Kept (Castile Family 2)

I’m grateful that he can’t see my face right now because I’m sure it’s showing my blush from enjoying the thought of him smelling me. I guess I’m into weird shit too. Fucking hell. This is going to be bad. I can see it already: Cullen is going to be trouble for me. I knew that from the minute I looked out that window and saw him in that car. Not that I am going to act on any of these things.

I am going to chalk all of this up to my lack of male attention in the last few years. Okay, maybe it’s been longer than a few years. I’ve been busy raising Luna and getting my career on track. I had to make sure that I had a steady gig. I’ve always had to be the responsible one since our parents were shit at taking care of us. I lived through enough with them that I knew I didn’t want Luna to live that life too. I got her out of there as soon as I possibly could.

“What’ll you have?” Cullen is staring at me from across the table. I don’t even remember him sitting down.

“Neil knows what I want.” I give Neil a chin nod. He’s behind the bar taking someone else’s order at the moment. He lifts his face in acknowledgment, letting me know he’ll be over in a minute. I’ve spent many a night alone in here with just Neil as my sounding board. It feels like Cullen is staring a hole in the side of my face so I turn my attention back to him.

“I’m guessing you come here a lot if the bartender knows what you want.”

I laugh at his observation. “I guess they don’t call you Detective for no reason.” I smile at my own joke. His eyes light up as he lets out a bark of laughter. The sound courses straight through my body. We sit there smiling like two idiots lost in a moment. I can’t remember the last time I felt this comfortable around someone.

“Here you go, MJ. Good to see you. It’s been a while,” Neil says as he places a beer down in front of me along with a flight of beer. It hasn’t been that long. “Got some new IPAs we can’t get in this area. Thought you might want to try them.” I get distracted by the flight of beers from Neil’s comment.

“I’ll take a coffee. Thanks for asking,” I hear Cullen rumble out.

“You don’t have to be grumpy. I’ll share my tasting.” I slide the flight between us. “I’m not a big drinker but these breweries keep coming out with the most unique blends of flavors. Sometimes it can spark a new recipe for me.”

I pick up the first one. I take a slow sip, letting the flavor roll over my tongue. It’s citrusy, with a pine taste to follow and guava is there too on the back end to finish. It’s so light most would miss it.

I hand him the flight tester glass. He turns the glass, placing his mouth where mine was. My chest does that weird shit again.

“What do you taste?” I ask.

“Citrus. I’m thinking passion fruit, with pine and a hint of…” He pauses for a moment, savoring the flavor still in his mouth. “Guava.”

I sit there shocked for a moment. Not only did he name the passion fruit, he’d gotten the guava too.

“Like you said.” He shrugs his shoulders while making that dimple pop out. “They don’t call me Detective for no reason.”

I burst out laughing. “I guess not.” He does the rest of the flight with me, getting them all right. Each time he takes the glass from my hand he places his mouth on mine. That’s what my mind keeps picturing every time he turns that glass to place his lips where mine have been. It’s sexy and I think we’re flirting.

His palate is good. Too good. I have a feeling everything Cullen does he excels in. It runs in the family apparently. Though I don’t think he’s as crazy as his brother, who I’m pretty sure is having his dirty way with my sister right now. Their crazy seems to work together or I wouldn’t be sitting across from Cullen having a beer while they make up. I knew she’d crack. I could see the dancing hearts over her head even when she was mad at him.

Cullen would make a wonderful tester for me when I want to try out a recipe. Luna just shoved everything into her mouth, not savoring all that went into it. He is going to be a part of my life now, I might as well make him useful. Plus he is easy on the eyes so that works in my favor. From what I’ve found out about their family, they are all tight knit. That could mean they will want Luna and me together with them. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I am used to it just being us. For her, though, I’d do it. I’d do anything for that girl. I don’t want to get my hopes up of finally being with a family that wants us. It sounds so juvenile but it’s the truth. There has always been that longing inside of me.