Own the Wind (Chaos, #1)(51)

“I like that, babe, and I get it, my mouth between your legs in the morning after you’ve had a full eight hours without me takin’ you there, but right after I give it to you, you get there again before me? What the f*ck?”

He was still grinning, which meant I knew he was teasing.

He was also teasing because he was pleased with himself and didn’t mind me knowing it, and this didn’t please me.

“You were f*cking me hard,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, so?” He kept grinning at me.

“On the kitchen counter,” I carried on.

“And?”

“It was hot,” I snapped and watched his grin spread into a smile.

“Uh, I got that, Tab. You came, your * clenched around me so hard, I had no choice but to do the same. That sweet cunt of yours milked it right out of me.”

That pissed me off and turned me on, both in equal measure. I gave into the pissed-off part and I kept glaring before I tipped my head to the side and asked fake-sweetly, “Is this a problem?”

Still smiling, he opened his mouth to speak then his smile died completely, his head jerked up, eyes to the door, and before I knew what was going on, he pulled out, yanked me off the counter, set me on my feet, shoved me behind him, and his hands went to his jeans, the only thing he’d luckily pulled on earlier to shuffle around in the kitchen with me.

This was lucky because usually he only wore his boxer briefs and sometimes he wore nothing.

And Shy being in his jeans was lucky because at that very moment a key could be heard in the lock.

This could only be one of five people: Dad. Tyra. Rush. Big Petey. Or Natalie.

And none of those choices were good, because none of them knew about Shy and me.

Shy and I had talked about it, and we’d decided that the best course of action was for us to get used to being an us before we sprung it on anybody.

This was easy considering the guys were used to Shy spending time with me, and he’d begun to hang at his apartment in the final throes of his relationship with Rosalie, so they were also used to him not being at the Compound.

Somehow, they missed the fact that we’d had a month apart but I suspected this was because the brothers didn’t really stick their noses into each other’s business unless it was invited.

Shy did share around the Club he’d broken it off with Rosalie, but that was as much as either of us shared.

Of course, we had to modify our behavior when we were at the Compound together. Though sometimes, I had to admit, we exchanged looks, he would touch my behind, I’d run the tips of my fingers along the back of his hand, but still, we kept up the charade.

As for my part, when I shared with Dad and Tyra that I wasn’t going to Cape Cod, they took it in stride, though they both looked happy that they weren’t losing me. I suspected they took it in stride because they suspected I was still trying to sort myself out in some ways after losing Jason, so, naturally, I would make decisions then go back on them willy-nilly. I didn’t want them to think this, seeing as it wasn’t true, but I had to go with it until it was time to tell them what was true.

With all that, it must be said, it didn’t take a lot of effort to get used to being part of an us with Shy. We slid into it naturally, likely because we were used to each other, we’d grown tight, the only changes were lots of sex, sleeping in the same bed and more cuddling and all of those were adjustments that came easy.

So, truth be told, at least on my part and Shy gave no indication he didn’t agree, I was used to us being an us about two days after that happened.

But we still kept it under wraps and didn’t even discuss the next step.

For me, this was because I was holding on to my happy. I woke up happy, I happily passed out on Shy after a variety of orgasms and all I had was happy in between. I’d even interviewed for my old job two days ago, got the call three hours after the interview that I was back so there was just all around happy.

Therefore, possibly injecting antagonism and aggravation into my life didn’t fill me with glee, so I was avoiding it.

I didn’t feel guilt about this, because I knew when I explained it to Tyra, she would get me. This was because she always got me. And if Tyra got me, she could explain it to Dad as well as Rush in a way they would get me. Also, Big Petey adored me, so even if he was angry at first, he’d come around.

Therefore, when the door opened and it was Natalie, that meant the worst possible scenario was about to play out.

I knew this instantly when she entered, her head swung to the kitchen, her eyes got huge, her mouth fell open, red suffused her face, and she yelled, “I saw his bike outside so I f*ckin’ knew it!”

Not good.

“Nat—” I started but got no further because she slammed the door and stomped in.

“Same as with Jason, one minute I got my girl, the next minute she’s unavailable, but this time it’s worse. You’re hooked up with the dawg to beat all dawgs and hiding it from me!” she shrieked the last. “Tabby! What did I tell you about him? How could you be so stupid?”

That thunderclap coming from Shy I’d felt during our conversation nearly two months before slapped the room, but Natalie apparently didn’t feel it.

As for me, Shy took his STD test the day after his brother got home. He paid extra for a rush, it came in clean, so at that present moment, regardless of the uncomfortable situation confronting me, Natalie saying words I didn’t like all that much that needed to be addressed, the heavy air and the fury emanating from my man, I had on a nightie, no panties, and Shy sliding out of me.