Seducing My Best Friend (The Wrights Book 2)

by McKenna Rogue

  “Wait…you’re saying all this time you’ve been waiting for me?”

  I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times and then I turned on my heel and kept walking. I heard him behind me, but his footfalls weren’t as heavy. He was either thinking or he was done being angry.

  We got back to the Jeep, but he still had the keys.

  I held out my hand. “It’s my turn to drive.”

  He dropped the keys in my palm without a word and climbed into the passenger seat.

  My face was hot and probably red from my stupid confession. I didn’t know what I was saying but if I was honest with him and myself…I’d always been waiting for him since he kissed me before he left the first time. It was stupid of me. He was too good a catch with his own independent life. He didn’t need someone like me, bullheaded and independent, making his life harder. He needed someone softer, someone who didn’t want to work and just wanted to make babies and be a good hospitable wife. That wasn’t me. It would never be me.

  I drove us to the food shack I’d been raving about. “Go find a seat, I’ll get food ordered.”

  “You’re going to order for me?” He raised a brow.

  “I know what’s good and what you’re going to like,” I said.

  “Go. I’ll get seats on the patio.”

  I nodded.

  Once food was ordered, I returned to Matt on the patio with a bucket of Coronas and limes. “Appetizer?”

  “I came here to get away from it all. You’re right. But Derrick said something to me. It was right before the game. He was talking about smelling the roses. He asked if I ever…” He glanced around and then leaned in and whispered in my ear, “if I’d ever made love to you.” His lips brushed my ear, his breath hot on my neck. I wanted to lean into him, and I squeezed my thighs together as each word somehow found its way straight to my core. “He told me to stop living my life through my career. And I realized, I’d been waiting. The reason I didn’t make more of an effort to see you in the last five years is I was trying to make my life perfect enough to ask you to be a part of it.” His fingers grazed my bare shoulder and then he slowly sat back in his chair, his eyes on me.

  I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. I shivered from the intensity of his words. I set the beer in my hand down, afraid I would drop it. How did this man set me off-kilter so badly?

  “I don’t think I knew it at the time but I’m sure of it right now. I came down here for you. Because watching my best friend die, knowing he had regrets and not enough time to live his life the way he wanted to, leaves me feeling reckless. He had this little girl he was leaving behind, and it made his soul ache. Derrick asked me because he knew me better than anyone. Even you. And I hated that about him, and I hated that you didn’t know me like you used to. And even more, I hated that I didn’t know what was going on in your life. And finding out some guy proposed to you…really pissed me off. I’m not a stupid barbarian who has to believe you’re a virgin waiting around for me, but you were with that guy recently and he thought enough of you to propose. And I hated myself for taking so long to get down here. How many schmucks thought they were good enough for you? I’m not even good enough for you.”

  “Matthew…” I murmured.

  “I’m serious. If I was, you wouldn’t be questioning me in the first place.”

  “I’m not questioning you but I know what grief can do to people. And people make poor decisions.”

  “This isn’t a poor decision. It’s one I should’ve made a long time ago,” he said.

  “And what about our friendship?” I asked.

  He took a long swig of his beer. “According to you, I haven’t been much of one. What would you really be losing? My mother loves you. Your connection to the Wrights will always be secure, regardless of where you and I stand.”

  Oddly, that made me feel good. And it bothered me he knew I wanted that piece of my life to stay intact. I didn’t talk to Donna often, but it was good to know she was there if I needed her. And she’d called on me a few times too. I still had connections in the acting world and sometimes she needed my help. I was happy to give it. But I didn’t think Matt was aware of those. He never said anything if he was.

  “I don’t want to have to worry about you and me not having a relationship. If we jump into this and everything goes sideways. Then what? We’re friends again, just like that?”

  “Hayley, I don’t have any answers. I don’t know if it works out or not. I just know it’s you I want.”

  As much as I wanted to fling my arms around his neck and tell him “I’m yours, I’ve always been yours,” I was deeply afraid of that. For so many reasons.

  Our food came a moment later and it seemed to table the subject for a while. We dug into our meal, eating in silence, and then Matt said, “Damn, this is good. You were right.”

  I smiled. “I have my moments.” I met his gaze. “I’m sorry I scared you last night and today.”

  “I may have overreacted a tad. I’m a bit shaken up. I’m not ready to lose someone else,” he said.

  I reached over and dragged my finger under his lower lip, grabbing a bit of sauce that was trying to race down his chin. I looked at the red sauce for a moment before Matt caught my finger in his mouth and sucked. More zings went straight to my pussy and I shifted on my seat, squeezing my thighs together again.

  As the old tension evaporated, new tension throbbed between us. I felt his tongue against my finger right before he released it. I swallowed hard, my memory flashing back to me writhing underneath him as he used only his fingers and tongue to make me come. The night together in Los Angeles was more of a blur of alcohol then I would’ve liked. But everything else was crystal clear. It’d been so fast. I’d unraveled so quickly. It made me wonder what it would be like to be with him without any hesitation or walls between us.

  I traded my taco for my beer and kept my gaze trained on him. I wanted to look away. The intimacy was scaring the crap out of me. At the same time, it excited me.

  After our meal, we went for a drive along the shore. We were laughing and talking, and everything felt completely normal and natural between us.

  The sun started to set.

  “We’re a few hours from home,” I said.

  “Wanna get a room somewhere?” he asked.

  “Probably the best idea.” Nerves wadded in my gut. We wouldn’t have the privacy of a closed bedroom door separating us. There was no reason for us not to share a room. Except we might end up sleeping together.

  We headed to a place I knew. Matt jumped out. “I’ll take care of it. One room or two?”

  And now he was leaving the unanswered question up to me of whether the option of sleeping together was on the table. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he had no intentions at all. Or maybe I had the intentions. It didn’t matter. I was done wondering if there was something real between us or not.

  “One room,” I said.

  Matt’s lips twitched. At least the bastard didn’t smugly smirk right there. He left to get us a room while I spun out in my own head.

  He returned fast and we headed up to the room. We hadn’t packed an overnight bag, so we didn’t have much to carry up. The room was nice and clean. It was on the third floor and overlooked the ocean.

  We sat on the balcony and kicked up our feet, enjoying the sunset. I kept glancing over at him. He seemed enthralled with the oranges, pinks, and purples stretching over the sky. I dipped back inside to get some water. When I turned around, Matt was leaning in the doorway watching me.

  This time he was wearing a smug smirk.

  I bit my lower lip. “Bottle of water?” I offered, needing to break the silence.

  “I’m craving something else wet,” he all but purred as he strode toward me. His voice was deep and caressed my skin like velvet.

  I took a step back and then another until I was pressed against the wall. And then he was surrounding me. His scent was all masculine. He hadn’t shaved that morning, so there was no af
tershave, just a hint of his deodorant and his scent. It smelled wonderful. Definitely, something you couldn’t find in a bottle.

  I looked up and met his gaze. His blue eyes pinned me to the wall while his hands slid over my hips. I trembled as he pulled me flush against him. He didn’t wait for me to protest or say yes, he just kissed me.

  I had nothing left to argue. I slid my hands up his muscled arms and looped them around his neck. I kissed him back with everything I had. Our tongues tangled and we went from wading into the waves to a full-on hurricane. He lifted me and I wrapped my legs around his waist for support. He took three large steps and we tumbled onto the one bed in the room. He hadn’t even bothered with the two queen-size beds option, just one big ass king in the middle of the room.

  His hands felt like they were everywhere, bringing me to a fever pitch fast and dirty. My top went and so did his. I raked my fingers down his chest, appreciating his smatterings of chest hair. He hadn’t had it when we were sixteen, but I certainly liked it. It was the hair on his lower abdomen that disappeared into his pants that had me really excited.

  Matt’s fingers popped the button on my jean shorts and froze when his phone started singing from across the room.

  “Fuck. That’s Rachel’s ring.” He gave me an apologetic look with his big puppy eyes.

  “Go.” I watched him grab his phone and step out onto the balcony. I propped myself up on my elbows, looking around the room.

  I just hoped the interruption would be a short one.

  17

  Matt

  “Rachel?” I asked, afraid she was going to end up going to voicemail since it took so long to detangle from Hayley and get the phone out of my jacket.

  “I’m here.” Her voice was quiet.

  “I’m sorry I was a dick and didn’t get back to you sooner.”

  “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry to even bother you. I know you’re dealing with a lot. And I’m so sorry about Derrick.”

  “Hey, kid. I appreciate that. But don’t worry about me. I’m taking care of myself. What’s going on with you?”

  Rachel took a deep breath. “Matt, please don’t be mad at me. And you can’t tell anyone.”

  Oh shit. This was serious. This was like earth-shattering serious. What the hell had Bex gotten into?

  “I promise. I’m here for you, Rachel. You can tell me anything.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Bex was pregnant. Hang on. No. That’s not what she said. She said…she said…

  “You’re pregnant?” I asked out loud. The phone had broken up. Somehow, I’d misheard what she said.

  “Yes, I’m pregnant.”

  I wanted to punch something and hug her. And what the fuck? She didn’t have a boyfriend, at least not that anyone knew about. And since when was Rachel the one I had to worry about? I needed to get a grip. This was not about me.

  “Matt?”

  “I’m here. I’m processing. Forgive me. I honestly thought Bex had gotten herself into trouble again or something. I wasn’t expecting…”

  “Me to be the one in trouble?”

  “You’re not in trouble. You’re pregnant.” Wow, did I not like saying that to my sixteen-year-old sister.

  “Matt, what am I going to do? Mom and Dad are going to kill me! Bex is going to kill me! Everyone is going to be so disappointed in me. I’m supposed to be the good one.”

  “What happened? I know you know about condoms. Neither of our parents shies away from the sex conversation. Birth control? Anything?”

  “Nothing is a hundred percent.”

  “Except abstinence. Why wasn’t that your tool of choice?”

  “Really? Shall we go through the Wright family list of lost virginities? I’m pretty sure at this point, I was the last Wright to lose mine. I don’t need a lecture on sex or protection. We used a condom and birth control. That’s how I know conception is a fucking miracle. You know how many things have to be right and line up to actually get pregnant? We’ve been having sex for six months. We’ve been careful every time. I don’t know what else to say.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re right. This could’ve happened to any one of us. I’m an ass.”

  “I get it. You’re my big brother. You’re supposed to be outraged. But I need someone on my side. And you’re the only one I can convince. No one else will forgive me after this.”

  “Who’s the father?”

  “I’m not telling you that.”

  Great. That meant I knew the guy. The very dead guy. Not that I was going to lay a finger on him, but I was pretty sure someone in my family was going to. Shit. I was going to have to protect the bloke too.

  “Don’t tell me now but tell me soon. He’s going to need someone on his side too.”

  “Yeah, no shit,” she said.

  When did she start swearing like this? When did she grow up? Probably right around the same time she’d started having sex. Blech. Rachel had always been mature.

  “Do you love the guy? Is he good to you? How is he taking the news?”

  “I haven’t been able to tell him yet.”

  “Why not? This guy better not be a deadbeat dad, or I might have to kick his ass.”

  “Matt, stop acting like a tough guy. You’re not in the mob. He’s unavailable at the moment. When I can talk to him again, I’ll tell him. In the meantime, I need your help telling the rest of the Wrights. Because thirteen angry Wrights…fourteen including you, is a lot to handle all at once.”

  “When do you want to tell the family?”

  “Christmas, I guess. Everyone will be there.”

  “You going to give Mom a onesie that says ‘I love Grandma?’”

  “There are worse ideas.”

  “No, there’s not.” I sat down and raked my hand through my hair. “Are you okay? Have you been to the doctor?”

  “Yes. I’m eight weeks pregnant. Everything looks good. I go back in a month, right before I come home for the holidays. I’ll be at twelve weeks then. It’ll be safe to tell everyone then.”

  “Have you thought about all your options?” I asked, feeling like an asshole as I said it. Because of course, she had. She was a bright, analytical young woman. She wanted to be a doctor, for Christ’s sake.

  I was the stupid caveman who had no idea how to handle any of this.

  “Yes. I’m keeping the baby. I considered adoption. And even aborting, but I can’t do it. I think about Mom and her wanting this big, giant family. There’s no reason for me to give up a child when my family and I are perfectly capable of taking care of said child. Not to mention, Mom is always wanting to take in strays. She’ll love the hell out of her grandchild, once she gets used to the grandchild coming from me and not Chuck and Aubrey. Or you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, you. Tell me you’re not down there hooking up with Hayley. We’ve all got bets on when the two of you will finally figure out you love each other, get married, and start making babies. Even Mom is in on it.”

  “Wait…what?” I shook my head. “Never mind. You are to check in with me every couple of days. I want to know you’re okay. Women are never in more danger in their lives than when they’re pregnant. I remember all the trouble Mom went through pregnant with you and your siblings. Take it easy. Hydrate. Eat well. Don’t do anything super strenuous. And you call me…”

  “Every couple of days, yeah, I got it.”

  I took a deep breath. “Rach, you okay? You scared?”

  “Terrified. I know I’m doing this all wrong. And all out of order. The youngest Wright shouldn’t have the first kid. But, Matt, I’m also really happy. I love the guy. And I know we’re too young and too stupid to make any of it work, but it will. I know it will.”

  I felt a stab of jealousy for my little sister being so sure of something so young. I remembered feeling that way when I was sixteen. With Hayley even.

  “I love you, Rachel. I’m glad you’re okay. And I’m honored you trusted me with this.”
<
br />   “You’re such a nerd,” she teased. “Thank you. You really are the best brother.”

  I chuckled. “You should say that a lot around the others. Make them super jealous.”

  She laughed. “I’ll call you in a couple of days. I love you too.”

  I took another steadying breath. I was going to be an uncle. Holy shit.

  I headed back into the room, ready to tell Hayley the news. I couldn’t talk to anyone in the Wright family, but I needed to talk to someone about it.

  But very quickly Rachel’s condition went whirling out of my mind. Hayley was stretched across the bed completely naked with the sheet strategically draped over her. Her MP3 player was playing something soft and the lighting in the room had changed dramatically. She was biting her lip.

  “I thought I would try and put a little romance in while you were conducting business out there,” she said. Her voice wavered a little bit. “Um…but you look a little pale. Is everything okay?” She sat up, holding the sheet to her chest.

  “Yes and no, and I want to tell you all about it. But right now, I really just want to ruin our friendship.”

  Her eyes widened a little but then a slow smile curved her lips. “It’s about time we do that.”

  I crossed the room, dropping clothes as I went. I left my boxer briefs on and crawled onto the bed toward her, my fingers gathering the sheet, gently pulling it away from her luscious body.

  I climbed over her until I was seated between her thighs and her naked breasts were crushed against my chest as I kissed her. Her legs wound around my waist. And just like that, we fit together like connecting puzzle pieces and I knew it would be even more so when we connected. I was hard as a rock and ready to connect for sure, but I didn’t want to rush anything. And frankly, I wanted to see and feel Hayley come again. I’d barely gotten a taste of her climax before and I wanted more.

  I kissed down her neck, pinning her hands above her head as I continued down her chest to kiss her pert nipples. I released her as soon as I latched onto one of her sensitive nubs while I cupped her other breast. Hayley’s hand went to my head, her fingers threading through my hair, holding me to her. I kissed through the narrow valley to her other mound, lavishing it with attention. But her tits were hardly where I was setting up shop.