

“Flying back in the morning.”

“Does she know you’re coming?”

“I texted her. She didn’t respond and I know she’s pissed that I’ve been a complete workaholic, but, come on, Marisa, you know I’m not such a jackass that I’m going to miss Miri’s birthday.”

“You’ve been more than a workaholic, Josh. At least Erica thinks so. So, we’ll have a good birthday dinner and I’m going to stick around in case I need to take the kids out for ice cream or something while you guys talk. If you leave here without talking with her, you may ruin everything. I’m completely serious. She’s a mess and you need to fix this.”

Josh sighed and looked at the sky. “Will you be my lawyer?”

“No. I’m Erica’s lawyer,” I spat. “I am always in her corner. I keep her secrets. Not yours. And especially not from her.”

Josh nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s go fete the birthday girl.”

After presents were opened and cake had been eaten, I shooed Erica and Josh out of the house to go have a drink together. They’d been cordial to each other, but the iciness between them chilled me. The kids were heartbroken to see Josh leave so quickly after arriving.
Better be sad to not see him for a few more hours than having your parents split up.

I did my best to try to keep them occupied with constructing the dollhouse.

Dear Trip, step one in increasing sales of Branco’s dollhouses – make the damn things easier to assemble.
This thing might as well be a scale model of the USS Missouri with the directions written in Elvish.

Finally, the dollhouse was completed. After a few minutes of play, I got the kids into pajamas and with teeth brushed and faces washed, we snuggled on the sofa with SpongeBob, watching cartoons.

Erica’s head quickly ducked into the living room and I took it as a hint to follow, leaving the kids and dog
in situ
.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked gently.

“Yeah, we’re better. Not good, but better. Thanks for that. You can go home. No fireworks. He’s going to stay the weekend.”

I nodded.
Good.
I leaned in and wrapped Erica in a big hug. “Sure you’re good?” I whispered.

“Better. Now stop worrying about me. Worrying about us. Worry about you.”

Should I worry about me? If Josh is up to something after eight years and two kids, should I worry about Trip? It’s only been a few months and he’s out of town all the time. Is he eating alone? Taking other women to dinner?
I began to drive home, but was antsy and knew I was going lie awake in my bed all night, so I decided to turn my car around in search of the one place I knew I’d find some sleep.