Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Let me guess. In a bikini,” she said, eyes bright.
“Or less,” I agreed.
“So you want me to wash your car naked at the clubhouse in front of all of your club brothers?” she asked,
“Never mind,” I agreed. “Not a bikini. A muumuu. A fucking snowsuit.”
She was still laughing as she climbed on behind me. All of the worry and fear from earlier gone.
I expected for it to return as we got closer to the clubhouse, as we climbed off, and headed in. What with whatever was on that flash drive lying in wait for us.
The thing was, we got distracted by a small get together Sully was hosting, Sage’s sister Meadow hanging out and engaging Cali.
Then, well, dinner had to be ordered.
After that, you know, we both wanted a shower.
Things got… distracting.
And we passed out.
Besides, the files could wait.
It wasn’t like they were going to change anything.
Clay was still gone.
Nothing could bring him back.
So it didn’t matter when we finally got around to seeing what he was into.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Cali
We spent the weekend in a mostly naked blur. Interrupted only by the announcements that food was delivered or cooked. So I would throw on my shorts and Brooks’s t-shirt, and we would stumble out to fill up before falling back into bed with each other.
It wasn’t that we forgot about the contents of the safety deposit box, or whatever was on that flash drive, but we both silently decided that it could wait.
Of course I wanted to know what my brother had been into, what may have ultimately led to his untimely death.
But I’d convinced myself that being with Brooks was part of that mission of mine to live every single day, to do things that brought me joy.
And, fuck, did Brooks bring me joy.
I felt like I floated through the weekend, and was surprisingly forlorn as Brooks drove me home at the crack of dawn on Monday morning, so I could get dressed and head to work.
I genuinely liked my job.
But when I showed up, I was grouchy and annoyed that it was keeping me from more time with Brooks. Whose schedule seemed perpetually pretty open.
“No sleep last night?” Sage asked, brows scrunched as she watched me growl at a stack of paperwork that fell over on my desk.
“No,” I admitted. “Well… a little.”
I don’t know if my tone was suggestive, or if Sage just had a really impressive sex-radar, but her lips curved into a smile.
“You got laid!” she announced in an excited whisper.
“I did,” I agreed, unable to stop the smile from breaking across my face.
“No way! Who was it? Was it good? Like good enough to be chapped, sore, and dehydrated?” she asked.
“Yes, yes, and yes,” I agreed.
“You didn’t answer the first question.”
“It’s… Brooks,” I told her.
I may as well have told her that I banged some unattainable movie star with how her eyes bulged.
“No way!”
“Yes way,” I said, nodding. “Many, many times, actually.”
“Shut up. Was it everything you’ve been dreaming about for years?”
“Better. Way, way better. I never could have fantasized that the very reserved Brooks would have a filthy mouth.”
“Oh, you lucky duck. Quiet guys like that always surprise you with their mouths, I swear. It’s like unassuming skinny guys having giant cocks. Such fun surprises. I’m so happy for you! Are you just banging, or…”
“Or. I think or,” I said, realizing we hadn’t really had any kind of official talk. But we did talk about seeing each other later. I even invited him to my plans for the following weekend which were going to take me into the city to see a Broadway show and stay at a luxury hotel where I planned to order tons of room service and hang in bed in nothing but the fluffy bath robes they provide.
“That’s so awesome. I know how you’ve always had a thing for him…”
“Yeah,” I agreed. Even if ‘a thing’ was putting it mildly.
“How did you two reconnect again?”
“Just some, you know, official stuff about Clay’s estate,” I told her.
“It’s almost like your brother kind of… pushed you two together from the other side,” Sage said.
Honestly, it almost felt like that to me too.
Because, well, I think Brooks was right. That the note he left for him wasn’t about just looking after me. It was about whatever this situation is. He knew that Brooks would step up, would take charge, would be there with me when I did shit like come across a load of cash and a gun.
Clay would never have wanted me to handle that kind of thing. But with Brooks there? That was a different story.
“Are you seeing him tonight?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Where are you taking him?”
“What?” I asked.
“Well, you know, you’re always… doing things.”
“Actually, he made plans,” I admitted.
“Oh, fun. I love when guys take initiative. Where is he bringing you?”
“I have no idea,” I admitted. “He’s keeping it a secret. He told me to dress casually, though. He was specific about sneakers.”