CHAPTER1
Daniel Ross heldthe metal frame steady as Drew attempted to line it up with the footboard. It should’ve been easy, but for some reason the damn thing wouldn’t go into the slot.
“Want me to get it?” Justin asked, trying and failing to contain his amusement.
Drew paused long enough to shoot Justin a dirty look, then went back to what he was doing. “Can you hold it a little more to the right? I think I see the issue.”
Daniel did as Drew requested and watched as the metal hovered over the wooden slot for the first time.
“Need some help?” Kim’s voice caused all three of them to glance toward the doorway.
Another grin tugged at Justin’s lips, as he looked her over from head to toe. “I think we’ve almost got it.”
With one last push, Drew forced the metal into the slot. He straightened and rolled his shoulders. “That was more challenging than I thought it would be.”
“It was sticking when we took it apart the other day,” Justin said.
Stretching out his own back, Daniel tried to ignore the way his muscles protested. As much as he hated to admit it, he wasn’t as young as he used to be. At fifty-five, he was twenty years older than everyone else in the room. “Hopefully, you won’t be needing to take it apart again for a very long time.”
Kim sent a coy look in Justin’s direction as she skimmed her fingers over the bed. “I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
Grabbing her hips, Justin pulled her against him. “Damn straight.”
Daniel was only half paying attention to the couple. Ali was grinning, happy for her best friend, but there was something off about her today. He didn’t know what it was, but he was going to find out.
Kim let out a sigh that said more than words ever could, and he knew it was time for them to make their exit. Daniel cleared his throat. “And with that, I think it’s time we said goodbye.”
“You don’t have to run off—”
“Yes, they do,” Justin said.
Everyone chuckled, even Ali, although, again, it felt half-hearted.
Daniel helped Ali with her coat, relishing being able to touch her, even if it was in the most innocent of ways. He waited as she said her goodbyes to Kim and Justin, then escorted her to her car.
They were almost to their vehicles when he noticed her stifling a yawn. “Everything all right?”
She glanced up at him. Her normally bright blue eyes appeared duller than usual, her exhaustion showing. “I’m fine. Just a little tired.”
“Why?” he demanded, stopping his progress.
Ali wasn’t a party girl. He knew she hadn’t been out late the night before. She’d left the private BDSM club where they were both members at eleven o’clock, and she’d gone straight home. He knew this because that’s what she’d told him she was going to do and Ali wouldn’t have lied to him.
She lowered her eyes to the ground before meeting his gaze once more. He could almost see her mind working behind her eyes. “I’ve got new neighbors.”
“They’re keeping you up?”
Ali nodded and tried to hide yet another yawn.
He felt his irritation rising. “Did you report them to your complex management?”
Her shoulders sagged. “I can’t.”
He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “If they’re making noise at all hours of the night, you should report them.”
She scraped her teeth over her bottom lip, and he knew from experience what that meant. “It’s not...”
“What?” He wasn’t letting her leave until he knew what was going on.