Chapter 12
twelve
. . .
Lila
We pulled into the driveway, and I looked over my shoulder to see Brax pull in behind us.
Today had been a lot, and I needed to get ready before we went out tonight.
Girls’ night out had somehow turned into bringing boyfriends.
Boomer and Parker were both joining us, and Del had arranged for Quincy and Kline to meet us.
I hadn’t realized those two were good friends, so I just had to hope that Del wouldn’t make things awkward and blow my cover.
Kline and I were just friends, and it made me nervous that she thought it was something more.
I didn’t mind him going out with us, especially now that he’d told me he and Danielle had hooked up. That took the pressure off.
Unfortunately, I’d come to the realization that the only man I was interested in happened to be the one I lived with.
Who I also worked for.
Who also happened to be my brother’s best friend.
And he’d made it clear that nothing could happen between us again.
Maybe I was meant to die a virgin.
It wasn’t supposed to be this hard, right?
“Well, look who’s here. Mr. Fucking Secret Keeper,” Hugh grumped beside me as he turned off the car.
“Don’t make him feel bad for helping me.”
“He should have stopped you from doing it.” He pushed out of the car. He wasn’t going to let this go. And this man had the nerve to call me stubborn?
“Hey. I was just showing a house on your street and thought you might be back. You want to go grab pizza with those girls from last night? They just texted me that they want to meet up,” Brax said as he strolled up the driveway.
I knew Hugh’d gone out last night, but he hadn’t said much about it, and he’d gotten home early, so I figured it didn’t go well. But maybe that was just wishful thinking.
Hugh crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Brax before speaking. “Something you want to tell me?”
“Um, let’s see. I’d like to get laid, and it can’t seem to happen without my wingman, so let’s get some pizza and go out tonight.
Is that what you’re waiting for?” he asked.
Brax was a few inches shorter than Hugh but still stood about six feet tall.
He had his hair cut close to his head and was always dressed like he was going to a meeting.
Even if he was at a barbecue, the man was wearing a dress shirt and dress pants.
He didn’t do the casual thing like his two best friends.
“And hello, lovely Lila. How are you doing today?”
He hugged me, and I could feel him doing something over my shoulder to Hugh because his body shook a little like he was trying to hold in his laughter.
“Fuck off. That is not what I’m talking about. You’re helping Lila sell her car, and you didn’t think you should mention that?”
Brax pulled away, and we all walked up the driveway toward the house.
“I didn’t think it needed to be mentioned.
Might I remind you and the ever-overbearing Travis that Lila is an adult.
She can sell her car if she wants to. And I understand that Travis is an asshole, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
But this attitude from you, Hugh…” Brax said with a smirk, as we made our way inside to the kitchen, and he leaned over the large island.
“I’m not understanding why you’re feeling so… protective?”
Hugh narrowed his gaze, and when he leaned on the counter across from Brax, I couldn’t help but notice the veins in his forearms bulging. And why did I find that so ridiculously sexy? Was this just some sort of out-of-control, hormonal crush now? Even his forearms turned me on.
“Listen, fucker. She’s family, and you know it. And you should have told me because I would have loaned her the money. So, get her damn car off the lot, and we’ll forget you made that mistake.”
I rolled my eyes. “Uhhhh, hello? I’m standing right here, and this is not your decision. It’s mine.”
“Yeah, I totally agree,” Brax said, reaching for the plate of cookies I’d picked up at the bakery yesterday, taking one off the top and biting it in half.
“Oh, shut the fuck up, you ass kisser.” Hugh railed at his friend before turning to me. “Listen, I’ve got the money, and I’m offering it to you. Stop being a stubborn ass about it,” he growled when his gaze locked with mine.
I shook my head. “You’re no different than Travis. I don’t need your money. You’ve done enough for me. I don’t care about the car, and I’m selling it.”
He hissed out a breath and ran a hand down his face. “I did go with you today, so I think I’m slightly different than Travis, yeah?”
He was pissed. But this was not his decision to make.
“Listen. I need to go get ready to go out. Sloane’s picking me up in an hour.”
“Ohhhh, where are we going tonight?” Brax purred, and Hugh just stared at me like I’d slapped him in the face by not giving him his way.
I’m sorry that I don’t casually ask someone for eight thousand dollars. Maybe that wasn’t a lot of money to Hugh Reynolds, but it was a lot of money to me.
And Travis would never let me live it down if I borrowed the money from his best friend, and our father didn’t succeed.
Because Hugh was Travis’s best friend, not mine, right?
I mean, the reason he wouldn’t act on his feelings for me, which I knew he had, was all because of his loyalty to Travis. How stupid was that?
Hugh wasn’t the only one who was pissed now.
“I’m going to that biker bar on Front Street with the girls and their guys, and Kline is also coming with us.” I forced a fake smile and looked directly at Hugh. I’d intentionally not mentioned that Kline and Danielle had something going on now because I enjoyed seeing him get all worked up.
It was childish, but when it came to Hugh Reynolds, I had no shame, apparently.
“Ahhh… we’ve been there a few times. I can’t believe Travis isn’t having a fucking meltdown that you’re going there. That’s not a tame place, but I personally love it. There’s always a good fight and hot biker chicks,” Brax said.
“Are you done?” Hugh grumped.
“I guess I must be.” Brax smirked as he reached for another cookie, and Hugh slapped it right out of his hand. It took everything in me not to laugh.
“So, are you going to run to my brother and tattle on me?” I glanced at the large man scowling at me from across the kitchen island.
“No. You’re right, Snow. You’re a grownup. You can make your own decisions.” He raised a brow, his mood completely shifting.
“Well, thank you. I appreciate that.” I turned to make my way to my bedroom door.
“But now that you’ve got me thinking about it, Brax.
I think we should grab the girls from last night and head over to that biker bar ourselves tonight.
I’m in the mood for some hot biker chicks,” Hugh said, his voice completely void of any emotion and loud enough to make sure I heard him.
He was definitely doing this to irritate me.
The thought of seeing him with a woman made my blood boil.
“Welcome back, buddy. I’ve missed you.” Brax barked out a laugh, and I groaned as I whipped my door open and slammed it behind me.
I would not let him ruin my night just because I didn’t give him his way.
If he wanted to flaunt another woman in my face, I wasn’t above doing the same damn thing to him. After all, he was the one who insisted we couldn’t cross the line again. That was his decision, not mine.
I glanced at my closet and pulled out my silk white tank top and then dug through my drawers to find my black cutoffs that I hadn’t worn in forever because they were ridiculously short and usually garnered me more attention than I wanted.
But tonight, I wanted to make sure a certain set of green eyes were on me.
I spent the next hour curling my hair and putting on makeup. I went for a smoky eye, some bronzer, and then dabbed on my favorite pink lipstick.
This was more makeup than I normally wore, so I grabbed my notebook and added a new one to the list.
Embrace your inner sex appeal and flirt your ass off.
Hugh and Brax were already gone when Sloane got to the house.
“Holy mother of all sex goddesses—who are you, and what have you done with the virgin Lila?” Sloane said over her laughter as her eyes widened, and she walked in a circle around me.
I’d toned things down when I slipped on my tan cowboy boots, but the rest of me was definitely out to get noticed tonight.
“Can we drop the virgin talk for one night, please? I’m over it.”
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. “Well, I don’t think anyone is going to be talking about your virginity tonight. Not when you’re looking this smoking hot.”
The door burst open just as I reached for my purse, and Del and Rina both gaped at me.
“Holy hotness. Girl, look at you,” Del purred. “Kline isn’t going to know what to do with himself when he sees you.”
I groaned internally because the last thing I needed was her pushing things with Kline.
“I’m actually going to just have fun tonight. I’m not dating Kline. I just want to see where the night takes me.” I grabbed my keys and phone and dropped them into my purse as we made our way out the door.
“Well, the night will take you wherever you want it to, looking like that. Damn, Lila. I always knew you were gorgeous, but wow.” Rina slipped into the back seat of Sloane’s car with me, while Del took the front seat.
“You’re being ridiculous,” I said. “But thank you. Where are the guys? I thought they were coming.”
“I told them to come with Quincy and Kline so we could have a little fun first. You know, before the wet blankets get there,” Del said, and the car filled with laughter.