“For the record,” she said, “that’s one of the reasons I know you’re Mr. Right.”
“Mmm,” I agreed. “We think alike.”
“We do. And before you get all worked up, this isn’t going to be one of those conversations. You’ll ask when you’re ready.” She sighed in annoyance. “Wren knows, but she won’t tell me. And Brooke threatened to rat on me if I went looking for the ring. I’ll see it soon enough. Tomorrow night at the party, I suppose.” She couldn’t resist fishing, and I had to turn away to hide my amusement.
“See what?” I said casually.
“Ugh.”
I hadn’t bothered with the overhead lights, but I could see well enough to find the refrigerator. I opened the door, and light spilled across the darkened kitchen.
Wren had left a plate of hors d’oeuvres, a good variety and enough for two. She’d wrapped it in Saran Wrap and included a note on top.
Love you both. - W
I smiled to myself and imagined her smug look. We were lucky to have her. I showed Christy the plate and told her about the note. Her mood changed completely.
“Oh my gosh, she’s amazing!”
“You can say that again. Will you fix us drinks while I unwrap this?”
“That’s the man’s job,” she said. “Fixing the drinks, I mean. It says so in the Handbook.”
“What page? Never mind. It doesn’t matter. From now on, we don’t have men’s jobs and women’s jobs.”
“You said that already. Well, close enough.”
“Then I’m saying it again.”
“You’re the man,” she replied dryly.
“Funny, ha ha. Now go.”
“Yes, sir.” She filled two whiskey tumblers with bourbon while I unwrapped the plate of food. I was hungrier than I’d realized, and we ate in silence.
“So… did you have fun tonight?” I said at last.
“Oh my gosh, yes!”
“What was your favorite part?”
“The part with you.”
“No,” I chuckled, “which game? Or which person? Or which… whatever?”
“The one with you.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, “anything that didn’t involve me?”
Her face went through a range of expressions as she pretended to think. The seconds ticked by, until I cleared my throat.
“Sorry, I’ll behave,” she said.
“Thank you.”
“I suppose my favorite part was Erin. No, Leah! She’s so sexy and exotic. Super-smart, too. And she really knows how to handle Erin, doesn’t she? The same as Brooke and me. Or Wren. Only, she doesn’t know me like Brooke does. Not really. Well, she does, sort of, but you know what I mean.”
I nodded and had to suppress a grin. The food and alcohol had revived her metabolism, which had responded with a surge of energy.
“I wish I could’ve watched you and Brooke. I tried, but…” She shrugged. “I had fun with Erin, though. Oh my gosh, Paul, she’s exactly like you! Well, almost. She doesn’t have a penis, but she made me come, like, a million times. Okay, maybe not a million, but lots. A bunch of little ones and a really big one. Not big-kahuna big, but still pretty big.
“She doesn’t talk as much as you do, though. Not during, I mean. She waited till after. Then we made plans.” She grinned, sly and eager at the same time. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Mr. Nosy Parker. Okay, I’ll tell you. She really wants to sleep with you. Oh my gosh, listen to me! I’m talking like I used to. She wants to fuck you, Paul. Like, all the way, penis in vagina and everything. But you knew that already.”
I nodded.
“Leah teases her about it, though. It drives her crazy. Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. She wanted to do something tonight. Only, Wren and Trip are so… square. That’s what Erin called them. It’s an old-fashioned word, don’t you think? It sounds like something my dad would say. Or your dad! Yeah, that’s probably where she learned it.
“She’s more like him, isn’t she? And you’re like your mom. I used to think I was like that. Like Erin, I mean, and my father. But I’m really more like my mother. We totally look alike. You should see pictures of her from when she was little. And she chatters when she’s nervous. Or excited. Although… I suppose I’m like my father too. And I don’t mean just our eyes.
“Don’t you think it’s weird how that works?” she continued with hardly a breath. “You and Erin have your mom’s eyes. Your dad’s are sort of hazel-green, like Wren’s. Only hers are more blue. Speaking of blue, my brothers’ are all like our mom’s. Well, except Rich. Oh my gosh! You have to ask him to be a groomsman.”
I felt a wave of vertigo as she changed direction again, seemingly mid-sentence.
“He made me promise not to say anything to you. He really likes you, you know. Only, I know he gives you a hard time about not being in the military. He’d never admit it—he’s so stubborn!—but I think he’s glad you aren’t. He knows I don’t want to be a Navy wife. And speaking of wives… Is this what it’s going to be like when I’m yours?”
I wasn’t sure she was through talking, so I waited.
“Well?” she said. “Is it going to be like tonight? Although… technically, I suppose it was last night. Oh my gosh, now I sound like Brooke. Have you noticed she says that? ‘Technically.’ Like you say ‘exactly’ or Carter says ‘right.’ Uh-oh, I’m chattering again. Sorry, I’ll stop. But I still wanna know… Is this what it’s going to be like?”
I waited.
“Ha ha, Mr. Taciturn. Very funny. Oh! Do you like my new word? I learned it from Erin. She called you it.” Her brows drew down as she listened to what she’d just said. “That sounds funny. I wonder— Never mind. Just answer the question.”
I grinned. “Which one?”
“Ugh! Why do you have to be so infuriating and cute at the same time?”
“It’s part of my charm.”
“That’s what you said last time,” she accused. “And you still haven’t answered the question.”
I paused to see if she’d continue, but she narrowed her eyes instead.
“Probably,” I said.
Much to my surprise, she thought about it and seemed satisfied. “That’s why you asked about my favorite part, isn’t it?”
“I can’t remember that far back,” I chuckled. “I was probably just making conversation.”
“I don’t believe you, Mr. Deliberate. You’re always very precise, especially with your words.”
“Maybe, but it was subconscious this time.” I gave it some conscious thought. “I guess it was. I want you to be happy.”
“Oh my gosh, I am!”
“Yeah, but you know what I mean. You like swinging? For real? Not just different women, but different men, too.”
“As long as they’re like Mark and Trip. And Carter. Oh my gosh, we need to see them again! Uh-oh, sorry I interrupted. You were saying…?”
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “So, you like being a swinger. I mean, now that you’ve tried it with a bigger group.”
“Oh my gosh, I love it! And it’s much better when you plan things. Then I don’t have to worry. I just have to do what you tell me.”
“Do you think you’ll ever—?”
“No, sorry.”
“You don’t even know what I was going to ask!” I laughed.
“Paul, dear… I can read your mind, remember? But if it’ll make you feel better, go ahead and ask. The answer’ll be the same, though.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I know I’m right. I love you, and I’ll do anything for you, but not that. Not with Gina, either, now that you mention it. Okay, you didn’t exactly mention it,” she admitted. “We were talking about it last time.”
“Last time when?”
“When I said, ‘I know I’m right.’ The exact words, I mean. We were talking about a threesome with Gina.”