FOURTEEN
Jordan
The tension radiates off her in waves while she slots the key in the lock and twists. I shouldn’t have snapped at her; curiosity is human nature. But she hit my red button. My no-go.
“It’s not much compared to your place—”
“But it’s yours,” I say, following her in.
She drops her keys to the end table, and then steers straight for the bedroom. I follow that plump ass as it swings up the narrow hallway, flexing my fists to save from reaching out and slapping it.
Maybe earlier, I would have. But after making her mad? I may be a red-blooded man, but I’m not stupid.
“Help yourself.” Corinne swings the doors of her wardrobe open; revealing a small collection of dresses and pantsuits. “I’ll be down the hall packing some things in the bathroom.”
“You trust me to do this alone?” I taunt.
“Wouldn’t want to make it a couples thing now, would I?” She hits me with a challenging stare, arm extending to gesture toward her bed. “There are more shoes in a storage container under there if you would like to accessorize.”
I’m flail for what to say as she strides from the room, leaving me in her sanctuary. My gaze drifts around the space, at the little touches that make it hers. Soft colors accent the bedding and furnishings. It seems she likes a little calm in her home. So different from how she appears at face value.
I move toward a line of photo frames propped on top of her drawers, taking in familiar faces: her father, mother, Chase, and a few people who must be family given the resemblance. Unsurprisingly, her uncle is absent from the line up. Fucker. What I knew of their relationship was broad assumption. I saw the way he eye-balled her at the party all those years ago—just like I told her—but I’d hoped it wasn’t anything that serious. I embellished in the hopes she’d get defensive and shut me down; I wanted to hurt her after she hurt me in mentioning my parents.
What I got was something so much more. An admission. A revelation.
A job for Perry, perhaps?
“You know, facing the wardrobe is generally a good place to start.”
I spin to find Corinne in the doorway, watching me pry into her personal effects. “What I said in the car …”
“You were hurt, so you lashed out. I get it.” She crosses the room to pull a small case from the back of the wardrobe. “Don’t do it again.”
“I meant what I said about this being good for both of us.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she muses as she heads for the door again. “Considering I don’t know much about you.”
The ringing of my phone pulls me from engaging further on the issue. I retrieve the device and frown at the screen before hitting End. If he wants to talk, then he can call back when I’m not fucking busy.
By the time Corinne returns, I’ve selected a fitted dress with a geometric design that runs from hip to hem on one side. It’s sure to make her best asset look goddamn amazing. The top crosses over in a plunging neckline, assuring me of a good view while we eat.
Interestingly enough, it still had the tag on.
“Haven’t worn this yet?”
She sets the packed case against the wall and sighs. “I bought that in a … moment.”
“Of clarity?” I lift an eyebrow and cross my arms.
“Insanity.” She eyes the dress, lifting it from the bed. “Let’s say the sales woman was good at her job.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I love it. It doesn’t like me.”
She sucks a sharp breath as I take the hem of my T-shirt in hand from behind, and pull it slowly up her body. Corinne sets the dress down, allowing me to slip the cotton over her arms, and to the floor. Her head tilts to one side and I push her hair over one shoulder to expose the beautiful expanse of flesh on her neck.
My teeth are mere inches from the prize when a loud knock at the door startles her from our reverie.
“Shit.” With an effortless turn, she spins from my hold and dives for the T-shirt on the floor. “It might be Sarah.”
Better fucking not be. I already dislike the woman after the talk down she gave Corinne. Not sure I could hold back if she’s the one to cock-block me too.
“Not expecting anyone?” I pry.
Her hair slides forward as she shakes her head. “Wait here.”
With a sigh, I sit on the edge of her bed like the dutiful little dirty secret I am. I kill the time it takes her to get to the door by straightening the dress beside me. There. Nice and neat.
“No. It’s fine,” Corinne assures whoever is here.
Must be Sarah.
“Can I come see you later? Now isn’t a good time. I’m in the middle of something.” Her panicked dismissal peaks my interest. Lover? Fuck boy?
Goddamn—I thought I delved into everything when it came to her.
“Who’s shirt is that?”
Bastard. My nostrils flare as I lunge off the bed and march down to the living area. “Chase.”
“Jordan.” He stops midway into her apartment when I emerge from the hall.
Corinne shuts the door, mouthing “Sorry.”
Not much she could do to deny who her visitor is when she has my college shirt on, is there?
“What the fuck are you up to?” Her brother takes a step forward, drawing my attention from Corinne.
Chase isn’t exactly a small guy. Star starter for his football team back in the day, it seems the guy hasn’t been able to drop the habit when it comes to the gym. Still, I could take him.
Call me cocky, but I like to think of it as confident.
“I’m not sure this is any of your business.” I cross my arms, doing what I can to appear bigger than I am.
When it comes down to it, we’re all still gorillas.
“It sure as hell ain’t your business, Jordan.”
I give him what I hope is a “Shut the fuck up” stare. He doesn’t comply. Never did.
“You told her?”
“Told me what?” Corinne steps forward.
Chase puts an arm out to block her and keep her behind him. The action doesn’t go down well with me one tiny bit.
“Tell you what he does to earn that goddamn car that’s in your parking spot, sis.”
Her crisp blue eyes shift to me. He’s talking her language. Damn it.
I plow a path between the two of them, collecting Corinne as I go. She stares at me with a thousand questions in her eyes as I hold her by the upper arm, blocking Chase from view. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“Now,” she grits out through a stiff jaw.
“How did you meet each other?” Chase moves around her modest sofa so he can see her. “At that bar?”
“At your party,” I answer, eyes still on the woman who hangs in the balance. “Isn’t that right, Corinne?”
“Yes.” She shrugs out of my hold and faces her brother. “I first saw Jordan at your eighteenth, so how about you tell me why it is you kept in touch with him all these years if he’s so much trouble.”
“To keep an eye on him,” Chase offers.
“Insurance,” I explain. “He doesn’t trust me.”
“I shouldn’t.”
Can’t argue that one.
Corinne’s head swivels as she follows our banter, trying to keep up. “Explain, boys. Now.”
“Not until you tell me why this fucking snake is in your apartment, and you’re in his clothes,” Chase counters.
“Because we’re fucking.” She folds her arms, chin high.
I could lick her cunt until she came as reward for that. Baby is proud. Baby wants to stay in this.
I’ve already won.
“You’re what?” Chase shakes his head slowly as though to clear the visual, probably sizing up whether he’ll rip into Corinne or deck me.
Neither option is going to fly.
“What the hell has he told you?” Chase asks, face screwed up with disgust.
“That he made his money in technology,” Corinne says defiantly. “Which I assume is the truth considering Ted hired him to investigate how one of our clients sites was hacked.”
Chase sighs, head dropping as he pinches the bridge of his nose.
I consider punching him first just to shut him up before he says something I’d rather he didn’t.
“He’s the guy you got fired for?”
Like that.
“How the hell do you know that?” Corinne exclaims.
“Sarah.” He levels her with a hard stare. “She called me in a right state after you hung up on her. You should say thank you, when you call her back, because she obviously decided for your sake to omit who it was you were sacked over.”
“Why are you here, then?”
“Because you won’t answer your phone, and because she wanted me to check you were okay.” He shoots one hell of a hate-filled stare my way. “Which obviously, you’re not.”
“She’s fine, Chase.” I take a step forward. “Be even better if you left.”
He leans around me to talk to Corinne still. “He’s a hacker. Did you know that? Ever wonder how he knows so much about internet security?”
“Shut up,” I warn. “Stop talking before you say something really fucking stupid.”
“What?” Corinne backs toward a seat while her brother and I face off.
“Like what, Jordan?” The asshole decides it’d be wise to bump chests. “Like how if it wasn’t for me you’d be in prison already?”
“Last warning, pal. You’re only standing because I respect your sister.”
He laughs. Fucking laughs, and then shunts me in the shoulder. “Enough to tell her truth, huh?”
He doesn’t get another word in before my fist hits his face.
“Jordan!” Corinne shoulders past to check on her brother.
He pushes her away. “I’m fine. But you need to ask this asshole to leave before I call the cops.”
“Go for it,” I taunt. “You’d never do it because you’re hands are as dirty as mine.”
You don’t exactly help a hacker stay out of the slammer without reaping the benefits yourself.
“I think you both need to leave.”
Seems Chase and I finally agree on something when we both look to Corinne with shock.
“We’ll stay in,” I offer. “Order Chinese and hash this out.”
“Only thing you’ll be hashing out is the fucking key on your goddamn illegal keyboard,” she fires back, making Chase chuckle.
I might have laughed too, if I didn’t feel the desperation inching in as she pulls away. So close …
“Out.” Chase points to the door. “Assholes first.”
I’m not going fucking anywhere. Not when I’m this close to reaching the goal I’ve worked toward for near on a goddamn decade.
“Please,” Corinne begs. Her hands fist the sides of my college shirt as she hugs herself. “Give me tonight.”
“One night,” I cede. “I’ll give you one more night.”
And then, she’s all mine. Whatever the cost.