Time to Pretend (33 page)

Jennifer had looked up at her while she spoke, but the shadows behind her eyes only deepened. “I’m not saying this right.” Reaching out, she closed her hand over Alaina’s. “You seem like a wonderful woman, and I like you. I can see that you have honest feelings for Evan. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Alaina wasn’t naïve enough to think that love was enough to keep a relationship together. She knew the risks, and she knew they were multiplied by the complications of having three hearts in one relationship. “I don’t want to get hurt either. Jennifer, I want to thank you for your concern, but Evan’s an adult. He wouldn’t be with me if he didn’t want to be with me.”

The hand on Alaina’s retracted. Jennifer washed it over her face and sighed. “I’ll be blunt, Alaina. Evan has been out to us since his junior year of high school. I’m okay with it. We all are. I want him to find someone to love, settle down, and be happy. I know he’s in love with Daniel. And while Daniel loves Evan, it’s purely platonic.” Realization dawned. Now Alaina understood why neither of them had broached the topic with her. Daniel was the holdout. “I’m aware of Evan and Daniel’s relationship.”

Jennifer jumped to her feet, shaking her head back and forth. “I’ve watched my son pine for Daniel since his first year of high school.

Even if he’s not aware of it, I think he’s with you because it’s the only way he can be with Daniel, too.”

Shaking her head, Alaina also stood. She moved slower, trying to keep the atmosphere calm. She put her hand on Jennifer’s shoulder.

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The woman trembled under her hand. “Jennifer, Evan loves me, and I love him. Whether or not Daniel can admit his feelings for Evan doesn’t change what’s between Evan and me. I’m not going to pretend things are perfect, or that they ever will be, but I can assure you that we’re all committed to making this work.” Cynicism narrowed Jennifer’s eyes and compressed her lips to a thin line. Before she could say anything, two sharp knocks on the door interrupted. It flew open to reveal Daniel. He grinned and winked at Alaina.

“Evan’s on his way. Your dad called and asked if he could pick up Zach.”

The pronouns confused Alaina. “My dad called Evan to pick up Zach?”

Daniel nodded. “We did promise Zach he could come to the barbeque.”

Guilt flooded through Alaina. She had completely forgotten. Even if lack of sleep was to blame, it was no excuse. Zach had been looking forward to this. He had texted reminders all week. It was a good thing Evan...Wait. “How did my dad know Evan’s number?”

“He let his fingers do the walking.” Daniel came into the room, filling it up with his magnetic presence. He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a half-embrace. “Don’t feel bad, Lainie.

You worked all weekend. You weren’t even awake when I came by to pick you up.”

“Who is Zach?”

How had she forgotten Jennifer?

Alaina knew her entire face softened when she talked about Zach.

She adored that little boy. She smiled at Evan’s mother. “He’s my eight-year-old brother.”

One of Jennifer’s light brown brows shot into her hairline. “I thought
I
had a huge gap between my oldest and youngest.” Daniel snorted. “You had four kids in between. Alaina only has one sibling, and he’s more like her kid.”
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Alaina’s head jerked up, her eyes seeking out the shades of meaning dripping from Daniel’s comment. The depth of acceptance she found there amazed her.

* * * *

Later that evening, as Daniel slept next to them and Zach occupied his own bed, Evan traced a feather-light caress down Alaina’s arm. She rolled, turning to him with a sleepy smile on her face. He could barely see it in the dim light spilling into the room around the curtains, but he knew it was there.

The round softness of her breasts pressed into his chest, and he felt himself growing hard for her again. Her lips found a sensitive place on his collarbone. Air escaped from between his teeth, and he pushed his elbow into the mattress so he could lift his head enough to make sure the door was closed. Alaina often opened it after everyone fell asleep. With Zach down the hall, Evan didn’t want to take any chances.

“It’s still locked,” she whispered.

He slid a hand over her bare hip. “Are you sore?” Daniel hadn’t exactly been gentle with her. At first, Evan had been amazed to find that Danny was just as rough with Alaina as he was when it was just the two of them. Given the way Alaina’s body arched from the bed and those sexy noises she made grew louder, Alaina enjoyed rough sex.

Yet Evan also managed to elicit the same response with far more reverent touches. As if on cue, Alaina shivered and brought a trembling hand to clutch at his shoulder. She trailed her fingertips along the line of his jaw, scratching at the stubble there. “Not too sore for you, Evan.”

She pressed her lips to his, seeking permission to deepen the kiss.

He met her halfway, using his tongue to draw her in. He liked the way she kissed, taking what she wanted when she wanted it and giving so
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much of herself at the same time. In his entire life, Evan had never met a woman who moved him the way Alaina did.

She lifted her leg, hooking it over his thigh to move closer. Her hand found his cock, stroking his shaft until he was completely hard.

She did all of this without breaking the rhythm of her kiss.

Reaching around her leg, he fingered her slick, swollen folds until she made those little sounds in the back of her throat. She was a noisy lover, and he could tell how hard it was for her to keep quiet. This wasn’t the first time they’d fooled around next to Daniel while he slept. There was a certain decadence in making love to their woman when Daniel was so close, yet completely unaware.

Evan eased Alaina onto her back. He felt a fierce need to have her without a condom. Daniel, of course, was the only other person with whom he’d felt that need. But this was a bit different. Not only did Evan want to feel her warm, velvety pussy milking his cock without a barrier, he wanted to plant his child inside her. He wanted to put his hand on her abdomen and feel the baby kicking her response. He wanted a daughter with Alaina’s eyes and Daniel’s dark hair. He knew Daniel wanted the same thing.

However, Alaina didn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry. She had taken her pale little pill before joining him and Daniel in bed.

He reached into the drawer in the nightstand and felt around for a foil packet. Alaina took it from him. He lifted his weight to allow her access, and he was unable to suppress a moan as she stroked him before rolling it on.

She positioned him at her entrance, and he sank into her warmth.

He thrust into her slowly, withdrawing almost all the way only to slide back just as delicately as he had the first time. Beneath him, Alaina’s body writhed and arched, reacting the same way she did when Daniel pounded his hips into her. She dug her nails into his shoulders.

He brought his hands up, twined his fingers with hers, and pressed her hands to the pillow beside her head. Alaina didn’t like to be
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pinned during sex, but she didn’t protest. She squeaked and moaned, thrashing her head from side to side until he captured her lips in a dominating kiss.

She must have sensed something was different this time, because she calmed. When the kiss ended, her eyes opened, and he swore she could see his soul. “I love you, Evan. Always.” Yes, she understood that he was making love to her. He brushed his lips over hers, intending to return the words, but her climax blindsided him. Her tight pussy clamped down, demanding a climax from him. Her body arched, bucking against him, but he didn’t stop thrusting into her until they were both completely spent.

He collapsed on top of her, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding him in place when he would have rolled his weight off her. “I’m crushing you,” he breathed into her ear.

“No, don’t go, Evan.”

He loved the way she said his name. Lifting her, he rolled so that she was on top of him. They were still sealed together, but now her lungs could expand. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he stroked his hand over her disheveled curls.

“Daniel told me that my mom cornered you today before I got there.”

She pressed a kiss near his nipple. “She just wanted to make sure you were with me because you wanted to be with me.” His heart stuttered a few beats. Finally, he forced out the question.

“She told you, didn’t she?”

Alaina lifted her head and scooted up his body. His soft cock slipped from her pussy, and she looked into his eyes. “She didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.”

That was too cryptic for Evan. He could glean too many meanings. “Alaina, I need to know exactly what she said.” She didn’t move or otherwise try to avoid him or the topic. He liked that about her. She didn’t shy away from anything that might
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make her uncomfortable. “She said you were gay. I told her you were bisexual.”

He ran his fingertips over her shoulders, wanting to crush her in a tight hug but refraining because he knew it wasn’t the right time.

“You’re okay with that?”

She traced her fingertip over his bottom lip. “I would have preferred to have that conversation with you first. I don’t want there to be secrets between us, not important ones like that.” She glanced over at Daniel. “But we’re just starting out. There’s plenty of time for us to have those deep, revealing conversations.” Evan nodded, hoping the dark hid the furtiveness of his movement. He hated keeping secrets from her. She deserved to know the full story. “I’m not going anywhere, honey. We have the rest of our lives.”

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Chapter 18

Bacon sizzled on the stove. Daniel used tongs to turn the pieces, and then he stirred the eggs.

Alaina poured orange juice into four glasses, nearly spilling several times as she sneaked peeks at Daniel’s ass. He looked so good in jeans. After six weeks of seeing him wear them almost every morning, she thought she would have grown used to the sight or started taking it for granted.

Evan came in the back door and planted a kiss on her cheek.

“What were you doing outside so early?” He had come downstairs before she finished her shower. Since the repairs on her house were wrapping up, he had begun puttering around with other items he felt needed attention.

“Checking to see if I had enough tile for the downstairs bathroom.”

He had already replaced the washers to stop the sink from leaking.

The tile backsplash did need new grout, but it wasn’t cracked or ugly.

“You’re going to replace the backsplash?” Daniel handed Evan a plate. A quick check showed he had already attended to Zach. Alaina took a glass of juice to the table and set it down in front of her brother.

Evan slid into the chair across from Zach. “I’m going to take out the closet and put in a shower. I can’t be tracking all the dirt I bring home upstairs. Danny is likely to have a heart attack.” She and Daniel finished bringing plates and cups to the table.

Dan’s nose wrinkled as he sat down and faced Evan. “Grease stains are really hard to get out of carpet.”
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This wasn’t a conversation she would have predicted a month ago, but now it didn’t surprise her. Daniel turned out to be something of a clean freak. He constantly washed, dusted, and vacuumed. The ever-present pile of clean laundry on the chair in her room had vanished. It seemed Daniel never met a pile of laundry he didn’t feel compelled to conquer.

Zach, who hadn’t left after Labor Day, was now required to make his bed every morning and keep his things picked up. Every Saturday, he had to dust and vacuum his room.

They all pitched in to make sure the house was in order, but Daniel definitely did more than his share. At least he didn’t hold the rest of them to his standards of cleanliness. Who else remembered to wash walls and dust molding? Who else cared if the things under the kitchen sink were neat?

Just Daniel.

“Why don’t you get a surround?”

Daniel’s question pulled Alaina back to the present. “What’s a surround?”

Now Evan wrinkled his nose. “A pre-made plastic shower.”

“Most people have them. You’ve got one upstairs.” Daniel didn’t laugh at Evan’s disgust, but he did roll his eyes. “They work just fine.”

“We need two showers.” Zach chimed in before he finished chewing his mouthful of scrambled eggs. “You guys are always in them.”

Alaina glued her gaze to her plate, but that didn’t halt the heat creeping up her neck from manifesting on her cheeks. With Zach running around the house, the shower offered a level of privacy demanded by their new relationship.

Evan lifted a brow in Zach’s direction. “Wait a few years. You’ll be taking longer showers, too.”

The topic needed to shift. Alaina didn’t much care what Evan did around the house. He had great taste, and he was as particular about
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the quality of his work as Daniel was about living in a clean house.

“A second shower sounds great. I can’t wait to see it.” She glanced over at Zach. “Have you decided what you want to be for Halloween?”

They had plans to shop for his costume when she picked him up from school that afternoon. Her father had called to say he would come over to pick up Zach, but Alaina neither altered their plans nor told Zach about the call. In the past six weeks, their father had stopped by several times for visits, but he never took Zach home with him. She hadn’t seen her mother at all in that time.

If Alaina wasn’t so damn busy with work, her new relationship with Evan and Daniel that required a lot of time spent with their families, and raising Zach, she would be pounding on her parents’

door demanding answers.

Evan and Daniel didn’t seem to mind having Zach around. Evan had enrolled Zach in soccer at the Community Center. The two of them practiced almost every day. Twice a week, Daniel picked Zach up from school and took him to his studio for karate lessons.