Not Just Friends (Hot in the City Book 3)

by T Gephart

  “I will never hurt you, Presley. I need you to know that. Never. I don’t even know the full extent of what that shithead did, and I already want to kill him. But I can promise you right now, I’d die before hurting you.”

  “I know.” She smiled, the light in her eyes enough to quell whatever doubts I might’ve had. “Which is why I want my parents to know and for them to see us together. Because there isn’t a doubt in my mind that you mean every single word.”

  There was a buzz on Presley’s desk, her cell blasting an alert of an incoming text. She mouthed an apology, picking it up before flashing me the screen.

  Big bro taking a piss and I’m done being social. Get lover boy out here for the handover or I’m telling him you’re pregnant and naming the kid after him. Choice is yours. And P.S. Yes, you could fire me but you’re not going to. Not tonight. B

  “Guess you should go out there.” Presley rolled her eyes. “It’s too late to find more security for the night so I will have to keep him on my payroll.”

  I kissed her, hating I had to leave her but unable to see the situation as anything but positive. “I’m going to come back and get you in the morning when you’re done here. Then I’ll drive you home and we can make whatever plans you want to, work out when we can go over and tell your parents. And then go tell mine.”

  “Okay,” she kissed me quickly, holding my shirt despite telling me I needed to leave. “Have fun tonight and see you in the morning. And Leighton,” she kissed me again. “I still owe you a blowjob.”

  “Mmmmmmm,” I groaned, the anticipation of those lips around my cock making my balls ache. “You’re still not playing fair, Presley.” But I didn’t care, loving the fucking torture that woman put me through.

  Knowing I was already down to the wire, I stopped myself from kissing her again—because that wouldn’t end well—and walked backward toward the door. I liked that satisfied grin on her face, waving her goodbye as I headed out of her office. “Bye baby, see you in a few hours.”

  I’d made it to the bar just before Tibbs got back. Bennett tapped his watch, looking less than impressed. “You boys find your own way out.”

  “He’s so weird, Dude.” Tibbs laughed, watching Bennett disappear. “For the longest time I thought for sure he and Presley were together. But nope, they’re just friends. And either she’s telling the truth or she’s the best liar I know. Kind of glad she’s not in a relationship at the moment. I love her, but Jesus Christ, does she have the worst fucking taste in men. Hoping she stays single for a while, if you know what I mean.”

  It didn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing not only had I’d been lying to Tibbs about mine and Presley’s relationship, but we were also talking about her behind her back. And yes, I understood what he was saying, she had made some questionable choices about who she’d dated. But fuck, so had both of us and we weren’t getting judged for it.

  Presley was far from a damsel in distress. And while she didn’t need me defending her honor or telling her big brother to stop being a jackass, I felt the need all the same. “Listen, dude, don’t talk about Presley like that. Yeah, Lewis wasn’t her best choice, but you want to take a look at the long line of airheads and bimbos you’ve slept with? That one girl you went out with three months ago had a criminal record for fuck’s sake.”

  Irritation ate at my gut, the idea that anyone could think she was anything but perfect was beyond me. And nothing Tibbs or anyone else said was going to convince me otherwise.

  “Yeah, but I only found out later. And notice I’m no longer with her.” He shrugged, like it somehow made it better.

  “Because she stole a car and broke parole.” I pointed out, their break up made a lot easier by the fact she ended up back on the inside for a few months.

  He waved his hands, dismissing the evidence. “Circumstances don’t matter. We’re not together, end of story. And it wouldn’t have lasted anyway, it wasn’t serious. Presley has a big heart, she deserves better.”

  That was one thing we could agree on, she sure as hell did.

  And I’d spend every last waking moment making sure she got that. What was between us wasn’t just a passing flirtation.

  It wasn’t even just sex.

  It was more.

  “She’s going to be okay, Tibbs. Trust me.” I made a promise I couldn’t qualify, and I hated it.

  Just a few more days, a week tops, and her dad would be back, and we’d come clean. And I couldn’t wait.

  “Now let’s get out of here before she tosses us out.”

  Presley

  CONFESSING I’D BEEN in love with Jared hadn’t been as scary as I’d thought.

  It hadn’t been scary at all.

  One minute I’d been resigned to hiding it, seeing where things went over the next few weeks and then maybe—if I thought I’d get an I love you too—I’d tell him.

  And the next minute, I decided that I’d never lived my life in the safe zone and I wasn’t going to risk losing the most decent, caring guy I’d ever met.

  If he didn’t say it back or thought I was too needy, or even if he wanted to stop what we had going on because of it, so be it. I’d rather know.

  But he did say it back. And not only did he say it back, but when I looked into his eyes, I believed him. Knew he felt the same things I did, and whatever reasons we’d had for not being together, they were no longer valid. He was the guy for me, the one who I could honestly see something long term with. Someone who’d be my partner and not just someone to pass the time with. And I wanted to do it right.

  Jared’s arms were around me, his warm body pressed against mine, and he’d done exactly what he promised. He’d gone out with Tibbs to some other club, then returned to Diablo just before I closed. Then we drove back to my place where we made love before falling asleep.

  At first, it was hurried and hard, both of us needing the connection. I’d wanted to touch him since he made me come in his old bedroom, desperate to make him feel as good as he did me. But after the initial edge was taken off, we slowed down, taking our time and drawing it out, telling him I loved him over and over as he looked me in the eyes.

  And then we slept, my body and mind completely relaxed as he held me all through the morning.

  “What do you want to do today?” Jared kissed the shell of my ear. “I’m back on rotation tomorrow, but today, I’m all yours.”

  Usually when I was in a relationship, I was the one with the crazy schedule. The one who was always apologizing for the insane hours. The lack of nights off where we could go be a “regular” couple, my fault. But I hadn’t had to do that once, neither of us had.

  “Can I ask you a question about your past girlfriends?” I turned in his arms so I could face him.

  His eyes narrowed, frowning a little. “Presley, you can ask me whatever you want. But they’re in the past for a reason. No point to even think about them anymore.”

  He was more contemplative than usual, and I assumed it had been because we’d done the whole I love you thing. “I promise this isn’t me trying to bait you or using it as something to get jealous over.” My lips brushed gently against his. “But with the other girls you’ve been with, did they complain about your hours?”

  It was obviously not what he was expecting, his brow scrunching as he focused on me. “What do you mean? Like when I have to work?”

  “Yeah, were they pissed if you had to go on a Saturday or couldn’t do something on their birthday or something like that?”

  He blew out a long breath, and while I was sure he didn’t want to talk about it, he wasn’t going to avoid it either. “Presley, I haven’t dated in a while. But sure, when it came up, it would sometimes piss them off. Who wouldn’t like dedicated weekends off? But that’s not the job I signed up for, and I sure as hell don’t want to be doing something else. Why?”

  From the hesitation in his voice he had possibly—and wrongly—guessed it was going to be an issue for me. And rather than let him play out th
e scenario in his head, I decided to set him straight right away. “My ex-boyfriends always said that about me. That I worked too many hours, didn’t take weekends off. That the club was my first priority.”

  “Well, of course it was.” He scrunched his brow like it hadn’t occurred to him to be any different. “It had to be, right? You were building something, and if it succeeded or failed, it was on you. What were you going to do? You’re one of the youngest successful club managers in the city, you don’t get that way by taking off work to cuddle.”

  No one had ever said that to me.

  No. One.

  Not even my amazing parents who supported everything I did. They still thought I worked too many hours and were worried I was going to end up in my thirties alone with an ulcer.

  “I love you.”

  He chuckled. “And I love you. Is that what you’re worried about? Our schedules? Baby, we’ll make it work.”

  I shook my head. “That’s just it. I’m not worried. You are the first person who hasn’t made me feel like I have to choose. Like I can have you and keep doing what I want with Diablo. And I can’t imagine you doing anything else either. I don’t care that there are nights we can’t be together, because when we are, it actually means something.”

  “Presley, I love you, and I love my job. And fuck yeah, we can have both. And I’d rather spend a night sitting in your club waiting for you than wasting time with someone else.”

  He was so sure, no doubt clouding his beautiful blue eyes as he brushed the hair off my face. “Is there something else you want to tell me? Or do you just need me to tell you that I love you and no matter what happens in the future, that isn’t going to change. Because I can do that.”

  My teeth played with my bottom lip, the internal deliberation raging out of control. David had told me not to tell anyone about Diablo’s second site, swearing me to secrecy until the contracts were signed. But I needed to tell him, wanting to share it, even if it meant breaking my word to David. “Jared, I’m going to be investing in another site for Diablo. I’m not even supposed to talk about it yet but I’m really excited. It will be mine, not because I’m running it, but because I own a stake in it. And it might mean I’m gone more hours, but it’s what I want.”

  His lips spread into a grin. “Did you not hear what I said less than a minute ago? I love you; nothing is going to change. If you need something from me, all you have to do is ask. And yeah, I’m going to miss you when you’re not around, but I know where you are, Presley. And I’m so fucking proud of you. You’re amazing, way too good for me.”

  “Stop that,” I pushed against his chest, “you are amazing too.”

  We were right in that moment when his weight shifted. I stared at him puzzled watching as he lifted himself off the bed, and then without warning, pulled me off the mattress and hauled me over his shoulder.

  “What are you doing?” I squealed, my head hanging down his back as he smacked my bare ass.

  “We’re going to go celebrate. I’m taking you out to breakfast even though you say you hate it, and then we’re going to work out when we’re telling our friends and family. I’m talking pulling out schedules, checking when your dad is back in town, and setting up a phone tree. Because the first chance we get, we’re doing it, Presley. I’m not hiding this anymore.”

  And for once, I didn’t argue.

  He was absolutely right.

  It had been amazing spending time with both Leighton and Jared. The line between them was blurring, making me feel slightly undeserving and insanely lucky. Either of them would have made an amazing boyfriend, but together, it was like winning the boyfriend lottery. And more than I could have ever hoped for.

  We went to breakfast like he wanted, went to the grocery store and even went home and cooked ourselves dinner. He watched as I got ready for Diablo, making me promise at least five times that I would get a ride home with Raelle before he agreed to drop me off at work and then go spend the night at his apartment. He’d even offered to get up early and pick me up but that wasn’t practical, and I didn’t want to be blamed for him being exhausted.

  I hated being responsible, wanting to be selfish and have him meet me early in the morning like he’d suggested. But what he did was important and in order to keep being at the top of his game at work, he needed sleep. I would never forgive myself if he put himself or anyone else at risk because of me. And I was totally capable of spending one night alone, even if I knew I was going to hate it.

  Never had my bed felt so empty as it did that night, the sheets feeling cold as I slipped between them, my arms reaching for a body that wasn’t there. It reaffirmed what I already knew. I might not need Jared, but God, I really wanted him.

  The next morning, I woke early. It was ten-thirty and I wasn’t even mad. I got up, ate breakfast—who was I anymore?—and went about my regular routine.

  I traded text messages with Jared, smiling like an idiot with each exchange. I didn’t even care how cliché it seemed, loving hearing from him even if it was just words on a screen. I was still wearing my girly over-exaggerated smile when another message came in shortly before five.

  Meet me at the stationhouse. It’s important. Tibbs.

  Seriously? He wanted me to go to the stationhouse? While he’d said it was important and he didn’t usually exaggerate, a few weeks ago I’d have totally blown him off. I was already dressed, ready to go to Diablo and wanted to get in early so I could meet with my staff. David had messaged me earlier in the day, saying he was emailing me contracts to send to my lawyer, and I could almost taste the opening of Diablo 2.0. But, going to the station meant I would also get to see Jared, which was something I also wanted. And if I was a little late to the club, what was the big deal?

  I quickly typed out a message I was on my way and that I’d see him soon. Then I grabbed my purse, keys and phone and left my apartment.

  Raelle was still on driver duty, picking me up or driving me home whenever Jared didn’t. I still thought it was unnecessary, convinced that Lewis was already bored or found another sucker to con. And while I appreciated the company, I was hoping I could go back to walking to the club or catching my own rides. I’d still go with Jared when he was available because . . . well, I really liked driving with him.

  “Rae,” I had the phone pressed to my ear as I walked out of my apartment building and onto the street, “change of plans. I need to go see my brother at the stationhouse before coming into work. I’ll meet you there.”

  Rae laughed, making it clear she thought I was full of shit. “Your brother, huh? What’s so important you need to see Tibbs right now? Or is it a different fireman that you have a rendezvous with? So saucy. And with your brother around too.”

  “I’m going to the stationhouse, Raelle. It is literally filled with people. What do you think I’m going to do? Jump into one of the trucks and screw Leighton in the back seat?” I mean, I’d had the fantasy, but I’d never actually do it.

  She sighed, seeming to be disappointed. “Fine, don’t screw him, but you have to at least kiss him. If you’re going to defile our place of business, it’s only fair you do the same to his.”

  Well, she had a point. And while getting down and dirty with Jared with an audience would not be happening, I couldn’t see myself leaving there without kissing him either.

  “Just meet me at Diablo,” I chuckled, not volunteering any more information. “Get Hank to check when we’re getting our next liquor delivery. Our old driver is still off sick and the new guy comes really late. I want to make sure I have cover at the bar if he has to go help unload.”

  “Want me to call in Cherry? The girl smokes ten packs a day and is lazy as shit, but can mix drinks when she’s chained to the bar. I have some handcuffs in my purse I’ll be happy to loan to the cause,” Raelle volunteered.

  I shook my head, not wanting to know why Rae was walking around with handcuffs in her purse or what else was in there. “Sure, tell Cherry she can do four hours. The deliver
y should be done by then.”

  Ending the call, I walked the rest of the way with a smile on my face. I knew I was going to see Jared in the morning, his big warm body crawling into bed beside me after he finished work. But I was glad for the extra opportunity, the happiness I was feeling almost too ridiculous to contain.

  “Hey!” Leighton saw me first, stopping himself from pulling me into a hug. It was difficult for me too, my hands twitching at my side pretending I wasn’t affected.

  Rev and Evans weren’t far away, both of them raising their hands in a wave.

  “Hey yourself!” I popped Leighton playfully in the arm feeling like an idiot. “Tibbs sent me a message, telling me to meet him here.”

  Jared’s eyes rolled over my body, following the curves of my tight bodycon dress. If he was trying to be casual, he was failing, biting his lip as he cleared his throat. “Yeah, he . . .errr. . . got a call . . . from Shapiro.”

  It was adorable how much he was trying to act normal, swallowing hard as he yelled out for my brother. He leaned in closer, whispering in my ear so no one else could hear. “This week, Presley. This week we’re telling everyone whether your dad is back or not. I’m fucking dying here, and that dress isn’t helping the situation.”

  “Oh really?” I arched my brow, folding my arms across my chest which inevitably pushed up my boobs. “You want me to leave it on? Let you peel it off me when you get home?”

  It wasn’t even a threat, the idea of his hands unzipping me and working me out of that dress enough to make me wet.

  His eyes darted to the hall, the footsteps which probably belonged to my brother making their way closer. “Yes. Leave it on. And more than taking off that dress, I’m dying to kiss you.”

  “Hey, guys.” Tibbs came around the corner, not giving me the chance to tell Jared he was getting that kiss before I left. “What’s going on?” His eyes darted between us, either feeling the sexual tension or guessing it was something else.