CAM BREAKS DOWN THE box he just emptied and sets the utility knife down on the counter. “All right, man. I’m about to head out. I want to shower and grab a nap before I head to the station. You have anything important to do tonight?”
“Nothing that can’t wait. Why?” I look at Cam and wonder what he’s up to. I overheard some of the spat between him and Bishop, but I have a feeling it has to do with Bishop staying around.
“Do me a solid?”
“What’s up?”
“Hang around awhile. Make sure all the guys leave before you do.”
“What’s a while?”
“As long as the rookie is here, I want you to stick around.” I follow Cam’s gaze to Jake and watch as Everly laughs at something he just said to her. I won’t lie, I want to punch the fucker’s smile right off his face. Even after Cam told him to back off, the asshole is disregarding everything he said and openly flirting with his sister.
I don’t blame Cam for being worried. If Cam and I have a reputation with the ladies, it’s nothing compared to Jake Bishop. The ladies flock to him like starved birds in the Boston Common. As long as he gets them into bed, he doesn’t seem to care. The dude is full of that pretty-boy charm, and he uses that shit to his advantage. At least that’s how it appears to us when we watch him in action.
“Yeah. I’ll stick around. No worries, brother.” Cam claps me on the back and then heads to the door.
“I’ll see you sometime tomorrow, Ev,” he says with a wave.
“You’re leaving?” Ev asks, her gaze flickering to me.
What, is she scared to be alone with me?
“Yeah, in a second, but Niko had a change of plans, so he’s going to stick around and help you get the big things set up,” Cam says, and I want to laugh as I watch the look on her face and her eyes grow wide.
“Oh, he doesn’t have to do that! I’m sure he’s got other things he can do on his night off.”
With that reaction, I’m staying until she forces me out the damn door.
“Actually, I’m good. Nothing planned until much later, so I’m all yours.” I smile my famous megawatt smile that is sure to render little Miss Everly Hayes speechless. It never fails. She doesn’t say anything at first, falling into the typical Niko zone that I knew she would, but shakes it off faster than I expect. Whatever. She doesn’t need to know that my plans for later are made up.
“Okay, then. I guess I could use the extra help.” She does that goddamn shrug that I can’t stand, but I’m starting to get the feeling that it’s all bullshit. I’m just not sure yet.
A few minutes later the boys start to move out, Cam hugging Ev goodbye as he goes, but a few linger. I see the way Jake keeps glancing over at Everly the second Cameron is out the door. The way he moves closer and closer to her. The fucking way she smiles at him every time she catches him looking at her.
She’s fucking smiling at him, while I get jack shit. I’m the one that’s pissed off. I’m the one she should be smiling at, thanking me for the best night of her fucking life, but no. She bats her eyelashes at him, the same way she batted them at me while she screamed and begged for more. Why the fuck am I thinking about that night?
Shit.
I crane my neck and let out a deep breath; my eyes close as I try and calm myself and my dick down.
Yeah, my pride is wounded, and I want to fucking pound her with my cock out of fucking anger. Why the fuck did she have to be Cam’s sister? I’ve promised him, but her lie voided that. Would another night make the situation worse? She’s not telling him, and I’m sure as hell not going to tell him what happened. It’s already being kept from Cam, so what harm could come from me pursuing her one more time? Would it stop me from thinking about her non-fucking-stop?
She’s exactly what I want right now. A challenge. Her whole attitude has me on my toes ready to pounce, but can I chase her and keep my friendship with Cam intact? I mean, technically we’ve already been together, and that wasn’t my fault. I would never have taken Everly home had I known who she was. However, now that I have, what’s stopping me from pursuing her again?
I just need to get her out of my system once and for all. Turn the tables, so to speak. There is no way she can resist if I give her a repeat of what we had that night. It was in no way fucking forgettable, and I know, regardless of her aloofness toward me and our situation, I know for sure that she was right there with me. I have the texts to prove it.
She can try and deny it all she wants, but I’d know she was lying. Time to even the playing field and get back in the game.
Everly Hayes, one.
Nikolas Callahan, zero, but not for long. I’m about to score . . . once I get rid of Jake’s lady-killing ass.
“I thought you had a date,” Everly says from somewhere behind me.
Jake just left, so I’m sticking around to make sure he stays gone. It’ll also give me some time to talk freely.
“Actually, something came up last minute. I’ll just be meeting my date a little later than planned. It was planned last minute, so don’t worry your pretty little head about me. Everything’s good.” I give her my teeth and blind her with my pearly whites. It’s one of those smiles that I’ve used to render women speechless. Everly is no different than they are when it comes to it. I’m not surprised to see that she’s essentially zoned out on me while staring.
“Earth to Everly.” I snap my fingers, causing her to blink a few times. Yeah . . . she’s not as immune as she tries to act. She turns away from me and starts pulling the top off another box, trying to play off her reaction to me. Good. I’m already starting to feel better. This is precisely what I needed. I’ve been so busy being obsessed with the fact that she left me without a word after one of the best nights of my life, then pissed at her when I found out that she lied to me about who she was.
It’s time to turn the tables on this shit. Get back to being me and not this fucked-up version she left me with. She wants to act like she was just looking for a hookup? Well, I’ll give her what she wants, but this time I’m going to put her on her ass. After all, this isn’t my first rodeo, and it won’t be my fucking last. Let’s see how she likes it.
“So, something else came up, and just like that you’re free for the evening, huh?”
“Well, not the entire evening, but yup. Just like that.”
“Right . . . So my brother didn’t happen to talk you into babysitting by sticking around, maybe make sure Jake was on his best behavior?” she asks, her brow quirked up. She knows, but I don’t think her brother knows who he needs to watch out for.
“Maybe it’s you that he wants to ensure is behaving. I’m starting to wonder now if maybe Cam should have warned me about just how much his little sister’s changed over the years,” I say and pull the leveler from the tool bag on the floor.
“Don’t you think it’s you that my brother should be worried about and not just Jake?” She stresses the word ‘you’ like I’m some villain in this situation. I want to snort at her, but I don’t. I can be just as cool as she can. However, that won’t get me what I want right now, so I answer her honestly.
“Maybe, but then again, Cam and I have been friends a long time. He knows that I’d never intentionally hit on or hook up with his kid sister.” I look directly in her beautiful hazel eyes, eyes that a man could drown in, but then I snap myself from the thought and make sure she knows what I’m saying. “The key word there, sweetheart, is intentional.”
“Look, I know that night we all had dinner was all kinds of crazy.”
I stop what I’m doing and shake my head at her words. “Not crazy, Everly. Fucked up is what it was.”
She waves her hand in the air toward me and then goes right back to unpacking her books. “Okay, fucked up. I apologized. I know I was wrong. I’ve been in a bad place lately, and I meant what I said. You were in the right place at the right time. I don’t want you to take it personally. I mean . . . if it were someone else that I’d gone home with, I’d have left the same way. It wasn’t you it was all me so don’t be too hard on yourself or let the guys get to you.”
My jaw ticks. “It wasn’t just the night you used me for sex. You led me on for weeks. You flirted. You didn’t just flirt; we had phone sex. We talked, and not once did you think it was a good idea to tell me who you were?”
“No, because that’s all it was,” she says, and I want to strangle her. I know what the fuck it was.
“It wasn’t just sex and you fucking know it,” I say, cutting her off, but she ignores me.
“I should have told you who I was.” I glare at her for a second, and she ignores me. “But I didn’t, and we can’t change what happened now. Can we just start over and move on from here? I get it. Cameron would be pissed if he found out about what happened between us, and even though I’m obviously a grown woman and can sleep with whoever I want, I don’t want to cause problems with the two of you.”
“Everly, I think you are missing some major points here.”
“Look, you told me to own my shit, and I am. I used you for sex, and it was wrong. I lied, and that was wrong. I’m sorry. The last thing on my list of crimes is my brother. Other than thinking of my brother’s feelings on my hooking up with his friend, I don’t see what other major points matter now,” she says, and I’m shocked into silence.
Well, it’s about damn time she said that shit on her own.
“I knew he wouldn’t be happy with the fact that I’d slept with his friend. I just didn’t realize how much of a problem it would be until now. After today, seeing how he’s acting with just the thought of Jake hitting on me, I know he’d be upset. I honestly wasn’t thinking about Cameron at all when I decided to go home with you.”
“You should have. Cam should have been the first person you thought of when you decided to lie to me. And Cam wouldn’t just be upset; he’d be pissed! Do you know how many times he had warned me off of you before you even arrived?”
“I know,” she says softly, and it brings my attitude down a little bit.
“No, Ev, but you’re going to know once he finds out. As for those being the last things on your list of crimes, well, you’re wrong about that. What you did, the night in the pub, that was wrong, but after?”
“After?”
“Yes, after. The texting. Getting to know me more. Letting me get to know you, and not telling me. It shouldn’t have happened.”
“I agree. We can’t change it now. What good would come out of telling my brother? We can still start over, Niko. Water under the bridge and all that. You’ve known me since I was a kid. We can be friends. What do you say?” she says, and again she’s throwing water on my fire, but only a little bit.
Eyes on the prize, Callahan. I already know I can’t do the damn friends thing with her. Not after our night together, and not after all the time we’ve already spent on each other these past few weeks. No, friends with Everly Hayes is not going to happen. I’m not sure what my plan is, but seeing her fucking flirting with Jake is first on my list. I’ll figure the rest out as I go.
“Well . . . for starters, you need to stop your flirting with Bishop. Cam is going to end up breaking his neck, and you’re going to stomp all over poor Jake’s heart. So cut the shit and be an adult. Whatever bad time you’ve gone through that had you hunting me down like prey only to use me and then ditch, get over it.”
“I just apologized, and that is what you come back at me with?”
“I’m just saying, Everly. You’re playing games, and you said it yourself, you’re a grown woman now, so why the childish game playing?”
She doesn’t answer my question, but she’s staring at me, making me think she’s got an answer but just doesn’t know how to word it. Finally, she lets out a sigh and walks into the kitchen. I’m starting to think that my not talking to her after her big reveal that night at dinner with Cam might have bothered her more than I thought. When I got here today, she was cool but polite. Like she was okay with the fact that our little chat sessions had ended. I think that little Miss Indifferent isn’t exactly who she’s pretending to be. She’s nowhere near the Everly I knew years ago, but she’s in there somewhere. I see her every so often when I’m watching her. She lets her guard down for a few minutes at a time, but that’s it. I just have to catch her at the right time, and then I can spin this in my favor.
Challenge accepted.
I slide up behind her, my hands on her hips, loving the way she freezes under my touch. That buzz I felt the first night is still there, and it sets my veins on fire. I swear she’s in my damn blood after only one night.
“Ya know,” I whisper into her ear, sliding my hands around her waist, pulling her closer. “If you need help christening this place, I volunteer my cock, since you had so much fun last time.”
She draws in a sharp breath as I rock my hips into her. I’ve been half hard all day and now with her so close, in my arms, I’m fighting with myself to not just take her right now. There’s no resistance, her body pliable in my hands.
Her hands clench on the counter, back arching. Fucking erotic, and I’m a second from pulling down those ass-hugging yoga pants and giving her what I know we both want.
“Damn,” I hiss, forcing my body from hers.
When she turns, her look of indifference is gone—her cheeks are bright red, pupils blown, lips parted.
Yeah, baby, there you are.
I smirk at her, and she blinks, schooling herself. She clears her throat and looks away.
“I’m good.”
I nod. “Yes, you are.”
It’s not the fuck I want, but at least I’m finally on the scoreboard. The problem is, I’m now stuck with a raging hard-on, and I’m not sure I can stop myself.
I want her. More than I should. More than I can stand.
How the fuck am I supposed to survive Everly Hayes with my friendship with Cam intact?
The Red Sox are up by two as I sit at the pub waiting for Cam. It’s been a week since we moved Everly, and things have shifted again. I’m still mad at her for lying, but I can’t stop myself from texting her. Not since her response when we were alone. By the time I left, we were both so turned on I had to pull myself away from her. One kiss of those fucking lips, and all promises would have gone out the window.
Not that I’m keeping to them anyway. A fact that tears me up, but I’m fucking addicted to her.
Niko: What are you doing?
I only lasted a day before I began texting her. She said she wanted to be friends, to start over. Well, here I am, starting over.
Everly: Work.
Niko: What are you wearing?
Everly: Pervert.
Niko: Pervert? I didn’t realize that was an article of clothing.
Everly: You=Pervert
Niko: *shrug* Maybe.
Everly: Definitely.
Niko: Why do you say that? And can I get more than a one word answer.
Everly: Shouldn’t you be putting out fires or saving a cat from a tree.
I fucking love it when she’s feisty.
Niko: Nah, I’d rather set a certain pussy on fire. You don’t happen to have a kitty that needs saving do you? ;)
Everly: . . . . . .
Niko: That all you got? I’ll take a cleavage shot if you’ve got no comeback.
The problem is with the “friends” aspect of her proposal. In less than twenty-four hours after she finally responded, things turned back to the way they were before I found out who she was. In a way, having her still in my phone as Alyson makes the whole thing not seem as trust breaking as it is.
When a picture pops up, I let out a groan, my dick waking up. It’s from above, obvious she just pulled her shirt back and snapped the pic, but it’s almost the same view I have standing behind her, looking over her shoulder. Her perfect, suckable tits are tan mounds against the white lace of her bra.
Niko: That bra is a little virgin white for you.
Everly: Vixen red would show through my light grey blouse.
Niko: Please tell me you have said vixen red.
Everly: I have every color of the rainbow ;)
Fuck. Me. Seriously, I need her to come and take care of the hard dick I’ve got now.
Niko: I really think we need to schedule a fashion show. That way you can model them for me and I can let you know which ones to keep.
Everly: What will I do with the others?
Fantasies of fisting them in my hand, shredding them before spreading her legs wide, fill my brain. I need to taste her again just to end this sickness. This need for her.
But I’m beginning to understand the truth—there will never be enough of her. Never enough to quench this deep thirst that I have for her. One that goes against my core values of friendship and loyalty.
I’m a desert without her, dry and wasted. She is the rain. The only thing that brings life to my world.
Niko: Oh, don’t worry about those. They’ll be trash once I rip them off you.
Everly: Then what will you do when I’m all naked down there?
Niko: Down there??? Fuck, your innocent act . . .You’ve got me all hard in a public place.
Everly: There is always a dark corner.
Niko: But you’re not here to help me find it.
Everly: Guess you’re on your own.
Niko: Tease.
I’m five seconds from getting up and going to the bathroom to call her and take care of my cock problem. A few words from her and some quick strokes, and I’ll be coming all over the tile walls.
Before I can push back from the bar, Cam walks up and pulls a chair next to me, his face scrunched in the most pissed off expression I’ve ever seen. I toss all ideas of getting my rocks off out the window and resign myself to blue balls. As I drop my phone down on the bar, he calls the bartender over, and I work on calming down my dick that desperately needs some attention.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. It’s not often I see him like this, so something’s not right.
He huffs and narrows his eyes at me. “What’s wrong with you?”
I shift in my chair as I take a sip of my coffee. “Nothing.” I knew the question was coming at some point.
“Nothing? Man, you’ve been off for over a month. No girls, not going out . . .”
I run my hands over my face. “I can’t stop thinking about this chick.”
Cam’s eyes shoot open in surprise. “Who?”
“I’m not going to tell you if you plan on being a dick about it.”
“Fine, I’ll be serious. Spill.”
“Post-it note.”
“Oh, fuck. Still?” He stares at me before tilting his head back in laughter. “The great half-breed finally got served his karma for all the chicks he has walked out on.”
“You’re a fucking asshole. Forget I said anything.”
“Shit, man, I needed the laugh.”
“Yeah, whatever. You going to shut your yap and tell me what crawled up your ass?”
His laughter dies down—and a sneer crosses his face before straightening. “I’m worried about Everly.”
I scrunch my brow, my fucking heart jumping in my chest at the mention of her name. “Why?”
“Remember me telling you about her boyfriend, Tate?” I nod my head, letting him know that I remember the conversation we had. “The reason she moved here so abruptly is that he cheated on her. And he’s not taking the hint.”
Wait, what? Does Tate think they’re still together? Did Ev not break it off? Neither Cam nor Everly ever mentioned her still being with this guy, and I’m going to hope that it was over before we got together, but I just need confirmation right now. It sounds like this moron that cheated on her had it coming, but I don’t do cheaters, even if she would have been justified. End things, don’t go out and revenge fuck only to go back to the same shit later.
“I thought you said she came here to get away from him. Is she still with him after he cheated on her?” And why the hell would someone cheat on her?
He shakes his head. “They broke up before she moved here. Thank God. From what I knew of him, and the one time we met him, I couldn’t stand the guy. He was never good enough for my sister. Had she lived closer, I’d have hunted him down and kicked his ass.”
I’m positive he would have, and a little surprised he still hasn’t set off on a trip to do it now.
“Okay, but he’s not taking the hint now, how?”
“Calling her, texting her. He’s blowing her phone up multiple times a day. When she’s at work, home, and whenever. She’s not reading or listening to them, but he’s not letting up. I listened to the voicemails . . . I’m worried he’s going to come out here and try something.”
“Try something? What the fuck does that mean?”
He shakes his head. “Some of the messages are bullshit, like begging for forgiveness, shit like that, but then there were others . . . The tone sent a shiver down my spine. Something is just off with this guy. I don’t want him anywhere near her.”
Cam’s description lights up my protective side, and not just because she’s his sister. “What is she saying?”
“She’s blowing it off. Says he’ll stop eventually, but asked me to leave it alone. I can’t do that. It’s a feeling, man. He’s a manipulator, and I just don’t want him near her again.”
“Then we make sure he doesn’t get close.”
Cam nods as he takes a swig of his beer.
“I’ll tell you this, though. This asshole has fucked up things for the next guy who comes into her life. I didn’t want this for her.”
“You think?” Well, shit, that’s not a good sign for me.
He nods. “I just want her to be happy even though she’s old enough to handle her life on her own. I still feel the need to protect her. She’s still my kid sister, and I don’t like seeing her get hurt. After talking to her about some of what this guy did, she’s guarded now.”
“Guarded how?” I ask.
“She’s always been a little naive when it comes to boys, and now as an adult, men. It’s one of the main reasons I didn’t want my friends checking her out.” I freeze at his words. This would be the perfect time to mention something, but I can’t find the words. “Whatever guy she meets in the future is going to have to climb a fucking mountain for her to let him in and trust him.”
Fuck.
I want to be that guy. It seems I’m going to have to invest in some good hiking boots.
“Just for the hell of it, what is the issue of your friends checking your sister out? I mean, I get what you’re saying, but I’m wondering if I should feel insulted, man.” I laugh it off so that it sounds more like I’m busting his balls, but I want to know why he feels like he does. Why Everly is off limits, exactly. Maybe it will help me decide what to do with this situation I’ve found myself in with his sister.
“You’re kidding, right? My friends are pretty much your friends, bro. Would you want them dating your family, or a sister if you had one?”
“I guess not, but if she’s not a kid anymore, what choice do you have?” I ask.
“I know that, but take Jake, for example. He was hitting on my sister when we moved her into her new place. She had no clue that he was hitting on her.”
“I know that. I told you what was going down, remember? And I think you’re wrong about her not knowing. I’m pretty sure she was on the same page. Either way, you know I’d never knowingly do that shit to you, and never in your face like that,” I say, and I mean it. He doesn’t catch the key word I used there, and I’m not going to stress it any more than I already have. I just hope that if Cam ever finds out what happened between his sister and me that he’ll get over it.
He nods. “I know, and I’m glad you did. I knew that out of anyone, I could trust you. Jake is new to us. He’s the rookie, but he’s been around long enough now to know better. I didn’t like that shit, and I already chewed his ass about it.”
Oh shit. This is news to me.
“When did this happen, and why am I just hearing about this now?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “Because, you’ve been acting like you have a mangina instead of a dick, and haven’t been paying attention to anyone or anything except your fucking phone and your right hand, asshole.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Niko. We’ve all noticed. You come to work, but you spend more time looking at your fucking cell phone, texting. If you’re not texting, you’re over in some corner, talking low and laughing like some teenage boy who’s about to score with the head cheerleader for the first time in his life.”
Jesus. How did I not notice my behavior? Am I that consumed by her?
“I don’t do that. What the fuck, man. I come to work, and my attention is on work. Always.” Everly and I have only begun talking again on text.
“I know that. I know you have my back when we get a call. That’s not what I’m saying, though.”
I’m seriously clueless now, and I’m afraid to say much because I’m not sure where he’s going with this. I honestly didn’t think he noticed the back and forth I had going on with Everly all this time. I need to be more careful around Cam. He’s obviously paying more attention to the things going on around him than I thought.
“Look, man. I know I’ve been screwing with you a lot when it comes to this chick you’ve been all fucked in the head over, but I’m just me.” He gives me his half smirk, and I just shake my head at him. Yeah, he’s him all right. “But seriously, bro, all jokes aside, I have never seen you act this way about a chick. Like ever. If she has you this consumed with her, then go and get her. If it’s going to improve your moods and shit, then I’m all for my boy catching himself a permanent fish. Just keep that hook and line over there because I’m not ready to be caught.” We both crack up at his statement, but I sober once I get to the root of the problem in my case.
“It’s not that simple, Cam.”
“Why isn’t it? You got her number, right? I mean, I see you on your phone and shit.” He gestures toward my phone which lights up with a new message from “Alyson.” “There is no way you’re talking to someone else.”
“No, it’s her, but it’s just more complicated than that. We have obstacles in our way that kind of makes going forward impossible.”
Like you.
Shit, this is bad, because I really can’t stop thinking about her.
“Then remove the obstacles. I can’t see anything in the way that would stop you of all people from getting something that he wants. Make it happen, man. Trust me. You’ll be happier if you do.”
God, do I wish it was that simple. Other than her big lie, there is also one huge obstacle that is preventing me from getting what I want, and it’s standing right in front of me, telling me to take what I want. Pretty sure he wouldn’t feel that way if he really knew.
“Anyway, let me know when you plan to bring her around so I can meet the woman that has brought my friend, Nikolas Callahan, to his knees. I want to let her know that she has officially fucked up my rotation by pulling you out of the game.”
Yeah. Like that will ever happen.