The Bold and the Bullheaded by Willow Aster

Chapter Twenty-Three

Spence

We have several condos completed. We’ll release a few for rent but decide to sell the rest of them.

“So, that girl you hate, Sadie,” I say, and my girlfriend straightens on the couch across from me. She’s wearing one of my white button-downs, because that’s what she grabbed after a spectacular morning loving. It’s become our routine every day. But on the weekends, we take our time. I love to hear her cry out my name over and over. She’s sated and relaxed. My shirt is oversized, and she’s only got two buttons closed up in the center, so I have a perfect view of her cleavage at the moment.

There should be songs about this woman’s tits. And don’t get me started on her eyes. They’re like none I’ve ever seen before. A perfect mix of green and blue, with pops of gold and amber.

Jesus. I’m in so deep with this woman that I can barely see straight. Her legs, fuck me sideways.

“Sophie,” she says, and her lips form a perfect line. Her soft, plush, change-my-life lips are a little less than happy right now.

I don’t miss the fire in her eyes.

“There are three condos available for rent, and she’s on the waitlist. Jesse told me to talk to you first. We have a long list and many people that are far more qualified with better credit scores. But she keeps coming by the office to ask about getting a place.”

“Spence Taylor. If you rent that girl a condo, I swear to God I will cut off your balls and serve them to you on a shish kabob.”

I choke back a laugh and pull her onto my lap. “Tell me how you really feel. I’m teasing, by the way. She came by the office and hit on Jesse as well, and you know how easily rattled he is. She then took a shot at Gus and Caden at Mean Mug. I believe Gus called her a viper in sexy clothing, and Caden gave the final no.”

“Thank goodness. I’m not coming to stay over here every night if she’s your neighbor.” She laughs, and I bury my chin in her neck.

“Speaking of that.”

“Yes?” she asks, and she turns in my arms and straddles me, placing a hand on each of my cheeks. “Are you sick of me staying over here so much?”

“Nope. I actually hate that we won’t be spending Christmas together,” I say.

Emma is coming with me to Chicago, but she’s flying home on Christmas Eve to be with her dad and Yaya, and I’ll be spending Christmas with my family. I’m tempted to offer to come back with her, but it’s time for Emma to ask if she wants me there. Things smoothed over at Thanksgiving, but there was weirdness there that I don’t want to repeat.

“I know. But you’re coming home the day after Christmas, right?”

“Yep. For sure.”

“So, what’s on your mind then?”

“I was thinking maybe you could take a few drawers here, so you don’t need to keep going back and forth for things,” I say. I want to ask her to move in with me, but again, it’s going to need to come from her. I’ve played my cards; she needs to show me hers.

When we’re together, she tells me that she loves me in a million ways. I feel it, and that’s all that matters.

“A few drawers? Are you sure? That’s a big commitment,” she says, over her laughter.

I flip her on her back. “I think we’re ready.”

She smiles up at me. “Okay, Spence Taylor. I will take your two drawers and raise you one drawer in the bathroom for my makeup and face wash.”

“Done.”

She strokes my cheek and looks up at me like I hung the moon. “I’m crazy about you.”

“Of course you are.” I cover her mouth with mine.

And when I sink into her and pull her legs up onto my shoulders so I can get in as deep as I can go, I swear I hear her whimper that she loves me as she clenches around me.

I’m not positive if I dreamed it up because I want to hear her say it, but we get so lost in each other that the words don’t matter so much anymore anyway.

* * *

We’re leaving for Chicago in the morning, but Emma insisted on us hosting a little holiday party with a few friends from work, my brothers, and the guys from the auto shop, Bernard, and Yaya. She wanted everyone to meet, and I thought it was a great idea.

“Tell me you are serving more than one of these fancy boards of chipmunk food,” Gus says.

“It’s called a charcuterie board,” Mya says over her laughter.

“Chipmunks do not eat fifteen dollar blocks of cheese and salami from the best butcher in town.” Emma slaps his hand when he goes to grab a cracker.

“Ow. Why can’t I have one?” Gus smirks.

“Have a meatball. This is art. Mya and I spent the past hour making it look like this.”

“So no one can eat it?” he asks, giving me a look like they are both insane.

I don’t disagree. But I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

“You can eat it after everyone sees it,” Mya says, before moving toward Jesse who wraps his arms around her.

“The meatballs are damn good.” Caden has been sampling the other appetizers since he arrived.

“I’ve invited a few ladies from Mean Mug to come tonight,” Gus says proudly.

“You did not invite multiple girls that are interested in you to the same party,” Emma says, hands on her hips as she stares at my brother.

“What? They’ve all shown interest. Let them fight it out.”

“You’re a bit of a pig,” Emma says. “But it sort of works for you. I just can’t wait for the day someone knocks you on your ass.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Caden says.

“How about you? Did you invite anyone?” Mya asks.

“Nah. I’m good.” He cracks open a beer and takes a long pull.

“Brother here is suffering from a crush on our little designer,” Gus says, over his laughter. “The beautiful Cosette.”

Caden sets his beer down on the counter and puts Gus in a headlock. “Shut the fuck up. I think she might be engaged or about as close to it as she can get. Besides … I don’t like her that way.”

“Is that why you’ve got my head in a very uncomfortable position? Not to mention it’s awfully close to your junk, you dicksickle. Let me up.”

The doorbell rings and Emma hurries to the door. Her father, Yaya, and Bernard stand on the other side holding bottles of wine and a big box of chocolates. She invites them in and we make introductions. Before I know it, Heidi and her husband Levi, Paige, and Aidan from their office are here. Jesse is talking to Aidan and has finally dropped his obsession with the dude’s pearly whites. Aidan was interested in Mya once upon a time, but my brother finally made his move, and he and Mya have been together ever since. They’ve all ended up being damn good friends.

“You’re a class act, Yaya. And you’ve raised one hell of a fine lady,” Gus says as he chats up Emma’s grandmother.

Bernard is shamelessly flirting with anyone and everyone in the room, and the laughter and chatter is flowing.

The shop crew shows up. Little Joe and I have become pretty good friends, so I take him around and introduce him to everyone, including the slew of women that Gus invited. He’s so wrapped up in the flattery from Yaya and Bernard that he doesn’t seem to care much about anyone else.

Stinky Pete, Whack Jack, and Fish are all here, sitting in the living room talking to Emma’s father.

“I think he’s taking it too far,” Heidi says to Mya and Emma, and I go on high alert.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle. Do not say anything to Jack, please.” My girlfriend’s words cause the hair on the back of my neck to stand on edge. There’s something I don’t recognize in her voice.

Fear?

“He’s getting braver, Em. And he definitely focuses all of his attention on you.” Mya has had a few glasses of wine, and she’s not holding back. She looks up to see me watching them and she clears her throat.

Emma turns around to see me. “Hey, there. Are you having fun?”

“Yeah. And I think Gus is happy that he finally gets to eat your art board.” We all glance over and see Gus talking away and shoving salami and cheese in his mouth at the same time.

“Hey, as long as everyone got to see it before he dove in, I’m fine. I knew he’d love it.”

“What were you guys talking about? Is someone giving you a hard time?” I ask, tucking her pretty blonde hair behind her ear.

“No, no. It’s nothing. I can take care of myself. You know that.”

“I do. But you don’t always have to.”

“It’s nothing, I promise. Come on. I want to take a picture together beside the tree.” Emma is the queen of redirecting. There’s something going on, and I will get to the bottom of it. But not tonight.

Emma decorated the entire apartment. The Christmas tree we put up in my living room is covered in white and gold ornaments. She strung twinkle lights out on my balcony, and people are standing outside drinking their cocktails, even though it’s butt-ass cold outside.

I spot Whack Jack, as the guys from the shop call their buddy Jack. He’s laughing at something Sam has said and they both step outside. Little Joe calls Emma over to meet one of the girls Gus invited.

“How you doin’, Spence?” Jack asks, holding out his hand. I shake it and grin. He’s holding one of the girly cocktails Emma and Mya made instead of the beer Sam and I are having and I clink my bottle to his fancy gold glass. “Nice of you to invite all of us tonight. Sorry, my wife couldn’t make it. She had a work party that she excused me from…” He holds his glass higher and smirks. “She knew I’d prefer this one.”

“Glad you could come. It’s nice to have all our friends in one place.”

Jack grins wider. “You know what’s nice? Seeing our girl so happy.” He motions to Emma and lifts his shoulders in a slight shrug as he shakes his head. When he looks back at me, I’d swear his eyes are misty. “I’ve never seen her like this, Spence. It does my heart good. You see all these guys around here?” We look around the room and one by one, the guys from the auto shop are talking and laughing, but they have another eye on Emma at all times. “There’s not one of us who wouldn’t do anything for her. And something tells me you’re the same.”

I nod. “I love her, sir.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder and grips it hard. “I can see that you do. You hurt her, you’ll also have to get through all of us,” he waves his hand toward all the guys again, “and we won’t be smiling.” He’s not smiling now either, nothing close to it. “But I’m guessing you knew that.”

I clear my throat, feeling a bit itchy under the collar. “Pretty sure all of you have threatened me at least once by now. And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I add.

Sam walks up to us then and Jack pounds my back. “This is a good guy right here,” he says to Sam.

“You need to lay off the girly cocktails, Whack Jack,” Sam says. “No telling the amount of vodka in that thing, all dressed up with sugar.”

Jack points at me and grins, but then it drops in the next second and he points his two fingers from his eyes to me, back and forth. “I’m watching you,” he mouths.

Shit. These guys take their Queenie seriously.

I make my escape before Jack and Sam forget they like me.

* * *

The next morning, we’re all a little groggy as we set out for Chicago. When we land, my dad is waiting and after he bear-hugs each one of us, he hustles us to the car.

“Your mom and dad are already over, Mya, and I was instructed to get everyone home as soon as possible.”

“Oh, I thought I was supposed to meet them at my house and then we’d come over later.”

“Estella and Melanie are preparing a little lunch for us, and Pen is on her way over to the house now,” he says.

Mya and Emma exchange a look and Jesse pales. I’ve heard stories of Estella’s cooking for a while now, but I’ve got a stomach of steel, and surely with my mom cooking too, we’ll have a backup.

When we pull up to the house, Mya holds her hand up before anyone opens any doors. “I’d just like to apologize in advance for what’s about to happen. No one has to be a hero here. Go easy on whatever we’re served.”

My dad, brothers, and I laugh like she’s joking, except Jesse. He levels us with a look that shuts us up. All but my dad, who keeps chuckling.

“Aw, come on now. Nothing can be that bad,” he says.