The Beauty of Us Page 10

  He glances down at it, frowns, then flips the phone over, facedown, and continues playing dominoes.

  “You’re not going to check that?” I ask him.

  “No, she’s just a gamer friend. It’s nothing important.” He kisses my cheek and resumes talking with Pete, and my butterflies have all decided to sleep. I’m not typically a jealous woman. But I had no idea that he gamed with women. I just assumed they were all guys.

  Sexist of me? Perhaps.

  I don’t like it.

  But rather than confront him and act like a crazy person, I set it aside for tonight and enjoy the banter between Nana and Trevor, and the way he rests his hand on my thigh under the table.

  “I need your advice,” I say to Addie the next day. We’re in our office, and we’re the first to arrive today. Trevor stayed with me last night, but he had a phone conference this morning, so we took our own cars to work.

  Which is fine with me because I need to pick Addie’s brain.

  “Yes, you should have sex with Trevor,” she replies, and rolls her eyes. “I mean, get it on already.”

  “We’re already doing that,” I reply. “But something weird happened last night.”

  I tell her about Trevor receiving the message from Angie and his response to it.

  “What would you do if it was Jake?”

  “I’d demand to know who the fuck Angie is,” Addie says. “But we’re married, and I already know all of his friends.”

  “I’m being serious.”

  “So am I.” She sits back in her chair and taps her pen against her lips, her eyes narrowed in thought. “He’s never mentioned her before?”

  “No, but he never said there weren’t women who he gamed with either.”

  “Is it weird that I’m surprised that there are women who play video games as intently as men?”

  “No, I thought it was unusual too, and then I felt like a sexist.”

  “Me too,” she says with a laugh. “Okay. The important thing is, you don’t have any reason to not trust Trevor. Right?”

  “True. I mean, he spends most of his time with me. But I’m seriously worried that there might be another shoe to drop at some point. I mean, he’s amazing with a capital A. That can’t be normal.”

  “Jake is pretty great too,” she says with a shrug. “There are men out there who aren’t assholes. I know, it’s like an elusive kind of wildcat that’s only ever been seen once in the wild, but they exist.”

  “So I’m overreacting.”

  “Maybe,” she replies. “But I get it. It would look suspicious to me if he brushed it off that easily. So just keep your eyes and ears open, and if something bothers you, talk to him about it. Jake’s always reminding me that he’s not a mind reader.”

  “I’m such a cynic.”

  “With good reason, Ri. Okay, what are some of your deal breakers, besides things like child molestation, murder, et cetera, that he could tell you and you’d run away?”

  “Well, if he said he has a girlfriend back home, that would not be good.”

  “Do you think this Angie is his girlfriend?” she asks with a frown. “I mean, wouldn’t she just text him?”

  “Good point.”

  “Next on your list?”

  “What if he has kids he hasn’t told me about?”

  “You’re more dramatic than I am,” she replies, blinking slowly. “Seriously, stop overthinking this.”

  “I keep telling myself the same thing! But what if—”

  “Stop,” she says firmly. “You can what-if yourself to death, Riley. What if he has a twin brother he’s never met? What if he had a sixth toe on one foot when he was born and he had it removed? What if he’s the heir to a fortune in Tasmania?”

  “Okay, that last one was a bit of a reach, even for me.”

  She smirks. “Stop trying to will something bad to happen.”

  “That’s what I’m doing, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, and it’s not healthy. Angie is a gamer friend, and it wasn’t anything important. If it was anything else, he would have said so.”

  “Right.” I nod. “I don’t know why I instantly assume he’s lying to me.”

  “Because we’ve known a lot of liars,” Addie says. “But I don’t get that feeling about Trevor. He’s good people.”

  “He is.”

  “How’s the sex?” she asks, and unlike with my nana, I don’t mind sharing with Addie.

  “I had no idea it could feel like that,” I reply. “I mean, who knew that fireworks could literally go off when a girl has an orgasm?”

  “Well, they don’t, but it sure feels like it, right?”

  “Yes! And he found my G-spot, and I have to tell you, I’m completely addicted to him.”

  “Good. It’s about time you got laid properly.”

  “Boy, you’re not kidding,” I reply, and check my phone, but there are no messages from Trevor. “In fact, I might need to go buy some new pretty lingerie. I’d given up on all of that a few years ago.”

  “Oh, you absolutely need some pretty new things,” she replies with a nod. “Have you waxed lately?”

  “Yes, that I didn’t let slide.”

  “Good girl. What about a pedicure?”

  “It’s been a while.”

  “I’ll call Cici. We need a girls’ day with her.”

  “Yes! Perfect. I’ll get my nails done too.”

  “I want to go lingerie shopping with you,” Addie says. “When should we go?”

  I check my schedule. “Neither of us is being interviewed today.”

  “Spontaneous shopping trip coming up.”

  “Right on.”

  She fist-bumps me and throws her planner, some lip gloss, and phone in her handbag. “Let’s go.”

  “Oh, you mean right now?”

  “Hell yes, right now. I’ll buy some new stuff too. I haven’t done anything like that for Jake since before Ella was born.”

  “Awesome.” I gather my things. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Ten

  ~Trevor~

  “That was worth the drive,” I say as Riley and I pull onto the interstate headed toward Portland.

  “Absolutely,” she says with an enthusiastic nod. “I know that Addie and Jake come out here a lot, and now I know why. It’s beautiful. I’m glad we came early in the day. There wasn’t anywhere to park when we left.”

  “And now we have the rest of the day to do anything,” I reply, and pull her hand up to my lips. Even the skin on her hands is soft. I enjoyed being with her and her nana yesterday. Seeing them together showed me a side to Riley I didn’t realize was there. She’s always funny, and now I know where she gets it.

  Nana is a spitfire.

  And someone I could see myself being friends with.

  But today, I’m going to keep Riley all to myself.

  Her phone buzzes and she pulls her hand out of mine to answer it.

  “What the hell?” she whispers, and reads the screen. I’m driving too fast to glance over.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Just a second,” she says, and is quiet while she finishes reading, then lays her phone in the cup holder and turns to face me in the seat.

  “What’s up?” I ask.

  “You tell me,” she replies, and I glance over now to find her face flushed, her eyes narrowed, and her hands practically shaking with anger.

  “Uh, babe, I didn’t get a message on my phone. If you’re going to be pissed at me, you’re going to have to tell me why.”

  “Angie,” she says. “Who the fuck is she, Trevor? Because she just sent me a pretty threatening message on Facebook, I saw her name on your phone the other night, and I need to know if I’m poaching on someone else’s man.”

  What in the ever-loving fuck is she talking about?

  I’m silent as I wait for the next exit. I pull off the interstate and into a random parking lot, throw the car out of gear, and reach for my own phone.

  “Are you going to
ignore me?” she demands, and I hold my hand up, stopping her.

  “Give me a second,” I say, my voice deceptively calm. I never bothered to read Angie’s message from the other night, so I bring it up and quickly read it.

  Hi Trev,

  I’ve been doing some thinking since the other night, and I just want to tell you that no matter what happens with this Riley person, I’m here for you. I know you’ve had a rough few years, and I feel like I should express how much our friendship means to me. I just want you to be happy, Trevor. You so deserve it! Please call me, even if you just need to talk. Xoxo Ang

  “Jesus,” I mutter, and rub my fingers over my lips. “What did she say to you?”

  “Does it matter?” she asks. Her arms are folded over her chest, and she’s leaning away from me. Totally unacceptable.

  “Yes. It matters. Please read it to me.”

  She rolls her eyes and reaches for her phone, finding the message.

  Dear Riley,

  I thought I should introduce myself to you. I’m Angie, a longtime friend of Trevor’s. I understand that you’ve been dating him, and I wanted to just reach out and give you a heads-up about the kind of person Trevor is. I want you to be very careful when it comes to him. He’s had a lot of upheaval in his life over the past few years, and this has made him very unpredictable and unbalanced. I would never want to see anyone get hurt, even someone I don’t know. All of his friends, including me, are very worried about him.

  Also, Trevor and I have started taking the steps to move our friendship to the next level. I am so excited! I really think he needs someone like me in his life to help him figure some things out. So I’d appreciate it if you’d kindly step aside, and let this happen for us as it’s supposed to.

  I’m really looking out for all parties involved.

  Angie

  She calmly sets the phone down, and I’m completely struck dumb.

  “Well?” she asks.

  “I’m so fucking shocked and angry right now,” I begin, and grip on to the steering wheel like it’s Angie’s neck. “I need to gather my thoughts.”

  “Oh, good,” she replies with a nod. “Well, while you’re gathering your thoughts, let me tell you some of mine. Why would you pursue something with me if you’ve already got something going on with her?”

  “I don’t,” I reply, and swallow hard, then turn in the seat so I can look her in the eye. “I’ve known Angie for about fifteen years. She’s a gamer. I’ve met her exactly once in person. I don’t game alone with her, ever. She’s part of the group.”

  Riley’s lips are still puckered, but she’s listening, so I keep talking.

  “She lives in Des Moines or Dallas or Duluth. Some D city.” I wave that off. “Anyway, all I know is what she’s told us, and who knows how much of that is true?”

  “She clearly has a thing for you,” Riley says, and sighs. “And frankly, I’m too old to deal with this kind of juvenile bullshit.”

  “If she has a thing for me, I had no clue about it, and that’s the truth.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “I am not lying about this. I’ll talk to Angie and set her straight.”

  “Set her straight on which part exactly?” Riley is good and pissed now. “I mean, did you hear that? She doesn’t make any fucking sense! Are you dangerous, or are you in love with her? Because she basically just said both.”

  “She’s a fruitcake,” I mutter.

  “What did she say to you?” Riley asks, and I bring the message up on my phone and hand it to her. “It’s so nice of her to offer to be there when I break your heart and she can pick up the pieces.” She passes the phone back to me and laughs humorlessly.

  “None of this was initiated by me.”

  “I just—” She looks out of the passenger-side window and bites her lip for a moment. “I’m so sick of men and their drama. I knew there’d be another shoe to drop.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Just take me home,” she says, resignation in her voice. “I think I just want to be alone today.”

  “You know, it’s ironic that this is the drama.” I pull back onto the freeway, rage roaring through my bloodstream. I want to punch someone. I want to scream. “Even my ex-wife wouldn’t stoop to this. So it’s not my ex, it’s not one of my sisters, it’s motherfucking Angie.”

  I shake my head and drive, frustration taking over the anger now. At Angie, me, and Riley, because obviously she still doesn’t trust that she’s the only one I’m interested in.

  So I’m going to convince her.

  Rather than drive her home, I take us to the apartment. Riley is staring at me as I pull into my parking space.

  “Did you not hear me when I said I want to go home?”

  “I heard you,” I reply, turn off the car, and get out, walking over to open her door for her. “Come on.”

  “I’m done with you today,” she says stubbornly.

  “Well, I’m not done with you.” I take her hand and guide her out of the car, into the building, and up to my place.

  “Don’t look now, but your caveman side just kicked in,” she mutters.

  “So be it.”

  I unlock the door and lead her inside, and when the door is shut, I press her up against it and cage her in.

  “You’re going to hear me out.”

  She licks her lips and watches my eyes, and I know I finally have her full attention.

  “I don’t give two fucks about Angie. She’s not even a blip on my radar. It’s you, Riley. You’re the one I want. Jesus, I don’t even see anyone else.”

  She frowns. “What do you mean?”

  I drag my fingertips down her cheek. “You still don’t get it, do you? I’m so crazy about you I can’t see straight. When you’re with me, no one else exists.”

  I brush my lips over hers and feel her soften against me. My hand slips under her shirt and up her smooth side to cup her breast.

  “Every inch of you is perfect for me.” I drag my nose along her jawline to her ear. “I love the way you respond to me. Look at those goose bumps on your neck.”

  “I can’t see my neck,” she says, making me smile.

  “My mistake.” I pull away and lead her to the bedroom, where a full-length mirror hangs behind the door. I place her in front of it, and I come up behind and watch my hands roam over her body, still over her clothes.

  Her cheeks are flushed again, but instead of anger, it’s from pure lust.

  “You have nothing to be jealous of,” I whisper in her ear, and watch her bite her lower lip as I let my thumb press on her nipple over her bra. My cock is nestled nicely against her ass, and it’s all I can do not to strip us both bare and fuck her against the mirror.

  We’ll get there, but not yet.

  She lets her head fall back onto my shoulder.

  “No, baby, I need you to watch this.” She returns her gaze to mine in the mirror. Her eyelids are heavy. Her nipples are puckered.

  She’s fucking gorgeous.

  I tug her shirt over her head and let it fall to the floor, and then unhook the front of her bra and watch as it falls open, revealing her breasts.

  “You think these are too small?” I ask, my voice thick. She nods once, her eyes glued to mine. My fingers brush the tight little nipples, and then I let them rest in my hands, enjoying the light weight of them. “They’re a handful for me, Riley, and I don’t have small hands.”

  A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.

  “Not to mention I fucking love this little freckle on the left one.”

  “The left one is bigger too,” she whispers.

  “I admit, I haven’t seen every breast in the world, but I’ve been told that’s pretty normal.”

  The smile spreads farther across her face, and it almost brings me to my knees.

  “When you smile at me, it’s like a light has been turned on in a dark room.” I kiss her earlobe and continue to fondle her breasts. “I’d do anything for that smile.”

&
nbsp; “And your curves.” My hands drift down to her jeans, unfasten them, and slowly lower them down her sexy legs. “I love every curve on your body.”

  My hands drift down her calves, to her feet and back up again.

  “Your inner thighs are so fucking soft, Ri.” I place wet kisses on her thighs and feel her knees shake. “You’re not going to fall, are you?”

  “Oh, I’m falling,” she whispers, and takes a deep breath. “This is the best torture ever.”

  “It’s not torture at all,” I reply, and kiss my way over her round ass and up her spine. “I’m just telling you how amazing I think you are. Hasn’t anyone ever done that before?”

  She shakes her head no.

  I can’t stand it anymore. I scoop her up in my arms and take her to the bed, pull her panties off her, and take her in.

  “Shame on every man who has had the privilege of seeing you naked.” I lean in and kiss her neck again, smiling at the way her hips move in response. “You’re so smart.” I place a kiss on that little place where her collarbones meet. “So damn funny.” Now I kiss right between her breasts. “Kindest person I know.”

  I lick around her navel and the piercing there. “I fucking love this piercing.”

  “I used to have my clitoral hood pierced,” she whispers, catching my attention.

  “Used to?”

  She nods. “I took it out.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugs one shoulder, like it’s no big deal, but I know better. I climb back on top of her, my clothes brushing against her nakedness, and make her look me in the eye.

  “Why?”

  “Because a guy I dated made fun of it, so I took it off.”

  “Fucking asshole,” I reply, instantly royally pissed off at every fucker she’s been with. “He didn’t deserve you.”

  “No.” She brushes my hair out of my eyes. “He didn’t.”

  I kiss her deeply, then continue my journey down her body. She’s spread open, her pussy already wet, her clit hard and ready for me.

  “I can’t get enough of you.” I look up at her and smile. “That’s the honest truth, Riley. I can’t fucking get enough of you.”