Beeeeep!
The car horn blared, and I jumped, knocking my elbow into the door.Son of a bit—
It continued to blast as Brock and I stared at each other for a disorientated moment and then broke out into laughter. “Your ass is on the horn,” he said, his hands moving to my backside and pulling it away from the steering wheel.
The fact that it was my ass only made me laugh harder. I dropped my head on his shoulder, letting the laughter roll through me. God, when was the last time I laughed? It was amazing how a bit of amusement could lighten the pressure on my chest. I’d lived with it for so long, I’d forgotten it was even there.
Until Brock.
Don’t you dare get dependent on him. You don’t need anyone, Josie James.
Desire still glittered in his aqua eyes as I lifted my head. “I don’t think this is better than the couch,” he said with a lopsided grin.
Humor tugged at my lips. The first two times that I’d had sex with Brock had been on a couch. “Are we sleeping in separate bedrooms tonight?” I asked breathily. That had been the deal, but after this kiss, I kind of hoped we could do more than sleep in his bed. I couldn’t go another night sleeping beside him and not touch. There was no sleep happening. Not when my mind and body couldn’t stop thinking about the guy beside me.
“I don’t see the point in starting tonight, Firefly,” he responded roughly.
All bets were off.
* * *
“So rumor has it you’re living with Brock Taylor,” Ainsley said two seconds after I picked up her video call. We hadn’t had much time to catch up over the weekend, and I had a lot to fill her in on, but it appeared she was well informed.
I picked at a piece of thread on Brock’s bed, staring at her face on the screen. Brock and I never made it to his bed after the hot kiss in the car. His phone had gone off. “It’s my dad. I’ve got to take this.” His whole demeanor changed at the mention of his father. Taking the call, Brock locked himself in his dad’s office and had been there ever since.
“I’m not living with him…exactly,” I corrected.
“Uh-huh.” She grinned, flipping a rainbow curl over her shoulder. She sat on her vanity, doing her makeup.
My sigh was genuine, born from several feelings, including frustration from the sexual tension that always lingered between Brock and me. I didn’t know how much longer I could stay here without losing my heart or getting pregnant. Not that we’d actually had sex, but once we did… game over. “I don’t have much of a choice. Things are so fucked-up.”
“Angie is probably going apeshit,” Ainsley theorized, knowing my mother well.
“That’s an understatement,” I mumbled, not wanting to think about her. I propped my phone on a pillow as I lay flat on the stomach, feet dangling in the air behind me.
“Jesus Christ, Josie. You had me worried sick. What that asshole did…” Ainsley’s nose wrinkled in disgust, rightly so. “He needs to be in jail.”
“If it were only that simple,” I replied with bitterness.
“You know I will always have your back.”
“And I appreciate it.” She was a good friend—the best. It didn’t matter how serious or how illegal, if I asked, Ainsley would show up, no questions asked. I’d do the same for her. She was my best friend.
She brought a mascara wand to her eye, darkening her lashes. “Are you sure nothing else is bothering you? Not that being kidnapped and assaulted isn’t enough, but are you okay, you know, staying withhim?”
Ainsley knew me better than anyone, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that she sensed something else ate away at me. I promised Grayson though not to tell anyone. It was so hard keeping something this fucking huge from her. The words were right there on my lips just waiting to tumble out of me. Instead, I said, “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine, but that’s okay. Who really is okay? We’re all a little fucked-up inside, some more than others.” She pulled out a tube of lip gloss and unscrewed the top. “So what are you going to do? You can’t go home. Do you want me to try and talk to Angie?”
“No, don’t bother. It will only make things worse if she finds out I’ve been talking to you.” I didn’t want her involved or near the house as long as Carter lived there.
Putting away the tube, she turned and faced the phone. “I know you, Josie, and something else is bothering you, so spill.”
I frowned, seeing no point in denying the truth. “I can’t talk about it. Not yet.”
Her lips were deep berry and shiny now. “Fair enough. How about we talk about you and Brock?” Those bold lips curved wickedly. “Are you two doing more than just banging and living together?”
My eyes glanced to the closed door before turning back to Ainsley. “You mean dating? No. I don’t know what we’re doing.”