4. Come in, Cocksucker
4
Miles
As I pass the Sublime city limits sign, I silently admonish myself for immediately wondering what Roxy is up to. It’s been a couple of weeks since our night together and subsequent surprise meeting at Riggs and Tessa’s dinner party, and I can honestly say I’ve only thought of her about a million times since then.
Friends.
That’s what she wants to be, like our mutual attraction and sizzling sexual chemistry don’t exist. I mean, I do see her point. If we explored that attraction and chemistry further, then things went bad, it would be highly uncomfortable for everyone in our newly formed social circle. We both play a big part in Tessa’s and Riggs’ lives, and hostility between us would cause tension between us and our friends. And tension with Riggs is something I cannot afford. Neither personally nor professionally.
But damn. I can’t just forget how hot we were together that night. I can still remember how sweet she tastes. How amazing it felt to be buried deep inside her as she mewled and moaned my name…well, my last name, anyway.
I imagine that same scenario, except she cries out “Miles” instead, and my dick twitches to life.
“Stop it,” I murmur as I pull my Jeep onto Riggs’ street.
I’m meeting him at the house he bought when he first moved back to Sublime, which happens to be right next door to where he lives now, with Tessa. He still owns the place even though he hasn’t lived there in months, and I asked him to meet me there so we can discuss the possibility of my purchasing it from him. I’m tired of living in the condo. I want a real home.
And it would be pretty awesome to be next door neighbors with my best friend.
As I pull my Jeep into the driveway, I chuckle. I can’t help but remember the pranks Tessa and her friends played on Riggs when Tessa still hated him for the bullshit that went down when they were in high school together. He got goaded into making an awful bet he never intended to collect on, but when he called the whole thing off, his nemesis made sure Tessa found out about it. And well, because of that, things were awkward when he moved back to town––and into the house next door to her––last year.
The girls snuck over and spray painted a message that read “Riggs Malone loves penetration in the back field” on his lawn––hilarious––which sparked an all-out prank war between them. I helped Riggs get back at her by filling her yard with goats, then she and Roxy filled his yard with cock-shaped cookies decorated with vulgar insults.
The war went on like that until they cleared the air about the past, but they still prank each other regularly. They’re sickeningly sweet about it, but I’m stoked for Riggs. He deserves to be happy.
Thinking of those cookies has me thinking of Roxy again. She creates naughty pastries and sells them as a side hustle, and they’re damn delicious. My mouth waters just thinking of them, but there’s no way I’m ordering a batch of cock cookies. Maybe I can get her to make me some boob-shaped ones, or something.
I chuckle to myself as I turn off the engine and hop down from the cab. I walk around to look at the front of the house and sigh.
I’ll have to wait a bit to ask Roxy for the cookies, at least until we’ve solidified our friendship. Blech.
The front door swings open and Riggs steps out onto the porch. Giving me a wave, he beckons me forward and steps back inside. I jog up the porch steps to follow him in, then close the door behind me.
“You want something to drink?” he asks.
“No, I’m good.”
I look around the room, which is pretty much the same as the day he moved in. He didn’t take much more than his personal belongings with him to Tessa’s, so this house is still fully furnished. My chest expands as I breathe deeply. As I exhale, I feel my body relax as a sense of rightness washes over me.
Can I afford something bigger and flashier? Sure. The Bandits organization pays me an exorbitant amount of money to play the game I love.
But I like this house. It feels like a home.
I turn to Riggs, asking, “Are you sure you want me living right next door?”
“No, I’m not,” he replies with a straight face.
I twist and drive my fist into his gut lightly, and he hunches over with an exaggerated grunt. Stepping away from me, he holds up his palms.
“Fine. I’ll sell it to you, but don’t expect some kind of bro-deal. You have to pay top dollar for a palace such as this.”
“Of course,” I say with a smirk, then rock back on my heels. “This is going to be awesome. We can hang out all the time. And, oh! We should get walkie-talkies! We can come up with code names and everything.”
“Oh, God.”
I lift my hand to my mouth, curling my fingers like I’m holding a radio. “Cocksucker. Come in, Cocksucker. It’s Stud Muffin. Over.”
A deep rumbling laugh vibrates out of Riggs as he shakes his head. “Cocksucker” was one of the messages Tessa left for him on those dick-shaped cookies, and he obviously remembers it fondly if his soft smile is any indication.
Then his smile drops, and he cocks a brow at me. “Stud Muffin? Really?”
“Of course,” I say, throwing back my shoulders to make my chest pop. “The best code names are ones that ring true.”
“Then why is mine Cocksucker?” he asks, then shakes his head. “You know what? Never mind. We’re not getting walkie talkies, anyway.”
“Boo,” I say, poking out my bottom lip. “You’re no fun. Maybe I should find someone else to be my next-door bestie.”
“If you don’t want to buy the house…” he says, letting the words trail off.
“No, I do,” I say, shoving a hand toward him.
He takes it and pumps it up and down firmly, and just like that, we have a gentleman’s agreement.
“I’ll have Candi Chetworth draw up an offer,” I say.
Riggs flinches, a slight shiver running through him. “Watch out for that one. She’s…uninhibited, and won’t hesitate to sink her claws in you if you let her.”
“Noted,” I reply with a nod.
I’ll definitely keep my guard up with that one. She handled Riggs’ purchase of this house, and they went to high school together, so if he thinks I should steer clear of any romantic entanglements with her, I believe him.
Besides, blonde barbies aren’t my type. Never have been. And I currently have a thing for feisty redheads…
I shake my head to clear it. Just friends. If I’m going to make this friendship thing with Roxy work, I need to stop obsessing over how attracted I am to her.
And I need to push our night together far from my mind.
“Easier said than done,” I mumble under my breath.
“What?” Riggs asks.
“Nothing. I’m going to call Candi so we can get this sale done. I’m ready to come home.”