Rewriting the Rules(20)

I've stayed away from Troy these past few days since our weird  conversation outside. For him to say half of the shit he does, pisses me  off. Each time I think we're making progress, something happens and  it's back to square one.

Flopping on the couch with my glass, makeup bag, and several different  movie choices, I take a drink of my deliciously refreshing wine and lean  back to look at my makeup. Taking a look at my nails, I decide the pink  isn't working for me anymore. I browse through my nail polishes and  make the decision to paint these pretties with neon orange.

Decision made.

Done.

That's how I roll.

After taking off the previous polish, I get up and pop in Something  Borrowed. This movie is the best. The story line is classic and tissues  are definitely needed. Boy and girl meet in college and fall in love,  but neither says anything until girl's best friend meets boy, and a few  years later boy and best friend are getting married.

Then boom. Plot twist.

Sitting back on the couch and picking up the polish, I think about Troy  and if that happened to us. I don't think it would. He broke up with  Andrea, but that's because she's a dirty slutbagwhore. At this point I'm  annoyed. I see Kate Hudson's character on TV and grip the polish bottle  tightly in my hand. If a blonde bombshell tries to get near Troy, I  will drown her in the lake.   





 

It's a Saturday, and I'm home. How lame. I wonder what he's doing. Would  he want to hang out with me? Internally groaning, I pick up my phone  and think about texting him. Noticing the time, ten thirty p.m.,  different thoughts go through my head. He could be out right now with  Will. Two gorgeous single men are out around town and I'm sure women are  throwing themselves at them.

Jealousy rears its ugly head. I hardly ever get jealous. When it comes  to Troy, my protectiveness comes out and no one can be near him.

I open the top of the polish and carefully apply the pretty color on my  nails. It's sad that this is what I'm doing when I could be out and  about.

I shouldn't be feeling these things. Troy and I aren't together and we  aren't having sex so what's the big deal. I'm moving on and forcing  myself to get back into the dating world. He can do whatever he wants.

But when we're together, I feel better and completely connected to him.  It's something I can't describe. How can you describe love?

I groan and finish painting my nails. Turning my attention back to the  movie, I refill my glass of wine and soon I'm on bottle two with She's  the Man playing.

Feeling restless, I lie down and close my eyes to Channing Tatum working  out. A woman would think staying awake to watch that sexy man is  necessary, but this girl needs sleep.

The sun shines through the windows into the living room. Slowly getting  up and stretching my arms over my head, I look around and see the  remnants of last night's adventures staring at me.

Everything's quiet and I take a few more minutes on the comfortable  couch to relax before starting the day. Granted, it's Sunday, and my day  off so that means relaxation and cooking breakfast for brother dearest.

Picking myself up from the couch, I head to the kitchen and take out the  ingredients I need: eggs, bacon, sausage, spinach, onions, cheese,  tomatoes, and potatoes. I get into my breakfast cooking groove and pop  the pan of diced potatoes into the oven, looking at the little bowls  with the omelet choices. Feeling satisfied, I open the refrigerator  again to get the container of orange juice. When I turn around, a blonde  fucking bombshell with just-fucked hair is staring at me with her head  cocked to the side.

I know Will. He's not into blondes.

Son of a bitch.

Troy slept over and brought home his play thing.

"Uh, hi?"

"Who are you," she asks me in her stupid whiney voice.

"I'm Will's sister and this is my home so I should be asking who you are and why you're in my kitchen in next to nothing?"

"Huh? I don't get what you're saying." I roll my eyes and see Troy  walking in. I turn my attention to him and growl. "You brought home a  girl?"

"What?"

"I didn't come home with him. Like, who do you think I am? The one I  came back with is still sleeping," she giggles. "We had a long night."

"Ew." I raise my hand. "Stop. Go away. Now," I snap at her.

"You're so rude," she complains and marches herself out of the kitchen.

I don't want to look at Troy right now. The intensity of his gaze is  searing into my back and I feel like an idiot. I hate this anxious  feeling. God, this sucks.

"Feel better?"

"Shut up," I tell him and finish my juice. "So my brother is a whore. Sorry I got you two mixed up."

He comes over to me and touches my cheek. "Your skin is so soft," he  whispers low, almost as if he didn't mean to say it out loud. He leans  in close. "I like how mad you get."

I'm in so much trouble.





Chapter 19



Troy



Pulling up to Will's house, I notice Sal's car and hurry inside. If I  knew that fucker was here today I'd have been over a lot sooner.

I walk inside and hear laughing from the kitchen. I head that way and  see Sal showing her pictures on his phone. Her hand is on his forearm  and they're standing too fucking close together.

"She's so cute! Jane and I are getting together later this week so I can meet Avery."

"Yeah, that's my girl," he smiles. "One day I hope to have a little  girl." This brings a smile to Charlotte's face and a pissed off  expression to mine. That fucker doesn't want kids.

"I didn't expect you would be here today," I say to get their attention.  I look her up and down. She's wearing a short dress with her hair curly  and makeup done lightly. Damn, she's beautiful. "You're not working  today?"

"Nope," she smiles at me. "Day off."
   





 
"Why aren't you doing something else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you have friends to hang out with or something, instead of flirting with our friend?"

"Calm down," Sal says. "No one's flirting, Troy." A smirk spreads across  his face, the fucker knows how to push my buttons. "She's relaxing with  me while Will fixes whatever the hell he's fixing upstairs. He told me  to keep her company."

"Let's go help him then," I snarl and walk away. When we get to the  foyer I turn around and face him. "What's your fucking deal?"

"What," Sal says. "Just talking, man. No worries."

"Off limits, Sal. She's not one of your whores, so don't make her fall for your stupid charm," I warn him.

"Whatever you say." He slaps my shoulder and goes upstairs. I turn my way back to the kitchen to deal with little miss flirty.

"Are you done being mean yet?" She puts her hands on her hips and gives  me a look. "I don't know why you're so rude and short with me. What did I  do to you?" I step closer to her until her back hits the wall. "Troy?"

"Nothing, okay? When did you and Sal start getting close?"

"We aren't. He came over and we were just talking. I mean, it's not like you care or anything."

"You're right, I don't care."

"Then why are you freaking out?"

"Because he's our friend and I know how he is with women. He treats women like cheap whores. You're more than that."

"While I appreciate your concern, you don't have to worry. Remember, I'm dating Reed."

"Still?"

"Ah, yeah. Why?"

I need to get away from her so I head upstairs and help the guys with whatever broke in Will's room.

"Got a date for you tonight," Will announces. I turn my head in his direction and glare at him.

"Don't need one," I tell him and hammer in the nail.

"Yes, you do. You're fucking cranky and moody as hell. Since Andrea left you've been a mess."

"I'm fine."

"Dude go on the date," Sal encouraged me. "She's hot. A fucking ten."

"She's nice. Her name's Rae. She's a lawyer and is one of my clients. I  don't normally do this shit, but she's nice and lonely like your cranky  ass."

"Whatever," I mutter under my breath. Maybe a date with Rae will get my mind off Charlotte.

Rae's sexy as hell. She's wearing a tight black dress and the heels  she's wearing do amazing things to her toned and tanned legs. We spend  the night talking and getting to know each other. Her hand rests on my  thigh for most of the time after we finish eating. A smile spreads on  her face and the look of fuck me, please is in her eyes. I don't  normally take a woman home on the first date, but normal is out of my  head. All night I kept thinking about Charlotte and wanting to be with  her. Maybe a night of casual sex will be what I need instead of thinking  about Charlotte and the way she feels in my arms.

When we finish the bottle of wine I take her hand in mine and she knows where we're going next.

"Your house is gorgeous," she gushes and I take her face in my hands and slam my lips against hers.

"I don't want to talk anymore," I bite her lower lip and hear her moan.  Guiding her into the living room, I push her onto the sofa and push up  her dress, feeling her wetness against my fingers.