by E. L. Todd
The door opened and closed behind me, and Zeke’s heavy footsteps thudded against the deck as he approached my chair. “Baby?”
“Hmm?” I didn’t look at him.
“What is it?” His voice came out somber, full of resignation. He knew me too well not to realize something was on my mind. He could pick up on my emotions just as well as Rex could. He took the seat beside me and studied my face.
I didn’t beat around the bush because that wasn’t how Zeke and I spoke to each other. We were always honest and blunt as a hammer. “Zoey told me you were going to propose to Rochelle...”
Zeke held my gaze for an instant before he dropped his look. He bowed his head toward the ground and stared at his feet beneath the chair. He sighed quietly, his frustration obvious. He rubbed his chin with his fingertips, feeling the scruff that had grown in since that morning. “I don’t know why Zoey told you that.”
“She thought I already knew.”
He shook his head.
“And I would have found out anyway, Zeke. One way or another.”
“Yeah, I guess.” He still stared at the ground. After a few minutes, he sat upright and looked me square in the eye. “It’s true. I was going to propose. But I didn’t, and now that’s in the past.”
“But you didn’t because of me.”
He didn’t blink as he stared me down. “Rae, you’re the one. You’ve always been the one. While I regret hurting her, I don’t regret what I did. This past month has only made me realize I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, with the woman I’m supposed to be with.” His jaw clenched in frustration and his shoulders tensed. “If I could go back in time and erase our relationship, I would. I never would have called her. Honestly.”
“I know...”
“Then why are you upset?”
“I’m not upset, really. I’m just... I don’t know.”
He stared me down as he waited for me to finish.
“I just feel guilty, I suppose. Now, I have you, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life.”
His eyes softened.
“She must have felt that way too. She must have woken up every day and realized how lucky she was.”
He bowed his head again.
“And then you left. I can’t even imagine how painful that must have been...”
He rubbed his chin again.
“When your sister told me that, I guess I was just shocked. It’s taken me some time to recover.”
“I understand,” he said. “If you were in the same situation with...someone, I would feel uncomfortable too.”
I knew he was going to mention Ryker, and I appreciated that he didn’t. I didn’t think about him anymore, and I didn’t want any reason to. He was a fling from my past, a man I gave my heart to who didn’t deserve it. He wasn’t worth thinking about. “Did you tell her I was the reason you left?”
He shook his head. “No. I couldn’t do that to her. She was already really upset. It would have been cruel.”
“Then what did you say?”
“That I didn’t feel the same way anymore. Things were moving too fast. I didn’t see our relationship going anywhere... Vague truths.”
“What about her parents?” I asked. “Did you ever tell them you were going to ask?”
“I did,” he said with a nod. “When I called things off with her, I went to their place and explained that I didn’t think it would work out.” He closed his eyes like the memory was painful. “I don’t want to talk about that night. Bad memory.”
I could only imagine.
Zeke fell silent and watched Safari roam around the backyard. He didn’t touch me like he normally would. He was only a foot away, but it felt like a mile.
I didn’t say anything either because I didn’t know what to say. We’d just had a very heavy conversation, the tensest one we’d ever had in our romantic relationship. We couldn’t just change the subject and talk about the weather.
After nearly ten minutes of listening to the crickets and the wind, Zeke spoke. “Now that everything is out in the open, I’d prefer it if we never talked about Rochelle again. I don’t mention Ryker, so I think that’s a fair request.”
There was no reason to speak of her again anyway. I’d spent time with his family, and it seemed like Rochelle was never a part of their lives. We didn’t run into her, and one day, she would find someone and fall in love again. Zeke and I were together now, and we were happy. We shouldn’t feel guilty for that—at least, not forever. “You have a deal.” I couldn’t stand the distance between us anymore, so I scooted to his side and rested my head on his shoulder. My arm circled his waist, and I snuggled into his side.
Immediately, Zeke softened and dropped his arm around me. His cheek rested against my head, and he breathed a sigh of satisfaction. When he took a breath, he smelled my hair. He did it at least once a day when he thought I didn’t know what he was up to. “What do you want to do now?”
“Go to bed.”
“I’m tired too.”
My lips found his neck, and I gave him wet kisses. “But not to sleep.”
He tightened his arm around my shoulders then lifted me as he stood to his full height. He cradled me against his body and looked down into my face, that burning desire in those beautiful blue eyes. “Now we’re talking.”
Chapter Seven
Rae
Finally, the day had come.
That annoying, stinky, and messy brother of mine was finally getting his own place and leaving me in peace. Now I could walk around naked again in my own apartment. The dishes wouldn’t pile up in the sink, and that awful stench would disappear for good.
It was such a beautiful day.
Zeke walked in the door wearing running shorts and a t-shirt. His strong muscles rippled under the fabric, and his powerful shoulders were easily visible. Even in loose shorts, his ass looked awesome. I could take a bite out of it right now. “Zeke’s moving service is here.”
“Awesome,” Rex said. “Tobias should be here any second. We can start with the boxes.”
“Alright.” Before Zeke hunched down to grab one, he walked to me and circled his arms around my waist. “I’m about to get sweaty, so I should kiss you now.” He pulled me into his chest and brushed his lips against mine, making me picture him naked and on top of me, thrusting his enormous dick deep inside me.
“I like it when you’re sweaty.” My hands snaked up his muscular back, so I could feel the definition of his powerful shoulders. I loved his body just as much as his handsome face. I was grateful he was diligent about hitting the gym regularly. It made me feel guilty that I’d pretty much abandoned all forms of exercise since we got together.
“Eh-hem.” Rex cleared his throat loudly, the obnoxious sound scratching against our eardrums. “There are people here. You know, with eyes.”
“People?” I pulled away from Zeke. “Because all I see is a dumbass.”
Zeke smiled but refused to laugh. He always played neutral when it came to the two of us, being a loyal friend to Rex and a supportive boyfriend to me.
“Shut the hell up.” Rex grabbed an orange from the counter and threw it at me. “Otherwise, I’m gonna leave an open carton of milk on the ground as a parting gift.”
The orange missed me by a foot, and I knew he didn’t hit me on purpose. “You better not.”
“Watch me.” Rex challenged me with his furrowed expression, telling me he wasn’t kidding this time.
The door opened, and Tobias, Jessie, and Kayden walked inside. Tobias flexed his arm muscles once he was through the doorway. “The guns have arrived. The rest of you can go home.”
“Sounds good to me,” Rex said. “You and Safari can handle this on your own.”
“Safari?” I asked. “Uh, I don’t think so. That guy isn’t free labor.” I knew I babied my dog way too much, but I didn’t care. He was my baby, after all.
“Anyway, we should get started.” Rex clapped his hands and walked over to a stack of
boxes. “Ladies, this is all the light stuff. I think you can handle it.”
“We can handle the heavy stuff,” I snapped. “Just because we’re women doesn’t mean we aren’t strong.”
“Psh.” Jessie crossed her arms over her chest, still looking like a beauty queen in her Nike workout outfit. “Speak for yourself, girl. I just got my nails done, and I don’t want to get too bulky.”
“And I just don’t want to do it,” Kayden said. “So, we’ll take the pillows and stuff.”
Sometimes I felt like the only feminist in the group.
Zeke circled his arm around my waist and leaned close to me. “I know you’re strong, baby. When you ride my cock, you do one hell of a job.” He kissed the corner of my mouth before he joined Rex.
Suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about moving boxes at all.
Jessie picked up a box of his clothes. “Where are we going anyway?”
Rex opened the front door before he grabbed a box of his own. Zeke did the same, along with Tobias. Rex didn’t have a lot of stuff, but the boxes he got down at Groovy Bowl weren’t very big, so he couldn’t fit a lot of junk inside. “I’ll show you.”
We followed him out the front door and into the hallway. Then Rex put down the box and pulled out a ring of keys from his pocket. He undid the lock on the door facing my apartment, and it swung inward, revealing an empty apartment with a floor plan identical to mine.
No.
This can’t be happening.
Please tell me this is a nightmare.
Zeke was the first one to ask the question we were all thinking. “You’re moving across the hall?”
Rex set his box down on the kitchen counter. “It’s perfect, right? Now I don’t have to move my stuff very far.” He took the box from Zeke and placed it next to mine. Everyone else put their stuff on the counter.
Except me.
I stood there with the box of shoes still in my hands, shocked by the stunt Rex just pulled. “Tell me this is a goddamn joke.”
“What?” Rex acted innocent, even though he knew full well how ridiculous this was. After living together for months, we both needed space, but he decided to be as close to me as possible—with only two doors between us.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I needed to keep my voice in check, but I couldn’t help it. I was yelling, my voice shaking the walls. “Why would you move across the hall? Why would you move ten feet away? Don’t you get it, Rex? I want you gone. Like, far away gone.” I stormed out and didn’t return to my apartment. Instead, I walked down the hallway and took the stairs to the lobby. I didn’t have a plan when I made a scene. Now, I had to roll with it.
I didn’t understand why I was so mad. Rex and I were close, and I certainly didn’t hate him. But sharing my small apartment with him day after day took its toll. I needed my space. I wanted to take Zeke back to my place and not have to worry about Rex running into us. I wanted to know he wouldn’t appear at my door at any time to borrow something. We were basically living together again, but this time, there were extra doors between us.
Chapter Eight
Rex
Rae stormed out and slammed the door behind her, making a sound so loud Kayden nearly jumped out of her skin. Rae had an attitude with me a lot, but I’d never seen her that livid.
It was like she hated me.
I stood at the counter and bowed my head, feeling terrible and also embarrassed that everyone I was close to witnessed the entire exchange. When I saw the apartment was available, I didn’t bother to look anywhere else. I just took it.
Zeke was clearly torn. He glanced at the closed door but didn’t follow Rae, proving his loyalty to me. I was the one who’d just been told off, and his sympathy was obviously with me, not his girlfriend.
Tobias leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze to the floor.
Kayden wouldn’t stop staring at me.
Jessie cleared her throat but didn’t say a word.
It was the most awkward moment for all of us—at the exact same time.
Kayden broke the silence and came to my side, her soft voice having no effect on calming me—this time. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I opened the box and looked at the contents inside, just so I had something to do with my hands.
Kayden looked at everyone else then subtly nodded to the door.
Everyone took her cue and returned to Rae’s apartment, so we could have some privacy.
Now that we were alone, Kayden asked her question again. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat and swallowed the emotion that started deep in my chest. “I know Rae teases me a lot, but I didn’t realize she hated me so much...”
Kayden’s rebuttal was immediate. “She doesn’t hate you, Rex.”
“You heard what she said, Kay.”
“She was just surprised. I warned you moving across the hall might not be the best idea.”
Well, looks like she was right. I left the counter and realized there was nowhere to sit because I didn’t have any furniture. So, I sat in the living room against the wall, my elbows resting on my knees.
Kayden sat beside me. “I have to ask, why did you pick this apartment?”
“Rent is reasonable.”
She shook her head like she didn’t believe me. “There are cheaper places in town. And you can afford to live wherever you want, Rex. What’s the real reason?”
“There is no real reason.”
She stared me down, forcing the truth out of me. When she narrowed her blue eyes in that way, she was both fiery and cute.
She pulled the truth right out of me. “I guess...” I couldn’t believe I was going to say this out loud. My emotions had never been profound. My existence was fueled by food, sex, and comfort. But apparently, there was more to me than I realized. “Everything is changing. Rae is shacking up with Zeke, and I know they’re going to last.”
“Why is that a bad thing?” she asked gently.
“Rae is my sister. I know we tease each other a lot, but...she’s all I have. She’s the only family I have in the world. When she was growing up, she needed me. But now, I need her. She’s going to marry Zeke and have kids...and I’ll never see her. On top of that, Zeke is my best friend. I’ll never see him either. The two most important people in my life will vanish.”
She rested her hand on my arm and stroked me gently. “Rex, that’s not true.”
“It is,” I said quietly. “It’s already happening. I used to see Zeke all the time, and now I’m lucky if I see him once a week. I thought if I lived across the hall from her, I would run into him more often. Plus, I’d get to see her. The three of us used to hang out all the time, but now, it’s just them two...even if I’m in the room.”
Her eyes softened, and she squeezed my arm. “I had no idea you felt this way.”
“I didn’t either. But when I realized this apartment was available, I knew then.” I remembered the way Rae screamed at me when she realized just how close I was going to be. I couldn’t forget the look on her face. It hurt like hell. “All she wants to do is get the hell away from me. It’s like she can’t stand me.”
“Rex, I can promise you that’s not how she feels.”
“Baby, you were there. You saw the whole thing.”
“Listen to me.” She forced my gaze on her face. “Rae has always been independent. She does her own thing and lives by her own rules. She’s headstrong and bossy. She’s the kind of person who can’t handle a roommate because she’s particular. That’s just how she is. It has nothing to do with you.”
“I bet she wouldn’t mind living with you.”
“The only person she wouldn’t mind living with is Zeke, and that’s because she would be getting laid all the time. Trust me.”
I was too down to care about the disgusting thing Kayden just said. I pulled my arm away from her grasp and got to my feet. “I’ll move my stuff in here for now, but I
’ll look for a new apartment. The landlord will probably let me out of the lease since I just moved in.” Before she could say anything else, I walked across the hall and back into Rae’s apartment. Everyone was gathered around the TV to see the score of the Mariners game. “Hey, Zeke. Help me out with the couch.” I walked to one end and lifted it from the bottom.
Zeke watched me, the concern evident in his eyes. “You okay, man?”
I put on an act and hoped everyone would buy it. “Totally. Rae is a drama queen, like always. Now we’ve got work to do. And we’ll get it done a lot quicker since that brat isn’t here to slow us down.”
Zeke didn’t buy my bullshit. It was obvious in the way he stared at me. But he didn’t put me on the spot with everyone to witness it. He grabbed his end of the couch and lifted with his legs. “Alright, let’s move this thing.”
Chapter Nine
Rae
I went to the first place that came to mind.
Zeke’s house.
I had a spare key since I was pretty much living there. He gave it to me the first day we were together, and I took it without objection. It would have been way too soon for any other relationship, but Zeke and I were different.
I sat on the couch and watched the Mariners game with a cold beer in my hand, kicking back and relaxing. Sports and booze were usually two things that could ease my mind when I was wound up tight. I’d definitely calmed down significantly, but a part of me was still seething over the stupid stunt Rex just pulled.
My phone rang, and instead of seeing Zeke’s name on the screen, I saw Kayden’s.
I answered. “Hey. How’d the move go?”
She dodged the question. “Where are you?”
“Zeke’s.” I drank the beer and let the frosty liquid move down my throat until it burned in my stomach. “Watching the game.”
“Okay, I’m going to stop by.”
“Are you guys done already?” Even if they were moving just across the hall, that was still quick.
