Idle Bloom

Chapter Thirteen Testosterone

Vivian

The hour and a half drive to Cape Cod has been exhausting. I should feel elated having my two favorite guys with me for the weekend. I should, but I don’t.

As soon as the car stops, Kai jumps out and opens my door.

“Uh, thanks.” I smile.

“I’ll get the bags.” Oliver opens the trunk.

Kai follows me toward the house.

“Help him carry in the bags.” I turn back and glare at Kai.

He rolls his eyes and sulks back to the car.

“Flower!” Alex runs out the front door, nearly plowing me over with her enthusiasm. “How was the drive?”

“A nightmare. I should have left them both behind.”

“Cock fight?”

“Yep, and I have a feeling it’s not over.”

Alex giggles, looking over my shoulder. “I think you’re right.”

I turn to witness my sophisticated Harvard men playing tug-of-war with my bags. “See what I mean? Kai shared everything there is to know about me, I think he might have even mentioned my blood type.”

“Why?”

“I guess to prove he knows me.”

“What did Oliver do?”

“He groped me the whole way. Even my anger couldn’t stop my reaction to him. I almost had an orgasm from his possessive hand constantly feeling me up. It was embarrassing.”

“Like Dunkin’ Donuts embarrassing?”

“Touché. But anyway, I’m starting to see why Kate broke up with Kai.”

“What are you talking about? Kai broke up with her.”

The wrinkle of confusion on my face is obvious. “What do you—”

“I call dibs on the green room,” Kai says, walking past us and up the porch stairs.

“In your dreams. There’s no way the single guy is taking the largest room with the en suite bathroom. Sean and I already claimed it last night. Flower and Oliver can have the blue guest room and you’ll be in the den.”

“I’m not sleeping on that damn sofa sleeper!”

“Then pitch a tent on the beach, buddy, because that’s your only option.”

Oliver snakes his arm around my waist. “Alex, good to see you again.”

“Hey, Oliver. Glad you could make it.” She winks at me. “Come on inside, I’ll introduce you to Sean.”

As we walk inside I glance at my bags slung over Oliver’s shoulder. “I see you won.”

“Won what?”

I grin and shake my head. “Nothing.”

“Oliver, this is my boyfriend Sean.”

They shake hands. “Nice to meet you.”

“Thanks for the invite. What a great place.”

“It’s really not.” Kai emerges from the den. “There’s only two bedrooms, two bathrooms, the floors creak, and it’s old as sin.”

Sean laughs. “Well, for those of us who weren’t pampered growing up…” he gestures to Kai and Alex “…it’s paradise. My grandparents used to own it and when they died my parents decided to keep it for a vacation home. Occasionally they rent it out. Kai is right. It’s small and old, but the view is just as amazing as it is from the Kennedy compound.”

“It’s amazing.” I tug Oliver’s hand and lead him to the covered deck butted up to the grassy sand with a long boardwalk leading to the sprawling beach and breathtaking panoramic ocean view. The old gray house with white shutters isn’t the most visually appealing house on this stretch of land, but it’s cozy, charming, and ours for the weekend.

Oliver sets our bags down and walks to the edge of the deck with this hands on his hips.

“Not what you expected?”

Oliver chuckles. “I didn’t have any expectations.” He turns and pulls me into his arms. “My neighbor has been full of surprises, so I’m learning to go with the flow.”

“She sounds amazing.”

“She’s unpredictable and dangerous…” he points to the cut by his eye “…but, yes, in the most amazing way.”

Lifting onto my toes, I kiss him. His hands cup the back of my head as his tongue slides against mine.

“Get a room!” Kai’s grumbly voice infiltrates our private bubble. “Oh, that’s right. You already have one. I’m the poor schmuck who will be sleeping in the den.”

“Kai Pie, I’m sure you’ll find some old rich lady to hook up with this weekend.”

“Shut up, Alex.”

“Is that why you broke up with Kate? Was she not mature enough for you?” Alex loves to prod Kai for a reaction, and he always goes for the bait.

“No, that’s not why I broke up with Kate.” Kai looks straight at me and his piercing stare and suggestive tone make me shudder.

“Let’s take our bags upstairs.” I nudge Oliver toward the door, avoiding all eye contact with Kai.

“Are you going to play nice this weekend?”

Oliver sets our bags on the bed. “With whom?”

I walk behind him and rest my cheek on his back while wrapping my arms around his waist. “With Kai.”

“What am I, a child?”

“It seemed so in the car.”

He chuckles. “What will you give me if I play nice?”

I slip my hand below the waistband of his shorts and stroke him. “I’m sure I can think of something?”

He thickens in my grip as his breath catches in his chest. I start to remove my hand, just intending to tease him a bit.

“Don’t stop.” He grabs my wrist and pushes my hand back down.

“It’s just a preview.”

“Well, I need a longer preview. Don’t stop until you get to the coming attraction.”

I laugh. “They’re waiting for us downstairs.”

“Then hurry up.” His words are tense and needy.

“Turn around.” I pull my hand out and this time he doesn’t protest.

Kneeling, I unfasten his pants as I look up at him and we both share sexy, naughty smiles. I run my tongue along his entire length and circle it over the head. His hips jerk forward and I smile in complete satisfaction.

“Take your shirt off.”

His forehead wrinkles. “For this?”

I nod and stroke him while my tongue continues to tease the head. He shrugs off his shirt and I look up at his firm, defined chest while a pleasurable smirk tugs at my lips.

“You like looking at me?

I nod and he smiles.

“Well I don’t,” Kai says from the doorway.

“Kai! Get out!”

Oliver turns and fastens his pants while I scramble to my feet, crimson with embarrassment.

“Sorry, Viv, didn’t mean to interrupt. Alex wants you to go with her to the store.”

I stomp my way to the door and shove Kai’s chest. “Tell her I’ll be down in a minute. Out!” I slam the door and turn around, leaning against it. “I’m sorry.”

Oliver slips on his shirt. “Don’t be.”

“I’m embarrassed.”

He feathers his fingers over my face and smirks. “You weren’t the one caught with your pants down.”

“I know, it’s just—”

“What? Are you embarrassed of me? You think I have a small pecker?”

“What?” My eyes widen.

“I’m kidding. I know you don’t have a comparison, but trust me—”

“Wait what do you … oh, the virgin thing.” I grin. “Oliver, I was a virgin in the literal sense, not the broad spectrum never-been-kissed way.”

His head juts back. “Really?”

“Really, and no, I don’t think you have a small pecker.” I start to wrap my arms around his waist, but he grabs my wrists and steps back.

“You’d better get going. I’m sure Alex is waiting for you.”

I squint my eyes. “You’re not upset are you?”

He turns and puts his hands on his hips with his head bowed. “No … just … it’s fine.”

Grabbing his arm I pull at him until he turns back to me. “You slammed on the brakes the second you found out I was a virgin and now the knowledge that your cock isn’t the first I’ve seen is an issue?”

He pulls away from me. “I said it’s fine … just go.”

“Unbelievable. You’re a real head case sometimes.”

“Don’t!”

I jump from the snap of his firm tone.

“Don’t … ever … call me that.”

The verbal slap stings. There’s that one percent again. The part of Oliver that is so foreign to me. It’s a part I don’t want to know, but I need to because it could make or break us. One percent seems like nothing, but I have a feeling it could be everything for us.

I hate that he can’t even look at me. “I’ll be back.”

Kai is the lucky recipient of my drop-dead look as I grab my purse. “I’ll be in the car, Alex.” Kai smirks and my hands clench, fighting back the urge to wipe that stupid grin off his face.

“What’s going on?” Alex asks getting into the car.

“My best friend is an ass and my boyfriend is a jerk.”

“Yikes. What now?”

“I can’t figure out what the deal is with Kai. Why did he tell me Kate left him? Why is he acting like such a dick to Oliver, and why does he look at me like he owns me?”

Alex cringes.

“What?”

She chews on her lip.

“What?”

With a quick sideways glance, she sighs. “He told Sean that he has feelings for you. That’s why he broke up with Kate.”

“Feelings? What’s that supposed to mean?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“You know what that means.”

“No, I don’t. Kai just got tired of Kate and he’s bored so he thinks he wants me, but he doesn’t. He just wants someone, anyone.”

Alex lifts her shoulders. “Maybe, but Sean made it sound like Kai came to some life-changing decision that you’re the one and only one for him.”

There is no response to that. I stare out the window, releasing a deep breath.

“What did Oliver do?”

I roll my eyes. “Nothing, everything … I don’t know. He’s hiding something, but I have no clue what it is.”

“Hiding what? Like a wife or something.”

I laugh. “No, more like something from his past that haunts him. I’ve met his family. They wouldn’t welcome me with open arms if it were some deal breaker.”

“Why don’t you ask him?”

“I can’t. Whatever it is feels like the line between Jekyll and Hyde.”

“You’re afraid of how he might react if you ask him?”

“I’m afraid of everything—his reaction, mine, losing him, losing us. He has this door down the hall from his bedroom and it’s locked with a dead bolt … a freaking dead bolt. Who has a deadbolted door to a bedroom or closet or whatever the hell it is?”

“Did you ask him about it?”

I shake my head. “He’s caught me more than once staring at it, but I’ve never asked. That’s when I see a slight glimpse of Hyde in his eyes. Well that, and given my own secret-filled past, I have trouble prying into his. I think he’ll tell me, hopefully sooner than later.”

Alex pulls into a parking spot. “Sean and I dated a year before he told me about his uncle.”

A sad smile pulls at my lips. Sean and I give each other shit all the time, but I genuinely like him and his past breaks my heart. His uncle sexually abused him for over ten years before anyone found out. I’ve met his parents and they are the best. I can’t even imagine what it must have done to them when they found out.

“I’ll give him time. As much as I’m dying to know, it has to be on his own time.”

We get out of the car.

“Maybe he has a weird fetish like a collection of porcelain-faced dolls, or teddy bears. Maybe he’s into some kinky shit and he’s hiding his whips and canes behind that door. I bet he has one of those sex swings suspended from the ceiling. Seriously, he did say he wanted to spank you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” I laugh and at the same time the spanking threat lingers like a neon light in the back of my mind.

Oliver

I hate her. I fucking hate her. It feels like a one-night stand with HIV as the parting gift. She’s the poison in my veins. A poison that will infect everyone I ever touch.

“Hey, there’s some drinks in the fridge and maybe a few cereal bars on the counter. The women should be back soon with some grub. Alex just texted me and said they’re on their way back, but Viv wanted to stop for her doughnuts.”

“Thanks, Sean, I’m good right now.” I sit in the lounge chair next to him on the deck not giving Kai so much as a glance.

“So Alex said you graduated from Harvard Law.”

I nod. “Yes, I did.”

“But you’re working with your brother right now?” Sean tips back his can of Red Bull.

“I am. How about you?”

“I’m getting my MBA just like Viv.”

“What are your plans when you’re done?”

“Wait for Viv.” He laughs. “You do realize she plans on conquering the world? I can think of worse coattails to ride.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, she’s definitely driven.”

“How would you know? You’ve known her for what … two seconds?” Kai decides to open his piehole and add his two worthless cents.

Sean looks at Kai and shakes his head with a warning glare. I’m missing something, but right now I couldn’t care less.

“My relationship with her is none of your damn business.”

Kai stands and smirks. “Whatever. She gives good head, doesn’t she?”

I see red, hear my thundering pulse, and feel nothing but Kai’s face against my fist.

Sean helps him up as Kai uses his shirt to catch the blood flowing from his nose.

“Thanks for the invite, but I think I’ll head back to Cambridge. You’ll bring Vivian home on Sunday?”

“Fuck, I think you broke my nose!”

Sean looks at me and nods once before tending to his asshole of a friend. I grab my bag from upstairs and pull out of the drive without a second thought about it. Vivian’s lips wrapped around Kai’s dick is an image I’m not going to forget all too soon—not without a little help from Jack Daniels.