Free In Too Deep by R.W. Shannon

Thirteen
     
    On Saturday night, Analeigh studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror of Blake’s condo. Blake had convinced her to have the dinner party at his place instead of hers. While that was fine with her, she was amazed that he had still wanted to go through with it. For the last few days, he’d been sullen and withdrawn. Her attempts to get him to open up were met with silence and him changing the subject by making love to her. And saying no to that was impossible. Analeigh’s smoothed her black maxi dress over her hips, then slid her feet into a pair of low-heeled sandals. His friends should be here at any minute.
    Although this was her idea, she was nervous about meeting them. What if they didn’t like her? Blake told her that they had known his fiancée, Sarah. While her death happened years ago, Analeigh worried that Blake was some time still in mourning, and that could explain some of his strange behavior. As she brushed her dark hair, Blake circled his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. He had wanted to wear sweats, but she convinced him to wear a green polo shirt that matched his eyes and a pair of khaki pants.
    “It smells amazing in here,” he said.
    “I love the smell of fresh bread,” she said with a deep inhale. Analeigh had decided to bake a loaf of crusty bread to go along with the paella. The scent of it baking filled the condo.
    “I wasn’t talking about dinner.”
    Analeigh laughed and swatted his arm. “Tell me about your friends.”
    “Nothing to tell. I’ve known them for years now. They’re not bad people.”
    “What does Duncan do? You said he’s your business partner?”
    “That’s right. He does the same thing as me.”
    “Pretend to be a lawyer?”
    Blake chuckled but didn’t comment. Analeigh fell silent for a few moments then said, “We never finished our conversation from the other day.”
    “Yes. I got distracted.”
    “What were you going to tell me?”
    He lifted his head. In the mirror, she watched his face. She could see that he was trying to decide what to tell her, if anything. But before he could answer, the doorbell rang. Blake didn’t move. Instead, he pulled her closer to him.
    “Shouldn’t you let them in?” Analeigh asked, though she didn’t want him to take the warmth of his body away.
    “Do I have to?”
    “Blake.”
    With a sigh, he left to answer the door. Analeigh gave her appearance a final once-over, then went to the living room. The man she guessed to be Duncan stood in the center of the room. He was about Blake’s height and build, with tanned skin and shoulder-length brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. Duncan was dressed in a black button-down shirt and jeans. The woman next to him had smooth chocolate skin and long black hair. She was considerably shorter than Duncan and Blake, and dressed in a green strapless dress. She watched the woman give Blake a tan envelope and frowned. What was that? Hearing her approach, the trio looked in her direction.
    “Analeigh,” Blake said, tucking the envelope under his arm. “This is Duncan Archer and Brooklyn Stewart.”
    “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both,” Analeigh said.
    Duncan extended his hand for her to shake. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said. “I must say, you’re just as beautiful as he’d described.”
    His accent was rhythmic. Analeigh smiled but noticed that both Blake and Brooklyn shot him a look.
    “Blake didn’t tell me that you’re an Aussie,” Analeigh commented. “But then, he hasn’t told me anything about you.”
    “I’m not surprised,” Duncan said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Blake is a mystery wrapped in a secret.”
    Blake smirked. “And your ass is about to be wrapped around my foot.”
    “Gentlemen,” Brooklyn scolded. She turned to Analeigh and pulled her in for a hug. “Forgive their lack of home training. I am so thrilled to meet you.”
    Analeigh’s eyes widened. That voice! It was the same one