Chapter 7
seven
Denver
It may not be my fault what just happened with Hannah and her tribe, but I feel like an asshole for even having anything to do with Hannah in the first place.
Her and those intolerable friends leave quite an impression.
Watching Adelaide make a quick exit was totally understandable, but I needed to make sure she was okay.
I don’t like her being upset. I hate that she even heard the girl’s disgusting comment.
When her shift is over and she’s had the rest of her wine I’ve been keeping safe, I say goodnight to Eric and Brax, they’re almost ready to leave themselves, and we get ready to make the short walk home to her place.
It’s becoming a bit of a ritual. Every week for the past three weeks now we’ve done the same thing. Daryl will no doubt check in with me over the weekend, as expected, and Adi will come up in conversation, like she usually does.
Not that there’s much to say. As far as I know she’s settling in well and enjoying her new digs in Old Town. It suits her and I love the area. I like that she’s in a comfortable apartment and in a great neighbourhood. Her safety is paramount.
I guess that part of the discussion with Daryl is one I can keep.
But my eyes staying in their sockets when she’s around is a total other story.
The woman is hot. She has curves that go for days and I’m into it.
I shouldn’t be into it, not with Adi, but I’m still a man.
A man who can’t stop thinking about her.
Adi pulls her coat on and just as we head out, Hannah and her friends are sliding into a cab. They all look our way. For some reason, Hannah is still acting like she’s God’s gift to man. My eyes shift to Adi and then she turns to face me.
“I think we should give them something to talk about, don’t you?” she says.
My lips part. “What did you have in mind?”
“Do you trust me?”
I smirk. “Of course.”
“Then stop talking.” She reaches for me as I bend down. At first I think she’s about to whisper something in my ear, but her hands snag on the lapels of my jacket and in all of two seconds, her lips are on mine.
They’re soft, plump, and feel like a goddamn dream.
Momentarily stunned, I cup her face as her lips part, and then our tongues meet.
Every single cell in my body is on fire.
The inferno deep within has been brewing ever since I laid eyes on her, and I’m kidding myself if I don’t admit we have a spark.
My dick presses painfully hard against my zipper as her soft body pushes up against mine.
I hear the girls gasp, but Adi isn’t pulling back. What I’d give to be alone right now. I’d sweep her up into my arms and really show her what she’s been missing.
We’re panting when we finally pull apart. She glances over her shoulder at the girls who are all still staring at us, then smirks, pulling me by the hand as I follow her like a goddamn puppy dog.
When we’re halfway down the street, she turns to me. “I’m sorry, it was a spur of the moment thing.”
“And here I was thinking you were a planner.”
She giggles. “Oh, the look on their faces was priceless.” She bites her lip, then adds, “I should have asked you—”
I hold up my other hand to stop her. “You don’t ever have to ask me to be your fake boyfriend. You know I’ll do it willingly.”
“Such a romantic.”
I grin. “Hey, I’m not just a pretty face.”
“Well, I’m glad she didn’t get her hooks into you, it would’ve been a damn shame.”
I glance at her, liking her words. I’m glad, too. Being with a woman like Hannah certainly opened my eyes and made me realize exactly what I don’t want. “You’re a good kisser.”
The words fly out of my mouth.
“You’re not too bad yourself.”
“Thanks.” I grin. “I think you got your revenge.”
“I agree,” she muses. “I think we make a good fake couple, don’t you?”
A little too good if you ask me. “I’m convinced. I mean, you did say I could go for hours back at the bar.”
She throws her head back and laughs and facepalms herself. “Oh, I did, didn't I?”
It’s then I realize we’re still holding hands.
It feels right. My hand in hers, the warmth between us, her touch. It makes me tingle all over, and I’m not a tingly kinda guy. Adelaide makes me feel all kinds of things.
She talks about Hannah turning heads across the room? But I saw plenty of guys checking Adi out, too. It made me want to rip their eyeballs out of their sockets. Fucking assholes.
There you go again, getting all broody and jealous.
“So, what about you?” I throw out of nowhere. “Any crazy exes lurking around I should be prepared for?”
She laughs a little, her hand tightening in mine. “Not much to tell. I had an-on again, off-again relationship with a guy who wasn’t emotionally available. In a nutshell, he was there for the good times, and none of the bad. He checked out when anything got too rough.”
What kind of crazy motherfucker would give this woman up? Is he insane?
I also love how openly honest she is with me, not holding back.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I was way more invested than he was. He’d only want me back when he knew I was moving on. I can guarantee you even now he doesn’t know how I like my coffee, or what my favorite color is.”
“Yellow,” I say out of nowhere.
I see her glance at me in my periphery. “H-how did you know?”
He swallows hard. “When you were younger you loved wearing yellow, and your first car was a yellow beetle.”
“Holy shit, you remembered?”
“I don’t know about the coffee, but from what I remember you were more of a tea girl.”
She blinks in surprise. “You’re right. I have one coffee in the morning: a honey, soy latte—it stops me from being a crazy person first thing—and then it’s tea for the rest of the day.”
“What kind of tea is your favorite?”
“I like all kinds.”
Noted.
“Mom bought me a coffee maker for Christmas, best present ever. It’s actually crazy how much you spend on coffee a week without even realizing.”
“Tell me about it. Even if I get my own shop someday, I’d need to take my coffee maker, or buy a second one.”
“You’re still designing?” I remember something Daryl told me a while back about her finishing up at design school.
“You have a good memory.” She smiles. “And yes, I am. Interior design. I want to set myself up in the next six months and establish myself, gain some clients. The position at the bar is just a temporary glitch until I get back on my feet. I really want to do my own thing, but there isn’t a lot of call for design positions in Chicago. ”
“That’s a damn shame. You’d be amazing. I remember when you were little you’d always come over and rearrange my moms flower display.”
She laughs out loud. “Holy crap, I haven’t thought about that in years.”
“Well, you always made it look super fancy. What’s your favorite style?” She glances my way, prompting me to ask, “What?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing.”
I squeeze her hand a little. “Adi, tell.”
Her smile is infectious, but I’m not prepared for what comes out of her mouth next. “Nobody has really ever asked me that question before.”
“Nobody?”
“Nope.”
“So? Out with it.”
“For myself? I love bohemian mixed with art deco, it’s bold but bright, you know? Eclectic and quirky.”
Of course, I knew she was going to say something like that.
“Like when you stare too long at the sun?”
She nudges me with her hip and I love how we can be this playful. “Ha-ha. I have a way of being able to really help the client when they don’t know, or don’t have a style, that’s where my real passion lies.”
“What about me? Can you tell what kind of style I’d have just by looking at me?”
She turns her head and asses me head to toe, then says, “I’d say you’re modern and minimal.
You enjoy wood and leather and maybe a little industrial because you have a secret wild streak.
You prefer functionality and uncluttered spaces.
And I bet you don’t like big, bold statement pieces, but rather earthy textures and simplicity. How am I doing so far?”
I gape at her. “Shit, you’re really good at this, but I sound like I live in a dungeon.”
She laughs again and I love the sound. “No it doesn’t!”
“I admit,” I say, trying to keep a straight face. “I have one two many throw rugs. If you see me in a TJ Max or Home Goods, you have permission to steer me in the opposite direction.”
“I never knew you were this funny,” she says, not hiding her huge grin.
“I’m not even kidding. I have more pillows than you’ve probably got high heels.”
She swats me on the arm. “I never picked you for a throw pillow kinda guy.”
Our eyes meet, and our walk is almost at an end all too soon. “There’s more to me than just brawn, Wilder. I’m not just a piece of meat.”
She snorts. I realize I love making her laugh. “Are you saying that because you’ve posed for one of those sexy calendar shoots in your firefighting uniform?”
“Oh jeez, have you been talking to Sterling? He’s the usual instigator of trouble and shenanigans.” Sterling is one of our paramedics and a good guy, always lightening the mood with emotional topics, and always roping us into something crazy.
“No, but I need to see the pictures.”
I laugh. “Not a chance. I was younger then, and in my prime.”
“You’re in your prime now, hot shot.”
I place a hand over my heart. “You do my ego the world of good.”
We stop outside her apartment, and she looks down at her feet. “Well, thanks, D. You know you don’t have to keep walking me home.”
“You don’t like it?”
“No, I love it… I mean, I don’t love it, I like it. You’re fun to talk to.”
I chuckle. “I don’t think any of the guys would say that about me at work. I keep to myself.”
“So you’re a cinnamon roll, but only to me?”
I blink. “I have no idea what the heck that means, but I like cinnamon rolls.”
She smirks. “Clearly you don’t read romance books.”
“Nope, not a chance.”
She leans up, pecking me on the cheek, and I close my eyes. Her scent, it’s intoxicating.
“Good night, D.”
“Night,” I say. “Sleep tight.”
She turns, blowing me a kiss, and I feel a yearning burning deep in my chest.
This is exactly what I don’t need to happen: falling for my best friend’s little sister.
When I get home I know Abby has been to check on Bodhi because the lamp in the hallway is on, and the one in my living room.
A soft glow leads me to Bodhi, who’s quite comfortable on the far side of the couch with his warm cat bed and blanket.
He purrs on cue and extends his legs out, taking a big and slow full-body stretch.
“Bodhi, boo-boo,” I coo. “Daddy missed you.” I reach him in a few strides and scoop him up into my arms into a cradle. “Did you miss me, too?” I smother him in kisses and hold him to my chest, and doesn’t he just lap it up. “What have you been doin’ all day, little bud?”
It’s not like he can rightly answer, but I know he does very little at all.
I have a pet cam so I can check in on him through my shifts if I need to, or feel the urge to see what he’s doing.
He’s usually curled up in his favorite spot on the couch, or sometimes in the warmth of the sun on the window ledge.
“Did Aunty Abby come see you?” I kiss and cuddle him some more, like I haven’t seen him in a week, when really it was just this morning.
“She did, huh? And she gave you some of those little biscuits you like?”
If anyone could hear me now… Though really, I don’t care all that much. Bodhi and I are kindred spirits. You gotta get along with my cat, otherwise the deal is off, hence Hannah. Bodhi hated her.
I shake off the thought of my ex as I place Bodhi back in his spot and kick off my boots.
What a fucking night that was tonight. And kudos to Adelaide for going along with the whole me and her charade…
though I have to pinch myself a little because that kiss outside Sinner and Saints caught me off guard—but in the best way.
Her taking charge like that, pulling out all stops, made my heart race, palms sweat, and my cock harden.
I’ve been trying to extinguish my attraction to her these last three weeks, but showing up at the bar hasn’t helped my cause.
How am I supposed to do that when her charisma consumes me like one of the infernos I’m so used to fighting.
With her, I don’t want to fight it. I want to embrace it.
And I’ve no fucking clue what Daryl would say about my growing infatuation with his sister.
It’s not something that’s ever been a discussion or even on my mind.
Not until now. I mean, Daryl is a level-headed guy, maybe he would be okay with it.
With it? What the heck am I even saying? With what exactly?
My inner being says I’m into her, really into her. In the short space of time that I’ve seen her at the bar, she’s made more than an impression. I can’t get enough. But reality says I need to back the fuck off. I can’t have these thoughts. I’ve known her family forever…
Even the thought of crossing the line with her isn’t enough to put me off. It only spurs me further, and that’s dangerous.
I’m also a man who lives life to the full, I always have. I’ve seen enough destruction and loss in my line of work to last me a lifetime. The bigger part of me says what the hell, take a chance.
That kiss. There was more passion in that impromptu moment than I had the entire relationship with Hannah. None of it was fake for me.
The warmth of her soft, plush lips. The way she grabbed me by the jacket and reached up onto her toes. I never wanted it to end. Fucking hell. I’m fucked.
What was better than the look on Hannah’s face when she saw us? Adelaide’s. She was triumphant.
It was like a cold bucket of water had been thrown on the three of them.
I’ve never quite encountered anything like that before, and I hope to hell I don’t run into Hannah again. I’ve already deleted and blocked her number from my cell.
When I shrug out of my jacket, I let it fall to the couch, and in one second flat I’m dropping my body onto the plush, soft fabric.
With a sigh, I let my head fall back on the cushions as Bodhi climbs on top of my chest and rests his head on my heart.
His warm body presses into my torso. I lift my hand to stroke him, and it’s then I feel the full extent of my week.
I’m tired. Really fucking tired. I’ve no plans to do much on my days off.
Catch up on sleep and do some grocery shopping.
My mind flicks to Adi and my body stirs. “Fuck,” I mutter. It only takes her name to get a reaction. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have her all to myself. To have her at all.
My head tells me I’m never going to find out, but my heart, my heart is saying something very, very different. And that is dangerous in itself.