12.

I'm not saying you're dumb, but conversations with you do not inspire intellectual discussion.

Text from Amethyst to Phoenix

A METHYST

"Well, look who finally decided to come see me," Lazlo drawled as he leaned his arms on the counter and looked Tama'i up and down. "And you even brought a friend."

"I haven't come to try out your new venture yet because anytime you're near me and I have a bat in my hand, intrusive thoughts start to creep in," I said as I stepped in front of Tama'i and glared at my brother. "Be nice, Lazarus."

"Oh, no!" Lazlo said as he put his hands up in the air. "How scary! She's using my whole name! Whatever shall I do?"

"If you're not careful, the next search and retrieval expedition you're involved in will be to get my boot out of your patootie!"

Lazlo looked at Tama'i and asked, "How can I take her seriously when she can't even say ‘ass'?"

Tama'i stuck his hand out as he said, "Tiny Fuamatu."

My brother shook Tama'i's hand and introduced himself. When Lazlo winced, I looked up at Tama'i and saw him raise his eyebrows in question. When Lazlo finally let go of his hand, I saw him flex his fingers a few times and realized he'd tried the ‘strong grip' intimidation handshake, but it had backfired spectacularly.

I was grinning when I asked, "I assume we have an appointment?"

Lazlo nodded as he said, "Pearl made the arrangements earlier, but then I guess she talked to you a little later and called to make some changes."

"Changes?" Tama'i asked.

"We've got different set-ups, and Pearl said that Amy probably needed the extreme room after the week she'd had."

"It must have been really bad," Tama'i said as he studied my face.

I felt myself starting to shut down as I thought about today's events, but my brother got Tama'i's attention when he said, "Do you think that fucker is going to give you any more grief?"

"What fucker?"

I sighed and answered, "One of my patient's parents disagreed with something I did Friday and came to the office to express his displeasure."

Lazlo scoffed. "His displeasure, Amy? Seriously?"

"Did he put his hands on you?" Tama'i asked in a deadly calm voice.

"Uncle Terran intercepted him and then got the cops involved, but she needs to be careful because they won't keep him locked up forever," Lazlo explained.

Without thinking, I blurted, "He was angry because they took his son, Lazlo. Of course he shouldn't have . . ."

"I don't give a fuck what happened. No man is allowed to threaten you other than me and the boys."

"The boys?" Tama'i asked, his expression so angry that it took everything I had not to take a step back.

Somehow, I knew he would never hurt me, so I stayed in place as I said, "Lazlo and my brothers have been forcing me to whoop them on the regular since they were small children. Just because they're adults doesn't mean I have to stop."

"Oh, really?"

"I love hard, but I hit harder," I boasted.

Tama'i burst out laughing as Lazlo grumbled, "Damn right, she does."

"Speaking of, show me where we go to hit things before I start with you."

"You do realize that you're a doctor now, and you're supposed to be a rational adult who is an upstanding citizen and all that shit, right?" Lazlo asked as he pulled a key off the rack behind him. He turned around and glared at me before he said, "You'll get to pick your weapon, but you better not come after me with it."

"We'll see. And just so you know, Tama'i, I'm a perfectly rational adult and very professional doctor who loves my patients and wants what's best for them. That doesn't mean I can't also be a big sister whose little brothers occasionally need a physical reminder of who is in charge."

"When was the last time you gave one of them that reminder?" Tama'i asked.

"She dislocated my finger at Thanksgiving last year."

"And then I put it back where it was supposed to be," I reminded him. I looked at Tama'i and said, "Can you believe he's still whining about that?"

"And why did you dislocate his finger?"

"He stuck it in the middle of the pumpkin pie so I wouldn't want a slice."

"Your family has a thing about food, don't they?" Tama'i asked.

"We're very territorial about it," I confirmed.

"I watched you eat off of everyone's plate but your own at dinner the other night!"

"It's irritating, isn't it?" Lazlo asked. "Word of advice: When you're eating in the presence of my sisters, hunch over your plate and be prepared to stab whoever comes after your food."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tama'i agreed.

"We're in the middle of a date, Lazlo." I snapped my fingers a few times because I knew how irritated that made him and then motioned toward the key in his hand. "Get to work."

"One of these days, you're gonna do that and I'm going to dislocate your finger," Lazlo threatened. When Tama'i growled low in his throat, Lazlo said, "Dude, I think it's great that you're protective and all because I am, too, but you can't really think you'll be able to stop a war that's been going on our entire lives."

"He'll learn to sit back and enjoy watching me whoop on you just like Dad does," I assured my brother.

"You're going to keep me around that long?"

"We'll see," I said with a grin.

"If you're smart, you'll drop her at her house this evening, make sure she gets inside safely, and then run for the hills."

"Not gonna happen," Tama'i said as he smiled at me, instead of looking at my brother.

"You're gonna regret that," Lazlo promised.

"I guess we'll see."

Tama'i and I followed Lazlo down a long hallway past several closed doors until we finally came to one that he used the key to unlock. As he waved us past him into the room, he said, "For safety, you've got to put on the Tyvek suit including the booties. Make sure the hood covers your hair and put the goggles on so that the strap secures it over your head." Lazlo picked up one of the suits and held it up in front of him before he winced and said, "Pearl said you'd need the biggest size we have, but I'm still not sure it's going to fit." He looked down at Tama'i's boots and said, "I can guarantee the booties won't."

"I'll wear the suit, and my feet will be fine without any covering."

"They're leather, so you're probably right," Lazlo agreed as he handed Tama'i the suit in his hand. He picked the other one up and held it out towards me, but when I tried to take it, he held on and said, "Take as long as you need in here, Amy, and if this isn't enough, let me know and I'll put you in another room."

"Thanks, Lazzy," I said with a smile as he finally released the suit.

"Love you. Call me if you need anything, alright?"

"Just open the door and . . ."

"I mean anytime."

"Of course," I assured him. When he nodded, I smiled and said, "Love you, little brother."

Lazlo rolled his eyes as he walked back out. "Whatever."

As soon as he shut the door, Tama'i said, "Your family dynamic is hard to understand."

"Not really. It's like I said earlier - we love hard, but we hit harder."

"Then I guess I brought you to the right place."

◆◆◆

"That was better than therapy," I said as I walked out ahead of Tama'i. I flexed my bicep and said, "And now I won't need to lift weights next week because that definitely worked my shoulders and my arms.

"I don't know who came up with the concept of having people pay to break worthless shit, but I have to say, it's genius."

"When you hit that television, it exploded! " I cheered.

"I have a feeling I'm going to keep your brother in business . . . at least until I tell my club brothers about this place. They'll come in like a plague of locusts and take out his entire stock."

"That won't ever happen. He's got every person in our family stopping at garage sales and thrift stores, haggling to buy any breakables they can find."

Tama'i threw his leg over his bike and sat down before he held his hand out to help steady me as I got on behind him. "Do you feel better now?"

"I do."

"I understand you had a bad day, and I want you to know there's no pressure about what we discussed earlier," Tama'i assured me.

"First of all, I don't cave to pressure. It's not in my nature. Secondly, I'm relaxed and energized after the best date in history. If you are even half as skilled with those long fingers as I hope you are, I'll sleep better after an orgasm."

"Just one?"

"Are you passing out multiples?" I asked saucily. When Tama'i grinned, I shivered and took his hand.

"You only mentioned my fingers, sweetheart. You didn't even consider what my tongue can do." Tama'i laughed when I gasped and then said, "I'm not tooting my horn or anything but . . ."

"Take me home, and I'll do that for you," I blurted.

Tama'i burst out laughing and then revved the engine before he leaned to the side and looked back at me. "I want you to know that I'm not saying this because I hope I'm about to get laid, but you're a pretty awesome woman, Amethyst Hamilton."

"Thank you for the compliment, Tama'i. However, I think you should know that hope is a wonderful thing, but certainty is even better."

The ride across town only took a few minutes, but by the time we pulled up in front of my house, I knew that my hands and mouth had pushed Tama'i to the edge. I used the fact that I was up against him with my arms around his body to my advantage and ran my hands over his chest and abdomen while occasionally reaching further down and cupping his thick erection through his jeans. Of course, while I was exploring him with my hands, I kept my lips and teeth busy against the back of his neck and felt him shiver when I hit a sensitive spot.

I'd known since the evening he shared dinner with my family that I'd end up inviting Tama'i to spend the night sooner or later. The day we got together for lunch clinched it. Since then, we'd been texting back and forth almost constantly, talking on the phone every night before bed and even a few times during the day when we happened to be free at the same time.

I wasn't usually one to invite a man back to my house after spending just one evening together, but I was the type to always follow my instincts. Right now, they were screaming that the decision I had made was right. However, there was still a part of my brain that kept nagging me. "What happens after one night? Is that all you're worth? Is that all he's worth?"

The second he turned the bike off, Tama'i pushed down the kickstand and stood up. I barely had a chance to let go of his waist before he lifted his leg over the bike to stand next to the curb. Before I knew what was happening, I was in the air and Tama'is mouth was on mine. He turned us away from the curb and started walking purposefully toward the front door. He was a man on a mission, and I was all in.

I pulled away so I could turn my upper body toward the keypad but punched the wrong buttons when Tama'i started jostling me. By the time I'd punched the code in wrong three times, he stopped so I was able to get us inside on the fourth try. The door swung open, and he walked through it and kicked it closed behind him before he looked around and found the stairs. Without a word, he took them two at a time, and when we got to the top, he wasn't even winded. I wanted to hate him a little bit, but I was too busy trying to untuck his shirt so I could rip it off the second he found my bedroom.

"End of the hall," I murmured with my lips against his neck.

For once in my life, my fear of the dark came in handy. The night lights I had strategically placed all over the house lit the way for Tama'i to easily find his way down the hall, and within just a few seconds, we were in my room.

As Tama'i bent forward to lay me down on the bed, I held on to his neck and kept him with me. I finally did what I'd imagined so often and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling out the band he used to hold it back and letting it fall like a curtain on either side of my face. Suddenly, Tama'i stood up, and I had to force myself to let my hands drop.

I finally got what I'd been waiting so impatiently for and watched as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside. The muscles of his chest rippled, and I watched the play of the dim lighting highlight the dark tattoos on his chest and abdomen.

Without thinking, I said, "Damn, you're pretty."

Tama'i laughed as he picked up my left leg. As he unzipped my boot, he said, "Isn't that supposed to be my line?"

"You're welcome to tell me that, but I just thought you should know it applies to you too."

Tama'i tossed my boot aside and started on the other one as he said, "You're not pretty."

"Oh. Well . . ."

He threw my other boot aside and leaned forward. I thought he was about to come close enough for me to touch, but instead, he unbuttoned my jeans and pulled down the zipper before he grabbed my ankles and started tugging at the hem.

"Help me out here, sweetheart," Tama'i ordered. I shimmied, and my jeans slid down my legs and landed with a thump on the floor. As Tama'i reached for my panties and slowly pulled them down, he said, "You're not pretty, Amethyst. You're beautiful. Funny. Gorgeous. Smart. Stunning." As he tossed my panties aside, he dropped down between my knees and said, "And I bet you're delicious."

I barely had time to react before his hands pressed against my thighs to spread them wide and his tongue touched my clit. I clutched the sheets at my side, trying to find purchase to hold me down on the earth because with the magic he was creating between my legs I felt like I was going to float off into the ether. I felt him chuckle - the vibrations doing miraculous things as he sucked my clit into his mouth, and then realized he was laughing at me.

Without even thinking about it, the grip I had on the sheets was transferred to his hair, and I was pulling him closer than humanly possible. I wasn't sure how in the hell the man had managed to breathe so far, but since he hadn't stopped, I assumed he was managing. He was a big man and could take care of himself. Right now, I could only seem to focus on how well he was taking care of me.

Those fingers I'd admired more than a few times moved up my thighs and explored my entrance before he slowly pushed two inside. I felt his other hand slowly move around my leg to rest on my abdomen right above my pubic bone and then suddenly push down with firm pressure. I wondered what he was doing for a second, but then his fingers spun around and pressed upward as if he was trying to feel the movement with his hand on my stomach. He pushed down a little more firmly at the same time he made a come hither motion with his fingers right before I saw fireworks.

When I heard a woman screaming his name, it took me a second to realize that the hoarse shout was coming from me. I was the one screaming as my body writhed beneath him with the most intense orgasm I'd ever experienced. Just when I thought I was about to come down and be able to catch my breath, he moved his fingers a fraction and it started all over again.

I was a breathless, panting mess when he pulled his mouth away from my clit, and I whimpered as his fingers slowly slid out of my pussy and tugged my hands from his hair. I couldn't focus, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but stare as he rose up like a bronzed god and locked eyes with me as he unbuttoned his pants and let them slide down over his thighs. He pushed his boxer briefs down and his cock sprang free, bobbing as he stepped out of the pile of clothing at his feet.

I had a moment of panic when I thought of how big he was in comparison to what had entered my body before, either with previous sexual partners or the toys that I had collected over the years. The scientist and medical professional in me knew that it would fit, but the woman who would be sore tomorrow cowered at the thought of the damage a cock like his could do.

I was still pondering that thought as he finished rolling a condom on and then laid down on the bed beside me and slid his arm under my back. With an ease I could barely comprehend, he lifted me up and rolled me toward him at the same time until I was laying over his body, sprawled out like a starfish, still unable to move my limbs.

My legs naturally fell to the side until I was straddling his hips. I felt his hand move over my thigh right before his cock bobbed beneath me and slid up and down against my sex. He swirled it around my clit a few times before he slowly pushed inside me, and without conscious thought, I pushed my hands against the bed to lift my upper body so I could slowly slide down his length.

Just like I knew it would, my body stretched around him, but I held myself still for a few seconds while I looked down into his handsome face.

Without thinking, I said, "You know that shouldn't fit, but it does anyway, but now I'm not sure if I should start moving or run away."

Tama'i burst out laughing while he used a hand to push against my shoulder, forcing me to sit up straighter and naturally helping me to take him even deeper. Once I was fully settled on top of him, I rested my hands on his chest.

His skin was so soft that I couldn't help but run my hands over it and only stopped when he tugged my shirt up. Once I'd thrown it aside, I leaned forward to brace myself, and the second I lifted up, he moved his hips and followed me. Before I could lower myself any further, he started moving, his grip on my hips holding me still as he flexed beneath me.

The rhythm he set worked perfectly with the way I moved my hips, and within just a few minutes, I could feel myself on the brink of another orgasm. The second I let go, so did Tama'i, and he flipped us over so that he was above me, his strong hips powering into me so deep that I knew I'd never feel this way with any man but him. As I mindlessly moved beneath him, caught in the throes of the way he was making me feel, he let out a string of words I didn't understand. The second I felt myself relax after my orgasm, he moaned loudly and collapsed on top of me, holding himself up by his forearms so that he didn't crush me with his weight.

As his lips met mine in a languid kiss, I felt his cock twitching deep inside me, and I knew that he was feeling the same bliss I'd felt multiple times already. As he slowly moved back and forth, his cock started to soften, but when I felt him start to pull out, I wrapped my arms around his neck and murmured against his lips, "Not yet. Stay with me."

Tama'i pushed all the way in again and held himself above me, his nibbling kisses against my neck the perfect end to the wave of bliss I'd felt.

"I've gotta clean up, sweetheart."

"I know, but I like this part."

"Give me two minutes."

Grudgingly, I let him go. When he stood up beside the bed, I turned onto my side and curled up into my favorite position. I was more relaxed than I'd been in months. My entire body felt like it was humming with the afterglow of the attention Tama'i had paid it. It didn't take long for him to finish in the bathroom, and when I heard him washing his hands at the sink, I opened my eyes, hoping to get a show as he walked back to bed.

I was not disappointed.