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Dinner with Friends
Zip POV
I was halfway through getting undressed when Stephanie called. In an excellent distraction technique, Hector put his mouth on my naked chest just as I answered the phone and kissed his way down my torso. His skilled tongue knew every spot that made me moan, made me hard and that made me beg him to fuck me and if he didn't stop, Steph was going to hear more than she ever wanted to.
I bit the inside of my cheek when he reached the spot just below my rib cage and breathed out, "Umm, what?"
"Dinner," Stephanie repeated. "He'll agree if you ask him," she assured me. Right. She wanted me to convince Hector to have dinner at her and Ranger's house out in Princeton.
The man in question was now working on the button and zipper of my jeans. I don't know how, but I managed to say, "You know he's not a fan of that kind of stuff, Steph." My pants came down and he took me deep in his mouth.
"Come on, Zip," Steph whined and I would be coming alright but not the way she wanted. Hector did a thing with his tongue that made me suck in a sharp breath.
"I'll try," I said quickly and then, "I gotta go." I killed the call and tossed my phone into the chair next to the bed."Do that again," I demanded and he happily obliged. It was a long time later, when I was lying sated in Hector's arms, that I even remembered she had called.
"Steph wants us to come to dinner tomorrow night at the Batcave." I kissed his neck and skimmed my palm over his Phoenix tattoo. Hector wasn't easily distracted but I'd discovered a few things in our time together that held his attention and he had a difficult time concentrating on anything else when I used my fingers, or my tongue, to trace that bird.
"Mmm," he murmured and covered my hand with his, holding it in place directly over the center of the flames at the base of the tail. "What time?"
He must be more relaxed than I thought. "Seven."
"Okay." He rubbed his thumb over mine and moved our hands further down his body.
"That's it? Usually Stephanie has to beg and plead and threaten."
"Zip?"
"Yeah?"
"I really don't want to talk about Steph or dinner or anything other than what I want you to do to my cock right now."
Well, okay then; I knew when to shut the hell up.
Hector was gone most of the rest of the next day and I hadn't brought up dinner again so when six o'clock rolled around and I hadn't heard from him I thought maybe he forgot. I was just about to call and find out when the phone rang, but it was our dinner host and not him.
"Has he tried to get out of it yet?" Stephanie wanted to know after my greeting.
"No, but he still has time."
"Hah hah. No he doesn't; it's too late now! Oh and don't bring anything, okay? I've got it covered."
That immediately made me suspicious. Stephanie rarely had everything covered, when it came to dinner anyway. "You aren't doing anything crazy are you?" I asked warily. "You know how Hector gets…."
"Yeah, I know," she cut me off, "and nothing crazy, I promise." Stephanie blew out a sigh and then I heard someone talking in the background that made me choke on the sip of water I'd just taken.
"Steph…was that my Mom?"
"Don't freak out," she said, which put me right into freak out mode. "I know how much he likes your Mom's enchiladas so I called and asked if she would make them. She's not staying…although she's more than welcome if…"
"No," I interjected, probably with a little more force than necessary. "I'm almost afraid to ask, but what else did you do?"
"Well…"
"Stephanie." She knows, and probably better than I do, that Hector refuses to celebrate his birthday and gets downright homicidal when it's even brought up.
"Just a Tres Leche cake."
I ran a hand through my hair and let out a mini growl of frustration. "He's going to see right through all of it."
"Probably, but we won't mention anything. It's only dinner and dessert; just because we're serving his favorite things shouldn't be an indicator of anything."
I snorted out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, okay, but you're not the one who has to go back home with him after the birthday dinner trying not to be a birthday dinner. You do know he sleeps with a switchblade under his pillow, right?"
"Are you afraid of Hector, Zip?" She teased.
God, she could be infuriating, but I loved her. "Does Ranger know what you're doing?"
"He knows we're having dinner…why? Are you gonna tattle on me?"
"I'm thinking about it," I warned.
Stephanie laughed in my ear. "No you're not. You're more afraid of Ranger than you are of Hector. See you soon!" And then she hung up on me. Crazy-ass woman.
Hector walked in a second later and I was still holding the phone. He had a bottle of wine in one hand and take-out from Kabuki's in the other.
"Did you forget about Steph's?" I asked after he thoroughly kissed me hello.
"No. This is for later. You're going to need the fuel," he told me suggestively. "And the wine is for Ranger."
I picked up the bottle he'd set on the counter. "This is the merlot you like," I couldn't help pointing out.
"It's a self-serving gift." He put the food in the fridge and then grabbed my hand, trying to tug me behind him as he headed to our bedroom.
"What are you doing?"
"I got really dirty today so I'm going to need your help getting thoroughly clean in the shower."
"We don't really have time…"
Hector cut me off with a searing kiss and then we did a lot of things in the shower; very few of them involved cleaning.
Despite the bathroom activities, we only left a few minutes later than we should have. Hector was quiet on the drive, but that wasn't unusual. I was zoned out myself, thinking about how to diffuse the situation if Stephanie went overboard with the "not a birthday dinner" dinner.
"Thank you," Hector said, startling me out of my own head, "for not mentioning what today is."
I gave him my dimpled smile, not really knowing what to say. I had the feeling something really bad happened at some point on his birthday but I learned pretty quickly not to ask too many questions. I've almost asked Stephanie several times if she knows about it, or if she knows anything about his past or his family, not that Steph would ever betray that trust if she did, but I've stopped myself, choosing to believe he'll tell me when he's ready.
And then again, maybe he won't ever tell me. He did warn me from the beginning there were some things he would never be able to share with me and if his birthday is one of those things, I was going to have to learn to be okay with it.
I turned back to the window and focused on the scenery as we drove until Hector's softly spoken words made all the blood in my veins stop moving. "It's because of my Mom." He cut his eyes to me but I was too busy holding my breath and hoping he'd say more to offer a response.
He fixed his gaze back to the road and gave me my wish. "She died on my birthday five years ago. It's…it's just….better when I don't think about it." When he had to clear his throat after that admission my heart seemed to break inside my chest. I didn't know what to say or even if I should try to comfort him. I wanted him to pull over so I could yank him into my arms and never let him go but that would probably make him even more uncomfortable. Hector took a slow breath and then finished with, "That's why I'm not big on…celebrating."
I wanted to ask more about his Mother but Hector tended to shut down when questioned so I reached across the console to take his hand. I squeezed it in silent support and he cut me a quick glance of gratitude so I knew I'd made the right decision. This was the first piece of highly personal information he'd ever revealed and I didn't want to ruin it by trying to get more out of him. I was now content in the knowledge he'd eventually tell me, it would just have to be on his own terms and in his own time frame and I would gladly wait for as long as it took.
Neither of us said anything else until we pulled into the Manoso driveway. Hector cut the engine and then turned to me with a serious expression. "What has Stephanie done?"
I tried to play dumb by giving him a confused expression but he was not falling for it. "She always does something whether I want her to or not, so what is it?"
"Wait…there was an instance where you wanted her to do something for you?"
He raised one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows. "Steph is wrong; you're the one with the smart mouth."
I flashed him a grin. "Maybe kissing it would help contain the sarcasm."
Hector rolled his eyes but kissed me anyway before we left the truck and once more before he rang the doorbell.
Stephanie greeted us with a margarita in her hand and a smile on her face. She handed Hector the glass, kissed his lips and then treated me to the same welcome.
We were ushered inside and straight to the kitchen where the distinct scent of enchiladas was permeating the air. Recognizing the smell, Hector shot me a look. I shrugged and asked Steph if I could have a margarita too.
She retrieved a glass from the cupboard and filled it from the pitcher still resting on the blender base.
"Where's Ranger?" Hector inquired as he set the wine on the breakfast bar.
"He's out on the deck with Tank and Beth." Stephanie's eyes widened at the death glare I leveled in her direction. "You should go say Hi; they have some news."
Hector tilted his head in that direction, silently asking me to join him but I wanted a word with our devious host first. "I gotta hit the bathroom but go, I'll be right behind you."
He headed toward the back of the house while I returned my murderous glare to Stephanie's crystal blue eyes. "Tank and Beth? What is wrong with you?"
Steph smiled with her perfect white teeth and patted my cheek like she was indulging a small child. "You need to Relax, Zip. Have some of your drink." She wrapped her hand around mine over the glass and lifted it to my face. I took a healthy swallow and then went right back to glaring.
"Hmmm. Maybe we should switch you to straight tequila," she surmised and grabbed a shot glass off the counter. After filling it to the brim with Cuervo Silver, she handed it over to me.
"Trying to get me drunk is not going to help the situation," I informed her but I tossed the liquor down my throat anyway. "It was supposed to just be the four of us. If I get stabbed in my sleep later will you be able to handle the guilt?"
Stephanie laughed. "Hector doesn't seem upset and Tank and Beth aren't staying so stop with the laser beam glare, that's my move. Here, have another." She filled my shot glass again and I drank it, chasing it down with margarita. Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought I was doing it out of order but alcohol is alcohol and it will probably hurt less getting stabbed if I am full of tequila. Steph took a few sips of her own drink before speaking again.
"Before I forget, I'm going shopping with Hector tomorrow, do you want to come?"
I made a face and shook my head. "No. Shopping is Hector's thing. He's always bringing home shirts for me," I told her, glancing down at the most recent one to find its way into my closet. It was a deep burgundy button down and Hector's eyes got all dark and sultry when I put it on after our shower. I almost thought he was going to take it right back off. "Sometimes I think he buys them just so he can take them off me."
A sly smile touched Stephanie's lips, making me realize I'd said that out loud. Crap, I must be drunk already. "Actually, I picked out the shirt you have on the last time Hector and I went to the mall. It looks good on you."
I felt the embarrassed heat rush to my cheeks. "I think I'll go say Hi to Tank and Beth now."
"You're extra cute when you blush!" Stephanie called as I quickly walked away from her. I found everyone on the deck where Ranger and Tank and surprisingly, Hector, were puffing on cigars. Ranger and Tank both had tumblers of brandy in their hands and Beth was leaning back into Tank's barrel chest.
"Zip!" She greeted when I stepped outside. Waving me over with her hands she said, "Come here."
I cut my eyes to Hector to make sure he was okay as I made my way to her. She grabbed my hand when I was within reach and yanked me the rest of the way, placing my palm over her pregnant belly.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I felt a powerful kick against my hand. "That's….weird. Does it hurt?"
"No," she said on a laugh. "But he's really active. Been kicking the shit out of me all day."
"He?"
Tank grinned at me from behind Beth. "Yup. We found out today it's a boy. That's why we stopped by."
"Congrats," I offered. "Seems like you are trying to grow the next generation of Rangemen… if you add him to Lester's three."
"Steph said the same thing," Ranger chimed in. "She thinks it's some sort of Rangeman sperm conspiracy that makes it impossible for anyone to have a girl."
"It's probably better this way," Hector said, and we all turned to look at him. He was staring out into the darkness of the back yard and I went to his side, where I belonged. "A girl would have a hard time with twenty overly protective, gun wielding uncles who would frighten any potential dates she might have."
"Touché," Ranger admitted and tipped his brandy glass to his lips.
"We're gonna take off," Tank announced a few moments later and ushered his pregnant wife into the house. Ranger was on his heels, leaving me and Hector alone.
He turned to face me and I moved in front of him, placing my palms on either side of his hips on top of the deck railing. "Are you okay? I tried to talk Steph out of this."
"I'm good, mi amor. We lived in this house for close to two months; I'm…comfortable here." I leaned in and kissed him, tasting cigars and brandy.
"Okay, but tell me if it gets to be too much and we'll go." I touched his cheek, running my thumb over his tear drop.
A small smile titled his lips. "I love it when you look at me that way, but it also makes me want to fuck you so we better go inside." He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house. "Those are your Mom's enchiladas I smell, right?"
"Yes, but I didn't have anything to do with it. Steph conspired with her behind my back."
Hector looked at me over his shoulder as we made our way to the kitchen. "Stephanie can be very sneaky when she wants to be."
"Who's sneaky?" Steph queried, looking over at us as she laid out plates and silverware at the small table in the kitchen. I was just glad she hadn't set up a big production in the formal dining room. Sometimes I forget that she knows just as well as I do what Hector can handle.
"You are, Estefania. Very, very sneaky." Stephanie's smile was always so big when he said her name in Spanish and I couldn't blame her. He mostly used English these days but his accent was sexy as hell. She kissed him on the lips and gently ran her fingers over his hair. If I didn't know Hector was a hundred percent gay, the intimacy those two have would make me nervous.I was guessing Ranger felt the same way or Hector would a dead man by now.
"It's part of her charm," Ranger said as he joined us in the kitchen. He pulled her against him for a quick kiss. "Let's eat."
Ranger opened the wine Hector brought and offered a toast before we dug in. "To good wine, good food and good friends. Salud."
We raised our glasses and began devouring my Mother's enchiladas. After Stephanie said how good they were about a million times, Hector prodded me into telling the story of how I almost burned down the house when I was a kid while trying to make them on my own when my parents were out of town. He'd heard the story more than once already but he still laughed about my singed eyebrows and the ruined curtains and the fact that my Mother still won't allow me inside her kitchen after all these years.
Ranger brought down the jovial mood a few minutes later when he mentioned what I wanted nothing more than to forget.
"I owe you two an apology," he said after finishing the last of his wine.
"For?" Hector inquired.
"Ace and Jay. I should have been aware there was a problem before it got so out of hand."
My stomach dropped at the voicing of their names. Hector and I knew they were both uncomfortable with us but we'd been mostly ignoring the looks and muttered comments until last week when I found myself alone with them in the gym locker room. I wasn't paying close attention to either of them so was caught off guard when Ace got in my face. He called me a faggot and when I chose not to respond and tried to reach for my clothes, he shoved me hard into the long bank of metal lockers. Jay joined him and they had me caged in like an animal.
Fortunately, Ranger appeared out of nowhere and yanked Jay's arm behind his back while his other hand shot out, connecting solidly with Ace's throat. He took both of them down in a matter of seconds and I heard later that Jay's hand was broken and Ace had to have surgery to repair his damaged vocal chords.
I hadn't even realized Ranger was in the gym.
"Their employment has been terminated and they have been removed completely from the Rangeman building. If I'd know about their…intolerance, I never…"
"Assholes," Stephanie chimed in, making Ranger's lips twitch in a small smile.
"I never would have hired them in the first place."
Hector squeezed my thigh under the table. He'd been off sight when it all went down and I'd had to talk him out of hunting them down and dismembering them when he found out what they'd done. I opened my mouth to respond to Ranger but Hector beat me to it.
"I should be the one apologizing," he said. "I'm sorry our…lifestyle caused a problem. I should have…"
"Stop!" Stephanie interrupted forcefully. "The only ones who should be sorry are the homophobic, shitbag, asshats who dared say horrible things about my guys. They got no less than they deserve as far as I'm concerned and since they are long gone, and good riddance, we can let it go and move on. Capisce?"
"Capisce," Ranger, Hector and I agreed after her outburst. It seemed the only logical response.
"Good, because it's time for cake!"
We ate Hector's "not a birthday cake" cake, well Ranger only had a single bite of Stephanie's piece, and finished the bottle of wine and after the food and drink was all gone, Hector and I headed out.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" I asked as we eased out of the driveway.
"Nothing where I get to be with you is bad, Zip."
The man had a knack for saying things that hit me right in the heart and I had to swallow the unexpected emotion. "Ditto," I was finally able to say without my voice cracking.
It was the last thing either of us said the rest of the night. Not a lot of talking was needed after that.
