Neighbor Dearest

The dance was getting to be too much. When the song finally ended, I excused myself and headed to the bathroom for a breather. I was alone drying my hands when the door opened behind me. My body froze when I felt his low, penetrating voice vibrating against the nape of my neck.

“Do you fucking like him?”

Turning around slowly to meet Damien’s incendiary stare, I whispered, “I wish I did.”

“You’re not acting like you don’t. Or maybe you’re living out some little twisted ménage fantasy?”

Now, he was making me angry.

“Are you jealous?”

“Yes. I’m fucking jealous,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Get over it.”

“Look who’s talking. You’re not over me.”

My voice was strained. “I’m trying.”

“You’ve been trying to get over me…or under me?”

I wanted to slap him. “Fuck you. Now all of a sudden you want me because you think I like your brother?”

“No, Chelsea. I’ve always wanted you, from the moment you knocked on my door and called me the devil. But tonight…it’s finally making me insane. I’m not thinking straight. Right now…I just need to taste your lips, feel you moan over my tongue again.

He suddenly pulled me into him.

“Oh, God,” I muttered over his mouth as he gripped my waist, his mouth enveloping mine. He kissed me so hard, and his breath tasted of cigar and beer as he ravaged my mouth with his tongue. I couldn’t move my tongue around fast enough, couldn’t taste him enough. Feeling the heat of his erection pressed against me, the heat between my own legs was overpowering; I was so wet and throbbing. My entire body was buzzing, ready to explode.

He suddenly stopped kissing me. Panting, we just stared at each other with lust-filled eyes. Bunching my hair in his fist, he pulled it back as he lowered his mouth to my neck. Damien kissed me softly and traced his teeth along my skin. He then started to suck on the skin at the base of my neck. The pain was euphoric. I knew he was trying to mark me, staking his claim on me so that Tyler would clearly see which one of them I truly belonged to. And the truth was, only one man did own me—heart, body, and soul—and that was Damien.

Fuck me.

Please.

Just fuck me right here.

A woman’s voice startled us. “Excuse me! You’re not allowed in here. You need to leave right now.”

Shit.

Damien moved away from me and blinked a few times, seeming to come out of the trance-like state he’d been in.

“I’m sorry.”

That was all he said before exiting the ladies’ room.

And that was that.

Five minutes later, I rejoined them over at the bar. Damien was back to his angry, guarded self. It was as if the bathroom incident hadn’t happened. Everything was back to normal—until a knock on my apartment door later that night.

It wasn’t whom I might have expected.CHAPTER THIRTEENSO FUCKEDThe view through my peephole revealed a distorted version of Tyler.

What was he doing here in the middle of the night?

My stomach was in knots. The guys had left me at my door a half-hour ago. I’d changed into my pajamas and washed off my make up. He knew I was in here, so it wasn’t like I could pretend I wasn’t home. Sucking a deep breath in, I opened the door.

“Tyler. What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?”

“Um…sure.”

As he brushed by me, he said, “Damien just jumped in the shower, so I figured it was safe to knock on your door without him hearing me. He fucking hears everything.”

“Yeah,” I chuckled nervously. “Supersonic hearing.”

“For real.”

His eyes landed on the large hickey at the base of my neck. “Jesus Christ. Is that what I think it is?”

There was no sense in denying it. “Yes.”

Damien’s sucking on my neck in the club bathroom had left a humongous bruise.

His eyes widened. “Did Damien do that to you?”

“Yes.”

“How did I miss that?”

“Well, it was dark. You couldn’t really see until now.”

“No, I mean, how did it happen?”

“You don’t know how it happened?”

He laughed. “Okay, wiseass…when did it happen?” He shut his eyes and then snapped his fingers when he seemed to realize the answer. “The bathroom. You went, and he followed. I feel like a dumbass now.”

“What brings you by, Tyler?”

“This is the first opportunity I’ve had to get you alone tonight.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said, “It’s late.”

“I know.”

Ty’s demeanor seemed more serious compared to earlier tonight and markedly less flirtatious.

Not knowing what to say, I asked, “Can I get you some water or something?”

“No. I’m good.”

“Okay.”

He walked into the living room. “Can I sit?”

“Sure.”

Making himself comfortable on the couch, he asked, “Why are you really leaving?” When I didn’t immediately answer, he said, “Maybe I should rephrase that. You’re moving because of Damien, correct?”

I hesitated then said, “Yes.”

He nodded in silence. What he said next floored me.