Page 3 of Accidental Abduction

Not well. I had a feeling when I headed to her apartment later, she was gonna pick a fight. Typically, fighting with her resulted in some rough, acrobatic sex, but it also didn’t solve the problems between us.

But I didn’t want to talk to him about this. “Like you’re one to talk. How’s fucking random clients working out for you?”

He glared, and I knew I’d hit the mark. “They come onto me. And it’s not like I fuck them while I’m actively working on a piece. But if a hot chick gives me her number, I’m not gonna turn down a sure thing. Or a blow job in my office. Apparently, tattoos are aphrodisiacs.”

“You ever considered trying to date one of them?” He’d never quite grown out of the fuckboy phase we’d both gone through in our mid 20s. It’d been fun, and no strings had been appealing at the time, but I preferred being with one person. When she wasn’t pissed at me.

It allowed you time to learn what she liked, and it didn’t have to be some constant struggle to perform. Stranger sex was fun for a while, but it felt kinda empty the next day. And some of those girls were wilder than I could keep up with.

Kind of like…

Nope. Not going there. I shouldn’t be thinking about my sister’s best friend being wild.

She never hooked up with guys from the bar, but I’d heard sounds coming from her bedroom upstairs when she didn’t know I was in my office. Charley was loud, and it seemed she was intoroughsex—especially since I could hear the banging of her headboard into the wall above me.

Part of me dreaded having to fix dents in her room when she finally moved out, because I didn’t want to think about how she put them there.

It wasn’t like I didn’t know she was a sexual person, but thinking about it made me feel like a pervert. And knowing she took mysister out to pick up guys was something I would continue to pretend didn’t happen. Hazel was a sweet girl, and she hated it when I warned guys away from her, but I didn’t want to see her get taken advantage of.

“Dude, are you even listening to me?”

“What?” I shook my head, focusing on Reid and trying not to let his smirk get to me.

“I asked what your plans were for the party. What costume are you wearing?”

Viv had talked about putting together matching costumes, but I hadn’t really thought about it. I was sure she’d pick something out and make me wear it. “Not sure yet. Viv said something a few weeks ago, but she hasn’t shown me yet.”

“You’re such a fucking pussy sometimes. Why do you let her have her way all the time?”

I knew exactly why. “It’s easier to do what she wants. You know how she gets.”

“Do you even like her? It seems like you just stay with her cause you don’t want to look for something else.”

“Of course I like her. We’ve been together for four years.”

“Then why don’t you let her move in or move into her place?”

“Because I like my house and I don’t want to move into one of those stupid condos she lives in.” Her place looked like it belonged on an Instagram feed. I guess technically it was on hers, but it all seemed too fake. “They all look the same, and I don’t fit in with all the polished professionals in that building. They’d probably think I was a vagrant or a burglar. You’ve seen Viv’s friends.”

“I know it’s none of my business, but it sounds like you’re making excuses. Are you staying with her because you want to be with her or because it’s easier? If you ask me, I’d rather be alone than getting bossed around.”

“You’re right. It’s not your business. And that’s why you’re still fucking single. You don’t understand how relationships work.”

He crossed his arms, and I knew he was only saying something because he was my friend, but he’d never liked Viv.

“Just because I haven’t met someone that I want to spend more than a night with doesn’t mean I don’t understand relationships. It just means I don’t waste my time on things that are bound to fail once the sex high wears off.”

“And that’s why you’ll never be in a serious relationship. You never give anyone a chance.”

“How did this suddenly become about me? I like how my life is. You’re the one who is grumpy as fuck. And staying with a girl you’ve outgrown because it’s easier than finding someone else.”

“Can we just finish this so I can go home and shower before I need to go over to her place? I know you’re just concerned, but you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Just let me know when you’re ready for something different and I might let you tag along to be my wingman again. You used to be pretty good at it before Viv tried to domesticate you.”

“You pick up most of your fuck friends in my bar or your shop. Not interested in bringing unnecessary drama to either of our livelihoods.”

He laughed, slapping me on the back. “Fine, be a prude. Go have boring missionary sex with your vapid girlfriend before she dresses you up like a dipshit. I’m gonna make fun of your ass if she makes you wear a stupid costume.”

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