Emily stood, frowning. “Fine, but if Logan calls again, I’m grilling him.”
Nellie laughed. “Grill all you want. You’ll be sorely disappointed.”
After putting a few things together and making some calls about the cocktail mixer, one of the biggest she’d coordinated to date, she wrapped it up and left. She’d been so excited she’d forgotten to check her phone. Logan often called her office phone when she didn’t answer or respond to her texts. He was persistent that way. Sure enough, she’d missed his call and he’d texted her. She read his text.
Slightly Stoopid, baby. You and me in a couple of weeks. No more excuses!
She refrained from groaning as she picked up her laptop bag and purse. It wasn’t that she didn’t find him attractive. He actually was attractive and witty, but he’d only been contracted as a project accountant a few weeks ago, and he’d been determined he’d get her to agree to go out with him ever since. Something about that was a slight turnoff. Sure what woman didn’t enjoy being pursued by a good-looking man, but he was a bit too unrelenting. She didn’t want things to get awkward for them when they had to work together.
The Hope for the Youth of ELA charity that she worked for now, in conjunction with the 5th Street Gym, was just getting off the ground, so this mixer that she’d been working on needed all the funding they could get. Now that the Ceja Vineyards had agreed to sponsor what booths were left and were incredibly generous about it, they had the green light to go all out. Nellie would be working even closer with Logan now, making sure all the monies were properly handled and well accounted for. She didn’t want anything to mess this up, and that included any awkwardness if things didn’t work out.
She hated to admit it even to herself, and she certainly wouldn’t to Roni, but as long as Abel was in the picture, she didn’t see how anything with Logan or anyone else could work. She just wasn’t willing to give up the best sex she’d ever experienced so soon. Her ex-husband, Rick, should be hanged now that she knew how inadequate their sexual life had really been.
This only confirmed that she was so over him. After sex with Abel, it’d be like indulging in a rich strawberry cheesecake dessert with loads of whip cream and the promise of no weight gain then giving it up for a rice cake with a dab of peanut butter. She’d never go back to that again. Abel had even taught her that asking for what she wanted wasn’t wrong. It was actually a turn-on to him, and if it was for him, it probably would be for other men as well, unless you were someone like Rick, who would most likely be annoyed because he wouldn’t be able to just roll over and snore once he was done.
There were definitely things she’d be keeping to herself and not sharing with Roni because she wasn’t about to ruin the best thing that had happened to her in years for the sake of protecting her heart. If anything, this was an eye opener and a learning experience. Unlike what Roni was worried about, once this was over, she wouldn’t be sad or hurt. She’d be eternally grateful to Abel for helping awaken a side of her she never even knew she had in her. She even felt years younger and more energetic now.
On her way home, she did as promised and called Roni back. Roni answered on the third ring. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Uh, hello to you too.” Nellie laughed. “Nothing, well, working. I got the Palos Verdes cocktail mixer fully funded, more than funded since the Ceja Winery took all the booths left. I have a huge budget to work with now, so I’ll have my work cut out for me.”
“That’s great, Nellie! I’ll let Noah know as soon as I’m off the phone.” Roni knew how hard Nellie had been working on this, but, still, Nellie felt something was off about Roni’s usual very genuine enthusiasm for Nellie and her work.
“Why did you wanna know what I was doing tonight?”
“Because I was hoping you’d say that you had a date with Abel.”
“Why? I thought you didn’t like me being involved with him?”
“Well, I do if it’s going to be an actual relationship. So when Noah mentioned that Abel had a date tonight, I thought either you two had decided to make things a little more serious or it’s exactly what I’m worried about. He’s going on a date while you go straight home alone.”
Nellie pressed her lips together, glad that she was on the phone with Roni and that she wasn’t hearing this in person. She didn’t think she could pull off acting as if it didn’t matter as she’d been insisting to Roni all along. The thought of Abel rocking another woman’s world as he’d done to hers only a few nights ago, slammed through her violently. She knew from the very moment she decided to give into her desires—desires that had been mounting for months—that this reaction was a possibility. Since Abel hadn’t made a move prior to the cruise, even though he was obviously unable to hide his attraction to her, Nellie figured it was the age difference or that he simply wasn’t looking for anything serious.
Her decision hadn’t been on a whim either. Abel had confirmed on that deck as she stared at his lips what she’d been thinking all along. He’d made it perfectly clear that he was very attracted to her but that he didn’t want to piss Noah off by messing with his wife’s best friend. With his career and this fight looming, he didn’t really have time for a social life at all, much less anything serious. Nellie had offered what she’d been considering for months: guilt-free sex with no strings attached. She’d made up her mind long before the cruise that if she ever had the opportunity to put it out there that way she would. So when she had it, she took it. Apparently, Abel had more time than he’d insinuated if he was making time for more than just her.
“If I didn’t have so much work, I might not be going straight home tonight.”
That wasn’t entirely a lie. If she didn’t have so much work to get to, she might’ve stopped to buy more wine to drink at home alone. She was getting low, down to less than half a bottle, but she’d let Roni think otherwise.
“Nellie, I’m just going to go on the record and say I hate this. When Noah told me about Abel’s date, I was seriously pissed for you.” Roni hushed her words to a whisper. “Wasn’t he just over at your place a few days ago?”
Nellie clenched her teeth for a second, not wanting to think about it. “Yes, he was, but I told you, Roni, that I’m okay with this.” She tightened her grip on the wheel then remembered. “And hey, guess who has a date in a couple of weeks and not with Abel?”
“You do?” Roni wasn’t whispering anymore. Nellie wasn’t even sure why she had in the first place. It wasn’t as if Noah didn’t know about her and Abel. “With whom?”
“I told you about Logan, right?”
“The new guy you said was kind of pushy?”
Nellie rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure I used the word persistent, but, yeah, him. Emily says she thinks he’s hot.” She hoped that throwing that in would excite Roni, because Nellie in all honesty didn’t exactly agree with Emily. Her idea of hot was now synonymous with only one guy. And Logan didn’t even come close in her opinion. “We’re gonna go see Slightly Stoopid at the House of Blues.”
“You are? I thought you said it was sold out.”
Nellie knew Roni would be a bit disappointed. They had talked about going together. Everybody knew it was their favorite band lately, but it’d been sold out. “They were. I don’t know how, but he got the tickets. I could ask if he can get more if you want.”
“No. We’ll go see them together another time. I don’t want to crash in on your date. This is a date, right? You called it that. So that’s different than with Abel.” Nellie could almost picture Roni’s furrowed brows as she paused. “Please tell me this is different than with Abel.”
Nellie attempted to chuckle, though thoughts of Abel on his date tonight made her stomach tighten, and a chuckling mood was the last thing she was in. “It’s different, but don’t get all excited or anything. I work with the guy. I’m not looking to make things uncomfortable for us. So, yes, I called it a date only because we’re going somewhere other than my bed, but don’t expect any eng
agement announcements or anything. I already told you I’m not ready to get into anything serious with anyone.”
After filling Roni’s inquiring mind a little more about Logan, Nellie was off the phone, and her thoughts were immediately on Abel. Except for small talk and a few questions Abel had asked her about the people in the photos in her home, they rarely spoke of their personal lives. The only times he ever really opened up were to talk about his upcoming fight for the heavyweight title. She’d never dream of asking him about his dates with other women. It was none of her business, and she doubted he’d ever ask her about her dates, but mostly because she now knew she’d rather not know about his.
Deciding ignorance was bliss, Nellie drove into her garage, determined to not think about something that didn’t matter anyway. Even this wouldn’t ruin the breathtakingly little time Abel gave her. She’d meant it when she told Roni she wasn’t ready for anything serious anyway.
Chapter 2
Making a quick move toward the front door, Abel walked as quietly as he could.
“Oh, you look handsome.”
Damn. Abel stopped and glanced up at his mother who was looking away from the stove where she was making dinner, while his brother Hector and his girlfriend, Charlee, studied at the kitchen table.
Hector smirked, knowing Abel’s cover had been blown. “Another non-date with Nellie?”
Abel gave him a look but ignored the question, walking into the kitchen instead of out the door. His mother, on the other hand, as expected, didn’t ignore Hector. “Nellie?” She turned to Hector first then back to Abel with a confused expression. “You’re dating, Nellie, Mijo? Roni’s friend?”
“No, Mom, I’m not dating anyone.” He shot Hector another warning look. “I already told you I gotta train. I don’t have time for dating right now.”
His mother was no fool. She threw the dish towel she held over her shoulder and wiped her hands on her apron with a knowing look. “Then where are you going tonight?”
“To hang out with a friend,” he said, stabbing a fork into one of the pieces of chicken she had simmering in green sauce and blew on it. He held his hand underneath in case it dripped. “But it’s not a date.”
His idiot brother was obviously enjoying this. “I’m pretty sure that’s what you called it when Noah asked at the gym.”
Abel rolled his eyes, biting into the chicken on his fork.
“Ay, Abel. So just say it. What’s the big deal?” his mom asked as she stirred the beans in the other pot. “Wait, Nellie? Isn’t she Roni’s age?”
Hector laughed. He knew just as well as Abel that their mother had never been too keen about Noah marrying a girl eight years older. It was no surprise this would be the first thing she’d bring up. Both he and his brother knew their mother would have issues with this—issues he wasn’t willing to discuss or get into. It didn’t matter—he wasn’t dating her.
“It’s not a date, and who said I’m seeing Nellie tonight anyway?” Abel set the fork down, kissed his mom’s forehead, and looked back at his brother. “I told Noah I had a date. I never said with whom.”
His brother gave him a knowing look. Aside from getting together with Nellie in the past few weeks, Abel had been too caught up in his training and everything else leading up to this fight for a social life, period. Hector knew all too well that Nellie had been Abel’s only escape from all the fight madness in weeks. And since Abel was notoriously private about his personal life, Hector was also the only one who would know this. Even one girl was too much of a distraction for Abel’s anal ass. Juggling more than one at a time like this in his life would be out of the question, so there was no use denying it.
“Okay, so I’m meeting up with her again, but it’s not a date,” he said as indifferently as he could. “I just said I had a date to Noah to get him off my back. The guy asks too many questions.
“Yeah, well you know why,” Hector said just as Abel walked up behind him and squeezed his shoulder so hard that Hector leaned over. “Because he’s nosey, that’s all. That’s all,” Hector repeated as Abel squeezed harder.
Abel squeezed one last time for good measure. Playful banter or not, he was not getting into this now. The bottom line was Nellie was exactly what he needed right now: someone he could spend time with and release all the pent-up stress that was building up because of this fight, without any demands of commitment. And since Nellie was okay with him squeezing in some release time after his training here and there without asking for more, this was the perfect arrangement. God damn it. He’d never needed to release so much in his life.
Coming off that cruise, he told himself he’d keep his distance. As long as she was game, he’d go see her once or twice a month—keep things light—but he hadn’t been able to go even a few days before he showed up at her place and they’d gone at it all night.
After that, he promised himself he’d had his fill and didn’t need to pay another visit for at least another few weeks, and, son of a bitch, he made a detour on his way home just the other night. Now here he was with every intention of seeing her again, only this time he was going to ask her if she wanted to have dinner first. It was beginning to feel a little rude, his showing up just to get his glorious release and then leave while she slept soundly.
Abel had showered and cleaned up at the gym. Since the bathroom in the pool house behind the house where his mom and brother lived was being remodeled, he’d even taken clothes to change into, all for the sake of avoiding any type of interrogation from his mom. He’d even been willing to endure Noah’s questioning instead. Now, because his dumb ass had forgotten his ATM card in the main house, he’d been caught doing both.
Ever since Nellie told Roni about what happened on the cruise, Noah had been all over Abel. In the very beginning, Noah had been angry. Abel remembered that first phone call he’d gotten from Noah the night they got back from the cruise. Obviously Nellie had told Roni everything.
“Are you serious? You’re gonna do this with Nellie? Do you know the shit I’m gonna have to hear once you wipe your hands of her and move on? Hell, I’m already hearing it.”
Abel thought he’d silence him when he told him this was her idea. But Noah came right back at him.
“Of course it’s her idea. She’s lonely right now—vulnerable.” Abel was still having fun, listening to his paranoid friend fret until his next comment. “Roni knows her better than anyone, and even though Nellie claims she’s ready to let loose and make up for lost time, Roni’s still worried. She’s not a dude, and most important, she’s never been like that. Jumping from one bed to another and having meaningless sex with one guy after another will have her feeling like shit in no time. I don’t want you, my friend, to be caught up in this mess. I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Abel had been short on words, promising only that he’d keep his distance, only to replay that damn conversation in his head again and again, even as he’d driven to Nellie’s place the very next day. He’d make sure he’d work her out long and hard, leaving her so exhausted she couldn’t possibly think about jumping into anyone else’s bed, not for a while anyway. Not that it mattered. It was just a game—a guy thing. It was hard to explain, but the satisfaction he’d felt when he left her sleeping so soundly that she could sleep into next week with no energy to even be thinking about other guys, was damn good. He was enjoying this. That’s all it was.
Tonight, Noah had started in on him again, when he saw him getting dressed and not in the usual basketball shorts that he typically changed into just to go home in. But Abel had been quick to shut him up by saying that he had a date. Noah knew Abel didn’t refer to his time with Nellie that way. As long as Noah didn’t push, he wouldn’t have to tell him the truth. Thankfully, Noah hadn’t and Abel had left it at that.
He thought the questioning was over from his mom.
“Does Nellie cook?” His mother asked as she sipped from a serving spoon.
“Ma,” Abel had to laugh with Hector now. He grabbed
his keys. “It doesn’t matter.”
“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?”
“Okay, okay, she cooks, Mom.” He turned to her as he reached the door, bouncing his eyebrows. “She cooks real good.”
“Ay, cochino!” His mother threw the dishtowel at him, but it hit the door as he walked out. “Don’t wait up!” he yelled, still laughing as he walked down the concrete stairs.
Abel could hear Hector and Charlee laughing and then his mom scolding Hector for laughing. He shook his head as he reached his car. Suddenly, all thoughts of his mom and Noah’s questioning were pushed to the back of his mind, and he thought of something more urgent. He needed to stop and buy more condoms—lots more.
~*~
After setting up her laptop on her dining room table, Nellie decided she’d have a glass of wine while she worked. Glad that she had so much work to keep her mind busy and off other things, she set her glass of wine on the table. She was about to take a sip when she heard the rumbling of a car engine pull up outside then turn off.
Curious, she stood up and out of her chair. The second she peeked out of her window and saw Abel’s car in her driveway, she darted off to her bathroom. Her heart was already pounding, and she felt as silly as a school girl, but she couldn’t help it. Luckily, he was sitting in the car still on the phone, so she had a few seconds to freshen up.
Thoughts of his date came to mind. Had it fallen through? Was he here for a consolation prize? Is that what she’d now become? “Oh stop!” she said to herself in the mirror as she powdered her nose. “You’re being ridiculous,” she continued to whisper softly. “This is the perfect setup. Who could ask for more? The guy’s body is unreal!” Now she pointed at herself menacingly. “Don’t you dare let your feelings get involved and ruin this!”