Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LUKE
“C ome back with me.”
“I can’t,” Dei refuses. “I’ve got a bunch of meetings these next two weeks.”
“Play hooky,” I suggest.
“You know I can’t.”
“You know you want to,” I tease, pulling her in for a kiss.
Dei gives me a look I can’t read.
“Well…I do have some good news,” I say.
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Because I’ve locked in several clients, I’m moving down here,” I boast while hiding some of the truth.
Dei’s known about some of the business side of things. I’ve just not shared how quickly some of it has been happening, as in how I’ve been down here more the past few months. I didn’t want to freak her out, especially after we started sleeping together.
“Really! That’s awesome. Congratulations,” she says.
“You know what that means?”
“What?” Dei asks.
“We can see each other more,” I explain.
“Really?” Dei gasps with a hint of shock and something else I can’t quite make out.
“Yeah.”
“Cool,” she says, looking away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she lies.
“Come on, Dei.”
“It’s nothing, really,” she says. “I’m really happy for you.”
“Does it bother you that I’ll be living here?”
“What? No,” she says quickly. “I just didn’t expect to hear your news…that’s all.”
“Well, this means we can see each other more…that is, if you want to.”
“See each other?” Dei asks. “As in?”
“As in doing more of what we’re doing now,” I proclaim, kissing her.
“I don’t date,” she retorts calmly.
“I didn’t say date, Dei,” I lie.
“I like what we have here and?—”
“Me, too,” I say, cutting her off with a kiss. “I just like the option to do more of it.”
Dei stays quiet for a few beats. “Okay.”
“Good.”
She seems pretty normal for the rest of the day, but Dei’s a little edgy when we’re out in public.
She’s got a hat and sunglasses on as usual, but is skittish like we might be seen together or something.
I keep my distance even though all I want to do is touch her.
I know that I need to give her the comfort she needs—her space.
From the way she’s acting, I’m glad I didn’t blurt out about me moving down here sooner.
Since the night we first had sex, neither of us has been with someone else. At least, I don’t think she’s been with anyone else. Mandy has shared that Dei hasn’t spoken about hooking up with anyone—even when she gets back from a business trip.
Dei and I have developed a routine between the two of us when we do see each other.
Regardless of where we are, her place or mine, we hang out inside most of the time, having sex, cuddling, and doing everything else that couples do.
The minute we’re out in public, Dei’s walls are up.
She keeps herself at least a good two arm’s length away from me as much as possible.
I’ve got to find out her fixation on not being in a relationship so I can convince her of being more than what she calls friends with benefits .
When I take a scheduled visit to go back home, I hook up with Mike and the crew for a guys’ night.
I’m feeling a little guilty for not spending as much time with them the past few months, but I’m pretty sure they haven’t noticed.
Halloween is next weekend which means everyone will become focused on everything but business until the New Year.
“Hey, man,” Mike greets when he opens his door.
“Hey. How’s married life treating you?”
“Good.”
“It better be good,” Claire shouts from another room.
“It is honey,” Mike yells back playfully. “Why wouldn’t it be good?”
“Bickering already?” I tease.
“We like to sometimes see what it would be like to be an old married couple,” Mike informs. “As well as other things…you know, to keep it all interesting.”
“Sure,” I chuckle. “Hey, Claire.”
“Hey,” she returns with a smile as she continues to walk towards me. “How are you?”
“Good.” I release her from our embrace. “Is he treating you right?”
“Oh, boy, is he,” Claire goads.
I glance at Mike and then back at Claire.
“Honey,” Mike chides.
“What?” she teases, smiling proudly at her sexual innuendo. “You two go have your guys’ night.”
“You sure you’ll be fine?” he asks.
“Yes, sweetie,” Claire confirms. “I’ve got Armando waiting for me in the bedroom.”
“Armando?” I repeat.
Claire giggles and kisses Mike on the cheek.
“Don’t have too much fun without me,” Mike states.
“We’ll see how the night goes,” Claire declares playfully.
I cough, hoping to remind them that I’m still present and don’t want to intrude on whatever kind of sex game they might be playing or will be playing later tonight.
“You boys have fun,” Clair states, kissing Mike.
Mike smacks her ass when she walks away and Claire giggles mischievously. When he looks back at me, Mike shakes his head, smiles, and shrugs his shoulders. A minute later, we’re getting into my car and we head over to Pete’s—our regular go-to place to eat and catch up.
“Sorry, I haven’t talked to you much since the wedding,” I say after we order our drinks.
“Don’t worry about it,” he replies. “Claire and I have been tied up with a lot of things since the wedding.”
“Did you guys have a good trip?”
“Yeah,” Mike replies. “But it could have been longer.”
I take a sip of my drink. “Did you ever get to see Dei?”
“We only got a little bit of time with her since she was busy with work. Apparently, she’s always busy now.”
“Yeah? Why is that?” I ask, wanting to act like I don’t know anything. I want to see if he might reveal something that can help me understand her aversion to dating.
“I’m not quite sure,” Mike chuckles. “I never really paid any attention to her business, you know? I know that’s kind of shitty with me being her brother, but I tune it out, not to be mean but to protect her.”
“Protect her,” I repeat.
Mike huffs. “Mom. She can be pretty relentless when it comes to what Dei is and isn’t doing…not to mention me and Claire, but Mom has always been more interested in what Dei is doing.”
“I wonder why?” I say nonchalantly.
“Who knows?” He shrugs. “I feel like I’m in the middle of it all. Mom denies anything ever happened and Dei won’t talk about it.”
“Does Dei talk to Claire about it?”
“Don’t know,” Mike says. “I know they talk on occasion when I’m not around, but I never thought to ask.”
I nod, realizing that this topic is a dead end.
Once we order food, Mike is quick to strike up a conversation. “So what’s going on with you? How are things with the firm?”
“Good. Dad put me in charge of my own team and I’m in LA now.”
“Wow. Congrats, man,” Mike praises. “How is it?”
“Thanks.” I take a sip of my drink. “Good. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. The team is cool. We all know each other, so we’re able to work off each other’s strengths.”
“Sweet,” Mike replies. “Dad said that you were down a few months ago.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I got to see Dei, too.”
“So, how did it happen?”
I choke on my sip. “With what?”
“Was it one deal or was it several to allow the move?” he asks. “Did you want to move down there?”
“I landed one, but by the time we were solidifying, the third is when I was staying in the corporate housing facility more than I was up here.”
“That’s cool,” Mike returns.
“Yeah.”
“How often did you have to be down there until you moved?”
“Every few weekends,” I lie.
“You should try to connect with Dad and Dei again now that you’re down there. I’m sure either of them has a lot of possible connections for you.”
“Nah,” I object. “I’d rather not make it about business if I was going to see either of them.”
“Makes sense,” he replies. “So, have you met anyone?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean,” Mike claims.
“No, I don’t.”
“Have you met anyone, as in, have you met a girl?”
How the fuck do I answer a question like this?
“Uh….”
“What’s her name?” he asks.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on,” Mike coaxes. “Have you gone on a date with her?”
“No.”
“Have you slept with her?”
I almost choke on my beer. “No.”
“Liar,” Mike challenges.
I don’t comment.
“Have you slept with this chick more than once?”
“No,” I lie.
“Bullshit. So, when can I meet her?”
“I…who’s Armando?” I ask, desperate to evade his question.
Mike laughs. “One of Claire’s book boyfriends.”
“Book boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” Mike confirms. “He’s the main character in the series she’s currently reading. She’s got a bunch of them.”
“And it doesn’t bother you?” I ask, feeling a little intimidated by the number of Dei’s books I’ve read.
“No,” Mike states. “I get why Dei told me to read Claire’s books. I started off doing it when Claire wasn’t home, not sure what to expect, and felt uncomfortable. Then, one day, Claire tells me she wants me to listen, so she reads an entire sex scene.”
“What?” I ask, pretending like I haven’t got a clue.
“Who knew my wife would have that kind of porn in the house. I confessed to Claire about reading a few of them.”
“What did she say?”
“We talked…we talked about everything without judgment.”
“What do you mean you talked?”
He shrugs and chugs his beer. “Our desires…our fantasies.”