He’d known Allie for a few years through Crestin. She was here to pick up a few of his twin’s things, and even though he’d had something with Allie years ago for just a short time, he knew the woman wanted to fuck. But he wasn’t interested. The truth was, he hadn’t been interested in fucking others since he realized he wanted Izabella.
His damn dick couldn’t even get more than semi-hard anymore, and the only way he could find relief was to jerk off thinking of Izabella, bending over and gardening in those shorts she wore during the summer.
Fuck, I’m getting hard now.
He adjusted his hardening cock, pushed the thought and image of Izabella out of his mind, and headed inside. They were friends, and she knew about his wild past. She probably still thought he was a bastard for the things he’d done.
But that was good because her staying away meant he wouldn’t cross lines that could ruin everything.
2
“I can’t go on a blind date, Mel,” Izabella said, her focus on the stack of paperwork she still had to file and enter into the computer.
“Why? Are you seeing someone or something?”
Izabella exhaled and glanced up at her coworker. “No, I’m not seeing someone, but I don’t really want to be set up, you know?”
“No, I don’t know. You need to get out. You always back out of going with us to dinner and the bar.”
“I just have a lot to do, Mel. That’s all.”
Mel gave her an unimpressed look. “Listen, all I’m asking is for you to go out with Zachary. He’s friends with my brother.”
“So you know him well?” Mel didn’t answer for a second, and Izabella exhaled once more. “Mel, do you even know him?”
“I mean, I know of him. Brent always talks about him, and they go out all the time.”
“So he’s like your brother, then?” Izabella grabbed the paperwork and started making her way toward her desk.
“I guess.”
Izabella shook her head. “Didn’t you tell me your brother is kind of an asshole?” She placed the papers on her desk and sat down, seeing Mel follow her in.
“He has his moments with me—”
“And his friend is like this, too?”
Mel pouted. “Please, just go out. Let him pay for dinner and a drink for you, and call it a night. If nothing else, your meal was free.” She stared at Mel for a prolonged second. “I just think you should go out and meet someone. You’re always working overtime. I never see you with anyone, and who knows? It could be fun.” Mel grinned. “Besides, I don’t know if Zachary is an asshole. He just hangs out with my brother, who happens to be one on occasion. Zach might be really sweet.”
“Okay, fine.”
Mel made an excited noise, and Izabella knew it was probably because she felt like a matchmaker. “I’ll give him your number. And you’ll tell me all about it once you go out?”
Izabella nodded. “Yes. Can I get this done before I have Mr. Juster down my throat?” She smiled, giving Mel a hard time.
Mel held her hands up. “I’ll let you get to it.”
God, what have I agreed to?
3
If I feel this way about a blind date, this has to be a bad idea, right?
Looking at herself one last time in the mirror, Izabella breathed out, gave her reflection a nod, and headed toward the front door. The sun was already setting, and she’d agreed to meet Zachary at the bar and grill instead of him picking her up at her home. She figured if things didn’t work out with the date, she at least had an escape route.
Maybe not the best attitude to have before even seeing the guy, but the one blind date she’d gone on before this had been a disaster, and she didn’t want to be put in that situation again.
She grabbed her purse and car keys, knowing she’d be early, but she wanted to get there before her date so she could calm her nerves. Honestly, Izabella didn’t know why she was so nervous. It was just a blind date, not like she was going to her funeral or even her wedding to a man she despised.
Hell, she might even end up liking Zachary. But the tightness in her belly and the man who was currently on her mind told her this wasn’t really what she wanted to be doing.
She locked up and walked to her car. The sound of metal hitting concrete had her looking over and seeing Corbin on his back on the ground, working on his Harley. It was going on April, and although the days were warmer and the snow pretty much melted, it was still chilly.
Say hello to him. Be neighborly. You’re friends, after all.
They were friends, but they hadn’t actually talked or hung out in years, not since Crestin moved away. It just seemed weird to Izabella to hang out with her best friend’s brother, especially when she wasn’t around, and they’d never exactly done that when Crestin had been living right next door.