Spiked by Love(5)

“You too. Had to explain who I was because you had that look of death on your face. I just got here, can’t be killed yet,” I joke, and Posey grins over at her new beau.

Oh. She’s lovestruck.

Posey smacks me, stealing my attention. “I didn’t even know you were coming into town so soon.”

I shrug. It wasn’t the plan, but eh, here I am. “Wasn’t going to, but Ally convinced me. I tried calling my brother. Is he boning your sister?”

Posey scoffs. “No. I think he’s drunk.”

“Ah, no wonder he isn’t answering.” I hook my thumb toward Boon. “This guy looks cooler than that Maxim asshole.”

She leaves my side to go to his, taking his hand in hers. “He’s all right.” Wow. It seems to me he looks at her like I used to look at Jasmine. That all-consuming, take me back to your place and fuck me good kind of look. I’ve always wanted Posey to find someone who could love her right. I had a thing for her way back when, but her self-confidence was never there. She didn’t think anyone would want her. Now, though, I think being with this guy is helping her build that self-assurance. It’s really good to see. She deserves the best.

“All right, we’re out of here,” Posey says. I thought she’d want to stay and hang, but I’m pretty sure they have other plans. Naked plans. When she starts to drag Boon along, I stop her, leaning my lips to her ear. “You look happy.”

Ally says something to Boon as Posey’s eyes meet mine. “It’s really new.”

“Yeah, but it looks right.”

She looks back at him, then at me, her eyes so soft as she nods slowly. “I think it is.”

As I pull back, I hear Boon say, “Are you two together?”

Ally starts laughing first, with us joining with her soon after. I shake my head. “No, man. She’s my best friend.”

Posey drags Boon to her, a playful look on her face. “Whatever. Just give up and get married and have babies.”

Before I can muster up a comeback, Ally says, “Bye, Posey. Bye, Boon. It was nice to meet you.”

“Why does everyone want us to have babies?”

Ally shrugs. “I mean, I am hot, I should give children to the world, and you’re okay.”

I laugh as we sit down, picking up the paper which lists all the sushi rolls. I lean back in my seat as Ally taps the pencil to her lips and reads over the menu. When the waitress brings us two waters, I reach for mine after setting down my paper. Ally’s already picked her rolls and sips on her water as she waits for me. “I don’t know what I want.”

The waitress looks annoyed, and I smile. “Can I have a minute?”

She doesn’t answer, just walks away, and Ally shakes her head. “She’s gonna lick your roll.”

I grin, waggling my brows. “Ooh, dirty.”

She laughs. “Such a horndog.”

I shrug as I mark one of the rolls. “Why does everyone assume we’re together? My sisters said the same thing as Posey. So what, you came and got me. Everyone had something to do, and honestly, I’d rather roll with you.” When she doesn’t answer, I look up to find her watching me. Her green eyes are dark, and her lips are slightly parted in a very enticing way. It’s hard to ignore how pretty she is. I do a damn good job of it, though. “Ally?”

She blinks and shrugs. “I don’t know. I got asked that today too. Maybe it’s true, men and women can’t be friends without feelings being involved. Some say it has to do with the Adam and Eve thing. God didn’t put them on earth together to be friends. He wanted them to bang and make babies.”

“True, but—”

“It’s also said that men can’t be friends with women because what draws a man to a woman is attraction. Their pheromones. It isn’t because they’re a good time or anything like that—no, the man usually wants to bone. He is made to fuck. A man can find a female funny or even smart, but if he doesn’t find something about her he is attracted to, he won’t waste his time.”

“Um—”

“For females, it’s different. We don’t need attraction to be with a man. We can love them for other things. Sex is just a bonus.”

I blink. “I think my brain is bleeding.”

She ignores my sentiments. “Though, for our situation, it’s different. We grew up together, too young for attraction to be a thing. We liked you because you played Barbies with us instead of hockey. You could play the dad and always had good commentary—”

“Thank you for telling the restaurant this wonderful information,” I say, stopping her. “I love reliving my super-dorky years.”

She grins. “Those are still going strong.”

The waitress comes back then, and we hand her our order. When she walks away, I glance back at Ally as she meets my gaze. “So, tell me, Professor Titov, why do people constantly ask us, then? It’s obvious we aren’t together. We’re mean to each other more than we’re nice.”

She shrugs, messing with the paper from her chopsticks. “True, but it’s because we’re both straight and we’re close. By now, people figure one of us would have become attracted to the other. Either we hide it, ignore it, or it hasn’t happened.”

I laugh. “So, are you hiding it or ignoring it?”

Her face is like stone. She swallows visibly and shakes her head. “Neither.”

I nod. “I guess that means our attraction will come later, then. Probably when we’re both on our third marriage and figure, ‘Shit, let’s die together.’” I joke because I do a damn good job ignoring my feelings, but I’m not telling her that. It’s been very clear that she isn’t attracted to me or doesn’t want anything more with me. She only looks at me like a little brother. I know this because, at one point, I made my move.

It was my senior year of high school. My crush on Posey had finally ended—it was short-lived anyway—and if I’m honest, the crush I had on Ally was far longer and stronger. She’s always been a showstopper, but when I turned fourteen and hormones met me full force, Ally was basically the Kim Kardashian of the Assassins kids. So hot.

She was older than us, and by the time my senior prom rolled around, she’d just come back from a trip to Europe, and she was even hotter. Just blazing hot. She went to prom with me because I’m a loser and hated the girls at my school. Everyone was so full of drama, and usually, the only reason they wanted me was because the newly drafted Aiden Brooks was my older brother. Maybe they felt they could get in with him if they dated me.

Sorry, ladies, I didn’t have time for anyone, but I did have time for Ally.

So, we went to prom. It was awesome. We danced, she brought a flask, and we ate more than we should, but it was fun. Best night ever. We went to an after party, and things were crazy. Booze and drugs, and both of us were flying good and high. I went through a rebellious phase for about a week, then my dad scared me straight with his stories of addiction. Seriously scared the shit out of me, and I haven’t touched drugs since.

It was well into the wee hours of the morning, and she was tucked into my side, looking as if she might pass out at any moment. I leaned my head on hers and sucked in a deep breath, taking in her incredible fragrance. She cuddled deeper into me, and it felt so intimate and perfect. When she glanced up at me, her eyes hooded and lips looking way too damn good not to be kissed, I slowly lowered my head. Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned her head.

Talk about a solid slap to the face.

Cold water on my dick.

I decided, from that moment on, I would never try anything again. Truth is, I know we’d be great together, but I won’t put myself out there like that a second time. It was a hard pill to swallow. How in the world could we be so good and get along so well together but not take it to the next level? Years have passed, and I’ve settled for her as my best friend. Sometimes, though, I’m aware I put her in front of everyone I’ve dated. I thought Jasmine was the one because she loved Ally and didn’t really complain when I was on the phone with her. Little did I know, she wanted Ally in our bed.

Again, tough pill to swallow.

When Ally smiles, it pulls me from my thoughts. “Probably, but I think you’ll marry before me. You’ll be the one with the three marriages.”

I scoff. “Probably. I can’t seem to keep a woman, huh?”

“Nope, you might suck at relationships.”

We share a grin. It’s a running joke that she picks the shit guys, and I chase off the girls. “You’re staying with your parents?”

I nod. “Unfortunately. We’ll see how long I last.”

She giggles. “A week, tops. The girls will drive you out.”

“I wonder if Aiden sold his condo?”

She shrugs. “I don’t think so. He’s holding it for future Assassins.”

I groan. “Do you have to go to that fitting Saturday?”

She nods. “Yes, I’m in the wedding, but I’m also stand-in for Posey this week while she’s on a road trip with the Assassins. Want me to deflect for you?”

“Please do,” I practically beg. “If Shelli comes at me with that stupid book one more time, I might scream. Aiden is so wrapped around her finger.”