Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2) (29 page)

That was true. I
don’t know why I would think it would be any different in a personal situation.
Obviously, I was making this a bigger deal then it needed to be. “That’s true,
and they’ll probably love you.” He chuckled and then glided his fingers over my
thigh again, teasing me with little circles, but not going any higher. “I would
hope so. I’m a lovable kind of guy.”

He wasn’t
exaggerating. Everyone who met Brian adored him. I drove the short distance to
the country club and parked the car. Turning off the ignition, I inhaled sharply
when his fingers slid up into my slick heat. Gripping the steering wheel, I’d
practically asked for this when I went panty-less. Luckily, I’d opted for the
far corner of the lot, away from any other cars. Closing my eyes, I thought an
orgasm might relax me before spending the next couple of hours amongst family
and old family friends.

“Time to go.”

My eyes snapped
open when I realized his fingers had retreated.

He winked,
clearly enjoying the advantage.

Snagging his
hand, I captured the finger he’d used on me, sucking it between my lips seductively.
I relished the flash of desire in his eyes and the hiss of his breath. Now I
wouldn’t be the only one sexually unsatisfied for the next couple of hours.
After releasing his hand, I touched up my lipstick in the rearview mirror and
got out of the car nonchalantly.

When Brian
didn’t move, I went around to his side and opened his door, cocking my head to
the side.

“I’m not meeting
your family with a hard-on,” he muttered.

I burst out
laughing. Sometimes it was nice to take Mr. Control completely off guard.

We walked into
the country club five minutes later, and it dawned on me that we hadn’t covered
what our status was. “Uh, what will we tell people?” A lot of guests were
already here.

He turned me
toward him and smiled. “Relax, we’ll tell them that we are friends who met at
work and let them assume whatever the hell they want to. All right?”

I let out the
breath I’d been holding and met his smile. He made it sound so simple. “Okay. Ready?”

Upon entering
the private room reserved for the party in the elegant country club, we
immediately ran into my parents’ neighbors. I introduced Brian, and by the time
we made it to my mom and dad, three couples later, I realized he was completely
at home, charming everyone.

My parents were
gracious, but I could tell my mother was surprised. My father had gotten
straight to the point by asking Brian which football team he favored. With the
answer of the Carolina Panthers, he had definitely passed the test.

But most
astonished of all was my sister, who looked from me to Brian and back again
before forming words. “Uh, who is this?” He held out his hand. “Brian Carpenter.
You must be Sasha’s sister, Addison.”

She took his
hand warily and then looked at me. “You didn’t RSVP to bring a date.”

I was glad we
were out of earshot of my parents. “You’re right, I didn’t. But considering I
cut a check for half the cost, I think I can bring a plus one without a problem.”

“That’s what
you’re good at, cutting the check while I do all of the actual planning.”

I regretted that
Brian had to witness the petty sniping with my sister and was shocked when he
interrupted smoothly.

“It’s a lovely
party, Addison. Sasha mentioned you’ve worked extremely hard to put this all
together. Your parents must be pleased to have this many people who love them
in one place.”

She studied him
for a moment, gaging his words, and must have believed his sincerity. “Thank
you, and I didn’t mean to complain. It’s not that big of a deal to have one
more. Um, I’d love for you to meet my husband. He’s over here at the table.”

I found it both
amusing and exasperating that Brian could charm my sister so easily when I
could barely get along with her. Maybe the problem was more me than I’d like to
admit. After walking over, I hugged my brother-in law, Ryan and made the
introductions.

“I’ll get you a
drink Sasha. Addison, Ryan, would you like anything?” Brian offered.

They both
declined, and I tracked him across the room toward the bar while bracing myself
for my sister’s questions.

“Are you guys
together?” she zeroed in.

“We’re friends.”
I enjoyed the annoyance on her pretty face probably more than I should have.

“Uh huh. How do
you know him?”

“We used to work
together in Charlotte.”

“And he’s here
in Beaufort for you and for the party, but you’re only friends?”

“Addison, give
her a break, babe,” Ryan, interjected.

I cast him a
look to convey my appreciation. Brian returned with the drinks just in time.

I was sorely in
need of one. “Are you hungry?”

He offered me a
lazy smile that let me know he was thinking of something entirely different
than what I’d meant. “I’m all right. We can visit and then eat in a bit if
you’d like.” He was sitting close to me but not so close as to imply that we
were a couple.

“I was asking
Sasha how you two knew each other,” Addison started while Ryan rolled his eyes
at his wife’s tenacity.

Brian didn’t
even sweat it. “We worked together in the Charlotte office for a number of
years.” He took a pull on his beer and glanced at the label.

“You like the
hops? It’s a local brewery,” Ryan provided. And with that, the men bonded
instantly over IPAs, entering into an entirely different conversation until
Addison could wheedle her way back in.

“So, Brian, what,
uh, brings you to town?” she finally got in.

He handled her
like a seasoned pro. “You’re looking at her.” He put his hand on my back and
rubbed gently.

Her eyes
widened. “You guys are a couple, then?”

I was confident
Ryan just kicked her under the table. God bless him.

Brian’s eyes
flashed towards me, amused, and then focused on my sister. “I think the proper
classification would be friends, but I was happy to be her date tonight, meet
the family, and see her home town.”

Addison scoffed.
“Considering she can hardly stand this place and avoids coming home whenever
possible, I’m surprised she’d invite anyone to see it.”

His hand
squeezed my thigh, and before I could say anything, he jumped in. “Huh, that’s
surprising, considering how fondly she’s spoken of y’all.”

She was stunned
momentarily and then rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure she has.”

My temper was
bubbling up and was about to let her have it when he quietly did it for me.

“I have to say,
Addison, I’m surprised at your animosity toward your sister with all the kind
things she’s told me about you.”

She arched a
brow. “Really?”

He leaned back
and went directly for the sweet spot. “Don’t believe me? Okay, how’s this: you
and Ryan were college sweethearts. And you have four children: Kyle, Kayla,
Kevin, and the baby. Ah, Kassandra, right?”

She nodded
dumbly, and he went on.

“She’s commented
many times what a great mom you are and how your children are lovely. She flew
in for each of their births, and although she doesn’t live locally any longer,
I’m pretty sure she doesn’t miss a birthday for any of her nieces or nephews.
Matter of fact, wasn’t it that Star Wars Lego set that I helped you pick out
for Kyle’s birthday?”

I nodded and had
to bite the side of my cheek to keep from laughing. Brian remembered details
about everyone in and out of the corporate world.

My sister was
more than impressed. “I had no idea.”

I couldn’t help
my shock when I observed her tearing up. “Addison—”

She held up a
hand and sniffed, looking in her purse for a tissue. “I’m such a bitch. Brian
is right. You have been there. I always thought you didn’t tell anyone about
us, like we didn’t exist in your world. And me being a stay-at-home mom made
you dismiss me. I had no idea you thought I was a good mom. And then I never
apologized for what happened over Christmas. What I said about the kids—it was
horrible and untrue. I’m so sorry.” The last part was said on a near sob.

I gave both men
a look that begged them for help and was grateful when Ryan scooted close and
put his arm around her.

“Babe.”

Brian nudged me
under the table.

Ah, crap, I
needed to say something. “Uh, it’s okay, Addison. I haven’t exactly been overly
pleasant to you over the last couple years, either. I don’t know where this
animosity has come from, but it would be nice to put it behind us.”

“And be real
sisters?” There were tears in her eyes.

Uh, did that
mean she hadn’t considered me one before? Like I didn’t have enough of a
complex about being adopted, she had to go and say that now. I sighed, trying
not to read more into the comment than she’d intended.

Brian rubbed my
hand supportively.

“Absolutely,” I
choked out.

She practically
knocked me out of my chair with a hug.

***

I was sprawled
naked on top of Brian after an exuberant hour-long sex session. We were going
to kill one another, I was convinced. All of that foreplay in the car ride back
here with no panties had worked us up to the point that we practically started
in the hotel elevator.

“Whatcha
thinking?” His lips peppered my shoulder with butterfly kisses.

“I owe you a big
thanks for defusing the sibling rivalry at the party. You knocked Addison’s
socks off with the fact that you could recite all of her kids’ names. Her face
was priceless.”

“I only know
them because you’ve talked about them. She’s, uh, very different from you.”

“Well, I’m adopted,
so I guess that’s a given. But she’s a good mom. Maybe I needed to tell her
that more often.”

“I don’t think
the adoption thing is it. Take me and my brother Benjamin. Same parents and
complete opposites. Kenzie and I share a mother and didn’t grow up together, but
we’re closer than a lot of siblings. And only my opinion, but maybe if Addison
wasn’t busy taking shots at you, you’d be more inclined to tell her she’s a
good mom.”

I hugged him
tightly. Once again, he was on my side without being asked. The fact hit me
that this day could have turned out much differently if he hadn’t decided to
show up. “I’m sorry that I flaked on you when you first brought up coming with
me. I was taken off guard and—”

He interrupted.
“It wasn’t very good timing on my part to bring it up, given I’d just pissed
you off. You have a nice family, Sasha. Your dad is intense, but I like that
he’s still protective over you.”

I smiled. “Can I
ask you about your father?”

“What do you
want to know?”

“What was he
like?”

“He died when I
was young,” he murmured.

“How old were
you?”

“Seven.”

I kissed his
chest. “Tell me about a memory of him, something happy.”

“He worked a
lot,” he started, and then took a deep breath. “He, uh, one time came home on a
Friday early and told my brother and me that he had tickets to a baseball game.
It was only minor league, but you would have thought we were going to see Babe
Ruth play. We never got time alone with him, so it was pretty special. He took
us to the ballpark and got us hotdogs, cotton candy, and soda. He made us
promise not to tell our mom.”

“I bet he
would’ve been really proud of you.”

He exhaled
heavily and pulled me closer. “I feel guilty that I don’t miss him more, but
it’s been long enough that I don’t remember all that often. My mom changed a
lot after he died. Anyhow, I’d love a change of subject about now.”

“How about you
made today a lot better than it would’ve been without you. I’m glad you were there
with me.”

He rubbed my
back. “I’m glad I could be, too. Plus now you owe me.”

I propped myself
up on his chest to see his amused grin. “Owe you how, exactly?”

“You can return
the favor by coming with me to my sister’s graduation party next month in
Virginia.”

“Your mother and
sister-in-law hate me. And wouldn’t Josh be there also?”

He smiled.
“Kenzie would be over the moon to have you there. And Josh will be on baby
watch, so I doubt he or Haylee can come, but even if they can, you should go
anyhow. And you know I don’t care about what my mother or Rebecca think.”

“Where’s the
party? I thought your sister went to school in California?”

“The actual ceremony
is the weekend before in LA, but my mom wants a party back home.”

That made sense.
“Okay. In order to set the expectation if I do come, I have to warn you. I’m
probably not going to bridge any sibling rivalry, enhance any relationships, or
inspire any tender moments. So you may be getting the shit end of this deal in
other words.”