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He found himself wondering if Maria would want kids, hoping she would. Where she might want to live... did she see herself in this apartment building forever? And what about her job? She worked late evenings sometimes and—okay, get yourself together jackass. This is exactly what your friends mean about getting ahead of yourself.
Fortunately no one had noticed his distraction. Jared and Liam were still talking about the topics people who were getting married should work out before the wedding and swapping stories about people they’d known who hadn’t. Andrew was just as lost in his own little world as Rick was. While he was putting a smile on his face, and nodding his head, Rick could see Andrew’s dark eyes weren’t entirely focused. He also wasn’t contributing much to the conversation, he was mostly drinking.
Rick suddenly wondered if it was hard for Andrew, seeing his friends suddenly shacking up in serious relationships when for so long all of them had been single or just casually dating. They were falling like flies, one after the other. Hell, Justin and Chris had started it by going down together. Well technically he supposed Jared and Marissa had been the first to be in a serious relationship, but no one in their group of friends counted them as a serious couple. Mostly because they didn’t want to. But out of all of them, Andrew was the least interested in having a relationship. Was he worried he might lose his friends as he lost things in common with them?
Rick didn’t have time to try and bring Andrew back into the conversation, because his doorbell rang. The sound made his heart leap in his chest with excitement as a single thought rolled through his mind: Maria.
Sure enough, his gorgeous girl was outside his door, looking tired, but her brilliant smile as she saw him lit up her entire face. A guy could get used to putting that expression on his girl’s face. He grinned back at her, feeling warm and happy all the way down to his toes.
“Maria.”
“Hey Maria.”
The guys all called out their greetings, and Maria blinked in surprise as she turned to look at them. Rick realized he’d forgotten to text her to give her a heads up that some of the guys were over.
“Come on in, we’re just having an impromptu celebration for Liam,” he said, explaining. “He made a very important announcement this evening.”
Liam puffed up in his chair, beaming at Maria. He was definitely a little drunk. “I’m gonna ask Hilary to marry me this weekend.”
Immediately Maria’s face lit up and she clapped her hands in excitement, bouncing slightly. “Oh my God, Liam, that’s amazing!” she squealed, dropping her purse as she darted across the room to hug him. Rick had to squash down the instant surge of jealousy as Maria practically sat on Liam’s lap in order to wrap her arms around him. “I’m so happy for you.”
Hugs were good, but enough was enough. Rick had moved close enough to see Liam was getting a fantastic view of Maria’s cleavage. Those were his boobs to ogle. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her up and dragged her the few steps back so he could sit back in his previous seat, taking her with him.
She went with him easily enough, relinquishing her hold on Liam. Practically bouncing on Rick’s lap, her eyes sparkled with glee, but she gave Rick an almost apologetic look. “Are you sure you want me here? You guys can have boy time, it’s not like I have far to go to get home.”
“No need,” Rick said, tightening his arm around her. “We’ve had boy time all night.”
“Ooookay,” she said, drawing out the word as she laughed at him, settling back into his arms. “Just didn’t want to interrupt the sausage fest.” She snuggled close. Out of the corner of his eye, Rick could see Andrew watching her behavior, almost warily but also approvingly. Probably both because of her offer, and the way she’d immediately given into Rick’s wishes once they were known.
“Olivia was busy tonight,” Jared said, grinning at her. “Angel’s all tied up, and Justin and Chris haven’t told Jessica yet because they aren’t sure she’d be able to keep her excitement from Hilary.”
Maria snickered when Jared said Angel was all tied up, not even the hint of a blush rising in her cheeks. No surprise or worry either. His little tease had already come a long way from not knowing anything about BDSM to accepting the aspects of his friends’ lives that were part of the scene. Rick stroked her back, sliding his fingers under the hem of her shirt and enjoying the way she stiffened and squirmed a bit against him. Just small movements, obviously not wanting to draw attention as the conversation shifted to when Justin and Chris might be making Jessica a similar proposal, but enough for him to know she was getting turned on.
So was Rick for that matter. But he controlled himself, enjoying the small touches, the teasing touches, until later when he could get her alone.
Sunlight woke Maria and she was surprised to see Rick was still in bed. Then again, he’d ended up having a fair amount to drink the night before. Andrew hadn’t been sober enough to drive when Jared and Liam left, so the three of them had stayed up talking for a long time before Andrew had eventually passed out on the couch. Had Rick been drunk when they fell asleep? Maybe. He hadn’t had much after she’d gotten there but she knew he’d had a few before that.
Deciding that, hungover or not, he would at least appreciate having someone else make him breakfast, she started to slip from his bed.
Instead, a firm hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. Maria stifled a surprised shriek as she fell into his hard body, looking up into amused blue eyes.
“And where do you think you’re going?” he asked, maneuvering her so she was pressed up against him again. She’d realized there were certain positions he liked her to be in, and most of them involved her being somehow draped across him.
“I was gonna go make coffee and get some breakfast together,” she said, planting a kiss on his lips. “I wanted to take care of you the way you took care of me on Saturday.” She wriggled, trying to pull away, but his arms tightened around her, unyielding and unwilling to let her go.
“Mmm, I have a way you can take care of me.” His blue eyes sparkled wickedly as he took her hand and laid it on his very hard cock.
Maria gasped and tried to yank her hand away, but his grip was too strong. Last night he’d insisted she sleep over, and they’d made out before going to sleep, but it hadn’t gone any further than that. She’d assumed because Andrew was in the next room and Rick hadn’t wanted his friend overhearing. Although, maybe she’d assumed that because she hadn’t wanted Andrew overhearing.
“Andrew might still be here,” she hissed at him, tugging on his hand. Rick chuffed a laugh.
“So what? I can guarantee you, he’s heard and seen worse at the club.”
The reminder that Rick had been sexually active with other women at Stronghold was definitely not helping his case. Maria stiffened, pushing away the sudden hurt she felt. Immediately, Rick let go of her hand, sensing her change in mood, and cupped her cheek with his hand, forcing her to look at him. “That’s not a good look. What just went through your head?”
“Reminding me that Andrew’s probably seen you with other women at the club is not the way to convince me to ignore the fact that he’s in the next room right now,” she said tartly but matter-of-factly, doing her best to keep any jealousy out of her voice.
Rick’s eyes narrowed.
