Page 134 of Boyfriend of the Hour
“Nate, come on. You can’t possibly think she’s a long-term prospect. Girls like that are good for one night, not forever.” Carrick snorted as loudly as a horse. “Or ten years, depending on your theory of marriage. Keep it on the side, brother. Or maybe just as an appetizer. Definitely not the main course.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I slumped against the wall. Okay, so maybe this served me right for eavesdropping. It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d heard people—mainly my own family members—saying harsh things about me when they thought I wasn’t listening.
But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. And for whatever reason, Carrick’s nasty words hurt a lot.
Or maybe it was just the fact that Nathan wasn’t arguing with them.
“I swear toGod, though,” Carrick went on. “If you fuck again while I’m on the other side of the wall, I will come in there and watch, you pervert. Or else she can come next door after if she’s willing.”
Suddenly, there was a crash, and when I got up the nerve to peek around the corner, I found the two brothers thrashing around the kitchen. The two stools from the kitchen island toppled to the ground while the copper pots hanging above swung from side to side, clanging into each other. Nathan’s face was etched with murder as he whipped his brother around into a full nelson, then pinned him against the counter.
Carrick, however, seemed to be enjoying himself. Laughing, even.
He really was unhinged.
“You sneaky little fuck,” he wheezed as Nathan shoved his forearm into his windpipe. “I didn’t know you still had it in you.”
“I saidstop,” Nathan ground between his teeth. “I meant it.”
Well, now I knew how he learned to finish those fights he mentioned. I also know who picked them.
“Um, good morning?”
Both men’s heads jerked to me as I picked up the stools, then sat on one, keeping the counter squarely between me and the brawling brothers.
“Good morning,” Nathan said again. He didn’t, however, release his brother. “Would you like a pour over or a cappuccino?”
I nodded. “Uh…whatever’s easiest is fine.”
He turned back to Carrick, who honestly seemed to be entertained in his struggle to breathe.
“Apologize,” Nathan ordered through his teeth. “Now.”
Carrick darted a narrow glance at me, then looked back at his brother. “For what? She didn’t hear anything.”
“I don’t care,” Nathan said in a tone that was as even and low as it normally was, but still somehow made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “She’s here now. So now you’re going to apologize, or you’re going to get the fuck out of my apartment. Your choice.”
“Is that right?”
Carrick glanced between the two of us with sharp, calculating eyes. Then he offered me a smile that was anything but kind. It reminded me of the Bible stories of the serpent. Exactly how the snake had probably looked before he tempted Eve with the apple.
“I apologize, Joni,” he said. “For anything I might have said that was inappropriate.” He looked back at Nathan. “Now, let me go, you big fucking bully. I have a meeting across town in forty minutes, and you’re creasing my suit.”
Nathan released his hold on Carrick, who immediately strode for the kitchen exit, though he stopped beside me as if to look me over one more time.
“Interesting,” he said as he took in the bathrobe, my messy bun, and the chipped polish on my nails. “Very interesting.”
I didn’t ask what. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“Have a good day,” I called as he left. Or don’t, you dick.
“And get a hotel room while you’re out,” Nathan called after.
“Not on your life!” came Carrick’s shout just before the front door slammed behind him.
It echoed around us, along with Carrick’s veiled comments.
“I’m sorry about that,” Nathan said mildly as he returned to the espresso machine and started the process of making us both drinks.
