Chapter 18
Flynn
I picked up a call on the way to my car Friday night, duffel slung over one shoulder and anticipation of the weekend ahead fluttering in my stomach.
“Hey, Matteo. What’s up?”
“I got your message,” he said. “You’re going to miss the next Redemption meeting?”
“Yeah, I’ve got plans with my brother.”
That was my cover story, anyway. I would see my brother when I was up at Thurston University, so it wasn’t a lie. I’d just be seeing Bailey too.
“You’re not avoiding the meeting because of Shane, are you?” Matteo asked, concern leaking into his tone.
“No,” I said shortly, the mention of his name raising my hackles. “He’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Because he came to me asking about placement at Forrester Bros Auto. He seems genuinely interested in the operation.”
Of course he fucking did. That was no surprise.
I opened the trunk and dumped my duffel bag in. “He’s interested for all the wrong reasons, Matteo. Please don’t let him play you.”
There was a pause. “I already told him no.”
That surprised me. “You did? When I brought up my concerns, you didn’t listen.”
“That’s not true. I listened. I just wanted to give him a chance. I still do.”
I didn’t have a response to that. I got into the car and started up the engine. “I’m getting ready to head out. Am I good to miss the meeting?”
“Yeah, but Flynn…”
“Yeah?” I asked, guard up.
“I’m sorry if I seemed dismissive of your worries.
I’m taking your input seriously, okay? I want to give Shane a chance, but I won’t let him manipulate the situation to suit himself.
That’s why I said no to his request. I know that if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have come out of prison nearly as…
okay as I did. I’ll always be grateful for that. ”
“We were friends,” I said gruffly. “You saved me too, just in a different way.”
“What way was that?” Matteo asked dubiously.
He never understood just how much he meant to me. Partly by design. I didn’t want him feeling pressured or obligated. There was too much of that shit in prison already.
“You reminded me of who I was out here,” I said. “Not Dozer, the big, intimidating asshole who’d murdered a man. Flynn, the guy with a little brother, and a love of sci-fi and classic arcade games, and a knack for keeping his POS cars running against all the odds.”
Matteo chuckled, his voice like warm honey. It didn’t affect me like it once had, and I was glad about that. Matteo had reminded me of who I used to be before that awful night, but Bailey showed me that I could be that man again—or maybe even a better version of him.
I was already addicted to that feeling.
“Drive safe and have a great weekend,” Matteo said. “I’ll let you know if anything important happens at the meeting.”
“Thanks, man.”
I ended the call, reversed out of my driveway, and headed for the highway.
Two hours and ten minutes later, I coasted into Maple Grove city limits. Five minutes after that, I was pulling onto the Thurston University campus and following the directions Bailey had sent me to his dorm parking lot.
I found a spot toward the back and parked, then climbed out of the car to stretch my legs. Bailey crossed the lot to meet me.
He had styled his hair, messy but artful, and wore ripped jeans that seemed to emphasize his narrow hips and long legs and a forest-green T-shirt that clung to every lean muscle. He’d layered a fleece-lined jean jacket on top.
I’d dressed up a little too. Black jeans, as usual, but a button-down gray flannel shirt that was a little too tight in the shoulders.
“Hey,” Bailey said, grinning. “You’re here.”
“I’m here,” I agreed.
Bailey jumped at me, and I caught him easily, our mouths colliding in a hot kiss. I leaned back against the car, eyes closed, and opened my mouth for his questing tongue. Bailey was an aggressive kisser, but I liked it.
No, I loved it.
No one had ever made me feel so damn wanted before.
He made a soft sound in his throat and broke the kiss with a breathless laugh. “Guess I missed you or something.”
I smiled. “Guess I missed you too.”
“Then we should kiss again,” he said seriously and bent to take my mouth once more.
I met his tongue this time, tasting a hint of peppermint, as if he’d recently eaten a mint or brushed his teeth.
In preparation for this greeting? My heart gave a kick at the thought of him preparing to suck my tongue.
Blood traveled south fast, and I lowered Bailey to the ground. “If we’re going to make it to our date, we need to stop kissing.”
“You could just come inside. My roommate went out for dinner. He won’t be back for a while.”
“Tempting,” I said, “but I want to take you on a real date. Show you that this is about more than sex.”
He smiled up at me. “Yeah? You want to wine and dine me?”
“Well, maybe just dine you. You’re not twenty-one yet.”
He groaned. “Only a year to go after my birthday next week. You better buy me a drink when I finally turn twenty-one.”
I liked the idea that he pictured us together in the future. “I’d be honored.”
I grabbed his face for one more hard and fast kiss, then gave him a little push. “Get in the car before I change my mind.”
He laughed and went around to the passenger side. “I guess it’d be a shame to miss what a Flynn Donovan date looks like.”
“Don’t get your hopes up too high,” I said. “I haven’t done this in a long time.”
Bailey smiled at me over the roof of the car. “Well, I’m a sure thing, Flynn. You’ve already impressed me plenty.”
I knew Bailey wouldn’t care about fancy restaurants, so when I planned this date, I quizzed my brother about all the best spots in and around Maple Grove.
Finally, I’d landed on a trendy grill and bar one town over. Bailey looked intrigued as I left city limits. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He glanced out the window at the passing countryside. “Very mysterious. Castleton is this way.”
“Mm-hmm,” I said noncommittally.
“They have a few good restaurants. I heard the sushi is kick-ass.”
“You like sushi?” I said in surprise.
“I mean, it’s no Zacos, but yeah.” He grinned at me. “I like trying new things.” He shifted to put his hand on my right thigh. “This is one of my favorite new things.”
He leaned in, pressing his lips to my throat.
My breath stuttered. “Are you talking about me or making out in the car?”
“Yes,” he whispered into my ear, and his hand crept higher up my thigh.
I grabbed his hand, squeezing gently. “Maybe not while I’m driving, baby. I don’t want to explain to your brothers why you’re in a dozen pieces on the side of the road.”
Bailey chuckled and leaned back. “Surely I don’t have that much effect on you.”
I shot him a hot look. “You have no idea just how much I want you, do you?”
“You hide it well. I had to make the first move, and then…” He trailed off, biting his bottom lip.
Ah, damn. Was bold, brash Bailey having a bout of insecurity?
I reached for his hand and laced our fingers. “Well, that’s all it was. Me hiding how I felt, because I didn’t think I should want this. But I do, Bailey. Just as much as you. Maybe more.”
“Doubtful,” he said with a chuckle, but he relaxed as we cruised into Castleton, gazing out the window as I navigated to the Tipsy Turtle.
Bailey peered up at it through the windshield. “How did you find this place?”
“My brother helped me pick it. Have you ever been here?”
“Nope.”
I threw open the door. “Good. Wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“Surprise.” Bailey unbuckled and got out of the car, following me to the door. “What surprise?”
I shrugged. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
He followed me inside, glancing around as if he expected a clown to burst out from behind the hostess stand.
“I don’t see anything crazy,” he said. “Just a pub. Maybe it’s something on the menu?”
“Maybe,” I said, giving away nothing.
A cheery, short-haired brunette named Cherry offered to seat us. We followed her to a large, sturdy booth with black faux leather seats.
She set down menus in front of each of us. “What will you have to drink?”
“Root beer,” Bailey said.
“That sounds good. Make it two.”
“You got it. Emilio will be along to take your food orders in a few minutes. Have a great evening!”
As she walked away, Bailey frowned. “You can have a beer. I’m used to it.”
“Nah, that’s okay. I have to drive us back to Thurston later.”
He picked up the menu and skimmed through it. “Looks good. Not sure what the surprise is?”
I smiled to myself. “Maybe the point was to keep you guessing.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t take you for a cruel man.”
I laughed. “I’m not. As soon as we eat, I’ll give you the big reveal. There’s been so much buildup now that I’m sure you’ll be very unimpressed.”
Emilio, the server, arrived—a young, smoky-eyed Latino hottie who gave Bailey more than one interested look—and delivered our drinks before rattling off the specials.
“I’ll take the smothered pork chops with mashed potatoes.”
Emilio turned to Bailey. “And what about you? You see anything you like tonight?”
Bailey lowered the menu. “Yeah, just bring me the shepherd’s pie.”
“You have good taste,” Emilio purred.
Bailey looked at me with a smile. “I do, don’t I?”
Emilio glanced between us, and a little sizzle went out of his tone. “Will that be all for now?”
“Yes, thank you,” I said. “We’ve got everything we need.”
Emilio melted away, but not before casting one more longing glance over his shoulder. I nudged Bailey’s ankle. “Looks like I’ve got some competition.”
He blinked. “What do you mean?”
I chuckled. “Did you not notice the way Emilio looked at you?”
Bailey glanced across the pub, where Emilio was pushing through the swinging kitchen door. “He was just being friendly, right?”
“Wow,” I said. “Now I understand why no one else has snapped you up. You’re oblivious to the effect you have on guys, aren’t you?”
Bailey shook his head. “I’ve noticed guys hitting on me before. I just turned them down.”
“Why?” I asked out of curiosity.
“Because they weren’t you.”
My heart stuttered. “B-but we were just friends for a long time. We worked together all summer.”
Bailey shrugged. “And I liked you that whole time.”
Damn. So much time I’d wasted by being too afraid to make a move. We could have been doing this all summer when we weren’t living two hours apart.
Bailey cleared his throat. “Sorry if, uh, that makes me seem too desperate or something.”
“Bailey!” I laughed a little and grasped his hand on the table. “If you were desperate, so was I. I’ve liked you for a long time too. I was just…a coward.”
“I guess we both were.” Bailey rolled his eyes. “There were so many nights when we were working on Monarch that I wanted to just jump you and break the tension.”
“You named your car Monarch?”
“Seemed fitting. She transformed like a butterfly.”
“I like it.”
We reminisced about our hours working in close proximity and how damn tempted we both were during those sweet summer nights, and before we knew it, Emilio had returned with our entrees.
He set our plates down and warned us they were hot.
“Let me know if I can get you anything else,” he said with a polite smile. “I’ll check in before I clock out.” He looked directly at Bailey. “My shift ends at nine thirty.”
Bailey broke his crust with a fork. “Thanks. Looks great.”
Emilio sighed and sashayed away. I laughed quietly as I cut into my porkchop.
“Don’t say it,” Bailey said. “I noticed. I just don’t care.”
“No?”
“Why would I? I’ve got much better plans tonight. At least, I hope I do. This date isn’t going to end with you dropping me at my door with a chaste kiss good night, is it?”
“That depends on what you want,” I said.
“I want you to come into my dorm room and ravage me.”
“Don’t you have a roommate?”
“We’ll make him leave.”
I laughed. “Real nice.”
Bailey waved a hand. “I’ll return the favor when he gets a girlfriend. Or I’ll play wingman at the next party he wants to go to. Whatever. It’ll be fine.”
“Well, we’ll just have to see how the night unfolds,” I said.
I was planning to crash at my brother’s place. He’d offered me his guest room. But I wasn’t sure yet about bringing my boyfriend there. Aiden would probably be okay with it, but it was awkward.
I could tell Bailey had some kind of college boy fantasy about having me in his dorm room, and I was curious to see the place, so maybe I’d let him have his way.
We finished eating, and then I slid out of the booth. “Ready to see the surprise?”
“Finally!” Bailey followed me around the corner toward the back of the pub, and there, sitting unobtrusively, was a pool table.
Bailey laughed. “Seriously?”
I turned to him. “I thought it’d be fun to play. I’m the only guy you get to hustle tonight.”
Bailey’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, this should be fun. I hope you’re ready to lose your shirt.” He paused. “And your pants.” He grinned sharply. “You should know I’m going to take you for everything I can get.”
My body heated at the intent in his gaze. “Then show me what you’ve got.”
Bailey racked the balls and chalked his cue tip before breaking with all the sure, confident movements of a pro. He was so damn sexy when he bent over a pool table, his focus laser-sharp, and hit every shot he called.
By the time we finished the first game, I was burning with the desire to get him alone.
“You’re going to do anything I ask tonight,” he murmured into my ear, making me shiver with anticipation.
By the end of the second game—in which Bailey had once again annihilated me—I was hard in my jeans and aching for relief.
“If we don’t leave now, I might try to blow you at this pool table.”
Bailey smirked. “But I had one more bet in mind.”
“What’s that?”
“If I win, you fuck me tonight.”
I grabbed his arm and jerked him close. “You’ve already won. All the prizes are yours.”
He held my gaze for a long moment, then smiled slow and sweet. There was a hint of the devil in that smile. I was the older one, the experienced one, the tarnished one.
So why did I suddenly feel like I was in over my head?