To Tempt A Stallion

“Are you trying to know her?”

“Not at the moment. I’m focused on my business and that’s all.”

There was a moment of silence as she pondered his response. He broke the silence.

“Are you still dating that Michael guy?”

“His name is Maxwell.”

“Yeah. Whatever. You two still an item?”

“We were never an item. We went out a few times then it got weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Just when I was thinking about taking things to the next level he started acting strangely.”

“What do you mean?”

She snatched her eyes from his, her stare skipping around the room. “It was embarrassing, actually.”

Nathaniel shifted himself around to stare at her. “Okay, spill it. What did he do and why is this the first time I’m hearing about it?”

“I don’t tell you everything, Nate.”

“That’s your first mistake,” he said matter-of-factly. “Had you asked for help I might have been able to save your relationship.”

Rebecca laughed. “Who said I wanted to save it?”

He eyed her with a raised brow. “So what did what’s-his-name do?”

“When we talked about having sex, he asked me if I would be willing to wear a strap-on dildo and peg him.”

“I don’t even know what that means but it doesn’t even sound kosher.”

“You know what pegging is, Doctor Stallion.”

“Like hell I do! Educate me, please.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “He wanted me to wear a rubber dick to penetrate him anally. That’s pegging.”

Nathaniel blinked his eyes, his lashes batting rapidly. He suddenly burst out laughing. “Well! I can see your problem with that.”

A smirk crossed Rebecca’s face “Thank you.”

“But your first mistake was talking about having sex. If you need to make it a discussion, he’s not the guy for you. And it’s the first time, too? You’re too spontaneous for that. If he was the right guy it would have come to you naturally.”

“So, you don’t discuss sex with your partners before you have sex?”

“Of course, I do. It’s important to know what my woman likes so that I can please her.”

“But you don’t talk about it before you do it? You don’t discuss possible consequences, expectations, nothing?”

“I talk about where she wants me to put my tongue.”

“You are such a pervert!”

Nathaniel laughed as Rebecca changed the subject.

“It was really great catching up with Carl. I missed him.”

“You two live less than an hour from each other. It doesn’t make sense that your paths never cross.”

Rebecca shrugged. “Things have always been a little weird with us since he made that pass at me.”

“Was that before wife number two or after? I can’t remember.”

“After. He was engaged to wife number three when it happened.”

“In his defense he was plastered. I don’t think he’s drunk that much since.”

“That’s no defense.”

Nathaniel shrugged, his broad shoulders reaching for the ceiling. “You just need to do a better job keeping up with your friends. And that includes me.”

“I talk to you every day.”

“Yeah, but when I’m in LA, I rarely see you.”

“Do you ever stop complaining?” Rebecca’s eyes were wide, a hint of annoyance painting her expression.

Nathaniel laughed. “I wasn’t complaining. I was just pointing out a fact.”

* * *

Before either realized it, they had talked most of the night away. It was well past midnight when Rebecca twice moved to leave. Then the conversation would change again, and again, another hour passed them by. Nathaniel didn’t know who fell asleep first, only that when he woke, the sun was just beginning to rise outside his windows and Rebecca was snoring softly beside him.

He knew she wasn’t going to be happy that she’d never made it to the hotel. She complained just as much as she accused him of doing. But both only complained to each other, something about misery loving company. The thought made him smile.

He still didn’t understand why she insisted on a hotel room when he had more than enough space for her to stay. He’d been in the house for almost a year, the purchase originally intended to be a vacation home from the demands his medical practice had made on him. The 2600-square-foot home had been built in the late twenties. The stone exterior, wood paneling and rock-faced fireplaces gave the space an old-world appearance and feel. One side of the property was surrounded by majestic cypress trees. The other spotlighted the sights and sounds of the Pacific. The house was situated on less than an acre of land that showcased the spectacular ocean views he’d come to love and with the open entertainment areas, three large bedrooms and bathrooms, and the renovated chef’s kitchen, it was quickly becoming his primary residence. As far as he was concerned, there were more reasons for Bec to stay than not to stay.

He sat upright, easing himself from her. She shifted against the sofa cushions, rolling over to curl her body around one of the oversized pillows. Two deep breaths and she resumed her low snore without missing a beat. The sound both amused and soothed him. Staring down at her he resisted the urge to trail his hand over her luscious hips and backside. Eyeing the delectable curves moved the muscle between his legs to tighten and he inhaled swiftly to stall the twitch of nature that threatened to bloom into a full-fledged morning erection.

Rising from the sofa he moved swiftly toward the master bathroom and the oversized shower. He stripped out of his clothes as he entered the bedroom, leaving a trail of garments on the floor behind him. Seconds later he stood under the spray of hot water, releasing the tension that tightened his shoulders and the last remnants of grogginess wanting to pull him back to sleep. In his head he ran through his lengthy to-do list, trying to determine when or if he’d be able to squeeze in a run and time in the gym with the weight machines.

Nathaniel lost track of time. When he finally stepped out of the shower, refreshed and invigorated, it could have been a few minutes or a good hour that had passed. He only knew he needed to get down to the restaurant to meet with his new suppliers. He dressed quickly and moved back to the living space.

As he moved down the short length of hallway he called Rebecca’s name. When she didn’t answer he shook his head. He didn’t need to look to know that his best friend was gone. A note scribbled on lined paper rested where she’d laid her head. The print was neat and bold, her handwriting familiar in her favorite green ink. A few quick lines promised that she’d catch up with him sometime during the day. She too had work to do.