16. Camila

16

Camila

I mages of Halloween had been playing on repeat in my head. The touches, groans and the sound of us finding our release had made me looking for a release more often. When we woke up the morning after, I expected… honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.

Luke and I stayed in bed longer than usual without speaking like we were afraid of what the other person would say. We were content ignoring the elephant in the room, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

Turns out, we were both fine with what had happened. Our nights with Genevieve had progressively gotten more hands on, and I don’t think there was a time last night where it didn’t feel like it was odd or wrong. Sex with Genevieve opened my eyes that sometimes sex is so much more than what we had been doing, and that was ok.

It was freeing to be able to do something that I knew I wasn’t going to be ridiculed for or embarrassed by. Some people's sex lives looked different than ours and that was ok. It had been ingrained in me that things had to be a certain way, men and women had to stay within social norms or what society expected of them and some things didn’t need to be changed. Luke and I had changed a lot during these past few years, it was nice to know we could grow and be something different than what was expected of us. We were breaking the cycle, and I loved it.

It had only been a few days, but I was ready to see her again, we both were, but in true Genevieve fashion, she was quiet. I had hoped our night together would soften her a little more. Our talk at the stadium had been amazing, it gave me a different side of her, and I liked it a lot.

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was already mid-afternoon. I told myself I would work for another hour and then go home. The wedding dress I had made was a hit and now the mother of the bride wanted a custom dress too. Since I was such a people pleaser, I couldn’t say no and that's why I was working on a Sunday. I had a fitting with the bride next week and figured it would be easier to have both of them come in together.

The fabric we chose was a pain in the ass to sew, but she wanted it, and again I couldn’t say no. I really needed to get my shit together and stop saying yes to everything, but the rush fee I slapped on made me feel a little better. Pinning the last two fabrics together, I picked up all my pieces and headed to my sewing machine.

This was the best part of my job, sewing all the pieces together and attaching them like puzzle pieces. With Halsey playing in the background, I got lost in what I was doing. The playlist I had on was made to get my ass working. I sang and occasionally danced as I worked on the dress until my pedal stopped working.

I sighed, trying to step down again, but the needle wasn’t moving. Pushing my chair back, I ducked under the table to see if maybe the cord was loose.

“Camila?” I sat up quickly, narrowly missing my head on the table to see Luke at the door of my workshop.

“Hermosa, are you ok?” He walked over to me.

“Yeah, I think my pedal gave out,” I said, as he helped me up.

“Already? Didn’t you just get that fixed?” He squatted down to look at the connection and the pedal.

Since he had grown up on a farm, he was always great at tinkering with things.

“It hasn’t even been two months,” I sighed, wondering if I needed to buy another sewing machine since this one had been with me for a few years.

“Can you please get me the toolbox?” he asked, sitting down and inspecting the pedal.

“Cari?o, just leave it,” I said, pushing my hair out of my face.

“It might be an easy fix, and don’t you have to finish this dress until next Wednesday,” he said inspecting.

My heart warmed that he listened to me half the time, since I was known to ramble about work.

“Yeah, but…”

“I found it,” he said, looking back at me.

God, I love this man.

“It's a loose wire, I just need a screwdriver and to turn off the machine,” he said, reaching for the plug, smirking at me. “Hurry up and we can stop and get sushi before the rush at T-Sushi.”

“Deal!” I said, walking quickly to my toolbox.

Luke had it working within fifteen minutes, and we were walking through the front door at T-Sushi thirty minutes later. I had gotten so lost in working that it was already six-thirty when we put our name on the list. This was one of the best places to get sushi in Denver, and it was a hidden gem that was slowly starting to get known.

We stood off to the side, people watching as I was pressed up against Luke when a familiar figure walked in on the phone. She walked past us on her way to the hostess.

“I’m already here,” she snapped and a bit of jealousy churned my stomach.

Luke tensed by me as we listened to her get mad at whoever was on the phone.

“You suck, Cheryl,” she growled. “Worst sister ever.”

She hung up her phone, but she had a small smile on her face as she rolled her eyes. Her eyes looked up as if she sensed we were looking at her. My cheeks grew red when she gave us the most stunning smile.

“Hi,” she said, walking up to us.

Luke hugged her first, kissing her on the cheek and I did the same. This was the most relaxed I had ever since her, in jeans and a chunky sweater. She was just as stunning.

“Date night?” she asked.

“Not really, I had to drag this one out of her office to eat,” Luke said, holding me tighter.

“Genevieve!” the hostess yelled.

“It was nice to see you,” I said, wanting to ask her to join us, but I didn’t want to push her.

She looked back at the hostess before looking at us.

“You want to have dinner with me? My sister seems to have skipped out on me,” she said shyly.

“Absolutely,” Luke answered quickly.

She looked nervous as she looked at me for confirmation.

“We would love to have dinner with you,” I said, reaching for her hand.

“Great, let me see if she can accommodate three of us,” she said, squeezing my hand and leaving us to speak to the hostess.

“I’m sorry, I should have asked you first, I got excited.” Luke kissed my forehead.

“You know I’m just as anxious to see her,” I said, looking up at my handsome husband.

He bent down to kiss me softly.

“I just don’t want to… I don’t know if it will hurt your feelings or make you feel like I…” He frowned. “I just want you to know you are always my priority.”

“I know,” I said, stepping up on my toes to kiss him softly. “It seems we have been sucked into Genevieve's orbit and there is nothing we can do about it but just enjoy the ride.”

“We have and we are both ok with it, right?” He still looked concerned.

“Right,” I said, giving him a big smile.

“They can accommodate us.” Genevieve came up to us.

“Great, we should tell her to take our name off the list,” Luke said.

“I did that already,” she said, walking to the hostess who was waiting for us.

I smiled, Genevieve was always so in control of everything. Luke pulled out our chairs and Genevieve gave him a look.

“Don’t get your chair pulled out enough for you, darlin’?” That Texas twang was a little thicker when he said darlin’.

“I can pull out my own chair, suga,” she said back with a smirk.

“Do I detect a hint of a twang, Genevieve?” I was a little shocked.

“Grew up in Alabama, Oklahoma and then we made our way to Colorado,” she said shrugging. “It comes and goes, but when I get really mad, it will come out really harshly.”

“Camila and I grew up in Texas,” Luke said.

“I was born in the city and Luke was out in the country, working on a farm,” I said, picking up the menu. “That's why his accent is a little stronger.”

“It’s comforting, it reminds me of home.” Genevieve smiled.

Our server stopped by, took our drink and our food order. Apparently, this was also Genevieve's favorite sushi place.

“Do you miss home?” Genevieve asked after the server left.

“Yes and no,” I said, leaning my hands on the table. “Hate the heat, but it was where I grew up and Mexican food is not the same. It’s also where we met.”

I looked over at Luke, who was studying me.

“I miss it sometimes,” Luke said. “I don’t miss the farm and the family legacy that had always been ingrained in me. They were not happy when I left and they were even more unhappy when my brothers left. Colorado called to my younger brother, Theodore, when our uncle left him his ranch and my other brother, Jude, followed him. My poor sister, Iris, is still with my parents, and I know it ain't easy.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Genevieve said. “Family sucks sometimes.”

“They do, but I have two great brothers and one cute little sister who at least try to see me,” Luke said. “My brothers have even driven down here to see a few games. They always sided with my decision, and I know that also hurt their relationship with my parents, but they are so stubborn. Iris, well, she is the baby and while I love her, I know my parents influence her view on the world a lot.”

“Wow your poor sister all alone with three brothers?” Genevieve asked.

“We are all a lot older than her, and I know that doesn’t help,” he said as the server delivered our cocktails.

“Wow, that's a lot of testosterone.” Genevieve took a sip of her drink.

“It’s a lot,” I said, licking off the salt of my margarita and taking a sip.

Genevieve studied me for a moment, the heat in her eyes was a dead giveaway to what she was thinking about.

“What about you Camila? Where is your family?” she asked.

“Mostly in Dallas. One of my sisters is here, but most of my family haven't left and I don’t see them leaving anytime soon,” I said, licking my lips. “Most of my siblings are there with all their kids and my parents wouldn’t leave them.”

“Have you ever thought about going back to Texas?”

“No,” Luke and I said at the same time.

“Not even when you were wanting children?” Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry, that is none of my business.”

“It’s ok, you're curious and I did mention trying for a family, but I don’t know if I’d want to be around family if we had kids,” I sighed. “They complicate things and seeing the way my mother acts with my sisters and their kids, I know we would be butting heads all the time.”

Luke grabbed my hand, smiling at me.

“If you had kids?” Genevieve looked at our hands.

“We aren’t sure if we want them anymore,” Luke said, and I was grateful he responded. “We were so wrapped up in what we thought we had to do, instead of asking ourselves what we wanted to do.”

“I don’t want to bring a child into this world where we are barely surviving,” I said, looking down. “ If we have kids, I want Luke and I to be alright. I want to do it for us, not because people like my family expect me to.”

“If you don’t want them that's ok,” she said, grabbing my hand. “Fuck what anyone else thinks.”

“Like you said, family sucks sometimes,” I said, getting a little emotional at her support. “What about you? Do you have any more siblings?”

“Nope, it’s just Cheryl and me. It’s been like that for a while,” she said, looking down at her cocktail. “We know a thing or two about shitty families and unfortunately have no contact with our mother.”

“Moms are hard to get along with sometimes,” I said, squeezing her hand because it felt like she needed support.

“They are, but enough about crappy families, how are your dresses going?” Genevieve squeezed my hand back.

I went on and on about work, and my latest projects. The conversation flowed till our food came and even then, we kept talking effortlessly. Genevieve looked relaxed, laughing at all of Luke’s bad dad jokes while touching us periodically. It felt natural, almost as if she had been with us for years instead of weeks.

“I don’t know how you can be hit like that and still get up,” Genevieve said, leaning back into her chair.

“After a while you get used to it, and then it's just a part of the game,” Luke said, grabbing the last roll and popping it into his mouth.

“It was awful at first, watching him get sacked,” I said, wiping my mouth. “I think I got my first gray hairs watching his games.”

“I’d be worried all the time,” Genevieve said. “Good thing you don’t play anymore.”

I almost flinched when she finished her sentence. It wasn’t a good thing and he accepted his fate, but it sometimes still stung. Luke nodded, staring at our empty plates.

“Shit, I’m sorry Luke, I didn’t?—”

“It’s fine,” he said immediately. “I wasn’t ready to retire, and I hated that it wasn’t on my own terms, but playing does things to your body that I wasn’t ready to admit it. It is a good thing.”

I grabbed his hand, knowing he hated talking about it and feeling vulnerable.

“I’m sorry,” Genevieve said, looking guilty.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said, grabbing her hand. “It would have been nice to have you in the stands cheering for me, but I’ll just have to find other ways to impress you darlin’.”

He winked and gave her his best smile. Genevieve smiled, but I knew it was forced.

“Can I get you anything else?” Our server came up to us.

“Just the check,” Luke said, getting his wallet out.

“I got it,” Genevieve said, handing over her card before Luke could.

“No,” Luke said. “I will pay.”

Luke deepened his voice and gave his card to our server.

“You can give her card back and run this please,” he said, and the girl did what he asked.

Genevieve scowled looking at him like he was in trouble.

“Pet, you're going to pay for that,” she growled.

Luke stared at her shrugging.

“I’ll take whatever punishment, but you will not be paying for us,” he said defiantly. “You might think you can control this aspect, and while I get on my knees for you behind closed doors, out here, you are mine to wine and dine.”

They stared at each other and the tension grew, making me squirm.

“I’ll remember this, pet,” she clipped.

“I can’t fucking wait,” he growled as his nostrils flared.

I was so aroused I almost suggested we go somewhere now. This power struggle was making me horny, and I had a feeling I would be in a constant state of arousal with them behaving like this. I almost requested to be the submissive while they had their way with me.