Chapter Thirteen #2
“We’ll all do it so it’ll go faster,” Manny said, picking up his glass, but Lauren snatched it out of his hands.
“No, you’re guests.” Lauren shooed everyone away.
“And you’re the bride-to-be,” I pointed out. “So go upstairs and get ready for Grady.” I snickered as they both turned red. She kissed my cheek, a mysterious smile hovering on her lips.
“I put your bag in the bedroom at the end of the hall. For privacy.”
Grady and I worked side by side. “Thanks for being here. I know it’s not your kind of thing, but I appreciate you showing up for me.”
“Yeah, of course. You’re my family. That’s what we do for each other.”
He put a hand on my arm. “I miss Carlos too. I owe him more than I could ever repay. He gave me back my brother.”
The first time Grady had contacted me with the shocking news that he was my brother, I’d ignored him for several months.
Angry and hurt, I’d invented a whole scenario in my head that I’d been the unwanted one and he’d lived a charmed life.
From the start, I’d told Carlos that someone had contacted me, claiming to be my brother, and he’d urged me to see Grady, but I’d been a stubborn ass with a chip on my shoulder.
It’d come to a head one day when Grady had shown up at the tattoo shop and demanded we talk it out.
Carlos had taken me aside and insisted I listen to Grady.
Pretty sure without Carlos’s intervention, I would’ve continued to push Grady away.
Shocking tears burned my eyes, and I couldn’t trust my voice to answer. Grady, though, wasn’t finished.
“But it’s been almost five years.”
“Yeah? And?” I finished loading the dishwasher and started putting the trays of food in the refrigerator.
“And there’s nothing wrong with finding someone. Falling in love again.”
A harsh laugh burst from me. “Love? Where the hell is that coming from?” I shoved the last tray of pasta onto the shelf and slammed the door.
Grady stepped into my path of escape. “I told you this before—from the way you look at Bailey.”
I so did not want to have this conversation, considering I was more than a little confused myself about my feelings.
I shrugged. “All I know is, the guy annoys the shit out of me half the time.”
Grady’s eyes twinkled. “And what about the other fifty percent?”
I could feel my face turn red. “Has anyone ever told you how much of a pain in the ass you are?”
“Yeah. You. All the time. Give yourself a chance to get to know him. You might be surprised at what you find.”
Only with Grady could I talk so openly. “I-I did. Last weekend I showed up at his place, but he had someone else in his apartment. So did you ever think I might’ve been willing, but he was the one who wasn’t?” I scanned the cleared kitchen island. “I think we’re finished. I’m gonna head up to bed.”
“I’m right behind you.”
We separated at the top of the stairs. “Try not to be too loud.” I smirked, and Grady punched me in the shoulder.
“Ass.” He laughed, and I walked away with a smile on my face.
I opened the last door at the end of the hallway, and my good mood vanished seeing Bailey standing there, stark naked. “What the fuck?” I snapped as he turned away, which didn’t help, as I got an eyeful of his firm ass.
“What’re you doing in my room?” he snapped, jumping into the king-sized bed.
“Lauren said this was my room. Forget it. I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs.”
Bailey huffed. “Don’t be an idiot. We can share the bed. Don’t worry. I won’t attack you. You’re safe with me. Besides, that couch is too short, and it’s lumpy as shit.”
I hated that he was right.
“Fine.”
I carried my bag into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and changed into a T-shirt and briefs. Good thing I’d brought them, because I usually slept naked. When I returned, Bailey had also put clothes on, and I gingerly climbed into bed, making sure I kept a wide space between us.
“It’s okay,” Bailey sneered. You’ve made it pretty fucking obvious you’re not interested anymore. I don’t go where I’m not wanted.” He shut the light.
Unable to sleep, I lay staring at the ceiling, listening to Bailey breathing next to me.
“Just curious,” he said, and I couldn’t help my lips kicking up in a grin. I knew he wasn’t asleep. The man wasn’t wired to sit still and let things lie.
“About?” I asked.
“What did I do that turned you off? And don’t worry about my feelings. I won’t be insulted.”
Was he serious? For this conversation, I had to turn the light on and see his face.
“Ow, why’d you do that?” He rubbed his eyes and glared at me.
“You’re kidding me, right? You know why.”
“If I did, I wouldn’t ask,” he sniped, looking grumpy and…dammit…cute. What the hell? I’d never thought like that about any guy. Hot, yeah. Fuckable, definitely. But cute? No way. Yet there he sat with his hair all messy, and all I could think was… I’d like to kiss that frowning mouth.
“I’ll refresh your memory, then. I showed up at your place last Sunday, and you had someone else upstairs. So I bailed. It’s fine. We’re not a couple. But the least you can do is be honest.”
Bailey threw back the duvet and stormed out of bed to my side.
“Honest?” he sputtered. “Yeah. I remember. You basically treated me like shit with your coworker when she spotted us having breakfast. You showed up without letting me know ahead of time and started talking about ice cream. You didn’t even say hello.
You just assumed you’d come in, fuck me, and leave. ”
I winced at his crass words, but also because…yeah, it was true. Although I wasn’t so sure about the leaving part. I kind of liked waking up with him. But I had to defend myself. “We had plans. I asked if you had someone up there, and you didn’t answer me.”
“You didn’t text or call. You just came over, and when I didn’t jump, you walked away,” he hissed, leaning in, nose to nose with me. “What was I supposed to do?”
Having him so close and riled up excited me. I grabbed his waist and pulled him close. “We’re here now, and I don’t give a damn about any other guy.”
“There is no other guy. Only you.” Bailey’s hot breath hit my cheek, and my lips covered his in a hard, possessive kiss.