Size Matters (4 page)

CHAPTER
Six

B
RYN WAS
more than ready to end her day of work. Mia was on the phone, so Bryn gave a quick wave as she headed for the door, but Mia summoned her back.

“That was Oliver,” Mia said as she replaced the receiver. “He thinks a friend from work might be good for you.”

“Yeah?”

“He’s successful and pretty down to earth.”

“I like down to earth. Set it up. Can we double for the first date?”

“Been a long time since we’ve done that.”

“It’ll be fun. Call me with the details. I’m gonna head out now, if that’s all right?”

“Yes, definitely. See ya later.”

Bryn turned toward the back door and heard the chime of the front door. She ignored it, but just as she reached for the handle, Mia called her name. Ugh. One second shy of freedom.

She walked back to the showroom, and standing there was Eli. She sucked in a breath. Her heart was racing, but she couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or lust. Why did he have to look so damn good all the time? Her eyes locked on his and a weird feeling washed over her. Like she hadn’t seen him in months, rather than just days. Was it an absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder thing? Regardless, seeing him did things to her. And she wasn’t sure what any of it really meant.

As Amelia ran up to her, she realized his kids were there, too.

“Bryn!” She wrapped her arms around Bryn’s waist.

“Hi, honey!” She squeezed Amelia and looked up at Eli again. “What are you guys doing here?”

“I know I said I’d call tomorrow, but Amelia couldn’t wait to see you, and neither could I. So we stopped by.”

The little girl loosened her grip on Bryn and pulled away. “We so need to do something fun together this weekend. Like that time we went to the park and played kickball, boys against the girls? We kicked their butts! Remember?”

“I sure do.” Bryn met Eli’s gaze, a finger across his lips. He’d never told Amelia he’d let them win.

“That was the best day ever. We can do that again, or go to the beach, but if it’s raining we can go to the museum, or the movies, or . . .”

Amelia continued and Bryn tried to listen, but the words came out so fast.

“Okay, sweetie. Give Bryn a chance to think.”

Eli stood there, expectant smile across his face, eyebrows raised in anticipation. Talk about being put on the spot. She was supposed to be breaking it off with him. Could she turn him down in front of his kids? Definitely not Amelia. She’d be crushed. And Austin? He stood next to Eli, eyes darting around the shop from lacy nighties to silky thongs. His eyes bugged out a bit; he must have spotted a dildo. Yikes. She should probably give them an answer so they could get out of there.

She rested her gaze back on Eli, feeling as if there was only one answer she could give at this particular moment. “Why not? I’m off tomorrow.”

Amelia cheered. “Yay! What should we do?”

“It’s supposed to be nice,” Eli offered. “How about the beach?”

“Sure. Sounds like fun.”

Amelia wrapped her arms around Bryn again. “This is gonna be awesome. We’ll bring the sand castle stuff.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She flashed the biggest smile she could manage and Eli matched it, though his was real.

“I’ll call you with the details.” He reached for Amelia’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go get some dinner.”

The little girl waved as Eli led her and her brother to the door. It wasn’t even shut all the way when Mia spoke up. “Wow. So much for ending it with him.”

“He had his kids. I couldn’t do it in front of them.”

Mia just smiled. “Have fun tomorrow.”

Maybe Bryn would. She’d have to approach the situation as if they were just friends again. Forget about the nights of almost sex. Forget about the small penis and confidence issues. Just go to the beach with the kids and try to have some fun. They could go back to just being friends, right?

“SO WHAT
do you guys think of Bryn?” Eli asked as he drove the kids to dinner. It was pretty obvious how Amelia felt, but he was more concerned about Austin. Teens and their moodiness.

“I just love Bryn, Daddy. You should totally ask her to move in with us. We could be one giant happy family.”

“Like the
Brady Bunch
?”

“The what bunch?”

“Never mind. So you like spending time with her?”

“Yes. She’s really nice and she lets me brush her hair. Mom never lets me do that. And she makes fun food with faces and stuff. Remember when she made us waffles for dinner and used blueberries for eyes, a banana slice for a nose, and a strawberry for lips? And the hair! She used coconut that she dyed with food coloring.”

Eli smiled at the memory. “That was a fun day.”

“And speaking of hair, do you remember that other time when I got gum stuck in my hair and I was crying and she hugged me and took me to her fancy hairdresser? She was so awesome that day.”

Geez. Did his daughter ever take a break from talking? He spoke quickly before she started up again. “Austin, what do you think of Bryn?”

Eli looked in the rearview mirror; his son was focused on the world rushing by his window. “She’s okay.”

“Okay in a good way or a bad way?”

“Good, I guess. She’s fun.”

It wasn’t much of a response, not compared to his sister’s, but Eli would take it. “I really like her, so I hope you guys like her, too.”

“Oh, I super-duper cross-my-heart like her!”

Eli couldn’t contain his chuckle. If he could bottle the exuberance of his nine-year-old girl, he’d make millions.

“Mom says Bryn’s store is a dirty porn shop,” Austin said.

The comment startled Eli and he jerked the steering wheel, righting the car immediately. “What?”

“She says she sells disgusting things there. I saw the rubber penis. Is that what she’s talking about? That’s gross. Why would anyone need that?”

Fuck. Looks like the lingerie shop was not the best place to take the kids. “It’s a store for adults. And they sell adult things there.”

“Yeah, I know. But why would anyone want to buy a fake wiener?”

How the hell was he supposed to answer that? “Well, uh, it’s kind of hard to explain.”

“Oooh. Burger Circus! Can we eat there, Daddy?”

Thank God. Saved by his daughter and the illuminated allure of junk food, video games, and hordes of children hopped up on sugary beverages. “Sure. You up for that, Austin?”

“Can I get bacon on my burger and a Mountain Dew? Mom never lets me.”

“Absolutely.” If it would get Eli out of answering questions about dildos, the kid could have any damn thing he wanted.

Eli pulled into the Burger Circus parking lot, careful not to hit the kids running amok in the parking lot with balloon contraptions adorning their heads. He’d keep his kids so busy with greasy food and quarters for video games they wouldn’t have a second to think about the rubber penis conversation. And maybe he could think of a way to ask Kristen to not tell the kids things like that about Bryn’s shop. Good luck with that conversation. All he wanted was an ex-wife who didn’t poison their children’s minds. Was that too much to ask?

BRYN TRIED
to sleep in, but the kids wouldn’t allow her that luxury. Especially not when they knew there was sun, sand, and swimming in their not-so-distant future. Probably shouldn’t have told them until it was time to get ready to go.

Eli had called the night before to iron out the details. They’d meet at Arrowhead Park at eleven and spend the day lounging on the beach. It wasn’t like sitting by the ocean, since it was a lake and all, but it was the best they had.

Bryn rolled out of bed, not bothering with a shower. It was supposed to be eighty-eight degrees and not a single cloud to filter the sun. She’d be a sweaty mess within an hour of arriving. And she was fine with that. She was over trying to look pretty and perfect to impress Eli. They were just friends again. She’d skip the makeup and throw her hair in a bun on top of her head. A lazy day with a guy and his kids. No pressure.

The kids were in their suits already and various beach things were spread all around the house. She morphed into drill sergeant mom and somehow managed to get everything packed up and everyone out of the house on time. As she drove toward the lake, kids arguing over some random thing—she’d stopped listening—she mentally prepared herself for the day. This was just a couple of single friends taking their families to the beach for some sun and fun. That was it. That was all she wanted.

When they finally arrived and lugged all their things to the beach, Eli was already there and set up. Bryn’s kids took off immediately toward the water where Austin and Amelia were already playing. So much for helping Mom set up.

“Let me help you with that,” Eli said, and took the cooler from her.

Oh damn. He looked real good in a pair of swim trunks.

Bryn shook the thoughts away. This was a platonic relationship now—despite how good he looked and how tan his skin was. Didn’t matter how completely hot he was standing there in sunglasses, bright smile gleaming at her.
Stop. We’re just friends.

“Thanks. I love how the kids just deserted me.”

“They’re excited.” He set her cooler next to his and helped her spread her beach blanket. “I’d rather set up without them anyway. Just makes everything easier.”

“You have a point.”

Bryn was ready for some relaxation. She yanked her sundress over her head and sat, a bottle of sunscreen in hand. After coating her body, she laid back into her beach chair, book in hand.

The sun covered her skin like an electric blanket, warm and toasty, but the soft breeze kept her from getting overheated. Such a relaxing feeling. She could lie there like that for hours. The book she was reading had sucked her in and maybe, if she was lucky, the main character and her man would finally have sex. And Bryn so needed the sex part. If she wasn’t having it herself, she needed to live vicariously through others. Even fictional people.

“So, how are things with you?” Eli asked, interrupting the tranquillity.

Ugh. She should have known she wouldn’t be able to just lie there and chill out. What part of her nose in a book meant she was ready for a chat? “Good. Work’s busy, with the fashion show and all.” She turned back to her story.

“Yeah. It’s a busy time to be a police officer, too. The heat makes people do crazy shit. Last week we had at least a half dozen calls from people who had air-conditioning units stolen right out of their windows.”

“Yeah?” she commented without looking away from her book. “That’s crazy.”

Silence enveloped her once again, just as the story headed back into steamy territory. Oh yeah! How would she sit there reading about hot, explicit sex and not touch herself? This would surely be a lesson in self-control.

But just as Roberto had taken his first lick of Carmelita’s nipple, Eli interrupted. Again.

“Wanna take a dip in the water?”

This time she did turn to him. “Nope. I’m good here.” She hoped that would get her point across.

“Okay. Suit yourself.” He stood and trotted off to the shore.

Finally! Some peace and quiet. Bryn tried to get back to her sex scene, but Cammie’s giggle floated to her ears. She looked up and saw Eli with her little girl, her hands in his as he swung her back and forth in the water. She’d loved that when she was a toddler and Johnny had done it. That memory seemed like a lifetime ago. Did their daughter even remember her father doing that with her? Probably not. She’d been only three when he’d died.

But the smile on her face was the same.

Bryn put her homemade bookmark in—a Mother’s Day gift from Zach—and set her book down. She jogged to the water and started splashing the boys. An all-out war erupted, and Bryn suddenly forgot all about Roberto and Carmelita’s nipple.

CHAPTER
Seven

E
LI DROVE
behind Bryn’s minivan, unable to keep the grin off his face. Today had been a great day. Beyond great. The kids had played, and the adults, too, laughing nonstop. It had been a long, long time since he’d had a day like that.

And Bryn. Watching her smile, run around, the sun glistening on her skin. The way her body moved, the water cascading down plump mounds of cleavage. There’d been a few moments he’d really had to rein himself in and curb his horniness. No guy wants to explain a protrusion in his shorts, especially with how clingy the water had made them. Her hair was messy and her makeup nonexistent, but she’d never looked more beautiful.

Now they were on their way to her place for a cookout. The perfect ending to an amazing day.

Tending the grill, Eli threw on a hot dog for each kid and a steak for each adult. He seasoned them with a little salt and pepper and tossed the ears of corn on, too, still in their husks. Bryn worked some magic in the kitchen, and by the time the steaks were a perfect medium-rare, everything else was ready. They sat at her patio table, two adults and five kids squished around it, but it felt good. Like a family. Something he hadn’t experienced in years.

The kids ran off before either Eli or Bryn could insist they help with cleanup, but they were playing so nicely together it was hard to interrupt. So the adults cleaned up, laughing and joking, making it fun, like a married couple would. He tried not to get carried away, but he couldn’t help imagining the rest of his life with Bryn.

“Glass of wine?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She scrunched her nose. “Ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am?”

He laughed. “Well, no. But it’s out of respect. Habit I guess, from work.”

“Ah.” Bryn pulled a bottle of chardonnay from the fridge and poured two glasses, handing one to him. “Let’s head outside.”

He followed her through the open sliding glass door, admiring the sway of her hips. She’d changed out of the sundress, opting for cotton shorts and a tank top. But still, she was just as sexy.

Bryn stopped at the edge of the patio, the setting sun in the distance, as the kids played some form of tag kickball. She stood there watching them, the biggest smile he’d ever seen on her face. Was she thinking the same things he’d been? That it had been great to act like a family, even if only for the day?

He took a chance and stepped behind her, the breeze blowing a few strands of hair at him, tickling his neck. Keeping his glass in his left hand, he wrapped his right around her waist. “It’s a nice picture isn’t it?”

Her body stiffened at his touch.
Just relax, baby.

“Yeah. The kids play so well together.”

“I had a great day with you,” he said, his lips barely an inch away from her ear.

Her body softened and Bryn relaxed into him. She even put her free hand on top of his. Damn, this was nice. A happy family enjoying a great day together. This was what life was about. This was what he so badly wanted. For him and Bryn. Hopefully this had been a step toward getting that and her forgetting the awkwardness of the other night.

“Uh-oh. Did you feel that?” she asked.

“What?”

“A drop.”

And just as Eli answered, “Nope,” a raindrop hit him on the nose. “Oh. There it is.”

The droplets came faster. The kids didn’t seem to notice, or if they did, didn’t care.

“Guys, come on. It’s raining,” Bryn called as she stepped toward the patio table. She set her glass down and cranked the umbrella shut.

All five kids came running. “Can we watch a movie?” one of them asked. Eli wasn’t sure which.

“Yeah. Go on in and pick one. Together. No arguing.”

“Okay,” several said in unison, and they trudged into the house.

Ten minutes later, Bryn had them in the den on the floor with blankets and pillows. There was a big bowl of popcorn in the middle, and all eyes were on the screen.

“We can finally finish our wine. Wanna sit in the living room?” she asked.

“Sure.” Some alone time with Bryn? He wanted to answer with a “Hell yeah,” but kept his cool.

They sat on the couch, her on one side, a bent leg tucked under her, and him on the other. He didn’t want to seem pushy by sitting too close. He sipped his wine. Bryn sipped hers. He sipped again. This was awkward.

“So . . . any big plans for the rest of summer?” she asked.

“Not really. I’d like to take the kids to visit my parents in Florida, but I haven’t run it past Kristen yet. You?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to do something, but with the fashion show in a few weeks and how busy the shop has been, I can’t take off for even a couple days, let alone a week. And besides, I don’t think I can swing it moneywise. I’m still recovering from all those months of small paychecks while the shop wasn’t doing so well.”

“Well, if you can break away from the shop, you’re more than welcome to come to Florida with us. I was going to drive, so that’s cheap, and my parents have a huge house down there. Plenty of room for everyone. And it’s close to the ocean.”

She looked kind of like a deer in headlights. “I don’t know.”

Shit. He needed to stop scaring her off. “No pressure. Just think about it.”

“Okay.” She gulped some wine.

New topic of conversation. Fast. “Today was fun. The kids had a blast, and I did, too.”

“Yeah. They’re all gonna sleep like rocks tonight.”

“I’d really like to do it again.”

She looked at him for a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, me, too.”

He took that as an invitation to move a little closer. Sliding over a whole couch cushion, his body turned to hers. “I’d like to see you alone again, too. Can I take you out to dinner soon?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Her words were unsure, but the smile and the eyes told him she was just playing coy.

This was his chance to move in. He might regret it, but he had to try. He put his free hand on her bent leg, rubbing her just above her knee. The smooth skin he’d been staring at all day. She didn’t flinch. This was good.

“I know a great Italian place. They have the best tiramisu.”

“I love tiramisu.”

He moved his hand a little higher. “They have some little romantic booths, too. Quiet and private.”

“Sounds nice.”

This was going so much better than he’d imagined, especially after the cold shoulder earlier that day. Should he quit while he was ahead?
Aw, fuck. Just go for it.

He leaned into her, gaze locked on hers, and stopped just before he got to her lips. “You look amazingly beautiful right now.”

She didn’t utter a word, but the widening of her smile said everything. Bryn closed the gap between them, bringing her lips the last few inches to his.
Thank you, mother of everything holy!
He loved kissing her. Those soft, plump lips, the way she slid her tongue in and out of his mouth. Playful, yet gentle and ladylike. But he’d definitely like to take her somewhere they could get a little less formal and a lot more wild.

“Wanna go somewhere more private?” he asked between nibbles of her luscious lips.

“I don’t know.” She pulled away from him. “The kids and all . . .”

Was that really it, or was it something more? “Parents have sex all the time. Well, I didn’t in my marriage, but most parents manage to have sex on a routine basis with kids in the house.” He ran his fingers through her wind-tousled hair and rested at the nape of her neck, planting another kiss.

“We probably shouldn’t even be doing this.” She pulled away again and downed the rest of her wine, setting the empty glass on the coffee table.

Eli set his down, too, then took her hand in his. “Is this about the kids, or something else?”

“Um . . . the kids.”

He wasn’t convinced. “Okay. Maybe another night then.”

But he didn’t move. Instead he put his hand back on her bent leg, the slight spread of her thighs an invitation he couldn’t resist, and moved even higher than he had before, sliding his fingers inside the hem of her little shorts. She didn’t push him away.

The thought of how close his fingers were to her center made his dick twitch. All he had to do was move another inch and he’d be able to feel if she was wet or not.
Just do it.
Eyes locked on hers, he moved his hand even farther, rubbing the back of his two fingers against her bikini bottoms. And damn, they were soaked right through.

Bryn’s eyes closed for a moment, jaw clenching, and she took a deep breath. Her hand squeezed his. She was holding back. She did want him after all.

Eli leaned in and kissed her neck, lips moving upward toward her ear. “Let’s go check on the kids.”

All she managed was a murmured “Mmm-hmm” as she stood and kept his hand in hers. She led him to the den, an animated movie still playing on the flat screen, but every last set of little eyes were closed.

He brushed his lips across her neck. “See, they’re all down for the count.”

Bryn broke away from him. Shit. What excuse would she come up with now? She walked to the TV and picked up the remote, the screen going black. And when she turned back to him, her eyes held something different. Something naughty.

“Come on,” she said, and grabbed his hand once again, leading him to her bedroom.

Closing the door behind them, she locked it, then pulled her shirt over her head. She was still in her black bikini—the one he’d so badly wanted to rip off her all day. He stepped to her, but knew he had to control himself. This was not the time to go crazy. Instead of yanking the fabric from her skin like he so wanted to, he pushed aside one cup, covering her nipple with his mouth. And this time she let the moan escape her lips.
Let go, baby. Let me pleasure you.