by L. P. Dover
“I thought you had a date tonight.” His heated gaze roamed over my pajama bottoms and tank top.
“I do. Now if you don’t mind, he’ll be here in a minute. So . . .”
He held up his hands. “Okay, I can see when I’m not wanted. Do you mind if I get a glass of water before I go?”
I really wanted to say no, but it was just water. Rolling my eyes, I stepped out of the way. “Fine, make it quick.” He followed me into the kitchen and I poured him a glass of water.
“Thank you,” he said, taking a sip. “Do I smell popcorn?”
I groaned internally. Of course he’d pick up on that. “Yes, but it’s not for you. I’m about to turn on a movie.”
He finished off the water and chuckled. “Like Pitch Perfect, or some girly-shit like that?”
Shaking my head, I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Actually, no. Although, there’s nothing wrong with those. It’s North and South. I doubt you’ve ever heard of it.” I grabbed the remote and sat down on the couch, pulling my popcorn into my lap.
Luke hopped over and sat down beside me, stealing a handful of my treat. He popped a few kernels into his mouth and smiled. “I didn’t know you liked war movies. Or is it Patrick Swayze you like?”
“How did you know he was in the movie?”
He grabbed another handful of popcorn. “Evan’s mother used to watch it all the time when we were kids. I think she had a celebrity crush on the man who played George Hazard.” The thought made me smile. “Do you mind if I watch it with you until your date gets here?”
“You really want to watch it?”
With a sly grin on his face, he ran a hand through his dirty blond hair and shrugged. “Why not?”
“I don’t know. I figured you’d be washing your crotch for whatever girl is on the menu for the evening. You’re always at the restaurant on Friday nights for someone new.”
“I guess I wasn’t feeling it tonight. I want to do something different.”
“Suit yourself,” I laughed, turning on the TV. “When you get bored, you know where the door is.”
“Don’t you want to wait for your date?”
Sighing, I pressed play and kept my gaze on the screen. “There’s no date, asswipe. I only said it so you’d leave me alone. I can see now that’s not going to happen.”
He moved closer and ate more of the popcorn. “Nope. You intrigued me today. I’ve missed spending time with you.”
I snorted. “You won’t be saying that for too much longer.”
“You’d be surprised. Oh, before I forget, you need to be at my house tomorrow by six o’clock. We’ll leave from there together.”
“Who said I was going with you to the party?”
“Oh, come on. It’s not like you have to touch me, or even like me. Live a little. Would it kill you to be my date?”
“I don’t know, it might.” I reached in the bag to get more popcorn, but he snatched it out of my hands. “You better give it back. Don’t mess with my damn popcorn.”
“I’ll give it back when you say you’ll go with me.”
Growling, I jumped over him to reach for it, but he grabbed me around the waist and brought me down on his lap. The popcorn fell to the floor, and I giggled as he tickled me under the arms. I squirmed so much, we fell to the floor and I banged my elbow on the coffee table.
“Shit, that hurt, you fucker.” I laughed, trying to catch my breath.
Luke’s face was incredibly close to mine, his body pressed against me. “Are you okay?”
I looked up into his eyes. Dammit, he was really hot. Too bad it was wasted on him. “I’m fine.”
He stared down at me, his gaze moving to my lips. They parted slightly and his head dipped lower.
Do girls actually fall for this shit? “Are you ready to watch the movie?”
He looked at my lips again and sighed. “Sure.” Sliding away from me, he got up and extended his hand to help me up.
We watched two episodes of North and South, then started on the third one. Luke was really committing to the farce he was playing. But it wouldn’t work; I would never sleep with him.
“Are you going to sleep all day, lazy?”
Groaning, I opened my eyes and all I could see was a blurry resemblance of myself. “Mornin’, sis.”
“Good morning to you, too. I thought you said Luke wasn’t going to see any of your lady bits?”
Jerking awake, I threw the blanket off and breathed a sigh of relief. I was fully clothed.
Summer sat there, trying hard to hold back her snicker, but failing.
“I didn’t sleep with him,” I replied honestly.
“Actually, you did. You were both asleep on the couch when I came to check on you. That technically implies you did indeed sleep together.”
“Fuck me.” I groaned. “When did he leave?”
She nodded toward the door. “Not too long ago. You weren’t answering my calls, so I got worried and thought I’d ride over to check on you.”
“Did he say anything when he left?”
“Not much. He just covered you up with the blanket, then said his goodbyes.” His scent was still on the soft fabric. “I thought you were watching a movie alone last night.”
I rubbed my eyes and yawned, trying my best to avoid her stare. “That was the plan, but then he showed up to return my checkbook. It fell out at his house.”
“You need to be more careful.”
I shrugged. “I’ve never had it happen before. I’m just grateful he returned it.”
“Me too.” She looked down at her phone. “All right, it’s time for me to go. Enjoy your day off, although, you’ve slept most of it away.”
Once she was gone, I got out of bed and took a shower. My phone beeped as I walked into the bedroom, and saw it was my best friend.
Kate: How could you not tell me about tonight? I had to find out from my brother!
Evan Townsend was her brother and also my sister’s boyfriend. He and Luke had been best friends ever since they were young. When I first moved to North Carolina, I was already around them because of Kate. We all used to have a lot of fun together.
Me: What did he say about it? For the record, I never said I would go anywhere with him.
Kate: I’m coming over!
Me: Good. Bring coffee. I need it.
I barely had time to get dressed and ready for the day, before she barreled through the front door. “Come on in,” I called out.
“I will, you little slut. Why didn’t you tell me about Luke?” She handed me the coffee, her gray eyes as wide and curious as could be. When she sat down beside me on the couch, I ruffled her wavy, blonde hair.
“It’s nothing, Kate. Luke wants me to go to this party at Chance’s house, as payment for helping me with my car yesterday. I never said I’d go, he’s taking liberties by telling Evan.”
She stared at me before she burst out laughing. “You expect me to believe this is nothing? You’ve been interested in him for a long time.”
I would never be rid of my old mistake. Who knew having a crush could haunt you for years? I sat back and drank a sip of the coffee. “That was before. I’m not into catching syphilis, or gonorrhea, or whatever the kids are sharing nowadays.”
“People change, Lara. He’ll get tired of the women falling at his feet, soon enough. Obviously, you did something yesterday for him to come back to you.”
“It’s not hard to figure out. I have a vagina and he hasn’t tapped it yet, so he’s trying to find a way in. End of mystery.”
“Ah. So, you’re teasing him, and dragging him along.”
“For the third time, I never said I would go!”
Lips tilting in a sly smirk, she put her arm around me. “Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.” She giggled. “Now, are you going to let me help you find something to wear?”
Feeling defeated, I sighed and gave in. “Sure. Why not? It would do me some good to get out of the house for the night.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I murmured to myself.
It was nighttime, and I should’ve left for Luke’s house five minutes ago. Checking my makeup one last time, I grabbed my keys and locked up. When I got to his door, a note was taped to the doorbell.
Come on in.
Snatching the note, I opened the door and slammed it shut. Luke was nowhere to be found. “Hey, dumb ass, don’t you know anyone could’ve walked in your house? How stupid can you be?”
He chuckled from down the hall. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t expecting anyone other than you. I poured you a glass of wine. It’s in the kitchen.”
Before I could walk any farther, he appeared around the corner, still wet from his shower, butt-ass naked. He ran a towel through his hair and then slung it over his shoulder. When he lifted his head, his eyes lit up and he nodded in approval at my skin tight blue dress—Kate had made me wear it.
“You look amazing,” he murmured.
“And you look . . . a little underdressed. I thought you told me to be here at six. Or is this how you get all of the ladies, by swinging your prize hog around?”
He leaned against the wall, smirking. “Prize hog, huh? Like what you see, do you?”
“Jesus. Of course, that’s all you would hear.”
“Oh, I heard everything. But it’s nice to know you noticed.” He winked, wrapping the towel around his waist. “I did tell you to be here at six, but I had a few issues with my bike I wanted to fix. Why don’t you drink your glass of wine, and I’ll get dressed.”
This was going to be a long night. “Sounds good to me.” He disappeared down the hall and I made my way into the kitchen. I was going to need more than one glass of wine. “Where’s the bottle?”
“In the refrigerator,” he called.
I fetched the bottle and started to pour myself another glass, but thought better of it. The last thing I needed was to be drunk around him.
“Are you okay?”
When I shut the refrigerator door and found him standing right there, I almost dropped my wine glass. I hadn’t heard him walk up. “I’m fine. I thought I needed a little more to take the edge off, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Edge off what?” he asked.
I scoffed. “Having to spend time with you.”
“Ouch. You’re starting right out of the gate tonight, I see.” He walked by me and grabbed his truck keys and wallet off the counter.
He was the type to wear ripped jeans stained with grease, but not tonight. His blond hair was gelled in messy spikes and he had on a pair of slacks with a light green polo shirt that matched his eyes. Every woman at the party was going to be all over him.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked, glancing at me over his shoulder.
I set my glass in the sink and nodded. “Let’s go.”
We got in his truck, and thankfully he drove, because that glass of wine had hit me fast. I should’ve known better than to drink on an empty stomach.
The party location ended up being at Chance’s house, which was huge, just like Luke’s. I guess that was what winning motocross races could buy you. There were cars parked all down the street, but Luke was able to pull right up to the front of the house and park.
“Is this the VIP parking?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Only for me, cupcake.” It killed me every time he called me that. I had loved it when he gave me the nickname a few years back, but now I wondered how many girls he’d used it on.
We got out of the truck, and when he tried to put his arm around my waist, I stepped out of his reach. “Hands to yourself tonight, Collins. I didn’t come here to be your plaything.” I glanced up at him and he smiled.
“Playing hard to get, huh?”
“I’m not playing anything. I’m only here because I needed a night out, and I knew you’d be harder to get rid of than a rash.”
His jaw tensed. “I’m sorry I embarrass you.”
“I can’t help it you make bad choices.” I glared up at him and all I saw back was fire; he was angry. Immediately, I felt bad for my words, but I wouldn’t take them back because they were true.
Chance Harris sauntered up. I recognized him from the races with his bright blue eyes and dark brown hair, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a button down shirt. “Look what we have here. What’s up, brother?” he said, extending his hand.
Plastering on a fake smile, Luke shook his hand. “Nice party, Harris. I think I need a beer though.”
“Certainly. There’s plenty in the kitchen.”
Luke lifted his brows, but there was no hint of a smile. “Want anything?”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. Thanks.” He stormed off, and I felt a little bad. Why say I’d come with him, if I was only going to rip into him all night? I was being a bitch.
Chance whistled and focused on me. “I must say, I’ve never seen him mad at a woman like that before. What did you do to him?”
“Said some things I shouldn’t have, even though he needed to hear them.”
“Obviously he took them to heart. Usually he doesn’t give a shit what people think.”
I snorted. “I’m sure he’ll get over it real quick. There are plenty of women here to keep his mind off it.”
His brows lifted. “So, you’re free, is what you’re telling me?”
“If you’re asking if I’m going to fuck Collins tonight, the answer is no. I have no intention of hooking up with anyone this evening.”
Grinning from ear to ear, he held out his arm and nodded for me to take it. “I think I like you. What’s your name? I know I’ve seen you around before at our parties. I’m Chance Harris.”
“I know who you are. I’m Lara Jacobs.” I shook his hand, and reluctantly took his arm. There was a time when I did hang out at the parties with Kate, but that was so long ago. Luke was nowhere to be found, and I could only imagine what he was getting into, or better yet, who he was getting in to.
“Nice to meet you, Lara. Do you like watching motocross?”
I nodded. “I usually watch the races with Kate. Her brother is best friends with Luke.”
His eyes went wide. “Are you talking about Kate Townsend?”
“Yeah, but it’s Davis now. Why?”
He shrugged. “No reason, really. I just know she used to be a sore subject for him.”
“Not still, right?” I asked. It had been months since Kate chose Cooper over him. They were married now.
He shook his head. “He doesn’t talk about her like he used to. I’m pretty sure he’s been over her for a while.” We came to a door and he opened it wide. “Care to take a walk with me?”
Glancing outside, I saw there were a ton of people milling about. As long as we weren’t alone, I’d be fine. “Sure.” We walked past the pool, where many of his guests were splashing around. “When is your next race?” I asked.
“Next weekend. It’s one of the most important races of the year.”
“And you compete against Luke? How does that work with your relationship?”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Collins and I are friends. Plus, we have the same sponsors, so we’re basically on the same team. Most of the time, I ride in the class below him, so it’s not like we really ride against each other. We train together all the time. I can’t recall how many times he’s outsmarted me when it comes to fixing our bikes. I owe him a lot.”
That was the one positive thing about Luke I could agree to. “He’s loyal to his friends, that’s for sure. I know how he is with Evan Townsend. But I don’t know if that makes up for his choice in women, or how frequently he chooses them.”
“And yet, you’re here with him,” he teased.
I elbowed him in the side and he laughed. “Only because I have to be. I guess you can say I had no choice.” We sat down on a secluded bench, where the trees opened up to reveal the clear night sky and the bright stars above.
“At least you got to meet me, right?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Harris.”
Slamming the empty shot glass down, I poured another and let the amber liquid slide down my throat. What the fuck was going on? I never had to try so hard for a girl before. Why was Lara fighting me? Usually I could walk away and never look back. Why did I want her so fucking bad?
“Collins, come have a drink with us,” someone shouted from the other room.
“Can’t,” I called out, heading for the door. When I looked out the glass door, Lara was nowhere to be seen. Where the hell was she? I knew it was a mistake to leave her alone with Harris. Fuck.
Storming outside, there were people who called my name, but I ignored them. There was only one thing on my mind; finding Lara. I walked over to a group of riders who sat by the pool. “Have any of you seen Harris?”
I recognized a few of them, but they rode in the smaller classes. One of them, a young guy in his early twenties, nodded and pointed toward the garden on the other side of the house. “He went that way with some blonde chick.”
A feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time resurfaced, burning inside my gut. I didn’t want Harris alone with Lara. He could have anyone he wanted, but not her. I thundered past the pool to the other side of the house. I could hear Lara’s laugh the closer I got, and it only fueled my anger more. She should be laughing like that with me.
When I found them, Harris stood from the bench and slapped my arm. “Hey, man.”
I knew that if I said anything to him, I’d lose my shit. Instead, I just glared and held out my hand to Lara. “It’s time for us to go.” She swallowed hard, but took my hand. Luckily, she didn’t fight me because I was just about ready to haul her over my shoulder.
“You okay, man?” Chance asked. “Why are you leaving so soon?”
He was my friend, but I wanted to tell him to fuck off, to not even attempt to look at Lara the way he was doing when I walked up. “I’m just not feeling it tonight,” I lied. “I’ll see you next week.” I held out my hand and he shook it.
Chance then focused on Lara. “It was nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you again.”