Winter…

It was a bad idea. A really, really bad idea. But she'd told him to go out with someone, hadn't she?

"You sure you want to do this?"

Zephyr gave his best friend a winning smile. "You said, ‘hey, I know this girl. She has a friend.’ Here I am. Going on a date."

Cooper shook his head. "If you say so man. What about Malia?"

Zephyr shook his head. "No, Malia is off-limits. My dick might've forgotten that, but I cannot. So I am going to meet this hot chick, maybe go back to her place, and call it a day."

Cooper just laughed. "Yeah, man because that whole situation where Malia lives with you …"

Zephyr groaned. "Dude, could you just let that go?"

Cooper stood up. "What? I'm just stating the obvious. You live with a hot girl that you want but can't bone because school, work, all that. I get it. I just think it's hilarious."

"I thought as my best friend you were on my side."

"Oh, I am on your side. I just also happen to think you're a glutton for punishment. I personally say do what the fuck you want. Because clearly you want her, and that would make you a lot less tense."

"I'm not fucking tense."

Cooper just chuckled and then nodded in the direction of a brunette by the bar. "There they are. Let's go."

Zephyr followed behind his friend, trying to muster some excitement.

This is supposed to be fun. And he was surprised to see that Cooper wasn't lying when he said the girl was hot.

Straight, sleek blond hair hung down to her back. Big eyes. Lips that looked made for sin.

But someone forgot to tell his cock to get its head in the game. Absolutely zero interest from little man.

Well, that was just fucked.

She gave him a wide dazzling smile. Still nothing. Yeah, she was pretty. Except she wasn't really doing it for him. Maybe he needed to warm up to her.

The girl grinned up at him. "I'm Daisy."

He slapped his brain into game mode and gave her some bullshit about that being his favorite flower. Of course that made her smile and giggle. When Cooper took her friend onto the dance floor, it was the two of them.

At this point, she finished her gin and tonic and was leaning into him, touching him. Still fucking nothing going on down south.

Okay, maybe a drink or two would help. He was making all the good choices tonight. Daisy sidled up to him as he signaled the bartender.

After two shots and a Seven and Seven, at last he was buzzed. But still nothing happening in the pants. Come on fucker. You had a lot to fucking say yesterday. And holy fucking hell a whole hell of a lot to say last night when he slept mere feet away from Malia.

He still didn't know what possessed him to climb into bed with her. But as promised, there were three pillows between the two of them. So close yet so far.

All night, his dick throbbed against his thigh. But the idea of going back to sleep on the couch was completely unappealing. He really wasn't sure which was worse; the back pain from sleeping on the couch or the magnificent case of blue balls required for being so close to Malia.

When Daisy leaned over and whispered, “Let's dance," he stood, albeit reluctantly. When he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, she pressed herself against him. All he could think about was how she smelled wrong. Her body, while soft, was not the same. For starters, she was shorter than Malia. And he had to lean lower to try to hear her.

By now, Daisy’d had her gin and tonic and a couple shots. She was feeling loose. Maybe, too loose. She wound her arms around his neck. "I didn't know what to expect from Cooper's friend, but you are a pleasant surprise."

He smiled at her. He only hoped it was a smile and not a “Get me the fuck out of here” kind of look. "Same here;pleasantly surprised." Except this was all wrong. But he knew better than to tell a woman that. Besides dumbass, you're the one who said you needed to get someone else under you to stop thinking about Malia. Ask and you shall receive.

She leaned closer to him. "Are you having fun?"

Fun? Not really how he'd put it.

"Yeah, this is great. I—” The hairs on the back of his neck tingled. Immediately he glanced around, looking for the source of sudden tension. She was easy to spot. Blond curls bouncing. A low cut tank hugging her tits so well he'd swear he could see through her tank and her bra to the pebbled nipples beneath.

And what do you know, the moment their gazes locked, his dick stood up to salute the lady.

This was so fucked.

Daisy grinned. “Finally. I thought you weren't interested.”

He frowned, misunderstanding. And then she palmed him.

“Let's see what we're working with.”

Fuck. His attention was on Malia. She couldn't see what was happening, but she still looked pissed. As for his cock, the poor guy was conflicted. Finally, he just deflated. Drunken, slurring girls were not his thing. Daisy frowned. "What's wrong?”

Zephyr wrapped his hand around her wrist and gently removed it from himself. "Just tired. A long day."

She settled closer. "You realize that at least half a dozen guys in here would like to take me home?"

"I don't doubt it."

"But you're saying no."

Now while that was the truth he knew better than to say that. "Listen, it's not you."

Her brows snapped down. "Oh, you're saying it's you?”

"What? No.”

And then her eyes went wide. "Oh my God, I'm totally your beard right now? Are you into Cooper?"

Zephyr sputtered. "No. For the love of Christ. He's a good-looking guy, but I’m not into him."

But she wasn't hearing it. “Fuck. How is this happening again?”

She shoved away from him, leaving him on the dance floor.

A moment later, Cooper was at his side. “What happened?”

Zephyr shook his head. “Little soldier was uninterested.”

Cooper laughed. “Oh man. You have it bad.”

“Well, she thinks I have it bad for you.”

Cooped nodded. “Well I am a good-looking dude.”

Zephyr grinned. “That's what I told her, and then she ran for her friend.”

His boy chuckled. “The reason you're not interested have something to do with the girl at the bar?”

Zephyr glanced over at Malia and her friends. “It has everything to do with her.”

“She knows she can’t have you.”

* * *

"Yes, I'm pissed. Emily, pay attention."

Emily shook her head. "Sorry Malia. I just want to keep up. You told him to go out. To bring someone home. But you're pissed because he's dancing with someone?"

“Yes.”

Emily nodded. “Okay, just making sure.”

Adrian was more helpful. “She knows she can't have him, but she wants him to suffer like she's suffering.”

Emily laughed. "Okay. Making sure.” She sipped her drink. “I mean, I'm just saying, what if no one found out? Like, is this a physical thing or is it more?"

"Well, yeah. I'm not blind. And I'm not immune. I mean I've seen him shirtless. He is photoshopped perfection. But I like him. You know? He's smart and sensitive and kind."

Emily put her drink down. “I mean, the guy is good-looking. Clearly has the five o'clock shadow thing working for him. He's got that hot, exotic, racial-ambiguity thing going. I mean, he's sexy. I'm down with it. And you like him."

“And he's staring at you. He wants you too,” Adrian added.

"Well, I'm glad you guys approve. But I still don't know what to do with him."

Emily laughed again. "Well, I can give you a few ideas. First thing you do is you get on your knees and pay homage to the great gift in front of you."

Malia's mouth hung open. "Oh my God, seriously?"

"What? You asked what you were supposed to do with him and that's always a good starting off point. I've never met a man who hasn't lost his mind over a BJ before."

“Do you think he likes you?”

“I don't know. He's really adamant about the rules.”

“Honey, if you're into each other, rules are made to be broken.”

“I mean it's awkward. I live with him. And he was talking about I should bring guys home or whatever."

Emily's eyes rounded. "Hey, I mean far be it from me to knock someone else's kink, but this makes for awkwardness. If you bring some dude home and then you take that dude to his bed … I mean, awkward.”

"Tell me about it. I’m not going to do that. Because I don't want to date anyone. I have a life I'm trying to get in order and the only guy I want to bring back to the apartment is him.”

Adrian nudged her forward. “Don't look now but you might just get your chance.”

Zephyr was right behind her. “Hey.”

She glanced over his shoulder. “How was your date?"

He shifted on his feet. "Yeah, it didn't turn out how I planned, actually."

"Sorry about that." More like #sorrynotsorry

He raised a brow. "You know what? You don't look sorry." She shrugged.

"What about you? Meet anyone you want to take home?"

She shifted her gaze away.

”Dance with me, Malia.”

"The fact is that’s not the best idea.”

“The fact is that I want you, and you want me. I’m well past pretending that's not the case. Because it's really not fucking working for me anymore."

"Zephyr." She swallowed hard. What the hell was she supposed to say, ’I want you, but—?’

He stepped into her space. "Do you know it was pure torture sleeping next to you last night?"

"Sorry. I was trying to make you comfortable."

"Were you comfortable?"

Lie. When in doubt, lie. It will be easier if you lie. "No. I could feel your heat."

He nodded and licked his lips. Her gaze focused sharply on the tip of his tongue. "How about for tonight, we forget about the rules?"

"Zephyr, I don't think is the best idea we've ever had."

"Probably not. All you have to do stop me."

But she knew the moment he touched her that she wanted to break all the rules.