“I’m not keen to bring in someone else. Not unless we really have to. We’re lucky with Gabby as an investor because she has zero interest in getting involved in the business, but if we go external, we’ll be answerable to someone else, and I like the way things are now.” Gabby’s ex was a tech genius, and he left her a bunch of money after he passed. She has more than she needs, especially considering the great job Slater has, so she was happy to invest in our fledgling business.
“I’m grateful to your sister, and we both know we wouldn’t be here today without her support but—” He leans forward, wetting his lips.
“But what?”
“I want to have a life outside these four walls. I want to have time to take my girlfriend to dinner or go away with her for a weekend.”
I sit up straighter. “We both knew what we were getting into when we started this business. You can’t turn around after barely eighteen months and say you’ve changed your mind.”
“I haven’t changed my mind. I just want more work-life balance.”
“And you think I don’t?” I get up and come around the front of the desk, resting my butt on the edge. “I know the hours are a killer, but it won’t be forever. Every startup business is like this, and we’re already ahead of the curve. We can’t take our foot off the pedal now. This is the time to work even harder.” I eyeball him, because I need to know if he’s still with me on this. “It won’t be forever, and we’ll get to reap the benefits in a few years.”
Air whooshes out of his mouth as he nods. “I know, man. And I don’t want to give you the impression I’m having doubts because I’m not. This has already exceeded my wildest dreams, and working with you has been great. It’s just—”
“You’re in love, and you want to spend more time with your woman,” I supply.
“Yeah, I do.”
“I’m happy for you, bro. And, look, if you want to take Miley away for a dirty weekend, I’ll work something out. Just tell me when, and I’ll come up with a plan.”
“I can’t up and leave you to manage by yourself.”
“Quit with the martyrdom. Make your plans and I’ll work around it. And I’ll see if I can come up with some options that will allow us to take a step back more regularly.”
CHAPTER 7
Summer
“I’m paying as soon as I get a job,” I tell my brother as I complete the last of the paperwork confirming my gym membership. Austin insists on waiving the membership fee, and while I love that he wants to do that for me—and it’s nice of him to offer Jordan and Hannah a twenty percent discount too—his business is still new, and I doubt they can afford to just give memberships out for free or at discounted rates. Jordan and Hannah have passed anyway, as they can use the sports facilities on campus for free, but they appreciated the gesture.
“Don’t sweat it, Sum. You can make it up to us by helping keep the apartment clean and cooking the odd dinner.”
“Deal.” I stretch up and kiss my brother’s cheek. “Love you, and I’m grateful for all you’re doing to help me out.” I didn’t want to move in with my brother. Didn’t want to rely on him when I’m reveling in my newfound freedom. But now I’m here, I’m finding I’m not all that unhappy about it. I refuse to believe my hot, sex God roomie has anything to do with my change in attitude, and I’m happy to languish in denial.
Austin wraps his strong arms around me, squeezing me tight. “I love having you around. I feel like I was never really there for you growing up, and I like we’ll get to spend time together now.”
“Me too,” I say, but the words are muffled against his warm chest.
“Aw, you two are so sweet,” Miley says, coming around the desk with a wide smile on her face. “It makes me wish I had a big brother.”
“Big brothers are the best,” I agree. “Do you have any siblings?” I ask, easing out of Austin’s arms.
“Only one older sister. She lives in London, so I don’t see that much of her.” Her smile fades, and I feel for her. I don’t know how I’d cope if I didn’t have my family close by. They mean everything even if they drive me to distraction often.
“I’m going to head home for a few hours,” Ryan says, coming up behind us, and speaking directly to my brother. “I’ll be back at nine to relieve you,” he adds, dangling his car keys between his fingers.
“Can you take Summer with you?” Austin asks before turning to face me. “Unless you have other plans?”
Jordan and Hannah have already left, and I made no other plans. “Nope. A ride would be great.”
A cheeky grin appears on Ryan’s gorgeous mouth, and I think I know where his mind has gone. “Perv,” I mouth at him over Austin’s shoulder as we hug goodbye. I give Miley a hug too, and then I wave at my brother and his girlfriend as I join Ryan and we exit the building.
It’s still bright out, and glorious sunshine beats down on us, prompting me to lift my face up to the sky. I adore the sensation of the warm sun on my skin, and it reminds me of copious summers spent outside on the farm, attending to chores and messing around in the woods and by the small stream at the back of our property.
I follow Ryan out into the parking lot, trying not to notice how the muscles in his back and arms ripple invitingly as he moves. And I’m definitely not checking out his toned ass or remembering what his butt cheeks felt like in my hands as I urged him to bury himself deeper inside me. Desire coils low in my belly, and my mouth suddenly feels as dry as the Sahara Desert.
“Liking what you see?” he asks over his shoulder, smirking at my blatant drooling. I open my mouth to reply truthfully when he groans, holding up one large palm. “Forget I said that, and definitely don’t answer.” He holds the door open for me, his face pulled into a tight grimace.
“Okay?” My brow puckers as I pull myself up into the car. My arm brushes against his as I slide into the passenger seat, sending a rake of shivers all over my body. I’ve never had any guy affect me so potently, and the feeling is off-putting. Ryan shuts my door and jogs over to his side, jumping into the car and starting the engine. “Nice wheels,” I remark as he fiddles with the air conditioning.
“She’s a beauty all right. Technically, it belongs to the business, so your brother and I share it.” He backs out of the parking garage and into the busy rush hour traffic.
“Do you mind if I put music on?”
“Knock yourself out.” He pushes a few buttons on his iPhone which is hooked up to the sound system in the car. “There you go.”
I scroll through songs until I find one that reminds me of senior year of high school. I fight a smirk as I press the play button, instantly knowing Ryan will hate this choice.
Predictably, his brows climb to his hairline as the song starts. “‘California Gurls’? Seriously?”
I’m jumping around on the seat, making robotic movements with my arms, as I bop my head to the catchy beat. “I fucking love this song. We did a spoof version of Pitch Perfect for our senior year play, and I was Katy Perry in our rendition of this song.” I put my hands up in the air, dancing around like a crazy person as I belt out the lyrics. Ryan watches me with clear amusement, and it’s just as well the traffic has come to a virtual standstill because he’s paying scant attention to the road.
When the song ends, he shakes his head, chuckling with the biggest grin on his face. “I would’ve paid good money to see that show.”
“I got a standing ovation I’ll have you know,” I mock pout, poking him in the ribs.
“I’m sure you did. You’re a fantastic singer although the jury’s out on your dancing,” he teases, moving the car forward as the traffic eases.
“I’ve got moves,” I protest.
“I know you do,” he blurts before cussing under his breath.
“Let me guess,” I say, arching a brow, “forget you said that too?”
“So, are you studying drama?” he asks after a couple beats of awkward silence, purposely ignoring my question.
“Nah, drama�
��s only a hobby. I want to be a teacher, so I’m majoring in early childhood education.”
“Is that something you’ve always wanted to do?”
“Pretty much.” I pull my legs up into my chest, resting my face sideways on my knees. “I was one of those freaky kids who loved school, and I adore children, so it seems natural to want to work in that environment. I feel like I can relate to them, and the thought of playing a nurturing role, helping kids develop and grow and learn, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”
“That’s great, Summer. I wish I’d had that focus at your age. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I started UD, and it’s only the last couple years I found something I was passionate about. You’re ahead of the curve, in so many ways.”
I almost blush at his compliment, and a heady warmth invades my chest. “Were you a business major like Austin?”
He nods as he maneuvers the SUV around the corner in the apartment’s direction. “Yeah. Not that I had any burning ambition to work in business, but it seemed like a good idea at the time and it’s served me well now.”
“How come you didn’t study something sports related?” I ask, because it’s clear that’s where his passion lies, along with Austin’s.
“I wasn’t as into sports back then. I liked to run, but I didn’t see it as something I’d want to pursue as a career,” he admits, “but I can’t really complain. I’m where I am now thanks to my passion for sports and the business degree I earned. Sometimes, although you might feel lost and aimless, you’re on the right path even when you don’t realize it.” He enters the parking lot of the building, swinging into the designated space.
“That’s profound.”
He kills the engine, staring blankly at the windshield, and his voice is strangely numb-sounding when he speaks. “So many times, I’ve thought my life was going in a certain direction only for something to derail it, but I finally feel like I’m in the right place and that all the shit I went through happened for a reason. To lead me to this point.”
“What shit?” I blurt before I can question the wisdom.
He visibly shakes himself out of whatever place his mind had wandered to, forcing a fake smile on his face as he opens his door. “It’s nothing. It’s in the past, exactly where I want it to be.”
I’m still pondering his words as I slowly unbuckle my seat belt. My door swings open, and Ryan gently holds me at the waist, helping me down. My heart rate speeds up at his touch, and my body tingles all over. Little goose bumps sprout on my arms, and I’m acutely aware of his proximity. He looms over me and heat rolls off his body in hypnotic waves, almost knocking me off my feet.
He has so much presence.
And he’s so masculine in a way that both thrills and scares me.
All the other guys I’ve been with—Justin included—seem so boyish when compared with this man. Visions of his large hands roaming my body, as he explored every inch of my bare skin, surges, unhelpfully, to the forefront of my mind, and I’m hot all over.
“Hey, you okay?” He holds onto my elbow, attempting to steady me, but his touch knocks me even further off-kilter, doing little to ease my temporary lack of balance. “You’re not dizzy after your workout, are you?”
I snort. “Hardly. Calling it a workout is a huge stretch of the imagination.” I wasn’t even exerting myself, yet I still found myself breathless. I shuck out of his hold, feeling like a stranger in my body, and not liking it one bit.
“You obviously exercise regularly,” he says, his eyes quickly scanning my body before a familiar scowl paints his lips.
“Not in a gym.” I lift my arm, flexing my biceps. “These muscles are thanks to farm work, but it’s clearly no match for working out with weights and machines because I was virtually dead after fifteen minutes on that stepper.”
He chuckles, ushering me across the parking lot toward the elevator. “I can schedule a session with one of our personal trainers, if you like. They can devise a training plan that will help you build muscle strength and stamina.”
“That would be cool,” I agree, stepping into the elevator alongside him.
✽✽✽
“I’ll grab a quick shower,” I say when we enter the apartment, conscious I smell like moldy ten-day-old socks. “And then I’ll fix dinner.”
Ryan tosses his keys on the counter, shrugging off his hoodie and flinging it on the back of a stool. “You don’t have to make dinner. I can fix something myself.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. It hardly makes sense for both of us to cook separately, and I want to earn my keep.”
“I won’t argue if you insist,” he complies with a wink, sauntering toward his bedroom.
I’m walking toward the bathroom a couple minutes later, wrapped in my fluffy bathrobe, when I hear the shower start up in his bedroom. I’m surprised Ryan wangled the master suite out from under Austin, but I’m grateful because it means I’m only sharing the main bathroom with my brother, and I won’t risk bumping into the guy I gave my V-card to in a minuscule towel.
As I stand under the stream of warm water, I can’t help thinking of Ryan standing naked in his shower only a few meters away, and my body grows hot and needy as my mind’s eye conjures up his image. I try to dismiss the visual, as I do every time it surfaces in my mind, but I’m a lost cause.
Before I know it, my hand is gliding down over my stomach, and my fingers are caressing my swollen clit as I close my eyes and revisit the night I lost my virginity.
I come seconds later, leaning against the tiled wall as wave after wave of powerful bliss rockets through me. My chest is heaving, and my legs are shaking, as I turn off the water and step out. Wrapping a towel around my body, and another one around my head, I swipe my hand across the steam coating the bathroom mirror, staring at my flushed reflection.
Before I met Ryan, my plans had been to come to UD with no ties or expectations other than to enjoy my freshman year of college and to enjoy my single status once I was no longer under my brothers’ watchful eyes. But, already, I feel my resolve wavering, and I don’t like it.
I don’t want this guy to get under my skin.
I don’t want to feel a growing attachment toward him.
I don’t want his touch to ignite the lustful fuel flowing through my veins.
I don’t want to picture him fucking me when I’m getting myself off.
Hannah and Jordan’s lumpy couch is looking more and more appealing by the minute. I sigh, wondering why it’s proving so hard to shake this guy from my thoughts.
It was only sex, I remind myself. A hot hookup. An amazing one-night stand and a clear onetime thing. Perhaps, because it’s so new, and he’s the only one I’ve had sex with, it’s natural I feel some kind of connection with him. It doesn’t mean I have feelings for him other than an ongoing desire to jump his bones again.
I’m drawn to him because of the sex, I conclude, nodding at my reflection in the mirror as I lie to myself, buoyed up by the fresh thoughts skating through my mind.
There’s an easy cure for this ailment.
A surefire way to get Ryan out from under my skin.
I need to have sex with someone else.
CHAPTER 8
Ryan
Summer isn’t around when I step into the kitchen, so I set about making dinner for both of us. I have the chicken and veg cooking in the skillet and the noodles bubbling in the pan when she finally emerges from her bedroom, dressed in tight yoga pants and a loose shirt.
“I would do that.” She leans in and sniffs the steam rising from the stove. Her delicate floral scent wafts through the air, and her perfume, combined with the curve of her ass in those pants, stirs my lust, reminding my libido that it’s still in full working order. “That smells yummy, and I’m starving.” Her tummy rumbles at that exact moment as if to prove a point.
“It’ll be about ten minutes.” I flip the ingredients in the skillet with a practiced twist of my wrist. “Help yourself to
a drink. Miley has wine coolers you can steal or there’s beer too,” I say before remembering she’s underage, and I’m not sure if Austin would approve of me offering her alcohol. “Forget I said that. Grab two bottles of water.”
She rolls her eyes, smirking as she opens the refrigerator. I try my best not to ogle her gorgeous ass in her form-fitting yoga pants as she bends over. “I’m going to suggest they use that statement as your epitaph,” she teases. “And I’m eighteen, not eight. I’ve been drinking since I was fifteen, and I know how to handle myself, so I’ll have a beer. Thanks.”
She tosses a bottle of water at me so fast I almost don’t catch it. I watch as she closes the refrigerator with her hip before popping the top on a beer, arching her head back as she takes a sip. Her throat works elegantly as she slowly drinks, and it shouldn’t be such a turn-on, but I’m fucked if it isn’t. My cock thickens in my shorts, and I discreetly adjust myself before she notices.
This is becoming a regular occurrence in her presence, which is hugely disconcerting.
I can’t be lusting after her.
It’s wrong on a million different levels.
But try telling that to my greedy hormones.
She’s only been here a little over twenty-four hours, and I’m almost permanently hard. I seriously need to get laid. Maybe then I’ll be able to evict her from my thoughts.
“I’ll be back,” she says, striding out of the kitchen like a woman on a mission. I hear her messing around with the TV, but I keep my focus on making dinner while silently cautioning my dick to get with the program.
“Can you lower the heat on that and come with me,” she asks, a couple minutes later. I glance at her, my curiosity instantly piqued when I spot the mischievous expression on her face and the long blue wig she’s sporting on her head. “I have something to show you.”
Intrigued, I turn off the heat on the stove before trailing her into the living room. “What the hell is that?” I point at the image frozen on the TV screen.
No Feelings Involved: A Brother's Best Friend Standalone Romance Page 6