“Relax, it’s just Hannah. She’s asking me if I’m bringing a date to the engagement party.”
I bend down and nibble on her earlobe. “Tell her you can’t make it. Never letting you out of this bed.”
Her perky breasts shake as she laughs, and I ditch the neck for a nipple. “I was thinking we would go together. May be a good time to—ahhh…”
I grind into her, my rock-hard cock silencing her. “We would have to leave this bed, and I’m not going to be anywhere near done with—”
Banging on my front door halts the rest of my reply. I freeze, waiting and hoping I’m hearing things.
It happens again.
“Expecting someone?”
“No. They’ll go away—”
More banging, followed by a voice. The one voice I do not want to hear. “I know you’re in there. I see your truck. Open up or I’m coming in.”
Fuck! Why do my friends all of a sudden feel the need to show up uninvited? And why do I keep giving everyone my key?
“Is that Kipley?”
No, it’s my death warrant. “Yeah.” Abandoning my plans, I get up and throw on a pair of jeans.
She climbs out of bed, and I watch in horror as she starts dressing. “Well, this is not the way I figured we would tell him about us, but I guess no better time than—”
“Yeah, about that. Maybe we shouldn’t let the cat out of the bag just yet. Kipley is kind of—”
“Protective. I know. But he can’t be that mad if he hears my side. It’s mutual. Plus, he’s not my dad.” No, he’s going to be the one to put me six feet under if he finds you here.
“Listen, I agree. But let’s do it when we don’t look like we’ve been doing what we were just about to do. Your face is really flushed. You look like you’ve been completely ravished by a regal king or something.”
Her growing smile gives me hope. “Oh yeah? King?”
“Maybe a Viking. They’re savages. Take no prisoners kind of men. You look like you’ve been through the ringer…” Please give in and agree to hide. Please, please, please—
“Fine. I guess I would hate for my cousin to get the wrong idea and beat you up for torturing me.” She has no idea how true her words are.
“Great! Okay, so stay in here. My closet is pretty comfy too. Not a peep.” Please don’t help sign my death warrant. I blow her a kiss, because I’m now a certified pussy, and hurry out, shutting the door behind me.
Fuck, this is bad. Why the hell is Kip here? Maybe you wouldn’t be shitting bricks if you just told him. Like it’s that easy. No way I’ve practiced coming clean had Kip not pummeling me into the ground. He wouldn’t believe me if I told him I fell in love and I’m a reformed man. It sounds silly when I say it. But it’s the truth. I would never do anything to jeopardize what I have with Bridget. But I don’t know how to prove that. Kip only sees me as the playboy who treats women like playthings. No attachments or emotion. I hate myself for ever being that way. I vow never to be again.
The banging sounds again, followed by the jiggling of my lock. The door opens just as I pop out. “Hey! S’up. What are you doing here?”
Kip eyes me. “I texted you to let you know I was stopping by. Are you busy?” He looks over my shoulder, and I about piss myself trying to remember if anything of Bridget’s is laying in clear sight.
“No, of course not. Just chillin’, man. Long night. Or day. Life’s busy.” Shut up, asshole.
“Yeah?” His brows raise. He’s getting curious. Dammit. “You alone?”
No, I have your sweet, innocent cousin naked in my bedroom. “Yeah, of course.”
“Wow. Thought you weren’t answering ‘cause you were treating your recent hookup to breakfast.” Already did that.
“Nope. Just me.”
“Huh. Well, I wanted to stop by and drop off the invitation to Hannah and Levi’s engagement party. You’re allowed to bring a guest, but not sure how Hannah would feel if you brought a hooker.”
I’m praying Bridget is in my closet where she can’t hear Kip. “No, man. No hooker. You know me…” A liar. A horrible friend.
“Oh, that’s right—there’s that girl you’ve been playing around with. You still keeping her on a long leash?” Like, far inside my closet. Under a pile of clothes.
“You know me, I like ’em eating out of the palm of my hands.” Why am I sweating?
“What’s up with you? You’re acting strange…” He pauses, the wheels in his brain turning. “Wait…” It’s been a nice life. I’m a goner. “You brought that girl home from the bar, didn’t you? I knew it! I knew you just didn’t leave that night at Jimmy’s. The old sneak-out-the back-with-the-flavor-of-the-night, trick. Or…is there another random back there? Seriously, how many this week?” Okay, maybe I’m going to be the one murdering him. If he doesn’t shut up… “Geez, chill out. No reason to get all pissy about it. You worried I offended her? Want me to go back there and fix it?”