by Niles, Abby
He grimaced. “My three-year-old niece named her. I didn’t realize how embarrassing it would be to say the name outside my own home.”
Julie smiled. What a wonderful uncle to let his niece name his cat, and then stick with it in public. “Well, I think it’s perfect.”
She ran her hand down the kitten’s soft fur. “I see she’s only a few weeks old.”
“Ten weeks. I’ve had her for two.”
It was so odd to see such a huge man have such a small pet. He seemed like the type to walk a Rottweiler on a thick chain. But the worry in his caramel-colored eyes as he reached out to pet Princess, his hand engulfing the kitten as it slid down her fur, let Julie know he didn’t care that a cat wasn’t the animal most people would envision him having.
“What’s the problem, Mr. Minton?”
“Brody, please. I hate being called by my last name. I’m not that formal.”
“Okay, Brody, what’s going on with Princess?”
“She won’t eat. She was doing fine, but about three days ago, she just stopped, and she keeps pawing at her face.” His eyes lifted to meet hers, and she was struck by how handsome he was. “I’ve tried to look in her mouth, but I can’t see anything.”
“What do you feed her?”
“Dry cat food.” He winced. “I occasionally give her wet. I know it’s not good for her, but she loves it, and when she stopped eating that, too, I knew something was wrong.”
“Sounds like she may have something stuck somewhere on the way down. Let’s have a look in her mouth.” She went to the door and asked Melody to assist her.
While Melody held the kitten, Julie looked inside with a penlight, checking every crevice she could see. Sure enough, something was wedged between her back teeth. “Has she been chewing anything lately?”
“She’s into everything, but most recently she chewed through a cardboard box.”
Yeah, that looked about right. Julie took a pair of tweezers and tugged out the foreign object. “I think we’ve solved the mystery, Brody.” She held it up. “It’s tiny, but this wet bit of cardboard would’ve been enough to make her mouth feel uncomfortable enough to not want to eat.”
He released a breath. “Really? That’s it?”
“Yep. I’ll go ahead and prescribe some antibiotics just in case, but I think she’ll be fine now. If she still isn’t eating in a few days, come back and we’ll do further tests, okay?”
“Thanks, doc.”
He scooped up the kitten, but then hesitated as he looked at Melody and Julie. The giggle that came from the other vet as she hurried from the room made Julie blush. “Was there something else?”
“Yeah, I was wondering if I could take you to dinner, as a thank-you.”
The blush scalded her face. “That’s not necessary.”
“Then how about as a date? Unless, of course, your boyfriend would mind.”
She blinked.
Not unless a stand-in boyfriend counted.
Tommy’s words echoed in her head. Spinster, eh? Was Brody a sign?
“No. No boyfriend.” She gave him what she hoped was a dazzling smile. “And yes, dinner would be great.”
He smiled, and she found she liked it. It didn’t have her melting to the floor or anything, but it was warm and friendly, and he seemed really nice.
“You have plans tonight?” he asked.
“Unless you consider sitting on the couch watching TV plans, then no, I don’t.”
“Hey. I love a great night in, kicking back and relaxing after a hard day. I swear sometimes there is nothing that beats it.”
Her smile stretched into a full grin. “Exactly. But tonight I think I’d like to go out.”
Someone who actually got it! Tommy just stared at her like she was speaking gibberish when she tried to explain why she liked to stay home.
“I’m very happy to hear that. Can I pick you up at eight?”
After she gave him directions, she smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
And she actually meant it.
…
Smoothing down the fabric of her blue wrap dress, Julie walked into the living room. She’d changed her outfit five times. Casual. Dressy. Seductive. Until she’d finally settled on a combination of all three.
The dress stopped about four inches above her knees and had a deep V-line down the front that created an enticing display of her cleavage. But the three-quarter sleeves kept the dress modest. Sort of. She’d slipped on a pair of black heels and curled her dark hair so it was full and bouncy instead of straight like she usually wore it. And she’d chosen to go with the smoky-eyes look.
She looked hot. More important, she felt hot.
One last thing, and she’d be ready for Brody to pick her up. Where had she put her purse?
Spotting it on the couch, she leaned over the back and reached for the strap. A noise that sounded like someone choking came from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Tommy standing in the kitchen doorway, a sandwich held in his hand, scowling at her.
When she straightened and turned around, his nose crunched up in distaste. “Where are you going dressed like that?”
“I have a date.”
If his head had jerked back any farther it would’ve snapped right off. “A date?” Then his gaze roamed over hers again and his scowl deepened. “That outfit.” He vigorously scratched the back of his head. “Yeah. I wouldn’t wear that.”
“Why not? This dress is hot.” She held her hands out in front of her breasts. “I’m showing them off. Isn’t that what guys like?”
If anything, Tommy blanched even more as his throat convulsed on a swallow, his gaze straying down before he jerked it back up and over her head. Good lord, the man even refused to admit she had boobs.
She put her hands on her hips. “You may see me as a sister, Tommy, but let me assure you I am a red-blooded woman. And no matter what you think, I am fuckable to other men.”
His eyes snapped to hers, something dangerous darkening their green depths as he took a step closer. “Is that what you want, Julie? To be fucked?”
Having Tommy ask her such a bold question left her completely breathless, and all she could do was gape at him as he took another step toward her.
“I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for. So you need to change.” He said the last sentence slowly, calmly, but his face was anything but. It was tight—except for a vein pulsing in his forehead.
“Oh, no you don’t.” She shook her finger at him. “You are not going to pull the big brother act on me, Tommy Sparks! Last night you were all worried about how much I stayed in, and now you’re pissed because I’m going out? I don’t think so.”
“Is that what this is about? Did you ask the first guy you saw this morning to go out because of last night? I am not okay with that.”
Her mouth popped open. “I don’t care what you’re okay with. And for the record, I didn’t ask him, he asked me, and I thought he was pretty damn hot, so I said yes.”
“Going out with strange men isn’t very smart.”
She shook her head. “Oh my God, you’re driving me crazy. Besides, you know him, so he’s not a stranger.”
“What do you mean, I know him?”
The doorbell rang. “You’re about to see.”
She hurried to the door and opened it. Brody wore black slacks with a deep purple silk button-down shirt. His longish dark hair was combed and styled away from his face. Deep caramel brown eyes gazed down at her as a low whistle came from his chiseled mouth.
Could the man be more opposite of Tommy, who had done everything but give her a compliment? Jerk.
“You look gorgeous,” Brody said admiringly.
She smiled. “Thank you. Pretty damn hot yourself.”
A low grumble came from behind her and she shot Tommy a withering look.
“Brody.” Tommy came to stand directly behind her, his chest pressing into the back of one of her shoulders. She sent him another glare.
“Tommy.” Brody glanced between the two of them before he offered his hand, which Tommy took, albeit reluctantly. “Been a while. How have you been?”
“Just peachy. You?”
Brody was either oblivious to the snarky tone Tommy was using or chose to ignore it, because he simply shrugged and said, “Can’t complain.” He cleared his throat. “What exactly are you doing here?”
“I live here.” He placed an arm around her shoulder in that familiar brotherly way he did, and she rolled her eyes.
“He lives here temporarily.” When his fingers bit into her skin, she jabbed him hard in the stomach. She wouldn’t tell anyone about his house. That was his business. Not Brody’s. “He’s getting some remodeling done and needed a place to stay.”
“Well, that’s nice of you.”
She smiled at Tommy through clamped teeth. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this man. We’ve known each other forever. He’s like a brother to me.”
Ow! Jerking out of his grip, she rubbed the top of her shoulder where he’d pinched her and glowered at him. He scowled back just as fiercely.
“So. You ready to go?” Brody asked uncertainly.
“More than ready.” She sent Tommy one more scathing glance before heading down the steps with Brody, determined to enjoy her date.
…
Brody “Goddamn Perfect” Minton.
The Golden Boy. Mr. Goodie Two Shoes. Mr. Wonderful.
And a totally perfect match for Julie.
The idea seriously chapped Tommy’s ass.
Hell, his ass had already been chapped before he’d learned who she was going out with. That dress hugged every delicious inch of her body, making him all the more aware of the desirable woman she was.
Making him disturbingly aware that another man, at this very moment, was enjoying every tempting curve of that damn dress and what it revealed. Probably keeping tabs on the gaping neckline in hopes of getting a peek of her abundant breasts.
Fury shafted through him and he increased the speed of his pacing. Where the hell were they? It was a fucking work night!
The fiercely protective big brother part of him had roared to life as soon as she left, and he’d paced the living room for hours now, it seemed. As the time ticked by, he realized he was way more jacked up than a brother should be about his “sister” being out on a date with another man. Way more furious about that man seeing her in that sexy dress. And to make matters worse, Tommy had also noticed way too much about Julie’s body in that dress.
What the hell was happening to him?
He didn’t know what he was feeling. He’d never felt anything like it before.
Jesus H. Christ. Had she ever wore her makeup like that around him?
Nope. He would’ve noticed. Because it invited sex. Smoky, mysterious. Fuckable.
She’d used that word, and goddamn it, it was a statement of utter truth.
The woman had been downright take-me-up-against-the-wall-right-now sexy, and he’d been more than happy to oblige.
And it freaked him the fuck out.
He turned at the wall and paced back across the living room again, stopping briefly to peer out the window into the darkness. Nothing. Not a headlight in sight.
He didn’t know what to do with this overwhelming lust he was suddenly feeling for her. Hell, he couldn’t remember the last time his dick twitched at just seeing a woman bent over. Sure, he usually felt arousal at such a blatant display of femininity, but it generally took a little friction for his cock to get involved. Not with Julie. He’d wanted to come out and play immediately.
And that freaked him out even more.
He stalked to the kitchen and whipped open the fridge, searching for something to eat, then slammed the door again. He so wasn’t hungry. What he needed was a stiff drink.
He dropped his forehead against the freezer door and bounced it against the cold metal a few times, trying to knock some sense into his head.
Julie wasn’t some woman he could just fuck and move on. This was Julie. His best friend! The crying little girl he’d comforted twenty-some years ago, the one who’d changed his life forever. He’d made a vow to protect her that day.
Which meant she needed protection from men who thought a relationship was the equivalent of being handed the death sentence. Men like himself.
But she wasn’t out with a Tommy, was she? She was out with a Brody—one of the good guys. The kind of man a woman would be proud to take home to her daddy, a man who had a list of accomplishments a mile long, who dedicated his time to the needy, who fed starving children, helped old ladies cross the road, and saved animals from burning buildings.
A real fucking superhero.
The kind of guy who, two days ago, Tommy would’ve been thrilled to see with Julie.
But when she’d opened that door and he’d seen Brody—all he’d seen was red.
It was one thing for Julie to date—Tommy encouraged that; he wanted her to go out and have fun. But not with another fighter.
In all the years he’d been in MMA, she had never gone out with anyone from the industry. Not once. If anything, she’d seemed determined to stay far away from the whole scene, unless an event involved him or he asked her to come with him.
He’d liked that. He did not like the thought of her cheering for another fighter the same way she did for him.
She was his cheerleader; she stood on his side of the cage, not someone else’s. And he didn’t give a flying fuck if Brody was in a different weight division. He’d take on Brody in the cage any old day, and he’d show the asshat who Julie would always cheer for.
Except…he wouldn’t be able to issue a challenge like that, would he?
No, he wouldn’t, because he wasn’t a Brody. He was a Tommy, and Tommys made rash fucking decisions that got them banned from MMA.
Julie was dating a fighter while he was no longer a fighter, and that thought drove him mad.
Time to fix that.
He’d made the decision to start righting his wrongs, and he’d started with Julie. He’d enjoyed the hell out of planning his Valentine surprise for her. The second wrong on his list to right had been Mike…but he’d gotten a little distracted from his goal when he’d seen Julie’s naked body and realized how very much he liked it.
Hell. He needed to get refocused. Forget about Julie.
Find a way to make amends with Mike. Yeah. That’s what he would do.
The twitter of Julie’s laughter suddenly sounded from just outside. Muffled voices came through the front door. Tommy stiffened and glanced at the clock. Before he could stop himself, he rushed over to the window and peered out.
Good thing he did, too. They were just in that awkward first-date moment of kiss-or-don’t-kiss. Standing in front of each other. Close, but not too close. A bit of weird tension buzzing between them. Brody had his hands shoved in his pockets. Julie had her fingers twisted together in front of her.
There was no way in hell that man was going to kiss her.
Tommy flung the door open, causing them to jump apart.
Fighting a satisfied smirk, Tommy leaned a shoulder against the doorframe, crossing his ankles. “Hey guys, have fun?”
Brody’s brows drew together then arched up. “Uh. Yeah.”
“Good.” Tommy sent him a tight smile. “Glad to hear it.”
Both of them stared at him, but he just cocked his head to the side and stared back, not moving.
“Brody,” Julie said. “I had a great time tonight. Thank you.”
“I did, too. I’d like to do it again.”
Tommy really had to work to keep a scowl from forming on his face, especially as Julie looked at him with an expression that clearly said, Get lost.
Not fucking happening.
When she saw he wasn’t going anywhere, she blew out a breath and glanced at Brody. “I’d really like that. Call me?”
“You can count on it.”
As she brushed by Tommy, she pursed
her lips at him in a very Julie way of showing annoyance. He almost chuckled, but thought it best not to. Once she was safely inside, he stepped back, preparing to close the door as he held the other man’s gaze. “Later, Brody.”
The amusement in the man’s eyes took him aback. “Sure, Tommy.”
As Brody turned and headed back to his car, Tommy frowned. He really didn’t care for this guy. Closing the door, he turned to find Julie with her hands on her hips. “What was that all about?”
“What?” he asked innocently, trying to keep his eyes on her face and not on the breasts the blue fabric was hugging, the way he wanted to.
She waved her hand toward the door. “That! You were the one who said you wanted me to continue with my social life as if you didn’t live here. That was not letting me continue like you didn’t live here.”
“Considering it’s only ten o’clock and you’re already home, I assumed the date didn’t go well. Thought I’d help end it a little more smoothly.”
At least that sounded plausible enough. Right?
“The date did go well. I like him. We have a lot in common. And not that it’s any of your damn business, but I’m home early because I have to work in the morning. I can’t stay up all night and be able to do my job the next day. So the next time you decide to play big brother…just…don’t.”
Spinning, she marched down the hallway to her room, leaving Tommy with two very different emotions warring for dominance from her parting words.
First was her offhand comment that she couldn’t stay out all night. A direct slam at his tendency to do just that, and how he’d messed up because of it. He doubted she was even aware of how it had hit him. But damn, the difference between him and Julie couldn’t be clearer. And it seriously bothered him.
Which led to the second thing.
After that first kick of desire he’d felt for her days back, he’d reached over and ruffled her hair as he’d done countless times when they were kids. Then he’d made sure to throw around the word “sister” a lot. So he was the one who’d set this up. He did get that. But three times today she’d tossed “like a brother” at him—three times!—and each time his body had rebelled at the words coming out of her mouth.