"You still have the hots for him?" Rhys released me and laughed as I gave him a warning look.
"I was a young girl, and he was your best friend." I popped the trunk on the car.
Rhys shut it and put his bag in the backseat instead. "And your point is? All that shit is still the case."
I smiled and got into the car. "How are Mom and Dad doing?"
He got in and buckled up. "They're great, but they miss you. You sure you don't want me to pack you up in my duffle bag and take you back with me?"
"Not a chance." I buckled, started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "I love it here. I hated it when we moved after you left for the Air Force."
"I know you did, but it worked out well for me and you." He reached over and squeezed my forearm. He was right. The whole family moved to stay close to him, which allowed most of my late teens and early twenties to be supported by my big brother.
"That's true." I patted his hand. "So I should warn you about my best friend, Ellen."
"She hot?" He tugged at his seatbelt and growled. The poor guy was huge. His head almost hit the top of my tiny Toyota, and his knees were pressed against the glove box.
"She's my best friend. Hands off." I gave him a quick glare and turned back to focus on the road.
"Okay. I'll stay away from her. You stay away from Jer." He leaned back and smiled. "Deal?"
"I don't want anything to do with Jeremy."
"Really?" He leaned forward, bumping his big egg-head. "Look at me and tell me that without smiling."
Fuck.
I pulled my lips down into a slight frown and turned my face, but kept my eyes on the road. "I don't want-"
"You're smiling. Liar." He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ellen is mine. Period."
"What?! You haven't even seen her." I reached over and popped him in the chest as the warmth between us brought me back to life. I missed him so damn much. I missed relationships in general.
"You wouldn't have warned me about her if she wasn't a good looking woman. I know you, Sis." He turned and looked out the passenger window. "Have you and Jeremy slept together?"
"No! We barely talk. Jeez." I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Just stop asking questions. I'm not dating or seeing anyone."
"But you want to."
"Maybe, but it's irrelevant. He's still torn to pieces over Laila, and he should be. They were perfect for each other." The lump in my throat was thick. A part of me hated just how perfect they were for each other. It was something that no woman would likely overcome with Jer. It just seemed impossible.
"And she's dead, Bailey." He turned his attention back to me. "And she's been dead for two years. He needs to move on."
"Well, his mom is trying to help with that," I said very matter of factly.
He laughed loudly, the sound not friendly. "By setting him up on random ass dates? No. She's hurting more than she's helping. I'm going to tell her that too when I see her."
"Don't start anything this week, Rhys. It's Thanksgiving, and we're guests."
"I know." He nodded and pulled out his phone. "I'm not going to be ugly or rude. You know me better than that. I'm going to talk with Nina and see what she can do."
"Jer's sister?"
"Yeah." He pulled the phone to his ear. "What are the plans? We going home tonight or eating or what?"
"Home. I was going to make you dinner."
"Invite your friend over. I'm going to invite Jer over. I want to see him."
"What? The house is a fucking mess. You can't just-"
My brother's voice cut me off. "Jeremy! Hey man. I'm in town." Brief pause. "Yeah, man. Flight was great. Hey, I'm headed over to Bailey's place. I'll text you the address. Get your ass over there. We'll grill out or some shit." Another brief pause where I could hear Jeremy responding. "No, man. Cancel that shit. Tell her you have diarrhea from eating your own cooking. Get creative, dude. What's the matter with you? Just lie and get your ass over to my sister’s. See you in an hour. Later!"
"Really?" I groaned and pulled off the freeway. "The house is a mess and-"
"We'll clean it."
"I look like shit."
"Put on a new shirt and some jeans and chill. You're not interested in Jer anyway, remember?"
"I hate you."
"Lies."
"True." I sighed and pulled up to the apartment. "You start cleaning, and I'll find something to cook."
"Call Ellen. I'm not playing the third wheel."
"This isn't a date," I called after my brother as he bounded out of the car the minute I pulled it to a stop.
"I know... it's a double date," he called back.
Ugh. Fuck my life.
9
Jeremy
"Damn," I mumbled and walked back out to the garage. Austin glanced up and gave me a sweet smile.
"What's up, Daddy?" He stood and wiped his greasy hands on his jeans.
"Uncle Rhys is here. You remember him much?" I tossed a rag to him as I walked back toward my bike.
"Nope." He wiped his hands and knelt. "You think the bike will take much longer?"
"No. Why? You got a hot date?" I smiled as he crinkled his nose and gave me a look.
"Dad. I'm five. Girls are super gross right now."
I laughed loudly, loving the kid more than anything else in the world. "They're not going to be super gross in a few years."
"There's a party at Katie's house for her birthday tonight." He ignored my comment and moved us to what seemed to be a much more comfortable subject for him. "I really want to go."
"Katie by Granny's house?" I moved over to the bike and put my hands on my hips as I studied it. It was going to take a few more hours to finish fixing the damn thing, and after Rhys's call, I knew I didn't have the time. "The cute girl with blond hair."
He rolled his eyes. "She has cooties. Hello."
"This is true." I stifled my need to laugh again. He had on his serious face which meant 'no laughing.' Memories flooded my vision, and the site of Laila rocking him when we first brought him home almost crippled me. He had to miss her as much as I did, but the little guy was stronger than all the rest of us put together. Or he pretended to be.
"Can I go?" He wiped his hands on his pants and smiled. "We can finish this later this week. It's Thanksgiving week. We have time. No school!"
"True. Yeah. Sure. Go in there and change and I'll take you over to Granny's house." I watched him skip away before calling my mother. I needed a way to get over to see Rhys without upsetting Austin, and now I had it. There was such a thing as grace, or so it would seem.
"Jeremy? Everything okay?" My mother always sounded panicked when she picked up the phone with me. It was like she was expecting me to deliver the same kind of news I did when Laila died.
"Yeah, Mom. Austin wants to come over tonight for a party down at Katie's house. Rhys's in town, so it works out well unless you had something planned."
"Not at all. Bring me my baby, and you go have fun with your friend. Make sure you stay alert for women that might be a good fit for you and Austin. You know it's not just about you, Jeremy."
"Yeah. Thanks, Mom. We'll be there shortly." I got off the phone as quickly as I could and walked into the living room. I could hear Austin down the hall somewhere singing the happy birthday song. I smiled and stopped beside the various pictures lining the bookshelf in the living room.
The one of me and Rhys smiling, arms wrapped around each other as we got out of basic training and planned on ruling the Air Force was one of my favorites. Life had taken a crazy ass turn, but it was what it was. He was still in, and I was Captain of the fire department in town.
"Dad!" Austin bounded into the living room and lifted his eyebrow at me. "Do you think I should wear a coat?"
"It's freezing outside. Yes." I walked toward him, picked him up and tickled him all the way back to the bedroom. He was going to get to meet both Rhys and Bailey the next day at Mom's when we all shared Thanksgiving
together.
Would he like Bailey?
Would she like him?
Why the hell did I care?
I wasn't sure I wanted to answer my own question, and regardless of the answer, I knew one thing for sure... I did care. A lot.
"Hey, buddy!" Rhys wrapped me in a tight hug as he flung open the door to Bailey's apartment. The smell of something garlicky slapped me in the face, and my stomach growled loudly. I realized I hadn't eaten more than a piece of toast all day. It was something I was horrible about doing since Laila died. Feeding my damn self.
"Hey, you." I hugged him tightly and glanced up to find Bailey watching us. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and once again, I lamented over not getting to see it down. It would have been a little too much to ask her to take it down. Too intimate and maybe a little weird of me.
She looked like a model. Her light pink dress hugged her breasts and flared a little at her hips. It was long sleeved, but the length of it brushed about mid-thigh on her. She had on designer winter boots and a pretty necklace. She looked like she was ready to go out for the night, not BBQ with friends.
"You've gotten fat." Rhys moved back and patted my sides, squeezing my ribs.
"Ouch! Fuck man. That's not fat. It's muscle." I reached up and rubbed his head. "Like your big, ugly head."
He laughed. "You've met my little sister, Bailey."
She joined us and offered me a smile that calmed me. She might have been unsure of herself, but she was hiding it like a pro. Fuck. Maybe it was me who was unsure. For the first time in a long time, I was nervous.
"Hey." I reached out and gripped her shoulders before leaning over and kissing her cheek. "You look beautiful."
I wanted to hug her so damn bad, to feel her pressed against me, but there would be no hiding the hard-on it would leave me with. She was invading my thoughts and my dreams more and more over the last few weeks. It was becoming an obsession of sorts, which fucked with me, so I did what I always did when I was freaked out. I stayed away from her.
No way she felt the same way I did. And I wasn't entirely sure how I felt, but I knew I wanted her something fierce.
"Thanks. My friend Ellen just disappeared into the bathroom. She's been waiting to meet you." Bailey moved back, turned and walked into the kitchen. My eyes moved down the back of her perfect body, and my dick pulsed a few times in my jeans.
"I saw that." Rhys popped me in the chest and gave me a look.
"Dude. She's beyond beautiful. You couldn't have fucking warned me when I went looking for her that she wasn't the little brat we picked on? What the fuck?" I narrowed my eyes and lowered my voice.
He laughed loudly. "I told you she had grown up. Idiot."
"Whatever." I followed him out on the patio where the grill was already going. The weather had dropped drastically, and I wouldn't have been surprised if we had a snowy Thanksgiving by the looks of things.
"You interested in my kid sister?" He closed the door behind us.
"No." I slipped my hands into my pockets and blew out. A cloud formed in front of me and lingered. "Yes. Fuck. I don't know. She does something to me, Rhys."
"I'd beat anyone else's ass, but you're like a brother to me. If you're interested in taking her out, I'd trust you to do that."
"No." I shook my head and glanced back over my shoulder to see her working in the kitchen. "I didn't know she was your sister the first time I saw her." I stopped myself from telling him just how much she turned me on. There would be no coming back from that. He might have been my best friend, but this was his only sister, and she was younger. There were limits to what I could say.
"No? She looks the same to me, man." He nodded toward the kitchen. "Can you grab me a plate to put these burgers on?"
"Yeah, sure." I opened the door and paused. "Want a beer?"
He lifted his. "Already got one. There's a six-pack in the fridge. Help yourself."
"Alright. Thanks." I closed the door behind me as a cute blonde walked out of the bathroom and gave me a look.
"You're the pirate, right?" She tilted her head and studied me.
"Hey! Ellen. This is Jeremy." Bailey jogged around the corner from the kitchen. Her cheeks were pink and eyes wide.
I laughed and extended my hand. "Pirate, hm? Not sure how to take that."
"She meant because you save booties." Bailey glanced at Ellen and widened her eyes farther.
It was comical.
Ellen responded, her voice slow as if she were trying to follow Bailey's every move. "Yes. That's what I meant?"
I laughed and shook her hand. "Well, nice to meet you, Ellen." I glanced over at Bailey, who was rather mortified. "I'm going to grab a plate and a beer if that's okay?"
"Oh yeah. Let me help you." She turned and walked into the kitchen.
"I'll be on the deck with your fine-ass brother." Ellen wagged her eyebrows at me and smiled before walking out on the patio with Rhys.
I walked into the kitchen and stopped short. I had to reach out to stop myself from plowing Bailey over.
"I'm so sorry." She rested her hands on my hips, the innocence on her face left me realizing that she wasn't aware of how intimate her grip was. "I told her about you being in the Air Force, and then we talked about why you were out and-"
She droned on, but I couldn't hear anything else but a soft hum. The smell of dinner cooking and the site of her in her pretty pink dress made the world dissipate.
"I'm gonna kiss you." I reached up and cupped her pretty face.
"Wait. What?"
"Shhh." I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers as I pulled her fully against me. My cock pressed to her stomach, and she had to know how much she turned me on. There was nothing I could do more than show her.
Her moan lit me on fucking fire. I had to have her. Soon.
Now.
10
Bailey
The kiss was like nothing I'd ever experienced. I'd had a few make-out sessions in my time, but Jeremy's lips were incredibly soft, and his kiss was hungry. The deep groan he let out had my nipples budded, my pussy wet and aching.
I pressed against him and slid my hands around to the top of his perfect ass. Tilting my head a little, I opened my mouth and coaxed his tongue to join mine in a slow, sensual dance.
Everywhere. I wanted him to touch me everywhere, to kiss me in every crevice and over every curve.
"Fuck," he whispered roughly as he broke the kiss. "I'm sorry. You just look so good here in the kitchen."
"No. Please don't be sorry." I lamented as he removed his strong hands from my face and stepped back. It would have been too needy to ask him not to let me go. I had too much pride, and I didn't want to end up hurt again.
"No, really. I shouldn't have-" he paused and searched my face with his warm brown eyes. Everything about him set my blood on fire and left my heart flipping over in my chest. "Pretend that didn't happen?"
"Yeah. Sure." I reached up and brushed my fingers over my lips before turning and walking back into the kitchen. "You needed a beer and a plate?" I changed my tone and shoved the need to cry down deep inside my chest. It was a mistake. He didn't mean to kiss me. He just fell into my arms, and his lips landed on mine. Right. Great.
"Yeah. And a plate?"
"The counter just beside the stove." I moved to the fridge without looking back. "Go check on Rhys and save him from Ellen, please? I'll bring you a beer in a second. I need to find the damn bottle opener."
"A bartender doesn't carry one with her at all times?" He was trying to soften the situation with misplaced humor.
"I manage the restaurant, but good try." I bent over and moved some shit around in the fridge until I heard him walk out. Tears burned my eyes as anger swelled in my stomach. What did I think? Something would come of us? He's been without a woman for two years or something crazy like that. Of course, he's lonely and wants a bedmate.
"Not me." I stepped back and put the beer on the counter to grab a paper towel. I blotted my eyes and forc
ed myself to chill the hell out. Nothing was going to happen between us. Not back when we were kids, and sure as fuck not now. There were only a few people that could break my heart properly, and Jeremy Bennett was definitely one of them.
I needed some hope for a different scenario. I needed something to lean on to get through the next few days.
Edward.
Picking up Edward's card from the table and my phone, I texted him quickly to see if he might be free for an event at the museum or coffee over the next few days. His response was quick and positive.
Edward: I almost thought you forgot about me, Miss Wright.
Me: No. Just got busy with the holidays.
Edward: There's a midnight wine event tonight. Join me?
Me: Yes. What time.
Edward: How about I meet you at the doors just before midnight?
Me: Perfect. Black tie?
Edward: Come in anything you want. I'm sure you'll be beautiful no matter what.
Me: Thank you.
Edward: My pleasure.
I set the phone down and picked up Jeremy's beer. My hands were shaking from the high emotions flying around me. I'd yet to be good enough in a relationship with any of my previous boyfriends, and most of them physically reminded me of Edward, but emotionally, of Jeremy.
And things never worked out well.
Sucking my pride back down my throat, I walked out to the balcony and opened the door. Rhys, Ellen, and Jeremy were laughing about something Rhys had said.
"And then I tossed the damn phone in the lake." Rhys lifted the back of his hand and wiped his eyes. "It was the funniest shit ever."
"You did?" Ellen's eyes got wide.
I handed Jeremy his beer and moved over beside my brother, who wrapped a strong arm around me.
"Thanks, Bailey." Jeremy's gaze lingered a little too long before he turned to Ellen, leaving the moment awkward at best. "Yeah. My dad flipped his shit to find out that I pitched my cell phone over a girl."
Captain Hotness: A Single Father Bad Boy Novel Page 6