Never Have I Ever (7 page)

“Uh-huh. Have you thought about getting a better secretary, Eli?”

“I told Taylor I should. Or maybe hire a second one, since I feel bad about letting this one go when she’s got kids to support. He said all I needed was a planner.”

That sounded like her husband. “That’s because Taylor has a calendar on hand in every room in the house.”

“I thought his two smartphones handled all of his OCD now?”

“I think he doesn’t quite trust them not to fall apart. He syncs everything. Every night.”

“Ugh. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”

“I don’t know. I can be particular about certain things too, so I don’t mind.”

“Yeah. You two are perfect for each other, huh?”

She shifted. “I hope so.”

“Hmmm. I got up early and couldn’t go back to sleep. I was going to leave the breakfast for you when I left, like a phantom Martha Stewart, only prettier. Are you hungry?”

“Sure, thanks.”

She moved to get the plates from the cupboard, but he stopped her. “Let me grab everything. You just go sit down.”

“So when did you get here? Not that it matters to me…it’s your house, after all,” she said hastily as she pulled out a chair.

“No, no, doesn’t matter whose name is on the deed, it’s all my bad. I got in last night and I realized the screw up in dates.”

“I’m surprised I didn’t hear you and wake up. I’m a light sleeper…” She trailed off. Holy crap. Last night? He meant late last night, right? Like, late enough that he wouldn’t have had to be all embarrassed and hear the sounds of her crying out in the living room?

“I was quiet,” he said easily. “I’m a ninja like that.”

There was no guile or embarrassment in his face, just innocence. She relaxed. “Oh. That explains it. I clearly didn’t take your ninja-like abilities into account.”

“Yeah. Most people don’t.”

Ana dug into the French toast he laid on her plate, trying not to gag when he doused his own with syrup. “I hate you for staying so fit when you eat like that.”

“I have a super-fast metabolism.”

“And a super sweet tooth.”

He only smiled and bit into his toast. “Catch me up on everything since I talked to you last. Is Tía Lucía still pinching innocent men’s asses at weddings?”

“She contends that you asked for it.”

“That’s right, blame the victim.”

They chatted amiably for a good half hour. Ana found herself relaxing as they slipped into their usual friendly banter, continuing to sit and talk after their plates were empty and the weak winter sun had lifted some of the gloom from the house.

“You’re still here.”

Taylor’s sleep-roughened voice surprised her. Before she could turn to look over her shoulder, he was by her side, kneeling next to her. His gaze was assessing, roving over her as if he were checking for signs of injuries.

The thought had crossed her mind that perhaps the light of day would bring mortification over their naughty encounter. But Taylor didn’t allow her a chance for cowering and hiding. He brushed a string of kisses over her face, and then nuzzled against her cheek and neck, rather like a puppy seeking a bit of affection. She sank her hand into his thick hair and rubbed his scalp, forgetting that Eli was even there.

“Hi,” he whispered into her mouth. His lips brushed hers again.

“Hi.”

A loud cough sounded. Ana blushed, remembering Eli, and tried to pull away, but Taylor wouldn’t allow it. If anything, he kissed her harder, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and exploring her thoroughly.

You’re turning into one kinky bitch, finding it this hot to be kissed with an audience.
No, not turning. It must have always been there, a match waiting for a spark.

He gave her one final nuzzle, rubbing his nose against hers before rising to his feet and walking to the refrigerator. She had to bite her lip to keep from calling him back, begging him for a thorough make-out session, despite whoever may be watching. Eli’s presence put off something else, she realized right then. If he hadn’t been there, she might have tried to engage Taylor in some sort of postmortem. Too bad Eli was here. Too, too bad. That was not a secret spurt of relief in delaying the confrontation that they would have to have at some point.

You wussy.

Yep. Queen of the wussies, that was her.

Taylor withdrew a carton of orange juice and drank straight from the spout, something so out of character for her fastidious husband she could only blink at him. A thought occurred to her, and she frowned. “Wait, you knew Eli was here?” She turned to Eli. “I thought you said that you came in late last night?”

She heard a gurgle from Taylor’s direction, and she almost glanced back to him, but Eli spoke. “I guess I wasn’t ninja-like enough. Taylor heard me eating some of your spaghetti last night. Delicious, by the way.”

“Oh.”

“Why aren’t you gone yet?” Taylor asked as he grabbed the plate of remaining French toast and brought it to the table, along with a fork.

“Taylor!” Ana was mortified. Eli owned the place after all.

“No, no, Ana, I don’t mind. I know what a social disaster Tay is. To answer you, I was just making some breakfast before hitting the road. I had no idea that Ana would hear me and come investigate.” Eli patted his mouth with his napkin. “I’ll be heading out shortly.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she protested.

“Yes he does. Hush, Ana.”

“Taylor, this is his place, and we cannot kick him out of it.”

“As much as I love being the cause of marital discord, honey, this time it’s just not worth it. I did promise you guys this place for the weekend and you don’t need to worry about me staying and messing things up.” Eli winked at her. “Threes a crowd anyway.”

Chapter Five

Eli stormed back inside, closing the door against the rush of snow and wind. “Um. You guys mind if I stay a day?”

Ana looked up from the magazine she was halfheartedly flipping through while Taylor was tidying the kitchen. “What happened?”

“A tree crashed across the pass about ten minutes down from here. I called into the emergency operations in town, but they said they wouldn’t be able to clear it until this evening.”

“Son of a bitch,” Taylor said, as he emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on the towel at his waist.

“But everything will be okay by tonight, right?” she asked.

“Sure. They’re usually pretty quick about clearing things out of here.”

“Can we just go move it?” Taylor asked, his manner brusque.

“How strong do you think you are?” Ana joked, in an effort to cover the fact that her husband was clearly annoyed that the man wanted to stay in
his own
house.

Eli’s lips quirked. “I dunno, hon. Me and Taylor could kick some ass back in our day. But no, man. It’s not some little sapling. If there were a few more of us, probably, but not just you and me.”

“We’d be delighted to have you here, wouldn’t we, Taylor.” Not that she even phrased it as a question, but she took his grunt for capitulation.

Nonetheless, Eli looked pained. “I’m so sorry.”

“Nonsense. It’s not like having you here will keep us from doing anything.”

“Huh. Is that right?”

It took her a second to realize why Eli sounded so amused. She hadn’t meant it like
that
. “I mean…I was just thinking Taylor and I should play outside today. The snow is so nice. You can join us, if you want.”

“Play outside?”

Yes. So we don’t have to talk inside. Or worse, so I don’t have to be cooped up with a double dose of testosterone that will get me thinking all sorts of naughty things.
Wussy, wussy, wussy
.

Fine, she admitted it. She’d arranged this vacation so they could come clean with each other, but at the same time she dreaded that talk, feared what he would say. It had been one thing to know, intellectually, that he’d had more sexual partners than her. Actually looking at a younger version of Taylor engaging in threesomes and bondage games? Hello, insecurity. The devil of inadequacy whispered in her ear, feeding her fear that she was the reason he’d played it vanilla with her. What would she do if he confirmed that fear? On a more selfish note, what would she do with these newfound desires if he rejected her? Die a little inside, that’s what.

Melodrama, table of one.

Ana tried to inject her usual enthusiasm into her voice so her inner turmoil wouldn’t show. “Sure. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“There are some snowshoes in the storage shed,” Eli offered. “If you two want to go play outside, go ahead. I think I’ll just stay here. Watch some movies or read a book.”

She willed away the flush on her cheeks, thinking of the movie she and Taylor had watched the night before. Of course Eli was talking about something completely innocent. “Right. Sounds great.”

Taylor sighed, sounding very put-upon. “Fine. Let’s get you bundled up.”

Taylor studied the shape of Ana’s ass in the bright pink snowsuit she wore. It was a sad, sad day when the sight of the woman in a shapeless outfit drove him a little mad.

For the umpteenth time he cursed Eli’s presence. His best friend had the absolute worst timing. Forget the fact that he’d been put outside like a naughty pup, when he could be snuggling with his wife on a wide leather sofa. With the other man here, he couldn’t even try to communicate with her about their recent escapades…not that he had the slightest inkling of how to broach that subject.

You know that mind-blowing sex we had last night? Please don’t let me fuck you like an animal anymore. We need to leave here, because I think this place is making me want to do things to you that aren’t even entirely legal in some states. Oh, yeah, and I never told you, but I’m a—

Abort, abort. Don’t think it. If you don’t think it, it’s not real.

That’s right. The test wasn’t over yet. He still had all day tomorrow to get his body and rioting hormones under control. Perhaps by then he’d also be able to figure out what was going on in his newly enabling wife’s tricky brain.

“This fresh air is so bracing, isn’t it?”

Ana had to shout, and even then her voice was muffled by the ski mask on her face. His outfit wasn’t nearly so confining, but then, his body temperature was higher than hers. The wind had stopped howling, and there was a lull in the snow. A good foot or two of the stuff had built up on the ground from the night before. It was soft, perfect for—

A snowball hit him square in the face. He recoiled in instinct and then shook his head. Ana’s brown eyes behind her mask were alight with mischief and delight. “Whoops.”

“I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Hmmm.” She leaned over, picked up a handful of snow and packed it deliberately between her palms. He watched her, hands loose at his sides. She let it fly, and this time the powder hit him square in the chest and dissipated. “Do you believe it now?”

“You little…”

When he bent over to grab some snow, she squealed and began running away, but soon discovered snowshoes didn’t allow for much speed. She wasted precious seconds trying to get her feet out from them. He, who had far more practice with the shoes, took them off in record time. Still, he waited patiently in his boots.

She yelped again when she glanced over her shoulder and took in his ready stance, a snowball in each hand, and started to run back to the house.

“I’ll give you a ten-second lead,” he announced. He was feeling generous, after all, and she was slow and tiny compared to him. Still, he let the snowballs fly, watching as she ducked and they smacked into the ground near her.

“Sucker…” came her faint reply as she disappeared around a tree.

Taylor didn’t even bother to run, his strides eating up the ground, one step to every three of hers. The snow was so soft it was an easy matter to simply follow her footprints.

About ten feet into the woods, though, her footsteps stopped in front of a tree.

His eyes narrowed. He looked left, and then right. He even glanced up, but there was no Ana sitting up a tree. Not like she would have that much maneuverability with the bulky outfit on her. “Ana,” he shouted.

Nothing.

He listened, but unlike Eli and the rest of his family, his hearing wasn’t quite so superior.

His smell, though…

Taylor smiled grimly and inhaled, sorting through the scent of pine and smoke to find Ana’s uniquely feminine scent, overlaid by vanilla lotion.

Aaaaand, there she was. Hello, Ana.

He stepped around the tree, only then noticing the almost too-careful brushing of the snow. A smile spread across his face, both proud and amazed. Smart girl, dragging something behind her to keep her path hidden.

For someone who’d grown up in a crowded city, she’d just mightily impressed him.

He didn’t bother walking anymore, but started running, his legs eating up the ground, following both her scent and the brushed path in the snow. He’d catch her soon.

She’d zigged and zagged well though, moving fast for a tiny human who was weighed down by winter clothes, boots and what appeared to be a tree branch. His admiration shot up another notch.

So did his lust.

When I find her…

He couldn’t even formulate the words as he ran faster, as her scent became stronger. Images passed through his mind of her wearing a fragile peasant blouse and flimsy skirt. When he found her, he would rip her top off…

His strides lengthened. She’d gasp, but her body would conform to his, her mouth eating his as surely as he ate at hers. Sinking sweetly to her knees, she would open his rough trousers, take his cock out and suck it into her mouth. He’d control her motions with his hand on her head, making sure that she fucked him exactly as he wanted and needed it, and then he’d hoist her up against the side of a tree, rip her panties off and fuck her as she screamed and squirmed under his body. The rough bark would bite into his hands where he braced them, but he wouldn’t care, would be unable to stop…

The sound of panting filled his ears, and it took him a second to realize it was him, his breathing coming mostly from arousal and not exertion.

Find your woman.

Fuck your woman.