Ten Thousand Words (47 page)

After giving me my bushy kiss hello, Oliver introduced Ellen to Trey. “Ellen, this is my best friend—”

“Rex’s fruity pound cake?” Aunt Ellen piped, her eyes sparkling, while she gave Trey a once-over.

Trey looked stunned. Jaime snorted and ducked behind the counter.

“Yep.” Oliver grinned wickedly.

“Mmhmm. Rex always did have an eye for the pretty ones,” said Aunt Ellen.

Trey’s jaw dropped, and Jaime exploded into belly-busting laughter. Aunt Ellen marched up to Trey and pulled him into a hug.

“Oh! He smells good, too. That’s always a perk. Did you just shower?”

Oliver’s eyes danced with merriment at me. I bit my lip to stifle my own laughter, and he winked.

“Um, no, ma’am. I did this morning though.”

“A man who smells good all day? Pfft. Rex had better watch it. He can smell riper than cheese when he gets off work.”

Gasping and wheezing, Jaime pulled herself up by the counter.

Aunt Ellen turned her attention to Oliver and hugged him, sniffing audibly at his jacket pocket. “You’ll always be my favorite smell,” she said.

Laughing, Oliver pulled out a fat joint and handed it to her. “Closing time?”

“Hell yes,” said Ellen. “Pound Cake!” she barked, making Trey jump. “Go lock the door!”

Trey scurried to do as she’d bid just as Ricki and Rex showed up. Jaime was still snorting, which made Ricki beam from ear to ear as he walked in.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Ellen called Trey Rex’s fruity pound cake!” Jaime wheezed.

“Fuck yeah, he is!” declared Rex, smacking Trey’s arse. “Pound Cake. Trust Aunt Ellen to pick out your new nickname.”

“What?” Trey hissed, turning a brilliant pink.

Oliver was losing it, squeezing my aunt in a bear hug.

“Be happy you’re a pound cake. She calls me a fucking fudge-packer.”

Ollie released Ellen and stumbled to the counter to help hold himself up.

“What’s the big deal?” chirped Aunt Ellen. “You sound like a pair of delicious candy asses.”

“I can’t…breathe,” said Oliver.

Aunt Ellen shrugged, digging out a lighter from her purse and lighting the joint. Trey appeared to be in shock as he watched the eighty-two-year-old woman exhale a huge hit. She passed it to Oliver, who was still wiping tears from his eyes. We all took about two hits each before it was done.

“Right!” barked Ellen. “Now, I’m ready to eat all I can eat.”

After Aunt Ellen shut off all the lights and locked up, we headed down the street toward our gastronomic destination.

Oliver draped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his warmth. “Did you have a good day?”

“I did. Jaime hung out all day. We had fun.”

“Awesome.”

“What about you?”

“Eh. Nothing too exciting.”

Our tiny Chinese hostess was all smiles as she greeted us and led us to the biggest booth in the place. We dropped our coats and bags off in the seat and headed straight for the immense buffet. Aunt Ellen led the charge, snapping up a plate and loading it with a mountain of crab legs, fishing around for the loose claws.

Rex loomed behind Ellen, rolling his eyes. “Woman, leave some claws for the rest of us.”

“Can it, Fudgy,” she snapped. “If I get all the claws now, they’ll bring out the next batch sooner.”

Rex sighed. Ellen handed him the tongs, and he started loading up his plate.

Trey stared, wide-eyed, at the array of food. “There’s no salad or anything,” he grumped.

“Oh God, are you one of those people? You just smoked a fat doob. Why would you want a salad?” I asked.

“Because it’s healthy.”

“So is living on the edge,” I told him.

Trey shot a strange look at me and then started plopping crab rangoons onto his plate. Back at the table, Ellen had ordered a round of Tsingtao and a pitcher of water.

Ricki was swigging his beer, watching the door to the kitchen for the fresh crab. Ricki had a system. He’d hold off until they brought out the freshly cooked ones, and then he would eat fried stuff while waiting for the next round.

“I really wish you and Jaime would come with us,” Aunt Ellen was telling Ricki. “If we just stay put—”

Ricki shook his head, shooting a glance at Oliver and Trey.

Oliver shrugged next to me. “We’re not stupid, you know. We might not know what it is you…well…you can still join us if you like. My parents live outside of London.”

“No,” replied Ricki. His tone brooked no argument.

“Well, next year, we’ll all be here,” I said. “My dad can come here for a change.”

Aunt Ellen nodded in agreement. “I can’t stand British food anyway.”

Oliver grinned and shoved a rangoon in his mouth. “You’re in for a treat then, Aunt Ellen,” he said around his mouthful. “My mum doesn’t cook British food.”

Trey sighed happily. “I can’t wait for Christmas dinner.”

“It’ll be the second or third time you’ve eaten this year, yeah?” Aunt Ellen quipped. “Including this meal?”

“Does
everyone
here think I’m too skinny?” Trey asked, a look of astonishment on his handsome face.

“Yes,” said Oliver and Ellen.

“Do you think I’m too skinny?” Trey asked Rex.

Rex shrugged. “I like you just as you are,” he replied. Then, he shoveled a spring roll into his mouth.

Trey poked at his food.

“Do you have an eating disorder?” Aunt Ellen piped.

“Jeez, Ellen!” I said. “You don’t ask people that sort of shit.”

“I’m almost dead, sweetheart. I don’t have the luxury of time on my side to wait it out and see.”

“He doesn’t,” Oliver replied.

“Quit making the man uncomfortable,” said Ricki.

The kitchen door opened, and he sprang into action.

“Excellent!” I said under my breath, jumping over my boyfriend to follow the tattooed wonder to the buffet.

“Why is Ellen hazing the poor guy so badly?” asked Ricki as we watched the empty crab-leg bin being switched for the steaming piled high one.

“I think she just wants to test the man’s limits,” I replied.

“What if she scares him off?”

“That’s kind of the point,” I replied dryly. “And let’s face it. Trey needs some scuffing up to be able to handle us.”

“Yeah. If he’s going to make it with Rex, he can’t be too much of a pussy.”

I snorted. “Rex isn’t interested in pussy.”

“Exactly.”

Ricki allowed me to go first. I knew which crab legs he’d go for, so those I picked up and deposited onto his plate.

“I’m sorry we never go with you guys to England,” he said softly. “I know Jaime would love to. I was thinking of just telling her to go.”

“She would never leave you alone during the holidays,” I heatedly told him. “It’s not like you asked for this!”

“No one would even have to know you’re there,” came Oliver’s voice right behind us.

Ricki jumped. “Damn it, man!”

“Whatever you did to have to hide, you don’t have to worry about it. I wanted it to be a surprise, but we’re flying in on my parents’ private jet.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Really.”

Ricki looked tempted, but then he shook his head. “I can’t. There’s shit I’m working on while you all are gone.”

“You’ll be leaving Jaime alone?” Oliver asked.

“No. But it’s not shit I can take care of if I’m not here.” He finished loading his plate and headed back to the table.

Oliver pinned me with a piercing look. “One day, woman, you are going to clue me the fuck in. You know that, right?”

“No, I’m not. But one day,
man
, Ricki just might. And when he does…”

“And when he does?”

I sucked in my cheeks and bit down hard. “You’re not going to like what you hear.”

“That much is obvious.”

“Like to the point that you might not want to have anything to do with any of us. With me.”

His eyes narrowed. “That will never be the case, Xanthe.”

“You don’t know that,” I said softly. “I’ve been trying to see it from your perspective, and I know this can’t be easy for you. I’ve never had to keep a part of my life from anyone because everyone I know is in this life with me. I…”

“We’re in this together, no matter what.”

“How can you be so certain?” I asked.

“I have never been so certain about anything in my life. So, quit looking for the cracks you think I’m going to slip through. I’m not going anywhere.”

He was right. With everything I had to keep secret, I was simply waiting for the day when it would become too much for Oliver to deal with.

“I’m trying,” I told him.

“I know you are, love,” he replied. Cupping my cheek, he kissed my forehead. “Now, let me get some crab before Ricki comes back for round two.”

Ollie

It’s not about her trust in me. It’s not a lack of faith. It’s simply not her business to tell me. She’s loyal to her friends, and she would show me the same loyalty if it were needed.

As irritated as I was, I had to admire my love. It wasn’t easy for Xanthe. I knew that. She wanted to be as open with me about her life as possible, and for the most part, she was.

For now, I’d have to accept it.

What’s going to happen when I find I no longer can?

I didn’t want to think about that, especially not now with her warm and soft in sleep, snuggled into my chest. We didn’t have to rush to the airport this morning. My parents were having the jet flown in, in a few hours.

My hand caressed down her rib cage, her hip, and her thigh. Xanthe’s arse was the perfect cushion for my groin, and I was getting harder by the second, pressing against the firm softness of it.

Fuck, the things she does to me…

Dropping a kiss on her shoulder, I hiked up her leg and rubbed myself along her slit, finding her impossibly hot and wet. Her bum slightly nudged back, letting me know she was awake and willing.

She can keep all her secrets from me, just so long as I get to be with her like this. It’s worth the price, I fucking swear.

My love liked it rough yet sweet. That was what got her off the quickest. As I pulled her hair and smacked her rear, she moaned.
God, that sound drives me wild on an animalistic level.
I loved seeing my handprints on her. It validated my possession of her. She
allowed
me to mark her as mine.

“Oh God,” she whispered. “Don’t stop…”

Her clamped walls began to shiver around me. Reaching around, I slipped my hand into the apex of her thighs and gently worked the tender flesh until she cried out and shuddered against me. Rolling her flat onto her belly, I felt her tighten as she closed her thighs.

Fuck yes.

Xanthe always made me come too fast, too hard. My neck and spine arched, my head dropping back, as I shouted with the force of it. With my heart thundering wildly, I collapsed atop her with little grace.

She grunted from the impact.

“Shit, love—”

She squirmed. “I have to pee!”

Sighing, I let her wiggle away from me and watched her dash into the bathroom. A scratching sound came from the bedroom door, and I got up to let Beefcake in. Jaime and Ricki would be staying at Xanthe’s and Rex’s place to take care of him while we were gone. I felt bad that I hadn’t been able to convince them to go.

“Hey, little man,” I said quietly.

The furry assassin twined around my ankles, showing me all sorts of love.

The toilet flushed, and the shower started. Making my way into the bathroom, I relieved myself as Xanthe quickly rinsed off in her tiny shower. I wanted in there with her, but if I even attempted to squeeze in, she’d be smashed against the wall.

“Have we reached a new milestone in our relationship?” she asked blandly, eyeballing me taking a piss.

Shaking off, I grinned. “Why not?”

Her laughter was just the best. “Yeah, all right.”

I dropped the lid and sat down, watching her. “So…I guess we’ll move into my place then?”
Forget waiting until after New Year’s, I want an answer now, damn it.

She sighed dramatically, making me grin. “I suppose so. You hardly fit in my bathroom as it is.”

“And I have a shower
and
a tub we can use together.”

“I do like bathing with you.”

“I still want to do that shower scene from
Haunted Bonds.
”

She laughed heartily. “I’m about to destroy it for you.”

“Impossible. That was the hottest thing I’ve ever read.”

“Yeah, but that came from Jaime. She and Ricki did that on their honeymoon. She told me about it, and I wrote it in because…well, it was just that damn hot.”

“Well, shit,” I grunted, slightly appalled at imagining Jaime and Ricki getting it on. Then, I was impressed. Those two must have a pretty healthy sex life. “How long have they been married?”

“Um…five years or so.”

“How long have they been together?”

“Let’s see. I moved here after university when I was twenty-two…about six and a half years, I guess?”

Xanthe opened the shower door, and I handed her a towel. Wrapping it around herself, she stepped to the side to let me maneuver myself in. She’d left the water running.

Grabbing my soap, I scrubbed up, washing my beard well. Rinsing off, I stood in the shower and watched as Xanthe slathered moisturizer on her chest and face. She was reaching for her contacts case when I stopped her.