Glory

 

How in the hell did I forget book club? It’s one of the highlights of my week. Every Thursday, Christina, Evelyn, Jen, and I get together to discuss books. Really, we talk about dicks and the men attached to them while we drink wine, but we talk books, too. You were finger-banging yourself to your new neighbor, you damn pervert. That’s how you forgot book club.  

“Just a minute,” I call, trying not to sound as frazzled as I am. I smooth my hands down my dress as I make my way toward the door, stopping to take a look in the mirror over the entry table. Hopefully, I don’t look like the crazy pervert I am, who just flicked her bean spying on her hot ass neighbor through a hole in the wall. What the fuck is wrong with me? With one last glance, while running a hand through my hair, I open the door.

“Damn, Glory. What took so long? You rubbing one out? I was knocking on the door forever.”

“What? No, of course not! Don’t be silly, Ev,” I half-scream at Evelyn trying to seem appalled while taking some bags from her hands. I tack on a nervous-sounding laugh for extra effect. 

Way to sell it, Glory. 

She side-eyes me and just laughs and heads for my kitchen. 

“Did you finish Poet by AM Johnson? It was amazing, and Kieran is a hot mother fucker.” Ev takes the bottles of wine and finger foods from the bags, setting the items out on the island.  

“Yeah, I did. I loved it. I’d read that woman’s grocery list if she published it.” 

“We need to read Cursed next by DP Payne. I hear it has an awesome anal scene. You know I loves me some anal, girl.” Evelyn throws her head back on a laugh, and I join her. She really does love the anal. We are still setting the food, wine glasses, and plates out on the island when another knock sounds at the door.  

“That’s Jen and Ti.” I make my way to the door. Wookie comes up spinning in circles, his sign that using the bathroom is imminent. 

“Gotta let Wook out, Ev, be right back.” I grab my jacket and Wookie’s leash, and I reach to unlock the door. I swing the door open and bend down behind it to attach the leash to Wookie’s collar. 

“Hey neighbor.” 

It’s not Jen and Ti. 

Fuck.

I feel such shame and glee in equal measure. Oh, my damn. Does he know I watched him? That I touched myself to him touching himself? I snap my head up and peek around the edge of my open door at Beckett. Can’t shut it, can I? That’d be considered rude, right? He stands before me, leaning against the door jamb, just as comfortable and sexy as you please. Like he owns it. Lucky door. There’s the damn sexy smirk again. 

“Hi Beck.” I’m already sounding breathy and needy, and the man just said hi. He makes an appearance, and it’s as if my brain cells take a vacation. My libido kicks into hyperdrive, dominating all my faculties. I can’t help it, though. He is sex personified. He is a magnificent specimen. 

He’s clad in a black and white plaid flannel shirt, sleeves cuffed to his elbows, showing me hints of those biceps trapped within the sleeves. A tight, black t-shirt snuggles against his broad, muscled chest highlighting the abs I know are there beneath the stretched material. The fit of his faded, worn jeans only makes me imagine how they must cling to that ass. God, that ass. I follow those jeans down, beyond the bulge I’m now mentally picturing, since I’ve had an intimate look at the behemoth, all the way down those powerful legs, to his scuffed-up sexy, leather biker boots. 

A throat clears, and I look up to see Christina and Jen catching me outright eye-fucking the beast in front of me. 

“Hi Glory. Who’s your friend?” Ti asks with a devious grin, tilting her head her toward me. Great. Busted. Cat’s out of the bag. Jen stands out of Beck’s line of sight, making grabbing gestures toward his ass. Girl, I know that ass looks good. I don’t blame her a bit. I can only imagine what it looks like in jeans. It’s phenomenal in sweat pants.

 

“Ladies, Beck Jameson. Pleased to meet you.” 

He lights their panties on fire with what I’m quickly realizing is his trademark smirk. It’s like he’s hiding a sensuous secret and only he is privy. Except now, I’m privy too. He’s packing. He’s not just cocky. He’s packing a whole lot of cock. Big, hard, amazing cock. I get chills just remembering it. 

“Christina Elliott, and this is Jen Haner.” Christina, or Ti as we call her, manages the introductions before I can get my brain to form words and open my mouth. He shakes each of their hands, and I can almost read the lewd thoughts these two have running through their minds. Mostly, because I’m having the same ones. 

“Pleased to meet you, Beck. How do you know our Glory?” Jen asks with a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile.  

“We’re neighbors. I just moved in next door. We share a wall. Don’t we, GG?” He lowers those sexy eyes, pinning me in their green depths. GG? He’s nicknamed me? Why does that turn me on? Wait, what’d he just say? Does he know? Oh, my damn…he’s still looking at me like he knows all my secrets.

What. The. Fuck?  

He knows I watched him Jack the beanstalk while I clam-jammed. Oh Jesus. Can I go to jail for this? I don’t want to go to jail. I don’t look good in orange. I’m not a fighter. I’ll end up someone’s bitch out of the gate. Maybe she’ll be nice to me and braid my hair while we do hard time—me for being a sleazy perv and her for burning down her boyfriend’s house because he didn’t answer the phone when she called. I attract the crazies. Always have. 

“Did you need something, Beck?” My nerves over him knowing I just invaded his privacy cause my voice to tremble slightly. I open the door wider, trying to steer Jen and Christina through it. I don’t want an audience at this shame show.

“Yeah, some of your mail was placed in my mail box.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a couple of envelopes and a sales circular. When he hands them to me, his fingers slightly brush mine and my nipples try to punch through my bra, desperate to seek his attention. 

“Oh. Thank you.” He doesn’t know I had a front row seat in his one-man show earlier. Thank God! My hand trembles as I take the mail from his. This fear is almost enough to deter me from spying on him again. Almost. 

 

“Christina, Jen, will you take the mail inside for me? Wookie needs to go out.” I hold the mail out toward Jen. Take a hint, bitches. Scoot. Jen pins me with her brown eyes, not at all fooled into thinking I’m doing anything other than trying to get him alone. After she’s finished glaring her I-know-what’s-up-bitch look at me, she turns to Beck. 

“Sure thing. Nice to meet you, Beck.” She says it coyly, assessing Beckett from head to toe. Then she turns to me, quirking her perfect brow before taking the mail from my hand and moving into my apartment. That brow quirk means she expects an explanation as to what is going on between Beck and me. That’s one conversation I’m not entirely sure I can have and not come off like the over-horny freak I am. 

“See you around, Beck.” Christina waves her hand, laughing as she moves around Wookie and me. She’s not fooled either. They know me too well. Plus, they can likely see and feel the “Over here, Beck, I’m easy” vibes I’m flinging toward him, as I try to mentally will him to take off his clothes in the hall. It isn’t working. He’s still dressed. I try harder. 

Evelyn approaches and stops beside me. “Who’s this?” She eyes Beck and shoots me a devious smile, likely for not including her sooner.  

“Beckett Jameson, Evelyn Salinas.” I point between the pair of them.  

“Would you like to join us, Beck?” Evelyn asks, and I feel the color drain from my face. He’ll see the hole! He cannot come in! Oh shit, shit, shit! The girls will see it! I didn’t hide it! I’ve got to steer him out of here. 

“I’m about to take Wookie out,” I interject swiftly. 

“Thanks for the invite, Evelyn, but I just moved in today. I still have a lot of unpacking to do.” Relief floods through my body that he’s not taking Evelyn up on her offer. As long as the girls don’t notice my new entertainment portal into Beck’s world, my secret is safe. 

“Too bad. Some other time then, yeah?” Evelyn offers a way too dubious smile for my liking. She’s up to something. I can almost see her wheels turning. It’s been a while since I’ve dated, and now, I have a hot neighbor. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out my best friend sees Beck as my potential fuck buddy. She keeps telling me, “To get over someone, you need to get under someone else.”  

“Do I know you, Beck? Have we met? You look so familiar.” Evelyn squints at Beck. Recognition flashes across her features. 

A blush creeps onto Beck’s cheeks. It’s adorable. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m sure I would have remembered.” How odd. I wonder why her question would embarrass him?

“Is this Wookie?” Beckett asks as he squats to pet him. Wookie, like the rest of us, is immediately in love with him. Any thought of going out is long gone as he sits and adoringly stares at Beck, basking in the affection being lavished upon him by His Royal Hotness. 

Lucky dog. 

Beck smiles and talks to Wookie, and I melt a little more. Could this man be any more perfect? Doubtful. Beck stands and turns to head out of the doorway. I get my first look at his ass in those jeans. Angels sing. It’s that heavenly. I’m blindsided by a visual of holding onto it, my nails sinking in to his flesh, as he takes me to new heights on the Big O scale of greatness. 

“Nice to meet you, Evelyn.” 

“Nice to meet you too, Beck.” Ev smiles before heading back toward the kitchen where Ti and Jen are laughing, very loudly. 

“Your friends seem great.” Beck runs his fingers through his hair, only adding to the messy perfection that it is before tucking his hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

“They are great.” I mean it. They truly are my family. 

“Allow me to walk you and Wookie outside, Glory. It’s late, and I noticed a street light was out when I went to the mailboxes.” Beck, once again, places that hand on my lower back. 

“You don’t have to do that. We’ll be fine.” I pull the door to my apartment closed behind me. I need to get back inside and cover that hole before the girls notice it. “I’ve been trying to get the city to replace that light for a couple of months now. They say it’s on the list.” 

“Really Glory, it’s no problem.” 

We walk to the elevator, and he extends his arm when the doors open, ushering me ahead, and, immediately I’m struck with the thought that I miss his hand on my back. 

“How long have you lived here?” He bends down to pat Wookie’s head. 

“About six years. It’s a good area and within walking distance to work. I love the neighborhood.” 

“Where do you work?” 

“Just Another Chapter, a bookstore Christina and I own.” 

“You own a book store? That’s cool.“ He holds back the elevator door for Wookie and me to exit.  

“We have fun. We love indie authors. We try to support them as often as we can. We have book signings and try to highlight several new releases a month on our shelves and web page. How about you? What’s your story?” 

“I’m new to the city. I actually lived in a small town about an hour from here when I wasn’t travelling. It made more sense to be in the city, though. My band just bought a studio here. So, the move was logical.” He opens the door to our building, and we make our way outside and down the steps to the sidewalk. Wookie leads us to a patch of grass.

“You’re in a band? What do you play?” I ask while Wookie finishes his business. 

“I’m a drummer.” 

A vision of him shirtless on his throne behind his drums slams into me. Sweat pouring from his muscled flesh as he hammers away at the skins. Warmth pools in my core as I visualize climbing into his lap and riding him off into the sunset. 

“What’s your band’s name?”

“Beauty of Atrocity.” He watches me intently, like he’s waiting for my response. 

“Yeah, sounds fun!” I’m not certain what to say. I listen to music but mostly stuff from the eighties with a little classic rock and some rap thrown in for good measure. Christina picks the music played in the store. I’m not even certain who’s in the top forty these days. Unless it’s a book list. That, I know.  

“You ever listen to us?” Beck’s hand finds its way to my lower back again and guides me up the stairs back to our building. My heart rate kicks up and goose bumps travel across my skin. I like that hand there, its warmth seeping into my skin. 

“No, I don’t think I’ve heard any of your songs.” 

“You haven’t? You’re serious?” He smiles slightly while shaking his head. 

“Yo, Beck!” 

We both turn and damn, if this guy isn’t gorgeous, too.  

“Maddox, what’s up?” Beck asks the tall, tattooed drink of water approaching us. 

“Just came to check out your new digs. See if you needed any help unpacking.” 

“Thanks, man. I could use some help. Maddox, this is my neighbor, Glory. Glory Greystone, this is my friend and guitarist in our band, Maddox Case.”  

“Nice to meet you, Glory.” Maddox takes my hand and kisses it. His warm lips scatter chills up my arm. 

“Okay, Madd, lay off my neighbor.” Beck lets out a laugh, and he shakes his head. 

“What? I’m just being a gentleman. I can’t help it if I have manners.” 

“Yeah, manners are what you’ve got.”

Maddox is hot. That cool, suave kind of hot. He’s almost as tall as Beckett and built just as well but with a bit more bulk. Where Beck is light, Maddox is dark. Jet black hair styled back from his face. Deep, emerald green eyes and a gorgeous smile, and holy fucking shit. Dimples. The fucker has dimples. Where the fuck did these guys come from? All I can think about is being the jam in a Beckett-Maddox sandwich. Jesus, that’s the shit fantasies are made of, or books. 

“Glory, you hear me?” Beck asks, and I come back from my wet dream to realize I’ve not heard a word he said. 

“What? I’m sorry.” I can feel the blush creep up on my cheeks. 

“You ready?” 

For a ménage a trois? Yes, yes, I am. 

He leaves himself wide open for these things. Doesn’t he?