The Shameless Hour: A Sports Romance (The Ivy Years Book 4)
: Chapter 36

DOWNSTAIRS, I began opening and shutting cabinets.

“What are you looking for?” Rafe asked.

“A pan.”

“You don’t know where they are?” he yelped.

“Don’t judge. Found one!” I yanked a skillet out of a drawer.

Rafe crossed the kitchen and took it out of my hand. “Belleza, that’s not the right shape. When you stir, it’s going to spill.” He leaned over to exchange the skillet for a heavy saucepan, then pushed the drawer closed. He put a hand on my hip and gave me a squeeze.

And I freaking loved it.

It should have been a drag to be sick over Christmas vacation. But standing in my kitchen with the two people who’d gotten me through the worst semester ever was really lovely.

On a counter stool across the room, Lianne scrutinized the label of the Dutch cocoa she’d bought. “There should be directions on here somewhere.”

Rafe leaned his strong arms on the counter and shook his head. “You know I love you girls, but you are helpless in the kitchen. Just hand that over,” he said. “Bella, raid your refrigerator for some milk.”

You know I love you, he’d said. Even though he’d only been kidding, I really liked the sound of that.

Rafe plucked a whisk out of Maria’s utensil jar and lit one of the burners on our range. Cracking open Lianne’s cocoa canister, he dumped a heap of cocoa into the pan.

“You didn’t measure that,” I pointed out.

“Measuring is for sissies.” He took the milk out of my hands and poured a dollop onto the chocolate.

“Don’t you need more?” I asked.

“You think?” He laughed. “See, if you start this way, making a paste, it’s easier to get the lumps out.”

“Wow,” Lianne said. “He cooks, too? When I was trying to talk you into dating him, I didn’t even know that.”

Rafe grinned into the chocolate pot. “Thank you for your support, pequeña. Now replace some sugar for me? Check those canisters.” He pointed at the ceramic containers on the countertop.

Adding milk and sugar, stirring constantly, Rafe made a lovely pot of sweet-smelling chocolate. I was just about ready to get out the mugs when the house phone rang. I peeked at the caller ID. It was my mother, so I answered it. “Hello?”

“Hi sweetheart. Are you feeling any better?”

“I’m all right. Lianne and Rafe and I are making hot chocolate.”

“That sounds cozy.”

It really was.

“Your father and I are coming home on an early flight tomorrow morning. I have some difficult news.”

Something went wrong in my gut. “What?” I found a barstool and sat down.

“Your sister is leaving Tucker.”

I let out a breath of air. I’d been expecting her to say that someone was sick or dying. “Oh. Okay.” Do not express glee, I ordered myself. Even if glee was justified, my mother wouldn’t want to hear it. “Why?”

She sighed into my ear. “Perhaps it won’t surprise you to hear that he was cheating with the office intern.”

“Well…” I cleared my throat. “You’re right. I’m not surprised.”

My mother hesitated. “Before this is all over, I think we’re going to end up owing you a big apology.”

You could have pushed me off that barstool with a feather. “Uh, okay?”

“At the moment, your sister is too shocked to think. And your father is so angry that he can’t even form sentences.”

“Okay.” I could wait for my apology. I’m big like that.

“But in the meantime, I need to give you a few details. Tucker is out of town at a conference in Chicago. So he doesn’t know that Julie read all his texts. Instead of confronting him, she’s hired an investigator to document everything.”

“Wow. That’s smart.”

“Your father is going to have to audit his business in case Tucker lied about more than just his sex life.”

“Ouch.”

“It will all turn out okay. But in the meantime, do not take any calls from Tucker.”

“He doesn’t call me, Mom. Not since Julie’s engagement.”

“Okay. That’s good. Just know that he’s in a precarious place. If he were to suddenly reach out to you, don’t trust him.”

“You can’t get me within fifty yards of the man, mom. Don’t worry.”

“All right, sweetie. Be well. I’ll see you tomorrow. I guess it’s a good thing that you put Lianne in the guest room. Because it looks like Julie’s going to need her old room again.”

I felt a stab of sympathy for my poor sister — landing in her childhood bedroom again after discovering her husband was cheating. “I’m just so glad they didn’t have kids,” I said suddenly.

“Me too, sweetie. Julie can start over someday. And we’ll have you screen all the candidates.”

Aw. “Don’t forget, Mom — he fooled me too for a long time.”

“That’s big of you to say. Now go drink hot chocolate with your friends, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I hung up the phone, still shocked by this turn of events.

“What?” Rafe asked. “Is your sister in trouble?”

“Quite the opposite,” I said. “She’s just getting out from under it.” I picked up the mug he passed me and took a sip of the best hot chocolate I’d ever tasted.

RAFE

“I should go,” I said after we all had dinner together.

“Stay,” Bella said, rinsing a plate and then putting it in the dishwasher. “It’s cold outside. You’re still sick. And my parents aren’t even here.”

“Well, I’m going to bed,” Lianne said. “I’m beat. And maybe I can fall asleep before the sex noises start up. You two are as loud as howler monkeys.”

“Now there’s a sexy image,” Bella muttered.

“Goodnight,” Rafe said to her.

“Night,” she replied. “And I’m leaving our secret in the hall outside my room.”

“Please can I open my present?” Bella asked.

I ignored her to pull out my phone and dial home.

“Rafael,” my mother said. “Dónde estás?”

I felt my neck get hot as I answered her. “I’m at Bella’s, and I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

There was an uncomfortable silence. “That’s not right,” she said. “You should come home.”

As much as I really did not want to have this conversation, I switched to Spanish and persevered. “You have to trust me to handle myself, Ma. I know how it is. I know it as well as anyone. I couldn’t grow up in your house and not learn that it’s important to be careful.”

“I know you’re a smart boy, Rafe. But be a good one, too.”

“I am, Ma.” It was true, too. I may not do things just as she wished I would. But I had nothing to be ashamed of.

“I will see you tomorrow,” she said finally. “If you feel better, you can work the lunch shift.”

“Fine,” I chuckled. “See you then.”

Twenty minutes later I found myself on my knees on Bella’s bed, giving it to her from behind. My girlfriend had both hands braced against the big padded headboard. She’d turned her head over her shoulder so that I could kiss her while we fucked.

Sexiest thing ever. I wrapped my arm around her ribcage, holding her close enough that I could feel her heart pounding against my hand. I was sure nothing could be better than that. Nothing. Except…

Five minutes after that, we cuddled in a sweaty, post-sex haze in her bed. With my eyes slammed shut, I kissed her neck, her chin, her jaw… everything.

“We might have been loud,” she murmured. “But for the record, I do not sound like a howler monkey.”

“Mmm,” I said. Because that was all I was capable of saying.

“I feel the best I’ve felt all day,” Bella said, her smooth hand stroking my chest. “I think I’m cured. It’s a miracle.” Then she turned her head away from me suddenly and sneezed. “Spoke too soon.”

“Mmm,” I said again, holding her closer.

She tucked one silky knee between mine and sighed. “Can I have my Christmas present now?”

“Nope,” I said automatically. Although, it wasn’t the worst idea to give it to her early. I wanted her to be able to use it before school started again. “I’d love to hand it over, belleza. But then I wouldn’t have anything for you on Christmas.”

“Who cares? As long as you don’t propose to my sister, you’ll still be the best holiday boyfriend I ever had.”

I raised my head and laughed. “She is not my type. You are my type. I want the sassy, fierce sister with trust issues. You are ten times more fun than any other girl alive and hotter than my aunties’ pepper sauce.”

She blinked at me. “I changed my mind. I don’t even need the gift. Just tattoo that on my ass and we’ll call it even.”

I kissed her on her red nose. “Stay here a second.”

Somehow I heaved my carcass out of her excellent bed. In her bathroom, I made quick work of the condom. Then I tiptoed naked into the hallway to retrieve the shopping bag Lianne had left for me.

Bella clapped her hands when I came back to bed with the bag. But she stopped when she could read the side. “Paragon Sports?” Her eyebrows shot up. “You bought me running shoes! And Lianne tried them on, because we have the same size feet.”

“Good guess, but you’re wrong.” I slid the box out of the bag. It was wrapped in red and green paper, and it weighed more than a pair of running shoes. I’d decided I was fine with giving her the gift now. I could still make her a really romantic card for Christmas. And I’d make her open it in front of me, so I could watch her try to pretend like it was no big deal.

Bella did appreciate romance. She just didn’t like admitting it.

With big eyes, she gave the box a shake. Then she tore into the paper. Throwing her head back, she laughed out loud. “Hockey skates? God, I’m going to break a limb. Maybe two.”

“No you won’t.”

“I don’t skate.”

“Sure you do. It’s just like walking, but slidier. Just hold on to me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll try it. You have to promise not to laugh too hard.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“And this is awesome, because it means I get to choose a present for you that’s outside your comfort zone.”

“What?” It was possible I hadn’t thought this all the way through.

Bella gave me an evil laugh. “Handcuffs. No. Restraints.”

“I think I need to renegotiate.”

“Too late!” Giggling, Bella grabbed my hands and lifted them up to the headboard. “Yeah. This is going to be awesome. And a blindfold. But I’ll take it easy on you, and we’ll save the nipple clamps for another holiday season.”

“Jesucristo.”

“I can make you scream that word.” Then? She tickled me.

“I am in so much trouble,” I said, dodging her questing fingertips.

“Yes you are!”

“Then so are you.” In a lightning-fast move, I grabbed both her hands and rolled, trapping her under my weight.

And her shriek was not unlike a howler monkey’s.