On His Turf (17 page)

“Hats, boys,” Brenda says authoritatively and the twins scramble to remove their caps. We dig into the food as the conversation flows easily and it’s obvious that the bond this family shares is so beyond anything in my realm of experience. There are no cell phones or TV dinners on the sofa or tense interruptions - just playful banter from two parents who are clearly still head-over-heels in love with each other. From the way Mike reaches over to brush the back of Brenda’s hand every few minutes it is plain to see and watching them together, engaged in the silent conversation that’s shared in their eyes, I feel the prick of tears at the back of my throat. And it’s not so much in longing for the things I didn’t have but in gratefulness for the things Shane did.

“Did you grow up in Austin, Carmelina?” Mike asks, bringing me back to the present.

“I did, over in East Riverside,” I say quietly and I notice that Colby’s eyes widen a little. It’s not the best neighborhood but it’s not the worst either, though I definitely didn’t grow up with a pool or my own beach I think to myself while struggling to suppress the flare of defensiveness I feel.

“And your parents still live in the area?” Brenda asks.

“My mother lives here but she’s been unable to work for the last ten years so she doesn’t get out much,” I say as neutrally as possible. In my mind the only disability my mother has is her personality but I don’t share that.

“And your father?” Brenda presses, passing the plate of chicken in my direction. I take another drumstick and place it on my plate. Usually one would be more than enough for me but her food is so good that I can’t seem to stop eating.

“He left when I was a baby,” I say, casting my eyes to the table. It is Caleb who eventually saves me by changing the subject.

“Have you seen my bro play yet?” he interjects and I smile at him gratefully.

“That’s actually where we met,” Shane explains. “She came along on an interview for the paper. She’s not a soccer fan though.”

“No?” Mike says curiously.

“I don’t necessarily dislike it,” I hedge and Colby laughs.

“Well I guess we know she’s not after your money,” he jokes and all of the color drains from my face as the table goes quiet. The last thing I want these good people thinking is that I’m with Shane opportunistically. If they only knew what our actual shag-and-see-how-it-goes arrangement was we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

Colby looks around the table then glances back at me. “What? I was only kidding,” he says, seeming to catch up with the mood in the room before he addresses me. “Aww…no I didn’t mean it like that. There are just always so many airheads hanging off him…”

“Colby!” Shane barks. “Shut up, now.”

Colby immediately shuts up and I give Shane a shaky smile trying to communicate to him not to worry about it. I pick up my fork feeling guilty that I’ve basically ruined every possible ‘safe’ dinner conversation from my family, to my job, to my upbringing. We eat the rest of the meal in a strained silence and when Brenda starts to collect plates I jump up to help her.

“Sit down, dear, you’re our guest,” she says gently but I shake my head.

“I want to help.”

“Thank you, Carmelina. If you don’t mind bringing in the pie that would be wonderful,” she relents.

Mike hops to his feet and switches on the stereo. “When did it get so heavy in here? I think we need to lighten this mood. Blues time.” He says and all of the boys groan. Ray Charles’ ‘I Got a Woman’ starts playing and he grabs his wife around the waist and spins her around. I watch them for a minute before disappearing into the kitchen to retrieve the still-warm pie from the counter. I carry it to the table and the twins dig in immediately as Shane passes over dessert plates from the china cabinet.

I take a step back from the table and slip out into the living room. The sliding glass doors are open to let in the evening breeze and the sun has set over the lake, leaving a rich cobalt blue in its wake. I step out on to the covered patio and wrap my arms around myself to stave off the chill that’s in the air.

“It even smells like happiness here,” I say out loud and a voice behind me startles me.

“We are very blessed.” Shane’s father is leaning against the door frame watching me. “I apologize for Colby putting his foot in his mouth. It would seem that all of the Mitchell men get twisted up in the presence of a beautiful lady.”

“You’re too generous,” I say hoarsely and he chuckles.

“If you truly believe that they it’s no wonder he’s half gone already.”

“Half gone?” I say, confused but he changes the subject.

“Do you like it here?”

“It’s perfect,” I exhale. “This is what I always dreamed of. Backyard barbecues, sunsets, freshly mowed lawns and the sound of crickets.” As I start listing everything off my voice catches.

“It’s never perfect darlin’, best remember that. Shane’s been through a lot, frankly we all have, but somehow God willing we survived it together,” his voice wavers on the last part and I know that it must have something to do with the closed door upstairs and the pictures of the unknown boy on the wall but I have no right to press and I’ll let Shane tell me on his own terms. God knows that I’m hardly an open book.

“There you are!” Shane’s voice interrupts as he joins us on the deck. “Come on, I want to show you the barn,” he says, linking his fingers through mine.

“But what about helping your mom clean up?” I protest and Mike speaks up.

“Go on, she won’t let you help anyhow, darlin’.”

“Dad’s already broken out the oldies and it’s going to get mushier from here on out so the sooner we leave, the better,” Shane snorts.

“Afraid that she’ll get a taste of how a real man dances, son?” Mike teases and Shane shakes his head.

“Keep telling yourself that, old man.”

I wave goodbye to Mike over my shoulder as Shane leads me passed the pool and through the garden. We loop around the side of the house and make our way through a small field filled with wildflowers. We reach the barn just as the sun disappears beneath the horizon and he wraps a strong arm around my shoulders as he leads me inside. Once we are in he pulls on a long string and a single light bulb switches on, filling the barn with a warm glow. I follow along as he introduces me to his three horses, finally leading me into the mare’s stall so he can show me how to brush her. She’s beautiful with her light brown coat, blond mane and the white stripe that runs all the way down her nose.

“This is Lucy. We’ve had her since she was a foal. She’s the gentlest horse I’ve ever ridden.”

“You ride?” I say skeptically.

“I used to all the time. Being out here with my brothers, target shooting, swimming, riding, it was the best way to grow up,” he says and there’s wistfulness in his voice that I haven’t heard before.

“So you’re a horse-riding, shotgun-toting, soccer playing cowboy with a tattoo? You must be having one hell of an identity crisis, Shane Mitchell,” I laugh, rubbing my hands along the mare’s coarse coat.

“Guilty,” he says, holding up his hands. “I also do jujitsu and I can play the piano.”

“You are quite the accomplished ‘golden boy’, aren’t you?” I tease and he breaks out in laughter.

I pat the mare’s neck gently then step away and Shane hangs up the brush before leading me out of the stall. I turn to ask him what we are going to do next but without warning he backs me against the wall.

“I’ve been itching to taste these lips all evening.” He nibbles on my bottom lip before pulling into between his teeth and biting down. “I need you so badly right now,” he groans, hiking my pencil skirt up my legs.

“Is that what you say to all the girls you bring to the barn?” I gasp out as his fingers skim up the inside of my thigh.

“I don’t bring girls home. Ever,” he snarls as he thrusts his hips against me to show me just how ready he is. I give in to his bruising mouth as his arms come around me. He carries me over to a ladder and tells me to climb up, slapping my ass as I go. Upstairs there’s a small loft with a scattering of hay on the ground and a few blankets piled to the side. He spreads out one of the blankets and lays me down it before settling himself on top of me. His hands go to my blouse and he hurriedly undoes the buttons while tugging the bottom of it out of my skirt. He spreads the shirt wide, revealing my pink push up bra beneath.

“Damn, Carmelina. Every time I undress you it’s like unwrapping a Christmas present. You are so beautiful.” He tilts my chin back with one hand while the other traces down my breast bone and along my stomach, finally dipping beneath my skirt. His other hand joins in the action and he pulls my underwear aside and slips a finger inside of me.

“So. Fucking. Wet,” he growls, pulling his hands away to fumble with his pants. I try to squirm away but he quickly covers me, pressing his hard chest against mine to hold me in place. His lips trace along my collarbone and lower until he’s sucking my nipple through my lacy bra.

“We can’t, Shane. Not at your parent’s house,” I pant while trying to wiggle out from underneath him but he braces his legs over mine.

“Technically we’re not in the house,” he states as his tongue comes up to dip into my ear. “We’re in the barn.”

Before I can argue his logic he’s letting out a long hiss as he slides his length in. He circles his hips from right to left and I whimper in response. The way he’s moving inside of me, so sweet and slow, is unlike any time before it. His eyes never leave mine as he fills me completely and within minutes I feel my climax building. From the way his breathing picks up I can tell that he’s about to head right over the edge with me. His whole body jerks in response and he moans my name before collapsing in my arms. Once the spasms stop he lays still but doesn’t pull out. His damp chest rises and falls with unsteady breaths and his big hands come up to brush back my hair.

“That was perfect,” he pants out.

“You’re pretty perfect yourself, golden boy. I guess it’s all that practice you must get being such a ladies man,” I giggle as I stretch my arms over my head but from the way his eyebrows slam down I know that I’ve said something wrong.

“Really? Right now you decide to have this conversation when my dick is still half hard inside of you?” He shouts, startling me. He abruptly pulls out and yanks his khaki shorts up his legs. I bite down on my lip as I stand and straighten my own clothes.

“I don’t know why you’re freaking out,” I say quietly adding, “when you’re the one that set the terms with your ‘no girlfriends’ comment.”

“Fine, maybe I deserve that. Maybe I set the terms initially with my words but you’re the one keeping them alive with your actions,” he retorts.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” I snap and he laughs harshly.

“You hide behind a stupid comment that I made during some half-assed interview and you bring it out whenever you need to so you can keep yourself at a distance. Yeah, I may have said that I don’t do girlfriends because the truth is I haven’t wanted a girlfriend in a very long time. But you haven’t exactly be sending me signals that you want us to be exclusive so who’s really the one who’s keeping her options open?” he says snidely.

“For me there is no other option,” I whisper, staring at the floor. “I thought that was obvious. But I can’t expect you to want the same thing.”

“Are you fucking serious?” he mutters, stalking over and pulling my body against his. “How can you be so blind?” He says as he tilts my chin up. “Why don’t we both try calling this exactly what it is; you and I are together and for however we are together there’s no one else. I want you in my bed, I want you at my breakfast table, I want to see your face on the sidelines cheering…I want you all the time, babe. You are mine and no one else can have you. Understand?” he asks and when I look into his serious eyes all I can do is nod. “Good.” There are no more words as he molds his lips against mine and gives me a claiming kiss that leaves me breathless.

“Thank you,” I say and when he smiles I notice that his eyes look a little less stormy.

“We should get back. I have to work tomorrow and I want to say a proper goodbye to your mom,” I say, clearing my throat.

“She loves you already,” he says proudly.

“I’m sure she loves everyone. She’s a pretty incredible woman. You’re lucky,” I say and he studies me carefully before speaking.

“Yeah, I am,” he agrees as he places one last soft kiss to my cheek.

We walk back from the barn to the house where we find Mike and Brenda in the family room watching television on the big leather sofa.

“The boys went out and said they would see you on the weekend,” Mike addresses Shane, getting up from his seat.

“You should come!” Brenda looks at me and then over to Shane who gives her a look but she continues. “We are having some friends over for a Sunday afternoon barbecue and we would love to have you.”

“Mom, I’m sure Carmelina has better…” Shane starts but I blurt out “I’d love to!” before he can even finish his sentence. “I really would,” I say again and I can feel the heat of the blush that must be staining my cheeks. My eyes find his and he gives me a gentle nod before addressing his mom.

“Count us in then.”

“Wonderful!” She says, clapping her hands together. They walk us to the door but not before loading me up with leftovers for my lunches. Brenda insisted that it was probably going to go to waste and that she couldn’t stand the thought of me eating all those “pansy woman-salads and cold sandwiches” at work which actually made me laugh out loud. It seems that every time she opens her mouth the more enamored I become.

“It was a real pleasure meeting you, dear.” Brenda embraces me and gives me a quick peck on the cheek and I almost crumble right there from the motherly gesture. Mike claps his son on the back and places a kiss atop my head. It occurs to me then that they must all be just as touchy-feely as Shane and now I know where he gets it from. They follow us out to the drive and before I climb into the passenger seat of the truck Mike leans forward and plucks a straw of hay from my hair before handing it to me.

“You’ve got some on the back of your shirt too, darlin’,” he says and his voice is laced with amusement.