Who knows if I was actually thankful. I was horny, frustrated, relieved – maybe thankful too.
“Can I walk you to your door?” Bradley asked.
“Definitely,” I said, smiling, taking his arm.
I watched his expression as his seasoned eyes took in the crumbling stairway we ascended, the cardboard taped-up window, the creaked-open door. When his eyes fell on me, they only showed concern. “Sure, you’ll be ok?”
I grinned, nodded. “I’m sure.”
“Ok,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “Goodnight then. Talk soon.”
“Goodnight,” I said, waiting for the kiss that never came.
No, instead, Bradley walked off fast, not looking back once. Perhaps as afraid as I was of what would happen if he did. What he wouldn’t be able to resist this time.
A few minutes later, inside my crappy apartment, staring at a crack in the ceiling, I cursed myself. That now, alone on my bed, horniness had won out. I should have let Bradley continue. I should have let him do what I was now aching for him to. Touch me, kiss me, enter me. Make me his for a night.
8
Kingston
A hot blonde, a hot brunette, a hot redhead – heck, even a hot half-blonde half-brunette. Pity there was no dark chocolate-haired girl…
I scowled into my third Guinness. What the hell was my problem? There were hot girls galore and I was thinking of Britt.
I checked my phone – she still hadn’t texted me back about what her plans were tonight. Whatever.
My plans for tonight were here, somewhere. I just had to find the right one.
There was the dark-skinned beauty with the small eyes and the big boobs and the tattoos that weren’t your stereotypical other-language quote. There was the Eurasian with the red lips already smeared, which could be a good sign.
“You going to check out the hot tub or mope here all day?” Wyatt asked, sipping his fourth gin and tonic, looking as soberly bored as he had for the first.
I shrugged, jabbing my finger over at Bradley. “I’m not the one who isn’t even drinking.”
“Told you guys,” Bradley said, sipping at his water. “Not in the mood.”
“Not in the mood,” I said in a mock British accent, which got Wyatt cackling, but didn’t even quirk a smile out of Bradley.
A pretty redhead nearby was laughing too, so I hooked my arm around her. “My friend’s gloomy – think you could cheer him up?”
She narrowed her eyes as her gaze flicked his way, her hips already gyrating their readiness for tonight. Bradley stalked off.
Wyatt and I exchanged a look.
“This calls for immediate action,” I said, getting out my phone.
Britt had actually responded too: My friend and I are thinking of going to see a movie.
My response was obvious: Screw the movie – come here! Le Bain has a hot tub.
No response. I glared at my phone screen, patted the ass of the redhead who was still there for some reason, gyrating her ass in my crotch. Wyatt went to get us some more drinks. And then, finally, Okay.
I clapped Wyatt on the shoulder as he returned.
“Things are about to get interesting.”
“What – you finally got those twins to agree to come see us again?”
“No.”
“Your buddy’s coming with that inflatable dinosaur again?”
“No!”
“What is it then?”
I smiled. “I got her to come.”
“Who’s ‘her’ – oh,” Wyatt said, realizing immediately.
He sipped so I wouldn’t see his full-fledged smile.
“It’s alright,” I said, taking my next Guinness and sipping it. “I know you want her. So does Bradley and so do I.”
I lifted my glass in cheers to him. “May the best man win.”
Wyatt allowed me to clink my drink to his, but he didn’t sip. “I don’t know. Last time we did this, you were pissed at me for weeks.”
My smile dropped. “That was with my ex!”
“You didn’t tell me that at the time!”
“I didn’t realize it at the time.”
I turned around to call Bradley to join us, and I saw her. In the doorway, someone and Britt. The someone was good-looking, blonde, and seemed very happy to see us, but none of that mattered. Not when Britt was there, looking how she did.
Her chin-length chocolate hair was a mass of wild curls, her lips the color of a red light. Although every about her outfit was screaming ‘green light’.
Black thigh-highs, black skirt, and black mesh top. I could see her bra and yet, even that seemed unfair, another fabric barrier between us.
“You came fast,” I yelled, going over to her.
She grinned. “Simone here was just about dying to go out.”
The blonde girl hugged me. “You are the lifesaver of a century – Britt never wants to go out!”
“Oh, she doesn’t?” I said, eyeing her with interest.
I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt the let’s-fuck attraction sizzling through the air whenever we were within five feet of each other.
I slightly inclined my head the blonde’s way so Wyatt could see. The blonde already had a drink or two in her and was standing way closer to us. So, I’d give Wyatt the sure thing, while I went for the better one.
Wyatt, however, only blinked at me like a lizard. Maybe he didn’t get it.
“Let me buy you a drink,” I told Britt.
“Alright,” she agreed. “Since I never did get that hotdog.”
“About that,” I said, slinging my arm around her to guide her through the crowd. “What happened?”
“I…” she trailed off.
“Bradley chased you away, didn’t he?”
“He just made a few valid points.”
“What – that we all want to jump your bones?”
She paused, frowning at me.
“What?” I said. “You know it’s true.”
She stepped back, eyeing me uncertainly. “Don’t you feel bad – going after me when Bradley is too?”
I scowled. “So what – he went out with you first, so he calls dibs? Anyway, it’s not like you two sealed the deal.”
“How did you…” she began, then fell silent, glaring at me. “Oh.”
“Gotcha,” I said. “Anyway, what do you want?”
She glared at me. “I’d like you guys to stop the pissing contest. Pretty sure I’m not in a place to be with anyone.”
“Whoa Nelly,” I said. “I’m not asking for your hand in marriage. I was just asking what you wanted to drink.”
I gestured to the bar and she exhaled. “Vodka cranberry, I guess.”
As we waited for the drink, I leaned up on the bar. “Anyway, it’s not the same for guys and girls. We can all go for the same girl, lose, and not hate each other at the end.”
“I just don’t want to cause any drama between friends. It’s not my style.”
I followed Britt’s cat-eyed gaze over me to where Wyatt and Britt’s friend were talking. Her friend seemed into it, laughing at something he said, although Wyatt’s gaze was resting on us.
“Wyatt was getting into trouble long before you came in the picture,” I said. “He’s a grown man, he can look after himself.”
Our drinks were poured, I handed the bartender her money, then took the two cups.
“Follow me.”
I led her back outside, past Wyatt who started to follow but then was stopped by Bradley. I grinned, waving to them both as they exchanged a few words. Remind me to thank that overprotective guy.
Anyway, now it was just Britt and me at the edge of the Bain rooftop patio. I yanked two chairs over, then patted one.
Britt sat down, although her gaze on me wasn’t exactly friendly.
“Don’t trust me?”
“Why should I? You just told me you wanted to ‘jump my bones’.”
I grinned, staring through the red liquid of my drink at her. “’But I�
��m a cop.”
She snorted, gulping down her drink. “Yeah, I’m going to need to be way drunker to buy that.”
“I’d be glad to help with that,” I said.
“Yeah, I bet you would.”
We drank our drinks and said nothing more. Behind us, by the sounds of it, the bar-goers were all drunk enough to enjoy themselves. The air was clear, the sky was cloudy.
“I do like your tattoos,” she admitted after a minute.
“Thanks,” I said, glancing at them myself. The thick lines and minute details of them all never failed to fill me with a sort of awe, that such uplifting beauty was literally inked on my whole arm. “Pissed my parents off, though.”
“Mine didn’t even notice,” Britt said.
I glanced at her, surprised. “But I thought…”
“My foster parents at the time.” She smiled, but there was no joy in it. “I got relocated the next year.”
“Shit, that’s rough. I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “Everyone has shit they have to deal with. From what I’ve heard, a lot of parents inadvertently screw their kids up anyway.”
I shrugged, nodded. “That’s a good way of looking at it.”
Suddenly, she laughed. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be such a downer. Just that everyone has things they have to work through, and either I can sit around feeling sorry for myself or do something about it. And I did. Soon as I could, I went and lived on my own, got a job, supported myself. Things started to get better then.”
“I’ll bet,” I said. “That’s pretty impressive.”
“Thanks.”
“And I’m not just saying that to get in your pants.” I cracked a grin. “I mean, don’t get me wrong – I want to get into your pants. I just meant what I said, too.”
I could feel her leg sprouting up goosebumps beside mine.
I laughed, the sound short and hollow. Yeah, the alcohol had definitely found its way to my brain by now. “You’re right though, everyone’s got their shit. I’ve got a crazy ass ex wife. Hailey seemed safe, expected. I kept figuring I could make it work with her. Even as she got more and more demanding; more and more of a crazy bitch.” I shook my head. “What it comes down to, is if something isn’t right, you can’t make it right, no matter how much you try.” I drained the last of my drink, exhaled loudly. “I’m not exactly cut out for long-term, I guess.”
Suddenly, I remembered her presence. Shit. Talk about giving a speech on how to convince a girl not to bother with you.
She was eyeing me half-pityingly, half-suspiciously. “Was that supposed to…”
“Damn, you really don’t trust me. Do you?”
She bit her lip, sighed, directing her gaze out to the sky. “Would you?”
No, I realized as my gaze joined hers and my leg rested against her. It occurred to me then that I wasn’t going to be getting laid tonight. I was, best case scenario, going to sit here and talk to her more. Maybe even tell more of the truth for a change.
And that, weirdest of all, I was actually fine with it.
Britt
I went to the bathroom, and Simone cornered me by the sinks.
“Your friend, the artist cop. He is single.”
“Yes,” I said.
“But what?” she said, frowning, her hands on her hips. “It’s all over your face, Britt.”
I sighed. “Just that he gets around. But you-”
“Yeah, don’t care.” She grinned, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Unless…”
Her squint went my way now. “You don’t like him do you?”
“No,” I said.
For some reason, I couldn’t look at her as I said it. She scoffed. “You totally do! You like all three of them.”
Simone pouted. “Greedy girl.”
She flicked on her phone. “It’s fine, though. I have a friend who’s still up in the West End.”
“You don’t have to leave,” I told her.
“I do,” she said. “I’m horny and I don’t want to go after any guy you like even a bit. Though you could cab with me partway?”
“Seriously, Simone, I really think you should-”
“And I really think you should,” she said, tapping her finger onto my cheek, and grabbing my hand. “Dance with me!”
As we raced out of there, ‘I Don’t Care’ thrummed to life. Right under the disco ball, we let the music shake our hips and twirl us around as we laughed.
On the outskirts, I spotted Bradley, and waved. He nodded, half-smiled. Twirling, on the outskirts of the dance floor I saw Wyatt and Kingston, watching me with that same steady gaze.
Simone saw it too, raising her eyebrows and smiling at me knowingly.
Although it wasn’t until I walked her down to the street and refused to cab with her that she said anything, “Oh Britt, have fun with this.”
“See you tomorrow,” I told her.
9
Bradley
I held out for two hours at work before I was texting her in the bathroom. Wasn’t my fault, really. Last night, I’d only got a few words in at the end of the night, before she taxi-d home with me and the others offering to walk her to her door.
It was a free country, but I was still kind of pissed at them.
“Thought you were taking a break from anything serious,” Kingston had point-blank stated last night.
“I am,” I’d replied. “It’s just… You know what, it’s fine.”
“Really?” Kingston had asked, and I’d only nodded and went to my room.
Because he was right. I was being ridiculous. There was no reason for me to be obsessing over Britt like this. Women couldn’t be trusted, and I’d learned that the hard way.
Anyway, Kingston and Wyatt pestering me for details about our date two nights ago hadn’t helped my ‘forget-Britt’ initiative either.
“You do realize this is another excuse for me to text her,” Kingston had pointed out. “You not telling me whether your date was a sequel-worthy home run or a one-time kinda fun and done, or a no-go.”
“Knock yourself out,” I’d said.
So now, a few minutes later, there I was in the single stall in the bathroom, texting her: That art gallery – still want to go? I know just the place tonight.
I actually did, too. I’d stayed up late last night hunting down the perfect gallery.
I lounged around a bit, but her response didn’t come fast enough. Looked like there’d be no avoiding the guys chuckling knowingly as I checked my phone.
Luckily, it was quite a bit later, when I was at Marcello’s getting my lunch, that she responded: Sounds good – pick me up or meet there?
I’ll pick you up, I responded.
Great, see you then!
And so, the date was set.
This time, when I picked her up she was wearing a tie-dye white, blue, red, and black masterpiece of a dress.
“Yes, I made this myself,” she said, grinning.
“I like it,” I said. “Have you ever been to The Earth Room?”
“No,” Britt said. “That where we’re going?”
“Sure are,” I said. “Figured you’d been to 99% of the big, small, and in-between galleries, so I had to think of some off-the-wall place.”
“Sounds cool.”
Fifteen minutes later, after I’d parked, and we’d made our way into the nondescript building that housed the place, ‘cool’, as we found out, was the least of it. The Earth Room was basically as described. A room full of, well, earth.
“You know, if you had told me what this was, I wouldn’t have been impressed,” Britt admitted.
“But this is…”
“Calming,” I finished for her.
Since there’d be no one around, we’d done something I wasn’t entirely sure was allowed – ditched our shoes and socks and gone barefoot.
And now, here we were. In this white-walled, white-ceiling-ed, white pillar-ed room sinking our feet sinking into the thick pack of soil.
“This
is some ‘good hippy shit’, as Kingston would say,” I said, smiling.
“It is,” she agreed, falling silent.
My hand found hers and we walked, saying nothing. Only breathing, experiencing.
I’d never been one for modern art – all the harsh bare wryness – but this? This was less modern art and more pure experience. A feeling.
Once we got to the end, Britt paused, surveying the room with a nod, then another. “This is amazing.”
She was leaning into me, and I so wanted to kiss her. But it was too early, and it would ruin the moment.
I crouched down, prodding a clump of soil with the pad of my thumb.
“Your art like this?”
“Not exactly.” She frowned. “It some kind of joke to you?”
“No.” I frowned too.
“Ok.”
She walked across the room without waiting for me. She brushed off her feet, shoved them in her shoes. I did the same.
By the time we’d reached the door, she went on tiptoe to kiss me. “Just not used to people taking my art seriously.”
“Didn’t mean anything by it.”
“That it then?” she asked when we climbed into my car.
“I don’t want it to be,” I said.
“Neither do I.”
Her face looked odd, like she was trying to figure something out. “Can you just be patient with me for now? There’s a lot of baggage from my ex that I’m still trying to sort out.” She frowned. “I know it’s not fair to you, but, yeah.”
I gently took her hand, squeezed it. “He the one that didn’t take your art seriously?”
She nodded her head. “Not that it’s this big huge deal or that I’ll ever really be anything, but still. When I’d try to work, even locking the door wouldn’t keep him out. He’d bang on it and bother me until I opened it. It got to where I’d have to leave our place to get anything done, and he’d always be pissed when I came back.”
I shook my head. “Sounds like an asshole.”
“Anyway” – she waved her hand – “Pretty sure going into a monologue about your ex on the second date is another faux pas.”
I smiled “Looks like we’re on a roll, then. Any more faux pas you’re considering?”
Her Protectors: A Reverse Harem Romance Page 5
