Wrong Pucking Move (Humbled Superstars #1)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I was so pissed-off that I took an Uber over to Bryan’s apartment. We’d been friends since high school, and I’d never been tempted to date him, but he was very good in bed.

We usually met up once, maybe twice a month, and this time I had a lot of anger I wanted to burn off, but as I lay in bed afterwards with my damp hair stuck to my back, I still felt unsatisfied.

“What’s going on?” Bryan asked, rubbing my shoulder gently.

“Oh, Jesse’s back around,” I said, attempting a casual tone.

Bryan’s hand stilled and I saw a frown cross his face.

He was a physical trainer at a local gym, with shaggy light brown hair and a hipster goatee. He was a nice guy and we were very compatible in bed, but frankly I didn’t think about him otherwise.

I guess I would have to keep looking until I found a man I actually liked enough to think about during the week.

“And what does he want?” Bryan asked.

“Oh, he says he wants to get back together. He’s just pissing me off.”

“And do you?” Bryan asked.

I rolled to my feet and reached for my panties.

“No.”

“Good,” Bryan said, a little too quickly. “Fuck that guy. He’s just a dumb meathead.”

Bryan had never liked Jesse, but I felt a little prickle of irritation.

“You and I are casual,” I reminded him coldly. “No strings attached.”

“I know,” Bryan said, “I just would hate for you to get hurt again.”

When I only stared at him, he added with a rueful grin, “OK, and maybe I have a selfish motivation, too. Because you’re the best lay I’ve ever had, fucking hands down. You’re so sexy.”

“Hm,” I said.

But I didn’t return the compliment.

As he drove me home, I had to admit why I was feeling so restless still.

At first, I had thought Jesse contacting me was just drunk texting or something impulsive.

He always had been cocky and impulsive. But today it almost seemed like he meant it.

What did that mean?

Nothing, right?

It changed nothing.

Maybe Jesse would finally give up and let me go back to my life.

But when Bryan dropped me off back at home, there was a tent at the bottom of our stairs and as I moved closer the front unzipped and Jesse emerged, a sleeping bag under one arm.

“What are you doing now ?” I yelped at him.

“Just doing anything I can to show you I’ve changed,” he said. “That I’m committed to this relationship.”

“We don’t have a relationship,” I reminded him as he sprinkled de-icer on our front steps.

“I want to be here for you,” Jesse insisted, turning around so my heart twisted inside me. “There’s severe weather projected for the next few weeks.”

Just then he caught sight of Bryan walking behind me.

“What’s he doing here?” Jesse asked darkly.

Bryan stepped next to me, putting an arm casually around my shoulders.

“What does it matter to you?”

“I want to get back with her,” Jesse retorted.

“My relationship with Bryan is none of your business,” I put in firmly.

“Your relationship?” Jesse asked, taking a step closer.

God, even off the ice, he was just massive, huge broad shoulders stretching that black hoodie wide.

“Mind your business, man,” Bryan said, but I noticed he didn’t try to step in between Jesse and I, and watched the much bigger pro warily.

“It’s sex,” I said. “We meet up to fuck.”

For a moment, tensions crackled in the air, then I heard a window open behind me, and there was a loud slurping sound.

“Mm, what delicious hot chocolate,” Dad said. “It’s lovely and nice and warm inside. Come here, Watson, and look at this damn fool camping on our front sidewalk.”

Jesse was looking like he’d been punched in the gut, and Mike stuck a leaf blower out the window and sent a huge spray of wet, slushy snow all over my ex.

“Boo to you,” Dad said. “Boo to you, Mr. Wi?niewski.”

Then he shut the window with such satisfaction that little paint flakes flew out in a cloud.

“Did you think I was going to take a vow of celibacy?” I demanded.

“No, no,” Jesse said, but I could tell he absolutely hadn’t expected this. “I just want things to go back to how they used to be. I want you to be mine again.”

“Not going to happen,” I warned him.

“Give me another chance,” he said, looking at me with those damn fucking baby blue eyes.

“What’s the matter?” Bryan put in. “Got tired of fucking Instagram models and now you want Josie back?”

“Just go, Bryan,” I warned him, stepping in front of Jesse.

“Fine,” Bryan said, backing away. “Text me whenever you want to cum, Josie. Let’s try to beat our previous record.”

Jesse’s breathing was so ragged and angry I didn’t know if I was going to turn around and he’d be fucking chasing Bryan’s car down the street.

“He’s right, though,” I said. “I don’t buy it. You didn’t contact me for a year. You’re just bored or nostalgic or something. You thought you could do better than me, so go find it.”

Jesse looked like I’d slapped him in the face.

“I can’t—I can’t believe I was so stupid,” he groaned, tearing at his blonde hair. “I thought I would be a fucking Big Man and sow my wild oats or something. Well, it fucking sucked. It was nothing like being with you.”

His eyes scanned my face, like he was looking for any evidence of me softening. “I tried to deny how I felt for months. Then I finally couldn’t deny any more that I’m miserable without you. I want to fix everything I broke.”

“Some things can’t be fixed,” I said, “and this is one of them.”

I turned to go but he gripped my hand, sending a wave of sensation through me.

“What are you doing?” I snapped, but he was getting down on one knee and digging in his pocket.

To my astonishment, he pulled out a little black box and held it out to me.

“I’m doing something I should have done a long time ago. Asking you to marry me. Will you, Josie?”

“Absolutely not,” I said indignantly.

“Open it, please,” he begged.

“Absolutely not,” I repeated. “You just don’t fit into my lifestyle anymore, Jesse.”

After I had gone inside, Mom looked at me with round eyes from where she and Watson were sitting in front of a cozy roaring fire.

“How long is he going to be out there?”

“I don’t know, Mom,” I said. “I don’t know.”