Page 37 of Force Play

Dad:

Anytime. Now, go get your girl.

Chapter 13

Indie

My head is tipped upside down as I scrunch my hair with an old t-shirt when the buzzer for my apartment blares. Irrationally, the first thought that pops into my head is that it’s Brianna and it sends an uncomfortable tingling sensation up my spine.

If everything went as planned, she should be boarding now. I watched from the door as she climbed into Dom’s truck without a backward glance. She’s gone. I could see the finality in her eyes when we said goodbye.

In the end, we parted on good terms, agreeing that ending things was for the best. She didn’t even balk at Dom’s plan to drop her off. Of course, I’d never admit it to his face, but I’m grateful that he offered. It gave us a clean break.

Squinting, I peer through the peephole. My eyes take a second to focus, but when I see the coffee cup with the Buns & Roses logo stamped in black and pink ink, I open the door without questioning it.

Only it’s not Poppy or Mia, or even Lilah on the other side of the door, as I assumed.

Wiping my palms on my thighs. I resist the urge to reach out and grab the coffee, which he’s now dangling between us. “Why are you here?” I let my eyes drift from the coffee in Dom’s outstretched hand to his face. My nails drum against the door in annoyance, he’s wearing that stupid grin that always makes my stomach flip against my will.

We will not.

He’s not even that attractive if you take away the smile, perfect hair, the damn tattoo, and the muscles peeking out from under the black Bandits t-shirt he’s wearing . . . Okay, fine, he’s damn near perfect.

He knows it, too, which is why he opened his bedroom this morning in nothing but those black briefs. I can still see it fresh in my mind—the swell of his bicep as he gripped the door, the ridges of his abs sharpening as he leaned in close. He did that on purpose and I hate him for it because now I can’t get the nearly naked version of him out of my head.

Last time it took me months to rid myself of the nonstop fantasies it caused. There’s no telling how long it will take this time. Now I have the added complication of being forced to see him more with us living in the same city. Before I’d go long periods of time where I could push him out of my mind. Maybe this was all a terrible plan.

“Brianna got to the airport fine, but that’s not why I’m here. I just thought you’d want to know.”

“Um. Yeah, thanks. Is that for me?” I ask, eyeing the coffee. Caffeine sounds pretty fucking good right now. And judging by my riveting linguistic abilities, I could use some of the good stuff. After Dom left, I headed straight out my door for a hike. It did its job, wearing my body out to release the anxiety I was feeling, but now I’m just exhausted.

“It might be. Are you going to invite me in? This hallway is nifty and all, but it’s not air-conditioned and I’m a pampered princess.”

“Coffee first.” My fingers flex towards him making the universal signal for gimme. “Is it—”

“Black like your soul? Of course. I know what you like.” The playful wink he gives me hits me right in the ovaries.

I bring the coffee to my lips, hoping it hides my reaction and I tell him, “Wink at me like that again and I’ll kick you right back out.”

He knows better than to wait for me to offer him a glass of water and goes straight to my cupboard to get his own. Hopping up on the counter I watch as he opens up every single cabinet but the one they are in. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. I’ll grab it.” I hop down marching over to him, brushing against him in the process.

“Thanks.” Smiling way too wide, he hovers, waiting as I stretch up to grabbing him a cup.

Realization hits me as I lower my heels to the floor, the glass in hand. “You did that on purpose.”

“And it worked like a charm,” he says, taking the glass from me, our fingers touch, when I jerk my hand back he just laughs and goes to the fridge. He messes around with the buttons, switching the ice maker from cubes to crushed. The grinding continues as he fills the cup to the very top with tiny pieces of ice before he fills it with water.

“I’ll ask again, why are you here? Is it just to annoy me?”

He drains the whole glass while I wait. “Nope. That’s just an added bonus.” Refilling the glass halfway, a move I’m almost certain is engineered just to piss me off, he takes his time before answering. “Can’t I just stop by to check on my friend?”

“We are not friends.”

His dark eyes flash with hurt, and I feel a tinge of guilt in my chest. After everything he’s done, I know I should be nicer to him. But it would only encourage him, and that’s the last thing I need.

“Former lover, then?”

“Key word being ‘former.’”

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