She giggles with her lips pressed to my back. “I mean what are you doing?”
“Making dinner.”
She rakes her nails down my chest as I slice the French loaf. “I can see that, silly. It just looks like a lot of food for the two of us.”
“I know, we’re having company.”
“Oh, who?”
“Your parents. They’re taking Rosenberg home tonight since you’ve been too busy to go with me to take him back.”
I glance over my shoulder to see the look on her face. Wide eyes and a gaping mouth … just as I suspected.
“You called them? About Rosenberg?”
“I called them to see if they wanted to have dinner with us. I just assume they’ll take Rosenberg home with them. Why wouldn’t they?”
“I … well … it’s just …”
I turn and lean against the counter with my arms crossed over my chest. “You seem to be stammering. Do you have something to tell me?”
She releases a heavy sigh. “Rosenberg is my dog. I was supposed to bring him with me when I moved to Cambridge, but I couldn’t have him at Alex’s since I wasn’t living there, so to speak, and my parents have been asking for the past two years when I’m going to take him. My dad’s threatened to drop him off at the local shelter and I don’t think he really would, but some days I’m not so sure.”
She’s not giving me a press release. When we picked Rosenberg up two weeks ago I had this feeling he wouldn’t be returning home. It may have been the two thirty-pound bags of dog food, or all three of his little beds, or the large basket filled with every toy he owns that filled my car. Regardless, there were red flags everywhere and I’m not as stupid as Vivian apparently thinks I am.
“So he’s staying here?”
She nods.
“Indefinitely?”
Another nod.
“So you live with Alex and Rosenberg lives with me?”
Shrug. Pause. And finally … another nod.
I turn back around and start chopping lettuce for the salad. “Well, then it’s a good thing that my parents are the ones coming for dinner and not yours.”
“Oliver Konrad!” Her voice shrieks behind me. “You tricked me, set me up just to watch me squirm.”
“Wow, it must feel maddening to have someone trick you into something. I can’t imagine what that must feel like.”
Vivian smacks my ass.
“Damn, woman! You’re always asking for it.” I set the knife down and lunge for her. She squeals and runs into the living room. The only thing separating us is the couch with her fluff ball on it yippity-yapping.
“It was just a joke. I was being playful.”
Her plea for leniency falls on deaf ears. “I know. I like jokes, and I like to play too.”
Vivian’s eyes dart from left to right. It’s a fun cat and mouse game. I’m toying with her because she has no idea that I could hurdle this couch and have her pinned to the floor before she could so much as blink.
“You’re burning the bread!”
I look behind me and she Carl Lewises her way around to the entry. I’m on her tail, chastising myself for being so gullible with her burning-bread decoy.
“Oli!” she screams just as the doorbell rings. Leaping toward the door, she opens it and squeezes outside hiding behind my unsuspecting parents. They look at each other then at me.
“Mouse in the house?”
“Not a mouse! Oliver’s trying to spank me.”
Oh, for the love of Pete! Why is she always sharing this information with my parents?
“Oliver.” My dad cocks his head to the side while my mom purses her lips to control her grin.
They step inside, still shielding Vivian from me. “This is odd behavior considering we never spanked you when you were a child.” My mom puts her arm around Vivian.
I squint at Vivian wearing her smirky face, all huddled into my mom. “I have to finish up with dinner. Help yourselves to some wine or beer.”
“When did you get a dog?” my dad asks.
“I didn’t. In fact, I’m not sure why he’s here. Some sort of squatter, I guess.”
“Rosenberg is my dog.” Vivian scoops him up and nuzzles her nose into his fur. “He came for a visit and when I saw how Oli took an instant liking to him, I didn’t have the heart to send him back to my parents’.”
My dad rests his hand on my shoulder while I cut the lasagna. “Funny, I didn’t realize you were a dog fan.”
I give him a sideways glance. “Funny, neither did I.”
I don’t know if my dad knows what it means to be pussy-whipped, but whether he knows it or not, it’s what his grin says.
Dinner is filled with light conversation, good food—thanks to yours truly—and sexy glances between me and Vivian. Banter is our foreplay. The sassier she gets, the more I want to thrust her on the counter, spread her wide, and indulge in her body until she’s screaming my name. At least that’s tonight’s fantasy keeping me semi-erect throughout dinner.
“Thanks for bringing the strawberry-rhubarb cobbler. It’s my favorite.” Vivian winks at my mom as she takes a bite then pulls the spoon across her lips with slow seduction. I’m fully erect now.
“When do classes start?” My dad changes the subject, probably because her sensuality with the spoon doesn’t go unnoticed by him either. After all, he’s still a guy.
“Ten days and I’m so excited!”
“She already has her bag packed.” I squeeze her leg under the table.
“What can I say? I’ve always loved school. I was the girl who got the perfect attendance award at the end of the year. I was student body president, on student council, the yearbook team, and all the fundraisers I helped organize raised the most money.”
“I’m in love with a financial geek.”
Vivian elbows me and my parents laugh. “I’m not a geek…” she shrugs and takes another bite of her cobbler “…okay, I might be a little geeky.”
“Well, we look forward to watching you blossom.” My mom reaches across the table and squeezes Vivian’s hand.
I can speak from experience. Watching my girl known as, Flower, bloom in my presence has been life changing.
Vivian
Four days. I’m giddy with excitement. Alex and Sean think I’m crazy, but they’ve been enjoying the college life for two years. They’re the Disney World employees just showing up for another day’s work. I’m the five-year-old waiting in line for the gates to open to the Magic Kingdom.
“How are the bachelorette party plans coming along?” Sean asks while lying on the floor with Rosenberg snuggled onto his chest.
“Why? Are you jealous that Alex is going to have a kick-ass party while Kai, at best, pays for a skanky stripper old enough to be your mom to jiggle her wrinkled cleavage in your face while porn plays in the background, and he serves you and your friends warm beer from a keg?”
I’d like to say that Kai and I are being amicable about being the best man and maid of honor, but we’re not. It’s turning into the War of the Roses – Wedding Edition and the wedding is still five months away.
“For your information we’re going to Atlantic City.”
“Yep … that has class written all over it.”
“Do I need to separate you two?” Alex calls from the kitchen. She’s agreed to bake her cookies and banana bread at Oliver’s so he and I can savor the smell for the evening. Admittedly, it’s an odd request, but Alex is used to my quirky ideas.
“When is Oliver going to be here?”
“Soon, so finish up and get out.”
“I love you too, Flower.”
Okay, it’s not just the bakery-fresh aroma. I want to make Oliver think I’ve been the one baking up a storm.
“How much of this am I leaving behind?”