I arrived at Petal’s, parking outside her shop. I left my hat, gloves, mask, and weapon in the car as I went in through her exterior door up to her apartment. I knocked on the door and waited.
A few moments later it opened and my eyes about came out of my head. Holy shit she was sexy. My eyes were doing a full inventory of her body before I caught myself. I cleared my throat and forced my gaze back up to her eyes.
“I thought you were going as Orphan Annie or something.” Did my voice crack?
She smiled, her cute dimple showing through. “I wanted to mix things up. Do you like it?” She did a little twirl and my brain skipped a beat at seeing the witchy fabric over her round ass. She finally came full circle. “I have a few more things to do. Come in.”
She opened the door and I stepped into her place. It was small, but perfectly fit Petal. It smelled like vanilla and had lots of color and comfort.
“I’ve got a beer in the fridge if you want,” she called from her bedroom.
Needing something to quench the heat firing in my body, I went to her kitchen, grabbed a beer and drank about half the bottle. I looked over at her kitchen table and noticed her laptop. It was still on and without thinking I took a look at what was on the screen.
My gut clenched. It was a dating profile. I bent closer to look. Jesus, she had several men reaching out to her. Who were they? They could be psycho killers. What was she thinking?
If she needed a man, one was right here in her kitchen. She’s your friend.
I shook the jealousy from my head. I wasn’t the right man for her. Petal was all light and sweetness. I was too dark and closed off. I wasn’t what she was looking for.
Glancing again, I read her profile. Sense of humor. Lazy days at home. Looking for a long term relationship. I didn’t mind being lazy at home, but I wasn’t known to make people laugh and Lora taught me I wasn’t really a long-term guy either.
Not wanting to get caught snooping, I left the tiny kitchen and went to her living area.
“Ready?” she said emerging from the bedroom. “Help me, would ya.” She reached out and held my arm as she balanced on one foot and put on a heel that had to be four inches. She switched sides and it was all I could do to keep from letting the hold from her fingers on my bicep send a message to my dick to get ready.
I cleared my throat again. “You should turn your computer off. It’s not wise to leave it on when it’s unattended.”
“Oh right.” She went to the kitchen. “It’s so convenient to have a friend who can keep me safe online.”
Friend. That word was quickly becoming one I hated.
She smiled. “You’ve got more to your costume than what you’re wearing now, right?”
“It's in the car,” I assured her. “Ready?”
She smiled like she was about to go have the time of her life. That was the thing about Petal, everything she did, she did it full-throttle with an enthusiasm that I envied.
She grabbed a bakery box, and then preceded me down the stairs and I stifled a groan as I watched her sweet ass sway as she went down.
I opened the car door for her and helped her in. I took a breath before getting in the driver seat to bolster myself against the feminine power she had over me. We drove out to April and Jude’s house. Apparently, it had been the house April grew up in, and had inherited when her folks died. Now she and Jude were raising their family there.
I parked and reached for the rest of my costume. I stepped out of the car, putting on my mask and hat. Then I put on my gloves and slipped the sword into the belt.
“Oh my. Zorro. Muy caliente.” Petal waggled her brows
I was glad I had a mask on and hoped it covered the pink I was sure was spreading on my hot cheeks. I gave a curt nod to head to the front door.
The door was open and creepy music was playing. As we stepped inside, there were a handful of people already there.
“I’m just going to put these in the kitchen for April,” Petal said to me.
I nodded. “I’m going to find the drinks. What do you want?”
“Halloweentini.”
I arched a brow.
“Jude will know what it is.”
I nodded and headed back to where I heard talking and music. Jude was behind a bar with a shaker.
He grinned when he saw me. “Zorro. Come have an Halloweentini.”
I stepped up, resting my hand on the bar and looked around the room. I knew the few people from the office. Dina was there dancing with the intern. Conner, a fellow SEAL, was talking with other people I didn’t know.
“Petal wants one,” I said.
Jude stopped mid-shake. “You and Petal?”
I shook my head. “We’re each other’s plus one. We’re not interested in your matchmaking ways.”
Jude laughed “That’s April.” He poured two large martini glasses of the green concoction. “Ah, there she is. Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Petal like that.”
I turned and as I did, I noticed Conner’s gaze taking a long drinking gaze of Petal. On Monday, I’d fire him. Fucker.
Petal had her usual grin as she stepped up to the bar. “Ooh, is that for me?”
“You look great Petal. No Annie this year, huh?” Jude handed her the drink.
She looked down at her costume. “I wanted to try something different for once. Do you like it?”
“I’m not allowed to say,” Jude said with a wink. “But the look of all the men in this room suggests they like your costume.”
“Petal!” April swept into the room dressed as a wench to Jude’s pirate. April reached out taking Petal’s arms. “Wow. You’re hot.” She leaned in. “Who are you trying to impress?”
My jaw tightened as I waited for her to say which asshole here she wanted to look at her.
“No one. I just thought it would be fun to mix it up. It’s not too much, is it?” She scrunched her nose in that adorable way she did.
“Not at all. You look great.”
Yes. Yes, it is too much, I thought. All I could think about was dragging my tongue over the two pillowy swells of her breasts perfectly propped up by her dress. I was sure every other man in the room, not including Jude, was thinking the same thing. Fuckers.
“Hey Petal,” Conner joined us. “You look fantastic. You remind me of the witches in Hocus Pocus.”
She laughed in delight. “You did get it. It was my inspiration. Sarah, only I have red hair but I didn’t want to put it up like Winifred.”
“You look great. Wanna dance?”
I turned away because I really wanted to pull her next to me and punch Conner in the face. What the fuck was wrong with me?
“What do you think of the Halloweentini?” Jude asked.
I downed it in one gulp. “Good. Give me another.”
Jude’s brow arched. “You alright man?”
“Just thirsty. I thought you said this was a party.”
Jude laughed and shook his head like he understood something about me but wouldn’t share. “Me, April, Petal and August invented these drinks. We were all underage. We got so drunk. They’re a tradition that April and I have decided to bring back.”
I looked around. “I don’t see August.”
Jude’s smile faltered some. It couldn’t be easy to be related to the former best friend who betrayed him by keeping April from telling him about Maya. I don’t think I’d want to go to a party with the person who betrayed me. Lora came to mind. I sure as hell didn’t want to renew any of our old traditions.
“The kids are with him,” Jude said.
“Even the baby? He knows how to care for babies?” The minute it was out of my mouth I regretted it. Of course, August knew how to care for babies. He’d helped April with Maya when it should have been Jude.
“Never mind, man,” I quickly said, this time sipping the next drink.
“April hopes I’ll forgive him, but I don’t have it in me yet. The only reason the kids see him is because Maya loves him. I’ll do a
nything for her, even pretend I don’t want to kill my brother-in-law.”
I nodded. “You’re a good man, Jude.”
He grinned. “For that you can have another drink.”
I wasn’t much of a dancer, but as the night wore on, and I consumed more alcohol, I found it impossible to watch Petal flirt with other men. Nearly all of them talked to her by looking at her tits, not her pretty eyes. Fuckers.
I made my way to her where some asshole was nearly salivating over her tits.
“Wanna dance?” I asked her.
Her green eyes shone up at me with surprise. But she gave me that stunning smile. “Yes.”
I glared at the jerkwad that was ogling her as I led her to the area for dancing. Just as we got there, the song changed from the Monster Mash to Witchcraft by Sinatra. On the one hand, I was glad, because I wasn’t the sort to boogie, but the idea of holding Petal in a slow song was too appealing to be safe. Still, I couldn’t back out now.
She looked up at me, her teeth biting into her lower lip. I so fucking wanted to bite her there too.
“If you don’t want a slow song—”
I cut her off by putting my hand on her hip and pulling her closer, but not too close. The last thing I needed was her tits touching my chest or worse, her body brushing over my dick, which was semi-hard since the moment she opened her door in that witch getup.
The top of her head barely reached my chin. My hand nearly swallowed hers. I looked like a big oaf next to her and it highlighted how different we were. And yet, she settled near me like a fucking puzzle piece.
“Are you having fun?” she asked as we swayed.
“Sure.”
She gave me her signature pursed lips that made my own lips twitch up.
“I’m enjoying this,” I said.
“I love dancing.” She let her head drop back, revealing her neck. I should have come as a vampire because I wanted to bite here right on her pulse point.
I watched her as she smiled and laughed. She was like champagne. Bubbly. But not in that perky annoying way.
“I was surprised Conner knew my costume. I didn’t think anyone would,” she said.
That fucker.
“He and many men seem taken with your costume,” I couldn’t stop myself from saying.
She smiled like she was pleased by the news. Jesus, she wanted to attract men. Well of course she did. She was also on a dating site.
One of the other men bumped into us. “Oh, sorry Petal.” He ogled her tits.
I swung her around away from him.
She let out a little squeal but smiled. “You take my breath away, Cyrus.”
I let out a little grunt and held back my comment about taking her home and really taking her breath away.
I pulled her closer and she rested her head on my chest. “You smell good Cyrus.”
I arched a brow, wondering if she was drunk.
“Like strength. And honor.”
“Those have scents?”
She shrugged and smiled up at me. “They do now. It’s what I always think of when you’re near. I’m safe.”
I liked that. I wanted to tell her I’d protect her. At the same, I didn’t want to be her bodyguard. She’s your friend.
I wanted to tell my conscious to shut the fuck up.
When the song ended, she stepped back.
“Hey, Petal, how about a dance?” The jerkwad that had just bumped us approached her as Michael Jackson’s Thriller started.
“Oh hey, Jacob. Yeah sure. I love this song.” She looked up at me. “Thank you, Cyrus. I really enjoyed that.”
I tried to smile but I probably looked like I had indigestion. I walked off and spent the rest of the night doing more of the same; Watching men ogle and drool over Petal, and me frequently finding reasons to get her away from them. We danced again. I brought her drinks. I took her outside for fresh air. I even bobbed for apples in a bowl of vodka just to keep her from those grabby men's hands.
It was ridiculous that she brought me to this. She’s your friend. I know it damnit, I told my conscience. Yet it didn’t matter. I couldn’t bear the idea of another man touching her.
6
Petal
I had never thought I was ugly, but I’d always thought my looks veered on the cute side. I was short, a little round, and had wild red hair and freckles. But tonight, I was having to rethink my cute persona as my witch costume seemed to be attracting a lot more attention than my previous ones ever had.
Lyle Simmons and Jacob Donner in particular seemed interested in me. Lyle couldn’t seem to look me in the eyes and instead had a perma-gaze on my boobs. I’d dressed to appeal to men, but I didn’t much like the leering. Jacob was more discreet about it, and he was a fun guy although not one I was particularly interested in dating.
The truth was, the one person I’d wanted to notice wasn’t interested. When Cyrus arrived at my door, for a moment, as he took in my costume, I thought maybe he was appreciating my assets. But then his face morphed into that blank look that he must have learned as a SEAL.
I made a few feeble, pathetic attempts to get his attention, like when I used his arm, which was massive and hard, to help me balance as I put on my high heels. But he was like he always was, friendly but aloof.
For me, I was happy to be his friend, but I was getting sexually frustrated. Especially with him dressed as Zorro. The all-black outfit fit him. The mask was like a metaphor to what was hidden inside him. He was like sex on a stick and didn’t even know it.
When we danced to Sinatra, I thought I was going to go up in flames. His large hand engulfed mine. His other hand rested on my hip and I could feel the warmth of it through my dress. He smelled so good. I wanted to know what soap he used so I could buy it. I wanted to press against him to learn more about the hard lines of his body, but he held me away, which was a reminder that we were just friends.
Trying to distract myself from the intoxication of him, I asked, “Are you having fun?”
“Sure. I’m enjoying this,” he said although he didn’t sound like he meant it.
“I love dancing.” I let my head drop back and enjoy the smooth sound of Sinatra and the sweet buzz made by Halloweentinis, and the feel of Cyrus holding me. I was really in heaven.
But I couldn’t let my mind go there. “I was surprised Conner knew my costume. I didn’t think anyone would,” I said.
“He and many men seem taken with your costume.”
I got the feeling Cyrus didn’t approve. Was he prude? Me? I sort of liked the idea that for once men were attracted to me.
Jacob bumped into us. “Oh, sorry Petal.”
Cyrus immediately swung me away.
It was exhilarating. “You take my breath away, Cyrus.”
He let out a little grunt. He really was being a trooper if he hated parties so much.
He pulled me closer to him and I couldn’t resist resting my head on his chest. Like his bicep had been, it was hard and warm.
“You smell good Cyrus. Like strength. And honor.” That was likely the tipsy me. I’d be embarrassed about it tomorrow, but tonight I just wanted to have fun.
“Those have scents?”
I shrugged and smiled up at him. “They do now. It’s what I always think of when you’re near. I’m safe.” Maybe that’s why I wanted his soap. Every time I’d use it, I’d think of him and feel safe.
When the song ended, I stepped back before I did anything embarrassing like jump him.
“Hey, Petal, how about a dance?” Jacob said as he approached us. Michael Jackson’s Thriller started to play.
“Oh hey, Jacob. Yeah sure. I love this song.” I looked up at Cyrus thinking he’d be relieved to not have to dance. “Thank you, Cyrus. I really enjoyed that.”
He smiled, but it was forced. If anything, Cyrus was annoyed and irritated. He really didn’t want to be at this party. I seemed to be his crutch to get through the party, as after our dance, he often came over to me with a drink or asked me to
dance again. At one point we went outside for some air, and he totally shocked me when he agreed to bob for apples in a bowl of vodka.
At one point, I wondered if he didn’t like the other men around me as that’s usually when he’d show up. I even considered that his aloofness got worse at my apartment, and perhaps he’d seen my dating profile and didn’t like that I was signed up for online dating.
I quickly dismissed that. We were friends.
I took a little breather in the kitchen and found April and Jude there. He had her pinned against the counter.
“Perhaps you get a room,” I said, walking in to get the cupcakes.
They both blushed but didn’t seem too embarrassed. Of course, I’d walked in on them making out all the time when they first got together nearly a decade ago.
“We’ll get there eventually,” Jude said, with a little pat on April’s ass.
“Sooner, rather than later, I hope.” April responded.
I rolled my eyes. “You two are really disgustingly sweet sometimes. Speaking of sweet, I miss seeing Maya. You need to bring her by. I have some new cupcake ideas I want her to help me with.”
“Oh, she’d love that,” April said, putting my cupcake on a tray shaped like a pumpkin.
“I’m going to check on the keg,” Jude said.
When he left, I smiled at April. “You guys look good. I’m so happy that it all turned out.”
She smiled at the doorway Jude had just left. “Me too.”
“How’s things with August? I don’t see you enough anymore either to know what’s going on.”
She shrugged as she licked some frosting off her fingers. “It will take time. Or maybe there will always be a wall.”
“What August did is pretty unforgivable,” I said, rearranging the cupcakes to look like a flower. That way they’d know it was Petal’s Cakes.
“I know. It’s hard for Jude but it’s a testament to his love for me and Maya, and Bertie that he supports August being in our lives.”
“He’s a good man. The best. I think you must have taken the best man in town.”
Friends to Lovers: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (Heart of Hope Book 6) Page 4