23. Let Me Explain
LET ME EXPLAIN
“ W hy did you get quiet?” he asked when they sat down to eat.
“What?” she asked. “I’m not. I’m hungry.”
“No,” he said. “You’re quiet. Something is processing in your head and I’m trying to figure it out.”
“Nothing to figure out,” she said, smiling.
It was forced. He knew. It was as obvious as the curl of her hair.
That she was now wearing. It made her more approachable.
He was smart enough to not say that.
Could be why so many people talked to her today in the grocery store.
Nah, they would have approached her regardless and he knew she wasn’t fond of it.
She’d said more than once she hated the rumors and petty small talk in the area.
“I think there is,” he said. “We’ll circle back to the events of our day. Or I should say the conversations of it. You got quiet after I said my mother didn’t know about you. Don’t take that the wrong way and let me explain.”
“Please do,” she said, leaning back in her chair.
“Bullseye,” he said. He got that on the first try. Damn, he didn’t think he could have done that.
She let out a sigh. “My poker face is normally much better.”
“I’m glad it’s not with me. I really am,” he said. “Foster and Talia know about you. Braylon and West asked about you today. They will tell Laken for sure.” No reason to say that he slipped because he wasn’t thinking straight much.
“I’d think so if you are asking me to be a guest at her wedding.”
No way he was saying that it was almost an order from West.
Not almost. It was an order...in West’s way.
He didn’t want Phoebe to get insulted over that though.
He had been thinking about it and this forced the issue without him dragging his feet wondering if he should do it or not.
The fact her mother brought it up on the same day was another one of those ironic things.
“There is a joke with my mother and having all these kids. She’d been waiting for years for someone to settle down and give her grandkids. West was the first to fall and then Braylon and Laken pretty quickly after. Foster got engaged at Christmas and he’d just met Charlotte at Easter.”
“Sounds like your family moves fast,” she said, going back to her food.
“Seems it when it’s right,” he said. “But we also try to keep my mother out of it because she can be bossy.”
Phoebe laughed. “I think most mothers feel it’s their right for that.”
“Is your mother bossy?” he asked.
“She brought up meeting you and asking you to the wedding.”
“So it’s not your idea?” he asked. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“This is where it gets to be chick-confusing.”
“Chick-confusing?” he asked. “Is that a thing? I’ve got two sisters, but it’s not like they talk to me about lingo.”
She laughed. “It’s a thing. I wanted to invite you. It crossed my mind. But Ben’s wedding is after Laken’s. I worried that if I invited you to Ben’s then you’d feel like you had to invite me to Laken’s.”
“Surprisingly, I understand what you’re saying.”
“That’s good,” she said. “None of my brothers would have. So I guess we can say it all worked out well. You’ll just have to let me know when you’re going to Laken’s. I’m going to assume a few days early, but I could be wrong?”
“I’ll be going on West’s private jet that morning. My mother and Talia will be there prior. We’ve got other family that will fly into this area or drive here to get on the jet. My extended family is large and West tries to make it easier if he can. Thankfully, I’m not in this wedding.”
“That’s mean,” she said.
“No,” he said. “It’s not. Braylon was West’s best man.
West was Braylon’s. We were all in both of the weddings.
All the siblings. But Jamie has a lot of close friends and colleagues.
It’s going to be a huge wedding. They are keeping the wedding party to just them and three others and Jamie’s daughter as a miniature bride.
Talia is the maid of honor and then Abby and Lily are bridesmaids. ”
“Your sisters-in-law,” she said.
“Yes. But it allows me to not have to be there too early either. Just a lot going on.”
“I’m in Ben’s wedding. Mason is the best man,” Phoebe said. “I didn’t know if you knew that. Eve’s sister is the matron of honor and then me. My brother Matt is the other groomsman. It’s going to be a big wedding too but a small wedding party.”
“So you’ll be going early then,” he said. He would work it out, but it’d be nuts to be away too many days in a short period.
“I do have to go there a few days early, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to or can’t. It’s only two hours away. You could come Friday if you want after work.”
“I might do that,” Elias said. “You’ll be okay with it?”
“If anyone understands how crazy a job or business is, it’s me,” she said. “I’m always busy.
“This is somewhat of a slow time of year because of the weather. If it’s not great, people won’t be driving to get beer. If they don’t come to me, I don’t sell.”
“You never wanted to be in retail locations?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “I’ve got more control this way and keep a larger percentage of the profit. It makes me more in demand on top of it.”
“Which is one thing Fierce would love. You’ll be getting your name out there mixed with their base. You don’t have to tell me this, but is this beer going to be in retail with them? Or only through you?”
He laughed. “We are doing two, but no one knows that. It’s been hush hush. Most people think there will only be one that is going into retail, but shortly after that one is put through distribution and sold, I’m having another one here. They are brewing the first. I’m brewing the second.”
“Wow,” she said. “That is so exciting.”
“We’ll see how it goes. I hope it’s huge for both of us.”
“I’m sure it will be. Everything Fierce touches turns to gold. Not from luck but from hard work. It seems the same with you,” she said.
“I like to think that,” he said. “Do I work hard enough with you?”
The last thing he wanted was for her to think she was coming in second even if at certain times she might be.
But he knew he was with her too so it’s not like he had the right to complain.
“I’d like to think we both work at what we need to,” she said. “And I’m not sure I like it being phrased that way. If it’s work, it’s not right, is it?”
“My mother would say nothing right comes easy. You have to work at it.”
If she didn’t think that, then maybe she wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to be with someone that wasn’t willing to put the effort in.
“The wording again,” she said. “I’m a hard worker.
I’m willing to give everything my all when I want it.
Do I want what we’ve got? I wouldn’t have asked you to Ben’s wedding and then try to figure out a time to meet with my parents if I wasn’t willing.
I just don’t know that I want to put my personal life in the same category as my work life.
The effort put in and returned is at a different level and shouldn’t be compared. Or am I wrong thinking of it that way?”
He reached his hand over. “No, you’re not wrong. I guess I was thinking of it that way.”
He couldn’t fault her this early, just like he had to have his head in work mode too.
“Are you as unsure of things as I am?” she asked. “Because, you know, I already feel so much out of my element here.”
He laughed. “Why or how is that?”
“Just the fact that two strangers know about my personal life and stopped me to talk about it for one,” she said.
“I’m dating a guy who is nothing like anyone else I’ve ever dated before.
I’m running my own business. This is all happening in a month.
That’s a lot and I hate that I’m doubting so much and afraid to make a decision. ”
“It can be,” he said. He wanted to support her, knowing it took a lot for her to admit this. “Or we can look at it as enjoyment.”
“Like entertainment?” she asked, angling her head.
“Pleasure,” he said, putting his fork down. His plate was clear, hers was too. “I like pleasure, don’t you?”
“Very much so,” she said.
“Then let’s give that to each other now and wipe out any other thoughts or insecurities.”
Best to let it stay light and not pressure her on what he might be feeling if it wasn’t the same for her.
She let out a soft laugh. It took a lot for him to say he might have insecurities, but he was willing to bet she’d appreciate that he was.
“Should we clean up dinner?” she asked.
“If you want to stop and clean up dinner before getting naked with me then I’m going to think I’m not that big of a distraction to you. Holy cow, my ego. I just said I had insecurities.”
She swatted his arm at the forced shocked look on his face. “Now you’re just playing with me.”
He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. “I’m going to play with you. Problem with it?”
“No,” she said, laughing. “Where are you going? The stairs are the other way.”
“I know where the rooms are in my house,” he said. “But I’m going to my office. Do you know why?”
“No,” she said. “Why?”
“Because there is a desk in there I can bend you over. You said I’m not like the men you normally date. I want to show you I can be.”
“Whoa,” she said. “Wait.” She was wiggling and he was afraid he was going to drop her so he set her down.
“What?”
“Don’t compare,” she said. “You took that wrong. You’re not like them in the best way possible. I don’t need you to give it to me in an office because you think I only date men that work in one and it’s their fantasy or mine or whatever is going through your head.”
Yeah, might have miss-stepped there and had to back up and try not to fall tripping over his feet.
“You don’t like the smell of my brewery and I’m not going to do it in my home one,” he said.
“Bring me back to the kitchen,” she said. “Where we had this talk. Or just do it right here in the room we landed in.” She looked around. “Or the hallway.”
He had stopped before he got to his office, but the hallway was a little on the tight side.
“Dining room table,” he blurted.
“Ewww,” she said. “No.”
He stared at her and they both burst out laughing. “I can’t believe we are even having this conversation. It’s taking the pleasure out of it.”
“Do I have to take control of everything?” she asked, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the living room. He had a massive sectional in front of the fireplace.
“Maybe I like a take-charge woman.”
“Good,” she said, lifting his shirt up and over his head. “I’ve got a condom in my purse if I need to get it.”
“Got one in my pocket,” he said.
“Do you always carry one around?” she asked, reaching for his jeans.
“No,” he said. “Only when I know you’re going to be near me. I can’t seem to help myself and should be prepared.”
“Good to know,” she said, dropping his jeans down to his ankles, his dick springing free.
She wrapped her hand around it and gave him a few long strokes, but he knew damn well he would not last long if she kept that up.
He pulled her hand away and quickly lifted her shirt over her head, her hair falling in front of her face.
“You look like a woman well and truly used already,” he said, laughing.
“Which is why I never wore my hair like this much,” she said, pushing her fingers through it and flipping it over her head, then tucking some behind her ears.
“I love it,” he said, wrapping his fist in it and yanking her close, his mouth crushing hers.
He just had to take that control back.
He untangled his fingers from her curls and helped her get as naked as him.
She found the condom in his jeans and pulled him to the couch, pushed his ass in the corner of the sectional and he put his feet up.
She opened the condom, covered him, and then climbed on top.
There wasn’t much time or foreplay out of her before she sat down on top of him hard, arched her back, and let out a moan.
“Pull me close by my hair again,” she said almost shyly.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said, doing what he had before.
Maybe he was a bit rough when he did it this time, but she moaned in a good way and rode him at a speed he hadn’t seen her move before.
He wanted to tell her to hold up, but couldn’t get any words out of his mouth as her tongue was invading his mouth as fast as her body was rising on him.
He was lifting his hips to meet her and then moving back. They found their pace quickly, the sounds they were making fueling his fingers to tighten on her scalp more. It was as if she took control back and he was just trying to hang on.
Barely.
Her moans got louder and her body tensed.
He knew she was coming and slammed up into her harder and faster until he felt a relief like never before escape his body and join with hers.
She collapsed on top of him, his fingers loosening some. She kissed his chest and said, “You just bring so much out of me.”
“I know,” he breathed.