Dangerous Stranger (Beautiful Entourage #4)

by E. L. Todd

  I stared back at her, wondering what she was thinking. My fingers still touched her hair, feeling the softness. I wanted to kiss her, more than I ever had, but it would be unforgiveable to make a move now when she was vulnerable and upset. Somehow, I stayed away and remained a loyal friend.

  “Can I sleep here?” she whispered.

  “Of course you can,” I said immediately. “I have extra bedrooms.”

  “I meant with you.”

  My heartbeat sped up. The blood pounded in my ears. “Yeah.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  She left the table and walked into my bedroom.

  I watched her go, unable to believe I was finally going to hold her all night long. It would be better if it was under better circumstances but I would take what I could get. I followed her inside, and when I saw her looking through my drawers just in a thong I almost had a heart attack.

  Her bare back was flawless. Her spine had grooves of muscle around it, and it was long and curvy. I knew her front would be just as sexy as her back. Her ass was perky and round, and seeing the black thong made my cock harder then a slab of wood.

  Fuck, I don’t know if I can do this.

  She finally picked out a shirt and pulled it on. But she turned around when she was halfway covered and I saw her pierced belly button. A glittery jewel hung from her navel, and it was sexy as hell.

  She got into my bed then pulled the covers over her.

  I realized I was just standing there staring at her, so I pulled out thick sweatpants and changed into them, not wearing a shirt. At least the padding from my boxers and my sweatpants would hide my raging hard-on somewhat.

  As soon as I was in the bed, she was all over me.

  She cuddled into my side and wrapped her arm around my stomach. Her leg intertwined with mine and her hair moved across my arm. It would be a dream if she weren’t so sad.

  I pulled her further onto my chest and ran my fingers through her hair. I shifted my weight slightly so my boner wouldn’t be poking her all night. My shirt was ten sizes too big for her so I moved it off her shoulder and sprinkled kisses there, just the way I always wanted. She didn’t seem to mind. Actually, it seemed like she enjoyed it.

  “You’ll be alright,” I whispered to her.

  “I hope so…”

  “You will. You got me, sweetheart.”

  “Why can’t all men be sweet like you?” she asked. “Why can’t they all be perfect like you?”

  “You think I’m perfect?” I asked seriously.

  “Why do you think I’m lying on your chest and clinging for dear life?”

  My hand continued to stroke her hair. “Because you think I’m hot.” I wanted to dissipate her sadness with laughter.

  She chuckled lightly.

  I was glad I got her to at least do that.

  “You think everyone thinks you’re hot.”

  “Because they do,” I said. “Come on, look at me. I’m like an Abercrombie model.”

  “God, can your ego get any bigger?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Want to find out?” I fisted her hair like I fantasized then pressed a kiss to her temple.

  “I don’t think it’s possible. At least, I hope it’s not possible.”

  My hand moved up her shirt and I felt her bare back. “Your skin is so smooth.”

  “Thank you.”

  My fingers graced the lace of her thong and I tried to act like I did it on accident. Did she really think I was gay? Did gay guys have their girlfriends come over and sleep on them like this? I’d never really asked so I wasn’t sure. How she didn’t see through my lie and know I was ridiculously attracted to her was beyond my understanding.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you,” she whispered, her face on my chest.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I only had a hunch anyway.”

  “But you were right.”

  “It doesn’t matter, sweetheart. All that matters is Cameron is gone and you can move on now.”

  “I guess…” Her voice carried her sadness.

  “Is there something else?” I could detect it in her voice.

  “Yeah…after we had dinner together I realized I didn’t feel anything. I found it hard to believe that we would ever make something work between us. It just wasn’t there…and I knew that. So, why am I so upset?”

  “He still betrayed you,” I said. “It would hurt anyone. And you guys were happy once upon a time. The fact he’s pissing all over that is probably what gets under your skin.”

  “Yeah…maybe.”

  I wrapped my arm around her waist and let my hand rest in the dip of her back. It was such a sexy curve. I wanted to grace the area with kisses. I could touch it forever.

  “Thanks for letting me sleep here.”

  “You’re always welcome.” I meant it.

  “You’re so comfortable to sleep on…” Her voice grew heavy, like she was tired.

  “You like sleeping on hard pavement?” I teased.

  “But you’re warm…and you make me feel safe.”

  That touched my heart and I couldn’t explain why. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

  She turned her head and kissed the skin over my heart. “You’re a gift, Jett. And I’m so glad we met.”

  Instead of closing my eyes, I watched her. She was an angel without wings. She had such a sweet and compassionate soul. She was generous and thoughtful, and she was hard when she needed to be. Even when she was at her lowest point, she was strong. I’d never met another girl like her. She was easy on the eyes and obviously beautiful, but now that I knew her underneath those beautiful curves I saw the gorgeous woman she was underneath.

  And it made the rest of her pale in comparison.

  ***

  When I woke up the next morning, she was still in the exact same place. She slept on my chest like a cat purring through the afternoon. Her hair was scattered everywhere and it felt soft on my skin. My hand still rested on the deep of her back.

  I’d never woken up to such a beautiful morning.

  My cock was hard like it usually was when I woke up, but now it was excited because we had beautiful company. I hadn’t gotten laid in a while. The last time I slept with someone was the night before I met Ophelia. After I set eyes on her, I hadn’t thought about anyone else.

  That’s how gorgeous she was.

  Any girl could get my attention. But no girl could keep it. I wasn’t even getting laid but I was obsessed with Ophelia. She was all I ever thought about. I wondered what she was doing throughout the day and if she was thinking of me. When I rubbed one out, I never turned on my laptop. Instead I thought about her sucking me off.

  I was obsessed.

  I had to pee, I was hungry, and I was thirsty, but I chose to stay still because of the beautiful creature lying on top of me. I didn’t dare disturb her. I wanted to watch her wake up and see her reaction to me. I wanted to see those beautiful green eyes open and greet the day.

  Finally, she stirred. She stretched her legs and her arms then released a deep sigh. Then she moved her hand across my chest before her eyes fluttered open.

  I watched the whole thing, entranced by something anyone else would find boring.

  When her eyes focused on me, a nice smile broke out on her face. “Good morning.”

  “Morning, sweetheart.” Without thinking, I cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her. I quickly realized what I was doing, that I was about to do something I could never take back, and aimed for her cheek instead of her lips.

  Phew, that was close.

  She released another sigh when she felt me. “You’re more comfortable than my own bed.”

  “I get that a lot,” I teased.

  She sat up then untangled her hair with her fingers. Then she looked down at me, saw my naked chest, and then quickly turned away. “At least I slept well.”

  “I did too.” I sat up and pulled her against my chest. “But I think it’s because I had my own teddy bear.” I pulled her
shirt down again and kissed her shoulder. Now I wasn’t even bothering to act gay. She was totally clueless.

  “I’m soft and fluffy?” she asked.

  “And so cuddly,” I whispered. Her shoulder was in my mouth again and I tasted her skin. “How about some breakfast? You like pancakes, right?”

  “Do you not know me at all?”

  “Then let’s get some grub.”

  We went into the kitchen and started cooking. She took care of the pancakes while I flipped the bacon. She only wore my t-shirt and it fit her like a dress. It reached past her knees and it was baggy. But she still looked damn fine in it.

  She nudged me in the side while she cooked, a playful smile on her lips.

  I nudged her back then shoved an entire pancake into my mouth.

  “Hey, you’re supposed to wait until we’re done.”

  “Whatever you say, sweetheart.” I stuck my finger in the bowl of batter then wiped it across her cheek, smearing it. “Now you look perfect.”

  She tried to reach the batter with just her tongue but it wouldn’t reach.

  “Don’t pull a muscle,” I teased.

  “I like it there anyway.”

  When we finished cooking, we sat down and ate everything. I was still shirtless and I caught her looking at me a few times. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if she was attracted to me, but the longer I was around her I suspected she was. I caught her staring at me, and it took all my strength not to break down, throw Max under the bus, and just tell her the truth.

  “This bacon is so crispy.” She took a bite and it cracked into several pieces. “You did a good job.”

  “I’m amazing in bed but I’m also amazing in the bedroom.”

  Her cheeks blushed slightly but she didn’t say anything.

  We finished our meal and left the pile of dirty dishes in the sink.

  “So, how are you feeling today?” I asked. My meaning was implied.

  “A lot better,” she said with a sigh. “It’s stupid to be upset over someone who never really cared about me, especially when I have people who do care about me.” She shot me a smile then looked away.

  If only she knew how much I did care about her. “What do you want to do today?”

  “With you?” There was a slight note of surprise in her voice.

  “Obviously,” I said. “I’m the coolest person you know. Why wouldn’t you want to hang out with me?”

  “The cockiness never ends…” She shook her head slightly.

  “There’s this new action film I want to see. You down?”

  “You down?” she repeated. “Am I one of your homies?”

  “Yes,” I said simply. “Then we’ll get some greasy food and eat it in front of the TV.”

  “Actually, that sounds pretty damn amazing.”

  “Well, I know how to make a girl have a good time.”

  “Do you have other girlfriends?”

  “No,” I said immediately. “Just you.”

  “Really?” She seemed surprised by that. “Max has a few.”

  I shrugged. “I just don’t. Do you have a lot of guy friends?”

  “No…”

  “It’s not so weird now, huh?” I left the table. “I’m going to shower then we’ll be on our way.”

  “Okay.”

  “Unless you would like to shower first?”

  “No, it’s okay,” she said quickly.

  “Or watch me shower…?” I gave her my usual grin.

  She threw a pancake at me. “Get over yourself.”

  ***

  We got a bowl of popcorn from the concession stand then took our seats. My phone vibrated the moment we sat down, and I quickly checked it.

  Did my sister stay with you last night? It was Max. She never came home last night and Cameron showed up at the door demanding to see her.

  She’s with me. Why didn’t you just call her?

  Her phone is off.

  Oh. Well, she’s fine.

  K. Thanks.

  I put my phone back in my pocket. “Next time you turn off your phone tell your brother where you are.”

  “I totally forgot…”

  “Remember next time. Luckily for you, he assumed you were with me.”

  She grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it into her mouth. “Where else would I be?”

  ***

  After the movie, we grabbed burgers and fries and headed back to my place. We sat on the couch and ate everything, acting like pigs that couldn’t care less.

  “Open your mouth.” I held up the fry like I was going to throw it in her mouth.

  She opened wide.

  I tossed it into her mouth and made it. “Score.”

  “I’m a pro. My brother and I do this with jelly beans all the time.”

  “You should quit your day job,” I teased.

  She laughed. “Never. I love my job too much.”

  “So, you want to sleep over again?” I asked hopefully. I wasn’t tired but I wouldn’t mind lying in bed with her. While I loved hanging out with her and going out, I loved just holding her in bed. It was peaceful.

  “No…I should probably head home.”

  I tried not to act devastated. “Okay. You’re always welcome if you change your mind.”

  “I would love to but I have work in the morning.”

  “I could stay with you…” It was a dangerous suggestion and I probably shouldn’t have said anything.

  “No, it’s okay. You’ve taken care of me enough as it is.”

  I’ll take care of you forever. “At least let me walk you home.”

  “Like you would take no for an answer anyway.”

  ***

  I walked her inside then grabbed her by the arm. “Let me know if Cameron bothers you. I’ll scare him off like a damn scarecrow.”

  “Well, that might not work because he’s not a bird…” Her lips pulled up in an involuntary smile.

  “Oh, it’ll work.”

  She suddenly shifted her weight and looked at the ground. “Thanks for being there for me…I really appreciate it.”

  “I’ll be here—for anything.” I hugged her and held her close.

  Max came out of his bedroom and headed our way. His hands were in his pockets as he watched us. He shook his head slightly, like he knew exactly what I was thinking while I held his sister.

  She pulled away then turned to Max. “Hey, sorry about last night.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “So, you and Cameron had a fight?”

  “Actually, we broke up. I caught him cheating on me, and it’s clear he’s been cheating for a while,” she said.

  “Oh.” He looked disappointed. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” she said with a smile. “I got my two boys.” She grabbed both of our forearms before she walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

  Max sighed. “You were right?”

  “Yeah.”

  He scratched the back of his head. “I’ll take care of him.”

  “My boys already did.”

  He nodded. “That explains all the bruises and swelling when he came over here. I thought he got mugged or something.”

  “No.”

  “Well, at least he’s gone. That’s something to be grateful for.”

  I couldn’t live in this lie anymore. I couldn’t handle it for a second longer. I was tired of pretending to be something I wasn’t. Ophelia and I had something and she needed to know the truth. “Let’s go for a walk.”

  ***

  We sat on the stairs outside the apartment building and watched people pass on the streets.

  “What is it?” Max asked, leaning against one wall. His body was directed my way but his head faced the street.

  “Let me tell her the truth,” I said. “I can’t keep lying anymore.”

  He sighed and looked away.

  “Max, I’m in love with her.” I never said it out loud before but I knew it was true. I could feel it every time I looked at her. When she c
ried in my arms, I wanted to cry too. “She needs to know how I feel. And call me crazy, but I think she might feel the same way.”

  “She thinks you’re gay.”

  “I know…but there’s something there.”

  He wouldn’t look at me.

  “Max, please. I’ll still do as you ask for your parents. Why can’t I just tell Ophelia? She’ll keep your secret.”

  “You aren’t as bright as I thought.”

  “Then enlighten me, “I said darkly.

  “If Ophelia dates you, people will see you together, including my parents. How do you think that makes me look? You were gay and now you’re straight? It’ll be even more difficult for me to get them to accept me.”

  “Well, she and I can keep it a secret.”

  “People will see you together,” he hissed. “And Cameron will be the first person to rat you out. He’s close with my parents. Dude, it can’t happen.”

  He was stabbing me in the gut. “Max, I’ll beg if I have to.”

  “You’ll just have to wait until this is over.”

  I didn’t want to say these words but I had to. “What if it’s never over? What if they never let it go?”

  He stared at his shoes. “I need to give them more time. It’s only been a few months. They might come around.”

  “Well, how long are you going to wait?”

  “I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “Six months?”

  There’s no fucking way I’ll be able to keep my hands off her for another six months. It was a miracle I kept my hands to myself this long. “Please help me out. I really love your sister. I’m not going to be a dick to her like Cameron was.”

  “And I’m not worried you will be,” he said simply. “But that has nothing to do with it. If you really want this, there’s nothing stopping you. I can’t control what you do. The contract even states you can end the arrangement for any reason whatsoever. Then end it if you must.” He watched the people pass on the sidewalk.

  I ground my teeth in irritation. “I’m not going to throw you under the bus.”

  “Then I guess everything will stay the same.”

  I wanted to scream. “You aren’t even willing to compromise with me on this?”

  “No.” He finally looked at me. “How will it make me look if my first boyfriend was gay and then became straight in the middle of our relationship? It would give people more to talk about, and my parents would think I’m a bigger freak than I already am. I hired you because I thought you were professional. I thought you could handle this. I guess not.” He looked away but his shoulders were tense in anger.