A Stallion's Touch (6 page)

“Tarah's maintaining a self-imposed celibacy. She has been ever since she moved to Phoenix. I thought you all knew that,” Maitlyn said matter-of-factly, pulling them all back to the conversation.

“She hasn't let a man near her stuff for over six years,” Kamaya added.

“Only battery-powered Bob!” Maitlyn said with a soft chuckle.

“No one told me that,” Katrina said, an air of surprise in her tone. “Six years? Really, Tarah?”

They all went silent again, waiting for Tarah to say something. Instead, she stared off into the distance, her mind muddled with thought. Her decision to abstain from sex had actually been at her mother's behest. A late night conversation between them before she'd left New Orleans had caused Tarah to reevaluate some of her choices. Katherine pointed out that Tarah too often acted before she took time to think. Her mother's observation made her more mindful of how she continued to do things. Katherine adding that most of her relationships were less than stellar, with Tarah dating boys and not men, had been enough to let Tarah know that her energy would be better served not trying to have it all without the work and effort a healthy relationship required. As her mother had admonished, she could have both a career and family, but she needed to have a plan. She needed to focus. Celibacy has been the first step.

“I cannot believe the way you three sit around talking about me like I'm not even here,” she finally said, pretending to be insulted. “My feelings are actually hurt.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kamaya chuckled. “Cue the violins!”

They all laughed again.

“So, really,” Katrina persisted, wanting all the details. “Because I swear, this is the first time I'm hearing this!”

Tarah shook her head. “Technically I'm not a virgin, but when I started my residency I made the conscious decision to refrain from sex until my wedding night. I didn't want the distractions during my surgical training, and you all know how a man can be a distraction. Just ask the judge!”

Katrina laughed. “What do you mean, just ask me?”

“She's right,” Kamaya said. “If I recall correctly, you had been naked under your judicial robes one day after you and your Stallion had done it in your office during recess.”

“I was not...!” Katrina started, fighting to keep her voice calm.

“Yep, you were naked,” Maitlyn said.

Katrina laughed. “You were not supposed to tell that!”

“There are no secrets here,” Kamaya stated. “We share everything.”

“Then how come I didn't know Tarah was doing the born-again virgin thing?” Katrina asked.

“I don't know,” Maitlyn said, “because even the boys know. Ask your brothers about it. Or your husband. I'd bet Matthew knows!”

“Hey, the way news spreads through this family, I'd be willing to bet that even Nicholas knows by now!” Kamaya chuckled.

“I wouldn't take that bet,” Katrina said. “Because clearly I never hear anything.”

“On that note,” Tarah said, “I have to get back to work.” She'd been sitting in her car in the hospital parking lot for the bulk of their conversation. Her thirty-minute lunch break would be over in less than five minutes.

“I need to run, too,” Katrina said. “Jake has a T-ball game this afternoon, and I promised Matthew I'd meet him downtown.”

“Before you go, Tarah,” Maitlyn said, turning the conversation in another direction, “when do you want to fly in for the game?” Maitlyn was responsible for arranging transportation for the family to the big play-off game and Tarah was sure her to-do list was lengthy. “You are still coming, right?”

Tarah shook her head as if her sister could see her. “I'm not sure. It's all going to depend on the Barton twins!”

* * *

The masseuse hit a particularly sensitive spot behind Nicholas's right calf. He moaned loudly, the sound resonating from a place deep in the pit of his stomach.

“Damn, bro!” Nathaniel Stallion said, looking up from the documents he was reviewing.

Nicholas laughed as he lifted his head to stare in his brother's direction. “Sorry about that.”

His brother laughed with him. “Has it been that long since a woman's touched you?” Nathaniel teased.

“You know that women are off-limits right now. During the season I reserve all my energy for the football field. I can't risk being off my game, and every woman I've ever met has tried to do just that.”

“That's because you go through them like water, and they're trying to hold on to you like glue.”

“I don't know what it is. I just know I don't have time for it.”

“You take it to the extreme, though. I understand refraining from sex before game night, but there are usually two or three days prior to each game that you can...
blow
...off some steam.”

The young woman kneading the tightness out of his muscles smiled down at Nicholas as she trailed the heel of her palm up and down the length of his thigh. She tossed Nathaniel a quick look and winked, and he winked back.

Nicholas shrugged, settling back into the massage table's face hole, the surrounding memory foam cushioning his head. He allowed his mind to drift, falling into the quiet of the soft music that billowed in the background. His body finally relaxed, each sinewy muscle feeling like melted butter. It was the most relaxed he'd been in weeks, and knowing it would only last a short time allowed him to savor the sensation all the more.

For a moment he lay reflecting on his brother's comment. He didn't say so out loud, but casual sexual encounters were the last thing on his mind. The mere thought of a quick few minutes with a woman whose name he barely knew made him wince. Those days were far behind him, and he couldn't remember when he had started to feel that way. Just that he was done and finished with the playboy lifestyle others assumed he relished, one that too many of his fellow teammates were trying to master. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by his brother's voice.

“Have you spoken to Tarah? Did she ever call you back?”

Nicholas lifted his head slightly and cut an eye in his brother's direction. He found himself suddenly regretting having said anything to his twin about the beautiful woman, wishing he'd kept his musings about Tarah to himself. But she had been on his mind, and he had needed to vent. He'd found himself missing her since their Christmas encounter. He missed the banter between them. Her teasing and the overt flirtations had become a pivotal pleasure in their relationship, if you could call what they shared a relationship. He missed her smile, and her laughter made him feel good about everything.

As he lay there thinking about her, the muscles suddenly tightened across his back and neck. The faintest hint of a rising erection began to press tight between his legs. He couldn't help but be grateful that he was lying on his stomach. He tried to ignore his brother still eyeing him with a steely gaze.

Nicholas shook his head. “No, she didn't call me back,” he answered before he dropped his head back down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Nathaniel didn't need to know about his conversation with Tarah or the half dozen talks they'd had since. He wasn't interested in sharing the details he knew his brother would want to hear. The little white lie was a necessary evil, he reasoned.

Nathaniel shook his head. “Maybe it's for the best. Had anything happened between you two and then you did something to mess it up, it would make family gatherings awkward.”

“Why would you think I'd be the one to mess things up?”

“You don't have a stellar reputation with women. I know your entire history with the opposite sex, remember?”

“You're one to talk,” Nicholas said with a chuckle. “You mastered the art of one-night stands. Everything I know I learned from you.”

Nathaniel shrugged, a wry grin filling his face. “I may love 'em and leave 'em, but I leave 'em
immensely
satisfied!”

The two men laughed heartily. As the masseuse exited the room, Nicholas observed her slip Nathaniel her telephone number and him the bill for services rendered.

Chapter 5

“A
bass pro? Really?” Tarah questioned. She shifted the camera screen on her computer, more of her face and less of her body showing on the video call.

Nicholas nodded his head, smiling brightly into the camera on his end. “Yep! I wanted a career in bass fishing. Noah used to take us fishing when we were little. One summer he entered all of us in a local fishing competition and I won. I thought, what a wonderful way to make money. So why not earn a living doing what I love most?”

Tarah laughed. “So how did you go from bass fishing to football?”

“I was really
good
at football. It paid for college, and then the pros came calling.”

“So you gave up on your dream of bait and fried fillets?”

Nicholas laughed. “Not at all. I plan on pro fishing being my retirement career.”

“Well, I've never wanted to be anything but a doctor. When I retire, I plan to open a clinic in a third world country, providing free medical care to the poor and disenfranchised.”

“You sound like a world summit pamphlet!”

Tarah giggled. “I sound like my father.”

Nicholas couldn't help but smile brightly as he watched her grinning back at him. She was a daddy's girl, and it was written all over her expression. “I like your father. He's very cool for an old guy!”

She nodded her head in agreement. “Don't ever say that to his face,” she responded. “He hates when we refer to him as old, and it would really piss him off if he knew we all thought he was cool. His favorite saying has always been that he's our parent first and he isn't supposed to be our friend.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Nicholas said.

“What about your father?” Tarah asked.

“What about him?”

“I imagine he's very proud of you. Don't all men secretly want their sons to be superstar athletes?

Nicholas shrugged his broad shoulders, the gesture moving him out of the camera angle for a brief second. “I wouldn't know. I don't know anything about the man.”

“Nothing?”

“I know his name and that's about it.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be sorry. It's not your fault the guy was no more than a sperm donor.”

Tarah blew a soft sigh, noting the sudden mist in Nicholas's eyes. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the subject of his father was a sore spot for him. His entire demeanor had changed, his shoulders rolling forward, his brow line furrowing. Even his tone seemed heavy. The laughter that had just shaded his voice was gone in an instant.

She changed the subject. “Did you and your twin dress alike when you were younger?”

“Nathaniel and I
still
dress alike! It's the craziest thing. We have the same tastes, like the same designers, and will show up wearing the exact same suit not knowing the other had bought it.”

Tarah laughed. “I'm sure that's a sight to behold!”

“It's made for some interesting moments!”

Their conversation continued for a good long while. It was one of many they'd had since Tarah had finally answered that first call. She had been the one to insist they start video chatting with each other. It had taken their communications to a whole other level.

Not overly computer proficient, Nicholas had been reluctant, but Tarah had talked him through setting up his Skype account and engaging in their first video call. From the second her face filled his computer screen, her bright smile showing in real time, he was hooked. He'd loaded the application on every device he owned to ensure he never missed an opportunity to make their long-distance calls feel like she was almost right there in the room.

She shifted her body again, and for a second he caught sight of lace panties and bare legs.

“What are you wearing?” he questioned, moving forward in his seat and closer to the screen.

Tarah's eyes widened. She snatched the bedspread across her backside, covering anything that might have been exposed.

Nicholas laughed. “If I'd known we were going to have that kind of conversation, I would have taken my clothes off and gotten comfortable, too!”

She laughed with him. “We are not having
that
kind of conversation!”

“We should. White lace looks really good on you.”

Tarah tossed him a look. “This is the last time we video chat while I'm in bed,” she said.

“Don't change up your routine on my account,” he said. “I like seeing you in bed.”

Tarah felt herself blush, color warming her cheeks. There was an air of innocence about her that Nicholas found refreshing. She made him smile, the wealth of it gleaming out of his dark eyes. She met the look he was giving her with one of her own, and he wished there weren't hundreds of miles and a computer sitting between them.

“I'm sorry I won't be able to make your game,” Tarah suddenly said softly. “I was really hoping to be there.”

Disappointment suddenly wafted across his face. “I'm going to miss you,” he said. “I was really looking forward to you being there to celebrate with me, but I understand how important your work is to you.”

“It is important to me, but I'll still be rooting for you.”

“It's all good as long as you're not blowing me off for that doctor friend of yours.”

She shook her head. “I told you, he was no one you needed to be concerned about. He and I know where we stand with each other and where we don't. And for certain, I am not interested in him.”

“But is he interested in you?”

She giggled nervously. “Of course not!”

There was a hint of uncertainty in Tarah's voice and she cleared her throat, hoping Nicholas didn't pick up on it. Truth be told, she wasn't quite sure where things stood with her and the good doctor. When they'd next seen each other, he'd had nothing at all to say about their disastrous dinner date. He'd been exceptionally professional, and she'd felt as if they might be able to find balance with each other. Then he'd started with comments and innuendo that were more appropriate for lovers, or lifelong friends who knew their boundaries with each other. It had all made her uncomfortable, and when she told him so, it was like a switch had been turned off. His personality became cold and indifferent, his expressions stiff and stoic. She found him flipping from one extreme to the other, and she'd quickly become proficient at avoiding the man unless it was absolutely necessary for them to be in each other's presence. As she thought about it, she didn't feel a need to share with Nicholas. She saw no point in making the issue bigger than it needed to be.

“I'll make sure to watch the game on TV, and I'll be shaking my pom-poms for you. I used to be a cheerleader, you know. In high school
and
college,” she said, deflecting the conversation.

“Why does that
not
surprise me?” His grin was canyon-wide, showcasing a beautiful snow-white smile.

“I could shake them for you in person,
if you win
, of course. Once you're done celebrating after the game, maybe you can plan a trip to Phoenix?”

“Is that an invitation, Tarah Boudreaux? Are you asking me to come to Arizona to see you?”

Tarah paused for a fraction of a second. Nicholas watched as she suddenly rolled onto her back, the covers falling away as the length of her long legs extended upward toward the ceiling. She flexed one pedicured foot and then the other, then bent both legs downward before rolling back to her stomach. The gesture was teasing as she flashed him another peek at her bare flesh and her high-cut lace panties. Amusement danced across her face and his.

“You said once the season was over, you needed to take a break. I was just giving you a few suggestions,” Tarah finally answered.

“Starting with Phoenix and ending with Phoenix?”

“Phoenix is a beautiful place to visit.” The look in her eyes was both demure and coquettish.

Nicholas grinned, a hint of mischief in his own gaze. “I can't wait for you to show me what makes it so special!”

Their laughter continued for hours. Midnight came and went, and the two were still discovering things about each other. Tarah learned that Nicholas was not a fan of fried chicken or pasta and he detested mustard and ketchup, preferring mayonnaise on his hot dogs and hamburgers. He owned a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington, and he preferred the floating home to his penthouse apartment in Los Angeles. That one home, his car and his favored Rolex watch had been his only luxury purchases since joining the league, and despite what some people thought, material possessions meant very little to him.

Tarah had allowed herself to share things with him that she'd never purposely shared with anyone. Few others knew that she loved classical music and that she read Shakespeare for pleasure. Nicholas could only smile when he discovered she had a sweet tooth for fruit pies and ice cream and that she had never ever eaten popcorn. She had told him that the puffed grain reminded her of a toadstool she'd eaten when she'd been small that had sickened her.

They teased and taunted each other, falling into an easy rhythm that Nicholas found comforting. Like that first time, and each time thereafter, saying goodbye proved to be difficult at best.

“One of us needs to hang up,” Nicholas said, his quiet tone like the gentlest of caresses. “You need to be up early, don't you?”

Tarah nodded. “So do you.”

He nodded. “Will you call me tomorrow?”

“No.”

He smiled. “Don't call me. I'll call you.”

“Wear something sexy when you do,” she said, her mouth lifting in an upward bend. “Wear lace.”

Nicholas laughed. “Hey, I have no problem showing you mine if you'll show me yours!”

* * *

Tarah's laugh was the most exquisite sound. It was vibrant and airy, like the sweetest breeze on a perfect spring afternoon. When she laughed, Nicholas couldn't do anything else but laugh along with her. They had played telephone tag for most of the day, so when they finally caught up with one another, he was excited to hear her laugh. They'd been talking for over an hour.

“People always have the wrong impression about me,” she said, still giggling.

“We're talking about your brothers,” Nicholas said. “I would think they know you.”

“They're usually wrong. Just like I'm sure you and your brothers are with Natalie.”

“My sister is spoiled rotten.”

“Exactly! My family says the same thing about me, but I assure you that I am not spoiled. I'm perfectly okay with not getting my way.”

Nicholas chuckled. “Are you selling bridges now, too?”

“As a matter of fact, I have a pyramid deal you might be interested in!”

Nicholas shifted his body, adjusting his computer screen to follow. “Okay, so you really aren't spoiled. You're an okay cook, not great, just okay, and you should be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.”

“I'm also very philanthropic, and despite what some people might think, I don't have a vain bone in my body. I might be a little self-absorbed, but I'm definitely not vain,” she concluded, her laugh floating through their video connection.

Nicholas shook his head, amusement dancing across his face.

“But what about you?” Tarah asked, changing the subject. “I hear you're a bit of a playboy. Is that true?”

“You did not hear that about me!”

“Oh, yes I did. In fact, there was an article about it in one of those supermarket rags. Something about you having dated a lingerie model, a stripper and a reality star all in the same month. It said you get around.”

He paused, pretending to be contemplating the statement. “I did date a reality star once a long, long time ago, but I don't recall a stripper.”

Tarah laughed and a warm tingle rippled across his spine. “How could you not recall?”

“That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I have no recollection of ever making it rain. Ever!”

“So, you're not only a bit of a playboy but also insensitive to the women you date. You don't even remember them!”

“Not at all. I'm a very sensitive individual.”

“Do you date a lot?” Tarah asked, her humor brimming with curiosity.

“I date when it's convenient. How about you?”

“I don't date at all.”

“I find that very difficult to believe. You're a beautiful, intelligent woman. I'm sure men are falling all over themselves trying to take you out.”

“You think I'm beautiful?”

Nicholas laughed, the chortle gut-deep. “I thought you said you weren't vain?”

“How's that vain? I didn't say I was beautiful. You did.”

“But you liked me telling you that you're beautiful.”

“I didn't say that. I didn't say that at all.”

“You didn't have to. I read your mind.”

“So you're a mind reader now?”

“I am,” Nicholas said matter-of-factly.

“That means you can tell what I'm thinking right now.”

“Yep!”

“Well, don't keep me waiting.”

“You're wishing that I was there...right now...and that I would kiss you.”

“I'm thinking about you kissing me?”

“You are. You really want me to kiss you. One of my toe-curling, back-arching, tongue-twisting kisses that will make you weak in the knees.”

Tarah's eyes widened as she stared at him, his expression smug and confident. She shook her head. “That's not what I was thinking about.”

“Are you saying I'm wrong?”

Tarah giggled. “That's exactly what I'm saying.”

“What were you thinking, then?” Nicholas asked.

“That it was time for me to say good-night. Sleep well!” she concluded, and then she disconnected their call, barely giving him a second to say it back.