“Hey, we’re almost done. Give me another fifteen?”
“Yeah, no problem.” Sawyer pulled out the chair next to mine.
A foot connected with my shin. “Fuck,” I yelped, reaching down to rub the abused bone.
I looked up to see Madison glaring at me. With a roll of my eyes, I gestured to the rest of my team. “Sawyer, this is Madison, Chloe, and George. They’re all associates with the firm.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.”
“Hi.” Chloe practically bounced in her seat. “I love your music.”
That half grin appeared. The one full of confidence and self-assuredness. The one I couldn’t look away from. “Thanks. I’ll have to get you passes backstage one of these days.”
Chloe slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming and looking unprofessional to the people seated at the cubicles right outside the conference room window. George chuckled and simply returned Sawyer’s hello. The real surprise was Madison, who sat there, mouth agape, simply staring. For the first time since I’d known her, Madison didn’t seem to have a single word to say. Maybe it was time for a bit of payback.
I set my elbow on the table, resting my chin on my palm. “Madison, I thought you were a big fan of Sawyer and Jaded Ivory.”
Her eyes flared as a light flush crept up her neck and jaw. “I…um…”
Sawyer turned the full power of his smile on her. It took my normally outspoken friend and turned her into a mute. I knew I was in for it later.
“Can we get this last part done, so we can all get out of here?” George said.
“Yes, please,” Chloe agreed.
While working through the last part, I found myself hyper aware of Sawyer sitting next to me. Weird. It wasn’t the first time we did work together, even if this time Sawyer was only watching. I had a feeling it had more to do with the way Madison continued to peek up at him through her lashes. For some reason it made me want to claim possession of him. He was my friend not hers. I kept my mouth shut, recognizing how ridiculous that sounded. Didn’t stop me from thinking it.
By the time we finished, I was more than ready to get out of there. Irrational as it might have been, I wanted to get Sawyer out of there and spend time, just the two of us. I packed up all my stuff and told them I’d have the final draft typed up for Monday. As we walked out of the building, I remembered the one problem with him picking me up.
“I have to warn you that my roommate is a total asshole.”
“That bad, huh?”
I followed him to his car. “That bad,” I agreed. “He’s the type people post about and the shit goes viral.”
“Oh, man.” He winced and unlocked his car. “Why live with him?”
“Rent isn’t cheap, so I advertised for a roommate. Trust me when I tell you he seemed normal until after he moved in.”
Sawyer rolled his eyes. “Kick his ass out.”
“I’m working on it. I need to save up enough to pay for the condo for a few months while I look for another roommate.”
I climbed in and groaned. “Shit, you weren’t kidding about your car being a disaster.”
It wasn’t like there was food or fast food wrappers everywhere, but it seemed as if sheet music and old drumsticks covered almost every surface area of the car.
“Hey, I tried to warn you.”
I shoved the shit off my seat and to the floor. “Fair enough. I’m warning you that we’re taking my car to the game.”
Sawyer laughed and the heavy baritone settled the nagging, jealous feeling inside me. I didn’t have to share him with the world today. Today he was my best friend. Just the two of us, like it had been when we were kids.
I directed him to my building. He stepped out of the car to come upstairs with me. As we approached the elevator, I silently prayed Harrison wasn’t there. He was absolutely infuriating to live with. I couldn’t imagine how he’d treat a friend of mine. The elevator doors closed behind us.
The doors whisked open and I stepped out onto my floor. I almost groaned when I saw Harrison’s favorite little sign hanging from the doorknob.
Do Not Disturb.
Don’t ask me where he got it. Hell, I’d already torn up and thrown away more than a dozen, yet they kept reappearing. I reached for the handle, blatantly ignoring the sign, when Sawyer grabbed my hand and pulled it back.
“Dude, doesn’t that mean he’s got company?”
I glanced over and rolled my eyes. “If only. This is only one of the ways he’s made life difficult so far. It usually means he’s watching some foreign film and expects me to stay out of my place for hours while he finishes the movie and writes a complete review of it on his blog.”
Sawyer narrowed his eyes. “Who does that?”
“The idiot I live with, unfortunately.” I pushed the door open. The only light in the room came from the TV to the right.
“Reagan,” Harrison snapped. “What have I told you about the do not disturb sign?”
I flicked on the light. “And I’ve told you I have the lease on this condo. I’m not staying out of my place for hours for this shit. You want to bring home a chick to fuck, then I’ll listen. Until then.” I took the sign off the handle and tore it in two. “Stop putting them up. I’m just gonna ignore it.”
Harrison hopped up from his seat and ran to the light switch, halting his steps the moment he noticed Sawyer behind me. His lip curled. “And why would you bring this…this thug into my place of sanctuary?”
Sawyer had about five or six inches on Harrison and gazed down at him, amusement lighting his eyes. Afraid of what Sawyer might say, I stepped between them.
“Sawyer is one of my closest friends and is welcome here anytime I bring him. I’m not really concerned about your opinion. Now, if you’d get out of the way and let me change we could already be out of your hair.”
Harrison reached for the light.
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not stumbling through the place in the dark. I’ll turn it off when we leave.”
Harrison spun on his heel, grumbling under his breath the entire way back to the couch. I ignored him and went straight for my room. Sawyer’s footsteps sounded behind me and I thanked my lucky stars he didn’t stay there to engage him for his shitty behavior. The minute my door closed behind us, I turned on my heel to apologize to Sawyer and noticed the crinkles around his eyes.
“That is way more than an asshole. Good thing I don’t live with him. I’d need to hire a lawyer.”
I let out a sigh. “Tell me about it.”
“Is he a lawyer too?”
I gripped the hem of my shirt and tugged it over my head, dropping it into the hamper by the closet. “No, he’s an engineer. But I’m surprised he’s able to keep his job. He spends most of his time on his blog.”
I dug through my drawers, looking for one of the Hayward T-shirts I still owned. I could sense eyes on me when I noticed Sawyer had gone silent. When I turned around to see if he was all right, I realized he was on his phone. Strange. I gave myself a mental shake. Apparently, everything that happened at the office still had me paranoid. Why, I hadn’t a clue. If Sawyer had been interested in Madison flirting that was up to him. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I suddenly felt possessive over my relationship with Sawyer. It could have been my fear of him disappearing again after I’d gotten him back. Whatever the cause I needed to get a grip.
I yanked the shirt over my head and shoved my wallet and phone in my pocket.
“Ready?”
CHAPTER 12
Sawyer
Ready?
He had to be kidding me. I wanted to bolt out the door the minute he took his shirt off. I pulled out my phone as a distraction, afraid if I didn’t do something I’d end up running my fingers along all of his golden skin on display. The muscles in his back were more defined than they’d been in high school. Even more tempting for me. My eyes strayed from my phone. I knew I was staring and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop. At least until he’d turned
. I quickly glanced down at my screen to keep from being caught.
Ready?
My ass needed to get out of there. I could feel the hard-on pulsing in my jeans, begging to get free. One look at his bare back and the blood started to flow from my head to my groin.
I jumped from the chair as if my ass were on fire.
“Yep. Let’s go.” I practically ripped the door off the hinges in my haste to get it open.
I stalked past Reagan’s roommate. Asshole was an understatement for that guy. What a judgmental dick. At least he could be my saving grace if Reagan called me out for my weird behavior. I’d blame it on the guy’s shitty attitude when we arrived. Once I made it into the hallway, I reached down and adjusted my dick. I didn’t need him to see it and wonder where it came from.
He pressed the button on the elevator. “Where are the seats?”
“Fifty-yard line.”
I almost groaned when the doors slid shut behind us. On the ride up, I’d been focused on his roommate and hadn’t paid any attention to the scent of sandalwood that surrounded him. Now? Now, it was all I could think about. It wrapped around me, making me dizzy and stealing my breath. Nothing in the world would ever smell as enticing as Reagan. A combination of something distinctly him and sandalwood. Only a few floors. I held my breath, hoping like hell I didn’t pass out before we reached the bottom.
Reagan went on and on about the seats. How unless he was playing, he’d never been that close to the field. All the while, I tried to clear my mind and calm my senses. How the hell were we supposed to be friends when my mind constantly strayed to the what-ifs? After weeks of spending time together, I thought it would get easier. I’d managed to do it through most of high school. The difference now was I had more confidence in myself. I understood myself and who I was. I spent most of time in high school trying to figure that out.
Now I knew what I wanted and what I couldn’t have.
The doors opened and I sucked in a breath. His scent lingered until we stepped outside. The fresh air cleared my head and I was able to think again.
“Cole got them for me. Pays to be one of the coaches.”
“Definitely a perk.” He winked and walked around the front of his car, climbing into the driver’s seat.
We climbed in and I couldn’t help but notice the sideways glances he shot me every once in a while on the drive over. I kept my eyes straight forward, focused on the road ahead, knowing how much my face would give away if I looked at him. We made our way toward the entrance gate and I couldn’t help but notice the long, powerful strides Reagan made with each step. Or the way his jeans clung to every curve of his ass. Get a grip. I handed Reagan his ticket.
“Did you play all through college?” I asked.
“All four years.” We scanned our tickets at the gate. “Which reminds me I keep forgetting to ask. Did you miss not playing baseball?”
Thank fuck. Something to focus on besides Reagan.
“A little, but not enough to give up music.”
He chuckled. “I can imagine. Did you guys think you’d ever end up where you are?”
I pulled the baseball cap low. Not that I expected any problems, but better safe than sorry. “Not exactly. No one really noticed us at first. Not until Mari started singing with us.”
His step faltered. “You told me Jackson was the lead singer?”
“Yep.”
“Did he mind giving it up?”
“I think he did a little, but he knew we’d be more successful with Mari in the lead.”
We made our way down to our seats. I’d never been down there before. Honestly, I’d never asked Cole to get me down there before. To Reagan I passed it off as if Cole had just given me the tickets. When in reality, I asked him to get them. I knew Reagan would love seeing a game and I wanted to be the one to take him. Cole had been more than happy to help me out. Once he understood that Mari and I would only ever be friends, our own friendship grew.
“Holy shit,” he breathed. The awe on his face told me I’d made the right decision. “These are perfect.”
We sat down, waiting for the team to emerge from the tunnel. At least that was what Reagan was doing. I’d taken the seat to his right, which gave me a clear view of his strong jaw and chiseled profile, all under the guise of waiting for the team. His cheekbones had grown more defined over the years. Watching him, I realized how different we truly were. When his roommate called me a thug, while I found it offensive, I understood how a close-minded individual like him would believe that. Gauges in both ears, tattoos running along both arms, in an old T-shirt and ripped jeans. If only he’d known about the nipple piercings under my shirt. Reagan, on the other hand, was the definition of clean-cut sophistication. He always had been. Dark denim that hugged the muscular thighs beneath. Short, styled dark hair. Even in a Hayward T-shirt and jeans, he looked every bit of the lawyer he was.
It just proved how looks truly meant nothing. Reagan and I may look like polar opposites, but our personalities couldn’t be more alike. I loved watching sports as much as he did. We had the same taste in music and movies. The perfect match in all ways but one.
The team finally emerged from the tunnel, stealing my ability to watch Reagan unnoticed. The minute Cole hit the fifty-yard line, he caught my gaze and gestured to the seats. I gave a thumbs-up and a smile. I owed him one. Although I had a feeling he’d take a referee when Mari got all fired up about something. Not that it hadn’t been a role I’d played in the past.
The game felt more like a roller coaster ride than football, neither team keeping the lead for long periods of time. We yelled and screamed each time Hayward scored, getting frustrated each time the opposing team did. There was thirty seconds left on the clock and Hayward was down by three. The offensive line rotated and we waited. The throw from the quarterback went barreling toward the end zone. I think the entire stadium held a collective breath as we watched to see if the wide receiver would come down with it. His fingers skimmed the ball and by some miracle he was able to get a grip on it and pull it down, landing inside the end zone.
The stadium erupted in cheers and shouts as the buzzer sounded. Backs were slapped, high fives given. Suddenly, I felt myself wrapped up in Reagan’s arms. Excitement had overtaken everyone. For years, it hadn’t been odd for us to cheer and share a quick hug when our team won. Things were different now. He didn’t, but I sure as hell noticed the way his firm body felt against mine. Trying not to show the awkwardness that crept through me, I patted him on the back, keeping my hips away from his. When he finally let go I breathed a sigh of relief. My dick was hard as steel. There’d be no way to hide that from him if our lower bodies touched. The energy in the place faded slightly as the people began to make their way up the stairs to the exit.
“Damn,” Reagan said as we reached the landing. “I’m not sure I can sleep for a while after that game. Wanna grab a beer?”
“I thought you had work to do for Monday?”
He gave my shoulder a quick shove. “I do, but I don’t think a couple of beers is going to make me forget everything. Plus, I have all day Sunday, unless you have plans to drag me somewhere else.”
“Oh, so I dragged you here. I’ll remember that next time Cole has seats to give away.”
“You can drag me to a game anytime you want.”
If only I could drag him anywhere. “I see you’re using me for what you can get out of me.”
This time a light punch landed on my arm. “And what would that be?”
So many answers sat there on the tip of my tongue, but I held most of them back. “For how much fun I am.”
Reagan rolled his eyes. “You definitely think highly of yourself.”
“Maybe a little,” I joked, trying to hide everything that was going on in my head.
If there was one thing I learned about Reagan over the last few weeks, it was that he could still read me like a book. I made sure to keep more of my emotions locked up tight.
“How about
Solitude?” he asked.
“Sounds good,” I said absently, my focus still on keeping my emotions locked up tight.
I didn’t really pay attention to where we were going until Reagan pulled into the parking garage. I’d been so focused on all the things in my head, I hadn’t been listening when he suggested this place.
“Solitude? I thought you wanted a beer.”
“Nothing wrong with a beer and music.” He nodded toward the door.
Music happened to be an understatement. Solitude would be full of gyrating bodies as they danced to whatever band played that night. It reminded me a lot of the places where we started. Not exactly a club, but there definitely would be people dancing. My heart leapt into my throat. Has he figured it out? Solitude happened to be known as a place where anyone was welcome. It didn’t matter if you wanted to dance with men, women or both. No one discriminated there.
“Why Solitude?” I asked in what I hoped sounded like a conversational tone.
“They have local beers on tap I can’t get anywhere else.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and my footsteps lightened as I followed him inside. The speakers still played while the band set up their equipment. Hopefully, we’d sit and drink without any trips to the dance floor. I had no desire to play the avoidance game with the women in the bar. After we flagged someone down and ordered, Reagan turned to me.
“Thanks for thinking of me when you got the tickets.”
If only he knew I thought about him all the time. “Who else would I go with?”
He lifted the pint glass to his lips. “I’m not the only friend you have.” I couldn’t help but notice the way he stared at me over the rim of the glass before taking a drink.
“I see those idiots all the time. It’s you I want to hang out with.” And that was closer to the truth than I’d been willing to admit up to this point.
He nodded, but stared at the glass in his hand for a long moment. “Is it just me who feels like nothing has changed?”
“That’s ’cause it hasn’t. I made a dumb decision all those years ago.” Against my better judgment, I rested my hand on his shoulder. “But I have and will always consider you my best friend.”
Ride Me Page 9
