Once I received my drink, I turned and surveyed the room. The woman that was filling my head was sitting down at a table, alone, watching the people dancing, rubbing one bare foot with her hand. A soft smile played on her lips. Giving the guys a nod, I moved toward her, being careful to stay out of her eyeline. When I slid into the seat near her feet, she jumped slightly.
“Evan!” she gasped, placing the hand she had been using on her foot over her heart. “You startled me.”
“Sorry, sweetheart,” I apologized, pulling her foot into my lap and starting to rub my thumb up the arch. “That wasn’t my intent.”
Her eyes closed as I applied more pressure, and I heard a soft moan before she covered it with a cough. Her brown orbs popped back open and her cheeks pinked with embarrassment. I continued to rub and smiled at her. She returned it and pulled her foot out of my hands. Before she could move away, I reached down to grab the foot still in a boot, quickly removing it and treating that arch to the same attention I had given the other. Rolling her eyes with a grin, she leaned toward me and put her hand on my arm.
“Thank you, but you really don’t need to do that,” she whispered, a slight catch to her voice as I dug my thumb into a sensitive spot.
“I want you to see how good I am with my hands,” I told her in a low voice, flashing her a smile I knew showed my dimples, and running my tongue over my lips.
Julie’s eyes grew dark and hooded with my actions, her mouth opening slightly. When I pulled her foot closer to the heat growing in my lap, next to my hardening cock, her teeth nibbled on her lower lip. Her nails bit into my arm slightly and I leaned closer, bringing my mouth to her ear.
“I seem to have a problem that needs to be taken care of,” I said on a growl. “Care to help me with it?”
She nodded slightly when I pressed a light kiss to her temple and I sat back. Just as I was getting ready to release her foot so I could stand, she pushed her toes slightly into my crotch, causing my eyes to cross. Grabbing her before I came like a teenager during his first time, I slid it down my thigh and back to the floor. My eyes met hers and a naughty smile graced her lips. Damn, I was in trouble.
“Well, that didn’t help,” I groaned, coming out of my daydream.
I was hard as hell, and who knew when I would be seeing her again. It would be sooner rather than later, if I had my way, but I knew it would take some convincing on my part to get her back in bed. The alcohol had lowered her inhibitions that night. She had been responsive and just as into it as me, yet shy, so I had a feeling she hadn’t been with a lot of men. With her smell all around me and the help of some body wash, I made quick work of my hard-on. I came with such force, I let out a loud groan, one I was sure Cooper had heard from downstairs.
Once the ache between my legs was at a dull roar, I washed up and finished with my shower. Drying off, I ran a brush through my hair and quickly dressed. I grabbed socks from my bedroom and made my way back down to meet with my friend. I drew up short when I entered the kitchen and found him leaning on the counter with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Did Julie join you up there?” he asked.
I’m pretty sure I just liked torturing myself. Yeah, that had to be it. I had no logical reason to go back to Maine, Avery could handle everything herself. I trusted her judgment on new clients. I was just going to see the new office and meet with her about a few things. It wouldn’t be all day, then I could head home and go for a run. Just a quick trip.
Traffic was light, so it was fairly uneventful. That wasn’t a surprise given that I had left the house at five. I hadn’t been able to sleep and after pacing for a half hour, I had grabbed my bags and hit the road. Bags—plural—yep, a work bag and an overnight. I wouldn’t need it, but just in case.
When I pulled into the Halls’ driveway, I cringed. I was way too early. Avery had texted me and assured me it was fine, since they were all early risers anyway, but I felt extremely guilty. I should have just gone straight to the new office building. They were newlyweds, for God’s sake, they should be enjoying the time they had together before the band left to go on tour again. I knew Evan was living there, but still.
Stopping behind Avery’s SUV, I turned off my car and sat for a moment. The sun was rising and it promised to be a beautiful spring day. I could do this. I would grab my friend and we could head straight to the office. There was no guarantee I would run into Evan. I could do this.
A few deep breaths later, I was stepping from my vehicle and headed to the door. Voices carried as I brought my hand up to knock, and was startled when it whipped open before I could. The man I had been hoping to avoid stared back at me. He was just as surprised as I was, but it was only a second before his killer smile kicked in. Dimples and all. Damn.
My body instantly reacted as he took me in, from my dress slacks to the light jacket I wore over my teal button-up blouse. My nipples perked in my bra and I was instantly grateful I had worn a padded one along with a camisole underneath my dress shirt. At least he wouldn’t be able to tell. Letting out a breath, I kept my back straight and tucked my hands in my jacket pockets.
“Evan,” I greeted with a slight smile, a professional one that I had schooled myself with for years.
“Boss lady,” he returned, the smile amping up in wattage. “Here to take me up on that breakfast?”
“Evan Michael Foster! You let her in this minute,” Avery scolded from behind him.
I saw him flinch slightly at the tone in my friend’s voice and I had to stifle a giggle. What was it about him that set me back twenty years in my maturity? His smile remained despite her comment, and he swept an arm in front of himself to invite me in. I moved by him, keeping as much distance as I could between us, and found Avery giving Cooper a quick hug and kiss.
“The guys were just leaving,” she informed me, letting out a yelp as Cooper gave one last squeeze to her butt before moving away.
“Good morning, Jules,” he greeted, tipping his hat.
“Good morning, Cooper,” I returned.
Both Cooper and Evan wore baseball caps, hooded sweatshirts, jeans, and work boots. Today, they just looked like normal men, not the members of a famous country band. It always amazed me when I saw them, especially when all four of them were together. The brotherhood, the energy, the sexuality. It all seemed to ooze from their pores.
“We will bring you breakfast before we head out,” she told them as she moved to the refrigerator.
“Make sure you eat,” her husband told her, getting ready to head out the door Evan still held open. “You’re looking a little pale.”
“Just what a woman wants to hear,” I heard her mumble.
This time, I allowed the smile to grace my face at their antics. They truly were an adorable couple, even if I wasn’t so sure about Cooper and his past. Before I could move to help her, my eyes met Evan’s. His baby blues sparkled with mischief and the grin on his face was just as concerning. I narrowed my eyes at him and felt my smile slip. The only response I got as I turned was a chuckle from him, as the door clicked shut behind them.
“So, are you ready to fill me in on what is going on between you two and the reason you aren’t wearing your wedding ring anymore?” Avery asked as soon as I was fully facing her.
“Nothing and no,” I replied simply.
“Okay, first of all, here we are, Avery and Julie, not boss and employee,” she reminded me, putting a pan on the stove. “Second of all, I’m not blind, and I know you spent my wedding night with him.”
“That was a lapse in judgment,” I told her as she mixed eggs and milk together, her color going more green now than just pale.
“I would believe that if I didn’t see the way your body reacts to him,” she chided as she reached into the refrigerator for some precut veggies. “It’s the same way mine does every time Coop walks in a room.”
“Okay, fine,” I let out, my tone exasperated. “I’m attracted to him. What woman wouldn’t be? Have you seen those damn eyes or
those dimples?”
“Oh yes, Evan is quite the package,” she agreed, turning on the stove to warm the pan. “He would definitely be my second pick of the band if I had to choose.”
Her comment left me stunned. It also reminded me that he was basically an icon. Women all over the world knew who he was and dreamed of being with him; heck, some had been with him. I was just another conquest. Someone to chase while he was here before he went back on tour. I was better off to forget about him.
“Stop that right now,” Avery’s voice broke into my thoughts.
“Stop what?” I asked, as she poured the mixture from her dish into the pan.
“Overthinking,” she said, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Ave…” I started.
“I’ll be right back,” was all she got out before dashing from the kitchen toward her bedroom.
Moving to watch what I assumed was an omelet she was making, I turned the heat down a bit and set out making another. I knew even one large one would only be enough for either Cooper or Evan, so another would have to be made. I was just folding the first one over the cheese I had added when she returned, promptly pulling a chair out at the table and plopping down into it. She had a cold cloth and was wiping her face, but at least some pink had come back to her cheeks.
“Do you care to share?” I asked her while I put a couple of pieces of lightly buttered toast in front of her.
“Thank you,” she smiled gratefully, nibbling slightly on one before she answered. “I’m pregnant.”
“Oh Avery,” I cooed, coming to kneel in front of her. “I’m so happy for you. I know you were excited to start a family.”
“I am…” she replied, not looking at me.
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?”
“There is no but,” she finally said. “Just a lot of concerns. We are starting the new office, Cooper will be leaving on tour for most of my pregnancy, Dad is just starting to feel better.”
“Now who is the one overthinking,” I reprimanded, tapping her on the nose and getting to my feet to flip the omelet one last time. “Everything will be fine.”
“I know it will, it’s just…”
“Stop!” I cut her off. “It will. No buts or anything else. I’ll be here to help with the office, and I’ll help keep an eye on you for Coop.”
“What?!” she exclaimed, getting up to come to stand beside me as I finished with the first omelet and started on the second. “How are you going to do that? That’s an awful lot of commuting.”
“I was thinking about finding a small place to rent up here. I can help with getting everything running, now that we will actually have the office space set up, and will be here when the guys leave if you need anything.”
I think we were both surprised by my comment. She never expected me to say it, and I hadn’t planned on doing it until she had told me she was expecting. I would worry about her being here alone while her husband was gone, not to mention the stress she would put on herself as she got everything organized with the business. I knew she was fully capable, but I didn’t want her pushing herself if she didn’t need to. My Massachusetts office could run itself.
“You’re not going to rent a place,” she informed me after we worked in silence for a while.
“Oh?” I raised a brow at her.
“You can stay here. In the spare room,” she stated.
I turned to look at her sharply, almost causing her to drop the pan of bacon she was removing from oven. She let out a laugh when she saw my face, but I saw her pale again when she caught a whiff of the meat. After flipping the omelet in the pan, I bumped her out of my way with my hip and took the cookie sheet to set it on the counter. I pointed at the table and she went to sit back down, and began eating her toast again without argument. Sipping on the juice I brought her, she smiled at me before finishing her thought.
“Evan only has one of two bedrooms upstairs, silly.” She laughed. “He’s going to be building a house out on the back of our lot, plus he’ll be on tour, so you can stay here with me.”
“I’ll think about it,” I started.
“No thinking, you will.”
“Fine, once they are headed out on tour, I will stay with you, but not before.”
She nodded her approval. Once her breakfast was gone and I was finished putting everything for the guys in the containers she had left out on the counter, we quickly cleaned up our mess together. Grabbing the food and Avery’s work bag, we made our way out to our vehicles.
“We’ll have to take my car out to the lot, yours won’t like it,” she told me, heading toward her car.
I hopped in to move mine out of the way and get my own bags. After dropping the keys in the cup holder, should anyone need to move it, I got out and put my stuff in hers. While she backed up a bit, I noticed that there was indeed a road that branched off their driveway and headed around the side of their lot, and to the back wood line. It hadn’t been there on their wedding day, just last week.
“Cooper and I have been talking about giving Evan a piece of land for some time,” she told me, as we drove along the bumpy dirt. “The day after our wedding, Coop got the ball rolling. My dad and brother came in the next day and put in the temporary road.”
“He doesn’t have family around here like the others?” I asked, slightly confused.
“Nope,” she replied sadly. “His mother was an absentee. She lives around here still, but they don’t talk. He spent most of his teen years with the Hall family.”
I was shocked, though it explained why Ave was so close to him. Evan was a sweet man, and I understood why many women were attracted to him. I had assumed he had come from a caring family like Cooper’s to have ended up that way.
“I’ll run this to them. You stay here,” she said, pulling to a stop.
The men were busy putting stakes in the ground, stopping every little bit to look back at a set of plans on a piece of plywood supported by two sawhorses. A red pickup truck with the Grind logo was parked off to the side of the lot, and I could see Cooper’s youngest brother, Rick, who was a foreman for the company, helping them. He flashed a grin at me in the car, along with a wave, and I returned it. Evan seemed to notice and quickly barked something at him I couldn’t make out, that had Rick raising his arms and laughing. When Evan’s eyes met mine through the glass, I glared and crossed my arms over my chest. The action caused him to smile and send me a wink. I rolled my eyes and waited as Avery gave her husband the bag of food before heading back to me.
“Wow!” She gasped as she sat down in her seat and shut the door. “That man has it bad for you.”
“What are you talking about?” I questioned as she turned her SUV around and we headed to the office.
“Evan,” she replied. “He just bit Rick’s head off for waving to you.”
“Eh, he’ll find a new toy when he leaves on tour, and I’ll be just a memory.” I waved off her comment. I just hoped I could keep myself busy enough to forget about him.
The woman was going to drive me to drink, possibly literally. She tried to act indifferent around me, but I could see the way her body reacted to me. Her nipples would pebble under her prim clothes, her breathing would quicken, and her eyes would flash. She might have been able to keep her cheeks from turning that lovely shade of pink that I loved so much, yet she couldn’t control it all. To others, Julie might have looked like the hard-ass professional that she wanted people to see, but I could see past that. She wanted me as bad as I wanted her. She just wasn’t ready to give in.
Avery and Julie had worked late at the new office, not coming back to town until late in the evening. Julie had tried to rent a room at the local B&B, but Avery wouldn’t hear of it. She made her friend feel bad enough that she had finally caved and agreed to stay with us. I had been on my best behavior, but not long after supper, she had retreated to the spare bedroom upstairs near mine to “work.”
Knowing she would be sleeping right next door to me had my body
on edge. I had finally given up trying to sleep around nine o’clock and changed into workout clothes. Sneaking downstairs so I didn’t wake anyone else up, I crept into the basement. Cooper had soundproofed it to make sure that the clanging of the weights couldn’t be heard in the house. I was grateful for that as I turned on the radio to a hard rock workout playlist on my phone and cranked it up.
I lost myself for the better part of an hour. Finishing up with free weights, I decided that another hour on the treadmill wouldn’t hurt. I was just starting to feel tired, yet every time Julie’s face popped into my head, I could feel an erection start to stir. What was it about her that had me so turned around and backwards? I had been with other women, had a few serious girlfriends, but none of them had sunk their claws in the way she had without even trying to. She didn’t seem to want anything to do with me in the long run. Avery had kept pretty tight-lipped about that too. She wouldn’t share a damn thing about Julie’s current status with her husband, other than she wasn’t wearing her ring and that they were separated.
I knew part of what drew me to her. She was gorgeous. Long wavy brown hair you wanted to run your fingers through, brown eyes you could get lost in, and a genuine smile that could melt a man when she actually showed it. Her brains were a whole other matter. The woman ran her own fucking business. According to Avery, Julie had taken the company over from her father full-time six years ago; prior to that, she had worked alongside him. They had fifteen employees at the Massachusetts location that managed approximately twenty businesses. The goal was to do the same in Maine. She was also very hands-on, from what I could see, and didn’t rely on her employees to do all the work, putting in some extremely long hours.
When the treadmill kicked into cool down mode, I almost lost my footing. I was so engrossed in my thoughts, I hadn’t realized I had already been running for over an hour. It was closing in on midnight, and my body finally seemed ready for sleep despite the fact that my brain was still busy. I cleaned up the equipment, grabbed a towel, and wiped my face down. Quietly making my way back upstairs, I was just pulling my shirt off when I felt small hands on my abs, followed by a gasp.
The Unknown (The Comeback Series Bonus Book Book 2) Page 3
