by JB Heller
“Reagan, are you coming to dinner with your mother and me this evening?”
Shifting my gaze from the computer screen, I eye Dad’s lean build propped against the doorway to my office. “My stepmother, you mean?”
He rolls his eyes. “Well, yes. Unless your biological mother has changed her mind about removing my testicles with her bare hands. Then she’d be welcome to join us as well.”
I cringe at the imagery manifesting in my brain. “Thanks for the visual.” I mime sticking my finger down my throat, and my dad chuckles. “Anyway, no, I will not be joining you and The Wicked Witch of the West for dinner tonight. I have plans.”
“Plans?” he asks, completely ignoring the jab at my stepmother. He strides into my office and drops into the pink loveseat I have situated by the large floor-to-ceiling window, then props his feet up. “What kind of plans? Plans with a—dare I say it—man?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively as he speaks, making it impossible for me to keep a straight face.
A snort escapes as I try to hold back my laughter. “No, sorry to disappoint, Daddy. I’m going to the movies with Charlotte.”
His shoulders drop. “I want grandchildren, Reagan, and you’re not being very proactive about it.” He huffs, planting his feet on the floor and pushing off. Straightening his suit jacket then tie, he says, “Just go on one date a month. I’m not asking much. Even without grandbabies, I want to see you with someone. You’re twenty-seven, and I’ve never met one of your boyfriends. It’s time, honey.”
“Pfft, don’t hold your breath. Have you met the douchebags in the dating pool these days? Trust me, Daddy, you’d rather I die an old cat lady than bring one of them home.”
When he reaches the door, he pauses and looks back over his shoulder, his fingers flexing around the frame. “If anyone can find the needle in the haystack, it’ll be you. But you’ve gotta be out there looking for it, baby.”
Once he’s gone, I drop my head into my hands. He’s right. But I’m just too awkward for the dating scene. I’m fascinated by the fact that swans have penises, peni, peens, whatever. The point is, it’s hardly a topic I can bring up on a dinner date. Any potential boyfriend would run out screaming or think I was into some really weird, kinky shit. And I’m not. I swear I’m only into a normal amount of kink.
Tucking my hair behind my ears, I strum my bright pink fingernails over my keyboard. My eyes drift to the time displayed in the corner of my computer screen: five-fifteen. I’m doused in an ice-cold bucket of self-pity as I acknowledge just how pathetic it is to be sitting in my office at five-fifteen on a Friday afternoon with no intention of leaving until I have to meet Char at seven.
I slump back in my gorgeous rose-print velvet armchair, kick my heels off, and prop my feet on the corner of my desk. This small act of unprofessionalism makes me feel a wee bit less pathetic. But my dad’s words roll around my head, refusing to leave me be. If anyone can find the needle in the haystack, it’s you. I sigh audibly with all the dramatics of a three-year-old beauty queen and flop my head back to stare at the ceiling.
It’s not like I don’t want to find someone. I’m just not the kind of girl that has man-catching skills. I was never taught, and even if I had been, I doubt I would have been able to master it. I’m not equipped with the required talents. I have no filter, no sense of appropriate conversation, and small talk? Yeah, not my forte.
If only I could find someone as wildly inappropriate as myself.
My phone chirps with an incoming text, and I drop my feet from the desk, swivelling around to riffle through my bag and find my phone. Sliding my finger over the screen, I see a message from Charlotte. A grin tugs at the corner of my lips until the words register.
CHARLOTTE ~Babe I’m SOOO sorry but I have to cancel tonight. I’m surfin’ the crimson wave and Mother Nature is being an extra cruel bitch this month. I feel like a slasher film is being enacted inside my uterus.~
Her graphic description makes me cringe. Char has endometriosis, so she suffers from particularly bad periods—to say the least. It’s given her the motivation to come up with extremely creative ways of describing her pain and discomfort.
ME ~Thanks for that graphic depiction. It will haunt my dreams tonight. And good news, I’m no longer hungry, so that takes care of missing our dinner date before the movie.~
CHARLOTTE ~You’re welcome, my friend. I know you were looking forward to our Taron Egerton perv-fest, but alas, it must be postponed. Next Friday work for you?~
My shoulders slump. I really was looking forward to spending some quality screen time with the dreamboat that is Mr. Egerton.
ME ~I hate you and your moody reproductive organs. Until next week then. Kisses.~
No longer having a reason to hang around at the office, I shut down my computer, slide my feet back into my heels, slip my bag over my shoulder, and stride out like a woman on a mission.
Let it be noted—there is no mission. And I have nowhere to go but home to my empty apartment to sulk about the lack of supersized man candy in my life this evening. I. Am. Pathetic.
I wink at the bartender as she leans farther forward than necessary to slide my beer across the timber expanse separating us. “Thanks, sugar.”
The tip of her pink tongue glides across her full bottom lip. “You’re welcome, handsome.”
A blonde stripper shakes her plentiful arse in front of Simon’s face. Laughter bubbles up my throat. Simon is pressing his torso back in his seat, trying to get as far away from her as possible; it’s fucking hilarious. And I’m immediately pleased with myself for organising this buck’s night for him.
A grin splits my face as I drop down into the seat beside him. “There is a gorgeous woman rubbing herself all over you, and you’re cringing … That’s the wrong response, man.”
Simon’s head snaps to me. “You are a sick son of a bitch, Rhett. Jessie is going to go nuts if she finds out about this.” His eyes bug out of his head. “Look at this, look.” His eyes drop down to indicate the red smear on the collar of his white dress shirt. “There’s lipstick on it!”
My grin transforms into a smirk. “I know, but it’s my duty as your best friend and best man to get you in as much shit as possible.”
“Well, you’ve certainly lived up to your obligations over the past fifteen years, you prick.”
“And you’ve loved every minute of it. You would have died of boredom without me in your life, and you know it,” I tell him with a nudge to his ribs.
He shakes his head, and finally, having had enough of the stripper’s attention, he leans forward and whispers in her ear. She instantly straightens, moving away from him, and glares at me. Me. What the fuck did he just say to her? Before I can ask, she slaps me across the face and storms—as much as one can storm in stripper heels—away from the corner of the bar we’ve taken up.
I glare at Simon. “What did you say?”
The smug bastard shrugs. “I did what I had to do. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He plants his feet then stands, dusting imaginary lint off his shirt. “I’m going to find some club soda to get this shit off my collar before I go home to my fiancée.”
Three steps into the abandonment of his own buck’s party, he looks back to me and calls out, “Thanks, dick-face. And I think that new cream should really help the rash on your balls. Just don’t forget to apply it three times a day.”
Conveniently, the cute bartender I was planning on taking home is standing close enough to hear my once best friend’s implication that I have an STD. That asshole.
Eight or nine drinks later, I stumble into a cab—alone.
* * * * * * *
Jesus Christ. What the fuck is that?
*CLUNK* *THWACK* *THWACK* *THWACK*
For the love of GOD! My hand shoots to my throbbing skull. The sound on the other side of the wall continues, and with each thwack, my brain flinches.
I sit up and instantly regret the sudden movement as my stomach rolls. Another thwack vibrates through the wa
ll behind my bed, and my eyes squeeze shut. What the hell is she doing over there?
I’m drowning in sweat—stupid bloody air con. Once the urge to throw up eases, I gingerly swing my legs over the side of my bed, pressing the soles of my feet to the floor. Only when I’m sure I’m not going to empty the contents of my stomach all over the carpet do I stand. My head spins, and I press my hand to the wall to steady myself, then make my way over to the air-conditioner unit above my drawers.
Glaring at it, I reach up and give it a little love tap. Nothing. I do it again, a little less lovingly. Still nothing. Frustration boils under my skin until another loud thwack fills the room, and an idea blossoms in the pits of my hungover brain.
Striding down the hall with purpose, I head straight to my front door. Wrapping my fingers around the handle, I yank it open and stalk towards my quirky little neighbour’s apartment. I bang on it with a heavy hand to make sure she can hear me over the sound of whatever the hell she’s doing in there.
I only cease when the door swings away from my pounding fist and I’m met with a dishevelled little psycho clutching a hammer. I blink at her. What the fuck—
“Rhett?” she squeaks. “Where are your pants?”
My gaze drops down to my cock, now half-erect due to the sexy little number in front of me. A vision of this gorgeous creature standing just like that at the foot of my bed while offering to play handywoman for me plays out in my mind. “Umm …” I shake my head and wince at the movement. “It’s not important,” I mutter as I shove past her on my way inside the apartment.
The cool air inside sends a chill scattering over my skin. Spotting a plush grey couch, I smile and head over to my new hibernation zone. I grab a few of the throw pillows, toss them on the floor, then snatch a particularly cosy-looking one back out of the pile I just discarded. I squish it a few times to make sure it’s a keeper, then wrap my arm under it as I lie down, snuggling into the surprisingly soft fabric of Neighbour Girl’s couch.
Just as I’ve closed my eyes, she appears. “What are you doing? And where are your pants?”
I pop one annoyed eye open to glare at her. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going to sleep. And pants are overrated.”
“Pants are overrated,” she mumbles under her breath. And I think she’s taken the hint to leave me alone, but I’m wrong. “No, I—this is weird. Even for me, this is weird. I wouldn’t even do this. I barely know you. Do you even know my name? Why are you naked in my apartment at five in the morning? No, wait, the time doesn’t matter. Why are you in my apartment? And why are you naked?”
Opening both my eyes to give her the full power of my sleep-deprived, hungover glare, I spell out what should be quite obvious. “I’m in your apartment because you woke me up, and my air conditioner is broken, and it’s hot as fucking hell at my place. A fact that I was oblivious to when I was asleep but became very aware of after you started trying to knock out the wall that divides our apartments with that fucking hammer.”
She blinks down at me several times. “I see.”
I nod. “I knew you would. Now, if you’ll kindly stop staring, I’d like to go back to sleep.”
She does not stop staring. I can’t sleep when someone is looking at me. It’s creepy as fuck. So, I stare back at her, then slowly raise a brow when she makes no move to leave. “Did I miss something?” I ask.
She licks her lips and wrinkles her forehead. “Do you even know my name?” she asks tentatively.
Uh, shit. I rack my brain in a vain attempt to come up with it. The look on my face must give me away, because she draws her shoulders back and mutters, “That’s what I thought.”
When she doesn’t say anything else, I release a heavy sigh and gingerly sit up. “Look, it’s not like we’ve been officially introduced or anything, but I know who you are. You’re Neighbour Girl; you’ve lived next door for the last four years. You have one friend you always hang out with who laughs like a hyena. I’m guessing no boyfriend because I’ve never seen a man here, and—”
Her hand flies out and covers my mouth. “Okay, I get it. You don’t have to tell me how sad my life is.”
I’m tempted to lick her palm just to see how she tastes, but that would be inappropriate.
After dropping her hand from my face, she holds it out in offering to me. “I’m Reagan.”
I glance at her outstretched palm then take it, wrapping my much larger one around her delicate one. “Rhett.”
She nods, seemingly pleased with herself. “I already knew your name. Girls scream it so loud it practically makes my bedroom wall quake in orgasm along with them.”
The hell did she just say?
My jaw pops open, and I wait for her to attempt to take back her words, to blush, to do anything but stare at me like she didn’t just say that out loud. But she doesn’t. I’m still clutching her hand in mine, and I notice how soft her skin is. The pad of my thumb strokes across the pulse point in her wrist, and she smiles.
That semi I was sporting when I arrived inflates to straight-up hard-on as dimples pop in her cheeks. Then her eyes flash downwards, and she drops the hammer she was still holding. Glass shatters. I release her hand to cradle my skull as my brain tries to burst through my eyeballs at the god-awful sound.
“Fuck,” I moan.
“Shit, my coffee table!” she yells. Then she crouches down in front of me and asks, “Are you okay?” Her palm comes into contact with my forehead. “You’re awfully warm.”
Her position gives me a bird’s-eye view straight down her loose top. And—sweet Jesus—she’s not wearing a bra. If I didn’t want to die this very second, I’d be hitting on her like there was no tomorrow. My throat thickens, and so does my cock.
All of a sudden, she’s no longer touching my forehead because she’s plastered to the wall on the far side of the room. Her hand rises and points—to. My. Dick. I drop my gaze to it, too. “Uh, sorry?”
She shakes her head back and forth slowly, then licks her pink lips. “Does it have a name?”
My brows pop. “What?”
Reagan blinks. Her big blue eyes slowly travel up my body until they come to meet mine. She repeats her question. “Does it have a name? Your penis,” she clarifies—as if she had to.
I gape. “My dick.” I tilt my head. “You— What—” I close my eyes. Am I still asleep? Surely that’s what’s happening here; I dreamt this whole situation up. I nod to myself then open my eyes again. Nope, she’s still there. No hint of embarrassment on her pretty face at all. And she’s still pointing.
My cock twitches as if waving to her, and I wrap my hand over him protectively. “He does, but it’s personal.”
She frowns and lowers her hand. “Oh, okay.” She shrugs but stays stuck to the wall.
I’ve had a hell of a lot of different reactions to the size of my dick, but this is new. Not once has anyone asked if he had a name. Or run away from him that far and fast. I observe her curiously. I’ve always known Neighbour Girl was on the quirky side, but this?
It would appear she is observing me just as closely as I am her. Those big doe eyes of hers rove over me. Inquisitiveness glints in their depths as she continues to stare.
For the first time in my life, I feel self-conscious. I sneer. Self-conscious? Ugh, I don’t fucking think so. I’m fucking glorious, and so is my dick.
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AWKWARD SERIES
(Bestselling RomComs)
Pink Bits
Blue Beaver
Silver Bush -coming early 2020
STANDALONES
What If It’s Right?
(Not your average cougar romance)
The Starfish Method
(An aquatic romcom)
VIPERS DEN NOVELLA SERIES
(Comedic Romance)
Piper and Kade
Pixie and Jake
Tay and Nate
ATTRACTION SERIES
(Romantic Suspense Completed Series)
Undeniable Attraction
Pure Attraction
Fierce Attraction
Morgan Sisters Duo (Prequel)
ALPHA ONE PROTECTION SERIES
(Romantic Suspense-Sexy Bodyguards)
Worth The Risk
Worth The Wait
Worth The Fall -coming 2020
JB Heller is an average Aussie housewife and Mumma in her early 30's with a wicked sexy imagination.
She writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance and romantic comedy. All with a healthy splash of heat, intrigue and wit. You'll love her sinfully sexy alpha hero's and their feisty counterparts.
Monday to Friday you can find JB glued to her laptop weaving words or trolling Pinterest for her next potential muse. Come the weekend, it's family time. (And of course lots of reading and Netflix binges.)
Want to know more?
Website: https://www.jbtheindie.com
Facebook Reader Group: Hellers Bookwhorders