Alicia tugged on a curling strand of hair, considering her plea. “I understand. It’s like that time I borrowed your favorite jacket to go to a club. I set it down to dance and somewhere between the margarita competition and the guy juggling lit torches one sleeve caught on fire. Then I couldn’t take it home because you’d realize I’d borrowed and destroyed it, so I gave it to a homeless man. It looked really nice on him though.”
Jen’s eyes widened as she listened. “That didn’t happen,” she argued, confused. “That weird neighbor robbed us before he moved out. He stole some of your dresses and the necklace your grandmother gave you. That’s why Raoul got the alarm.”
Tasha was already laughing when Alicia sent Jen an innocent smile. “I was too embarrassed to tell you. Please don’t be mad.”
“You burned my favorite jacket?”
“You let a kinky old detective break into our apartment?”
“I’m having so much fun,” Tasha laughed. “We should get together more often. Forget political scandals and crime fighting. This is where all the action is.”
Jen couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t really care about the jacket, as long as Alicia wasn’t mad at her. “I’m glad our dirty laundry amuses you.”
“Stephen would be livid,” Tasha said with a conspiratorial look.
“Which is why you won’t tell him.”
Tasha gave a nod of agreement. “Which is why I won’t tell him—as long as you clarify something for me. It’s been months since Stephen called Trick off. Has he been hanging around all that time?”
“Yes,” Alicia answered for her.
Jen sighed. Of course she wouldn’t keep that to herself.
“Why? Are you in trouble, Jen?”
“No.” At Tasha’s look, Jen shook her head. “I swear. Other than Trick, I’m currently trouble free.”
“And you’re telling me you haven’t slept together yet?”
“Everything but,” Jen confessed quietly, blushing.
“Why? Does he wear a promise ring? Is he a virgin?”
Jen snorted. “Not even a little bit.”
Tasha frowned. “I know he’s kinky because Brady mentioned something about testing a flogger but—Oh. Do you have a consensual arrangement? A regular play date?”
It would make everything so much easier if she just said yes. She glanced furtively at Alicia and shook her head. “Nothing that formal. Safe word, yes. Some toys. He likes to make me do things… But no floggers or handcuffs. He’s very hands on.”
“I’m getting jealous.” Alicia grabbed another tart and got to her feet. “I’m going to run to the store. Raoul left me a list so he could make something special for dinner tonight.”
Jen frowned and Alicia licked her fingers. “I can see you need to talk alone. Usually I’m very good at picking up on things, and Tasha is the resident sexpert.” She sent an apologetic expression to Natasha. “Is that an insulting thing to call a pregnant woman?”
Tasha grinned. “Not at all. I’m going to be a mother, not a nun.”
Alicia glanced back at Jen. “You’ve both inspired me to talk to Raoul. Maybe tonight he can pretend to sneak into my room and ravish me.”
“Little Finn, your roommate is a keeper,” Tasha declared. “I promise to bring lemon tarts next week just for you, plus a new toy for Raoul.”
“I’ll start running five miles a day in tart anticipation.”
When the door closed, Tasha grabbed Jen’s hand and pulled her up onto the couch beside her. “Tell me everything.”
This was Tasha. Tasha, who spent as much time at the club as Owen had. Tasha, who had regular three-ways specifically with bisexual men. Actually specifically with Jeremy until Owen started dating him, Jen mused.
Her family was getting complicated.
The point was, nothing was news to Tasha. Nothing shocked her. She’d probably experienced everything Jen had recently been through with Trick and Declan. It would definitely make Jen feel better about her own behavior.
Enemy camp, remember? Pregnant with your brother’s twins?
Jen had to risk it. She desperately needed someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn’t judge her. So she told Tasha everything.
Almost everything.
Tasha listened quietly to every new detail. She was obviously restraining herself until she knew Jen was finished. “That’s it. That’s my news.”
“Is that all?” Tasha asked quietly.
“Isn’t that enough?”
“Of course it’s enough.” Tasha raised her voice so suddenly Jen leaned back. “What the hell is he thinking? What are you thinking, young lady? And a professor, too? This is madness. Wait until your father gets home!”
Jen had crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders defensively until she heard the last sentence. She looked up in confusion and a warm hand pulled her close so her head could rest on Tasha’s round stomach. One of the babies was kicking. Tasha brushed her hair away from her face soothingly. “I know. That was horrible, wasn’t it? I’ll need to practice if I’m going to sound remotely believable when my kids grow up and have kinky secrets of their own.”