Brody
“Have another beer, bro,” Sawyer says. “It’ll help dull the pain.”
He tosses me a can of Miller Light. I catch it with one hand from the couch I’m sprawled on, pop the top, and take a long swig. I can’t imagine anything dulling the pain rampaging through me, but I don’t say that because I already feel like the world’s biggest pussy.
Tonight turned out to be an epic fail. I told Natalie that I loved her and she, in return, told me she needed to slow-track our relationship to the point of nonexistent.
It’s almost laughable. Except I might just cry.
I really thought Natalie and I had something special. How did I misread the whole situation? It doesn’t make any sense. I keep going over it in my head, but nothing adds up.
What I do know is that I’m going to wring Luke’s neck when I see him. This is all his fault.
Make her dinner, he said.
Then you can talk, he said.
Where the fuck did that get me, other than a boot up the ass?
I’m so lost in my own misery that it takes a moment to realize that bright, fuchsia-colored fingernails are trailing lazily across my arm.
“Hey, Brody,” a voice coos in my ear. “I haven’t seen you around for a while.”
I glance over at the blonde with the tight shirt hugging all her curves. I narrow my eyes, trying to remember her name. She’s one of those girls that’s always hanging around at the house.
I give her a brittle smile, trying not to recall the reason for that. “Been busy.”
She clicks her tongue as her eyes coast appreciatively over me. “Where’s your girlfriend?”
“Don’t have one of those.” Maybe that’s where I went wrong. I’ve always lived my life by a strict set of rules. This was the first time I allowed myself to break them. And now look at me. I’m a fucking mess. All because a girl dumped my ass.
Never again, I vow silently. Nothing is worth this kind of pain.
Without invitation, Blondie settles herself on my lap and runs the palms of her hands over my chest. “That’s too bad,” she purrs, although there’s nothing in her voice to suggest that she thinks it’s bad at all. “Maybe I can help take your mind off her.”
I lift the beer to my lips and take another swig. I’m not interested in what this girl is offering.
Just as I open my mouth to tell her that, I hear, “What the hell are you doing, McKinnon?”
I slant my eyes in the direction of that screeched out question.
Zara.
Luke is standing behind her. On closer inspection, it actually looks like he’s holding her back. His brows are drawn sharply together as he glares.
He has the fucking audacity to glare at me?
Ha!
Just wait until I give him a piece of my mind. He’ll be sorry he ever gave me that sage bit of advice.
Motherfucker.
The girl on my lap smiles coyly and gives Zara a little wave with her fingers. Luke tightens his hold on his girlfriend as she growls and steps forward, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. I have a feeling that if Zara gets her hands on the female perched on my lap, all hell will break loose.
“If you don’t get your skanky ass away from him, I’m going rip every damn hair extension from your head!” Zara yells.
Looping her arms around my neck and shoving her tits in my face, Blondie leans toward Zara and sneers, “Try it, bitch.”
Cursing a blue streak that would make a sailor blush, Zara struggles to free herself from Luke’s hold. She’s not going anywhere, but that doesn’t deter her from trying. “I swear to God, Amanda, when I get my hands on you, you’re going to wish you never glanced in his direction!”
Amanda.
Right.
Blondie-With-the-Toddler-Voice.
Although, there’s no baby voice in sight this evening. More like hissing and spitting.
“You should probably go,” I tell her. The truth of the matter is that I had no plans on taking her up on the offer written in her big green eyes. There’s only one girl I’m interested in, and she kicked my ass to the curb about an hour ago.
Amanda gives me a full-on pouty lip.
But it does absolutely nothing for me.
Nada.
“Are you sure?” Ignoring Zara, who is still swearing and struggling about ten feet from where we sit, Amanda strokes her fingers over me.
“Yup, I’m sure.”
Screwing this girl isn’t going to dull the razor-sharp pain inflicted by Natalie. If anything, I’ll just feel worse in the morning.
“Fine,” Amanda huffs.
Taking her sweet time, she wiggles her ass against my junk before standing and stretching like she has all the time in the world. She sticks her tits out and shoots a sexy smile at Luke. “When you get tired of psycho Tinker Bell, you know where to find me.”
Oh no she didn’t…
My lips tremble with a smile. Zara’s eyes flash with rage as she once again tries to lunge at Amanda. “I swear to God, bitch, you come near him, and I’ll mess you up!”
Gritting his teeth, Luke locks Zara more firmly against his body and murmurs something in her ear. The fire in her eyes slowly dies as he kisses the side of her face.
Once Amanda is gone, Luke says with a bit of humor lacing his voice, “Can I trust you to make good choices or should I just keep you tucked in my arms for the time being?”
Zara grumbles something about “kicking that girl’s ass” under her breath. Which I don’t doubt because Zara is one tough chick. I think Luke has met his match with that one.
Luke chuckles and kisses her again before loosening his hold. “Chill out, babe. It’s all good. You have nothing to worry about.”
Just as Zara relaxes against him, a smile curving her lips, her eyes settle on me and she’s back to scowling. “What are you doing with Amanda? Seriously? Three hours ago, I let you into my apartment to cook dinner for Natalie and now you’re here,” she jerks her thumb in the direction Amanda sauntered off in, “whoring it up with that overused vag?”
Part of me doesn’t want to talk about what happened with Natalie. It’s still too fresh. But if I don’t tell them, then I look like the bad guy. The whoremongering asshole. And you know what? I’m not.
“Didn’t work out,” I bite out. “Natalie gave me my walking papers.”
“Get the hell out of here.” A shocked look crosses her face. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.” I sigh, and everything in me deflates.
Looking as confused as I feel, Zara crosses her arms under her breasts. “How did you manage to fuck up? Because she really liked you.”
I snort. “I made the girl dinner and told her that I loved her. So…you tell me how I managed to screw it up.”
It’s almost comical the way both of their eyes widen. “No kidding?” she breathes.
Embarrassed by what I’ve just admitted to my friends, I hoist the beer to my lips and take a drink, trying to wash away the humiliation. It doesn’t work.
“Dude…” Luke shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “That sucks.”
“Yeah…that’s a major understatement,” I mutter.
“But that doesn’t make sense.” Zara frowns as she shakes her head. “Natalie likes you. I know she does. Honestly, all of the years you two spent dancing around each other seemed like some kind of bizarre mating ritual. I wasn’t surprised when you finally got together, just that it took so long to happen.”
I shrug. I’ve thought the same thing. Minus the bizarre mating ritual part. “Natalie dumped me, Zara” I repeat quietly. “I don’t know what else to tell you. She said she wasn’t ready to get serious.”
Only now do I realize that her strange behavior this past week makes perfect sense. I knew something was up with her.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know just how right I was.