Bad Boys After Dark by Melissa Foster
“Yeah,” she answered absently. “I was totally into the story until you scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry about that. Like I said”—a twinkle of heat rose in his eyes—“we could have been having even more fun right now.” He finished his sandwich and shoved the trash into the bag, promptly diving into the fruit and dipping it in his container of yogurt.
Are you frigging kidding me? You’re a fruit dipper?
He popped the dipped fruit into his mouth. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you come rowing with me? It’ll be fun.”
Even though she knew he was truly in their relationship only for sex, the urge to say yes was so strong, Sophie worried that when she opened her mouth that’s what would fall out. She shoved her empty yogurt container into the bag, determined not to be his afterthought, even if she’d seemed to be his first thought that morning. And when he’d decided to stop and bring her lunch.
This was so hard and confusing. She couldn’t make heads or tails of her thoughts. On the one hand, he was spontaneous and she loved being with him, but on the other hand, he couldn’t commit, which left her wondering why she was even bothering. She needed to protect her sanity and her heart.
“I can’t. I’m meeting a friend soon. But thanks anyway.” She began gathering her things, more to secure that excuse in her head than for his benefit.
“Oh.” His brows knitted. “Meeting Grace?”
“No,” she answered, shoving her book into her purse. She had no idea why she said no. Grace would have been the perfect excuse because Brett knew her other girlfriends, as they were attached to his brothers and friends.
“Amanda and the girls?” he asked as he pushed to his feet and picked up the blanket.
“No. Just a friend from work.” Shit. Seriously? From work?
“What about the game? Are you watching it later?”
“I don’t know, maybe. I’d better run so I’m not late.”
“Right, okay.” He handed her the blanket and stepped closer. “Thanks for hanging with me. It was great to see you.”
“Yeah, you too. Sorry about your eye.” A little voice in her head wished he’d say something about seeing her again.
His gaze darkened as he leaned in for a kiss, and her traitorous eyes closed. Just one more…His lips were soft and insistent, and when his arms came around her, she felt herself melting against him, the hurt of his words washing away. A greedy sound slipped from her lungs, and she had the strange thought that Brett’s mouth was the frosting on that dark chocolate cake she loved. She knew she shouldn’t overindulge, but he was too good to turn away. She needed to get a grip, to put distance between them. But when they kissed, it felt so right.
I’m a fool.
She stumbled back, breaking their connection, but his hand swept around her, pulling her closer, and he said, “Kiss me,” in a voice full of lust, a mix of too many other emotions to pick apart, and so much heat she couldn’t stop herself from fulfilling his request.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON Brett pushed away from his desk and paced his office, unable to concentrate on the security details he was supposed to be reviewing for an upcoming concert. He didn’t usually work on Sundays, but it was a last-ditch effort to get his mind off Sophie. He gazed out the window, looking down at the city and instantly searching for her. As if I could spot you from twenty-five floors up. He rubbed a knot at the base of his neck, wondering what was going on with him. He’d rowed around the lake for as long as he could, trying to escape the agitation grating on his last nerve ever since Sophie had turned down his offer to spend the day with him and had gone to meet her friend. He’d be damn sure to figure out who the friend was tomorrow when he was working in her office.
He heard footsteps approaching and walked into the hall, spotting Carson and his daughter, Adeline. Carson had classic features, tall, dark, and flawless, and was the most reserved of Brett’s brothers, prone to thinking before acting, while Brett was rough around every edge, hardly ever clean shaven, and had nicks and scars from years of acting on impulse and starting trouble.
“Uncle Bretty!” Adeline’s smile lit up her blue eyes as she ran toward him. Her long dark hair was pinned up in two ponytails secured with bright pink bows, her favorite color.
“Hey, monkey.” He swept her into his arms and kissed her cheek, nodding toward Carson, who beamed with pride every time he was near his daughter. Adeline liked to swing from Brett’s biceps, hence the endearment monkey. She was a pixie of a girl and so full of life she reminded Brett of the sister they’d lost, which made their interactions bittersweet. Leukemia had set in and stolen Lorelei from them so quickly, it was a constant battle for Brett to accept that bad things could happen to children and he couldn’t protect them like he could protect his clients.
He touched her leopard-print dress and said, “Did you escape from the zoo?”
She giggled, and her cuteness was so infectious, Brett laughed, too.
“No, silly! Animals don’t wear boots.” Her French accent made every word she said sound impossibly adorable. She stretched out her little legs. Her white tights ended in bright pink boots, which she’d gotten a few weeks ago for her sixth birthday.
“I think I should call the zookeeper just in case a leopard-skinned monkey escaped.”
She shook her head. “No! I feel orange today. Do I look orange?” Adeline put colors together the way Tawny did fragrances. When asked how something tasted or how she felt, she always answered with colors rather than taste or feelings. Before Brett could respond, she said, “But you look green and also kind of yellow. Why do you look so funny, Uncle Bretty? You were red at Mommy’s perfume party.”
Green? Really? Was he that transparent?
Carson arched a brow. “You do look a little green. Something going on? Why are you back at the office? Trouble with the concert detail?”
Brett had forgotten he’d told his brothers he was heading into the office at the end of their run that morning when they’d invited him to Dylan’s for breakfast. In reality, he’d run straight to Sophie’s apartment.
“No trouble.” At least not with the business. “I thought I’d put a few extra hours in since we’ll be at Mick’s office tomorrow.”
“You’re going to see Uncle Micky tomorrow?” Adeline wiggled out of Brett’s arms and turned pleading eyes to Carson. “Can I go, Daddy? I want to see Uncle Micky and Aunt Amanda.”
Carson’s features softened at the sound of her saying Daddy. Adeline had lost her parents and had lived in an orphanage in Paris, where Tawny had lived for two years. The two of them had developed a strong relationship, and there was never any question that Adeline would forever be a part of their family. Before Carson and Tawny had married, Adeline had called him My Carson, and once they’d tied the knot and formally adopted her, she’d begun calling them Mommy and Daddy. He glanced at Brett, who was glad she was asking Carson, because just like he couldn’t refuse Sophie a damn thing, Carson’s little monkey owned a big piece of him. He’d give her anything she wanted, which was why he shifted his eyes away from his brother rather than letting him see his struggle.
“You know what, Addy girl?” Carson touched the tip of her nose. “You have school tomorrow and Daddy has to work, but how about if I ask Uncle Micky and Aunt Amanda to have dinner with us tomorrow night?”
She nodded with wide, happy eyes. “Okay! I can play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ for them!” Adeline had no interest in books, computers, science, or anything else academic. She loved socializing, music, and arts. She and Carson had been taking piano lessons for months, and she was getting pretty good at it. She loved playing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Mick and the rest of their family had heard her play it about a thousand times, and not one of them would complain about hearing it a thousand more.
She grabbed Carson’s hand and tugged him toward his office. “Let’s get our work done, Daddy, so we can surprise Mommy and get home early.”
“Go ahead, sweetheart. You know where
As she skipped toward his office, Carson turned a serious expression on Brett. “Are you sure you’re okay? You have that look in your eyes.”
“What look?” Brett crossed his arms, feeling exposed.
“Like you want to kill someone.”
He scoffed. “I’m fine. Just got a lot of shit to get through this week.”
“You can delegate the oversight. I’ve told you a hundred times, you don’t have to micromanage the team like you do.”
Carson was great at delegating and trusting people to get things done. Brett hated leaving things in other people’s hands, and if that made him a control freak, then so be it. But that wasn’t what was eating at him now.
“I’ve got it under control, bro. No worries.”
“I know it’s a tough time of year for all of us. You want to talk about it?” Carson knew his daughter had touched Brett so deeply from the very first time he’d met her. She’d stirred his toughest memories of their sister.
Brett ground his teeth together. It was no secret that he had a hard time around Lorelei’s birthday. He had been the closest in age to her, and she used to pretend he was her bodyguard. Some fucking bodyguard I turned out to be. He struggled to push those thoughts aside. He had enough turmoil trying to figure out what was going on with him and Sophie. He didn’t need to be buried under grief, too.
“No, man. I’m good, really. I just wanted to get some stuff done.” He put a hand on Carson’s shoulder and said, “Go watch your little monkey before she colors on your walls or something.”
A wide smile spread across Carson’s face. “I’d welcome it.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Brett said. “I’ll see you later.”
He headed home on foot, thinking he’d stop at NightCaps, but when he reached the bar, his gut roiled. That wasn’t where he wanted to be, chasing skirts for a meaningless fuck he didn’t want to have. He ate up the pavement as he passed the entrance. His phone vibrated with a text, and he whipped it out of his pocket hoping it was Sophie. As quickly as he’d filled with hope, he deflated. It was a text from a comedy club, a client of theirs, about their show later that evening. The theater was founded by four well-known comics who often showed up out of the blue to perform. The place was a total dive, but the shows were funny as hell. Brett had been to the theater a few times with his brothers. The comedy had been raw and dirty, and though most of the women he knew would probably find the show revolting, he had a feeling Sophie would love it as much as he did.
After a quick call to make arrangements at the club, he typed a text to Sophie. Are you home or still out? He didn’t want to acknowledge that she might still be with another guy. He deleted the text and thumbed out, Are you home?
Carrying his phone, he headed for her place instead of his. Her response rolled in a minute later. Yes. Why?
Game on. He sent another text. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Be ready.
Her response came instantly. For???
He felt a grin spreading across his lips as he ducked into a convenience store to pick up a few things and sent his reply. Anything.
Chapter Six
SOPHIE DIDN’T CHANGE out of her ratty jeans and sweatshirt to get ready for Brett’s spur-of-the-moment anything. She refused to even look in the mirror or do anything else that proved how much she liked him. After she’d left the park, she realized she had a problem. A big one. Her idea of getting over Brett by finally being intimate with him had failed epically. Those glimpses into his softer side, his sense of humor, and seeing all his heat radiating only for her made her fall even harder for him. But she wasn’t sure he’d be there to catch her, and the last thing she needed was a broken heart—especially from her boss’s brother.
She paced, trying to figure out what she’d say when he showed up. Her pulse kicked up with each passing minute as she rifled through excuses. A short while later, when his knock sounded, she stilled, staring at the door as if it might have the answers. He knocked again, and his impatience made her smile. It was so Brett.
And she was a fool for letting herself get swept up in even the thought of him.
She huffed out a breath and pulled open the door. Brett stood before her with an easy smile, wearing a faded black T-shirt and a pair of jeans, worn in the thighs and frayed at the hems, looking so delicious, desire pinged through her despite her best efforts to keep it at bay.
“Eyes up here, Sexy Sophie.”
She met his gaze, and that easy smile morphed to cocky heat. She tried to hide the way he affected her and set her hand on her hip, giving him her most serious stare. “What are you doing here?”
He stepped in so close she could barely think. “Taking you out.”
“Brett…” She shook her head, struggling against the war waging inside her.
“Oh, shit. I forgot.” His brows drew together as he set a bag on the table beside the door and took both of her hands in his. He gazed deeply into her eyes with all the emotions of a man who saw beyond sex with her. “Sweet Sophie, there’s a comedy show tonight, and I’d really like to take you to see it.”
Her silly heart did another happy dance. “Don’t you ever plan anything?”
He gritted his teeth, and as quickly as that scowl formed, it morphed into another dark grin. “Sure I do.” He handed her the bag he’d set on the table.
She peeked inside, and her stomach sank. “Condoms? Seriously?”
“What? After what happened this morning, I thought that was a thoughtful gift. I don’t want you to get pregnant. I’m trying to be prepared.”
“Yeah, for a hookup,” she seethed. “I’m done hooking up, Brett. I can’t do it. I thought I could, and I know that’s not what you want to hear, but…”
“Soph.” He took the bag from her and set it on the table. “That’s not what I meant.”
“No? Because it sure seems that way. Look, I’m not blaming you. This is all on me. I went into this with my eyes wide open and knew exactly what I was getting into. I just hadn’t realized I’d feel so much. It’s too hard, Brett. I like you way more than I should, and I work for your brother. I need to put on the brakes before we skid out of control and end up hating each other.”
“Hating each other?” Confusion and irritation rose in his eyes. “Sophie, I could never hate you. Jesus, is that what you think of me?”
“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted softly. “You look at me like I’m so much more than a quick fuck, and you showed up this morning and then at the park, but you said yourself we’d have been making out if I hadn’t hit you.” She glanced at his eye and noticed a slight bruise near the corner.
He raked his hand through his hair and paced. His chest expanded with his quick inhalations, and she knew she’d affected him, but how she wasn’t sure. Was he upset that she wouldn’t be his booty call, or…?
He planted his feet on the floor and crossed his arms. The anguish simmering in his eyes made her heart hurt.
“Soph, I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I mean, it’s not like you led me on, or planned any of this.”
“I don’t plan. Ever,” he said almost angrily. “I didn’t plan to see you every day, or to follow you to the park, or come over this morning. Fuck, Soph. I didn’t plan on showing up here tonight. But I can’t stop. It’s like I’ve got an insatiable appetite for you.”
“For sex,” she said flatly.
“No.” He stepped closer, shaking his head. “Yes, for sex with you. Being close to you is beyond amazing, and your incredible kisses completely wreck me. But it’s more than that, Sophie. I want to be with you for so many reasons. For your smile, your laugh.” He slid a hand to the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. “For the way
She felt herself blush. “Brett, don’t lead me on.”
“And for that. Definitely for that. You take what you want, but you demand what you need.” His gaze moved slowly over her face, and pain shone in his eyes as he disarmed her one word at a time. “I can’t be your great love story, Soph. I’m not wired for that, and I wouldn’t know how to be that guy. I’ve got too many demons. I’m too restless, and I’m not a call-and-check-in type of guy. But I won’t walk away from you. It feels too right when we’re together, and not just when we’re having sex.” He paused, his chin dipping for a beat before he met her gaze again. “I’m too selfish to let you go. That’s a shitty thing to say, but I promised I’d never lie to you. The real question is, can you walk away from me?”
“You…I…” Her thoughts spun with his confusing confession. “I just promised myself I wouldn’t be your booty call.”
“Then don’t,” he demanded. “You’re not. I don’t see you as that.”
“I love being with you,” she said honestly. “We have fun. You make me laugh and feel so good.”
“Me too.”
“But I hate feeling like an afterthought. It wipes all that goodness away and makes me feel awful.”
“You’re not an afterthought. You’re on my mind every second. I just don’t know what to do with that.”
He said it with such vehemence, she wanted to shake him and rattle his insides until the pieces fell back together in a way that made sense, or made things easier.
“I don’t know what you’re asking of me,” she said honestly.
“I’m asking you not to end this, whatever it is.” He brushed his lips over hers and said, “Don’t tell me to leave, Sophie.”
She pressed her hands to his chest, keeping space between them, and at the same time, she curled her fingers into his shirt so he couldn’t retreat. “You’ll hurt me.”