Not Just Friends (Hot in the City Book 3)

by T Gephart

  Yes, unfortunately I did, Orla, but the fucking timing sucks and now I’m in love with your amazing son and I don’t think he loves me like that.

  “Yes,” I croaked out, trying to clear my throat as I pulled open the door. “I’m sorry, I just thought since I was up here it was just easier to get changed.”

  Her smile spread, looking me over from head to toe as she crossed the threshold and entered the room. “Oh, Presley, you look stunning.”

  “Thanks.” I nodded, not wanting to correct her that I was actually a hot mess and wasn’t even taking into account my shoeless feet and smudged makeup. I was so far from stunning in every single way and my head was spinning out of control.

  She clasped my hands, tapping them with hers as she took in my outfit. It was my Stella McCartney cocktail dress which plunged low at the front so I couldn’t wear a bra. Which probably wasn’t appropriate when I was going to be sitting around children, and something I should have considered before changing.

  Fuck.

  “I should probably put something else on.” I reached down to my discarded T-shirt on the bed, thinking Jared’s nephew was going to get more familiar with boobs than his parents were probably comfortable with.

  “Nonsense. You look lovely. No need to cover up. My heart might belong to the Lord, but I’m not a prude,” she chuckled. “So come down and have dinner. I set a place for you and Justin right beside Jared.”

  Great.

  “Thanks so much, Orla. That’s so kind. I’ll just be another few minutes, but you can go ahead and start without me.”

  She shook her head, watching as I shoved the clothes I’d arrived in back into the bag and pulled out my black patent leather pumps. “You take your time. We’ll get the grandkids started.”

  Leaving me to my panic, she closed the bedroom door behind me. Then I was a whirlwind of arms, cleaning up my face and reapplying my makeup as I slid on my shoes. I was so not ready to go down and face Jared. Having to look at him and smile like I hadn’t just discovered I loved him after he fingered me in his old bedroom.

  Because who even thinks like that.

  Harnessing the bravado of Presley past—the woman who could run one of the biggest nightclubs in the city and negotiate deals with multi-millionaires—I walked out of the safety of the room.

  It was fine.

  No one could read what was going on in my head, and I certainly didn’t need to be advertising it. Especially not to Jared who was probably expecting a blowjob, not declarations of love and other complicated feelings.

  Heads turned when I walked in, eyes focusing on me and my ill-suited dinner attire as I took a seat in between Jared and Tibbs and pretended I didn’t feel the stares.

  “That dress is amazing.” Deanna, Leighton’s oldest sister, was the first to talk. “If you weren’t so busy all the time, I’d totally take you out shopping with me to be my personal stylist.”

  “As long as you don’t mind waiting a while, I’d love to.” I smiled as I took a seat, Jared’s eyes wide as I shuffled toward the table. His leg pressed against mine, one of his hands disappearing under the table and squeezing my knee.

  Blowjobs, I reminded myself. He was thinking about blowjobs.

  Thankfully the awkwardness didn’t last long, Maddy—the birthday girl—squealing she was hungry. Then like a huge and unexpected sinkhole, conversations started around the table, ignoring me and my dress.

  “So, after we take Presley to work, where do you want to go?” Tibbs asked Leighton, ignoring the heated looks his best friend was giving me.

  “I thought we were hanging at Diablo.” Jared cleared his throat, sliding his hand slightly up my leg before extracting it.

  I breathed out in relief, thankful he wasn’t going to hitch higher up my leg and tease me as payback for what I’d said to him in the room. Little did he know, I had my own torture happening. Didn’t need any extra from him. “You guys don’t have to stick around. Bennett and his team are more than capable of handling security and have been doing it since we opened. And a drive-by a few days ago doesn’t mean anything. For all you know it could’ve been someone else’s car.”

  Ordinarily, I loved Jared spending time in my club. Even though my time was limited, I selfishly liked having him there. I liked those stolen kisses in my office. Those flirty glances he threw at me when I walked by. And then the hungry grab of his hands the minute I was done. It was completely unreasonable and greedy, but it made my night infinitely better.

  But that was before.

  And while I still wanted all those things, since my heart had gotten involved, I was going to need a minute.

  Just a break to sort things through and work out what the hell I was going to do.

  “You don’t want us to stay?” Jared asked, the subtext saying something entirely different. He wasn’t worried about security or Lewis or even my brother. He was asking me why I wouldn’t want him to stay, to steal those precious moments when we could.

  “Presley’s right.” Tibbs loaded his plate with roast beef, agreeing with me for the first time in forever about backing off. “Bennett has it under control and we’d probably be more useful somewhere else. And of course, we’ll pick her up when she’s done. That’s not even an issue.”

  I shook my head, shooting that idea down too. “Not necessary. Rae can drive me home. You both just go out and have a good time.”

  Jared couldn’t hide the confusion on his face, probably wondering how we’d gone from flirting in his old bedroom to me telling him to go have fun elsewhere. But I needed the space, even if it was just for the night so I could sort through my feelings.

  He’d understand. He was the most perfect man anyone could ever ask for. And when I untwisted all my thoughts and worked up the courage to tell him, he would know why.

  At least, I hoped he would.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, his heated look asking me to reconsider but I wouldn’t be swayed.

  “Yep, it’s fine. Now let’s eat. I need to get to Diablo early for a staff meeting, so we either move this along, or I’m going to steal Elena.” I laughed, attempting to lighten the mood and teasing him about his beloved car.

  “Hey, you leave her out of this. She’s done nothing to you.” He returned the playful banter, hopefully moving from his concern back to our happy flirty place. “No one drives my baby but me.”

  “Then it’s settled. We eat, then leave, and Rae drives me home.” I forked some of the roast beef on my plate, spreading a smile across my lips.

  “Whatever you want, Sis.” Tibbs nodded, heaping more food on his plate. “And then, maybe I’ll finally find out more about Leighton’s woman. I swear, I’m beginning to think you’re ashamed of either her or me.”

  My eyes widened, praying to God dinner would go quickly. “And it sounds like your evening’s set too.”

  I was so fucked.

  Jared

  FINGERING A WOMAN in my childhood bedroom probably wasn’t my finest moment. It had been hot, making her come in the same room I’d jerked off in a million times, juicing me up more than it should. Those saints and angels my mother had mounted to almost every wall were definitely judging me. The amount of Hail Marys and Our Fathers I’d need to get back into their good graces, more than I was able to offer.

  And yet, I didn’t regret it.

  Watching her come undone, the desperation in her eyes as I took her right over that edge was well worth the price of giving up the salvation of my soul. Hell, I’d even contemplated taking out my dick and making her come a second time, but wised up before I did something stupid.

  No, what we’d done in that room hadn’t been stupid. Reckless, sure, and probably a little seedy, but not stupid. Because nothing I ever did with her would ever be stupid, even if there was a risk of me getting excommunicated from my family and a broken nose from her brother.

  I loved it.

  Loved those whimpers of desperation when she was right there. The way her eyes would widen as she ti
ghtened around me, those little tremors against my hand, mouth or cock, the best reward for a job well done.

  And I’d assumed that appreciation was a two-way street, my commitment to making her scream my name as many times as possible something we both could agree was a good thing.

  But.

  She’d been weird when she came back down the stairs, her eyes slightly clouded as she appeared in what had to be my new favorite dress. It was a tough call and changed daily, the outfit I liked best usually the one she happened to be wearing at the time. Didn’t matter if it was a sexy black dress that stopped her from wearing a bra—like she’d been wearing—or a faded college hoodie and an old pair of jeans. She wore everything like it belonged in a magazine, my senses feasting over every inch.

  And the change in her mood hadn’t been the outfit. My initial assessment was she’d been self-conscious about her outstanding cleavage on display. But that was sidelined when she told Tibbs and me not to come to Diablo.

  It had nothing to do with the dress. And while she attempted to joke, smile and pretend like everything was fine, I had a hunch that maybe what we’d done in my old bedroom was responsible.

  “You sure you don’t want to leave your car here?” Tibbs asked, watching as I climbed into my Mustang. Presley was already sitting in his car, the need for me to drive her redundant. “I’ll bring you back in the morning.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. I’ll drop it off at the apartment and meet you at Diablo. Then we can leave from there.” I tapped the roof of my car, watching as he nodded in agreement.

  “Yeah, good plan. Okay, I’ll wait for you inside. It will give me a chance to tell Bennett what Shapiro saw, keep him in the loop too.”

  With Tibbs happy with the plan, he hopped into his car and backed out of the driveway. I said another quick goodbye to my parents—the rest of my family still inside—and did the same in my car.

  It ate at me the whole drive back to Manhattan, wondering if what we’d done had made her feel cheap. Sure as shit hadn’t been classy, even if she’d been the only person who’d come in that bedroom other than me.

  I hadn’t done the sneaking girls into my room when I was growing up. Two older sisters who had better hearing than an FBI wiretap was the first problem. Followed closely by religious icons at every turn, neither of those really conducive to getting busy with a girl. So the first time I’d ever taken a girl home had been when I’d been paying my own rent. Meant I didn’t have to worry about St. Peter giving me the evil eye or my Ma getting a briefing from Deanna or Sarah.

  But she didn’t know that, maybe assuming it was something I’d done in the past. Or worse, that she’d somehow felt disrespected in some way.

  Yes, she asked me to touch her.

  Hell, she begged me to fuck her too.

  But saying shit when you’re about to explode and making rational decisions with a clear head are two very different things.

  Jesus, I’d probably hand over the keys to my car right before I blew my load, that’s how clouded my judgment could be. Which was why I had to face the possibility that maybe our actions—while hot as all fuck—might not have made her feel good.

  Which was why I needed an excuse to go to Diablo. Her insistence that we go “hang” somewhere else, taking the opportunity I might have had through the night.

  I did what I said I was going to do, dropped Elena home and then walked to Presley’s club. It was still early for the public, the big black front doors still locked when I yanked on one.

  “Look at you coming through the front door like a good boy.” Bennett grinned as he opened up for me. “We just need you to sit and roll over and you’ll be all trained up.”

  I flipped him off, not really in the mood for his shit. “You gaining a little weight there, B? Looking a little rounder in the middle. Maybe add some cardio to the lifts, dude. Also, might want to skip the birth control pills, I hear they cause water retention.”

  He laughed, stepping aside so I could come in. “Your boy is at the bar, clearly no wiser you’re doing his sister. And Presley is in her office. You going to tell him tonight? I spent the afternoon with my mother at the pediatrist, could use some comedic relief.”

  “No one is saying shit,” I warned, not even joking. “I’m serious, Bennett, this is mine and Presley’s decision and I won’t have you fucking shit up because you’re bored.”

  He rolled his eyes, not giving me the satisfaction of a comeback. “Go see her, I’ll keep him busy. You have five minutes though. That’s the limit of my small talk, and I’m not making exceptions, even for you two.”

  It was more than I’d hoped for, the big guy coming through for me in a way I hadn’t expected. And while I was under no delusions he was doing it for me—his loyalty to Presley—I was grateful for the chance.

  Tibbs was at the bar talking to Hank with his back to the door. Even though he was on the other side of the club, without a wall of bodies, there was a good chance he’d see me sneak in. But the wall of bodies wasn’t necessary when you had a three-hundred-pound giant blocking the view, enabling me to stroll past and get out of Tibbs’ sightline before he’d even noticed I was there.

  I wasn’t expecting Presley’s door unlocked, the fancy block of wood that separated her from the rest of the club left ajar when I reached it. I didn’t bother knocking, not giving her the opportunity to blow me off.

  “Hey,” I walked into her office, my voice making her spin around, “I’ve only got four minutes, Bennett is entertaining Tibbs. But I needed to know you were okay.”

  I didn’t ask permission, moving toward her and taking her into my arms. She didn’t hesitate, letting me hold her as I kissed her forehead gently. “Presley, if what we did made you feel uncomfortable in some way, I need to know. And I get how it might have looked, but I’ve never had a girl in my room let alone did anything like that. I respect you, Presley. You’re not just a piece of ass.”

  She blinked back in surprise, her eyes searching my face. “You’ve never had a girl in your room?”

  “I mean, like a girlfriend. My sisters, my mom, like family and shit have obviously been in there, but not like that. I didn’t want you to think I was—”

  “I was the first?” She cut me off, not letting me finish.

  Not sure if that was excitement or horror in her voice, and not sure which was the better option. “Well, yeah. But it doesn’t matter. I get how weird it was, especially after and having to go downstairs and eat dinner. So, if that’s why you didn’t want us here tonight—”

  “I love you.”

  She’d cut me off again, but this time around it was me who was confused. Because either my hearing was fucked or she’d just told me she loved me.

  “You saying that because you’re the first girl I had in my room or because you can see us being long term, Presley? Because this is the one thing I won’t joke about. Not even with you, Baby.”

  I’d never said those words to a girlfriend.

  Never even been tempted.

  To me those words were sacred and there hadn’t been a woman I’d been with who came close to earning them. So rather than be an asshole, and say them because it might get a woman into bed quicker or something else equally as shady, I chose to not go down that road.

  But, Presley.

  Fuck.

  I hadn’t only been tempted to say those words to her, but actively had to stop myself. It was supposed to be just sex, but if I was honest, it hadn’t ever been like that. Even if I’d been trying to convince myself that it was the whole time. I’d almost fooled myself into thinking it was just about her body, but deep down I knew it was more.

  “I mean it. I’m not joking, Jared. I’m in love with you. Me acting weird at dinner wasn’t about what we did in the bedroom. It was about what I’d realized after you left. About how much I love you. This isn’t just sex for me. And the timing is horrible because I’m trying to—”

  It was my turn to cut her off, stopping whatever bullshit excuse
that didn’t matter, as I pressed my mouth against hers. She moaned, returning my kiss as she fisted my T-shirt. And whatever she was going to say was forgotten, opening her mouth and letting me inside to explore like I wanted.

  She nibbled at my lips, my own teeth fighting back as we kissed, sucked and bit. It was hot and deep, and probably not romantic enough considering what she’d just said but I didn’t care. It was us.

  “I love you, Presley.” I pulled away from her mouth so I could say the words and leave no doubt. “In love with you. Love you. I don’t know the best way to put it, but I know that these feelings are bigger than anything I’ve ever had. And the thought of being without you makes me fucking crazy.”

  “Wow, that’s a relief. I was so worried you were going to say thanks but no thanks. I told you I wouldn’t make things more, and here we are. To be fair, you did warn me, and I did get attached.” She laughed.

  “Just as well, because the feeling is mutual. You want to go out there and tell Tibbs? I think we should celebrate this loving feeling by stopping the sneaking around. I don’t want to lie to him anymore, Presley. And I want to be able to kiss you whenever I want without worrying about who is going to see it.”

  It had been on my mind since I’d left the house, disappointed that she’d been with my family, but they hadn’t known she was actually with me. My mother would have lost her goddamn mind, been on the phone to Angela Tibbs and planning the fucking wedding. And while the idea had originally scared the hell out of me, I no longer gave a shit. I didn’t see a future without Presley in it, and if picking wedding cakes made our mothers happy, then who the hell cared?

  “Can you give me a few days?” She winced, her hand on my chest slipping right across my heart. “My dad just left for Chicago for business, and I want to tell them all together. I know he’s your best friend, but I need to tell my parents first. After everything I put them through with Lewis, I think they deserve to know I’ve finally found a good one.”

  Hearing the asshole’s name jacked up rage in me that wasn’t healthy. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he was going to pay, and if Shapiro couldn’t find him, we’d track him down some other way. But none of it was ever going to land on her, Presley’s days of dealing with cocksuckers over.