“Red or white?”
“Uh… white?”
“Bubbles or no bubbles? Just kidding—the answer is always bubbles. Let’s hit up the wine cellar. Man, tonight is going to be fun. Clint got food from my favorite sushi restaurant, because he might complain about my baby fever, but as soon as I suggest getting pregnant, that man is on me like a basic bitch on a pumpkin spice latte. I have a short window to drink and eat raw fish, and I intend to revel in it.”
I followed her down the stairs, slightly glad she didn’t want much by way of conversation out of me, because that wine cellar was the kind of thing dreams were made of. It had racks of wine behind sealed doors on one side, and on the other, an entire wall of books surrounded a huge abstract artwork. Right in the middle were two overstuffed couches in a soft cream suede and fluffy as hell throw rugs. It was paradise.
“This is Mommy’s room—a kid-free zone. I keep the soft cheese down here with the wine. It's a one-stop shop. If you need cheese, wine, and smut-filled romance novels, girl, I got you.”
As if to prove her point, she pulled out a wheel of cheese, an entire packet of artisanal crackers, and two fancy cut-crystal wine glasses. After pouring us a drink, she pointed to the couches. I had a feeling that Julieta was a force unto herself.
“Sit down and put your feet up. You deserve it, Mama. Cheers!” She lifted her wine glass. “Now, tell me what happened today.”
I sucked in a deep breath and unloaded the whole story. As Julieta got fired up on my behalf—including a few threats about slashing the woman’s tires—I decided then and there, I wanted this woman as a friend.
“Spill! Which one of those fine men whets your whistle? Because I don’t know a whole lot about your situation, but I do know that hockey players have some sexy-ass bodies and you’re stuck in a house with two of them. Unless you’re a cyborg, a lesbian, or blind, I know you mustat leastbe ogling one of them. Not to mention Dev with that smolder, holy shit.”
I giggled, falling to the side because staying upright seemed to be more difficult now that I was filled with a bottle of wine and the best sushi I’d ever eaten. “No, you don’t understand. I couldn’t.”
Julieta waved me away, chastising me in Spanish before switching back to English. “Girl, ofcourseyou can. You just put some pretty lingerie on that sexy body you’re rocking,” she said with a sigh. “I had a body like that once. Baby number three was a giant and just ruined all this. Clint likes it, though. Horny bastard.” She shook her head. “What was I saying? Oh yeah, you just put on lingerie and say ‘Hey, I have a need that only you can fix.’ Walk away with a lil butt wiggle and they’ll come panting behind you like hounds.”
My face was flushed, and I covered my cheeks with my cool hands. “I can’t, Julieta,” I whined. “They are so pretty, and I couldn’t choose… and what if I fucked it up? I can’t do that to Huey. No, I need to get laid somewhere outside the house.”
Julieta muttered something under her breath about it being a waste, though I wasn’t sure of what, exactly. Then she lifted her hands in the air, leaning across to slap them on my thighs. “I got a brother! He’s a bit of a hound dog, but he’s almost thirty and it’s time he settled down. I can set you up.” She stood, tipping a little to the side, and then sat back down again. “Yes! That’s what I’ll do. I’ll give you his number. I mean, he’s my brother, and I really don’t want to think about him having sex”—she screwed up her nose—“but once, a girl turned up on my parents’ doorstep begging for Zayn to take her back because he’d ruined her for other men. I feel like that's a damn fine review.”
I lifted my bottle of champagne at her. “Set me up. I haven’t seen any action that wasn’t self-inflicted in months. My vagina is about to retire and move to Florida!”
“To taking your vagina out of retirement!” she toasted loudly, until someone cleared their throat at the bottom of the stairs.
Clint was standing there, an amused smile on his face. “Sorry to interrupt. Just checking Julieta hadn’t reached the part of her night where she drunkenly gets naked.”
“I do not!”
He snorted. “One word. Barcelona.”
Julieta flushed bright red, but narrowed her eyes. She pointed a bottle of champagne in his direction. “You were going to get laid tonight, but I’ve changed my mind.”
I tipped back my own bottle of champagne as Clint and Julieta bantered. They were a cute couple.
“Julieta, we both know three-hundred-dollar bottles of wine always make you horny. Your threats are empty.”
I spat my mouthful of champagne back in the bottle. “How much?” I gasped.
Clint laughed, and Julieta whacked him with the back of her hand. Then she winced, clutching the hand to her chest. “Dios,when do you get a dad bod already? You’re built harder than a rock.”
Clint leaned closer to whisper something in her ear, and it didn’t take a genius to know what. He stood back to his full height and grinned at me. “Don’t stress it, Nova. We’re part owners of a vineyard in California. We get most of the bottles for free.”
I stood up and dutifully drank the rest down, even though I must’ve been chugging the equivalent of a glass and a half. “Thank you for tonight—you have no idea how much I needed this.”
At least, that's what I thought I said. I took three steps, swerved wildly to the right, and then there were hands gripping my upper body, holding me still while the room whirled around me. I looked up into the pretty face of River motherfucking Cooper. Why was he so fucking hot?
He raised an eyebrow. “Because I work out six hours a day?” he replied, and I realized I’d said that last bit out loud. Fuck.
“You said that bit out loud too,” Clint said with a laugh.
I flung my head back so hard, it was a wonder I didn’t get whiplash, then stared at the ceiling. I was so screwed. I needed to get laid. “Julieta! Give your brother my number.”
Suddenly, I was being hefted into River’s arms, while Julieta laughed hysterically. “I will!” she promised, cackling as River snarled something at her.