Page 114 of Unforgettable

“Are you really going to get up? I liked the ‘ignoring it’ plan,” Josh quipped.

I gave him an unamused look over my shoulder and proceeded to grab the closest pair of pants I could find, which ended up being a pair of leggings I’d tossed to the side a few days earlier.

“Why is it so fucking cold in here?” I asked, my nipples no longer hard from lust but from the freezing air.

“Power’s out, which means no heat,” Reed answered, recoiling against the cold as he pulled the covers back and hopped from the bed only a second after Josh.

After I pulled on a sweatshirt, I headed to the door, hoping it wasn’t one of my neighbors in trouble or something of the kind since I wasn’t expecting anyone.

Quickly, I glanced through the peephole of the front door, my smile falling slightly as I opened it.

“CJ, hey.” I waved him inside and shut the door as quickly as I’d opened it. The temperature inside my apartment should have been enough of an indicator—the weather outside felt like the arctic.

“Hey, Mandy. Sorry to just show up, but I just wanted to check on you.”

My smile returned. CJ was bundled up in a thick khaki jacket, gloves, and a beanie that covered his longer blond mop.

Glancing down, I saw snow clung to the soles and sides of his work boots.

“That’s really nice of you, thanks.”

“Well, with Adam being gone and everything, I wanted to make sure you were okay. Felt weird not checking up on you.”

He tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced around my apartment. I couldn’t remember if I’d mentioned that Adam was going to be out of town, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d noticed or if I’d just forgotten that I did tell him. CJ made it a point to keep an eye on all the comings and goings in the complex as per the request of management and the leasing office. Since he was always walking the grounds and going into people’s units, he was in the best position to make sure nothing shady was going on.

“I appreciate you checking up on me, but I’m good. Just really fucking cold.” A shiver racked through my body with only the thought of it.

“You’ve got enough water? If you need anything, I can—”

“I think we’re good,” a deep voice from my left responded. I turned to find Reed and Josh striding toward us with purpose.

I internally groaned at the looks on both their faces. Reed looked like he was about ready to fuck CJ up, whereas Josh looked like he was ready to fuck around with him—maybe get under his skin like only Josh could manage.

CJ’s expression was neutral, but I didn’t miss the slight tic in his jaw.

“Didn’t realize you had friends over, Mandy.”

“Boyfriends, yes,” Reed said, stepping around to my right.

My entire body went still, and my jaw dropped. My head swiveled, hoping to meet his eyes and implore him to shut up, but no one noticed my reaction to Reed’s statement. They were all too busy having a stare down over my head. Like they were playing some silent game wherein whoever looked away first had the smallest dick.

What was this, the Wild West?

When I was about to start mimicking gun noises with my mouth, CJ finally glanced down at me. “Just let me know if you need anything, Mandy. You know where to find me.”

He untucked his hand from his jeans like he was about to reach for me, but I felt the two men flanking me tense and move forward. Thankfully, CJ thought better of it and with a small smile, he was out the door.

“Cavemen,” I said, spinning on my heels the moment the door clicked closed. “You are both fucking cavemen. He was just being nice.”

They traded unimpressed looks and then looked back at me. Exasperated, I tossed my hands in the air and rolled my eyes.

Reed scoffed. “Still stick to my previous assessment: I’d bet my left nut that the guy wants to fuck you.”

Unable to suppress my laughter, I shook my head.

Josh’s utter abhorrence at Reed’s statement made it all the better. “What the actual fuck? Why are you betting your nuts? And why is it the left one?”

Reed shrugged. “That’s my favorite one. That’s how sure I am that the maintenance guy wants our girl.”

---