My gaze snaps to his, and he winces.
“I’m not implying to bed. Just back to Ivy and Gray’s.” He glances at his watch—a thick, black leather one that looks morelike a cuff. “It’s coming on two in the morning. Bar’s going to close soon anyway.”
“Okay, sure.” Home sounds like a good plan. Only, I want to go alone and not have to face Dex anymore. Hottest kiss of mylife or not, it’s not something I can do again.
Ethan Dexter could become an addiction if I take another taste of him.
Two
Dex
In the course of my life, I’ve done stupid things. Who hasn’t? But kissing Fiona Mackenzie comes close to the top of the list.Ironically, it is definitely one of thebestthings I’ve done in my life as well. Painfully good.
Painful now. I’ve a hard-on that won’t go away and is bent awkwardly down the leg of my jeans. I’d adjust, but I know Fionawould notice. Not much gets by her.
Then again, she’s making a valiant effort to ignore me now, her gaze set on the window at her side as we drive Gray’s oldpickup back to his house.
I love Grayson. The man is worth over sixty-five million dollars, and he still drives his high school truck. But now I’m thinkingabout the fact that I had my tongue in his baby sister-in-law’s mouth, and I resist the urge to wince.
I shouldn’t have done it. But my brain took a vacation. I know how good I am at manipulating a situation, and I saw the curiosity in Fi’s bright green eyes. So I cajoled, enticed, allbut dared her to get up close and personal with my face. Had I expected her to kiss me? Hell no.
But I’d taken one look at her in that club and wanted her to touch me, to fuckingseeme, more than my next breath. I’ve wanted that from the moment I laid eyes on her two years ago at her sister’s Christmasparty.
Even then I knew Fiona wasn’t for me. I’m quiet, like to keep to myself. Fiona is life—bouncy, bubbly, snarky life. All wrappedup in a tiny, perfect package.
I’ve often heard Ivy compare Fi to Tinker Bell. I suppose that’s accurate. Only I’ve always found the little cartoon fairyannoying, and I could watch Fi all day. Just the lilting sound of her voice entrances me. And when her nose wrinkles and sheglares?
Hard as a fucking pike.
Yeah, I’ve got it bad. Which is not good. I know full well she doesn’t want anything to do with professional athletes. I’dheard her say that much outright at the wedding. A girl I was interested in during college ditched me for the same reason,and I’ve no interest in getting my heart stomped on again.
Which is why I shouldn’t have touched, much less kissed, Fi. Because I can’t stop replaying it in my mind. I know what shetastes like now. She tastes like addiction.
Gripping the wheel, I turn us into Gray and Ivy’s driveway. They bought a massive town house in Pacific Heights. I have toadmit, I’m envious. It’s the kind of place I’d love to call home. My place is a nice but far too empty town house in New Orleans.I love its high ceilings, old wood floors, and natural light. But it doesn’t feel like a home. Then again, maybe it’s becauseI’m the only one ever in it.
We’re silent as we pull into the garage and climb the back steps to the main floor.
I’m only vaguely surprised when Gray comes shuffling out of the kitchen holding a bottle in one hand and a pot in theother. He’s a mess, his blond hair flattened on the side, his sweats inside out and backward. Deep circles shadow his eyes.
“Hey,” he mutters. “Have fun?”
He doesn’t look as though he cares much about anything other than sleep at the moment.
“What’s the pot for, man-mountain?” Fi asks him before gently taking it from his hand.
He blinks down at it. “Right. I was going to put that in the sink.” From a flight above comes the irate squall of a baby.
“The tiny overlord demands his due,” Gray says. But he stops to kiss Fi on the cheek. His expression lightens a bit as hepulls back. “You smell like cologne, Fi-Fi.”
Hot pink washes over Fiona’s cheeks. “I smell like a nightclub.”
“Cologne,” Gray counters as he trudges toward the stairs. His gaze lands on me. “Dex’s cologne. And don’t bother denying it.I roomed with the guy for years.”
So much for keeping things from Gray. The guy might love to joke, but he’s an outright genius, so I’m not really surprisedhe caught me.
He doesn’t say anything more about it, though. His shoulders slump as he starts up the stairs. “I swear to God, I’d give someonefive—no ten—million dollars right now if Ivy and I could just get one solid night’s sleep.”
Fi and I exchange a sympathetic look. It might be awkward between us, but at least we can escape to our beds and sleep.
