"Look at who decides to show up," Brian says."Where the hell were you?"Nick asks with a frown.
My eyes dart between my two best friends, who are waiting for my explanation.I sit down in the empty chair by the desk and brush my hand over my jaw.
"I visited my mother and told her about Samantha."
Both men whistle."So," Nick starts, "how did she respond to the news that she's a grandma?"
"The only way Carmen Walker can," I say in a sharp tone."First, she said it was impossible.Then she blamed me for keeping her granddaughter away from her, and now she wants to meet her."
"So, the visit to your mom's is the reason you forgot the meeting?"Nick asks.
I want to say yes, but with my mind floating back to the actual reason—a deliciously blonde riding me—I hesitate.Nick's loud cough pulls me back out of my daydream, and when I focus back on him, he gazes at me through narrowed slits.
Brian chuckles."I think our friend is hiding something from us."
Nick nods, and when both men stare at me, I react."I'm not hiding anything."
"How is Alisha doing?"Brian asks as he rises from his chair.
Something in his tone gets my attention."Why do you want to know?"
The cheeky grin on my blond friend's face widens, and my temperature rises when he pulls out a plastic bag containing a black piece of lace fabric and dangles it in the air.I shoot up and grasp the item out of his hand.Brian laughs loudly while Nick's face shows a mixture of interest and confusion.
"What's that about?"
"Alisha lost it in my office," Brian explains with an even fuller grin.
Nick's nose wrinkles."Did you and Alisha hook up?"
"Oh, hell no, not me.Bulldozer here did.He claimed her in my office after she came over and asked me to have sex with her."Brian’s eyes go back to me."Next time you two have sex in my office, clean up your shit."
Nick's mouth drops at this revelation."Wait.You had sex with Alisha in Brian's office?"My business partner sits up straight as he tries to tie all the pieces of information together.
"Technically, we didn't have sex," I answer.
"Then what the hell did you do there?"Brian says with a raised brow.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"I answer with a quirky smirk."Okay, both of you, sit down."When we do, Nick continues,
"Now, Cole, spill it.What the hell is going on between Alisha and yourself?I've got the feeling that she's the actual reason you didn't show up for the meeting."
I run my hand through my hair.There's no denying it.These men know me too well, so I lean back in the chair, run my hands over my face, and explain.
"So that's what happened."
My eyes go over both friends since there's nothing but silence after revealing everything that happened between Alisha and myself.Brian is staring at me with rapidly blinking eyes.But I turn my attention to Nick when his bouldering laughter breaks the silence.
"Jesus, man.Drafting up a contract is a recipe for disaster.This tops the time that I bid ten thousand dollars on Emma."And with that said, he burst out into another laughing fit.
"So this was your genius solution to prevent her from diving into bed with other men?God, I thought you were the smart one out of the three of us, but I guess I was wrong," Brian adds.
I narrow my eyes and gaze at my two best friends, who seem to find the whole situation amusing.
"Honestly, why did you draw up that contract, Cole?"
I frown my brows at Brian's question."Didn't you listen?By letting her sign my contract, I can help her deal with her issues and prevent her from getting into more problems.That woman is impulsive, but fragile since the attack.Doing this, I'm helping her, and as a bonus, it will help me get my mother off my back for a few months."
"So you're doing this because you want to help her, not because you've developed feelings for her?"
