“Then, what do you think?”
“Christopher, I would love to. But maybe you should think about this.” We hadn’t lived together for a long time. We both needed our space and independence.
“I’m sure. Are you in? You need to tell me now because if you aren’t, I need to find someone else.”
I didn’t hesitate. “I would love to live here.” It would be a struggle to get used to having a roommate, especially my brother, but we could make it work. “I think we should lay down some ground rules. But other than that, we should be fine.”
“Have your dates at Calloway’s, and I’ll have my dates here. Problem solved.” He clapped his hands in triumph. “Let’s get your bags.”
I walked inside the house and saw Calloway in the kitchen. “You’re cooking?”
“Yep.” He turned off the stove and dished out the dinner onto two plates. “Thought we would change it up tonight.” After he set down the hot pan, he wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me. “That way you’ll have more energy later…”
Energy was never the problem when we were in bed together. “Well, that was nice of you. I have some good news, by the way.”
“Yeah?” He backed me up into the corner, what he usually did when he spoke to me. He liked to have me pressed against something at any time of day. He pressed his rock-hard cock against my stomach and stared into my eyes with greed.
“I know this is going to sound strange, but I’m moving in with my brother.”
“Really?” He pulled away slightly, giving me some room to breathe. “What brought that on?”
“He got this new apartment, but it’s a little too expensive. He needs some help with the rent, and he doesn’t want to live with someone he doesn’t know. So…he asked me.” It was the perfect solution to our problem. “It’s in a nice area, so I think you’ll be happy.”
“I’m very happy.” He didn’t smile, and his hands still boxed me into the counter. “I’m sad to see you leave, but I’m glad you’re going somewhere safe. Looks like everything worked out.”
“Yeah.”
“But I hope we’ll still have our sleepovers.” He kissed the corner of my mouth, his tongue gently gliding over the skin.
“Couldn’t live without them.” I parted my lips to him so I could get access to his tongue.
He pressed his body into mine and tilted my chin so he could have full access to everything he wanted to take. “How about we forget dinner?” He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth and gave it a playful bite.
“You know I hate eating anyway.”
24
Calloway
I drank my scotch in the black booth in the corner. I’d just arrived, but my glass was nearly empty. The bar was a sub-club, a small one a few blocks from ours. Jackson and I liked this place. It was cold, dark, and no one knew who we were.
A few women walked by, and their eyes immediately went to the black ring that circled my finger. The second they spotted it, they dashed off like frightened fish. The ring was a repellent, keeping all interested parties away. In a place like this, it was necessary. I didn’t want to deal with the attention, and I didn’t have to dish out the hardship of rejection.
Jackson finally arrived, grabbed his drink from the bar, and then joined me in the booth. “This place is sick. I like it. A lot more mellow than our place.”
Because ours was a behemoth. With two stories, it had a lot of secrets. “I like it too.”
He eyed my black ring. “So, Vanilla is still around?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“Thought you would have gotten her out of your system by now.”
“No.” In fact, I was more obsessed. “So, why did you ask me to meet you?” I had other things to do besides look at my brother’s face. Rome just moved out, and now my place was empty. Hopefully, her smell wouldn’t fade quickly.
“Can’t a guy want to see his brother?”
“Not you.”
“Oh, come on.” He rolled his eyes. “We’re friends, right?”
I saw through his act the moment he started. “Do you want something?”
“No.”
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.
“I really don’t.”
“Then what’s with the meeting?”
He stirred the ice cubes in his glass before he spoke. “It’s about Rome.”
“What about her?”
“I’m glad you’ve found a plaything you enjoy, but you really need to think about what you’re doing.”
Really? A lecture? “Jackson, what the hell are you saying?”