Pretty Boy D: A Best Friends to Lovers Standalone (Kings of Cypress Pointe)

by Rachel Jonas

  She smiles, then sweeps both feet back onto her lounger. To keep things from getting awkward, I change the subject.

  “You guys are really settling in here. Does it feel like home yet?”

  She glances over and there’s so much contentment on her face it’s overwhelming. If happiness were a drug, she’s high as hell right now.

  “Pretty sure I could be anywhere with West and it’d feel like home,” she answers.

  Their love was hard won, so to see them stable and head-over-heels for one another is incredible. Not so long ago, the pair shared a hatred for one another that ran bone-deep. It was ugly to witness from the front-row seat being West’s friend provided me, but I can imagine it was even uglier to live through. So, if they were able to sort things out, there’s hope I could be as happy as she is one day.

  Maybe.

  She reaches for her phone when it vibrates on the table between us. Lifting her sunglasses again, she glances at the screen for half a second before returning a text.

  “Speaking of West,” I tease.

  “Actually, it’s not him,” she says with a laugh, pausing to finish her message. “It’s Detective Roby’s daughter, Dez. We used to be tight a long time ago, back when our dads were partners on the force. Roby filled her in on everything that’s happened this year, and after she reached out to see if I was okay, we just kind of kept in touch. She’s even planning to join in on our girls’ night in a couple weeks, so you, Jules, and Lexi can all get to know her, too.”

  “Well, I’m open to meeting new friends, so it should be fun.”

  “I get the feeling she’s had some personal shit going on, but she doesn’t talk about it much. She’s back home for a bit, though, so more friends is probably a good thing,” Blue reasons.

  There’s a story there to unpack, but I’ll mind my business. “Well, if she’s got drama she’s trying to outrun, she’s found herself the right crew.”

  The comment makes Blue laugh, but she doesn’t deny that it’s true.

  “Speaking of outrunning trouble, how’s Ricky?” I face her again after asking.

  “You’d have to ask West,” she answers with a laugh. “For every one time I hear from him, West has heard from him three times that. Never thought I’d have to compete with Ricky for my boyfriend’s attention.”

  My, how things have changed. There was once a time when Blue’s ex, Ricky Ruiz, was the thorn in West’s side. But due in part to it coming to light that the duo’s fathers are actually half-brothers, they’ve managed to work things out.

  “Any idea when it’ll be safe for him to come back?”

  There’s a hint of sadness in Blue’s eyes when she shakes her head, because before Ricky was ever her ex, he was a friend.

  “Not any time soon, I don’t guess. The Ruizes and Navarros have had more drama between them than usual—beef over turf or some shit like that—so I think Ricky’s planning to stay where he is for a while. Can’t blame him,” she adds.

  Apparently, everyone in our circle is running from something—the law, a bad reputation, feelings.

  “Ok, not to keep jumping subjects, but I have to ask. What’s the deal with this Shawna chick?” Blue snatches off her sunglasses again and I shrug, smiling an uncertain smile.

  “What about her? I mean, Dane hanging out with her is work, so… I guess that’ll continue.”

  Blue keeps staring and I’m almost as good at reading her as she is at reading me. She doesn’t like that whole situation between the two of them, but it is what it is. He only agreed not to be physical with a girl, not that he wouldn’t date.

  When she takes a deep breath and settles into her seat again, she keeps her eyes trained on me.

  “If you need me to take my baseball bat out of retirement, I’m willing to do that for you. And I know for a fact that Lexi would be down.”

  I laugh, knowing from experience that those two aren’t shy about swinging bats.

  “Noted. If Shawna becomes a problem, you’ll be the first one I call.”

  She smiles and puts her sunglasses in place on the bridge of her nose. Her question has me thinking, though. Not that this is the first time Dane’s obligation to continue things with Shawna has come to mind, but I guess I’m trying to keep my word about checking my emotions at the door.

  Despite the potential for complication, I have to believe that if any two people can navigate these uncharted waters, it’s me and Dane.

  Hopefully.

  Maybe?

  @QweenPandora: Well, our Golden Boys stepped out onto the field of North Cypress University for the first time today and I must admit, they looked damn good out there.

  In more ways than one, might I add.

  If today’s practice was any indication, this season will be one for the books.

  PrettyBoyD was reportedly a smidge off focus, but juggling VirginVixen and NotJoss is possibly to blame. It’s true that burning the wick at both ends means the flames catch up to you twice as fast.

  Be careful, PrettyBoyD. We’re all watching to see if you ever get your head in the game.

  The one on top of your shoulders, that is.

  Who knows, though? With Daddy’s impending trial drawing closer, distraction among the Golden Boys might become contagious.

  Here’s hoping I’m wrong about that, and a bit of good fortune follows them into the season.

  Heaven knows they’ll need it.

  Later, Peeps.

  —P

  19

  Joss

  “Shit!”

  The basket slips from my hands and hits the floor with a thud. Snatching out my earbuds, I stumble back a few feet. I didn’t expect to see Dane standing on the other side of the threshold when I opened the door to the loft, so now my heart’s racing a mile a minute.

  “Didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, but that smile on his lips tells me he’s not all that sorry.

  I look him over, forgetting what I was even doing before this. He’s so hot it’s literally killing me.

  “I was… just heading down to do laundry,” I explain, stooping to retrieve the fallen basket. When I stand straight again, he’s staring at the book resting on top of my clothes.

  “Planning to be gone a while?”

  Geez, I can’t even look him in the eyes to answer a simple question.

  “Figured I may as well wait down there until they’re done. I’ve only got one load.”

  He’s quiet and I wonder what he’s thinking.

  “Give me a sec. I’ll join you,” he offers.

  Clearly, I’m the only one trying to find my footing after last night. He’s not even rattled a little.

  My eyes are on him when he leaves me at the door, makes his way down the hall, then disappears in his room. We’ve been apart all day. After practice, he hung with his brothers a while. I only know as much because Pandora’s posted about them at least three times between this afternoon and evening, making sure no one missed it.

  Bitch also made sure no one missed that little bit about the perceived love triangle between him, me, and Shawna. Or NotJoss, as she prefers to call her.

  My chat with Blue a few hours ago is mostly all that’s on my mind, though. More specifically, her belief that Dane and I are kidding ourselves, thinking we can keep our feelings out of the deal we struck.

  “Ready,” he announces, coming toward me with that cocky walk of his. It’s unintentional, of course, but it just adds to his ability to own whatever space he graces with his presence. I’ve always enjoyed watching him enter a room—the audacious roll of his shoulders, the confidence in his stride.

  I don’t speak while waiting outside our door for him to lock up. Then, when he’s done, he relieves my hands of the basket without asking. We walk to the elevator in silence, and still don’t speak as we descend four floors. When we step off and venture into the darkness of the building’s basement, I’m admittedly grateful he’s with me this time. I’d only ever been down here alone, so having his company
is nice.

  Maybe I won’t get creeped out like the times before.

  He holds the door and lets me pass to step into the laundry room ahead of him. It’s just us, and the round windows on the doors of all six machines show they’re empty. So, I pick a washer and load my things while Dane leans against the adjacent wall. Grabbing the bottle of detergent buried beneath my clothes, I glance up to find his eyes are already trained on me.

  Breathing deeper, I pretend not to notice and finish getting the load started. When I’m done, I set the basket aside and stand near him.

  “So, Sterling made a good suggestion at lunch,” he says, breaking the silence.

  “What’s that?”

  “Puerto Rico for Spring Break. I mean, now that we know we have family there, the trip would serve a dual purpose. We could hit the beach, plus maybe meet some of the Ruizes who haven’t relocated to the States.”

  I smile a bit. “You had me at the word ‘beach’.”

  He smiles, too. “We’ll probably reach out to a travel agent this fall so we’ll have around eight months to plan. It’s gonna be epic.”

  I nod, agreeing. “No doubt in my mind that it will be.”

  “I don’t want to do a hotel. Maybe a villa or something,” he adds, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

  The motion draws my eyes below his waist and, just like that, I’m remembering straddling him last night, feeling him.

  “You hung with Blue today?”

  My eyes snap to his. “I did. We swam a bit, but mostly just laid out in the sun.”

  And talked about you.

  I keep that part to myself, but it does make me wonder if he mentioned anything to his brothers. It’s hard to tell with most guys. Sometimes they share things with each other, sometimes they don’t, but the triplets rarely hold secrets from one another.

  “I think I finally got to the bottom of what’s been up with Sterling,” he says, piquing my interest.

  “Is it this shit with your dad?”

  He shakes his head. “Surprisingly, no. It’s… the other thing.”

  I only have to think about that a few seconds before I get it.

  “Gina Harrison? As in, dean of the university? He didn’t!”

  “Well, he says he didn’t, but…” Dane grins a bit when his voice trails off and, in contrast, I feel myself frowning.

  “I really hope he’s smarter than that. Do you know what deep shit he’ll be in if they get caught?”

  Dane shrugs. “Again, his story is that it’s not what it looks like, but whatever the case, I know my brother. He’ll figure something out. Always does.”

  These Golden boys are trouble incarnate. If there’s one thing I can attest to, it’s the truth in this statement.

  We chat some more about how we spent the afternoon, and about my first day of cheer practice tomorrow morning, slipping into an easy conversation. Before I know it, the awkwardness is gone and my load’s done. While I shift my things to the dryer, I have that sense of knowing Dane’s staring again, but don’t look to confirm.

  I hit ‘start’ on the machine, then move toward the wall to rejoin him. Only, he’s pushing off from it.

  “Dropped something,” he says, leaning down to grab a piece of lavender-colored silk from the ground—a pair of damp panties I hadn’t realized missed the dryer.

  Laughing, I attempt to snatch them from where they’re dangling on his finger, but he lifts them high into the air before I have the chance. My body slams his when I reach, my breasts meeting the unyielding firmness of his chest as I stretch upward. On contact, my nipples harden beneath the lace of my bra.

  “Are we really gonna play this game?” I ask, still smiling.

  He shrugs and I breathe in traces of his cologne. I reach behind him this time, and our game of keep-away erases the space we maintained until now.

  “If you really want them back… I can probably be persuaded.”

  I’m intrigued, curious to hear what he’ll say next. So, I take the bait. “How?”

  He turns his lips toward my ear when I ask, breathing hot air against my skin. Then, his free arm slips around my waist and draws me dangerously close.

  “Kiss me.”

  We’re both completely silent now. The only sound being the rhythmic hum of the dryer where it thumps and groans behind me. I lean away, just enough to meet his green stare. His lids are half mast, smoldering. I’ve seen that look before, but it’s far more intense now.

  Still having the taste of him in my mouth, I recall our deal and… let it happen, let my lips touch his.

  He breathes me in, and I push both hands over the muscular curves of his shoulders. Working my fingers into his hair, I bring him closer. I’m not sure where the panties have gone, but he grips both my hips, erasing the small space that existed between us, until his body’s flush against mine.

  The dryer’s heat and vibration at my back match Dane’s warmth that covers the front of me. He leans in and I’m trapped. Tension builds in my core and I’m reminded how it felt having him locked between my legs last night, feeling him rock-hard against me.

  His hand slips between us and I lose my breath when he grips the mound at the meeting of my thighs. There’s this feeling of ownership that exudes from his touch, and it’s so powerful that I all but believe it myself. That he owns any and every part of my body he dares to touch. His hand creeps higher until he’s able to undo the button to my shorts, but what surprises me more than this unexpected contact, is the fact that I never even consider stopping him.

  My lips are damp, hot, and swollen when he tears his away. He’s in my ear again and I melt against him.

  “Can I touch you?”

  Those words swarm around me like a thick cloud of smoke, slinking over my skin. When I finally answer, offering nothing more than a semi-lucid nod, his lips are back, and the kiss deepens.

  His hand moves low again, but this time, he’s inside my underwear. I gasp against his mouth as the tip of his middle finger feathers over my clit, then makes that slow, soothing push inside, discovering the truth.

  That I’m completely wet for him, despite how well I hide what he does to me.

  He breathes into our kiss and brings his finger back to that deliciously sensitive spot that has my heartrate spiking. No one’s ever touched me like this but me, late at night, while I lie in bed, thinking only of him.

  His teasing is unending, rubbing the now-slippery bud in small, soft circles, pinching it lightly between his fingers to drive me insane. With every stroke, it only becomes harder and harder to breathe. So much that I’m forced to abandon our kiss, instead pressing my cheek to his while I cling to his neck.

  Both knees want to give out as I puff air against his skin, feeling the familiar tingle that creeps in from my core, spreading like a slow-burning fire. Even when the elevator bell sounds, I don’t want to stop, and Dane doesn’t show signs of caring that we might be seconds from being caught.

  His fingers stir faster, stealing even more of my focus. It feels like a million butterflies were just set free in the pit of my stomach and I shudder against him. When I clench him tight in my arms and whimper quietly into the crook of his neck, he knows I’m coming.

  The door creeps open and an elderly woman gasps a shocked, “Oh my!” that hardly even registers. She’s gone before Dane’s fingers finally go still, and he pulls his hand free to grip my waist, warming the skin there with my own wetness. His eyelids are lower now, staring at my lips while we both pant, breathing one another’s air. He kisses me again, but this feels different. It feels like we’re breaking our ‘no emotion’ rule, but I’m weak for him, so I don’t stop it.

  It feels too good.

  Too right.

  I’m still lost in the surrealness of the moment when he backs off a few inches, and then refastens the button on my shorts. I flash a look toward him through my lashes, finding his gaze already trained on me. Without a word, he removes the panties that started all this fr
om the top of the dryer, then places them in my hand. Afterward, he does that fucking cocky strut right back over to the wall where he stands posted, just like before.

  I had no idea what I signed up for when we agreed to this arrangement, but more than ever, I’m eager to see where it will lead.

  If he’s made me want to throw caution to the wind with just his touch, I can only imagine what he’d do to me if we removed all the boundaries.

  Last night, I’d been content to simply experiment with each other, but… it’s entirely possible I may give Dane what I swore I never would.

  I might just give him everything.

  20

  Joss

  My fingers have barely curled around the brush handle when I’m startled by a knock. Placing it down on the bathroom counter, I open the door and lay eyes on Dane wearing only his towel, flashing a half-grin that brings a surge of heat to my face.

  “Sorry to bug you, but I overslept and just need to hop in the shower,” he says.

  I don’t miss how his eyes sweep over me like I’m prey, like he’d consume me if I’d only give him permission. His gaze drifts lower, from where only a black sports bra covers my breasts, to my exposed torso, to the tight cheer shorts that leave little to the imagination. He made it clear that my ass is one of his favorite things about me physically, so it doesn’t surprise me when his head tilts ever so slightly and he focuses there.

  “I’ll be done with my hair in just a few, or will it make you late to wait?”

  The dense muscles in his chest jump when he laughs—soft, deep.

  “Actually, I can just slip in while you finish up,” he suggests. “I mean, if you’re okay with that.”

  I breathe deep again and want to play it cool, calm, and collected, so I force a smile that feels awkward, and probably looks it, too.