We weren’t friends. We were competition.
Until that summer.
We’d just graduated high school, and unlike our friends off exploring the world before plunging into the world of college, we were stuck at home.
Bored and lonely, we called a truce and became semi-friends. It wasn’t long before all the tension we’d had between us for years came to a head.
I spent more time with Sutton in the coat closet than I did doing anything else that summer.
Our mouths were constantly fused together, hands roaming.
Exploring. Learning.
When the summer ended, so did we.
He went off to school on the East Coast, and I went west.
I didn’t see him for four years, not until we ended up seated together at the same event and then again a week later.
He wasn’t in my life for four years, and then suddenly he was everywhere. It didn’t take us long to find our way back to the coat closet, hiding away and losing ourselves in each other.
I felt eighteen all over again. Felt like maybe I’d been wrong about him and maybe he wasn’t as bad as I’d made him out to be.
But of course that was probably just my hormones talking as his mouth caressed my skin. His lips on my neck, my breasts…his tongue trailing down my stomach to the parts where I really wanted him most. His fingers digging into my hips, hands shoving my dress to my waist as I rubbed against his hand until I fell apart.
Then, he righted my clothes, pressed a kiss to my cheek, and…didn’t speak to me again.
It was the ultimate one-up.
He’d won.
I offered myself to him and he took whatever he wanted and then discarded me when he was finished. I was livid I’d let him get the better of me, let him see me at my most vulnerable.
For the first time, I was eager for the next charity gala I had to attend, ready to seek him out and give him a piece of my mind.
For the first time, he showed up with a date.
The next event? A new date.
And the trend continued.
Every time he arrived with someone new, my hatred for him burned even hotter.
It’s not like I was harboring feelings for him or anything.
No. It was my pride that was wounded knowing he’d used me.
My abhorrence for him grew every time I had to sit across from him, smirking at me like he’d won the grand prize.
Now I can’t stand the sight of him. He’s nothing but a spoiled asshole just like I thought he was.
“Oh.” A frown forms on Emma’s perfectly plump, red-painted lips as she pulls me back into the real world. “I’m guessing it didn’t end well?”
“There was nothing to end,” I tell her. It’s mostly true. We weren’t dating and we definitely weren’t in a relationship—but I didn’t quite think we were nothing either. “Our families have been friends for a long time, so I’ve known Sutton for years. That’s all.”
“Ah. I see.” She nods. “And if I were to…” She trails off, and I know exactly what she’s asking.
I want to warn her that dating Sutton likely isn’t the best idea. That all he’s going to do is get what he wants from her and cast her aside, just like he did me. Just like he did the others.
But…the words don’t come.
Instead, I say, “I thought there were strict rules about dating coworkers.”
“There are, but they can only be enforced if someone finds out…”
I shake my head. “You wouldn’t have to worry about me,” I assure her. “And you have absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to Sutton and me. There are zero feelings between us.”
At least nothing other than hate.
“Oh, thank god.” She blows out a breath. “Because that man…” She licks her lips. “I would take a ride on his disco stick any day of the week.”
I tuck my lips together, trying not to laugh.
There’s movement over her shoulder, drawing my attention.
Sutton saunters toward the break room, that same smug grin he’s always wearing plastered across his lips.
I lean into Emma. “Now’s your chance.” I nod toward Sutton, who has been stopped by another employee. “He’s coming this way.”
She glances at him, then back at me, practically jumping up and down with excitement.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” she chants, letting out a little squeal. “How do I look?”
“Fantastic as always.”
She grins, then gives her blonde hair a shake and pushes her boobs up higher. “Wish me luck.”
I laugh, and she gives me a wink before sashaying over as Sutton walks into the break room. He looks her up and down appreciatively as she approaches, giving her that same seductive smile he used to give to me.
Something in my chest squeezes, and my mind is screaming at me to smack that look off his face.
Pushing the feeling aside, I turn away, busying myself with making a cup of coffee. I pop the pod into the one-cup machine and press the button, straining to listen to the brew filling my cup rather than their conversation.
As much as I try to ignore them, I still pick up the words “tonight” and “dinner.”
And that damn squeeze is back.
It’s ridiculous. I’m not jealous of Emma’s date with him.
I mean, it’s Sutton for crying out loud. I’d rather eat pizza with pineapple on it for the rest of my life than ever get involved with him again. And I really hate pineapple on pizza.
The coffee machine beeps and I remove my mug, adding a single-serve pack of creamer to it, then stirring it loudly into my coffee to drown out their voices a little more. I tap the spoon against my mug just as I hear Emma’s heels clack against the floor and down the hall.
Then, I feel him.
He’s standing right at my back.
I know it’s him because the faint scent of cedar and sage fills the air, and I’ve had the smell wrapped around me like a cozy blanket in a winter storm too many times to not have it committed to memory.
I ignore him, reaching for the cinnamon and shaking out just a pinch into my mug.
“Holls.”
Holls.
It’s all he says, and my body tightens, his voice rumbling straight through me.
He chuckles at my reaction, and it’s like ice through my veins.
I turn and glare at him and that ridiculous smirk still plastered across his face.
“What do you want, Sutton?”
Another low laugh. “What? Can’t hang out in the break room?”
I scowl at him. “What are you even doing here?”
“Are you going to keep asking me that? Didn’t we go over this in the elevator on my first day?”
“I meant here. Why are you here of all places?”
Just when I’m finally starting to get my life together. Finally ready to start anew and excited about doing so. When I’m looking to flip my world on its axis, of course Sutton is there to drag me right back into reality.
He shrugs. “Seemed like a fun job.”
“Bullshit. You’re a Barnes. I know you’re more suited for a CEO position of one of the many companies your father has his hand in. Not this.”
“Is there something wrong with this job I should know about? I mean, you work here, and we come from the same world—it can’t be all that bad.”
Shit.
Truth is, it’s not a bad job. In fact, I love it so far. Sure, I’ve only been here a short time, but I can already tell I’m better suited for this than what I’ve spent the last four years doing.
“Sutton…”
“Holland…” he mocks.
I stare at him, brow lifted, waiting for a real answer.
Instead of answering, he reaches around me, plucking a fresh mug from the cabinet above. He grabs a pod from the rack and pops it into the machine like he owns the break room.
Hell, for all I know, he might.
“I told you, puppet cut
the strings. I’m starting over, just like you.”
He pins me with a stare that says unlike me, he did his research and knows exactly what I’m doing here in Harristown.
It makes me want to run to my computer and google just what Sutton has been up to in the weeks since I left Wells Springs so we can be on even ground.
When his coffee is done, he tosses the pod and pulls his mug up to his lips, taking a long gulp from the scalding liquid like a complete and total psychopath.
“Come on…aren’t you excited to work with your old buddy?”
“I’d much rather you still be hundreds of miles away from me.”
“Only hundreds?”
“Thousands,” I answer, not missing a beat.
He leans into me and I hold my breath, feeling his lips at my ear. “That’s not how I remember it.”
I pull away from him, glaring.
He laughs. “Look, I know we have a…history. But can’t we be adults about this? I’m not any happier about being here than you are about having me here, but it is what it is. You work here and now I work here. We can both be mature about whatever happened all those years ago, can’t we?”
I hate the way he’s talking to me, so condescending. Like I’m the one who just threw him aside without a second glance and never explained why like an adult would.
“I think we both know that out of the two of us, I’m the mature one,” I say pointedly.
I’ll give him credit. He meets my heated stare with one of his own…and that damn smirk.
“You’re also the one arguing about who is more mature. Which definitely isn’t mature at all.”
Fuck. He has me there.
Instead of keeping my mouth shut, I do the most immature thing I can think of—I stoop to his level.
“I can see you’re already making your way around the office like you did the debutantes.”
A half cough, half laugh escapes his lips. “I wasn’t aware you were jealous of Emma.”
“I—”
“Ah! Holland! Sutton!” Jessa, the owner of Spectrum, claps her hands, bounding into the break room with a wide smile. She’s so animated and has been since the moment I met her. “I should have known you old friends would be spending some time together.”
My brows crinkle together, and Jessa catches it before I can school my reaction.
“I’ve done my research.” She winks. “I know you two have been spotted together at several charity events and that your families are good friends.”
They’re “good friends” in the typical elitist way—they use each other when they can and stick their noses up when they’re of no use to one another.
“Yeah, we go way back,” I say with a forced smile. “Speaking of going back, I’d better get back to my desk. I have a few emails to send out before lunch.”
“Oh! Before you go—did I overhear correctly that you have a walk-through at that apartment building downtown tomorrow? The Altitude?”
Freakin’ Emma.
“I do.”
“Well, Sutton here was telling me how he’s currently staying at the Burlington Hotel…”
Oh god.
“I’m not sure the building has any other available units,” I tell her, sliding my eyes toward Sutton, who is staring at me with amusement in his eyes.
He’s enjoying seeing me squirm under Jessa’s attention while I try to politely tell him to fuck off without her noticing my disdain for him.
“Never hurts to check! I’m sure it gets old staying at a hotel.” She gives me a beaming grin. “I’ll let you get back to your work. I wanted to chat with Sutton a bit anyway.”
I give her a tight smile and hustle out of the break room before she can try to corner me into anything else.
I can feel Sutton’s eyes on me as I make my way back to my desk, but I refuse to look back at him.
I can’t believe Jessa just tried to corner me into helping him find an apartment at Dean’s building. I’m already working with the guy. The absolute last thing I need is to live in the same building as him.
I’d be sure to end up in jail then.
6
Sutton
I know what I’m doing is wrong.
I know I have absolutely no business being here.
But I can’t seem to stop my feet from crossing the threshold. I can’t seem to stop my legs from carrying me to the elevator. Can’t seem to stop my fingers from pressing the button for the fourth floor. And I can’t seem to keep the grin off my face.
It’s wrong, but I’m doing it anyway.
The elevator stops on the fourth floor and I turn right, making my way down the hall.
I pause when I hear voices.
There’s no mistaking the soft and airy laugh that hits my ears. It’s full of sweetness and patience, the absolute opposite of what she shows me.
Shit. I’m late.
I round the corner and stop several feet away. Holland’s standing at the end of the hall, her back to me. She’s with an older woman who I presume is the one giving the tour.
I take a moment to look Holland over, because I know when I do what I’m about to do, she’s going to murder me, and I might as well go to my grave with good thoughts.
She’s wearing a sky blue sundress with little flowers speckled all over it. It hits about mid-thigh, leaving legs I know are soft and smooth exposed. A pair of wedge sandals gives her a good three inches, and her coppery locks are twisted up in a messy bun. She tosses her head back with another boisterous laugh.
She looks happy.
But I know the moment she spots me, she’s going to be anything but.
The woman she’s with slips a key into the lock, and like she can feel my eyes on her, Holland looks over her shoulder at me.
Her eyes widen and she lets out a little squeak.
That’s my cue.
“Holls!” I call out, and her eyes narrow as I jog down the hall with a wide grin on my face. “There you are. Sorry I’m late.” I slide up next to her, ignoring the daggers she’s throwing my way, and wrap my arm around her waist. “I was able to get out of the meeting early.”
I see the hundreds of questions floating in her eyes…along with the promises to murder me.
But I keep smiling because I need this apartment.
The woman’s eyes bounce between us, and it’s clear she’s wondering who the hell I am.
I stick my hand out. “Hi. I’m sure my girl here has told you all about me. I’m Sutton, Holland’s boyfriend.”
She glances to Holland, who is still staring at me with wide eyes. The woman gives me a polite smile and presses her hand into mine. “Lucy, building manager. I wasn’t aware there was a boyfriend in the picture.”
I pull Holland into me a bit more, smiling down at her. The stare she returns is dark, the warning of bodily harm clear. “That’s because she’s a little shy. We haven’t been dating long and she’s nervous people will judge her if they know we’re moving in together so soon, but I keep telling her it’s fine. When you know, you know. Right, princess?”
I wait for it. I wait for her to shove me off of her, push me away, call me on my bullshit. But miraculously, she doesn’t. Instead, she grins up at me and says, “Right.”
She might be grinning at me, but I can see it—Holland is pissed, and this time I can’t say I blame her.
I’ve been scouring the area for apartments but haven’t had much luck. Well, that’s not completely true. There were open units all over town, but nothing that warranted a second glance.
If I want to prove to my father and family I’m capable of taking care of myself and don’t need them, it will look a lot better if I’m not staying in a hotel or a run-down apartment.
When I came across this place on my search, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together to know this was the one Jessa was referring to, and it’s no wonder Holland is here.
It’s easily the nicest building in the city. Right in the heart of downtown, everything you could e
ver need is within walking distance—including that delicious diner I can’t seem to stay away from. It doesn’t look like a shithole and is loaded with amenities, not to mention I could walk to work if I wanted to. Since I’d rather not load my C3 down with miles, it’s perfect for me.
Even though the website said there were no units available, I called the office to confirm. I knew something had to be up if Holland had a viewing. After a little coaxing from the person at the front desk—and a promise of fifty bucks—I was able to find out they had an opening off the record and there would be a showing this evening. They gave me all the info and made me swear I didn’t hear it from them.
I had a feeling I knew exactly who the showing was for, so I took the chance of being right and decided to see if I could swipe it out from under her.
I just didn’t expect her to be so early.
Yeah, this whole thing is a total asshole move on my part, but I need this apartment. I need to prove I’m not the failure they say I am.
“Well, if there are no other potential tenants popping up…” Lucy looks between us again, taking extra time to judge Holland’s reaction. When there’s no protest, she nods once. “All right. On with the tour, then.”
The moment Lucy turns around to open the apartment, Holland’s elbow finds the middle of my stomach and she pushes out of my hold with enough force to send me rocking back on my heels.
What the hell, she mouths.
I shrug, hoping my eyes tell her I’ll explain everything later. She narrows her gaze at me once again before turning her attention back to the woman as she begins telling us about the apartment.
“I’m sure Dean has told you all about the building and the amenities, but just in case he hasn’t, there is a rooftop pool that is open year-round—it’s heated—and a gym with up-to-date equipment located on the same floor. Plus, we do allow most pets. Just no snakes.”
She shudders at the thought, and I have to agree.
She glances back at us to see if we have questions so far. When neither of us opens our mouth, she continues, leading us forward.
“This particular apartment is laid out very similarly to Dean’s. Well, I suppose technically it’s River’s since your brother tried burning this whole building down.”
Tempt Thy Neighbor (Roommate Romps) Page 5
