I suppose that’s just not how everyday love works.
The shitty thing about love? It only lasts if it’s true on both sides. One-sided love can never withstand the rigors of life—or a best friend on the prowl.
Tears sting the backs of my eyes and my chest tightens.
An oddly high-pitched version of Joy to the World plays somewhere outside, pulling me back from the brink of an emotional break. I shake myself out of my own head.
Haven’t had a breakdown in three or four months. I’m not having one today.
I let myself outside to see what the wretched music is all about. When I get to the end of my driveway, a big boxy truck rounds the corner. On its rooftop, a speaker disguised as a giant ice cream cone pumps out crackly music.
The Pied Piper pulls over at the curb across from Adam’s house.
I step inside and grab my wallet.
When I come back outside, there’s a small horde of neighborhood kids vying to be noticed by the lady in the side window of the truck.
Adam meets me at the end of his front walk. “I haven’t seen one of these trucks since I was a kid.”
I shrug.
No need to get excited. He didn’t come outside to see me. He just wants what all the boys want—sugared cream.
I’m just another pussy to him.
“How’s the writing? Did we loosen up those words for you?”
I avoid meeting his eyes. “Not a bit.”
A smaller kid steps up to the window, but a couple of bigger boys push him aside and rush in to take his place, laughing as his knees hit the concrete.
Those little shits.
I grit my teeth and move toward the truck. Adam gets to them first.
He leans so he’s face to face with the two bullies.
“Now, boys, I know how much you want to buy your friend here some ice cream.” Adam nods to the kid brushing his knees off from where he fell to the ground. “But let’s let him do it for himself. All right?”
The boys’ eyes widen as they nod and step aside. The little boy steps to the window. He looks over his shoulder to Adam, his smile timid.
Then he turns to the lady. “I-I wa-want a choc-chocolate bomb. P-p-please.”
The older kids giggle at the stuttering boy. Adam sends them a hard look and clears his throat.
“I’ve got his.” He steps in behind the little boy. “And hers too.”
I wave my wallet at the lady in the truck. “Oh, no. I’ve got mine.”
The woman hands the boy his chocolate bomb and he runs off, stopping a few yards away to turn and wave to Adam.
Adam’s smile is enough to melt so much more than my ice cream.
I turn away before he catches me watching him. “Ice cream sandwich, please.”
The woman hands me my treat and I pass her the money.
Adam steps in close behind me, his chest hard against my back. I inch to the left, but he follows.
“I’d have been happy to buy you an ice cream.” His breath brushes past my ear, sending tingles down my arms and into deeper parts as well.
I dodge his big hands as they reach for my waist. “Thanks anyway.”
Adam pays the woman for his lemon chill cup and the boy’s treat.
We stroll across the street toward his front porch.
He pops open his container and digs in with the tiny plastic spoon. “I was going to make you breakfast yesterday, but you left in a hurry.”
“Yeah. I needed to get home and feed Chloe. I hadn’t planned on staying the night.”
I carefully unwrap my ice cream, focusing on it rather than looking at Adam, who I’m pretty sure is studying me. Is he comparing me to all those other women he’s had?
He nudges my arm with his elbow. “I’m glad you did.”
Is he?
The ice cream truck starts up its obnoxious music, and the engine roars to life.
Be nice. Keep things friendly—gotta live next door to him, after all.
I say, “You were good with those kids. I wanted to rip them a new one.”
He gives a one shoulder shrug. “I have a couple of kiddos in my life, so I know a few things. Kids are a pain in the ass though.”
“Oh? You don’t like kids?” Of course, he doesn’t.
“They’re okay, I guess. I just don’t want any.” He flips his full spoon upside down and drags the lemon concoction off onto his tongue.
Oh, that tongue and the things it can do. It brought such pleasure.
And it’s done the same for so many others. And will do for countless more, I’m sure.
Gotta keep that in mind. I need a one-woman guy, not a womanizer.
Mine is just another pussy—conveniently located right next door.
Something brushes against me. He’s running the backs of his fingers across my forearm.
I jerk away from his touch. “What?”
“I said, do you like rug rats?”
I fake a smile. “Yeah. I like kids. Good thing, too, since I’ve got one.”
I take a bite of my sandwich and chew slowly, waiting for him to react.
His eyes widen, but he recovers quickly. “I didn’t know. I haven’t seen one around. You keep it chained in the basement?”
“Ha. Ha. You’re fucking hilarious. She’s at her dad’s parents’ house for the month. They took her during his scheduled summer visitation.”
Make room folks, he’s probably going to bolt.
Adam grins and pulls me to him. “Well, I guess we should make good use of your time off from mommyhood. Want me to try to help you to get your words back one more time?”
I push his arms away and step backward. “That’s not happening again.”
Adam tugs at his earlobe, his expression perplexed. “But—I—I thought we—you know—hit it off.”
I shrug. “No. You refused to actually hit it, but you still got what you wanted.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re exactly like every other man I’ve had the displeasure of dealing with.”
His lips press into a slash buried in fur.
He points to himself. “Me? A displeasure?”
I cross my arms, lifting one brow.
His voice rises. “Oh no, don’t even—you were definitely pleasured—several times. In fact, you came so fucking hard you almost drowned me in cream.”
Heat radiates up my neck and over my face, settling in my ears as I sputter, trying to make the words conform to my will. “Y—you—you used me and then bragged—”
“What?” He holds up his hands and he yells, “I used you?”
“Like I said, just like all men. Untrustworthy. Braggarts. Cads.”
“All men? I am not like all men. There are very few men like me, I’ll have you know.”
I roll my eyes. “Puh-lease. That’s what you all want to think. Trust me, it ain’t true. All men are the same. Their game might be slightly different, but you all play them.”
“Games? What games?”
Cheat. Lie. Use. Deny responsibility. “Look, it’s fine. I get it. I’m just another notch—”
“Whoa. Hold up there. I didn’t use you. You’re the one who was looking to wind up your muse. If anyone got used it was me.” He frowns, looking away and lifting his chin like he’s been deeply offended.
I poke my tongue into my cheek, studying him through narrowed eyes.
He stabs his little plastic spoon into his lemon chill hard enough that the handle breaks off in his hand
Fuck. I hate it when this happens. I have to admit—he has a point.
I plaster on my politest smile. “You know, you’re absolutely partially right. We used each other. It was a mutual-use situation.”
Adam draws back, as though he’s shocked that I agree with him.
I give a single nod. “No, really. You’ve given me a revelation. It’s true. We used each other.”
“Damn straight we did. We both got something we wanted.” He says with a
smug, vindicated smile. “You got licked, and I got to taste that sugar glider.”
I clench my teeth tight and suck in a deep breath through my nose. “Whatever. Either way, I now realize I’m not okay with that.”
“Okay with what? Being licked? Getting off?”
“I’m not okay with being a convenient piece of ass until you find a new one. I’m not really okay with being one in a long line of girls you plan to fuck until you find what you’re looking for. And I’m really not okay with being with a guy who sees women as nothing more than a twat to be fucked. Let’s forget it happened and part friends. Okay then? Good. Thanks.”
I turn toward my house, licking the dripping cream off the side of my treat. It doesn’t taste even the slightest bit sweet now.
When I get to the door, Adam yells, “Well, it’s your lucky day; I’m a helluva a friend to have.”
We’ll see about that.
My hand tightens on the doorknob. It takes everything I have to not look over my shoulder as I let myself into the house.
I promptly wilt against the inside of the door.
Counting to ten, I take deep cleansing breaths.
Friend. He’s a good friend to have?
I just bet he is.
Damn him.
Heading back to my office, I shake off the remnants of my frustration and upset.
It’s time to get to business.
I need to focus on what’s important—finding someone to share my life with. Someone who will want to be with me and only me, someone who likes kids. That person is definitely not Adam.
Adam is Mr. Wrong. There’s nothing about him that’s right, except for his prowess between my thighs.
I go to my web browser and pull up the DATE.COM site.
It’ll be best to let someone else act as my muse.
All right, then. Who do we have for Today’s Suggested Dates?
I navigate to my personal page. Three emails from three different Date Opportunities wait for my response.
Question of the day is will any of them be worth a shit?
EIGHT
I come around the side of the house, dragging the dead tree I cut down in the backyard.
My fucking cock springs to attention in a heartbeat.
Shit. That didn’t even take a dirty thought.
Kelsey locks her front door and turns. From her strappy red heels to the white top that shows enough cleavage to tease without giving away the entire show, she’s magnificent.
I toss the half-rotted tree onto the curb and raise my hand in salute. “Hey, Beautiful Girl. You look amazing. Got a hot date or something?”
She straightens her skirt as she looks down at herself. “Yeah.”
Damn. Not what I thought she’d say.
Of course she has a date, dumbass. Look at her. Why wouldn’t she?
I roll my shoulders and stand a bit straighter. “Well, good. You should go out. Is this that dating site I overheard you talking about the other day? I’ve been thinking of checking it out myself.”
Her mouth drops open for a moment, but she snaps it shut. “DATE.COM. Yes. Leigh insisted I give it a try.”
I meet her at the front of her car.
“I hope you have fun.”
Or not.
She nods with a cautious smile. “Thanks. And I think it’d be good for you to check out the site. You might meet some friends that way since you’re new to the area and all.”
“Is that what you’re doing? Just meeting potential friends?”
She slides into her seat and pulls the belt around her.
Kelsey reaches for the door. “Friends. Whatevers. I really don’t know. Just trying to do something different. Because what I’ve been doing hasn’t gotten me anywhere.”
When she reaches for the door to close it, I stop it and lean in close. “Well, if your whatevers don’t work for you, that offer is still open.”
Her eyes search mine and she licks her lips. “Okay. Thanks.”
I lean in and lay my mouth on hers. She gasps, and I slip my tongue along her bottom lip before pulling away.
“Oh, and I bought a box of condoms the other day.” I step back and shut her door for her.
Her dazed expression gives me a kind of weird satisfaction.
Good, maybe she’ll think about that if the douche she sees tonight tries to kiss her.
I wave as she backs out of her driveway.
She shoots me a perplexed look and lifts her fingers from the steering wheel in acknowledgement.
Why the fuck do I care if she goes out with someone else?
I trudge to the backyard to get back to the task at hand.
Let her go out with all the guys on that stupid site. What difference should it make to me?
Plus, she’s got a freaking kid. I don’t need to get tangled up with a woman who has a kid.
The memory of Kelsey sliding her mouth over my cock hardens my dick and hollows my chest.
She does have the softest mouth. And she didn’t mind that my junk has been maimed and sewn back together.
Soaping her up in the shower was extra nice.
But it’s obvious she doesn’t want me, because if she did, she wouldn’t be out with someone else.
Or maybe she would. Maybe she’s looking for more than just a hump and cuddle.
Naw. I don’t need a woman with a kid. Too fucking complicated.
I sit on the bench at the entry of the Italian place. I check the time on my phone again.
Maybe he’s going to stand me up. It’s been almost a half hour since we were supposed to meet.
I stand and lay my light sweater over the crook of my arm. As I sling the strap of my purse over my shoulder, the guy who’s been sitting across from me almost as long as I’ve been here, staring at me unabashedly all the while, stands as well.
He takes a step toward me, his hand out. “Hi. I’m Rodney. I’ve been watching you. You’re Kelsey26, right?”
My stomach clenches.
I turn away, biting my fist until I can get a hold of myself.
Oh, Lord. I’m so glad I drove myself. I’ve totally been—what do they call it? Catfished.
The guy’s pictures showed a man with a head full of hair and only one chin. This guy is the exact opposite. And he’s shorter than I am, by more than a couple of inches.
I turn back to him and open my mouth only to close it, unsure of how to even address the situation.
He blushes. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not what you expected. I was hoping that after having emailed back and forth those times, you’d still want to share a meal and get to know me better, even though I’m not exactly what’s on my profile.”
I fidget from foot to foot, eyeing the exit.
Hell, I don’t even know how to be nice in this situation.
Screw it.
I face him full on and stare directly into his beady little eyes. “You know, it’s bad enough that you flat out lied on your profile. But the thing I really don’t understand is why—why would you have me sit here and wait for you when you were right there for the last twenty minutes? I don’t understand any of this.”
“I wanted to see if you’re a patient person. I was testing you.” His expression says he thinks this is perfectly reasonable behavior.
I close my eyes and shake my head.
Just another lesson learned. That’s all. I’ve been done worse, and by people I trusted.
I will the anger to leave me as I look Rodney in the eye. “I would very much appreciate it if you wouldn’t come outside until I’ve had time to get into my car and drive away. And let me leave you with this little piece of advice. This is not the way to attract the opposite sex. This is red flag central, buddy.”
* * *
I stopped at the first fast food place I saw on the way home from the disaster of an almost date.
I tried to call Leigh but had to leave a voicemail.
As I pull into my driveway, the phone goes off. I turn off the engine and a
nswer.
Before I can even say a word, Leigh launches. “What happened? It seems pretty early for your date to be done. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me.”
“I hate you. And I hate your big ideas to join a dating site.”
From her gasp, I can just imagine her all wide-eyed with her hand over her mouth.
I take a deep breath. “I don’t hate you. I love you. But I do think I might hate online dating.”
“Oh, sweetie. What happened?”
I tell her about the date debacle and swear off online dating for the foreseeable future.
“Aw. You can’t quit. You’ve had one date. Maybe the next guy will be amazing.”
I grab the bag from the passenger seat and push my door open. I turn to check the backseat, a habit I formed when Clarissa was a baby to make sure I didn’t accidentally leave her in the car.
Something tugs on my bag of grub.
Spike.
“No. Bad boy. Stop.” I drop my phone, but hang on to the paper sack containing my favorite junk-out meal.
Spike’s nostrils flare, while the whites of his eyes show. He pulls.
“Doesn’t—”
I slide from the car.
“…he—”
My ass hits the driveway.
“…ever—”
I hold on with both hands.
“…feed—”
My knees are almost at my ears as my red heels dig into the grass at the edge of the concrete.
“…you?”
His teeth tear into the paper as he huffs out a breath through his nose as I try to push his face away.
Slime from his jowls clings to my fingers.
Ew.
He twists his head, trying to wrest my food from me. I yank once more.
The bag rips. In less than a second, the ass end of Adam’s dog races away.
He looks over his shoulder, my dinner firmly clenched in his jowls as he escapes with another one of my meals.
A limp, wet sliver of paper rests in my outstretched palm.
I screech and then clamp my jaw shut.
Leigh hollers from the other end of the line. “Are you okay? Kelsey? Kelsey?”
I retrieve my phone from beneath the car. “I have to let you go. I’m going to go throttle a dog after I rip my neighbor a new one for not containing his animal.”
I hang up and slam the car’s door.
So Long: Bad Boy Next Door Page 7
