Fifteen
Wes
“Maybe you could tell that woman on the corner I’m not some ruffian who’s lurking around the neighbourhood looking for small children to sell hard drugs to,” I grumble as I tug my t-shirt back over my head and bend down to pull on my Chucks.
Yeah, it’s probably a little weird to be discussing Devon’s elderly neighbour in the immediate aftermath of yet another epic shag, but I just know I’ll catch her glaring at me on my way to the tube.
I swear the woman has nothing better to do than watch and judge the comings and goings of the residents of this street.
“Just the soft stuff, right?” Devon says with a wry chuckle from where he’s stretched out on the bed, looking thoroughly sexed up. “Weed, coke, that sort of thing?”
My brows shoot up. “You’re calling coke a soft drug and I’m the ruffian?”
He lets out a sputter of laughter that morphs into a reassuring smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much about Mrs. Banks, she’s a grump to everyone.”
“Really?” I ask, genuinely curious. “I would have thought the perfectly poised and pristinely polished Devon Montgomery would have found a way to get on her good side.”
He rolls his eyes. “Nice alliteration.”
“Thanks. I’m considering a career in the greeting card business.”
“I wouldn’t give up your day job,” he says dryly.
I let out a soft chuckle and pick my jacket up off the floor, slipping it on. I pad over to the side of the bed and run my hand over his chest. “Got to say, you don’t look all that poised or polished right now, Mr Montgomery. You look messy and used up.”
He glares at me, a mix of shame and hunger in his eyes. “You’re a massive fucking prick.”
I grin down at him. “No, I have a massive fucking prick. And you love it.”
“Bastard,” he mutters with a shake of his head. “Time for you to go.” He climbs off the bed and tugs on a pair of jogging bottoms, ushering me out of the bedroom and downstairs to the front hallway.
I’m about to open the door when Devon speaks. “Just out of curiosity…how did you end up like this?” He waves a hand over my person to indicate my appearance . “I mean, your family’s quite respectable.”
I let out a harsh snort. “God, you’re a fucking snob.”
“Come on, you can’t blame me for being curious,” he reasons. “You’re so…different to the rest of your family.”
I flash a teasing grin. “Story for another time.”
He groans. “When?”
“Aww, you miss me already?” I place a hand to my heart and pretend to swoon.
Devon just scowls. “Only parts of you.”
I reach out and cup the back of his neck, dragging his face toward mine. My lips crash to his for a searing kiss that leaves both of us a little breathless. “Later,” I say with a smirk, before disappearing through the front door.
Me: You want to know how many times I fantasised about having your mouth on me?
Me: Hundreds…
Me: Whenever you’d start banging on about some bullshit like the tannins in wine or your ecotourism in Laos I’d daydream about shutting you up by stuffing my cock in your pretentious mouth and making you choke on it
Devon Montgomery: Fuck there is something seriously wrong with me! I shouldn’t be so turned on by that!
Me: And here I thought we’d managed to dislodge that stick from up your arse. Clearly, I’ve still got some work to do ??
Devon Montgomery: You’re such a prick. Why the hell am I attracted to you?
Me: Because I’m amazing, and sexy, and an epic shag…
Devon Montgomery: You’re crass, and obnoxious, and uncouth
Me: Uncouth? Ouch. Way to hit me where it hurts
“Hello! Earth to Wes!” Natasha calls, waving a hand in front of my face.
I glance up in surprise, seeing Natasha has arrived and seated herself on a stool opposite me. “When did you get here?”
She gives a wry shake of her head. “Couple minutes ago. I did say hi, but you were pretty wrapped up in your phone.”
“Oh, sorry.” I set my phone down, offering a sheepish smile.
Tash just arches a brow at me. “Who’s the guy?”
“Huh?”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on. There are only two things that will have you that engrossed in your phone: football, and sex. And seeing as how the game hasn’t started yet, I’m going with option B. So…who were you sexting?”
I hesitate for a moment before deciding to just blurt it out. “Okay, fine. It was Devon.”
Natasha stares at me for a long moment, eyes wide with shock. “Devon Montgomery?”
I nod. “Yeah. Remember last week when you worked out he was the guy I’d been emailing?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, I went over there to talk to him about it and…” I shrug. “We ended up fucking. Been at it all week.”
“But…you hate him…”
“So?” I give another shrug and take a swig from my pint. “He’s a great shag, I’ll give him that.”
“What about Emma?” Tash asks warily.
“What about her?”
Natasha casts me a knowing look. “You’re shagging her ex. Don’t try to pretend that’s not an issue.”
I sigh. “It’s not a big issue. Trust me. This thing with Devon is purely physical. It’s just two guys who hate each other expressing that hatred in a very productive way.”
I decide not to tell her about my little freak out after the first time we hooked up. It’s become increasingly clear over the past week that my concerns over Devon still being hung up on Emma were completely unfounded.
Tash rolls her eyes. “I think the word ‘unhealthy’ would be more accurate.”
“Don’t go all psychoanalysis on me, Miss Advice Column—this is the perfect situation. The sex is incredible, there are zero feelings involved. Nothing bad can come of this.”
“If you say so,” she says, her expression doubtful.
I shake my head. “You worry too much. Trust me, Tash, it’s all orgasms and rainbows from here on out.”
She lets out a soft breath of laughter, shaking her head.
I drain the rest of my beer and slide off my stool. “Pale ale?” I ask Tash as I start to move away from the table.
“Yeah, thanks.”
I push through the heaving crowd full of football fans and after work drinkers until I’m finally at the bar.
Adam doesn’t seem to be working tonight so I can’t count on my usual preferential treatment, which means it takes a good fifteen minutes before I’m heading back through the crowd with our drinks.
When I return to the table, it’s to find my best friend scrolling through my phone, a wide-eyed expression on her face.
“Hey!”
She startles at my arrival, dropping the phone back on the table and glancing every which way but at me, her face flaming red.
“Natasha…” I arch an accusatory brow at her. “Were you just reading my texts?” It’s not as though I really care that she was; we’re not exactly boundary-having type friends so this is hardly anything new.
“I was just…curious,” she explains. “It’s not every day your best friend decides to be fuck buddies with his sworn enemy.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “And has your curiosity been satisfied?”
“Yes…mostly.”
I arch a brow at her. “Mostly?”
She hesitates for a moment before letting out a long sigh. “I’m just still not sure about the Emma thing. I mean, you said yourself you bolted from his house the night you hooked up because you were uncomfortable about shagging your sister’s ex.”
“When did I say that?”
She gestures at my phone. “In your texts.”
“I don’t think I ever said the word ‘uncomfortable,’” I protest. “It was a little disconcerting, maybe, but that was last week.” I wave a hand behind me to emphasise how far in the past that seems now.
She stares at me for a long moment, carefully scrutinizing my face. “So, you’re telling me that you’re completely fine with the fact that your current fuck buddy, a man whom you profess to hate, was recently engaged to your sister?”
I roll my eyes. “Well, I’d prefer if you didn’t announce it to the entire bar, but yeah, I’m fine with it.”
She nods. “Okay, and what if Emma comes home and wants to get back together with Devon? That wouldn’t make things awkward at future family dinners at all…”
I snort into my beer. “Trust me, that’s not going to happen.”
“How can you be sure?” she asks, clearly concerned. “He was pretty upset when she broke things off. One would think he’d jump at the chance to get back with her.”
I roll my eyes. “He was upset because he’s an egomaniac and couldn’t handle being dumped. It had nothing to do with Emma.” At Tash’s sceptical look, I add, “Here, I’ll prove it.”
I pick up my phone and type out a text.
Me: Okay, warning: this topic is going to be pretty awkward and uncomfortable but Tash is giving me hell right now so I need to clear it up
Devon Montgomery: You’re not trying to instigate a threesome conversation right now are you?
Me: Definitely not. I don’t share ??
Devon Montgomery: What’s up?
Me: Again, awkward question warning: If Em came home and wanted you guys to get back together would you go for it?
Devon Montgomery: Wow that IS an awkward question! I really don’t see that happening
Me: Hypothetical - if it did happen, would you consider it?
Devon Montgomery: Why are you asking?
Me: I’ll tell you in a second, just answer the fucking question
Devon Montgomery: Fuck, so bossy! Okay then, no I don’t think so. She was right to end things. We weren’t in love ?????♂?
Me: I knew it! Vindication is sweet!
I turn my phone to show Natasha Devon’s text. “See?”
She rolls her eyes. “ Fine.”
My phone buzzes again and I check to see a follow-up message.
Devon Montgomery: So now are you going to explain why you’re asking?
Me: Natasha is worried things will get weird if Emma comes home and you two get back together, you know since we’ve been shagging every night this week with no plans to stop anytime soon. I told her she was worrying over nothing because you wouldn’t be interested in getting back with Emma
Devon Montgomery: How did you know I wouldn’t be interested?
Me: Because I excel at mind-reading, obviously
Devon Montgomery: Obviously ??
Me: Also there is no way the noble Sir Devon would be gagging for my cock 24/7 if he were still in love with my sister
Devon Montgomery: You really are an arsehole
Me: Your insults are so creative
Devon Montgomery: How do you know there are ‘no plans to stop anytime soon’? Maybe I’m done with this whole thing? It’s getting a little boring…
Me: That’d be way more convincing if you weren’t holding your dick right now and thinking about me
Me: Mind-reader ??
Devon Montgomery: ??
I chuckle and set my phone back down, glancing up to find Natasha staring at me, one eyebrow raised.
“What?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you want me to leave?”
I let out a soft breath of laughter. “I’m good.”