by BJ Harvey
Never before now have I been thankful for Scotty’s idiotic mouth.
Skye giggles. “Sorry, Scotty. There’s no room at the inn.”
And I don’t share—rides or otherwise. I want to say it, but wisely, I don’t.
“Well, I need to grab a quick shower, so I don’t stink out Cohen’s baby when I drive her home.”
“You let her drive your car?” Luca asks, his tone incredulous.
I scoff. “I don’t even let my brothers drive her. You think I’d let Lead-Foot Letty have a go?”
Skye gasps, putting her hand over her chest in mock offense.
Luca bursts out laughing. “Smart man.”
“So much for blood before bros,” Skye mutters.
“It’s hos before bros actually,” Scotty adds, earning a groan from Rhodes, a scowl from me and a scathing frown from Luca.
He moves his annoyance to the station clown. “Are you calling my sister a ho?” His voice is menacingly calm, and if I didn’t know Luca as well I did, I’d be worried for Scotty’s future health.
He crosses the room, Scotty’s complexion growing paler with every step. Rhodes—like me—just steps back and watches with amusement.
Skye moves quickly, coming to Scotty’s rescue. “Stop scaring the man, Luca. You’ve got six inches and fifty pounds of straight muscle on him,” she says, turning around to look at Scotty. “Tell him you didn’t mean it.”
“Hell no. It’s just a saying, you know?”
“Oh, I do. But I wasn’t going to miss the chance to make you squirm a bit,” Luca says. Realization hits him, and Scotty’s eyes narrow. “God, you guys are assholes.”
“But we’re funny assholes,” Luca retorts, laughing as he does it.
“On that note, I’ll leave you to talk about whatever guys talk about. I’m going to get cleaned up,” Skye says. She looks over her shoulder. “I’ll be ready in ten. Thanks for spotting me, Cass. We’ll have to do it again sometime.” Her words would sound perfectly innocent to anyone else, but for me, someone who nearly crossed the line between being partners and something else entirely, the insinuation is clear as day.
I’m finding my long-held resistance against my attraction to Skye Rossi rapidly wasting away. Soon there’s going to be a time when we’re not interrupted, and I won’t be able to hold back any longer. Part of me thinks that’s precisely what she’s pushing for.
She’s made it clear she wants me. Should I be wasting time fighting it, or do I just give in and accept what now seems like a forgone conclusion?
Skye and I want each other.
Skye and I can’t stop wanting each other.
So maybe Skye and I just need to bang each other’s brains out and get it out of our system, then we can go back to being friends and only friends.
The problem is I’m not sure once is going to be enough.
A few hours later, I’m taking out my frustration and indecision on the ceramic-tiled splashback in what used to be the flat-two kitchen.
“Whoa, who pissed in your cornflakes?” Jax says, leaning against the exposed wooden framing where the drywall used to be. He’s covered in dust. The only part of his body not dirty is the skin around his eyes and mouth.
I tear off my own protection, resting my plastic glasses on top of my head and sliding the mask down around my neck.
“No one. Why’s that?”
He nods to the tiles over my shoulder. “Have you seen the damage you’ve done?”
My head jerks. “What?” I look back to the wall, and then I can acknowledge I’ve been a bit overzealous with the sledgehammer. The plasterboard behind the splashback is damaged beyond repair.
I turn back to face him and shrug. “I’m lucky the wall is rotten and needs replacing then, aren’t I?”
Jax snorts. “You still didn’t answer my question. Hard shift?”
“Nah. Just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
“Feel free to unload, so you don’t wreck anything else. You know I’ll listen without judgment.”
I decide to take him up on his offer. Jax and Jamie are the guys to talk to about the pros and cons of mixing business with pleasure. Since Jamie has already warned me off Skye, Jax is the next cab off the rank.
“Okay,” I say, walking over to the cooler and pulling out a bottle of water. I look up at my brother. “Want one?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
When we both have drinks and have taken healthy swigs, I ponder what to say and how to say it.
But Jax beats me to it. “I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s about Skye.”
My brows lift. “That obvious?”
He laughs. “Only because my wife picked it from a mile away, and that was before we caught your verbal foreplay in your living room a few weeks ago.”
I frown. “Has anyone said anything?”
“No, but I don’t see why you’re not going for it. Skye’s almost like a piece of the furniture. She’s just missing a bit of Cook wood,” he says, waggling his brows.
I shake my head, my lips twitching. “Jesus, Jax.”
“What? Are you saying she doesn’t?”
“Maybe the attraction is completely mutual.”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
My eyes bug out. “Ah, hello? We live four flights of stairs away from each other, we work together, and she pays us rent?”
“We’re talking sex here, not a lifelong commitment, right?”
“That’s what she said.”
Jax snorts. When he realizes I wasn’t joking, he tilts his head. “No shit?”
“Nope. The morning after Bry’s wedding, we got into an argument and ended up kissing, and she said sex is just sex to her and she’d be open to a no-strings arrangement… with me, obviously.”
“And?”
“And that’s it.”
“So why, little brother, is this turning you into a demolition machine now?”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if you’ve been getting some sugar from your neighbor since then, you shouldn’t be this pent up…” He pauses. “Wait, is the sex bad?” he stage whispers.
I roll my eyes. “No, we haven’t had sex.”
“Why the hell not?” he says rather loudly.
“Because I didn’t want to screw anything up with work, and here, and between the two of us. And Jamie said it wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Okay, so I love our big brother, but he’s getting laid, and regularly. So am I, and so is Bry. None of us are exactly in a position to tell you not to go for it when we’re all getting some.”
He’s not wrong.
“If you think Skye can separate sex from all the together stuff like she says she can, why wouldn’t you go there? You trust her, she trusts you, you work well together with clothes on—why not work together naked too?”
“You make it sound far too easy.”
“That’s because it is. Friends have been getting down and dirty with each other for years. This is not a new concept. I’d hazard a guess and say it isn’t even a new concept for you.”
“It’s not, except someone always ends up falling for the other, and then feelings are hurt, and you lose not just the sex, but the friendship as well.”
“And how is that any different from any other normal relationship?” he asks. “At least with Skye, you can set the ground rules from the start. You already respect each other enough to make sure it doesn’t ruin working together or your friendship, and you know she won’t turn into a stage-five clinger when you decide to end it—or if either one of you meet someone you want to date.”
I grind my teeth.
“Hmm.”
“What?” I ask, sounding more annoyed than I should.
“Someone doesn’t like thinking about Skye sleeping with someone else.”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“Then don’t hurt he
r,” he says, matter-of-factly.
I scoff, because I’m a guy, and I’m the first to admit that guys can be thoughtless jerks without even realizing. “Sometimes, it happens regardless.”
He stares straight at me. “Try hard then.”
I nod. It’s all I can do. Because I’d rather sell my car than hurt Skye, so making sure I don’t shouldn’t be that hard.
Jax is right. People have meaningless sex every day. They pick up random strangers on the internet, in a bar, in a club, and off the street. I’ve got my best friend saying she can do sex for sex’s sake without the time, consideration, or energy needed for a normal romantic relationship. She’s got her head screwed on straight. She works just as hard as I do, she likes sex, she wants it with me, and she’s hot as all hell.
As long as we’re both on the same page, and her brothers, Jamie, and our bosses don’t find out, what we do behind closed doors is between us and nobody else. So, the next time Skye and I find ourselves in a situation where we’re getting close, and at risk of jumping each other, I might just see what happens rather than doing everything I can to stop it.
Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?
10
Skye
Saturday night and I’m getting ready for my night out dancing with my sister Valentina. She may be as single as I am, but the difference between us is three years and a biological clock that’s clanging like a church bell.
I’ve just finished putting primer on my face when my phone chimes from my bed. Expecting it to be Val, I sit down and open my messages.
Cohen—What are you doing tonight? Want to come to the driving range with us? The wives are going.
Skye—I’m getting ready to go out.
Cohen—To Throb with your sister?
My lips turn up into a wry grin as I look down at my phone.
Skye—See! Sometimes men do listen.
Cohen—Where are you?
Skye—Sitting on my bed in a towel with my phone in my hand.
I watch the messaging screen. Those three dots flashing left to right then stopping… then starting again… as if my partner who’s never short of a comeback is lost for words.
Cohen—Are you going out like that?
A snort escapes my mouth. I fall back down on the bed, and an idea comes to mind. Looking down to check my towel is still clasped around my chest, I snap a photo from my neck down and, without a second thought, send it through to him.
He doesn’t make me wait for long.
Cohen—Felt like providing proof?
Skye—I didn’t think guys complained about receiving proof of near-nakedness.
Cohen—Thought we were supposed to be behaving ourselves, brat?
Skye—Jeez, it’s not like I pulled my towel off in an ‘I felt yours, so here’s mine’ gesture. You really need to learn to relax, Cohen Patrick Cook.
Cohen—Is this a quid pro quo deal?
Skye—I wouldn’t complain if it was. I bet you’d really like seeing mine uncovered too. You didn’t seem to have a problem with it when I was in my workout gear.
Cohen—You’re killing me here.
Skye—I’ll stop then. I don’t have the time or patience to train up someone else to replace you.
Cohen—Ha ha. You think you trained me?
Skye—At least you don’t use the front of the bus as a trash can now.
Cohen—You’re messier than I am!
Skye—I use a trash bag. You used to use the floor!
Cohen—God, you really sound like a work wife.
Skye—Exactly. Why do you think I introduce myself as that?
Cohen—So back to the towel…are you wearing that out?
Skye—I’m not sure the bouncers at Throb would let me in.
Cohen—You’re really going to Throb?
Skye—That’s where Valentina wants to go. Why?
Cohen—It’s a meat market.
Skye—Maybe I’m in a carnivorous mood.
Cohen—You need a ride?
Skye—I thought that option was off the table?
Cohen—I did that to myself, didn’t I?
Skye—You kind of do a lot of things to yourself. Especially when you don’t take people up on their offers to help…
Those annoying three dots appear again. Stopping and starting. Then they disappear, and after a minute of no reply and no more pesky dots on my screen, I decide not to wait for an answer. I leave my phone on my bed and return to my dressing table, taking a seat, and deciding what I should do about my hair and makeup.
When my phone starts ringing, I press accept, not registering that it’s a request for a video call until the camera turns on, and Co’s face fills the screen.
This means he instantly gets an eyeful of my bright blue lacy bra and barely-there underwear. I’m showing a whole lot of skin.
“Uh… wow… um… okay… that’s not what I was expecting.”
Guess I have to just roll with this now. “Uh… yeah, I answered your video call accidentally.”
“In your underwear?”
“We don’t usually video call, Co. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I thought I’d try something new. Didn’t think it would be this new, though,” he says quietly. He looks so… awkward, or maybe conflicted is a better description.
I decide to cut him some slack. I never want him to feel uncomfortable. “Give me a second, and I’ll cover up.”
Then I see it. A spark in his eyes. A glimpse of the cocky, confident Cohen with the swagger that held my attention the first day I met him. “No need to put the goods away when they’re already out of the box.”
“That’s not my box. This is my…” I tilt my camera down.
“Dammit, brat. You’re really making this hard for me.”
“I bet,” I reply with a smirk.
He narrows his eyes, but I note he doesn’t look away, and that alone sends a rush through me.
A comfortable silence stretches down the line as we stare at each other through the phone screen.
His lips quirk. “Would you like me to drive you and Val downtown?”
Now, that’s not what I expected. “I’m a big girl, Co. I’m even old enough to drink,” I say, puffing out my chest and earning a groan.
”Not helping, Skye,” he grinds out, the heat in his gaze as clear as day. “I just figured I could drop you both in and save you the hassle and cost of a cab.”
“That sounds very big brother-ish of you, but we’ll be okay.”
He rolls his eyes. “With you wearing that and looking like that, I’m not feeling even remotely brotherly toward you, Skye. But I think you know that.”
I can’t help the wry smile that grows on my lips. Cohen’s narrowed gaze says he hasn’t missed it either.
He lifts a single brow in a move that shouldn’t be sexy, but damn it, it gets something stirring inside me. “Are you sure you didn’t answer this call on purpose?”
“What if I did?”
He shakes his head, and the adorable, almost boyishly coy look he gives me has me equally melting and clenching my thighs. God, I wish I could work this tension out of my system.
“And how exactly would you like to do that?” he asks, his voice dropping lower, deeper. Shit, I said that out loud! Oh well, I’m gonna run with it.
His eyes are hooded as a rustling sound fills the air when he moves to lie on his couch.
“Are you getting comfortable?” I ask curiously.
“I suddenly like the direction of this conversation, so yes, I’m now lying on my couch, waiting to see where you take this.”
Who is this man, and where is my partner who is usually wound up tight whenever he’s around me?
“Co…” I say softly.
He chuckles. “Yes, brat?”
“You’re acting strange. It’s kind of throwing me for a loop,” I say, honestly.
“You’re the one who’s thrown me. I’m not supposed to be feeling things when I’m around you.�
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Whoa. Now, this is definitely an unexpected—and not at all unwelcome—development. “Why the change of heart?”
“Believe me, brat, it’s not my heart leading the way, and I blame you.”
“Does that mean you’re going to come upstairs and do something about it?”
He shakes his head with a playful smile. “Not yet. That would be too easy. Too quick.”
“I can play hard to get and make it slow,” I say. I sound like a pent-up hussy in need of a dick to ride, when in actuality, all I want is Cohen Cook looking at me the way he’s doing right now.
He groans so rough and low. I swear I can feel it.
“You’re driving me crazy, especially wearing lace the color of your eyes that’s now burned into my brain. As much as I would like to take you up on your offer to work out this tension, there’s a lot at stake.”
I shrug. “The verbal foreplay works for me, Co. It’ll tide me over until you can’t stop yourself from joining me on the dark side.”
He laughs, his half-grin filling the screen. “Do you think you’re going to corrupt me? I’ll have you know, little girl, that I’ve been known to do my own corrupting when given the chance.”
I bite my lip, closing my eyes and letting myself enjoy the images conjured up from his words.
I’m definitely going to need a shower now, and it won’t just be to get clean.
“I need to go,” I say, sounding far too affected.
“Have a good night,” he says.
“I will. You too.”
“And if you need a ride home later, flick me a text. If I’m awake, I can pick you guys up.”
“Thanks. I might take you up on that if we decide to have an early night.”
“Don’t do anyone I wouldn’t do,” he adds, a knowing grin appearing.
He stares into my eyes then gifts me the sexiest grin and a knowing wink before ending the call.
Unable to wipe the smile off my face, I return to the task of getting ready to be my sister’s wing-woman.
I strip naked and walk into the bathroom. I’ve barely turned the water on when the showerhead flies off, hitting the tiles opposite, a shooting makeshift fountain appears, wetting everything everywhere.