13. Lust In Broad Daylight #2
“Sorry, Harp.” I wince, bracing for the scolding I know is coming. I deserve it. I’ve been so wrapped up in everything Brody that I haven’t had a lot of time for my best friend. “I’m on my way. Going to shower quick.”
“You’re still in bed? I thought you had breakfast with your parents today.”
Shit. Think. Think. I realize my mistake too late.
She’ll catch me backtracking, so that’s not an option.
My head pounds as I scramble to come up with a believable cover story.
Something tells me that ‘I need to clean up because I had a mind-blowing solo session with Brody Stirling in my brain’ won’t go over well.
“I saw my mom, yeah, but I took a run, and now I’m disgusting.” Two truths and a lie. Come on, buy it. She knows me better than anyone, but if that half-convincing excuse sets off alarm bells, I’ll be really impressed.
“Get your ass over here and put me out of my misery, would you? I’m ordering wine.”
“It’s not even noon.”
“I’m barely surviving not knowing what happened between you and Brody last night, so cut me some slack. I need my emotional support glass.”
I can’t help but laugh.
She ends the call with a quick, “Hurry the hell up,” and I’m still smiling as I head into the shower.
“I don’t know what it is about him, Harp.” I’m on my third glass of dry white. Still nowhere close to catching up with Harper, but I’ve resolved to go down trying.
She surveys me with one eyebrow raised. “After what you just told me about that sofa smash, I could take a few guesses at what exactly it is about him that’s got you all googly-eyed.”
“That’s not it, and would you keep it down?” But I already feel it, the telltale burn crawling up my neck, warning me I’m two seconds from broadcasting my dirty little secret in blush code.
She pours more wine into our glasses, tossing the empty bottle into the ice bucket. “Oh, I think that’s it alright.”
A waiter materializes from my right and swoops in to take our empty bottle.
“Another?” His voice is cheerfully upbeat.
"Let’s make the next round some iced tea," I chime in before Harper can turn our lunch into a bender. Iced tea’s the responsible choice, right? One of us has to be the adult here. She pouts as the waiter walks away.
"You’ll thank me later when you're not sobbing into your dessert with a raging headache."
“Don’t tell me Brody has already sucked the fun right out of you.” She deadpans, chomping the tip of a cheese stick. “It’s enough I’m losing my best friend to a traitor; I’d hate if she’s a boring one at that.”
That stings. Not the boring part, but that damn word, traitor. Up until a few days ago, I was ready to wage a full-on war against him and his mega-corporation. One hot-as-hell night doesn’t erase the fact that he wants to turn my town into a concrete wasteland.
Harper leans in closer, like she’s reading my damn mind. "So, you’re sleeping with the enemy now, huh? What the hell are you going to do?"
The truth is, I have no fucking idea. I’ve been so busy replaying his hands on me, his mouth on me, his everything on me, I haven’t stopped long enough to think about what happens next. Am I supposed to hate-fuck my way through every town meeting?
I slump back in my chair with a long sigh, my shoulders dropping under the weight of it all.
"You know…" Harper's eyes light up, and I know what's coming next, some brilliant idea that’s going to make me question why we’re friends.
“Please don’t.” I stop her before it gets that far. “I know that look, and…”
“You should totally use your… new leverage and get him to turn from the dark side.”
I burst out laughing. “Sure, I’ll just grab my sex saber, throw on some earth-toned robes, and convert him. Easy.”
She shrugs, chewing the cheese stick like it’s a lightsaber itself. "Hey, you never know. You're more of a non-force user, though, here to bring balance with your, uh, assets.”
“Okay, we are way off track." I shake my head, biting back another laugh. "We’re supposed to be figuring out how to handle this situation, not drooling over how well-endowed the situation is.”
The wine has definitely gone to my head, making it harder to keep my wits and inhibitions about me. But that part is absolutely crucial if I want anything of substance to come from this debriefing. So far, it’s been nothing but dishing dirt and giggling like teenagers.
“You said it,” I get a cheese stick of accusation jabbed at me, as she starts laughing again. “This time, the majestic endowment resurfacing in conversation is all on you.”
“I never called it majestic!” I press my lips tightly together immediately after I say it, realizing my raised voice is starting to get attention from other diners. This is getting worse and worse.
“You’re so easy,” she says eventually, when the fits of laughter start to fade.
“But seriously. You have more leverage than you think. Use this new closeness to figure out what he’s really after, then turn it to your advantage.
Keep him distracted with your other, uh, assets, and he won’t see it coming. ”
She wiggles her eyebrows, clearly proud of what she thinks is the world’s greatest strategy.
Chewing on my lip, I bite back the reaction I'm really having. Because using him like that? Doesn’t sit right with me.
I don’t know where I stand with Brody.
But I do know this…
I am not falling for a man like him.