Chapter 23
chapter twenty-three
Natalia
I could explain myself.
There was probably a very specific, psychological reason behind why I enjoyed being degraded in bed. Maybe something about my childhood trauma, the chemicals in my brain, my self-esteem issues, or all those subliminal thoughts I had about myself and my career that floated about in my head, daily. I was sure that it was very closely related to my relationship with my father, and how I saw myself beside my sisters also contributing a small bit. But for me it really came down to one thing.
Safety.
Mateo was where I felt safe.
Calling a sex worker a whore in the name of sexual gratification was twisted in and of itself. If it were any other man, I would be running in the other direction. Actually, scratch that, I would be throwing a right hook and ball tapping the bastard at the same time.
But the difference was that I knew Mateo didn’t mean those words. He was taking control of them, letting me be in charge of how those words affected me. When we’re finished having sex, and the fog has cleared, it’s just him and me and nothing but pure love. Those words mean nothing.
They do leave an ache though. As does being double penetrated and wrung out all night by a well-endowed man. I realized when the sun in Las Vegas brightened the bedroom to dusky purple the next morning that I could still feel the pressure of Matty between my legs. I’d slept like an absolute rock. His side of the bed was empty but there was a steaming cup of coffee on the bedside table, next to a glass of water, two Advils, and a mini Gatorade.
There was stirring on the floor below, pots and pans being clinked together in the kitchen, the muffled sound of conversation. A full, animated smile filled my face.
This was everything I ever wanted.
Engaged to the love of my life, fully satisfied sexually, the gorgeous Nevada desert landscape in front of me, all of my best friends to share this experience with waiting downstairs. It was going to be the best day of my life. I could feel it.
The shower was still wet when I ambled into it slowly. Mateo was a stealthy motherfucker when he wanted to be. I washed myself under the waterfall shower head, feeling every last place his hands had been on my body hours ago. The dull pain ignited my interest again, and I slid my fingers through my core with soap, hissing at the tiny sting and soreness where I’d been stretched open. I got dressed and twirled down the staircase to the second floor where everyone was bouncing around between the living room and the kitchen.
“Good morning, bride-to-be!” Ophelia beamed. “Breakfast is served, and you can thank Tyler Swan for these muffins. He was awake making them before I even got in here.”
An impressed hum vibrated my chest as I circled the warm blueberry muffins and took a bite of one. “Wow, Tyler. I have to admit, I never would have pinned you for a baker.”
You could maybe roll some dough out on his washboard abs that he never seemed to put away. Tyler and Sam both, perpetually shirtless, riddled with tattoos and endless charm. My sisters were the least bit coy about watching them from the couch across the room.
I took a muffin to the recliner out of earshot. “When was the last time you three got laid?”
Isabella turned to me wearing undereye patches with black coffee filling her mug. “We know when the last time you got laid was.”
Heat crawled up my neck and I shot a look out to the veranda where Mateo was pacing on his cellphone. He turned and saw me, and a smile lit up his face.
“I have a very colorful sex life, thank you very much,” Mia said. “I work with a lot of tradesmen as a realtor, and man are those blue-collared boys easier than opening a straw.”
“Just put your tongues back in your mouths,” I said. “I could hear you panting from the kitchen.”
“Again, why are we not supposed to be flirting with the groomsmen? The single groomsmen?” Camilla elaborated. “They’re flirting with us.”
“No they’re not.” I rolled my eyes. “Mateo told them you guys were like sisters and sisters are off-limits.”
“The forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.” Bella shrugged. “If you think walking around in shorts that short, hanging that low, baking us muffins, and doing it shirtless isn’t flirting, I worry how you bagged a husband.”
“Tyler made these muffins for me,” I pouted.
Mateo finally filed in from the deck, shoving his cellphone into his pocket and walking over to the couch. “Morning.” He leaned in to kiss me. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth. “Little banged up, but I’ll definitely manage.”
A retching sound came from Bella and I swatted her arm.
Frankie and Phee joined us from the kitchen, followed by the Swans wiggling themselves onto the couch in the tight, open spaces. Angelo brought a plate full of food into the living room and bent over the coffee table, inhaling it like a garbage disposal.
“It’s our only full day in Vegas, and we’re going to need every minute of it.” Phee hopped up from the couch and retrieved her clipboard. “Who’s up to hike the Red Rocks early?” An awkward silence followed, and O pulled a pink disco ball pen out and scratched the top item off the page forcefully. “I guess we can go straight into the scavenger hunt.”
The energy shifted and both Swan brothers sat up eagerly.
“We’re listening,” Sam spurred her on.
Frankie went to Ophelia’s side with a stack of paper like a pop quiz was about to be handed out.
“We’re going out to the Strip today, and while we’re there I have these curated lists of scavenger hunt items to check off. It’s supposed to be fun ,” she stressed. “But there are definitely stakes at play here.”
Frankie passed each of us the list that was typed and printed on graphically designed, full color paper. There were cactuses and flamingo clip art, pink lettering, framed check boxes—the whole nine.
“You’re fucking adorable, O.” Tyler Swan grinned from his tight spot on the couch. He kicked his feet up onto the ottoman and got comfortable reading the items on the list.
“I know there's a few of these that some of us can’t exactly partake in,” she admitted. “But that just means the rest of your team will need to pick up the slack. Since it's even on both sides, that shouldn’t be an issue.”
“So it’s bridesmaids versus groomsmen?” Camilla asked.
“Yes.”
Mateo was already focused on his list when I started reading mine.
Photo with a street performer. Easy enough. There were hundreds of those walking up and down the Strip at any given moment of the day. Blow Job shot. I smirked and looked around at everyone else with their noses buried in their paper. Switch clothes with a stranger. Interesting, and not as simple as the first two. I was impressed with Ophelia’s creativity. Lap dance. Mateo and Frankie wouldn’t be caught dead. Similarly to the item kiss someone you just met .
There were several others. Gather a crowd, sing karaoke, find an Elvis impersonator, find another guy with the groom’s name, blow on dice at a gambling table , and get a DJ to play your song request were just a few. I loved how much thought had been put into all of this. It was clearly planned for several weeks, months probably, knowing Ophelia. Mateo and I struck gold with our best friends, and it was the cherry on top when they also fell in love. It was honestly a matter of time before our roles were reversed.
There was a buzz of excitement around the room. “Some of these are…”
“Out of the question,” Matty finished for me.
“Someone's gotta do it, so I’ll take one for the team and get the lap dance, boys,” Tyler said regretfully.
Sam shook his head. “These are pretty good, O. Sounds like a challenge, and I love those.”
“What does the winner get?” Angelo asked.
“It’s not what the winner gets, it’s what punishment goes to the losing team,” Frankie explained.
“Losers will have to choreograph a group dance to perform at the wedding reception,” Phee announced.
“Oh fuck no, I do not dance,” Mia spat.
“Then you better win,” Angelo fired back.
Tyler stretched his arms across the back of the couch. “Ladies, I hate to break this to you, but there is absolutely no way in hell you can win this thing. Not even with tape over my mouth and my hands tied behind my back.” Bella stood, taking her list with her. “You’d look even prettier like that, though.”
“You two.” Mateo gestured like he was spraying two feral cats with water. “Cut it out.” His phone rang in his pocket and distracted him from the kittenish look my sister and his friend shared. I was too blasé to be irritated, and at the end of the day Tyler Swan was probably the best candidate for a one-night stand because the guy was a revolving door of women. Godspeed, Bella.
My fiancé put his palm over the receiver on his phone. “I have to take this quick.”
“Is everyone good with this?” Frankie chimed in. “We can all go shower, get put together, and reconvene here in an hour.”
Good? Yes. Scared? Definitely. Exhilarated? That was the closest word to what I felt. A bachelorette scavenger hunt in Las Vegas that would determine who had bragging rights for foreseeably the rest of our lives. I gave Frankie and Ophelia the thumbs-up.
“Perfect,” Phee squealed. “Pink outfits today, girls. Minus you, Nat, white and glam. Do you need help?”
I laughed. “I can manage.”
“Don’t forget your sunscreen. Sunglasses, hair ties, lip balm, wallets. I’ll have extra too.”
“I could really use you on a day-to-day basis,” Camilla said.
The room dispersed to get ready for the day, that little spark of competition like a shot of espresso in everyone’s coffee cup. When I stood from the couch I noticed Angelo had started down the hallway toward where Mateo disappeared, and I craned my neck curiously as I watched him head up the stairs first.