Playing for Keeps (16 page)

It was Sunday and Pete was spending the whole day with me, and then I was spending the whole night with him.

I hopped out of bed and quickly got ready, taking extra care about my clothes and hair. Once I finished primping, I skipped down the stairs to the kitchen for a quick bite. I skidded to a stop at the sight that greeted me.

Nell kneeled in the fridge, the door wide open. Her butt wiggled as she furiously tossed item after item into a garbage bag perched next to her.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m cleaning out the refrigerator.”

“Yes, I can see that. Is there a reason you’re cleaning out ours instead of your own?”

Nell tossed a full bottle of salad dressing into the garbage bag. “We need to get serious about this.”

Okay, my sister had officially lost her mind. “How about if I make some tea and you can tell me what we’re getting serious about?”

She tilted her head to the side as though in deep thought. Then she nodded. “Tea would be fine.”

I glanced at the clock as I put on the kettle. Good thing I was running early this morning.

The kettle screeched and I poured water over the tealeaves I’d scooped into mugs. “Tea’s almost ready. Come sit down and tell me why you’re purging our fridge out of perfectly good food.”

“Have to finish this first. I have so much to do today. Do you know if apples are calorific?”

I shrugged and sat down at the table by myself. “Since when do you care if apples are calorific?”

“Gracie.” She leveled a look at me over her shoulder. “We have to get
serious
about this. The wedding is only two months away.”

“Oh.” I nodded, finally comprehending. This was a pre-wedding freak out. “I thought we’d been serious all along.”

“Not with all this crap in the house.” She waved a package of chicken apple sausages before jettisoning it into the garbage.

“I think that pack was fresh.”

“What’s up with all this shit you buy?” She waved an unopened package of bacon. “Damn, Gracie, I’m not a moment too soon. You guys are going to die if you eat this shit.”

“Hey, that’s Daddy’s.” I groaned, thinking about how he was going to flip out when it wasn’t there for his Sunday breakfast.

“Not anymore. Daddy is going on a diet.”

I blinked. “He is?”

“We all are. We have to get into shape for the wedding.”

I looked down at myself. Of all the things I’d been accused of in my life, being out of shape was never one of them. In fact, if I could be less athletic looking, I’d be happy. As it was, I took after Daddy, and he didn’t have an ounce of spare fat on him either.

Nell and Chloe may have been curvier than me but they were no slouches either. My sisters looked softer but it was an illusion. They’d participated in sports all their lives. Nell was compulsive about exercising, working out six days a week in her complex’s gym facilities.

“What brought this on?” I asked.

“I have a dress fitting coming up.”

“You haven’t gained any weight. In fact, you may have lost some.”

“No I haven’t. Look.” She stood up, lifted her shirt, and pointed to a flat expanse of stomach.

I leaned closer and poked. Just as I thought—firm. You could even see her ribs. “Nell, as your sister, I feel it’s my duty to tell you you’ve lost it.”

She snarled at me.
Snarled
. I was willing to chock it up to low blood sugar. No telling when she’d eaten last.

“Gracie, this family is getting into shape if I have to flog each and every one of you.” She began pacing and waving her arms around crazily. “Is it too much to ask for that my family look good at my wedding? I don’t want to look back at the pictures, which are going to cost a fortune, by the way, and think everyone looked tubby.”

I couldn’t help it—I started to laugh.

“Gracie, you’re the worst sister ever.”

Tubby
. I laughed even harder.

“I wish Mama was here!” She dropped onto a chair and burst out in sobs.

That made me stop on a dime. I put my arms around her and soothed her. “I wish Mom was here too.”

“
She
wouldn’t laugh at me.”

Guilt stabbed me. “No, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“I just want my day to be perfect.”

“I know, honey. But it’s just a day.”

“What?” She lifted her head from my shoulder and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

“It’s only one day. There are plenty of chances to score the perfect day with Riley. You’ll have the rest of your lives.” It killed me to admit that she might be happy with Riley. It was Pete’s fault. He was turning me into a
love will cure all
kind of person.

Nell frowned at me. “What kind of bullshit is that? This is the one day when everyone will celebrate us. It’s the one day when everyone will focus on us.”

I didn’t point out that Nell forced everyone to focus on her all her life. “I think you might be putting too much importance on this one day.”

She pushed away from me. “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

Now she was pissing me off. “Fine, Nell, tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.”

“I want you guys to go on an effing diet!”

“Jesus Christ! Can’t a man get some sleep around here?” Daddy stomped into the kitchen, fists on his hips wearing boxer shorts with hearts all over them.

Hearts? The sight was enough to even stop Nell’s rampage.

Chloe sauntered into the kitchen in shortie pajamas. “Nice outfit, Daddy.” She went to the fridge. “Wasn’t there a new carton of orange juice in here yesterday?”

I rubbed my forehead. “The orange juice, too, Nell?”

“It’s too carby.”

“
Goddamn it
. No OJ? What the hell is a man supposed to drink with his breakfast?”

“Real men drink tea, Daddy.” Chloe blinked innocently at his dark glare. “I read it in your
Playboy
.”

He flushed. “You shouldn’t be looking at that, young lady.”

Chloe shrugged. “I just read the articles.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Gracie, where the hell is my bacon?”

I pointed at Nell. “She threw it away.”

“
What
?” He rounded on her, his eyes popping out of his head. Daddy wasn’t a morning person on the best of days, and today wasn’t even close. “Why the hell did you throw my bacon away? I was going to have it for breakfast, goddamn it.”

“Sue me for caring about your fricking health!” Nell stood toe to toe with Daddy, jabbing a finger into his chest. “As of this moment, you’re going on a diet for the wedding, and don’t you argue with me.”

The way she shrieked must have startled him because he hardly offered any resistance. “I don’t need—”

“This family is going on a diet and that’s the last I want to hear about this subject.”

I wondered how Daddy felt about getting his own words tossed back at him. If I had a penny for every time I heard “that’s the last I want to hear about it” growing up, I’d own a huge house by now.

But I wasn’t going to stick around to find out. Before anyone could say anything, I grabbed my bag and scooted out the door. I broke land-speed records driving to Pete’s across town.

Pete’s smile spread slowly across his face when he saw me. Without a word, he plastered himself against me and showed me just how happy he was to see me.

“Come in.” Without letting me go, he shuffled us through the door, closed it, and pushed me up against it.

“I missed you,” he murmured against my neck. He lightly sucked the skin under my ear, right next to my jaw.

My legs buckled on cue, and I held on to his butt for support. I would have held on to his butt anyway—it was easily the best male ass I’d ever seen. I wanted to apologize for being late but he started to grind himself against me and it robbed me of all speech. I did manage a small squawk though.

With his hands cradling my butt, he carried me to the couch and gently lowered me onto the leather cushion. Then he made fast work of my jeans.

“What’s this?” He knelt between my legs and ran a finger over my underwear. “Pretty.”

My privates contracted. I knew that look in his eyes—I was in for a treat. “Take me, big boy.”

With his head lowered, I felt his laugh intimately, if you know what I mean. Goose bumps rose all over my body and I panted in anticipation. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a nut?”

“Only you.”

He pushed aside my underwear, kissing the inside of my thigh.

I let my legs fall open, ever the little helper, and gave a pointed look at his package. “I’m only going along with this because I want to get a turn.”

“I wouldn’t want to force you to do something against your will. I can stop.”

“No, I can wait my turn,” I said magnanimously.

“Are you sure?” He dropped a kiss an inch too far north.

“I’m sure.” I wiggled to get his mouth in the proper position. “Don’t say I’ve never sacrificed for you though.”

He laughed and got down to it. It wasn’t long before I was seeing stars and shaking uncontrollably. Or squirming uncontrollably—it was a toss up.

“Stop.” I pushed his head away from me. “Stop.”

“What’s wrong?”

“You have too many clothes on.” I scooted down on the couch, undid his jeans, and struggled to push them down.

“But you didn’t finish.”

“You need to catch up first.” I tugged at the legs but they wouldn’t budge.

I gave up trying to get them off—they were far enough down for my purposes anyway—and went in for the kill.

Pretending he was an ice cream cone that I wanted to savor, I nibbled up his shaft to the head, which I licked delicately a few times before I sucked.

His head fell back on a groan. He speared his fingers into my hair and held my head closer to him. I could feel him drawing close, getting ready, and I pulled away. “I think I’m ready now,” I said.

He settled me on his hips and slid into me. I gasped, that first moment was so sweet. I sat on him until the feelings receded enough that I didn’t feel like I was going to pass out. Then I rolled my hips.

Pete’s hands tightened on my hips. I grinned devilishly and did it again.

He moaned. “You’re going to kill me.”

“Don’t worry.” I patted his chest. “I’ll give you mouth to mouth.”

The phone rang.

I looked up from my perch on the kitchen counter. Pete was making me dinner and I was keeping him company. Really, I was stealing bits and pieces of food wherever I could. We hadn’t eaten all day—not food anyway—and I was starving.

Pete gave me a quick kiss. “Be right back.”

He walked into the living room, the towel he wore shifting precariously on his hips.

I strained my ears to hear Pete’s conversation but beyond the murmur of his voice, I heard nothing. Then Pete came back into the kitchen.

“It’s for you.” He held the receiver out to me.

“Who knows I’m here?” Frowning, I took it from him.

“Riley.”

“
Riley
?” I goggled at Pete. “You told him about us?”

His expression cooled. “I only mentioned you were coming over today.”

“Oh.” Guilt stabbed at me. “I’m sorry.”

His kissed my forehead, looking resigned. “Talk to him. He sounded upset.”

Nodding, I turned my attention to the phone. “Hello?”

“Gracie, I need your help.”

I almost didn’t recognize his voice. He sounded frantic. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Nell.”

I shot up straight. “Is she okay?”

“She’s driving me insane. I think she’s going off the deep end.”

I relaxed. Tell me something I didn’t know, River. “What happened now?”

“Other than the fact that she’s trying to starve me, she’s been picking arguments. Little things that shouldn’t matter but she blows them up like they’re the most heinous crimes.”

Pete was chopping tomatoes for our omelets and I snagged a wedge. “It’s just wedding jitters.”

“Gracie, please, I need to see you.”

He sounded so pathetic I couldn’t resist. “Okay. Half an hour at Luigi’s.” I hung up and grimaced at the veggies Pete had chopped up in vane.

He wiped his hands. “I take it we need to get dressed.”

I pouted. “I really don’t want to.”

“We’ll get pizza instead.” He kissed me softly. “An omelet was too healthy anyway.”

Pete always knew how to make me feel better.

We got dressed quickly. To torment Pete, I left my bra hanging on his bedpost.

We walked into Luigi’s, close but not touching. I really wanted to hold his hand, but I reminded myself we were keeping this a secret.

Whose idea was that anyway?

Riley was already sitting in a dark booth in the corner, nursing a drink. Actually, on closer inspection, he wasn’t nursing it so much as he was guzzling it.

Sitting across from him, I lifted his glass and sniffed. Gin. Hardcore for a man who didn’t drink much more than a glass of wine at dinner.

“Hey man.” Pete clapped Riley on the shoulder before sliding in next to me. “You hanging in there?”

Riley looked confused, like he didn’t know how to answer. It almost broke my heart.

Almost.

I was still a little chaffed at having my love nest intruded upon. “Okay. What’s the deal?”

“I don’t think Nell wants to marry me.”

“Of course she does. I’ve never seen her glow like she did after you proposed.”

“Yes, but she hasn’t given me the time of day since.”

Pete and I exchanged looks. “Uh, I’m sure that’s an exaggeration,” I said.

“No.” Riley shook his head vigorously. “I went over to her apartment earlier today with the intention of taking her out to a movie and then dinner, and do you know what she said?”

“What?”

“That she had to wash George’s hair.” He knocked back the last of his gin.

I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. It wouldn’t do to guffaw loudly when he was so miserable.

Pete stood up. He was biting his lip, too. “I’ll order pizza. Can I get you a beer?”

I nodded, using the interruption to get myself under control.

“Pete has a crush on you, you know.”