Unsocial

by Dykes, Nicole

  My doorbell rings and I jump up instantly knowing for damn sure that it’s Brooke, and I can’t get to the door fast enough. Jesus, Dylan. I was just calling Joy desperate, and then I fall all over myself to run to the door when I know Brooke is on the other side. Nice.

  I open the door to Brooke in jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair is up in one of those crazy ponytail things, messy or sloppy something or other. Whatever it is, I like it. She in no way looks like she took the time to dress up like every other woman I’ve known, but yet she looks sexy as fuck. I immediately get hard, and I don’t think it’s going to go away. I notice a black duffle bag in one hand and several sacks of groceries in the other. “Mornin’, you staying the night?”

  She laughs shaking her head, “No, but I didn’t want to drive back to my apartment to change for dinner, so I was hoping I could just change here.”

  “Ah, yeah, of course, you can change here. I’ll put it in my room like before. Come on in.” I take the bag from her to carry to my room while she heads to the kitchen with her hands full of groceries.

  When I walk into the kitchen, she finishes unpacking the bags and claps her hands together. “Alright. Let’s start cooking.” I go to the fridge and pull out the big-ass turkey. She looks pleased, “That’ll do nicely.”

  She sets the oven and starts preparing the turkey. I just stand there like a stalker watching her every move and as insane as it may sound watching her rub stuff all over that bird just makes my cock get harder. I love watching her in the kitchen. She loves to cook and gets into a zone. “So where did you go to dinner last night?”

  She looks up for a moment, “Oh just a restaurant a block from my apartment.”

  “You all eat together every night?” I don’t want to sound like I’m interrogating her, but my curiosity has the best of me.

  “Not every night. It depends on when we all get home. I’m at the office late a lot, and sometimes Alex will get late clients. I have no clue what Trevor does while he’s not on tour, and I don’t ask.”

  I don’t want to talk about Trevor. He’s a decent enough guy, maybe even a guy I would be friends with under different circumstances, but seeing him around her just pisses me off. They are way too comfortable around one another. Thinking of that fucker touching her puts homicidal thoughts in my head. I don’t want to examine why that is, though.

  After she’s finished buttering and seasoning the Butterball, I lift the turkey for Brooke to put in the oven. I turn around, and she’s already grabbing stuff for whatever’s next. Obviously, no breaks in the kitchen today. Damn. “Okay time for homemade rolls, my grandma’s recipe.”

  Or maybe there is. I’ve been trying to find an excuse to touch her and kiss her, but she hasn’t stopped buzzing around since she got started. “Ah ha, I bought some rolls.” I hold up a package from the grocery store.

  Her nose crinkles up, “Trust me on this one, homemade are oh so much better.”

  No break.

  I shake my head and laugh. “Whatever you say, Brooke.”

  She gets the flour out and starts to mix up ingredients. “So, Sylvia was big on the holidays huh?”

  I laugh, that is an understatement. I lean against the counter. Brooke’s in the zone, so I stay back. When she has a job for me, she’ll let me know. “Yeah, she loved the holidays and made sure everyone else did too. She planned for weeks before and even made my dad invite his friends from work and their families. Usually, they would just stop by for dessert at the end. She even let all of us invite our friends if they didn’t have plans.” I smile thinking of how kind my stepmother was. “I had this friend in junior high; he was a spoiled rich kid, but pretty cool to hang out with. His parents were dicks though and always went away on vacation for Thanksgiving and left him with a nanny. When Sylvia heard that she got permission for him to stay with us while they were out of town every year until we graduated high school.”

  Brooke smiles, “Wow, from what I have heard from you and the kids, she sounds like a saint.”

  “She was, that’s why today is so important. I don’t want to fuck it up.” I can’t believe how open I can be with Brooke now, especially considering who she is and the fact that that the first time we met I didn’t want to tell her anything. In the beginning, I hated the fact that she pretty much knew everything and would be digging for more. Now I’m totally honest, maybe too honest. I’m one of the best bullshitters around, I swear, but she is impossible to lie to. I want her here for dinner, but I can’t lie to her and say that I’m not nervous about making sure this is a good day for my brothers and sisters.

  “It’s going to be great, Dylan. I promise. You guys are all together, and that’s the most important thing. Seeing how I’m this amazing cook, I’ve got the second most important part covered. We’ll give them everything for a perfect holiday; family, food, and football.” We both share a laugh at that.

  I watch her knead the dough on the counter with flour in her hair and on her beautiful face. Another hot as hell look for Brooke Porter. I walk closer to her, invading her space, but I don’t care. She stops kneading for a minute and turns to me. I cup her face in my hand, “Dylan…”

  It’s just a breathless whisper, and I can see it on her face that she wants me to kiss her, but I don’t want to make this time about that. As much as I ache to taste her and touch her, I still want just to enjoy every moment we can have together. There will be a time for the heavy stuff later. When she runs her tongue across her bottom lip, I briefly reconsider the decision. It’s only 9 A.M. I still have at least an hour before the kids wake up. God the things I could do to her in an hour. Instead, I brush the flour off her cheek using my thumb and then back up a half step. “I know, Brooke. I just want to thank you again for doing this. It means a lot.” I graze my lips across her forehead deciding not to push and ruin this moment.

  Brooke sighs. Does she sound disappointed? “You’re welcome.” She goes back to kneading and then puts me to work peeling apples for the homemade apple pie.

  “I can’t believe your grandmother taught you to cook like this. Nothing from the box at all. You’re making me feel all inadequate as a hunter and gatherer you know, like maybe I should have gone hunting for the turkey or some shit.”

  She laughs, and I’m glad to lighten things up. “You did fine, caveman. Playing in flour is a lot easier than it would have been trying to hunt for a turkey. And as sweet and gentle as you are, I bet you wouldn’t have been able to do it.”

  “I told you about this sweet business.”

  We both laugh and she goes back to cooking up a storm in my kitchen.

  Cassie and Gabby wake up and come out into the kitchen and visit with us before going to get ready for the day. At around 11 all four kids are up and ready. Gabby and Cassie are playing in the backyard with Toby while Michael and Luke are watching pregame shows on ESPN. I’m still stalking Brooke through the kitchen doing all the manly jobs, you know, filling pots with water, setting pots of water on the stove, draining pots of water, and then there’s watching Brooke’s fine little ass as she sashays around my kitchen bending over and reaching under counters. I had long since turned on our favorite cooking playlist, and she wasn’t disappointing me. She’s so relaxed when she’s flitting about the kitchen creating her brand of magic through food. I have discovered Brooke has many brands of magic, but I especially like this cooking one. I cannot believe all of the stuff Brooke is preparing from scratch. This girl blows my mind.

  I hear Luke and Michael join Cassie and Gabby in the backyard, and I’m wondering if I could just sneak in one little kiss from her. I just want a single taste before everyone gets here, and our time alone is cut short. Then I hear the doorbell, and Brooke looks over at me confused. “Are you expecting someone this early?”

  I shake my head. “No, and it can’t be Jax, he never uses a doorbell. I’ll be right back.”

  I leave Brooke working in the kitchen and walk to my front door. When I open it, Alex and Trevor are standing there w
ith shit-eating grins and a bottle of wine. I grit my teeth and try to grab a hold of my patience. Must be a good host or Brooke will kick my ass. Alex hands me a bottle of wine, “Hi, Dylan. Thanks for having us.” Her sweet and innocent greeting doesn’t fool me at all.

  I stand there a little stunned, “No problem. You guys are a little early, though.”

  Alex smiles big, “Oh, I know.” She points to her brother, “We were hanging out with Jax last night, and he suggested we come earlier so you guys can watch football and drink beer while I help Brooke in the kitchen.”

  That motherfucker. I’m seriously going to kick his ass as soon as he shows up. So much for hanging with Brooke and relaxing all day. Brooke walks in and looks as confused, and dare I say, disappointed as I do. “What are you guys doing here?”

  Alex looks over at her from the front porch, “Freezing our asses off. You think we could maybe come in?”

  “No,” I say at the same time that Brooke says, “Of course.”

  She wins.

  I step back and motion for them both to come in, and I close the door, a little too hard, but they’re crashing our time. I turn to Brooke to explain, “Jax invited them to come over early. Isn’t that nice of him?”

  “Uh, yeah? I guess it is.”

  Alex walks over to Brooke, “Yeah, we are letting Dylan off the hook from having to spend all day in the kitchen. And I brought wine.” Like that makes everything better.

  Trevor takes his coat off and hands it over to me, “Where should I put this?” I know my face is anything but friendly. I’m pissed off at my time alone with Brooke being blown the fuck up, but I try my best to hide it and take his coat.

  Alex shrugs out of hers before handing it to me then grabs Brooke’s hand and heads toward the kitchen. “Let’s go Brooke.”

  I take their coats and put them in my room. When I come back a few seconds later, Trevor has already made himself comfortable on the couch. Alex and Brooke are standing in the kitchen. I decide to go in there to reclaim my spot as her assistant chef. “You know, I don’t mind helping in the kitchen.”

  Brooke smiles at me, and Alex shakes her head, “No, you don’t have to. I know how crazy Brooke can get when she is making a huge feast. Trust me, you’re safer out there.”

  “We were managing fine before you two showed, so I’m sure I’ll be okay,” I argue.

  Trevor calls from the couch, “Yeah, no shit. Brooke gets insane.”

  I grit my teeth; I hate that he’s known her for years. “Like I said, we were doing fine.”

  Alex laughs, “I’m sure you were, but trust me the closer to dinner it gets the scarier this girl gets. Besides you guys can just chill and watch the game. Is Jax not here yet?”

  I shake my head, “Nope; he’s not.” It pisses me off that the three of them have devised a fucking plan to keep us apart.

  And speak of the devil.

  Jackson walks in the back door with a huge fucking grin on his face, “Hey, you guys made it!”

  Alex gives him a sultry smile, “Of course, we wouldn’t miss it.”

  Jax walks over to Trevor on the couch, and they bump fist like old friends. Then he turns to me, “So are you gonna join us or what?”

  I clear my throat and glare at the cocky asshole. He’s definitely proud of himself, “I was helping Brooke in the kitchen.”

  He nods to Alex, “Yeah, well Alex is relieving you of that duty. So quit being a pussy and join the men. And grab us some beer.”

  My body stiffens, I can’t believe this shit. I look at Brooke, who’s glaring at Alex with her forehead all scrunched up, and her lips tightly closed like she’s holding back whatever it is she wants to say. She turns and meets my gaze. “They are kind of right,” She says in resignation. “You guys have fun.” She sounds like a kid whose toy has been taken away. Good, she’s not happy either. Alex looks satisfied and takes a seat at the kitchen table.

  I pull Brooke aside and keep my voice quiet, “You know what they are doing right?”

  She nods, “Yes, of course, and they know we know. It’s obvious and ridiculous, but let’s just do what they want. It’s Thanksgiving, and we don’t need any drama.”

  I lean closer, “I was having a good time.”

  “So was I, but I’m sure you’ll have fun with the guys too.” She pats my chest with her small hand. “Try to have fun at least.”

  She turns back to the pie she was working on, and I sit down in the living room far away from Jax because seriously I don’t trust myself to be anywhere near him right now without kicking his ass. I sit there and glare while he flips through channels before landing on the pre-game report again. Luke joins us and looks happy to see Trevor. “Hey, man, I didn’t know you would be here this early.”

  I grumble, “Yeah, Jax was nice enough to invite him and his sister Alex to watch football before dinner.”

  Luke sits down, “Cool.”

  I stand up, “I’m gonna go, uh, get a beer.”

  Jackson jumps up, “I’ll go with ya.” He turns to Trevor, “Want another one?”

  He nods, “Yeah, thanks.”

  Great, I can’t even go into this kitchen alone. This is getting fucking crazy. The way we’re drinking could turn this day into a Jerry Springer Thanksgiving Special. We head into the kitchen where Alex is sitting at the table drinking a glass of wine and playing with her phone while Brooke is scowling at the stove. I approach her, “Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

  She shakes her head and sighs, “No, I’m okay. Alex is giving me emotional support like always.” She says sarcastically.

  Alex laughs, “This is how we’ve always done it.”

  Then it’s time to change shit up.

  “So you don’t cook then?”

  She shakes her head, “Hell no, but Brooke’s the best, and we talk and gossip while she cooks. It’s a great system.” That’s bullshit. Besides, our system was a lot better.

  I don’t push it. Jax grabs a few beers and hands me chips and dip. With one last look at Brooke, I follow him back to the living room where Trevor and Luke are talking about his band.

  Luke looks like he is hanging on every fucking word which pisses me off. Great now I’m jealous of this guy for another reason. Who the hell have I become?

  Jax hands Trevor his beer and then sits down. Finally, I join them and ignore them while they talk. I wonder what Brooke and Alex are talking about in the kitchen. My mind snaps back to the conversation in the living room when I hear Brooke’s name come out of Jax’s mouth, “So Brooke is crazy in the kitchen, anywhere else she gets crazy?”

  Jax’s eyebrows wag at him implying a sexual innuendo, and I know he’s doing it to piss me off. Trevor laughs, “Oh, man, the stories I could fucking tell you about Brooke Porter.”

  I glare over at him, “But you won’t, right? I mean she’s got to be like a little sister to you, and guys don’t talk shit like that about their sisters.”

  He laughs, “Well, I don’t know if I would say she’s like my sister. A very special friend is more like it. We have known each other a very long time, and she practically lived at my house.”

  I am seriously going to break my foot off in his ass in about three seconds. “Right, but she’s your little sister’s best friend, and she told me she thinks of you like a brother.”

  He laughs again, like that is the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard. “Yeah, we’re close. We’ve shared a lot over the years. It took no time to get used to sharing space with her again.”

  “Yeah, she mentioned how you like to invade her space and mess shit up.”

  “Yeah, well, her apartment is small, and there are only two bedrooms and one bathroom, and I’m not sharing with my sister. And you know how giving Brooke can be.”

  I don’t like what he’s insinuating, and I am about to say something else when the rest of the kids walk into the living room. They all greet Jax and Trevor. Michael sits between them on the couch, and Trevor ruffles his hair, “Well if it
isn’t the spelling bee champ, himself!”

  Michael looks bashful, “I’m not the champ.”

  “Second place is pretty awesome little man. Be proud.”

  He grins, this fucker is winning over all my siblings and my best friend, not to mention the fact that he gets to share space with Brooke. Not a great feeling.

  Cassie looks over at me, “Where’s Brooke?”

  “In the kitchen with her friend, Alex.”

  She grins from ear to ear, “Yay!” Then she bounces off to the kitchen.

  Gabby sits on the floor playing with Toby, and we all settle in to watch the first game of the day. I sip my beer. This is going to be a long fucking day and not at all how I had planned it.

  Chapter 20

  Brooke

  I look around the kitchen at everything I've prepared for the Thanksgiving Feast. I don't think I'm missing anything. Cassie and Michael have already set the table for me. Now I just have to take everything over to it and then change.

  Alex looks around, "Damn, Brooke! You have outdone yourself."

  I smile, "I hope this can compare somewhat to their mother's holiday dinners."

  She gives my shoulder a quick squeeze, "It's going to blow them away. I’m going to go tell everyone to wash up.”

  I smile as she leaves the kitchen. I’m quite proud of the meal I’ve prepared and think how fun it would have been if Dylan hadn’t been forced out. I’m still upset about that, but I’m not going to let it spoil the day.

  As if he read my mind, he walks in and casually surveys the room. He has recently showered and changed into dark, worn jeans and a sexy black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Damn, is there any look on this man that isn't sexy? "Wow," He says looking at all the dishes.