Bet Me Something (Something Series Book 3)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  “I know, but I had to be in town later this week for some meetings in the LA office and thought I’d come early once I found out about Mom. I tried calling you last night and this morning to tell you I was on my way. Where’s Colby?” He took a look around the living room.

  I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Shower, I think. And I turned off my phone since I didn’t want to talk last night. Sorry. I was about to make breakfast. You hungry?”

  He nodded and pulled up a stool at the kitchen island. “Yeah. Aren’t you supposed to have your boot on?”

  I glanced down, realizing my ankle was indeed bootless. “I normally put it on after a shower, but breakfast called first this morning.”

  He seemed somewhat satisfied with my answer, and it was better than telling him my boot was probably still somewhere in the sex-tangled sheets in Colby’s room.

  Taking a seat at the kitchen island barstool, he prodded, “So tell me what happened with Mom.”

  I filled him in while making pancakes.

  He was quiet, yet when turned to see his face, I could tell he was angry. “It’s bad enough she can’t be supportive of you, but if she thinks I’d ever come home again if she takes you off of the medical insurance to get her way, then she’s sadly mistaken. That’s taking it too far. Same with threatening your trust fund.”

  I smiled at him. “Although I greatly appreciate the solidarity, I’d never ask you to choose sides.”

  “It’s not a matter of taking sides; it’s a matter of choosing what’s right. I plan on calling her later.”

  “To say what?”

  “That she’s being unfair to guilt you into coming home.”

  “Thanks for being so supportive.”

  “Always. So I have some news…”

  He was grinning so clearly it was the good sort. “Do tell.”

  “I’m proposing to Sasha in the near future. Already picked out the ring, but I’m waiting until she’s moving down to Charlotte to pop the actual question.”

  I squealed, coming around the island to hug him. “Aww, that’s great news. I’m so excited for you guys.”

  Colby came out, looking fresh from the shower, and took in the scene with a quirked brow. “Hey, Brian, nice to see you. What’s going on?”

  “Brian is asking Sasha to marry him.”

  The two men shook hands and gave one another a brotherly hug. “Congrats, man.”

  Brian resumed his seat and I was thankful for the distraction while he talked about the timing of the next few weeks with regard to Sasha selling her condo and switching jobs. As I dished up breakfast, my brother chatted on. Funny enough, it was easier than I’d imagined being comfortable around Colby in front of Brian. Maybe it was because he seemed clueless or he had a lot to talk about, but I didn’t feel strange.

  Colby, on the other hand, looked completely stressed.

  “So, how do you think Mom will react to your engagement news?” I asked.

  Brian shrugged. “She won’t be thrilled, but I don’t need to explain my reasons or need her blessing. Hell, all she should care about is if I’m happy and if she’s not, I’ll shut her down. I may not tell her for a while considering we need to have words about you first.”

  I was envious of what I could only wish was my attitude towards her. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “The hell I don’t. Why were you at your apartment in the first place? You’re still living here, right?” He glanced between the both of us, eating his pancakes.

  “Uh, for now until I can drive. Although, with the car service, I could probably move back anytime. I was in my apartment because I needed to get some things and clean. Rotten luck that I was there when she came knocking.”

  “Seriously. On the other hand, I’m sure she would’ve flipped to find out you were staying with this guy.”

  He was teasing, yet I could tell by the way Colby’s jaw clenched, he’d taken it as a direct hit on his character.

  “Yeah, well, if it wasn’t for this guy, I’d probably still be crying on the floor of my apartment from last night. He brought me pink snowballs.”

  Brian looked towards Colby. “Dude, I owe you one.”

  He scoffed at the attention. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

  Brian turned his gaze on me. “Must’ve been bad for you to be crying.”

  “Yeah. It wasn’t great,” I murmured.

  “Did you want to stay here over the next few days Brian? I have the second guest room,” Colby offered.

  Was I a terrible person by wishing my brother would say no?

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll stay a few nights and hang out with Kenzie. My meetings are on Thursday, which means I’ll move to a hotel downtown on Wednesday night.”

  I got up to clear my plate. “That’d be great.” Except for the fact I’d have given anything to have Colby inside of me at the moment. Bad sister.

  “I actually need to travel out to New York for a couple of days for work, so the timing is good for Kenzie to have the company,” Colby announced.

  Happy my back was turned towards my brother, I fixed my gaze on Colby, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. Funny how he hadn’t mentioned the trip before my brother had crashed.

  “In fact, I should get packed. Um I’m just going to grab some things from the closet in your room real quick Kenz.” Colby excused himself to go into the master bedroom.

  “I should get my suitcase from the car and call Sasha. Be back in a few.” Brian ruffled my hair and then was out the front door.

  Wasting no time, I followed Colby into the bedroom to find him with a garment bag and small suitcase already open on the bed. “Since when do you have a trip to New York?”

  “I have some meetings with Josh. I was planning to wait until next week, but this works out better with your brother in town.” He barely looked up while taking clothes out of his dresser.

  I stepped between him and the bed, putting my hand on his chest and forcing him to meet my eyes. “Listen, if you’re freaking out right now, you need to at the very least own up to it and not leave me wondering what in the hell has happened.”

  He took a deep breath, glancing towards the door.

  I answered his unspoken question. “He’s out in the car talking to Sasha and getting his suitcase.”

  “Okay, I’m freaking out a little bit,” he admitted.

  “Enough to end things?”

  His shock was immediate. “No. Is that what you want?”

  I exhaled in relief. “Not at all, but I guess I needed a little reassurance here since you’re practically running out of the house.”

  His fingers cupped my chin. “We’ll be fine. This was just unexpected.” His hand dropped like a stone when we both heard the front door open and shut. “I’ll be home in two days.”

  ***

  By Wednesday I was ready for Brian to hop back on a plane eastbound. Not that I didn’t appreciate his counsel and support, but if I had to hear him offer to pay for one more thing, I was going to threaten not to talk to him. You know, for ten whole minutes because, let’s face it, my older brother meant well and had the biggest heart, not to mention the best intentions. During lunch he tried a new tactic.

  “What if we call it a loan? You stay in Los Angeles, do the internship in the fall, and we work out the repayment details when you become famous.”

  “Or, I could get a job, like normal people, and do my internship come fall.”

  “I thought the internship was full-time?”

  “It is, but I could work nights and weekends.”

  “I don’t like that idea. Plus, where would you live?”

  “A couple of the girls I played lacrosse with will be seniors and are leasing a house. They have an extra room I can rent.”

  He shook his head. “Come on. You’d be living in a party house. Believe me, no one out of school wants to live with college students.”

  “True. The thing is, although I met Max Tambor, I may not get the fall internship, and e
ven if I did, it might not lead to anything.”

  He frowned across the table at me in the little Italian bistro in which we were grabbing pizza. “What happened to all the hope you had for this opportunity?”

  I shrugged. “Reality literally hit me in the form of a car that this internship might not be the end-all, be-all. Can I run an idea by you without you freaking out?” A woman with whom I’d volunteered had suggested something on Monday that I’d been kicking around the last couple of days.

  “I won’t freak out, but it doesn’t mean I’ll agree with you. What is it?”

  I took a deep breath. “I haven’t decided if this is what I want to do or not, but a lady I met at the hospital told me about these programs around the world run by this organization which places people in volunteer positions. She did it a couple of years ago. You can sign up for anything from building a school to teaching English or music—which is what I’m interested in.”

  He looked momentarily taken off guard, and then thoughtful. The thing I admired most about my brother was his ability to look at something from all angles and ask good questions.

  “What country, how long, and have you researched the organization?”

  “The where part is up to me, however I could choose a country such as Bali, for example. I can do as little as two weeks, but I can do other increments or even extend if it’s going well. The volunteers stay and work together.”

  “What’s prompting this idea?”

  I was earnest in my reply. “Volunteering at the hospital with those kids makes me feel joy like I’ve never experienced before. It’s made me become more appreciative for everyone and everything that’s positive in my life. And when I’m around them, I have no problem singing.”

  His face showed his surprise as he knew I battled stage fright.

  “I forget my nerves, thinking instead of how much they love the music, and then before I realize it, I’m enjoying it too. I’d forgotten how much I love singing. No pressure, no expectation, purely the ability to transport them somewhere else for a little while.”

  He studied me for the longest time. “Send me the organization’s website and let me do some research. Obviously, you’re old enough to make your own decision, but I’d feel better about it if Mark could run a background check on them first. I’ll support you if you decide this is what you want, but I’d like to ensure it’s safe first.”

  I nodded, appreciating he’d want to confirm that it was. “Thank you. So, are you still flying home tomorrow after your meetings?”

  “Up to you. Colby said he’s working late for the next couple nights at the office, so I could stay longer if you want the company.”

  I’d heard from Colby a few times over the last two days through text messages telling me he was thinking of me or that he missed me, but Brian made it sound as if Colby was in LA. “He’s back?”

  “Yeah, and from what Josh said on the phone, Colby’s in a pisser of a mood. They had a disagreement and, in little brother fashion, he’s dead set on proving his older brother wrong.”

  If I hadn’t been taken off guard with the knowledge that Colby was here in Los Angeles and hadn’t called me, I might have bristled at Brian’s comment on his behalf.

  Finally snapping out of my initial shock over Colby being back in town without letting me know, I had to ask, “What was the disagreement between Josh and Colby about?”

  “Business. Colby wants to grow the Production Company into indie films and documentaries while Josh prefers for him to stick with what’s profitable.”

  “Wouldn’t Josh trust his brother’s done his due diligence? Plus, isn’t it Colby’s company? I would think with all of the—”

  “Whoa, there. Why are you annoyed with me?”

  Oh, shit, my questions had been asked in complete irritation. I took a deep breath. “Obviously, I’m a little oversensitive when it comes to family members not supporting their loved ones lately. Sometimes I don’t think Josh realizes how hard his brother works.”

  Brian sighed. “For the record, I fully support you.”

  “I know, I obviously didn’t mean you. Sorry.”

  He chuckled. “No problem. Anyhow you don’t know both sides when it comes to Josh and Colby. Trust me when I say there’s a history there when it comes to trust issues and Josh having to step in.”

  “That sounds ominous, but I don’t need any details.” And I meant it. Because if there was a story to be told, I’d rather hear it from Colby.

  “I shouldn’t have brought it up. Anyhow, I can stay through the end of the week if you want.”

  I waved him off. “Thanks, but I’m sure you miss Sasha and I’m capable on my own these days although Colby insists on a car service for my appointments. Hopefully I’ll receive the all clear for driving by next week.”

  “Good. Now, what are you going to do about Mom?”

  “Aside from disappointing her in six weeks’ time by coming home for the baptism with no intention of staying out there and subsequently being cut off, nothing.”

  “I’m not sure what’s going on with her lately as I never got a vibe until recently that she was freaking out over you staying in LA.”

  “Yeah, it’s like she’s in panic mode. I did feel terrible when she asked why I hadn’t called her after the accident, though.”

  “Me, too. Maybe it wasn’t the right decision, but she has to understand why you didn’t want to tell her. Anyhow, I think you should call your dad in the meantime. Maybe he can shed some light on why she’s acting crazier than normal. Plus, I don’t believe he would agree to cutting off your trust fund. He may be sympathetic.”

  “And if he isn’t?” I might not be able to face my fears yet, but I was getting better at vocalizing them.

  His face softened. “Then you tell them both to go to hell, and so will I.”

  My brother always knew the right thing to say.

  ***

  By the time eight o’clock that evening rolled around, I was restless in the house all by myself. After dialing Colby’s direct line at his office, I smiled when he answered.

  “I meant to call you.”

  “Uh-huh. Your boyfriend survival manual should’ve told you not to answer the office phone, letting me know exactly where you are.”

  He chuckled. “Are you giving me tips on how to successfully avoid my girlfriend?”

  Okay, hearing him call me his girlfriend made me want to squeal like an annoying teenager who’d never had one. I rolled my eyes at myself. “Nah, I rather enjoy that you suck at this part. You doing okay?”

  “Ah, the family grapevine must be prompting that question. I take it Brian gave you the rundown.”

  “Only that you and Josh had a disagreement, but when you’re ready, I’d rather hear you tell me about it. In the meantime, I’ll let you get back to work as I just wanted to check that you were doing all right.”

  “Is this one of those moments where you say that, but you’ll be pissed if I don’t come home right now?”

  “No, turns out I’m terrible at the quintessential annoying girlfriend stuff. You’d tell me if there was anything I could do to help, though, right?”

  “You already have. ‘Night, Kenz.”

  “‘Night.”

  ***

  Colby’s warm body curled into mine sometime later in the middle of the night. His arms went around me from the back as he inhaled my scent.

  “I fucking missed you more than what’s healthy,” he whispered.

  “Says who?”

  “No one who’s ever been with you, that’s for sure.”

  His words made my heart flutter. “I missed you, too.” I sucked in a breath when his hands skimmed down over my hips and stomach as if he needed to feel every inch of me.

  His fingers worked my panties down before discovering I was already aroused. “Remember where we were before your brother interrupted us?”

  “It’s all I could think about over the last couple of days.”

  “You
thought about me sliding into you with nothing between us?”

  My powers of speech temporarily eluded me when his finger entered me gently, causing desire to unfurl in my belly.

  “Hmm?” he prompted.

  “Yes, I need to feel you. Especially when you come deep inside of me.”

  “Christ. You’re not supposed to be good at this.”

  I grinned in the dark. “Good at what?”

  “Dirty talk.”

  I giggled, thinking about the fact I hadn’t even been trying and was suddenly impatient to feel him.

  He shifted, but before he was about to slide into my heat, he reached around with the intention of using his fingers on me first. “Let me get you ready.”

  I pushed back onto him. “I already am.”

  We both let out collective sighs of pleasure when he sunk deep inside, stretching me with every inch. He gripped my hips to keep it slow.

  The exquisite sensation of him filling me overwhelmed all of my senses. “Oh, God. Does it feel different?”

  “Fuck. It’s like a religious experience.” He took me to the hilt, then held there.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  He lifted my top leg over his, giving him a deeper angle, and then set a delicious rhythm of long, powerful strokes. “Yes. Are you sleepy at all?”

  “Uh, no, I’m wide awake.”

  “Selfishly, I ask because I’m hoping you’d be tired enough to think more time went by before I finished. I’m not going to last long. You feel too good like this.”

  “Mm, I quite like that idea.” I reached behind me, gripping his ass to urge him on. When his fingers circled my clit, I was done for, igniting his climax in return. If I’d thought he was done, however, I was proven wrong when he moved his hips again, this time in a languid motion. Hell, he didn’t feel as though he’d softened at all.

  “You don’t have any plans for the morning, do you?” he asked huskily.

  “Other than this, not a thing on the calendar.”

  His hands splayed over both breasts and he lifted my back onto his chest, tucking my head into the crook of his neck and giving him complete access to my body. “Good. Me, either.”