Candy Ever After (Hot Candy 2)

Christa is definitely staring at me as I pass by again. She winks.

Fuck, I’m getting claustrophobic in here. Can’t wait for this day to end.

***

Despite wanting to leave as early as possible, I stay late at the office, sorting through the papers and folders. The project’s goal is to collaborate with athletes of the region to promote a new brand of biodegradable sports products. The idea is to also involve environmental NGOs, charities, schools and sports clubs.

It’s a big deal. A lot of money is needed. A lot of work required. And I wanna do this. For many reasons.

By the time I decide my brain won’t process anything else and clock out, loosening my tie and rubbing at my itchy eyes, it’s dark and windy outside. I’m driving to the bookshop to pick up Jet and Candy, on full autopilot, when the reality of what I’m doing hits me.

Going to pick up my girl and my boy.

Okay, rewind. Let’s not get carried away, okay? This makes it sound like a routine. Like a relationship. And it’s not. We’re just friends. Who fuck.

What? No. Wait. I fuck Candy. Jet is just my buddy. And Candy is just a pretty girl I happen to like and fuck and who might be my girlfriend one day.

Putting things in context helps gain fucking clarity.

Scowling at nothing, I park and jump out of the car to reach the bookshop. There’s no guarantee Candy wants to come back with us again tonight. That what happened the last few nights will repeat itself. And I shouldn’t care.

I look through the glass façade. The Closed sign is on, but I can see Candy and Jet sitting in the corner, in those comfy armchairs they have for the customers, heads bent over a book.

What are they doing?

I knock on the door and their heads come up—one dark, one blond, two pairs of eyes tracking me.

I really shouldn’t feel warmth spread in my chest when they both grin at me. My heart shouldn’t speed up and my pants grow tight.

Fuck.

Jet is the first one to get up, putting the book quickly away. In fact, he slips it behind his back, like a kid caught with the cookie jar in his hands, and whirls about to shove it between other books on a shelf, his shoulders rising and falling fast, like he’s breathing hard.

I frown at him, but meanwhile Candy all but jumps on me, wrapping her arms and legs around me, and my frown melts into a grin as her body collides with mine.

Jesus, this girl. I’m spinning her around and laughing like I’m on drugs before I know what I’m doing, and it feels right. I feel… happy.

And then Jet joins us, grabbing me from behind, spinning me, too, and I feel… content. No, not content, wrong word.

Complete.

In degrees, I come to a stop and put Candy down, then turn to ruffle Jet’s hair, still grinning, my heart still pounding. Jet’s smile is wide and bright. Genuine. Can’t remember the last time I got a real smile out of him, one that reaches his eyes.

Complete. What the hell does this mean? Why does my chest feel full, fit to burst?

Refusing to analyze it for now, in a sudden hurry to get them both home, I tug on their arms, herding them out.

It’s only when we reach my car I realize I haven’t even asked Candy if she wants to come along.

“Girl.” I turn to find her and Jet holding hands, and fuck if that doesn’t make me smile—again—and man, what’s wrong with me? “Are you coming home with us tonight?”

“You mean she has a life outside of this thing between us?” Jet mutters, his smile turning into a darker grin, one that tells me he’s unsure of himself. He’s always brasher when he’s unsettled. “We know you have a roommate. How many people do we have to compete with?”

“You kidding me? What other life?” She waves a hand back and forth, her brown eyes sparkling. “I’ve wanted you guys for so long.”

Jet glances at me, a slight frown pinching his features. Then he chuckles. “For so long. Like, for almost two weeks.”

Two weeks. Just that? It feels like so much longer.