Chapter 15
Dustin grabbed a water from his fridge and watched out the window as Marley’s car took off down the driveway. It was just after five-thirty and Dustin felt like a stalker, standing there staring at the pool house so intently.
Victoria came into the kitchen behind him, and said, “Okay, Mr. Kent. Your dinner is in the fridge, and I will see you on Monday.”
He turned, hoping Victoria didn’t think he’d been spying on Rylie. “Thanks, Victoria.”
When Victoria walked toward the side door, he said, “Where are you going?”
“I want to see Rylie’s new dress. It’s a woman thing, you wouldn’t understand.”
Dustin stood there as she closed the door, thinking that he very much wanted to see Rylie in her new dress.
And then he wanted to see it on the floor.
God, he needed to get the hell out of here and drink something. Picking up his cell phone, he noticed a missed call from his brother, Charlie. That was weird. He hardly heard from any of his brothers, unless it was around the holidays or his birthday.
He hit the voicemail button and held it to his ear.
“Hey, little brother, it’s me! I’m in town and on my way to your place. I’m going to crash with you instead of mom, in case I want to relight some old flames. See you in a few!”
Dustin checked the time the message was left. Thirty minutes ago. Shit.
Dustin looked out the window again in time to watch his big brother slide open the pool house door and step inside.
He ran out the side door and down the stairs. He didn’t want Charlie walking in on Rylie changing or Rylie to think his brother was an intruder. Well, he kind of was, but Dustin didn’t want him getting whacked by a frying pan.
When he stopped outside the glass door, he found Victoria and Charlie with their backs to him.
Looking at Rylie, who was as shiny as a new penny.
The golden highlights through her brown hair had been touched up and she’d applied a dark shadow to her eyelids that made her brown eyes pop. He couldn’t really see the dress with his brother and Victoria in the way, so he knocked on the door.
Rylie glanced over Victoria’s shoulder and when she saw him, she smiled. Victoria gave her a hug before opening the door for Dustin.
“Isn’t she lovely?”
Dustin’s gaze traveled from the black, strappy sandals that laced up her calves and showed off the sparkly purple polish on her toes. The black dress was tight, hugging her curves with a pendulum ruffle breaking up the waist. With her loose curls and glossy lips she was more than lovely.
She was nut-punchingly gorgeous.
“Hey, bro, you forgot to mention you had a renter,” Charlie said, coming over to slap him on the back. “Guess I shouldn’t have assumed you’d take me in.”
“Yeah, that was stupid of you. Maybe next time give me a little more warning than a half an hour.” Dustin didn’t mean it though. Of his three older brothers, Charlie was the one closest to him in age and his favorite.
His brother’s black hair was overly long, and his T-shirt showed that he’d been bulking up since the last time he saw him.
“Well, it’s a good thing you have a big ass house with fifty other rooms then.” Charlie shot Rylie a killer smile. “It was nice to meet you, Rylie. Since I’ll be staying a while, I look forward to getting to know you.”
Dustin’s jaw clenched. The last thing he wanted was for Rylie to get to know his very charming brother.
“It was good to meet you too.”
Charlie took off out the glass door before sliding it closed behind him. When it was just Dustin and Rylie, he cleared his throat.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“That dress is… Well, it’s definitely something.” What the hell was wrong with him? He didn’t have problems talking to women.
“Really? I was afraid it was too tight.”
“Yes. I mean, no, it looks perfect. Sexy.” He ran a hand over his hair and groaned. “I mean, your date is going to love it.”
“Will. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“Will, huh?”
She sighed, seeming to realize she’d given him an in. “Will Younger. I’ve known him for a while. He’s nice.”
Nice. Of course Rylie would go for a nice guy after that asshole Asher. The opposite of what she’d had.
Definitely not a womanizer who’d almost nailed her in this very kitchen.
“Well, I hope you have a good time.” What the hell else was he going to say? This morning was something that shouldn’t be repeated; he’d already decided that. Didn’t mean he wanted to hang around and watch some other guy salivate all over her.
There was a knock on the glass door and he realized it was too late. On the other side stood a stocky man with sandy hair and a nervous smile. The way he kept pulling at his collared shirt made Dustin think he would probably have been more comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans for his date.
Rylie opened the door, and he couldn’t see her face.
Just the way her dress hugged her round, delicious ass.
“Hey, Will. This is my coworker and landlord, Dustin.”
Dustin’s eyebrows rose at her description. She wasn’t lying, but he’d started to think there was more to them than just that.
Though it made sense she wouldn’t want to introduce him as a friend. Friend carried implications when it was between a man and a woman.
Will stepped inside with his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
Dustin took it, noticing the stains and rough callouses on the man’s hands. This was the type of guy Rylie wanted. Someone who worked with his hands.
“Good to meet you. Where are you two headed?”
Will slid his hand out to rest on Rylie’s lower back and Dustin hated it. “I thought we’d go to dinner and see where the night took us.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ll let you two get to it. I have an unexpected guest to deal with, anyway.”
Dustin walked past them outside, but turned when Rylie said his name.
“Thanks.”
Dustin had no idea what she was thanking him for. Not mentioning their little interlude this morning? That he’d been civil to Will?
“You’re welcome.”
What else was he going to say anyway? Don’t go? What was the point? The only thing that happened between them was some close calls.
That’s all it needed to be.
* * * *
Charlie had talked Dustin into heading into town for a drink at the Shotgun Wedding Bar and Grill. Charlie had already tossed back three shots of Jose, and didn’t seem to be slowing down.
Dustin wasn’t stupid; his brother didn’t just pop into town for no reason. “You going to tell me what this impromptu visit is all about?”
Charlie leveled him with blue eyes identical to his. “Sure, let’s trade stories. What is up with that stone-cold fox living in your pool house?”
Dustin nursed his beer, not wanting Charlie to get any ideas about Rylie. “Nothing. She was in a bad spot and I said she could rent the pool house until she found something else.”
“Yeah, but you don’t get involved with women and you definitely don’t let them stay with you.”
“She’s not staying with me. She’s in a separate living space.”
Charlie waved at the bartender, indicating he needed another round. “Fine, semantics. The point is, you’ve never even hung around a woman for more than a couple of days, but this one you’re playing the hero for.”
“She’s my coworker.”
Charlie snorted.
“Fine, she’s a friend. Or something close to it.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Charlie took his shot, and hissed between his teeth. “I guess that means it’s my turn, huh? Well, I told my boss to shove it, right before I walked out the door and never went back.”
To say Dustin was shocked was an understatement. Charlie had gone to NYU and graduated with a master’s in architecture. He’d been working at a large firm for the last eighteen months, and as far as Dustin had known, Charlie was happy.
“Why?”
“Ah, that is a long story for another time. For now, all you need to know is I’m seeking a little help getting back on my feet, Brother. Got an extra room for me?”
“Sure. For a price,” Dustin said, grinning.
“I just told you I was unemployed.”
“I don’t need your money.”
Charlie watched him suspiciously before his brother’s eyes flared wide. “Hell no!”
“You don’t know what I’m going to ask for.”
“Yeah I do, and I’ll stay with Mom before I let you get your grubby hands on her!”
Dustin smiled, amused his brother still called his original ’68 Camaro SS a “she.” “Please? I’ll take good care of her.”
“You just stick with your modern candy ass cars and stay away from my baby.”
“Jesus, your baby? You have got to get laid, man,” Dustin said. His thoughts immediately strayed to Rylie and her date and he grimaced. Rylie wasn’t the type to bring a guy home on the first date, was she?
“That’s why we’re here. I’m on the prowl.”
Dustin gave Charlie a skeptical glance. “If you drink much more, you’re going to be on the floor.”
“Please, I am thirty-two. I can hold my”—he burped—“liquor.”
Charlie turned on the barstool and after several seconds, he elbowed Dustin in the side. “Dude, is there a reason why Asher Reid is staring at me like he’s trying to kill me with his mind?”
Dustin looked over his shoulder and saw Asher pounding back a beer, slamming the mug down on the table when he caught Dustin’s gaze.
“I think he wants you, Charlie.”
“The hell you say? Asher’s gay?”
Dustin shook his head. “No, he’s Rylie’s ex. Not really pleased with me right now.”
“I would say not from the way he’s glaring at you. Why’d they break up?”
“He’s a dick.” Charlie raised an eyebrow, and Dustin muttered, “Like dad.”
Charlie stiffened. “You serious?”
“That’s what I got from the little I saw.”
Charlie grabbed his refreshed shot off the bar and tipped it back. Then he stood up and shouted, “Yo, Ash! You keep looking at me like that and I’m going to give you what you’re asking for.” He cracked his knuckles as the bar went dead silent. “Something to chew on.”
Asher stood up, but several of his friends grabbed his arms and yanked him back down.
Dustin was so floored he froze for a second before he grabbed his brother by the shoulder. “What the hell are you doing?”
“He’s the one picking a fight. I’m just giving him what he wants.”
“It’s directed at me, not you, idiot.”
“Well, I’m looking for something to hit. Besides, you’re my bro. Nobody dicks with you but me.”
Rod, the bartender, slammed his hand on the bar behind them. “You’re cut off, Charlie. You two settle your tab and get the hell out of here. I’m not having you stir up shit in here.”
“We’re gone, Rod.” Dustin tossed down a hundred, and guided his brother out the door. Charlie gave Asher two middle fingers and a full-on tongue-hanging-out-of-his-mouth face that would have scared Gene Simmons.
Once they were outside, Dustin pushed Charlie toward the car. “If I wanted to knock the guy out, I would have done it myself.”
Charlie’s eyes narrowed in the lighted parking lot. “Then, why don’t you? Why are you sitting around like a pussy letting that guy dog you?”
“Because I don’t care what that dumbass thinks of me. Not everything has to be solved with your fists. You’d think living with Dad would have taught you that.”
Charlie’s face turned an ugly shade of red that in the parking lot light appeared orange. “Fuck you, Dustin! I learned not to take shit from people.”
“You’re thirty-two years old and you walked out on your job because you lost your temper. Sounds like you need to grow up, Brother.”
Suddenly, Dustin found himself in a headlock, but even though his brother was bulkier, Dustin was fast and squirrely. He slipped out of Charlie’s grasp and when his brother threw a hard right, Dustin easily dodged the clumsy move.
“Knock it off, Charlie.”
His brother ran at him with his arms wide, and as fast as Dustin was, he couldn’t get out of the way of his brother’s tackle. Dustin hit the ground hard, the breath whooshing out of his lungs as Charlie’s fist connected with his jaw. Lights exploded in Dustin’s vision and then it all went red as he knocked Charlie off him and tried to pin his brother. Dustin and Charlie rolled around the parking lot, fighting for the upper hand, when the high-pitched chirp of a police siren broke it up.
Dustin climbed to his feet first, and when he tried to help his brother, Charlie shook him off.
Luke Jessup stepped out of the cruiser in his sheriff’s uniform, and nodded at Dustin. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Luke, just a little brotherly bonding,” Dustin said, shooting Charlie a meaningful look.
“Definitely. Been a long time, and I just wanted to show Dustin I could still take his ass down, just like when we were kids.”
Luke crossed his arms over his wide chest. “How about you take the wrestling matches home? Less likely to get run over that way.”
“Absolutely, Luke,” Dustin said.
Once Luke climbed into his cruiser and was backing up, Dustin pointed a finger at Charlie. “I’m taking your ass to Mom’s house.”
“Bite me, you candy ass—”
Before he realized it, Dustin’s fist flew and cracked his brother across the cheek. In slow motion, Charlie spun around and hit the ground out cold.
He shook out his hand, disgusted with himself and Charlie. He hadn’t hit anyone since he was in high school…the last time his dad had come at him and he’d knocked his ass out too.
With a resigned sigh, he slid his arms under Charlie’s armpits and dragged him around to the passenger side of his car.
“You’re lucky I love you. Dumbass.”