"Hey, Heath!" Ellie's voice is too loud, too chipper, to be believable. "How are you?"
"Um, I'm okay," he draws out, still looking at me. "Confused. But good. Maybe getting better, depending . . ."
"Want to make some introductions?" I ask, my brows raised.
"Heath, this is Ford Landry. Ford, this is Heath Breckenmeir, my friend that obviously doesn't realize the key he has is for emergencies only." She glares his way.
"He has a key?"
"For emergencies," they say in unison.
I take in my opponent. He's thin, too thin to be able to put up much of a fight. He's wearing wire-rimmed glasses and his black hair is more perfectly styled than any man I've ever seen. Then he smiles. Wide.
A phone rings in another room and Ellie's hand smacks her forehead. "Could this timing be any worse?"
"I'm kind of appreciating it right about now," I note.
"I'm definitely appreciating it," Heath snickers. "Go get the phone, Ellie."
"Why don't you answer it?" Her voice is almost a plea, which makes his snicker turn into an all-out laugh.
"Oh, no, sweetheart," Heath grins. "This is your problem. I'll stay right here with Ford."
I cringe at the term of endearment, my fists balling at my side. "Go on, sweetheart," I say pointedly to her.
She looks on the verge of panic, but as the ringing starts again, she throws her hands up, mumbles something under her breath, and storms out. Once she's out of sight, Heath moseys my way.
"I'm just here to go with her to a few wholesalers today," he tells me. "So while that alpha-male posturing you're doing right now is so fucking hot, you can ease up a little."
I don't respond.
"Or not. For the record, I'm really, really gay."
"Good to know."
"Heath!" Ellie's voice shouts from the kitchen. "Will you come here for a second?"
He tosses me a wink before joining her in the front. I meander to the doorway and listen to their conversation.
"What did you tell him?" she hisses.
"I told him I'm gay," he admits. "There's no chance he swings both ways, is there? Hey!" he yelps as I hear a smack that makes me grin.
"Would it have killed you to pretend we have something going on?"
"And why would I do that?"
"To buy me some time."
"Because you need to get your head together after he just fucked the shit out of you?"
"Heath. Really?"
"Yes, really. Now, circling back to your question, I couldn't pretend anything. I couldn't take my eyes off that hunk of man meat," he says.
I bite my tongue so I don't laugh out loud.
"Second," he continues, "I'm not about to get on his bad side. Did you see his biceps? Wait. You've seen his biceps and his triceps and his . . . Come to think of it, I hate you."
"Get in line, buddy."
"You just got dirty with GI-fucking-Joe. I'm proud of you, Ellie. Maybe you're not too old to learn new tricks after all."
A laugh comes roaring out of my mouth before I can stop it. I grab the last of my belongings from the table and stick them in my pockets before joining Ellie and Heath in kitchen.
"I need to head to the office," I tell them both. Looking at Ellie, I grin. "I'll call you later and we can pick up the conversation we left off."
"Sure."
Wrapping my arm around her narrow waist and pulling her towards me over the start of her faux objection, I kiss her loudly and with as much force as I think is legal square on the lips.
"Thanks for last night," I wink.
"Ford!"
"Oh, I can't even . . ." Heath nearly squeals.
When I release her, she stands breathless, a little wobbly on her feet, as I head to the door. "I'll call you this afternoon, Ellie."
"Hey!" Heath calls after me. "You forgot mine."
Ellie
"I'm a little perturbed," Heath says, his eyes still on the door. He straightens his yellow polo shirt.
"I can't wait to hear this," I sigh.
"I feel . . . cheated."
I look at him blankly.
"Like you've been holding out on me," he adds.
With a roll of my eyes, I head to the coffee pot. As expected, Heath follows on my heels.
"Friends don't not tell friends about hot guys, Ellie. You know this."
"You're right. They don't," I say, looking at him. "But we aren't friends anymore."
He grins. "Does this mean I can make a play at your lover?"