by Piper Rayne
I really should’ve gone to get my doctorate and specialized in the heart.
“Thanks, Cris, for handling all that.”
“Sure. Okay, I gotta go. I’m taking Van to some Broadway show she wanted to see.”
“Whipped,” I cough out.
“I think you need to look in the mirror. I just saw a picture on Lauren’s Instagram with a big sign that says free on your ugly as fuck chair.”
“No way!”
“Yep.”
Click.
Chapter Seventeen
Lauren
“I feel like I’m betraying bro code.” Reed shuts the door to their garage.
The ugly chair is wedged between Victoria’s car and Jade’s bike.
“Nah. I’ll give it back to him…eventually.” I laugh. “Sorry to disturb your party though.”
Reed glances through the windows of his back door to the table full of guests.
“Oh, believe me, I think the two other couples in there understand. They all had their share of enemies-to-lovers.”
I narrow my eyes at my next door neighbor who also happens to be the city’s assistant district attorney.
“It’s not like that,” I say.
“It’s not? You’re hiding a chair from the man.”
In the distance, I hear Luca’s car because his damn engine is so frickin’ loud. My stomach flutters—not from butterflies—but from the exhilaration of pissing him off. It really is a sick addiction I have to pushing his limits.
“Sounds like he’s back. You couldn’t find a guy who drives a nice Honda?”
I laugh. “Sorry. It wasn’t part of the interview process. You should meet him though.”
“Why don’t you two come over for dessert? We have a cake from that bakery down on the corner. Jade would love it. She’s very bored with all the adults.”
I mock offense. “I’m an adult, Reed.”
He rolls back on his heels, his eyes shining with humor. “You’re hiding a chair in my garage.”
Reed has a point. I guess I am a tad immature when it comes to Luca. This constant strive to be one step ahead of him always wins out over maturity.
“You got me there. But Luca isn’t Victoria.”
Just then Luca yanks open the back door of our house and steps out onto the small wooden deck that leads to the stairs.
His eyes slice at me, but I don’t care.
“HUNT!” He runs down the stairs.
“He’s a firefighter?” Reed asks.
“Paramedic,” I correct.
Luca does fill out his CFD jacket nicely though.
“Now I feel like I’m betraying the city and the Y chromosome. Fix this, Lauren.”
“Victoria can soothe your ego later. Ready to meet your new neighbor?”
I step forward to the fence line, Reed’s footsteps follow behind mine, though a little slower.
“Hey, Luca, meet your new neighbor.”
Luca glances past me to Reed and then focuses back on me. Thinking better of going at me right away, or maybe he recognizes Reed, he puts his hand out over the waist-high fence. “Luca Bianco.”
Reed steps up to my side, extending his hand. “Reed Warner.”
Luca nods. “I thought so. I’ve seen you on the news. Nice to meet you.”
“You as well.” Reed’s eyes veer to mine. “I was just telling Lauren that you two should come over for dessert.”
Luca peers into the window seeing the table full of guests.
“Oh.” He looks at me like we’re a couple and it’s my decision.
“We’ll be there in a little bit, we just have to handle something first.”
“Yeah, we do.” Luca’s eyes bore into the side of my head.
“Sounds good. Stop by whenever. Nice to meet you, Luca.” Reed holds his hand out again and Luca shakes it. “If I was a shitty neighbor I’d tell you to get a quieter muffler.”
Luca laughs understanding the point. “Sorry, but I will be storing her for the winter and my truck is quieter.”
“Come spring?”
“I have a bike.”
“How come I don’t think you’re talking about a bicycle?”
Luca laughs again. I’ve never witnessed him so willing to appease authority. Not that Reed is his boss or anything.
“You assume correctly.”
“Shit, I’m old.” Reed walks away, his fingers threading through his hair. Climbing the stairs up to his house, their dog Snowball follows him. The laughter from inside pours outside as he slides through the back door.
“Truck back?” I ask, walking down the side of Reed’s fence to get into my yard.
“Where is it, Hunt?” Luca follows me down the other side of the fence line.
“Where’s what?” I ask, opening the Warner gate, sliding around and through our gate.
“My chair. Don’t act coy.”
I walk by him, biting hard on the inside of my cheek so I don’t smile. “I assume where you left it.”
We stop outside the door and I turn the knob. It’s locked.
“You locked us out?” I try the knob again but to no avail.
“No. You were out here first.”
“I unlocked it.”
He breezes by me, his hand moving to the knob.
“Do I not know how to open a door? Could you be any more condescending?”
“Well, Chandler I’m just checking.” He barrels down the wooden stairs.
“Chandler?”
I follow because we have to find a way inside. Especially since I’m in a long sleeve tee and sweatpants.
“Could you be…” He does the imitation of the Friends character and if I wasn’t so mad at him, I’d compliment his imitation.
I’m right on his heels as we walk along the side of the house to the front door.
“Let’s hope you didn’t lock the front door,” I mutter.
I run my hands over my arms because now I know which way the wind is whipping today.
“Since I live in the city, I’m usually pretty conscious about the locking of my doors. We don’t live in Pleasantville.” He runs up the stairs two at a time because he has the longest legs ever and I do not. His way of telling me he’s faster.
He tries the knob and his forehead falls to the door.
“Tell me you have a spare key somewhere?” he mumbles into the door.
“Yes. Cristian had us install an alarm system but said, ‘hey be sure to put a key under the welcome mat.’” My hands do not warm up the shirt. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the Warner’s garage has turned into hunker down and wait for… “Do you have your phone?”
“No. Everything is on the counter.”
“Why would you not put it in your pocket?” I roll my eyes.
“Why did you go outside without unlocking the back door?” He shakes his head standing on the opposite side of the porch as me.
“It was you.” I stick my neck out at him.
“Keep telling yourself that.” He unzips his jacket, removes it, and holds it out to me.
“I’m fine.”
“Just put the damn coat on.”
When I refuse to take it, he tosses it at me and the heavy fabric lands on my head.
Either I freeze or he does. Better him than me since this is his fault. So, I put on the coat that makes me look like I’m five and wearing my dad’s suit jacket. How embarrassing.
Now he’s rubbing his hands on his strong biceps. His shirt that says, ‘Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones but Lights and Sirens Excite Me.’ It’s gray and tight fitting along his more than defined torso.
His eyes land on mine, focusing on my lips.
“I’m sure there are no windows unlocked. I could break a window or try to get through the basement, but…” He leans over to look down below the stairway.
God, his ass. Give me a quarter.
I suck in the drool from my mouth when he turns back around.
“I’d have to break that, too.”
/>
“Maddie might kill us,” I say through chattering teeth.
His coat offers shelter, but the wind is still whipping up from the bottom.
His teeth bite down on his bottom lip, looking me over. His hands slide into the pockets of his jeans but then back out and his contrite expression suggests he’s going to offer up a solution he’s fearful of verbalizing.
“Just say it.” I roll my eyes.
“I was gonna suggest body heat exchange because you’re already shivering...”
“Jeez, so nice of you.”
“I am nice Hunt, you just fail to recognize it.”
“Nice like when you called me a boy for three years in high school. Made comments about my non-existent chest and told Cody he should break up with me every Friday.”
He blows out a breath. “That’s high school shit. Every guy is a dick in high school because we’re immature and can’t handle our feelings.”
I laugh. “Oh but you can handle them now?”
He sits on the ledge of the porch, holding his arms open to me. “I promise I won’t cop a feel.”
I stare blankly at him. Very bad idea. I drooled over his body not even a minute ago.
“This is only for the sake of survival,” I mutter as I take a tentative step toward him.
With each step closer, my body hums. Right as his arms wrap around me, my mind loses the war to my body because I sink into him.
He’s so warm. So strong. I might just stay here forever.
“Now my whole plan is out the window,” I mumble.
“You have a plan?” he asks, resting his chin on top of my head.
“Your chair. I was going to make you play me for it to stay.”
His chest vibrates under my cheek. “Hunt, you’re not like any chick I know.”
My fist punches in him the stomach, but it only spurs his laughter to deepen.
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Thanks for not giving it away on Instagram.”
I tilt my chin up. “You follow me?”
“Cris,” he corrects.
I nod.
Of course he doesn’t.
We’re not friends.
“Expect that to change though. I don’t want to find my boxers on there.”
I shake my head. “You are so arrogant. As if someone would buy your boxers.”
“I’m a hot commodity if you didn’t know.”
All I know is that it’s too bad we ever started in on this hate/hate relationship before I figured out that Luca Bianco isn’t all that bad of a guy.
“And I’m just a tomboy.”
He doesn’t say anything and I’d wish I could hear his thoughts. Does he feel this between us? This shift over the past week? Can he explain it because I can’t.
“Where is my chair anyway?” he whispers, his arms holding me tighter.
I tilt my head up and there’s his chin—a day’s worth of stubble and his strong jaw, begging me to place my lips there. Just once to see if this zing coursing through my body has room to grow.
“Reed!” I exclaim, breaking apart from his arms. “We’ll use Reed’s phone to call Maddie. Shit. I don’t think I know her number. I usually just hit the button on my phone.”
He jumps down from the porch and takes my hand in his. “I know Cris’s. Let’s go.”
As happy as I am that the Warners have heat and a phone while we wait to get us back into the house, I kind of liked being with Luca just then.
I’m losing it because even if I did like Luca, I’m far from his type. He didn’t argue when I called myself tomboy. It’s obviously how he still sees me.
Chapter Eighteen
Luca
I’m in the kitchen eating some chips when I hear heels click along the stairs. I fold up the bag, wash my hands and dry them, moving to grab my coat off the chair.
After tonight, half my obligation to this agreement is over. Of course, I haven’t broken the news to Lauren yet about my mom. Since she hasn’t mentioned it, I’m guessing the girls haven’t talked about it either.
Then again, I was on shift and since another fucking arson fire hit a warehouse, I ended up working late. We missed each other for two days in a row due to our schedules. I started following her on Instagram because I missed her snarkiness. What is this world coming to?
“Luca?” she calls out from the foyer.
“I’m here.” I walk out of the kitchen and my coat falls from my fingertips when I cast my eyes on my fake fiancée.
Lauren’s in a green dress that molds to every curve. The neck is high, giving no glimpse at her cleavage, but her curves are still visible. The length is short enough that her legs look longer than they do in her usual yoga pants. She’s gorgeous, stunning really, and I bite my tongue because I’m pretty sure it’s about to flop out of my mouth like a damn Bulldog in front of a steak.
“Nice dress,” I mumble, picking up my coat and placing it on the chair.
“Thank you. You look nice. I know you don’t usually dress up so…thank you.”
I take her coat from her arm and hold it out for her.
“I’m not a caveman.”
Her arms slide into the sleeves and in this moment I wish she was mine to kiss or to hold. The usual scent of her perfume is stronger and more intense when I’m this close to her.
“Thank you,” she says softly.
Step back, Luca.
You’re making this weird.
For the life of me though, I can’t move back. If anything I want to wrap my arms around her and pull her toward me so she can feel my response to her.
Tomboy my ass. I’ve kicked myself for not correcting her earlier this week. I should’ve said there’s nothing tomboy about her, but my damn fears kept me quiet.
“Sorry.” I back up and she circles around, a smile on her lips.
Can she hear my inner thoughts?
“Can we call a truce for tonight?” she asks.
The girl who hid my chair wants a truce. Interesting.
“Did you think I was going to call you out on the dance floor?”
Lauren would do it. She’d be the one to call me up for a dance-off.
“No. I just…work has been difficult this week and Peter is going to be watching everything between us. We have to be believable, you know?” She tucks her purse under her arm.
“Hey, you’ve been a great fiancée when it comes to my mom. I promise to be the same.”
She looks up through her long, thick eyelashes. “Thank you.”
I quickly get into my own coat and find my keys because we need to get out of this quiet house where no one would be the wiser if we ripped each other’s clothes off.
“You’re welcome. After you, Ms. Hunt.” I hold out my arm and she walks toward the front door.
Damn, I thought this would be some boring Christmas party with crappy buffet food and cheap booze. That Lauren would want to leave early and I’d happily agree, then head to the club, but I’m kind of hoping she wants to stay until the waitstaff is watching us dance to the last song.
What the hell has happened to me?
For a small company, they sure know how to put a party together. There’s a photo booth, a DJ plus a live orchestra during dinner. It’s held in what used to be an old theater down on State, so, we’re essentially having dinner among thousands of open seats all around us, colosseum style, like we’re on the fifty-yard line of a football field. There are trees with white lights and the chandeliers are dimmed to a warm yellow glow.
Lauren’s gasp when we walked in suggests they don’t usually do things this elaborate.
“It’s a great place.” I take her coat off, handing it to the coat check attendant.
My eyes fall to the back of her dress. Primarily the amount of skin revealed. One dip of my hand and I’d be squeezing her ass.
Is she doing this to me on purpose? Could she tell the other day outside the house, how fast my heart was beating while I held her?
The coat check attend
ant hands me a number and I stuff it into my pocket, my hand moving to Lauren’s lower back and almost touching her skin to let her know we’re ready. Thankfully, my mind is still working, but pretty soon my dick is going to steal the wheel away.
“Want a drink?”
She smiles. “Sure. Just a white wine.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Again my hand moves toward her and I’d normally lean in and kiss her on the cheek. If she was mine, which she’s not. But she wants people to believe she is. I should clarify with her what her expectations are for tonight.
The bar area is surrounded by small clusters of people who obviously know each other. A few faces do a double take, probably to try and figure out who I belong to. Most significant others would know small tidbits about the people their girlfriend, or in my case fiancée, work with. I’ve got the receptionist I met last week as well as a guy I saw in the doorway. That’s about it.
The bartender puts out a napkin in front of me.
“White wine and a soda and lime.”
He fills my order and since it’s open bar, I tip him a generous amount. I’m sure I’ll be back and this will ensure I get prompt service every time.
No one approaches me on the way back to Lauren. Thank God. When I find her, she’s laughing with another couple. She looks good happy and it’s rare to see her like this when I’m in the room.
“Here you go.” I hand her the drink and stay close to her but not on top of her like I want to make sure everyone within a fifty-foot radius knows she’s mine.
Since she doesn’t step away, I figure she’s happy with where I am.
“Luca, this is Katie and her husband, Craig.”
I shake each of their hands.
“And you’re the fiancé we’ve heard so little about.” Katie glances to Lauren with a raised brow.
“That I am.”
“Lauren has been keeping us in the dark,” Katie says.
Craig shoots me a small smile.
“You know Hun…Lauren.”
The fact is I don’t know Lauren that well so I leave it open-ended with the hopes that Katie will fill me in. Does Lauren talk about the guys she dates? Does she share if she slept with him or not with her co-workers?
