Siobhan and Brian entered through the open apartment door with a dusting of snow on their shoulders.
“Hey! Your apartment is great!” Siobhan unzipped her coat and handed it to me.
“Great to see you. This is my roommate, Sarah.”
“I’ve heard so much about you.” Sarah’s eyes widened when Siobhan hugged her tight.
“Let me take your coat, Brian,” Sarah said when she finally released herself from Siobhan’s grip.
He’d changed his clothes from earlier, replacing the V-neck sweater with a tight thermal long-sleeved shirt in navy. I was momentarily hypnotized by the outline of his pectorals. His pants were the same distressed designer jeans I’d seen him in earlier, with a wide, aged brown belt holding them up. It was a casual look. Casual and fucking sexy as hell. He pulled off his hat to reveal the disheveled blond mop I’d often thought about running my fingers through. But that would be inappropriate. As would rubbing my face along his ever present five o’clock shadow. Damn, he was yummy. And off-limits. Not for the first time, I regretted not taking my friends’ advice and abandoning the target for the bartender.
Sarah left to put the coats on the bed with Siobhan in tow and Brian handed me two bottles of Cabernet. Following me to the kitchen, I handed him the bottle opener as I reached for two more wineglasses.
“Nice slippers.”
I looked down at my feet. I’d forgotten I was wearing them.
“They’re comfy. And I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“No need to defend them.”
I ducked my head. “Right. So, no work tonight?”
He poured four glasses, emptying the first bottle. “Nope. My brother’s taking care of it. I needed to take the night off.” He took a sip. “You smell good. What is that? Vanilla?”
“Yeah. Um, thank you. Vanilla.” I stammered and mentally kicked myself for the sudden inability to take a compliment. “Your brother?” I asked, looking at him over the rim of my glass as I took a large sip.
“Yeah. Patrick. His wife is out of town and he needed something to do. He’s staying at my place while he’s here since Ryan’s gone for a few days.”
“Ryan’s gone for a few days?”
“Yeah. Why? He didn’t tell you?”
I shook my head. “Why would he tell me something like that?”
Brian smiled and shifted in his seat at the counter. “I don’t know, maybe because you two are—”
“Friends.” I cut him off.
“That’s what I was going to say.”
“Right. So your brother Patrick, he doesn’t live here?” I climbed on top of the counter and took up my crisscross applesauce position with my back up against the wall.
“Nope. He lives in Connecticut with his doctor wife, two point five kids, Labrador retriever, and state-of-the-art minivan.”
“What does he do?”
“He runs his own computer software company.”
“Nice.”
“Yep. So that’s why I am here taking over the bar. No one else wanted to do it.”
“What did you do before this?”
“Lawyer. I was in ROTC all through college, did my time, got out. Started working in the private sector. Dad died. Poof. I’m here.”
“Did you want to leave your job?”
“Didn’t matter. Didn’t love it.”
“Do you love the bar?”
“Sometimes.” He gave me a look that made my heart pound before he got up and walked to the window. “The snow’s really coming down outside, huh?”
“Huh?” I really needed to stop staring at his ass. “Yeah. Supposed to get a lot tonight.” I joined him at the window as Sarah and Siobhan returned. “Wine’s on the counter.”
“I was just telling Sarah how you saved the family business.” Siobhan curled up in my spot on the couch. There was still a hint of chocolate stain on the arm. No matter how many times I tried to clean it, it remained, I’m sure, to mock me.
“No one needs to hear that.” Brian turned a slight shade of red.
“We were going to have to sell it. Too many violations. But Brian came in and saved the day.”
“That was nice of you,” I whispered.
“I didn’t do it to be nice.” He walked back to his seat at the kitchen counter and picked up the take-out menu.
“Oh, he’s just modest.”
“Siobhan, enough. Come on. I’m starving.”
“Fine. Fine. I was just making conversation.” She plopped down on the stool next to her brother and took the menu from him.
Their dynamic was fascinating. They were obviously close, though Siobhan was more of a free spirit. They balanced each other out.
My brother and I were close but we were so much alike, there was no balancing act. When we were together, we were as competitive as foes. And when we had to, we joined forces to hold the other up. But when we fought, it was a blowup. Two people so much alike, it was hard to distinguish one from the other. Which was why we made it a point to keep our visits with each other to a minimum. Didn’t mean I didn’t love him more than anyone else in the world, it just meant that I knew where our boundaries fell.
Once we settled on the food, Brian called for delivery. Looking out the window, I kind of felt bad for the delivery guy because the snow was really starting to pile up, but the pity didn’t last once my stomach rumbled loud enough to be heard across the room.
“Was that your stomach?” Leave it to Sarah to call attention to the embarrassing.
“Yes. Yes it was. Shall I give you a dollar for guessing correctly on your first try?”
“Um, maybe we should put out some snacks?”
“Oh please! I am starving!” I poked my head in the fridge and pulled out a wedge of Brie and a couple of pears. Sarah grabbed a box of crackers.
“Want me to make a drink or something?” Brian offered.
“Yes!” Sarah and I said together.
“Where’s your liquor?”
I pointed.
“What would you like to drink, Care?” As soon as he said it, I realized it was the first time he’d used my nickname.
“Yeah, well, you know. Anything. I’m easy.”
“Are you now?” He chuckled as he pulled bottles from the shelf.
Thirty minutes of small talk, stolen glances in Brian’s direction, and a myriad of questions, rapid-fire style, from Siobhan followed the awkward moment. Thankfully she was interrupted by a long buzz.
“Food’s here!” Sarah jumped up to get her purse.
“I got it.” Brian held out his hand and left the apartment to head downstairs.
“Care, I think he likes you!” Sarah must’ve forgotten Siobhan was in the room because we both froze when she said it and slowly turned our heads in his sister’s direction.
“What? You aren’t wrong.” She poured another glass of wine and plopped back on the sofa.
“Spill.” Sarah sat on the couch next to her.
“Sarah, no. I’m sorry, Shiv, she’s off her meds.”
“Oh, no. I don’t mind. Honestly, I haven’t seen him light up around anyone in a long time. And pardon me for mentioning it, but I think I feel a vibe coming off you, too. Why don’t you guys, you know, just try it out? See where it goes?”
I was being put on the spot by the sister of the guy I’d passed over. I kind of hoped the floor would open up and swallow me away from the hell that was that moment.
“You see, there was a target and Brian kind of helped me and then there was the gym…” I stared at Sarah, silently imploring her to help me.
“Oh no. You’re doing great.”
“Well, I am sure Ryan would understand. It’s not like you two are a thing, right?”
Yup. Hell.
“What do you know about Ryan?”
“That you two are friends with benefits or whatever.”
“No. Siobhan, if we’re going to move on here you need to know. I am her friend with benefits. You are her friend with benefits. Ryan is
her friend whom she fucks. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“That makes more sense. Now, if only social media would allow you to classify relationships like that. You know, ‘One Night Stand,’ ‘Do It Yourself,’ which, by the way, would be my status, ‘Friends with Benefits,’ ‘Friends Who Fuck.’ I should really write a piece on this. Let me get my notebook.”
Siobhan ran to Sarah’s room to grab her purse and I plopped down in front of Sarah.
“What the fuck?”
“What? I was just getting intel you won’t ask for.”
“I don’t need you to do that for me. I am more than capable of finding out information on Brian if I want to. And I have more than enough on my plate. I can’t be in a relationship right now and I think taking the path of Brian would take me there. Ryan is uncomplicated. It’s just sex.”
“If you think sex is uncomplicated—”
“No, I mean Ryan isn’t the type of guy I would want to be in a relationship with. With Brian, that’s all I see. Brian is safe. And I’ve had enough safe for now.”
“Well, wait too long and Brian won’t be around. Care, he’s a catch.”
“I know. I just—I don’t know.”
“Who’s hungry?” Brian walked in with a huge bag of Chinese takeout. The smell made my stomach growl again.
“Let’s make sure Caroline gets fed first before we all lose fingers.” Brian handed me my quart of chicken and broccoli and a pair of chopsticks.
I pulled up a floor pillow to the coffee table in the living room and didn’t wait for everyone else before I dug in. Brian pulled up a pillow next to me after refilling my wineglass.
“Floor, huh?”
“I like it. Plus it’s usually just me, Sarah, and Mel. What’d you order?” I popped open his container with my chopstick.
“Orange beef.”
“Is it good?”
“Try some.” He offered me some of his food while he plucked a piece of chicken from my take-out box.
“Are there mushrooms?”
“I don’t think so. You don’t like them?”
“Allergic. Hives, stomach issues. Not pleasant.”
“Good to know. I’ll never make you anything with mushrooms in it.”
I should have glossed over the comment but the thought of him cooking me something to eat was kind of hot.
“And nothing too spicy.”
“Stomach?”
“Yeah.” I crinkled my nose and he laughed.
“All right. No mushrooms, no spicy food. I’ll remember that.”
“Whatcha talking about?” Siobhan made herself comfortable on the couch next to Sarah.
“Caroline was just telling me about her aversion to food.”
“Shut up!” I playfully punched him in the arm.
“Sorry, she was telling me how much time she spends in the bathroom after she eats mushrooms and spicy foods.”
“Asshole!” I laughed hard enough to spew food on the table.
“What?” He spread his arms out in front of him. “Being an asshole is part of my manly essence.”
“You, my friend”—Sarah poked her utensil at him—“are not an asshole.”
“You’re right. I’m too safe”—he cocked his eyebrow at me—“to be an asshole.”
I immediately began choking. Sarah jumped up. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I coughed. “Something. Wrong pipe,” I managed to squeak out.
“Was it something I said?” Brian laughed as I threw my napkin at him.
“Eavesdropper.”
Sarah doubled over with laughter. Siobhan got up to retrieve another bottle of wine. “I certainly don’t think we’re drunk enough.”
The rest of the night continued as if we’d known one another our whole lives. Siobhan asked a million questions about Yolanda and Michael, jotting each answer down in her well-worn notebook. Sarah and Brian teased each other easily and chatted a bit about her job as a high school science teacher. And even though my stomach flopped every time I caught Brian looking at me, it was easy. Easier than when I was around Ryan. He made my skin crawl in a way that would lead only to an orgasm. Both good feelings, but it was like I couldn’t relax around him. With Brian, I don’t know. It felt simple. Like I said, easy.
Before we knew it, it was almost two in the morning and we’d polished off a little more than a half dozen bottles of wine between us. I was certainly feeling it. Siobhan had passed out on the couch, curled up in a tiny red-headed ball.
“When did she fall asleep?”
“I have no idea.” We laughed because at that point, everything was funny. Another bottle and the giggles wouldn’t come as easily. We were at the point where if we stopped, maybe we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves.
“I need to wake her up. We should really get going.” Brian started toward his sister.
“No. Leave her there. You guys can stay here. You don’t want to walk home in this.” Sarah pulled back the curtain to reveal the several inches of snow that had fallen.
“I wouldn’t want to put you out. I can come back in the morning and get her.”
“No. Really. It’s no problem. You can sleep in my room.”
Brian raised his eyebrows at me.
“Not like that. I can bunk with Sarah.”
“Not what I had in mind as far as a bedmate, but beggars can’t be choosers. I’m beat. Good night, Brian.”
“Good night, Sarah.”
Brian and I stood by the window, both feeling the effects of a night of wine and Chinese food. I watched as he licked his lips and remembered how they felt last week at the bar. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.
“So, this is awkward.” He snapped his fingers before clapping a hand over a fist. He rocked back and forth on his heels.
“I don’t think it’s awkward.” Liquid bravery set in as I stepped closer to him and tugged lightly on his shirt.
“Well, we should get to bed.” He wrapped his hand around mine and pulled it away from his shirt.
“Right. I think I have a pair of Steven’s pajama pants that I never returned to him. You can wear them if you don’t mind wearing douche pants.”
“I don’t mind at all. I’ve always wanted a pair.”
I opened the door to my bedroom and saw that Sarah had already put his coat on my chair. Brian stood at the threshold.
“You can come in, silly. I won’t bite.”
“Oh, well then I’m not sure I want to come in now.”
He walked around my room, stopping to look at photos and flip through my books.
“You read a lot?”
“All the time. You?” Please say yes. Please say yes.
“I do, actually. A Separate Peace by John Knowles was always a favorite. You probably think that’s weird.”
“No! I love that story. How Gene was unable to get past his own shortcomings and how envious he was of Phineas. Phineas was such a free spirit. I loved how real he was.”
“You don’t think he was pretentious?”
I flopped on my bed. “Pretentious? Absolutely not. He embraced goodness. Gene, to me, represented the darkness we all have inside.”
“All? Including Phineas?” He sat on the bed next to me and placed his hand on my knee.
“Well, I guess so.” I lay back and stared at the ceiling. My head was all over the place. Forget the fact that I was a little drunk. I hadn’t felt like this since I was sixteen. It felt new and scary and right.
“Care. You know. I know I’m not the wild and crazy whatever you’re looking for. I’m okay with that. But I’ll have you know, I’m not safe, as you say.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant, I mean, I just got out of a five-year black hole. I can’t do that again.”
“Who says I’m looking for a relationship?”
“No one. I didn’t mean it how you’re taking it. It was supposed to be a compliment.”
Brian eased back until he was lying next to me, staring at the ceiling with
me. His hand reached for me and he intertwined his fingers with mine. Rubbing his thumb along mine, he sighed.
“You don’t have to sleep in Sarah’s room if you don’t want to. I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
“I meant, you could sleep here, too, unless you think something will happen that you don’t want to happen.”
My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets. “Um, yeah sure.”
“How about you give me those pajama pants and I’ll go get changed in the bathroom?”
I shot up and rifled through my bottom drawer. He took the bottoms, pushed a curl out of my eye, and left the room.
As soon as he left, I closed the door and did a quick pit sniff. At least I smelled good. I ran a brush through my hair. Bad idea. Anyone with curly hair knows this. I threw it in a sloppy bun. Taking off my pants, I ran my hands over my legs. Thankfully there wasn’t much stubble. I threw off my shirt and reached for my favorite Dave Matthews Band T-shirt. I had just unhooked my bra and tossed it on the floor and was slipping the tee over my head when Brian walked in the room. His eyes widened.
“I’m sorry. I thought I gave you enough time to—”
It would have been enough time had I not stopped to check out my personal hygiene first.
“No, it’s okay. I’m just on autopilot. I wasn’t thinking. Go ahead. Pick a side.”
A sexy smirk played on his lips. “Are you going to put on some pants?”
I looked down. I totally wasn’t thinking. The T-shirt barely scraped my hips and I was standing in the middle of my room, in front of Brian, in my underwear. Thank Jesus they were at least a cute pair I’d picked up last week when I was preparing for Operation One Night Stand.
I quickly grabbed for a pair of tiny shorts. I tripped as I tried to put them on and fell into Brian’s grip. His hands were firmly on my upper arms and I carefully stood and looked up at him. His eyes sparkled in the lamplight. Bending down slightly, he smiled as his hands rubbed my shoulders. As he softly brushed his lips against mine, I was brought back to last weekend at the bar when I first met him and—
Ryan. Shit.
“What’s wrong? I was kidding. You can sleep in that if you want to. I mean, I really don’t mind.”
“It’s not that. It’s just—”
“Ryan.” He took a step back and dropped his hands from my body. The flicker of light I saw in his eyes moments ago dimmed.
Operation One Night Stand Page 15