by Lynn Hagen
The stranger dropped onto the couch next to me and took a sip of his coffee. “Don’t know what it is about you, but Cage sure fucked up because of you.”
I refused to answer. I didn’t know this guy and didn’t owe him an explanation. It had been Cage’s choice to get me out of Mr. Fancy’s office. I hadn’t twisted his arm or put a gun to his head.
“Name’s Roland.” The stranger stuck his hand out.
Reluctantly I shook it. “Samuel.”
Cage hung up and tucked his phone into his pocket. He glanced at me, then his gaze shot to Roland.
“That bad?” Roland asked.
“What do you think?” Cage asked. “I fucked up a six-month operation over a piece of ass.”
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I knew an insult when I heard one. “Screw you.” I started to get up, but Roland stuck out his arm, preventing me from storming off.
“I’d watch that tone if I were you. Cage might’ve ruined his career over you. Show some appreciation.”
My gaze flickered to Cage. “What is he talking about?”
Roland chuckled. “It’s just like you, Cage, to rescue a guy and fuck him without clueing him in.”
“There was no time.” Cage took a seat on the ratty chair. “Now my ass is in the hot seat.”
“Is Mr. Fancy looking for you?” It was a dumb question. Of course Mr. Fancy would be livid that I not only got away, but Cage was gone, too.
“Sammy,” Roland said as he turned his head and stared at me. “That man—” He pointed to Cage “—is Detective Cage Sparks. He’s been undercover as Mr. Fancy’s top enforcer, trying to take the bastard down. He just blew it by running with you.”
My jaw dropped. Why on earth would Cage do such a thing? I was grateful as hell, but…damn. “I’m sorry.”
Cage just rubbed his hand over his unshaven jaw as he stared at the floor. “Get going, Roland.”
With a nod, Roland stood and walked out of the apartment. Cage finally looked at me and all I could do was hold my breath. “Why did you risk your operation for me?”
Cage shrugged. “Been trying to figure that out since the crazy notion to get you out of that office entered my head.” He blew out a breath as he dropped his hand. “But I’m not putting any blame on your shoulders. It was my call to help you escape.”
I felt horrible, but at the same time glad he’d made that decision. I slipped from the couch, letting the blanket fall away before I crawled onto his lap. Cage curled his arms around me. “Can’t understand what it is about you, Sammy.”
“I don’t know, but what am I going to do now? I can’t go back to my apartment or finish my last semester. I’m broke and now homeless.” The realization that I was fucked six ways from Sunday slammed into me like a fist.
I started to get up, but Cage grabbed my hips and pulled me back onto his lap. He cupped my jaw and turned my head until I was staring into those blue-gray eyes. “You can crash at my place until we figure this out.”
“Your place?” I shook my head. “You’ve already done enough for me. I can’t ask you to do that.” Though I had no idea where I would go or what I would do. I definitely had to get out of town. If Mr. Fancy or one of his men caught up with me… I shuddered at the thought.
“I might still be able to salvage this situation.” Cage’s hand rubbed down my bare back. “I’ll come up with some story. Until Mr. Fancy is taken down, you’re not safe. So, yeah, you’ll stay at my place.”
How could I argue when I had no other options? Maybe if the guy went to prison, I could finish college and get my life back. “Okay.”
* * * *
Four months later Mr. Fancy was arrested on multiple charges from racketeering to human trafficking. He would never see the light of day again.
And by then, living with Cage had been the best four months of my life. He worked long hours, but when he was home, we fucked, watched movies, and fucked some more.
And now that Mr. Fancy was no longer a threat, Cage had even taken me out on our first official date. I knew being in a relationship with a detective wouldn’t be easy, but Cage was worth it.
Friends with Benefits
“Cage, you here?” I called out as I entered my brother’s apartment with the key he’d made for me when he first moved in. It was more like a loft, with a wide-open floor plan. I still couldn’t believe he was home. My brother’s work kept him gone most of the time, and lately, whenever I spoke with him, all he talked about was this new boyfriend of his. Some guy named Sammy.
Cage had phoned to tell me he was having some kind of get-together. He even invited an old friend of ours who had moved back to the neighborhood. I remembered Delano from when we were kids and couldn’t believe he was back.
The guy was smoking-hot, but from what Cage had told me, Delano was now dating his best friend, Cameron. I’d almost decided not to come. I hated feeling like a third wheel. Or would that be a fifth wheel since Delano and Cameron would be here, as well?
I entered the main part of the loft and saw my brother in the kitchen area. He had some guy hemmed up against the counter. That had to be Sammy. They were kissing like horny teenagers as Sammy laughed and Cage nibbled at his neck.
It was good to see Cage happy. He worked too hard and deserved someone to come home to. And from the way he was staring all gooey-eyed at Sammy, I could tell he was in love.
Cage finally noticed me and smiled. “Hey, squirt. I’m glad you made it.”
My brother managed to peel himself away from Sammy long enough to round the counter and give me a hug. We were all each other had. Our parents had died in a car accident years ago, and although I was twenty-one, Cage had taken it upon himself to look out for me, to make sure life didn’t eat me up and spit me out.
I sighed in his embrace, glad his latest undercover work hadn’t gotten him killed. I hated Cage’s career choice, but there was nothing I could do about it. Ever since we were little all he’d ever wanted to be was a detective. He was living his dream and I was still trying to figure out where I fit in.
With one arm around my waist, Cage turned and waved a hand at his boyfriend, and I had to admit, Sammy was downright adorable. He had pretty blond hair that was cut stylishly short, and amazing blue eyes that looked nervously at me. I didn’t know why. I was just Cage’s kid brother who couldn’t seem to get his life together.
“This is Sammy.” Cage grinned. “Sammy, this is my baby brother, Peppy.”
“Pedro.” I’d stopped going by that nickname years ago, but Cage couldn’t seem to let it go. I pulled away from his arm and went to Sammy, offering my hand. He shook it.
“Cage can’t stop talking about you,” Sammy said with a gorgeous grin. “It’s nice to finally put a face with his stories.”
One of my brows rose and I glared at Cage. “Please don’t tell me he’s been telling you all about when we were kids.”
“Guilty.” Cage grabbed a beer from the fridge, popped the cap, and handed it to me. I took it as I stared between them. Cage had gone back to Sammy’s side and slid an arm around his waist, staring at him like Sammy was his entire world. What I wouldn’t give for a guy to look at me that way.
“Peppy!”
I turned to see Delano and Cameron step inside from the terrace. God, Delano was a wet dream on two legs. I’d had a crush on him when I was younger. Delano was five years older than me, and I had been a mere twelve when I discovered I liked boys instead of girls. But Delano had been my first love interest, and those feelings didn’t just leave a guy. And damn if he hadn’t grown up to be one stunning-ass man.
And Cameron? Wow. I was taken aback at his slinky dress, and the wig that made him look better than any woman I’d ever seen. Those heels gave him at least four extra inches in height. Cameron might look like a knock-out female, but I instantly recognized him. He had a distinctive smile that always lit up a room.
I was so jealous of the sexy couple. I also felt like the odd man out. Cage and Delano were cli
nging to their sweeties, and I stood there holding a damn beer.
“Did you invite anyone else?” I asked Cage as Delano gave me a big hug. I had to force my hands not to migrate to his ass and give it a squeeze.
If Cameron hadn’t been standing there, I just might have because goddamn, Delano smelled good.
When Delano released me, Cameron kissed my cheek. He smelled like those body sprays all the women wore. It was fruity with a hint of vanilla.
“You look great, Cam,” I said.
Cameron blushed. I never knew he had this secret lifestyle, but I wasn’t one to judge. How could I when he looked so beautiful? And how could I when he was so happy and I was still single?
“Roland should be here soon,” Cage said.
My heart nearly gave out. Delano might’ve been my first crush, but I’d been in love with my brother’s best friend since I’d met him five years ago. I used to sit up at night and dream about him. Hell, I’d jacked off to more fantasies about Roland than I could count.
But he’d always treated me like a kid brother. I’d embarrassingly thrown myself at him numerous times, only to have Roland laugh the flirting off and ruffle my hair. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I wanted Roland to fuck me or if I wanted to punch him because he left me so sexually frustrated.
“I got some steaks on the grill. Why don’t you go check on them?” Cage asked.
“I just turned them over,” Delano said.
I didn’t care. I needed an escape. With my beer in hand, I left the couples in the kitchen and went to the terrace. Cage definitely had a nice home. In fact, my brother owned the building. The neighbors were quiet, the area was decent, and you couldn’t beat the view. The terrace overlooked a large lake nestled by a huge park.
I’d stood on the terrace many times before, watching people walk their pets in the park, jog, or stroll by hand-in-hand with their sweetheart as I wished I had someone special to share my life with.
I opened the grill, looked at the juicy steaks, then closed it and took a seat, kicking my feet up on one of the deck chairs as I watched some guy—and what appeared to be his boyfriend from the way they kept stealing kisses—play fetch with their dog.
Cage’s loft was on the third floor, and from this high up, the breeze was nice and welcoming. The summer was blazing-hot, and I was tempted to run back inside to the air conditioning, but didn’t because I refused to be around dopey-in-love couples when I was still single.
I glanced toward the terrace door when I heard a deep, sexy voice. The laughter was all-too-familiar, and my dick perked up when I heard Roland talking.
My fantasy had arrived. As badly as I wanted to go in there and lay eyes on him, I made myself stay seated. I was tired of throwing myself at him only to be rejected. My attempts were pathetic, and if I’d found someone who even measured close to the sexy detective, I would’ve dated him and put Roland out of my mind.
As if that could ever happen.
I growled at myself and got up to check the steaks again, and stabbed them with frustration as I turned them over.
* * * *
Everyone had eaten and was now enjoying drinks inside. I’d spent the better part of dinner forcing myself not to look at Roland, although he had tried numerous times to engage me in conversation.
It was the worst kind of torture. His heavenly voice had made my dick stay hard. Thank fuck my erection had been hidden under the table. Now I stood at the railing, my fingers curled around the metal as I told myself I should just leave.
Why keep listening to Roland’s dark and hypnotic voice floating out here to me, sliding over me like a lover’s caress, taunting me about what I couldn’t have? I took a seat, planting my legs on either side of the lounge chair and scrubbed my hands over my face. It truly sucked to crave someone who looked at you as nothing more than a friend.
I wanted to scream my frustrations, to go in there and demand Roland see me as more than just Cage’s kid brother, to take interest in me the way I was interested in him. I was dying to run my hands over his muscled body, to kiss those soft-looking lips, to hear his deep and sensual voice whispering naughty things in my ear as he fucked me into delirium.
He laughed and I looked his way. Roland was talking to Cage, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying because the terrace door was closed. My gaze dropped to the cluttered table next to me.
The OCD in me wanted to clean up the dishes still sitting on the terrace table and the mess in the kitchen, but with Roland inside, there was no chance in hell I’d go in there. But after five minutes of battling my need to clean, I finally gave in.
I knew the real reason I was going back inside, and I wanted to kick my own ass for being so pathetic. I had to be a glutton for rejection.
I gathered the plates and silverware, headed inside, and made a beeline for the sink. Everyone was now seated in the living room, talking and laughing, and I felt like the self-induced pariah.
Cameron was draped over Delano’s lap, with Delano’s hand on his thigh. Sammy was cuddled against Cage’s side, staring up at my brother as if Cage was speaking gospel.
My gaze slid to Roland, who was seated in the recliner. I quickly looked away and started rinsing dishes to put into the dishwasher. I’d never understood why you had to clean dishes in order to clean them, but the chore kept me occupied and stopped me from gawking at him.
“You don’t have to do that, Peppy,” Cage called. “Sammy and I can get the dishes later. Come join us.”
Not unless I could crawl onto Roland’s lap. “I’m good. You know I hate a messy kitchen.”
“My brother has a touch of OCD. He can’t stand a crumb on the counter,” Cage said.
I gritted my teeth. Cage was teasing me at the wrong time. My self-esteem was already taking a hit tonight.
I didn’t need Cage making me feel any more inadequate than I already felt. I was five seconds away from leaving when a warm hand slid over my back. I started when I glanced up to see Roland next to me.
“Need help?”
I’d never known him to be the domestic type. He was a typical guy, never cleaning up after himself, leaving the chores to one of his sisters or his very gay brother who had OCD worse than I did. I might want the dishes done, but David would have scrubbed the entire apartment down. He was also high-maintenance and acted psycho at times. It was hilarious, when his craziness wasn’t aimed at me.
He’d also confessed to me that he thought Roland’s boss was hot as hell. I’d looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Admittedly, Lieutenant Spears was a handsome man, but he was old enough to be David’s father.
Roland’s hand slid lower, pulling me from my thoughts. I was so startled I gripped the knife I was rinsing by the blade. “Shit!”
Roland grabbed my hand and pulled it toward him. Blood oozed from the wound on my palm, and I felt faint. God, the sight of blood always made me feel queasy.
“Damn, Peppy,” Roland grunted as he moved my hand under the streaming water. “You gotta be more careful.”
With his hand holding mine, the pain vanished. His thumb slid over my cut, and my dick hardened once more. A single touch and I was ready to beg him to fuck me.
Don’t you dare embarrass yourself again. Haven’t you already humiliated yourself enough?
I yanked my hand from his. “I can rinse it off.”
Roland was broad and tall, at least six three. From what Cage had told me, suspects wet their pants when they saw Roland coming at them. I could believe that. But I knew the side of him that was a normal, caring man who loved to laugh and volunteered at the local youth center whenever he could.
Was I turned on when he had the badge hooked to his belt and a gun at his side? Duh. Of course I was. What person didn’t like a bad boy? I’d had quite a few fantasies of Roland shoving me against a wall and making me spread ’em. In those fantasies, I was butt-naked, and his frisking touched every intimate part of my body. He even handcuffed me and threw me down to fuck me into a coma.
“Everything okay?” Cage had joined us at the sink and examined my hand. I wanted to yell at my brother to go away, to stop intruding on this moment with Roland. He was cockblocking and didn’t even know it.
“I’m fine. Roland’s making a big fuss over nothing.” But this time I didn’t pull my hand away from his beefy paw. My heart thumped wildly at his gentle touch, the way he concentrated on spreading the ointment as his gaze slid to my face, then back to my hand.
Cage ruffled my hair and I wanted to slap him. “Gotta be careful, squirt.”
I was annoyed as fuck now. I wasn’t a kid anymore and wished he’d stop treating me like one—especially in front of Roland.
Cage walked away, leaving me alone with my dream guy. As much as I kept telling myself not to do anything to gain Roland’s rejection again, I couldn’t help how I felt. My need for him bordered on obsession.
“Now I’ll have to put the dishes in the dishwasher myself.” Roland smiled and my dick smiled right back.
“I can put things away and wipe down the counters,” I said. Roland had yet to let go of my hand. I felt breathy and excited as I stood there looking up at him, staring into those knockout gray eyes. Roland was one of those macho men, strong, sensual, and flipped every trigger I possessed. He was a take-charge kind of guy, and I wanted him to take charge of me.
We tidied the kitchen, then, to my surprise, Roland invited me to join him on the terrace. He grabbed two beers from the fridge before leading me outside. My stomach twisted and my heart wouldn’t stop galloping. Maybe this was it. Maybe Roland would see me as the adult I was and flirt with me.
“Beautiful night.” I took the beer he handed me while I stood next to him at the railing.
“It is,” I agreed. The sun was slowly setting, painting the sky in gorgeous blues and pinks. The breeze helped to cool my heated skin, but nothing would douse the heat coursing through me except Roland’s big, muscled body wrapped around me.