A Girl's Best Friend

by Jordan, Crystal

  “Um, yeah.” She smoothed her hands down her skirt and hoped she didn’t look too wrinkled under the glaring fluorescent light. “I locked my keys in my car. May I use your phone?”

  “Sure.” He reached behind him and came up with a cordless handset.

  Dialing information, she connected to AAA, who said she’d have a forty-five minute wait because she wasn’t in immediate danger. “Just forget it, then. Thank you.”

  She punched the off button with more force than necessary. Her stomach pitched and roiled as she realized what she’d have to do. She didn’t want to call him. But the only person she knew who could Slim Jim her car door sooner than AAA was Tyrone. He kept one in his SUV—she’d seen him use it when his mom locked herself out of her car last year.

  What would he say? What would he do? Her hands shook as she turned the handset back on. Her palms felt slick on the plastic as she dialed his cell number.

  “Forrester.” His deep voice filtered through the phone, and it stroked over her like a physical caress. Goosebumps broke out down her arms. She clutched the phone tighter. Anxiety ran through her, but it warred with the automatic comfort she found in hearing his commanding tone.

  She spoke in a breathless rush. “Tyrone. It’s—it’s me. Lorna.”

  A long pause greeted that announcement before he spoke in a harsh tone. “What can I do for you now, Lorna?”

  “You’re pissed.” She blinked, surprise filtering through her. What did he have to be mad about?

  He snorted. “I think I have a right to be, don’t you?”

  “No, not really.” She glanced at the eavesdropping gas station attendant and blushed. Hunching her shoulder, she turned away. “We did what we did, Tyrone. We both knew the score and we’re both adults. And I think we both know it was a mistake.”

  Anger and hurt flared in his voice. “I disagree. And even if I didn’t, what the hell were you thinking, running out on me like I was some kind of rapist?”

  She winced and her own building irritation deflated. When he put it that way, it did seem like a bad idea to leave without saying anything to him. “You knew I had work today, and I thought you’d be eager to—”

  “Pretend it never happened? Well, you were wrong. How big of an asshole do you think I am to think my best friend would be just an easy lay?”

  Her eyes went wide, and her skin tingled as all the blood drained from her face. “That’s not—I didn’t think you were an—”

  Cutting her off again, his voice took on a biting snap. “And just what the hell was I supposed to think when I woke up and found you gone?”

  She pulled in a deep breath. She’d gone about this all wrong, but sleeping with her best friend was way outside her realm of experience. She had no idea what to do to get them back to the status quo, and she desperately needed to regain her balance in this crazy, messed-up situation. “I knew it would be weird between us, waking up together. I wanted to spare us both, but you’re right. I should have had the guts to face you.”

  “You say that like it’s a chore. You sure didn’t have a problem with it last night.”

  Heat flooded her cheeks, but her stomach gave a sickening lurch. “I—I know. I’m sorry.”

  He made an impatient noise. “You didn’t call me to apologize. What do you need?”

  “Help.” She kept it short and simple.

  “That’s not something I’ll argue with.”

  Her eyebrows arched, and her fingers tightened on the plastic of the phone until it creaked in protest. “Hey. That’s way out of line.”

  “Feels like shit the morning after, doesn’t it?”

  “Fine, you can punish me all you want, but I locked my keys in my car and I need you to come Slim Jim my door.” What sounded like a dozen dogs barked in the background. “Where are you?”

  “I took Diamond to the park after I woke up by myself.”

  She winced at the direct hit. “Point taken. Will you just come get me?”

  “Where are you?” He sighed and she could imagine him rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

  “At the gas station near the corner of 16th and H.”

  “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “Thank you.” She handed the phone back to the gas station attendant and hurried out to her car to lean as casually as possible against the trunk. Nothing to see here, move along now.

  Her insides had twisted themselves into tiny knots by the time his big, black SUV pulled up behind her car. Diamond hung her black-spotted head out of the passenger window, tongue lolling. Tyrone’s tall, muscular form unfolded from the driver’s seat. God, he was a beautiful man. He’d gotten his mother’s smooth cocoa skin tone and his father’s laser blue eyes. His gaze swept over her, and a tingle followed in its wake. Crossing her arms over her chest, she tried to hide the fact that her nipples had tightened to hard points. She squeezed her thighs together, but it did little to ease the damp ache between them. Why did it have to be her best friend who did this to her? It just wasn’t right.

  He was wearing his SWAT uniform already: camo Army pants, boots, a utility belt with his gun attached, and a black T-shirt with the SWAT logo embroidered over his heart. He pulled the slender metal rod that would unlock her car out of his back seat while she stayed where she was. The car was the only thing holding her upright at the moment. He approached, a predator’s grace in his long stride. He set the Slim Jim on her trunk and braced his hands on either side of her. She felt surrounded, trapped—and yet cosseted and protected. The warring emotions confused her, but her body reacted to his nearness with the same enthusiasm she’d always felt for him. He leaned forward until he met her gaze. “Lorna.”

  She shivered at the controlled anger in his voice. That was Tyrone. Barely leashed power. And it turned her on to know she’d held all that power in her arms last night. It was like riding out one hell of a storm. And she wanted to do it again and again until she couldn’t move, couldn’t think. She doubted that would sate the craving she had for his big body though. Not even fifty years of nights like she just had could do that.

  “Tyrone.” She unfolded her arms and lifted her hands in supplication to press against his wide chest. Mistake. Her hormones went wild at even that light touch. Her breath caught and her eyes slid closed. Memories washed over her in waves. His cock filling her, hard and fast. The two of them moving together on his big, soft bed. The amazing sensation of his palms smoothing over her bare skin.

  Stop it.

  She forced her eyes open. They’d had a one-night stand after a few bottles of wine, that was all. Tyrone didn’t do serious. Everyone knew that. She knew that going into this. He was just angry because she’d run out like a gutless wonder. No strings attached guy or not, Tyrone wasn’t an asshole. He would have wanted to make sure she was okay with what happened. She winced. Well, she’d answered that question for him in the worst possible way, hadn’t she?

  Opening her mouth to apologize again, he beat her to speech. “Don’t ever do that to me again, Lorna.”

  Again? Her mouth snapped closed. Since when did he do more than a night with any woman? Her mind spun with questions, but she didn’t have time to ask them. Shaking her head, she dropped her hands from his chest and brought herself back to the problem at hand. “Okay. I need to get into my car. Thank you for coming.”

  “Did you honestly think I’d leave you stranded?” His laser blue eyes pierced her, anger still reflected in their depths.

  “If I had, I wouldn’t have called you.” She shook her head, regret crawling down her spine. “I’m really sorry, Tyrone. Running this morning was a stupid thing to do.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she could practically hear his teeth grinding. “Yeah. It was.”

  Stepping back, he picked up the Slim Jim and walked around to the driver’s side door.

  A car rolled up to the pump next to hers and a teenage boy hopped out. He looked from her to Tyrone trying to break into her car. She gave him a weak gr
in when his eyebrows rose. His gaze drifted behind her shoulder and she braced herself just before Tyrone’s hand came down on her arm. “You can get your keys out now.”

  The teenager grinned while he finished pumping his gas. “The SWAT team came to unlock your car?”

  Lorna coughed to smother a giggle at the awe in the kid’s tone. Tyrone’s voice rumbled from behind her. “Just doing our part to protect the citizens of our fair city.”

  “Right. Sacramento’s finest.” The kid chuckled before he jumped in his car and pulled away.

  Tyrone’s fingers tightened on her shoulder, reclaiming her attention. “So…yesterday you said you had a diamond photo shoot to get to over by the fairgrounds. What are you doing downtown?”

  She wrinkled her nose, trying not to think about how very late she was. “I had to stop off at Carraway’s to pick up some of the jewelry my client forgot this morning.”

  His gaze sharpened. “You have jewels in your car?”

  “A small fortune in diamond necklaces, yep. I really want to get to the shoot location and turn them over to Mrs. Carraway.” She shifted awkwardly under the intensity of his gaze. “Well… Thanks again for coming.”

  “I’m following you there.”

  Panic flooded her at the thought of her escape plan crumbling around her. “You don’t have to do that. I—”

  His chin jerked to the side, cutting her weak protest off. “I’ve seen people murdered for fifty bucks and a pair of new sneakers. I’m making sure you get there safely. That’s final. Now get in the car.”

  “O-okay.” She’d worried about someone stealing the diamonds, but not physical danger to herself…and that made her feel foolish for not considering it.

  This day was not going according to plan.

  Chapter Two

  Tyrone’s hands clenched on the wheel as he followed her out of downtown and over to an industrial area near Cal Expo. Fury still sizzled in his veins. Unreasonable fury, which pissed him off even more. Something had happened between them last night…he wasn’t willing to put any kind of label on it yet, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to walk away from it either. His cock swelled to press uncomfortably against the fly of his pants. Jesus, he wanted her again. Right now. Sweat broke out on his forehead just thinking about it. Something deep inside him didn’t want this thing with Lorna to end. Not yet. But it had been a hell of a long time since he’d done anything more than a one nighter. Not since Sherona.

  His cell phone blared out his older brother’s ringtone, and he winced, not really in the mood to talk to anyone. Stabbing the button on his dash to transfer the call to his SUV’s Bluetooth speakerphone, he answered, “Eli. What’s up?”

  “Nothing much.” The line rustled as if his brother had shifted the phone. “Sorry to leave you to the mess last night, but at least you had help.”

  “Some help.” Tyrone snorted. “Derek bailed about ten minutes after you did. Booty call.”

  “That dog didn’t stay to finish cleaning up?” Eli tsked. “Apparently, we didn’t beat his ass often enough as a child. Little bro thinks he can get away with slacking.”

  One of the first smiles of the day touched Tyrone’s lips. “We’ve clearly failed in our duties.”

  Eli hummed an agreement. “You had Lorna there, though. I noticed she was looking especially fine last night.”

  “Yes. She was.” Tyrone tensed, but refused to be baited. Both of his brothers liked to harass him about Lorna. Only an idiot would have missed the attraction that crackled between them, but his family understood he had no plans to do anything about it. As far as they knew, that was still the case.

  “And I noticed you notice her fineness too.” Eli chuckled. “When are you two going to end all of our suspense and hook up?”

  “Leave it alone, Elijah.”

  The moment the words were out of Tyrone’s mouth, he knew they were a mistake. First, he sounded too angry. Second, he never called his older brother by his full name. Which meant Eli now knew some serious shit was going on.

  There was a long, pregnant pause. When Eli’s voice came, it was hushed with shock and awe. “You slept with Lorna. Oh, my God. You actually did it. You slept with Lorna.”

  And big brother got it in one guess. The Forresters weren’t a stupid bunch.

  “I said leave it alone,” Tyrone replied, his words clipped.

  Another pause. “You okay?”

  He sighed, letting his head thunk back against the seat. “I don’t know.”

  “She’s a good girl,” Eli stated, his tone turning severe. “Not like those bims you’ve been fucking around with lately.”

  “I know.”

  Eli hammered his point home. “She’s your best friend, man. She’s been like a sister to Derek and me. Mom considers her a de facto daughter.”

  “I know that, Eli,” Tyrone snapped, not even sure who he was pissed at. His brother, himself, Lorna? He couldn’t tell up from down anymore. “Jesus Christ. I know what she is to our family and to me, I know what kind of woman she is, I know she’s not my type. I know, damn it.”

  “Then I’ll say this just once—Lorna could be perfect for you.” Eli’s statement sucked the wind right out of Tyrone’s sails. “The only reason she’s not your type is because you won’t let yourself get over the Sherona bullshit.”

  Sherona was the last serious relationship Tyrone had had…and probably the last one he’d ever have. She couldn’t handle his job, the fact that every time he left the house, it could very well be the last time she ever saw him. He knew that about his work, accepted it, and moved on. She never could, and it was finally why she’d left him. If he were honest with himself, he never should have stayed with her after he saw just how poorly she coped with his profession. But he wasn’t a quitter, and he’d stuck it out far longer than either of them could handle without a whole lot of nasty in the end. A bitter taste coated his tongue at the memory of their last, ugly fight.

  Eli continued, not seeming to care that Tyrone hadn’t responded to his last comment. “If you can’t get your head out of your ass about real relationships, you’re just going to hurt Lorna. In which case Derek and I will hurt you. And we’ll be in line behind Mom.”

  “None of this is news to me,” Tyrone said drily. “It doesn’t change any of the facts.”

  “It’s not the facts that need to change,” Eli retorted.

  Yeah, Tyrone wasn’t even touching that. “Do me a favor and keep the facts to yourself until Lorna and I decide how we’re going to proceed. She doesn’t deserve to have you gossiping behind her back like some judgmental old biddy.”

  Eli grunted, but didn’t rise to the bait. “I won’t say anything, but you know Mom and Mrs. Malone have a sixth sense when it comes to any of us getting into trouble.”

  “I’m not sure it’s trouble we’re in.” Not a lie, since Tyrone didn’t know what the hell they were or weren’t doing. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her again, but beyond that? No clue.

  “You’re a fool if you don’t know you’re in deep trouble right now, my brother.” The hospital loudspeaker blared in the background, paging Dr. Elijah Forrester. Eli said quickly, “Okay. Good talk. Show that girl a good time, and don’t fuck this up.”

  The line went dead.

  Diamond’s tail thumped a fast rhythm on the leather seat next to him, pulling his mind away from the call. He reached out and ran a hand down her silky fur. She licked his fingers. “Good girl. After we drop Lorna off, I’m taking you home and heading for work.”

  She barked as though she understood him, and he chuckled. Diamond had been a gift from his parents six years ago. Sherona hated her on sight, but Lorna loved the dog. Such different women.

  And Lorna had run out on him this morning. He’d had a moment of pure panic when he found her gone. His heart had hammered when he woke and she wasn’t there, hadn’t left a note or a message on his voicemail. The icy fear had quickly given way to molten rage that she could deny what had transpired b
etween them. She was his now.

  No. He sucked in a deep breath and tamped down on the possessiveness that flooded him. He didn’t do permanent anymore. If Sherona had taught him anything, it was that no woman should be put through loving a man with his kind of job. It only hurt them and drove them away. Yeah, his parents had managed it—his dad had been in SWAT back in the day—but Tyrone wasn’t his father and he’d never had a relationship like his parents’. The last thing Tyrone ever wanted to do was bring Lorna pain. It was why he’d stayed away from her for so long. Even after he and Sherona had split.

  No matter what Eli said, it would kill Tyrone to see that haunted look in Lorna’s lovely eyes every time he got the call to leave the house. He wouldn’t do it to her. That thought put an ice-cold damper on his ardor. No strings attached. That was his life now. If it was lonely, then that was the price he paid for having a job he loved. He sighed and tried to stretch the tautness out of his shoulders.

  Lorna’s blinker flashed to pull into the parking lot of a warehouse, so he followed her in and parked beside her. An older woman scurried out of the warehouse to greet Lorna. She hopped out of her car, her bright red locks swinging in a ponytail. He wanted to bury his hands in that sweet-smelling hair, use it to hold her still while she sucked his cock. As she’d done last night. He groaned, his dick straining as he let the memory form in his mind. He pulled himself out of his SUV stiffly, and Diamond leaped out behind him to run around Lorna and the other woman.

  “Here they are, Edith.” The two of them bent over the trunk of Lorna’s car while she pulled out jewelry cases, handed them to the older woman, and shut the trunk again.

  Edith set the cases on the car and bent to coo over Diamond. She glanced up at Lorna. “Is this one of the pets for the shoot today? I have just the necklace for her.”

  Tyrone walked up behind Lorna until he could feel the heat of her curves against his body. He lifted his brows at that last comment and spoke softly to Lorna. “Pets in diamonds?”

  She whispered out of the side of her mouth. “We were brainstorming ideas, and she liked nothing we came up with. I threw out the sarcastic idea of models posing with pets wearing necklaces as collars, and Mrs. Carraway adored it. It’s how I ended up with this account.”