Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men Book 9) (14 page)

“Ah,” he murmured with a knowing nod, not letting me answer. “I see you must’ve heard about the great and mighty
Brandt
Gamble. He would be my older brother.”

When Tyla whipped her attention to him and could only stare, he winked and trailed a hand down his body. “I’m the new, improved edition. Obviously.”

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

The bastard preened. “I know, right? And I don’t even work out that much.”

“
O…kay
,” I strained out, stepping forward and lifting my hands. I could only take him flirting with my roommate so far. “Colton was just leaving,” I informed Tyla as I propelled him back toward the living room. And oh my God, I was pushing against his chest, his very naked, warm, amazing chest.

As little electrical currents zapped up my arms from touching him, Colton sent me an irritated scowl, but I kept forcing him to reverse from the kitchen.

“I was?” he asked curiously. “But I didn’t get to meet your other roommate. I was kind of hoping she’d come strutting out in Superman or Batman panties. Hey, why didn’t
you
stroll in, wearing pajamas like that?”

“Because I’ve already showered and dressed for the day, which is what you should go home and do.” I picked up his T-shirt and hoodie off the floor and thrust them at him.

He gave them a disappointed glance before setting down his mug of coffee on a side table and pulling on the shirt first. Then the hoodie.

I had thought it would be a sad moment to see the last of his bare chest, but wowza, watching his arms lift before he shimmied into his clothes…art. It was pure art.

My mouth went dry. By the time he was shrugging on his jacket and pushing his feet into his shoes, I wanted him to take them all off again, just to watch him redress one more time.

“So…yeah. Catch you later.” He picked up his coffee and headed for the door.

Things inside me rebelled at his leaving, so I was trying to keep myself from saying anything—in fear I’d blurt out crazy shit, like I wanted him to stay—until I noticed what he was smuggling from my apartment as he opened the door.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going with my coffee mug?”

He paused and glanced back, lifting one eyebrow. “There were like a hundred coffee mugs in the cupboard.”

“Not insulated to-go mugs like that one.”

His eyes narrowed. Then he pointed at me. “If last night had gone the way I’d wanted it to, I’d be stealing more of your panties out of here instead of a fucking mug. Be grateful.”

Then he turned his back to me and walked off, drinking from my goddamn mug as the door fell shut behind him.

My mouth dropped open as I squeaked out my shock. The bastard had just stolen my favorite mug. And he’d insinuated that he’d wanted to fuck me last night.

Thank God I hadn’t known that then.

“Okay. What the
hell
?” Tyla demanded, making me jump and whirl around to find her gaping from the entrance of the kitchen.

I sighed and rubbed at a spot on the center of my forehead.

“He’s white?” she exploded. “Oh my God, why did you never say he was
white
?”

“Shh!” My eyes grew wide as I lifted my hands to hush her, positive Colton had to have heard her from outside the apartment, hell, probably from outside the building.

“What the fuck are you screaming about?” Sasha croaked as she stumbled into the living room, rubbing her eyes.

I blinked at her, stunned that she was wearing a Wonder Woman nightshirt. Colton had been so close on his guess that I briefly wondered if he’d peeked in on all of us sleeping this morning. But, no, he wouldn’t do that.

Would he?

The thought caused me enough pause that Tyla had time to blurt out, “Brandt Gamble is
white
!”

I winced. Right. We were still talking about
that
.

Sasha paused from scratching her shoulder. “Wait. What? You mean… Holy shit,
that
was Brandt Gamble on our couch all night?”

I groaned and closed my eyes. “No. Of course not.”

“That was his younger brother,” Tyla eagerly reported. “
Colton
Gamble.”

“Colton Gamble?” Sasha shook her head a second before her eyes grew big. “Holy shit.” She turned to me. “Wait. So…they’re only like half siblings, right? And Brandt’s much, much darker than him.
Right
?”

I opened my eyes and could only stare at my two friends before wincing out a helpless little shrug.

“Holy shit,” Sasha gasped. “You’ve had a thing for a white guy for almost a year, and you never
told
us?”

I opened my mouth. “I…I didn’t think it’d matter.”

Okay, that was a lie. I knew it would matter to these two, a lot—they’d grown up much the same way I had—which was why I hadn’t mentioned anything. That way, if things hadn’t worked out between me and Brandt—which they hadn’t—I’d probably never have to reveal one tiny little fact about him.

“Feed that bullshit to someone else,” Sasha demanded, “and tell us everything.”

Tyla and Sasha moved in, suddenly more curious than I’d ever seen them.

“Are they really smaller, you know, down there?”

“Do they kiss okay? I always thought they’d be really slobbery. They look like, you know, they produce a lot of saliva when kissing.”

I rolled my eyes and nearly confessed that white guys were totally
not
more slobbery than black men, but then I realized I’d have to reveal making out with Colton. And they didn’t know about him yet…well, not really.

I lifted my hands to quiet them. “Will you two calm down? I never slept with or even
kissed
Brandt. Our date bombed five minutes in, remember?”

Both of their shoulders slumped. “Oh, yeah. That’s right.”

They looked so crestfallen, I frowned. “Are you two really
that
curious about white guys?”

“Yes!” they cried together.

“Well,” Sasha hesitated. “Curious, yes. Just not curious enough to ever ask one out…like you did. I mean, seriously, girl. Are you crazy? What would you have told your dad if you and Brandt Gamble had actually started something?”

I blew out a long breath. “I don’t know,” I confessed in a hushed voice. “I guess it’s just as well we didn’t.”

“Yeah,” Tyla agreed with a serious nod. But then she focused on my face again, “But if you ever
do
, you know…with a white guy, you are spilling every single detail, do you understand me, young lady?”

“And who the hell is this Colton guy?” Sasha added. “How did he end up on our couch?”

“Before you answer, let me just put this out there…” Tyla lifted a serious finger. “That white boy was fine.”

“Mmm hmm,” Sasha agreed with a nod. “Even passed out on the couch, I could tell he was gorgeous last night.”

“Hell, you should’ve seen him awake and upright this morning.” Tyla growled appreciatively deep in her throat, before glancing at me. “If he looks anything like his brother, I can see why you decided to taste test a little white meat.”

“Which brings us back to the question of
why
Brandt Gamble’s brother stayed the night on our couch,” Sasha demanded, forcing the conversation back on track.

When both friends quieted down enough for me to answer, I shrank lower under their expectant stares. “He, uh…” I cleared my throat and winced because I knew I was going to be forced to tell them more than I wanted to. “He drove me home from the party last night.”

“Okay,” Tyla said slowly. “Why? Did you get bored with us or something?”

“Oh, shit. We didn’t make you feel left out when our guys arrived, did we?”

Actually, for a second there, I had felt pretty bummed and resentful that Chad and Theo had crashed our girls’ night out. But then Colton had shown up, and I’d forgotten all about being a lame fifth wheel.

But to my friends, I shook my head. “No. Of course not. I just…well…”

“Yeah…?” Sasha encouraged. “We know you didn’t hook up with him, otherwise he would’ve been in your room and not on the couch.”

“Unless he
was
really bad in bed. Oh my God!” Tyla set her hand on her heart. “They really
do
have mini peckers, don’t they?”

“No!” I gasped. But then my face flamed hot. “I mean…” Shit. I didn’t want them to know I’d seen Colton’s junk. Except to let them label him a mini-anything down there seemed unpardonable. “No, we didn’t sleep together. I…” Dammit, here went what I hadn’t wanted them to know. “Shaun was at the party.”

Sasha slapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh, shit.”

“Are you okay? Did he do anything?” Tyla grasped my hands and pulled my arms wide so she could get a look at me.

Uncomfortable about their worry, I pulled free of her and hugged myself. “No, he…” With a sigh, I started from the beginning. “Actually, it was fine. I didn’t even talk to him. I ran into Colton while you were greeting your guys. I know him through Brandt when he’s come into the bar before. And when I spotted Shaun, I might’ve had a small freak-out, so…Colton offered to drive me home. Then he decided to stick around and stay on the couch so I wouldn’t be alone.”

“Aww, that was sweet.” Sasha clasped her hands to her chest while Tyla nodded.

“Hell yeah, it was. Hot
and
nice? I’d go for
that
Gamble boy if I were you.”

“I second that.”

“You guys!” I squawked, gaping at them. I couldn’t believe they’d just given me their approval. That was a very dangerous thing where Colton was concerned because I might just take them up on it. Still, I had to at least
try
to resist. “He’s Brandt’s
brother
.”

“So?” Tyla snorted. “That one married someone else. He lost his chance.”

“Totally.” Sasha nodded her agreement. “Besides, Colton is
hot
.”

“Yeah, but…” I shook my head. “Don’t you think it’s weird? Hopping from one sibling to the next.”

“It’s not like you literally jumped from one of their beds to the next. You never even went on a full date with the first one. And it’s been almost a year since then, so, honey, you’re fine.”

“But he’s a freshman,” I felt compelled to explain. “He won’t even be nineteen until June. I’ll be twenty-two before then. That’s—”

“Four years?” Sasha laughed and waved a hand. “That’s nothing. My mom’s nine years older than my dad. And that’s never been an issue for them. It’s only an issue if you let it be one.”

True, I decided. But it wasn’t the only thing I was making an issue of. “And my dad?” I asked quietly. “Not three minutes ago, you were freaked out about him learning I was interested in Brandt. But now you’re suggesting I go after his younger brother…who’s the same color as him?”

Tyla lifted her hands. “We’re not saying you should
marry
the boy.”

“Yeah. Just have a little harmless, temporary fun.”

“And he looks like he’d be good for a
lot
of fun.”

Yes. Yes, he was.

Feeling defeated, I glanced back and forth between my friends and realized with dread, I wanted to do exactly what they suggested.

I bit my lip. “You guys are going to get me into so much trouble, aren’t you?”

They both grinned. “Only the best kind.”

C
OLTON’S
C
HAPTER
|
14

“W
here the hell were you last night?”

I paused, half inside the back door where I was entering my house. From the other side of the kitchen, Noel arched an eyebrow as if he were pissed.

I frowned, confused. “I texted and told you. Didn’t you get my message?” He’d been uptight lately, yeah, but he’d never cared if I’d stayed out all night before, not as long as I always checked in.

“All you said was that you were helping a friend and might not make it home until morning.”

“Yeah, well…that’s all I did,” I answered slowly. “And I
didn’t
make it home until morning, so…” About as soon as I spoke, though, I noticed the strain around his mouth and eyes. He looked beat, physically and emotionally. “Did you need me?” I hedged.

“No,” he answered too quickly and glanced away, retreating a step before placing a protective hand on the counter next to a bedside tray that was filled with eggs and toast, orange juice and a single daisy that looked as if it’d been plucked from the backyard.

I slid my gaze back to him. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” He looked at the prepared breakfast and gulped. “Hey, can you take this back to Aspen? I gotta…I need to get the kids ready for the sitter, then get to work a little early today.”

“Sure,” I said, but fuck. Whenever there were multiple people around to help take care of things, he always picked caring for Aspen and doled out kid duties to everyone else. Why did he want to avoid her today? I drew in a slow, worried breath. “You’re not…giving up, are you? On Aspen?”

“What?” He sliced me a shocked glance. “No! God, no. I just…” He blew out a breath and seemed to age about ten years in that one exhale. “I think maybe
she
needs a break,” he quietly admitted, and he looked as if he might burst into tears, “from me.”

I had no idea what to say to that. Noel and Aspen had always been so sure and steady together. Nothing rocked their relationship. And I’d built my foundation off
them
, so when they had turbulence, I felt it deep in my own bones.

Dazed, I just nodded, and said, “Okay.” Apprehensive about what had happened to cause Noel to take a step back, I shuffled to the tray and gingerly picked it up, wondering if I was somehow causing more problems by doing this for him.

“Wait.” He shot forward to stop me. “Here. I forgot to put this on the tray.”

I paused and watched my brother drop a folded piece of paper by the juice cup. When I lifted my eyebrows, he shrugged without explaining.

So I shrugged too. But as soon as I left the kitchen, turned a corner and hit the hallway, I snooped, glancing over my shoulder to make sure he hadn’t followed me before I unfolded the note and read what it had to say.

Okay, whew, so at least he hadn’t been lying about not giving up. But damn, he must be getting desperate if he was collecting quotes for her. Aspen had told me once that he used to send her quotes every day for her collection when he was wooing her.

He must’ve reverted back to the courtship phase, the poor bastard.

After knocking on the doorjamb to their room with my foot to get Aspen’s attention, I strolled in, only to pause when I saw all the little folded notes, similar to the one on her tray, littering her nightstand. And suddenly my chest went tight.

I had no idea how many quotes he’d collected for her, but it looked like dozens, maybe hundreds.

My brother was trying to win his wife back, and he thought he was failing.

What was worse, when Aspen looked up and saw me—not him—I swear she was a split second from bursting into tears.

“Hey, um…where’s…” She glanced behind me, looking for him before shaking her head and forcing a pathetic smile to me. “I mean, good morning. You didn’t have to bring me anything, Colton. That’s so sweet.”

“It’s my pleasure.” I carried the tray to her, but when she looked past me toward the doorway again, I decided to be frank as I settled everything over her lap. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m being your delivery boy this morning. I mean, I know I’m the best-looking Gamble and all, but I’m more of a little brother-slash-son to you, so yeah…this handsome mug probably doesn’t carry the same impact for you as, say, another Gamble.”

“What?” She transferred her gaze to my face before shaking her head. “No. Oh…no, of course I don’t mind you being here, Colton. Don’t be silly. But, uh, is everything okay…with…?”

She couldn’t even say his name, poor woman. When worry and fear crossed her features, I smiled and nodded. “Yep, Noel’s just fine. He’s getting the kiddos ready for the babysitter.”

“Oh.” Relief crossed her face before her features fell. “They shouldn’t need a babysitter. I should be watching them.”

For a split second, I panicked, hoping I hadn’t started another episode. So I straightened the tray more squarely over her lap and said, “He got you a little something to eat if you’re hungry.”

Perking to attention, she sat up and eyed her breakfast with new interest. “Noel made this?”

I snorted. “Of course. You think I could create this kind of fancy setup?” I flicked my finger against the flower. “And look, he left you another note.”

“Did he?” Her relief was palpable. After she snagged it and opened it to read, her shoulders fell and face relaxed.

“Need anything else?” I asked.

She looked up, happy tears sparkling in her eyes. At first, she shook her head no. But a second later, she said, “Oh! Wait, could you take this to him?” She snagged a pen and piece of notebook paper from her nightstand and scribbled something down before folding it a few times and extending it to me.

I almost cracked a joke about this being like grade school, and I was the messenger delivering notes back and forth between two people with crushes on each other. Was there a check yes or no box on her note?

But yeah…with the sensitive state Aspen was in these days, I wasn’t sure if she’d take it as a joke. So I took the paper without cracking a Colton, and hell yes, I opened it as soon as I hit the hallway.

Hers said:

Seriously, these two were so weird. And yet, kind of sweet.

Noel was in the living room, changed into his “Economics Teacher” clothes as he settled Lucy Olivia into a car seat carrier and instructed Beau to put his shoes on.

When he looked up and saw me, anxiety crossed his face. But he quickly cleared it and asked, “Everything go okay?’

“Yep.” I waited until he was finished with strapping in Lucy O and was sliding the diaper bag over his shoulder before I held out his note between two fingers. “For you.”

He paused when he saw it. Then his gaze sought mine. “She sent it back?” The dude seriously thought she’d rejected his love note.

I rolled my eyes. “She sent a response.”

That surprised him. He tore the paper from my fingers and whipped it open. The relief that swept off him mirrored the same relief I’d seen on his wife moments earlier. When he looked up, the grin on his face was the biggest I’d seen in months. “Thanks.” He tucked the note into his front jeans pocket and called to Beau, telling the runt it was time to head out.

When the door shut behind them, I blew out a breath and waited a beat, letting the entire morning soak in. Waking up to Julianna and experiencing a whole load of I-don’t-knows concerning her, then coming home to this had left me strangely morose.

But life was going to carry on without me if I just kept standing there like a contemplative dumbass, so I turned away and headed down the hall toward my room so I could get ready for classes, which started in under an hour.

Once I was under the full spray of the shower, I finally allowed my mind to return to Julianna again. I knew I was sending her mixed signals. But then, I was
experiencing
mixed emotions. Half of me still wanted to flirt with her. Half of me wanted to argue with her, half wanted me to stay bitter and rude, and half…shit. Four halves didn’t make a whole.

I was so screwed.

I kind of wanted to stay mad at her, and yet I kind of also wanted to not care at all because she’d made me care too much, but then I also kind of wanted to totally forgive her. All those wants and halves and thoughts went haywire in my head. But then, whenever she was right there in front of me, she was just so sassy and challenging, I started to act like I instinctively wanted to act before my brain commanded me to act another way. It was all just fucking confusing, and I was pretty much ready for it to end.

But the more I told my brain to forget about her, the more it thought about her.

She was a tough nut to crack. Some people might refer to her as bitchy, I guess, but I knew she wasn’t. Something Sarah had said once really cemented that fact for me. When Sarah had crashed Brandt and Julianna’s one date, she’d told me Julianna had been really cool about it. She’d been kind and understanding to Sarah while Sarah had been in crisis mode and had needed Brandt more than anyone. Julianna had even hopped into the back seat of his truck to give Sarah the front without complaint. Then she’d gone and introduced herself, very pleasantly. A bitch wouldn’t have done that, which had started my in-depth curiosity about her.

Honestly, I think she purposely put up walls to appear tough and independent, but also to hide her true self, meaning, of course, I had to breach all these walls and find out what she was so desperately trying to guard. I bet once she let a person in—

But then, yeah, everything between us was just wrong, so I should really stop wondering about all that. Brandt would always be right there between us, and she still fucking regretted what we had done together at the wedding, so…

That killed it for me. At least it
should
have.

And speaking of Brandt, he texted me on the way to class. Just a simple big-brother check in that said: