Unbelievable. It’s like he actually wanted to be attacked with utensils. If he kept this shit up, I’d do a Betty Blue and fork him good, right in the back of the hand. Give him some scars to remember me by.
“Oh,” said Audrey. “Would you like some aspirin?”
I shook my head. “I’m fine, really. But thank you.”
At one end of the table, Joe’s dad, Stan, said nothing, determinedly working away at his plate of food. His father’s dark hair was threaded with gray and his face was weathered. Smile lines were definitely lacking. Once upon a time, he would have been a handsome man. His body still looked big, strong, though he moved slowly.
Stan grunted at me when we’d been introduced. Joe frowned and drew me into the kitchen to meet his about a billion times nicer mother. You could see where Joe got his golden hair, despite his mom’s being a little faded.
At the other end of the table, Eric’s mouth hung open. Empty now, thank God. The mildly horrified look in his eyes, however, was something special. Like it’d never occurred to him that his brother and I might wind up playing naked together.
Not that we’d played, exactly.
As I preferred, I’d been next on top. Reverse cowgirl, yee haa! No way he could ruin things with unnecessary eye gazing in that position. Then he’d turned me around and pounded into me doggy-style. The man made me see stars, I’d come so hard. Three times in one night was a lot. Especially after months of nothing. Once my guard was down, due to complete and utter exhaustion, Joe had cuddled me. It was terrible, disgusting. Fingers caressing me, lips pressing soft kisses to my shoulder and the back of my neck. Normally I’d never allow it, but it felt so good. Plus, I was almost comatose. His surprise attack of intimacy slipped straight though my usual defenses. The way he tempted me, getting me all hot and bothered and twisted up inside in the best way possible. And then, when I didn’t think I could take anymore, he calmed everything down and made me feel safe. I wasn’t used to being wanted in such different ways. Like I was more than my mouth, tits, and vagina. More than even our friendship.
Holy shit, were we complicating things. We were out of control.
“Building?” asked Eric, voice heavy with disbelief.
“Yes.” Teeth gritted, I smiled.
“Banging, screwing,” said Joe. “You know.”
With a loud huff, Eric sat back in his seat, not taking his eyes off me for a minute. And the look he gave me let me know, I was not making his birthday great.
“Eric?” asked Audrey, gaze racing back and forth between the two of us, Mommy-danger senses obviously on high alert. “Why don’t I get you another beer?”
“It’s fine, Mom.”
“You got a problem?” asked Joe, brow wrinkling.
“She’s using you,” hissed Eric. “Can’t you see that?”
“So?”
I turned to Joe, startled.
“What the fuck do you mean, so?” asked Eric.
“Language,” said Stan, not looking up from his plate.
Both of the brothers ignored him.
“What I let Alex use me for is none of your business,” said Joe.
“It is if it involves me.” Cheeks sucked in, Eric glared at his brother. “This isn’t about sex, you idiot. It’s about her coming to town for me. Using you, to try and get to me.”
My blood, it boiled. “No, I—”
“That’s what I’m not okay with.” Eric raised his voice, continuing over the top of me. Jerkwad. “And if you’d start thinking with your brain instead of your dick, you’d feel the same.”
Stan pounded the table with his fist, making the cutlery rattle. “Language!”
“Boys.” Audrey’s eyes were wide and her lips thin. “If you need to discuss this further you’ll do so later. We’re having a family lunch. Enough.”
Where they’d ignored their father, both brothers shut their mouths when it came to their mother. It was telling.
“Thank you,” said Audrey, picking up her knife and fork once more. “And I’ll have no more talk of banging and screwing at the table. I don’t live under a rock, you know.”
Eric and Joe both cleared their throats, uncomfortable, and I stared down at my plate.
“Sorry, Audrey.” I respected the woman. I really did. But so many emotions fired inside of me, warming my cheeks, making my hands tremble. I hated conflict. Funny, given how often I seemed to find myself in such situations. Courage had never been my strong suit. No way, however, would I allow Joe to be insulted. Especially not because of me.
“You’re wrong, Eric,” I said, studying the remains of my home-cooked meal. “I can assure you that my interest in your brother has nothing to do with you.”
Joe’s big hand slid over mine, giving it a squeeze. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” I pushed back my seat and slowly rose to my feet, looking down at his brother. “Eric, for your birthday, I’m going to give you the gift of wisdom. Something you should have figured out for yourself years ago.”
The man tipped his chin, inviting me to go on.
“You seem to have this misguided idea that a woman couldn’t possibly pass you over for your brother. You’re wrong.” I sucked in a deep breath. “Joe doesn’t need to lie and he sure as shit doesn’t need to worry about your leftovers. Or whatever it is you’re trying to infer. You’re so busy over in Eric world, you honestly have no idea. Joe is smart, funny, loyal, sweet, hardworking, kind, caring, and generally amazing in all the ways.”
“Christ,” mumbled Joe, hiding a smile behind his hand.
Audrey’s jaw dropped while Stan’s brows started to rise.
Eric said nothing.
“And he’s a beautiful man, even if he does insist on having a beard,” I said. “He’s gorgeous. Also, he’s a gentleman, earlier comments about banging and such notwithstanding. You did a really good job raising him, Audrey.”
Silence surrounded me.
“I think that’s about all I wanted to say. Sorry about the language.”
Eric’s green eyes glared at me.
I glared right back.
Then my hand was lifted, pressed against Joe’s firm lips. “Sit down, Little Miss Sunshine.”
“Okay.” I sat.
More of that pesky silence.
Audrey was staring off at the wall. I hope I hadn’t done the woman any permanent damage by discussing her eldest son’s awesomeness in all the ways. Some things, however, had to be said.
I chewed on my thumbnail, a frown set in place.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Crap.
At the end of the table, Eric downed the last of his beer and stood. “Anyone else need another drink?”
“Please,” “yes,” “hell yes,” and last but not least, a grunt of assent from Stan.
It took a while for conversation to get up and going again after my announcement, even with the added social lubrication of more booze. Joe’s mom had a strange quirk to her lips. I wouldn’t call it a smile exactly. Maybe it was gas. And every now and then Stan would look at me, then frown. Eric and I went back to ignoring each other, which was probably for the best. His I-am-God attitude annoyed the shit out of me. Obviously.