Cocky Delight: A Hero Club Novel

by Maria Macdonald

  His friends look around, concern and puzzlement now on their faces as they realize their leader isn’t backing down. Then, like the Gods have gifted me the perfect punishment, I spot something over the shoulder of freckles.

  I lean in closer to him, “Listen, you’re probably desperate to have your dick touched by something other than your hand or your mommy, right?”

  His friends laugh again as he turns redder.

  Kato and Chance are closing in on us, as is my angry, incoming partner in crime. Quickly, I grab freckles by his shoulder and spin him around. He’s larger than me, but the sneak attack surprises him, as does the goose who’s quickly coming toward him squawking. The moment it latches onto his dick, he screams, Aubrey bursts into laughter, his friends are all frozen in shock and Kato grabs me around the waist, pulling my back to his front. He drags us both away and I notice Chance doing the same thing with Aubrey, just as the rest of the geese barrel toward the group of boys.

  “Yeah, nine one one, we’re gonna need an ambulance down at Cabot Lake. Geese are attacking a group of teens and one of them has had his testicles and dick bitten. Better get animal control too, the goose isn’t letting go.” I can’t help the laughter that erupts from me as I watch the little terrorized duck waddle back into the water.

  Aubrey and I are still laughing a couple of hours later when we finally arrive back at Aubrey’s house.

  “I wonder if he’ll be alright,” Chance says to Kato and they both wince. “Remember never to piss her off.”

  “She wouldn’t do that to me,” Kato states, coming up behind my chair and resting his hands on my shoulders, “she likes my dick too much.”

  I look up at him and he grins. I want to chastise him, but instead I roll my eyes.

  “My house goes on the market tomorrow,” I tell Aubrey, and Kato’s hands tense on my shoulders.

  “It’s a shame,” she replies, “have you heard anything from your sister?”

  I shake my head. “No, but I know she’ll see the listing when it goes up, so I expect a call soon,” I sigh.

  “I suppose I should get home anyway. I’m late giving Blanche her food and I don’t want her summoning all the underworld because she’s hungry,” I say, trying to stifle a yawn.

  Both Kato and Aubrey laugh, while Chance eyes me warily. “There is something cataclysmically wrong with that cat,” he says.

  I sigh. “Yeah, I know,” I reply.

  “We need to feed Pixy too,” Aubrey says.

  “Where is he?” I question, yawning again, “I haven’t had him banging on my door lately.”

  “He’s recognized an evil spirit in your cat and has cleverly kept away,” Chance answers.

  Aubrey rolls her eyes, “We secured the fence in the back yard and he’s kept there when we aren’t around. Thankfully, it seems to be working.”

  “Wish I could keep Blanche in the back yard and just throw her food out from the kitchen window.”

  Aubrey giggles, Kato grins and Chance is still eyeing me like I might pull Blanche out from the back pocket of my jeans at any moment.

  I can’t help but yawn again. “Come on, let’s go,” Kato orders, grabbing my hand and hauling me up.

  We say our goodbyes and walk the hundred feet to my place.

  Kato seats me on the sofa. “Stay there, let me sort out your cat,” he orders and I don’t argue. Instead I sit back, kick off my sneakers and turn on Netflix.

  “Nola, gorgeous,” I’m rocked from side to side gently and I open my eyes, realizing I dozed off.

  “Sorry,” I murmur to Kato.

  “Shhh,” he coos, lifting me off the sofa and walking me into the bedroom. Over the last few weeks, he’s slept here almost every night, but tomorrow he’s going on a job out of town for a week. Neither of us want him to go. If it weren’t for the fact his best friend is also his boss, and Kato knows he’d be letting Chance down if he didn’t go, he would have probably quit his job so he didn’t have to leave me.

  Our relationship is all new and unusual for me, but not because it’s with him, it’s more because I’ve never been in a relationship quite like this one. A relationship where we’re equals, where we actually spend time together. I feel like I’ve learned more about Kato in the last few weeks than I ever knew about Lance. Feeling like someone cares about me and that they are genuinely putting my needs before their own, is amazing. I don’t want to believe it’s real, because then if I lose him, it won’t hurt as much. But I can finally admit to myself, I’m past the point of return. If he hurts me now, it’s going to kill me.

  “I’m gonna miss you this week,” I tell him.

  He pulls my clothes off gently, treating me as though I’m precious.

  “I’ll miss you too, gorgeous,” he tells me.

  Once I’m naked, he stares at my body for a moment, his jaw locked as a muscle jumps in his cheek. Slowly, he pulls the sheet over my body. Standing up, he shucks off his jeans and socks, pulls his shirt off using the single hand behind his back method that men seem to do, then he slips his boxers off.

  “Mmm, gloriously naked. You should share your body with the world.” I repeat the words that are in my head, then scrunch my face up. “No, no, no,” I say, shaking my head. “No one gets to see this but me,” I tell him sleepily.

  He smiles down at me indulgently then climbs into bed, pulling me into him until I lay my head on his chest. “This is all for you, Nola. No one else compares.”

  It’s the last thing I hear before I fall to sleep, which means I’m smiling as I slip into my dreams.

  Chapter Fifteen

  NOLA

  “Ugh,” I complain, throwing the pen across the office.

  Chance ducks as he walks out from the kitchen and straight into the line of fire.

  His eyes widen and he glances at Aubrey who bursts out laughing. I eye her, but I can’t laugh. I miss him and it’s killing me. This is not a feeling I’m used to.

  “God, I’ve turned into one of them,” I groan.

  “One of who?” Aubrey questions.

  “One of those needy girls who can’t cope without a man,” I complain, throwing myself back in the chair.

  “Drama much?” Aubrey states, rolling her eyes at me. “You are not needy because you miss him. This is the first time you’ve actually had real feelings for someone and you’re struggling to process them. Wait until you get jealous,” she tells me and my mouth drops open.

  “Jealous? I don’t get jealous,” I reply, folding my arms across my chest.

  “Yet. You don’t get jealous, yet.” Her words are accompanied with a snicker and I narrow my eyes on her.

  “Ladies, I have to go…” Chance looks between us, clearly trying to think of an excuse, instead he shrugs and kisses Aubrey. “I’m out,” he announces walking through the front door and climbing into his truck.

  My eyes move back to Aubrey and she’s grinning. “I think you scared him off,” she says, her grin spreading to a smile and I can’t help mirroring her this time.

  “I hate this feeling, Aubrey,” I admit softly.

  “You’ll get used to it,” she tells me. “It means you have real feelings for him though.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I think he has real feelings for you, too.”

  I stare out of the window at Craig and Matt. They work out every day, do they think of anything else? Have any problems or dramas? It sure seems like their lives are pretty calm and ordered, but what would I know? I guess everyone has shit going on under the surface.

  “What’s this?” Aubrey questions, picking a potato up from my desk.

  “That’s lunch,” I answer, still traumatized by the all too clear knowledge that I have feelings for Kato.

  “You’re eating a raw potato?” she questions, placing it back down on the desk and taking a seat opposite me.

  “What?” I reply absently, then I look between her face and the potato. “Here,” I state, handing her
a little red pouch.

  “Okay, so what’s this?”

  “It’s a potato bag. I put the potato inside and pop it in the microwave and voila, baked potato.”

  “You’re a little odd,” she murmurs, placing the potato bag back on my desk.

  I shrug, “You remember Grandma was an infomercial buyer.”

  She frowns, “And?”

  “Well, I have all this useless crap over the house, and very little that’s actually worthwhile. This,” I tell her, picking up the bag, “is one of the few things that actually does work.”

  “What else do you have that your gran bought then?” she asks, leaning forward on the desk, as though I’m about to share a juicy secret.

  I sit back and roll my eyes.

  “She bought all the usual, food dehydrator, pasta maker, ab curler.”

  “An ab curler? But she was… old.”

  I snort out a laugh. “Yeah, but it didn’t stop her buying the shit they were selling. You know, I have a strange as shit chair at home. It has a motor, and if you sit on it and turn it on, you jerk from side to side. It’s supposed to give your abs a workout.”

  “Does it work?” Aubrey questions.

  I shake my head, “Nope, all it does is heat up my ass until I think I’m on fire and make me feel slightly queasy from all the jerking.”

  Aubrey laughs, “Did you find anything else when your gran died?”

  I think back to around ten months ago when I finally cleaned out her room. It was three months after she’d died and I had finally got myself settled enough to face the task.

  “A few things,” I answer, cringing. I quickly bring my hands up, covering my face from embarrassment.

  “Oh my God, tell me.” She grabs my arm and jostles me.

  I groan into my hands. but knowing she won’t let this go, I lean back in my chair and shake my head at her.

  “Porn.”

  Aubrey’s mouth drops open and she bursts out laughing.

  “And a very seventies or maybe eighties personal massager,” I state, arching an eyebrow at her.

  “Grandma got hers,” Aubrey giggles.

  “It all sounds okay right, except the porn was of dominatrix women, men with ball gags and leashes.”

  Aubrey gasps, her hand slaps across her mouth as laughter spills out from under it and her eyes widen.

  “I also found a whip, boots, a mask and lube.” I shiver, feeling slightly nauseous.

  “Oh God,” Aubrey groans, “what did you do when you found it all?”

  “Cried for like three days,” I state, which only makes her giggle harder. “I’m not sure if I was crying because she had this whole hidden life, because I’d just found out Grandma was kinky, or because she seemingly had a better sex life than I did.”

  Aubrey laughs harder at that, so I scowl at her.

  “Shouldn’t you be at the animal shelter?” I question, checking the time and seeing it’s just after two.

  “Lisa has it covered today. Anyway, I came over here for a reason.”

  “Oh, you aren’t just here to torture me about my grandma and her weirdness, then?”

  She smiles. “I want to know if you want to do something tonight.”

  “Like what?”

  “Dancing,” she tells me, her eyes lighting up.

  “Shouldn’t that be something you do with Chance?”

  “It will be, but first I want to try this new class out with you.” She shrugs, “If they’re all women it will be odd me bringing Chance, so I thought you could be my partner.”

  “Ugh,” I moan, tipping my head back and looking at the ceiling. “That ceiling needs repainting,” I murmur.

  “Nola!”

  “Okay,” I answer, looking at Aubrey, “I’ll be your plus one, but you better feed me after.”

  “I can’t believe I agreed to this,” I hiss at Aubrey.

  “Stop being so dramatic,” she answers, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  “Line dancing? Really?”

  Aubrey shrugs, “I’ve always wanted to try it and Chance refused.”

  “I wonder why,” I snap, which only makes her laugh.

  “Come on now, y’all, get in your lines, newbies at the front.” The guy winks at me. I frown, but do as I’m told.

  When Aubrey suggested dancing, I assumed she meant the waltz or even salsa. I wasn’t altogether happy with being her plus one, as I knew she’d make me learn the man’s part, which would be awkward if Kato and I ever tried to waltz, but I was willing to do it. Line dancing however, this is a different thing completely. I can dance, if we’re talking about slow dancing around a room, or twerking on the club dancefloor, but line dancing – co-ordination is not my strong suit.

  With one last angry glare toward Aubrey, I sidle up next to her. The room is a mix of ages and sexes and, at around thirty people, I feel like I’m going to get swallowed up in the crowd. The man teaching us is in his mid-thirties and dressed like he’s just come from a rodeo. It’s hard to tell what his hair is like because he’s wearing a big old beige cowboy hat, as are a lot of people here. I look around and realize Aubrey and I are the only ones without… scratch that. Aubrey rushes over to her things and pulls out two pink cowgirl hats and my life is complete.

  Kill me now.

  Forty minutes later, and a whole lot sweatier, I’ve managed to step on no less than six people’s feet, elbowed the little old lady in the row behind me and head-butted the instructor when he came to help me. I’ve set the scene for more than a few bouts of laughter from the class and I’m clearly the punchline.

  “Are we done?” I bite out.

  Aubrey grins and I want to hit her, but I can’t help loving my best friend. Stupid best friend rules.

  “Aww, don’t whine, it’s not becoming.”

  I grab my stuff and pull the hat off my head, shoving it into her ribs. She jerks with the movement, but only laughs again.

  “Everyone heads upstairs to the gym bar now, come on,” she orders.

  “I don’t wanna,” I wail, stamping my foot.

  She laughs harder and I know I’m going to the damn bar.

  “So, how did you find line dancing?”

  It’s twenty minutes later and Aubrey has submerged herself in the group. I love watching how much fun she’s having and usually, despite my awful display in class, I would be right there joining in with her. This week my mind is elsewhere though. I miss Kato. He’s been gone now for five days and although we talk each night, it’s not the same. I only have two more days until I see him, but it feels like forever. On top of that, Lance has been calling again and so has my sister. I’ve ignored their calls, but I’m not sure they’re going to go away so easily. Lastly, my house is finally going on the market in two days, a little later than I wanted, but apparently some paperwork had to be sorted out. It’s the same day Kato returns. I feel it’s going to be a bittersweet Friday for me.

  My eyes snap back to the man in front of me and I realize I zoned out. “Sorry,” I hold up my hands, “what did you say?”

  He smiles, “I asked how you enjoyed the dancing.”

  I wince. “If I say I hated it, will you hold it against me?”

  Laughter bubbles out of him. “No, I won’t. I’m Heath by the way,” he states, holding his hand out to me.

  I look between his hand and his face once, twice, three times, until he pulls his hand back a little awkwardly and I realize I’ve freaked him out. I want to shake his hand, but I also don’t want to lead him on. But then, can I say I have a boyfriend? Kato announced himself in that role, but that was to ward Lance off. He did say we’re in an exclusive relationship, is that the same as being my boyfriend? Now I’m confused and standing here like a vibrator that’s run out of charge.

  “Germs!” I practically shout at him.

  Everyone stops talking and looks at me oddly. All except Aubrey who, although standing on the other side of the room from me, has a knowing smile.

  “Excuse me?” Heath questi
ons.

  “Why? What have you done? Did you fart? I know that exercise can make you gassy.” I’m babbling and side eyeing Aubrey, hoping she’s going to come and save me, however she seems to be enjoying the show too much, as is everyone else.

  “I can assure you I have not farted, nor do I have germs,” Heath states, clearly offended.

  “You can never be sure, though. I mean, they live everywhere and you can’t see them. A lot of people use the bathroom and don’t wash their hands afterwards,” I say, narrowing my eyes on him. “You know some men wash their hands before they hold their Johnson,” I nod down to his crotch and his cheeks start reddening, but I’m not sure if it’s with anger or embarrassment. Now I’m on a tirade, I can’t seem to stop my mouth or engage my filter. “Um-hum, they think that area,” I say, pointing to his crotch, “is clean and obviously, ‘cause you have to hold it, you want your hands to be clean, which makes sense.” I rub my chin in thought for a second as I continue, “However, that doesn’t negate the fact that the hands have to be cleaned afterwards as well. No woman wants to shake hands and find a pube. Handshakes are not the place for pube exchange…”

  “Okay, it’s time for us to go, guys. Thanks for letting us join,” Aubrey calls to everyone, a lilt of humor in her tone as she grabs me by the shoulders and leads me away, before I can say anymore.

  Once we’re outside and back safely in Aubrey’s car we both start laughing.

  “I was expecting an angry mob to follow us out here,” I whisper laugh to her.

  She shakes her head at me, her eyes sparkling with mirth. “Only you would shout out germs, followed by an angry speech on washing your hands and pubic hair.” She snorts out another laugh and I giggle along with her.

  “I can’t believe you made me go to a line dancing class, and wear that!” I point to the pink hat she’s holding. I quickly pull it away from her and throw it onto her back seat.

  “Well you had fun, right? I mean, maybe not the bit where you elbowed the old lady in the ribs and winded her.”

  “She was all right.”