by Marie James
“Come in,” I yell, knowing it’s either Jas or Ellis coming up to get me since I wasn’t waiting downstairs for them.
In a rush, I push my robe off of my shoulders and tug on my yoga pants. My sports bra is next, but before I can pull it on the noise in the doorway draws my attention.
“Well, that’s one way to meet a guest.”
Jas is blocking the doorway to my room, thick arms crossed over his chest.
“I texted,” he says. “You didn’t respond.”
Giving my cell phone the evil eye, I work the front zipper of my sports bra. “It was getting on my nerves, so I turned it off.”
“It was getting on your nerves? Or someone, in particular, was blowing your shit up like a psycho who got a taste of your candy and suddenly has a sweet tooth only you can fix?”
“There’s a difference?” I plop my ass on the end of my bed and tug on my sneakers.
“Good point. Tell me why that innocent baby is caged up like a felon.”
Havoc whimpers his useless defense from the cage.
Pointing across the room, I let Jas draw his own conclusions.
“He didn’t!”
I side eye Havoc who drops his head to his large paws and gives up on his request to be freed.
“At least it wasn’t your panties,” he offers in commiseration.
“I started putting them in the bathroom hamper.” I angle my head toward the door across the room. “He gave up after a while.”
The corner of the wood, where the door meets the jamb has been scratched to hell.
“You know,” he says with a quick smile. “Cats wouldn’t do that.”
“A cat would tear the back of my couch up.”
He nods in agreement because it’s exactly what his and Ellis’ kitten did earlier this year.
“We need to go,” he urges with a quick look at his watch. “Betty the Bitch will throw another fit if you’re late.”
I chuckle. “Her name is Beatrice, but you have a point.”
I stick my finger through the grid of Havoc’s cage and rub it over his ear. He ignores the attention at first but eventually leans in so I can rub that spot he loves right between his eyes.
“I won’t be long,” I assure him.
Jas turns to leave my room as I grab my keys. My phone stays right on the bedside table where it belongs. Jake has texted several times since our rendezvous Friday. I ignored them just like I ignored it when he pounded on my door yesterday afternoon. Vic, normally a huge asshole, apologized profusely when I called and confronted him about giving out my home address. I knew it was Vic’s fault the second I had spied Jake through the tiny peephole in my door.
“Who are you?” Jas asks before I make it to the living room.
“Jake,” I hear him answer.
He has his hand extended out to Jas who, being the amazing man he is, refuses to shake it. I know the type of family Jake comes from. I know manners say you always shake a hand that’s offered to you. It doesn’t matter if the appendage is connected to your worst enemy.
“Randi,” Jake says when he sees me.
“Randi?” Jas snips. “Babe? Who is this asshole?”
My steps stutter at the sound of my name. He did the same thing Thursday. Calling out my real name when he was coming almost made me do the exact same thing.
I turn back to my room, realizing I left my gym bag. Deep breaths are required once I’m out of sight because the shocked look on Jake’s face is hilarious for some reason. Havoc’s ears perk up when I step back into my room.
“Just forgot my bag,” I explain to the dog as if he’ll understand.
By the time I make it back out into the living room, Jake and Jas are in a standoff, facing each other with only a couple of feet between them and glaring at each other.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I tell Jake as I stuff my keys in the side pocket of my gym bag.
“We had a date.”
“We didn’t,” I counter.
“I was worried about you,” he adds, and I try to ignore the way the words make my heart jump.
Jas snorts, and for the first time I want to tell him to mind his damn business, but I’d never do that in front of Jake.
“I’m fine. Just heading out actually. So,” I wave my hand in the direction of the front door, “you need to go.”
“Got your overnight bag, babe?” Jas grins at me past Jake’s shoulder. I’m going to kill him.
“Got it,” I tell him and lift the strap to my shoulder.
“Can we talk?”
I shake my head. “Jake I’ll see you later this week. I’m late for class.”
Jas steps aside only enough for Jake to slide past him to the front walkway. I lock up and walk away from him without another word, grateful I left my phone inside because Lord knows he’s going to be blowing it up.
Jas slings his arm over my shoulder as we walk down the sidewalk to Ellis’ car.
“The videos don’t even begin to do that man justice,” Jas hisses in my ear.
I chuckle and open the back door to climb inside. I can feel Jake’s eyes burning into my back, but I don’t turn back to look at him. “I told you not to watch my damn videos.”
“Girl!” Ellis all but yells when I close myself inside. “Is that Jake?”
I slap his shoulder when he bends his head down so he can see better around Jas who’s climbing into the passenger seat.
“Fucking gorgeous right?” Jas turns to look again, sneer on his lips for Jake’s benefit even though he’s not a tiny bit upset.
“I’m hard,” Ellis spits without pulling his eyes away.
“Will you two stop it?” I look anywhere but in the direction of my front door as they continue to gawk. “Can we go please?”
“He looks like he’s ready to storm the car and yank your cute little ass out of here,” Ellis whispers as if Jake, standing twenty feet away can hear him.
“I think it would be worth it,” Jas agrees.
In a dramatic huff, I throw myself down in the backseat of the car. “Beatrice is going to report me again. One more write-up and they’re going to let me go. You guys know I need that job.”
“Fine,” Ellis says and places the car in drive. “But we all know that slit between your legs will always be your meal ticket.”
“Nice,” I mutter as we pull away, but there’s no malice in my tone. These guys quickly became my best friends shortly after moving here. They know what I do. They know where I came from, and they’ve never judged me. Friendship like that wasn’t something I was ever going to find on the East Coast.
“I know you guys have to go pump iron and all that shit, but I’m starving, and we have movie plans.”
They wave me off when I climb out in the front and haul ass to the yoga room. Beatrice, one of the students in my yoga class, is looking at her watch when I step in, but I have a minute and a half left before class officially starts.
“Thank you. I owe you a coffee,” I whisper to Mary when I see my mat has already been placed at the front. “Okay ladies let’s start with a few stretches.”
Chapter 14
Jake
“Beefed up mother fucker,” I mutter for the hundredth time.
Giggling catches my ear, and I know before she even comes around the corner that Cici will be making an appearance. I stand, rolling my shoulders and getting ready to beat this guy’s ass. Well, I’m ready to get my ass beat honestly. He’s fucking huge, muscles for days, but it’s the principle.
My brain short circuits when the man who I was sure was Cici’s boyfriend comes walking up holding the hand of another man.
“I can’t believe you did that,” Cici says slapping the muscled man across the chest.
He smiles down at her lovingly like a friend, a complete contradiction from the vibe I got this morning.
“Scared the shit out of that asshole,” Jas says with a bright smile. “Serves his ass right for making homophobic comments.”
“If
you ask me,” a guy I recognize as the driver of the Ford Escape from earlier says. “He was only asking that because his little twink ass is still in the closet.”
“Right,” Cici says with enthusiasm. “It was a chick flick after all.”
All three stop when they see me standing at the bottom of her condo steps.
“You went to the movies?” Irritation doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling. “We were supposed to go to the movies.”
“It was the latest Julia Roberts film, straight boy. Not your cup of tea, I imagine.”
“I like Julia Roberts,” I counter.
“That makes three of you,” Cici mutters.
Smiling, I recall the conversation about movie preferences we had in my room the other day.
“I’m Ellis,” the driver says offering his hand.
“Jake,” I say with my eyes on Jas.
“Oh, we’ve heard so much about you,” Ellis says in a breathy tone.
Oh boy.
“Mainly just your grunts and the face you make when you’re about to come.”
Cici chuckles and tries to hide it by clearing her throat at Jas’ comment.
“Glad you enjoyed the videos,” I tell them. Messages and texts about my latest employment endeavors are one thing, but being confronted by them in person is a whole other ballgame.
“He’s embarrassed,” Ellis says with a soft smile. “Don’t be, handsome. We’ve all shot a little porn.”
Before I can thank Ellis, Cici steps between us and crosses her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here, Jake?”
“We were supposed to hang out yesterday,” I remind her.
“I told you earlier this week I was busy.”
“Are you busy now?” I keep my eyes on her even though I can feel Jas’ stare on the side of my face.
“Nope,” Ellis answers for her and takes my hand. “We were heading inside to hang out. Join us.”
“Ellis.” The name comes out as a grumble, but I’m already allowing myself to be dragged toward her front door.
“Do you cook, Jake?” Ellis releases my hand as Cici slides past to unlock the door.
“I can hold my own in the kitchen, but I’m no gourmet chef,” I answer.
I’m hit with the sound of whimpering the moment I step inside.
“I’ll take him,” Jas says and heads back in the direction of her bedroom like he owns the place.
“You go shower,” Ellis tells Cici. “You smell like two hours of hot yoga. Jake and I will whip together snacks.”
She doesn’t leave right away, and she’s still standing there glaring at Ellis when Jas comes back into the living room with an overactive husky on a leash.
“He’s going to pee all over the floor,” Cici says before I can bend down to greet the antsy thing.
“Yes, mother,” Jas mutters before taking the squirming dog outside
“Shower,” Ellis urges again.
“Mind your manners,” Cici warns him before disappearing down the hall.
I swallow, my throat suddenly growing dry at the realization she’s fixing to be naked with water cascading down her tan skin.
“She’ll probably claw your eyes out if you follow her.”
I turn back around and follow Ellis into the tidy kitchen.
“I didn’t plan on it,” I mutter as he begins to pull things out of the cabinets.
He laughs, knowing I’m full of shit.
“So,” I say aiming for casual. “You and Jas are a couple?”
“Do you have a problem with gay men or are you more worried that Jas is pushing up on Randi?”
“My best friend is gay,” I answer.
“Sure, sure,” he says with a smile. “That’s what all the guys say when confronted.”
“Most people are assholes, but seriously, I don’t have a problem with gay dudes at all.”
“So it is Randi you’re worried about.”
“We have—” I pause searching for the right words. “An agreement.”
He hands me a pack of popcorn and points to the microwave. “You mean the contract you forced her to sign.”
My face heats. “She told you about that, huh?”
“She tells us everything.”
Opening the fridge, he bends to grab something from the lower shelf.
“I’m glad she has someone to talk to.” After pressing the buttons to get the popcorn going, I turn back in his direction, watching as he scoops French onion dip from a container into a glass bowl he pulled out of the cabinet.
“Listen, Jake,” No good conversation starts this way. “Randi doesn’t date. Never has and probably never will. She doesn’t get close to anyone. Everyone she’s ever trusted has let her down. She doesn’t see you any differently, no matter how much you want her to.”
“I am different,” I argue.
“But are you really?” He cocks his eyebrow. “You shoved a contract under her nose. You forced her hand to do something she didn’t want to do. You’re just like everyone she left behind when she moved to Dallas.”
“Fuck.” If I were alone, I’d punch a damn wall.
“Fuck is right,” he agrees. “But, you’re here, and I’m here.”
“I don’t follow.” Hell, I can’t even concentrate with the bomb this dude just set at my feet.
“She likes you.” He hands me a bag of chips and a bowl. I busy myself opening and pouring the chips into the designated bowl.
“She likes to fuck me,” I counter.
“And you like to fuck her, too. It’s clear you guys have chemistry. If you watch the other videos she’s done, you’ll be able to see how different she is with you.”
Just the mention of the other videos makes my stomach turn. Not because I’m ashamed or think they’re gross, but because I hate anyone who has had their hands on her before me.
“And that little growl you just made,” Ellis says with a smirk. “Is the reason I’m going to help you get the girl.”
“She doesn’t act like she likes me. More like she hates the sight of me. You have your work cut out for you.”
“I swear,” he says with a wave of his hand. “Straight boys don’t pay attention to shit.”
I chuckle, knowing it’s something Hunter would say.
“Her face heats when she sees you. Have you ever seen the way she’s twitchy around you? All but bouncing from foot to foot to hide the fact that she wants to squeeze her thighs together.”
My cock twitches in my jeans at the image of her thighs. Silky smooth with enough muscle to pull me in deeper when I slide inside of her.
“Popping wood in the kitchen is rude,” Ellis teases before bumping me out of the way with his hip.
Clearing my throat, I step back and let him take over the snack-making duties.
“Like I said,” he begins with his back to me. “She likes you, and since it’s the first time she’s shown any type of interest since I met her, I’m going to help you get the girl.”
“But,” Jas snarls from the doorway startling us both. “If you fucking hurt her, I’ll kill you.”
Ellis turns around, licking the knife he used to cut the cheese ball. “And I’ll help him hide the body.”
I swallow the lump in my throat unable to decide if I even want these guys’ help. Ellis going from nice and proper to threatening bodily harm has my head spinning.
“Cards or TV?” Randi asks as she steps into the kitchen.
Jas slings his arm over her shoulder, and since I now understand the situation, it doesn’t make me want to stab him.
“I don’t have the focus required for a board game,” Jas says as he takes the bowl of chips and dip from Ellis.
“I’m pretty damn tired myself,” Ellis says, handing me the cheese ball and bowl of dip before grabbing a couple of beers from the fridge and heading to the living room.
Randi huffs and grabs the popcorn off of the counter.
“Actually it’s getting pretty late,” Jas says when all of
the food is situated on the coffee table.
“It’s only seven,” Randi sneers. “I know what you assholes are doing.”
It’s only then I realize there are only two beers, and neither man is making a move to settle down on the sofa. I don’t bother trying to hide the grin on my face.
Jas leans in and kisses her forehead. “Don’t forget to let Havoc out after you’re done snacking.”
“Don’t forget to close the bathroom door before you do,” Ellis adds after smacking a kiss on her cheek. He turns to me with a huge smile Randi can’t see. “It was nice meeting you.”
She doesn’t move even after they’ve closed her front door, but she hasn’t told me to leave either. In my book, that’s a win.
Chapter 15
Randi
“I can’t believe they just pulled that shit,” I mutter.
I could ask him to leave, but I don’t. Instead, I grab one of the beers and sit down on the couch.
“If you want me to go…” His words contradict the pleading in his eyes.
He’s offering me an out. One, for some odd reason, I don’t want to take.
“Just beer and snacks, right?”
“Sure,” he assures me with a smirk.
God, I love that smirk. The slight uptick of his lip, the cocky way he carries himself.
“You’re trouble,” I tell him as I grab the remote.
“The good kind or the bad?” Grabbing the other beer, he sits down on the couch. I hate, immediately, that he keeps a foot of distance between us.
“Both.” I avoid eye contact like we’re teenagers hanging out for the first time. He makes me as nervous now as I was leading up to Thursday’s party. My body is jumpy, misfiring at every turn like we haven’t been intimate in the most carnal way three times already.
“There’s just something about you, Cici.”
The sound of that name from his full lips makes my skin crawl.
“Randi,” I correct.
“Really?”
I know I shouldn’t be excited about the joy in his tone.
“Randi when we’re hanging out. Cici when we’re fucking on video,” I offer.
The flat of his large hand rubs down his own jean-clad thigh. I feel it on my own body, cold chills running the length of my leg under my sweats.
