Chapter 26
I n order to understand women, you have to know how they work. How they think. How they feel. But most importantly, how they want to be treated. Those were the words Rina spoke to me this morning on the phone as she gave me a list of books I should purchase.
I’m expected at the compound for Sunday dinner in a little more than two hours, but I haven’t been able to pull my sorry ass off the couch. I’ve been reading what I would consider smut, but what Rina promised me is solid romance. A Bible and a rule book.
All I know is that it’s fucking hot and it’s making me fucking hot, and I can’t stop reading it, which means dinner tonight with my family might be an interesting affair. Especially when I already know Raven won’t be there and I can’t sneak off with her and live out some of these scenes.
For years before I met Raven, I believed the only things about me that a woman wanted were my dick, my credit card, and my name.
But Raven always wanted more than that, not really caring about the latter two.
She wanted my mind. My heart. My soul. I told her secrets I don’t even tell Landon and I tell that fucker everything.
Speaking of… I pick up my phone and press his name on my recently called list.
He picks up on the second ring with, “You better not be canceling for tonight.”
“I’m not. I’m calling you so I don’t call her.”
He breathes into the phone, saying something to someone who I know is either Elle or Stella and then he’s moving, followed by a loud creak and the sound of a door shutting.
“Do you want me to blather on about bullshit or do you have something more specific on your mind? Because we both know blathering is not my strong suit.”
This is why I called my brother. “How are the plans for the new house coming along?”
“Good. Stella wants to take Elle out to see the property next week. Convince her to help us plan it and eventually move into it with us.”
I whistle through my teeth, tossing my e-reader onto the couch beside me and kicking my feet up on my leather ottoman. “That’s a big step, Lan. You all in like that.”
He grunts, hating it when I call him Lan, which is obviously why I did it. “I didn’t think something like this could happen twice.”
“Don’t do that. You deserve this. You deserve Elle. She’s absolutely perfect for you. And for Stella. Any woman who can put up with your surly ass and a teenage girl is good people in my book.”
“What if I’m pushing her too fast?”
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
He chuckles but recovers quickly. “Thanks, Darth, but I’m actually serious here.”
“Then you slow down, but I don’t think that’s the case. Besides, the house won’t be done for months. It’s not like you’re asking her to move in tomorrow.”
He’s quiet for a second and then says, “Dad told me about the Treesprite Grant. Congrats. I know what that means to you.”
My head falls back against the soft leather of the couch, my eyes closing. “They only chose me as a finalist because my last name is Fritz and my mother’s maiden one is Abbot.”
“Possibly, but it’s still one hell of an honor.”
“I haven’t won anything.”
“Not yet. But you very likely could. What would you do then?”
What would I do then? Would I move to Brazil and then Ghana for two years? Leave Boston, my jobs here, my family… Raven? Can I even say no to something I want as badly as that grant? “Has anyone ever turned it down?”
He snorts into the phone as if that’s the most ridiculous question he’s ever been asked. “No. Never. It’s the neuro equivalent of a Nobel Prize. You’d be making a huge difference in two parts of the world that need it. Other than Raven, that’s all you’ve been talking about for four years.”
I swallow thickly. “I’m finally starting to get somewhere with her and then this happens.” I shake my head. “They won’t pick me anyway. They just like having my name in the running.” Right?
He laughs as if he can hear my unspoken question. “You sound like a robot. Tell me what the fuck is up, or I’ll beat it out of you when I see you later.”
“I’d love to see you try. You’re younger than me by six minutes and I’m physically superior in all the ways that count.”
“Bullshit,” he snaps. “You sit to pee.”
I groan, running my hand over my face. “That was one fucking time, asshole, and only because I was too sick to stand.”
He chuckles, ripping one from me. “So you say.”
“You’re a punk-ass ho.”
“Never claimed otherwise, but it still riles you up every time I mention it. If you recall, I’m the one you threw up on before you sat like a lady to pee. Tell me more about the grant.”
Thank God for my brothers. For my family. I have no idea what my world would be like without them.
“I’ve decided not to think about the grant yet. There truly is no point if I’m not going to be winning it.”
“Solid reasoning. Elle is trying to teach Stella how to cheer. It’s the sexiest and scariest thing I’ve ever seen.”
I rub at the grin on my lips. “I should have come over for brunch this morning,” I tell him. “Hung out there with you and watched football instead of reading steamy romance novels all day.”
Now he full-on belts out a laugh and simply hearing my brother laugh like this… hell, I can’t think of anything better. It has me smiling like a damn, sappy fool.
“Let me guess, either Rina or Oliver got to you.”
“Rina, though I know Oliver reads this shit with Amelia.”
“Says it keeps their kink kinkier.”
“I believe it after reading some of this stuff. Do you think Raven reads romance novels?”
He clears his throat. “You could read some to her. On the phone since she likely won’t want to see your pretty face.”
I bolt upright. I could do that. I could totally do that.
It’ll be like romantic sexting, if there even is such a thing.
“You’re brilliant. Later, bitch.” Standing up, I start to pace a lap around my library, picking up a Luke Skywalker figurine and tossing it up in the air before catching it, repeating that as I move.
I think about how she looked last night when she caught me in front of her door.
The smile she had. Her dazed, googly-eyed look.
The way she told me I’m starting to win her over.
Yeah, I’m gonna need to see her if I’m planning to woo her with sexy romance novels and what Rina referred to as all the feels. Whatever the fuck that means.
I don’t even know if Raven’s home or if she’ll knee me in the nuts if I show up at her door. Might be worth it to admire the fire in her eyes—the woman is damn sexy when she’s ready to kill me—but I don’t want to fight with her. We’ve fought and yelled enough in the past couple of weeks.
And yesterday, last night… something is shifting in her.
I need to make her fall in love with me again. Or at least admit she never fell out of love with me. Bonus, my girl likes a little dirty with her wooing.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I press her number and hold my breath as it rings through. Just when I’m about to hang up, her silky rasp comes through the phone and instantly I’m hard.
I glare down at my troublemaker. Really? The woman only said, “Why are you calling me?”
“Because I miss you.”
“That’s nice. I’m hanging up now.”
“No. Wait. Don’t.” I clear my throat. Shit. “What are you doing?”
“Not going to the compound for dinner tonight, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“It’s not. So… tell me.”
She sighs and that’s when I catch a funny sound. Like splashing water.
“Are you in the bath?”
She’s quiet for a beat before responding, “Yes. My back hurts after my practice today and I thought a bath and smoking a joint might help.”
“I have a Jacuzzi.”
“So do I if I turn on the jets in the tub.”
Dammit. I forgot that point. “You smoked a joint?” I don’t know why I’m incredulous. Weed is legal in Mass, and I’ve certainly smoked and taken edibles on occasion, but Raven…
“It helps relax me. It’s not too heavy, which I like.”
She’s so damn cute, I could die. “Take a picture for me.”
“What?” she sputters.
But now I’m grinning like a devil. “Take a picture of yourself in the bath. I want a visual. Or we can FaceTime.”
“Nooo. No FaceTime. And I’m not taking a picture of myself in the bath for your voyeuristic enjoyment.”
I fall back onto my sofa, tossing Luke onto the couch beside me, my hand sliding down my jeans so I can grab my aching balls. “The old Raven would have done that. She was brazen. Fiery. A lot naughty.”
She laughs into the phone, and I miss her so much.
The way her eyes light up when she smiles.
The way her hair tumbles down her back when she’s truly laughing.
The way she makes this tiny, contented humming noise when I hold her against me.
How she is the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever seen whether she’s sans makeup and covered in sweat after a run or dressed for a night out.
“Are you trying to peer pressure me into a dirty picture?”
“That would be assuming I’m your peer. We’re in an entirely different generational bracket, baby girl. But yes, I’m totally trying to pressure you into sending me a dirty picture of yourself in the bath. If you want, I’ll send you a dick pic in return,” I tease.
She giggles lightly and I hear more water splashing around. Is she touching herself in there? Naked. Wet. Soapy. I need to see her.
“If you do it, I’ll read you some of the romance novel Rina has me reading so I can learn to speak woman better. She said it helped Brecken immensely.”
“She had him read Twilight . Is that what she gave you?”
“You mean that book about the vampire? No. Thank God. I don’t think I could do teenagers. This is a very adult book with very adult themes.”
There’s a sound on the other end that I’d swear is her attempting to stifle her giggle, but it breaks through anyway. That is until I hear the ping that indicates a text coming through.
“To help with your adult themes,” she tells me and then I pull the phone away, practically drooling at the image that comes through.