Dray (Miller Brothers Book 1) (8 page)

“So?” she asks as I look at her confused.

“So, what?”

“How did the date go?” She urges me with her eyes to give her all the details.

Fuck.

Diane
.

“Yeah, it went well.”

“And?” She flashes me a look of impatience at my attempt to be as vague as possible.

“And what?”

“Bloody hell, Dray, it’s like getting blood out of a stone. Are you going to see her again?”

“Yeah, we’re meeting up again soon.”

“Oh.” Her face drops slightly and she frowns. “That’s good.” She quickly recovers herself and smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“So, was the film good?” I ask, changing the subject.

“I don’t know, I kind of fell asleep. It wasn’t the same without you here, I guess.” Her eyes meet mine for a moment and look sad, almost lost.

“Well, do you fancy watching it now?” I suggest with a smile. She’s picked a good film, plus I want to try and make up for my swift exit earlier.

“If you want.” She shrugs.

That’s a yes, then.

I head into the kitchen to grab some popcorn and drinks. When I sit down beside her, she scoots over so our bodies overlap. She snuggles against me and I close my eyes for a moment. Her touch does this to me every time.

What the fuck am I doing?

I just had a great night with a woman who has so much potential, but all of that is obliterated the moment I come home to Luce.

She presses 'play' and the opening credits roll. All around me I smell her. Being here beside her is where I belong. To think it could have been so different if I’d chosen the other option of going home with Diane tonight.

Diane.

Luce nudges the popcorn into my hand. I smile, but it soon drops the moment she turns to watch the TV. I try and lose myself in the film in the vain hope it’s enough to drown out the chaos in my head.

My text alert goes off. It’s after eight, and I’m usually up and out the door, but today I don’t even have the energy to move. I’d barely slept all night, my head awash with thoughts. My guilt over Diane, then coming home and seeing Luce. She looked all sad, and all I wanted to do was hold her.

I need an escape.

I pick up my phone and call Ritchie. There’s no one scheduled in the diary today, so I’m pulling a sickie. I decide to head out on my bike to clear my head.

“Hey,” Ritchie answers.

“Hey, man, I’m not going to be in today.”

Straight to the point.

“Why, are you ill?” Ritchie asks. There’s a level of concern in his voice; he knows I never take time off willingly.

“No, I’m fine, just need to clear my head. I’ve been working non-stop. I need to just have a day to myself.”

“Does this have something to do with your date with Diane?”

Fuck.

“No.”
I’m telling him nothing for now
.

“You’re not lying to me, are you? If something is up, Dray, I want to know. I want to help if I can.” There’s an awkward silence for several seconds. I’m not willing to come clean just yet.

“I’m just a little run-down. A day out on the bike should clear my head.” I can’t wait to hit the road. There’s too much chaos inside, and I need to blow away the cobwebs.

“I wish I was coming, too.”

We often take our bikes out together, but I don’t need Ritchie buzzing in my ear about how great Diane is. I fucking know already without being badgered about it.

“Someone has to be there in charge,” I quickly add. I trust Ritchie completely and always feel reassured when he’s there to take over.

A short wrap against my door surprises me. “I’ve got to go, Ritch. See you tomorrow.” I don’t give him chance to speak before I disconnect. It’s for the best anyway.

A few seconds later, the door opens. Luce stands in her pyjamas with a mug of coffee in hand. “I thought I heard a voice. Are you okay? Normally, you’re up and out by now.” She looks concerned, and I bite back the smile.

“I’m fine. I’m just taking a day off.”

“You, taking a day off? You normally eat, sleep and breathe work.”

Jesus, what is this an interrogation?

“Well, maybe I fancied a change. Is that coffee?” I ask, motioning with my eyes at the mug in her hand.

“Yeah, want some?”

I nod and she walks to me, handing it over. We’re both 'black with no sugar' people, so it’s perfect. I take a few sips then hand it back. She places it down on the chest of drawers beside me then pulls back the covers and gets in beside me.

“Are you going to tell me what’s really wrong?” she presses.

Seriously?

“Firecracker, I’m fine. I’m thinking of heading out for the day on the bike, just see where it takes me. I can stop off for a bite to eat, go for a walk. Will be nice to get some fresh air.”

“That sounds good.” She sighs.

My eyes flick to her sad demeanour. “Is something up?”

“Nope.”

“Then why aren’t you getting ready for work?”

“It’s my day off.”

“Oh, anything planned?” I ask, but judging by her response, I guess not.

“No. I can’t do anything about my flat, so I guess I’m watching a Netflix marathon.” She sighs again, making it blatantly obvious she’s not happy about that idea.

I scrub my hands down my face. I could do with this time to myself, but I can’t leave her; she’s had a shit week already. I’m not about to be a selfish arsehole and desert her in her hour of need.

“Do you fancy coming with me?” I offer.

“What? Really?” Her face immediately brightens.

I shake my head and smile; she loves my bike.

“Do you not want to be alone?” she asks hesitantly.

“Nah, I’m good. Now, hop in the shower and hurry up. I’m not wasting this morning when there’s a good day waiting to begin.”

“Fine, give me thirty minutes and I’m yours.” She kisses me on the cheek and skips off towards the bathroom. Excitement fills me at the thought of spending the day together, but guilt soon takes over the moment Diane’s number appears on my screen.

“Hey, Diane, nice surprise,” I say, disguising the panic in my voice.

“Hey, Dray, I was hoping to catch you. I’ve some bad news about us meeting up next. I have to fly up to Glasgow, head office has had a big shake-up and they’ve asked me as General Manager to take over the reins. It’s something I could do without, but if I pull off trying to get this branch back into shape then it could mean possible promotion, which is something I’ve wanted for a while. You have to show your commitment before they give you that kind of responsibility. So to cut a long story short, I’m going to be gone a while—about two months, they think. I hate to cut and run, but it’s too good an opportunity to miss.”

“No, don’t apologise. That’s fine. Trust me, as a workaholic, I know what you mean. I’m sure you’ll get everything back ship-shape to make management proud, and the promotion will be in the bag.”

“I hope so. Thanks for being so understanding.”

“Hey, it’s fine,” I soothe. I don’t want her feeling bad.

“Is it okay to still call you? I’d miss our chats too much.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Call, text whatever.”

“Great. Oh, I’d better get back to the packing. You know what it’s like, such a nightmare.”

“I can only imagine,” I reply, smiling.

“Oh, now my work phone is going crazy. I’d better go, speak to you soon.”

“Bye.”

She disconnects before I barely have a chance to speak, and I blow out a long sigh. I’m going to miss her, but at least I have a chance to work out exactly what I want.

I head towards the shower with a smile on my face at the prospect of just me and Luce on the open road.

The roar of the engine brings a smile to my face. It’s what I love: the freedom of heading where my bike takes me. Luce has her own helmet, for the odd times we take off together.

After showering, I grab the sandwiches and drinks, placing them in Luce’s backpack. We're ready to head off where this beautiful summer's day takes us.

I rev the bike, and Luce’s arms wrap around my waist.

Fuck, that feels good.

That and when her thighs press against mine. I let out a contented sigh, ready to enjoy the day.

* * *

An hour later, we pull up by New Brighton beach. I already miss the feel of Luce's arms wrapped around me when she dismounts. I stand and watch her take off the helmet, shaking her hair out into the cool breeze. She’s fucking beautiful. Her cheeks are rosy from the bite of the wind, but it looks perfect on her.

“Dray, are you okay?” she asks, looking a little confused.

Shit.

“Yeah, fine,” I say, lifting off my helmet, playing down the fact I’ve just been caught out staring.

“Let’s walk down to the water,” she suggests. It’s a cool summer's day, not warm enough to paddle, but it’s nice to breathe in the fresh air and walk on the sand.

I nod in response, putting away our helmets to wander along behind her. I watch in wonder as she skips along the sand. She’s still a big kid at heart, and I love that quality about her. We stand facing the sea, watching the gentle waves come in and out. The sun sparkles on the waves like diamonds. You can’t beat the beauty of Mother Nature.

After a while, I hear Luce’s stomach grumble. I chuckle in delight as she slaps me on the arm.

“I think we need to get you something to eat,” I suggest. I’m ravenous myself.

She peels off the backpack and lays down the thin blanket, passing me a sandwich and drink. I groan as the mixture of meat and sauce floods my taste buds. She’s a whizz at anything she touches. I take a quick sip of water before devouring the rest. Balling up the wrapper, I throw it down onto the rug, feeling sated before Luce has barely taken two bites.

“Do you even taste your food?” she asks, amused. But I can tell she’s happy by the way I devour her food each time.

“I love your food, that’s why I eat it so fast.”

“You’re like a Hoover. It barely touches the sides.” She snorts, shaking her head.

“Well, I am a growing man,” I protest.

“Here, finish this. I’ve had enough.”

I barely give her time to retract her offer before devouring the rest of hers. She drops down to lie on the rug as I follow. We lie staring up into a beautiful blue sky.

“Want to play guess the cloud?”

I chuckle at her words. We haven’t played this since we were kids.

“That one there looks like a boat. See the stern and the mast?”

I squint slightly. “Kind of, I guess.” I humour her, going along with it. “That one looks like a boot and a ball.” I point to the one I’m staring at.

“I might have known you’d get football in there somewhere. You’re obsessed.” She rolls her eyes, but I can tell she’s only teasing.

“Well, a guy has to have a hobby.” And football is certainly mine.

“You are so fanatical about United.”

“I’m not even going to try and deny it. It’s in my blood, always has been. United till I die.” I pound my chest in mock salute.

“Do you think we’ll always be friends?”

The sudden turn in conversation surprises me. I shuffle round to meet her sad gaze. We both lie on our sides, looking deep into each other’s eyes.

“Of course we will.” A life without Luce is not worth thinking about.

“I know, but things change. People change.” She sighs.

“Hey, we won’t.” I link her hand in mine and squeeze. She smiles at the gesture, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I just don’t want—”

“Luce, stop it. You’ll never lose me, okay?” I urge, pleading with my eyes for her to believe.

“But things are changing already.” She frowns.

“Like how?”

“You and Diane.”

It’s like a sucker punch to my stomach.

Diane
.

I guess I could see the reason for her insecurities. Whenever she had dated anyone, I felt like the one left behind, feeding off the scraps. I lived a lifestyle where no one got close for Luce to ever feel threatened, but now with Diane, it's different.

Fuck.

If I was the same old Dray, I’d have gone back to hers and fucked her every which way. But I don’t want that. I want to get to know her. A part of me knows she’s different, not like the rest.

“I don’t know what will happen with Diane, but you’ll always be in my life, that’s for sure,” I say reassuringly, hoping she’ll find comfort in my words.

“So, you really like her?”

“Yeah, I do.” There was no denying I was attracted to her in every sense. Usually, it was the physical attraction that took over, but with Diane, it was so much more.

“So, is she your girlfriend now?” Luce’s voice has a slight quiver to it.

“What?” I’d never had a girlfriend before or a proper relationship. Hell, most of the women I barely spent a few hours with before showing them the door.

“Well, you never date, and now you’ve been out twice…” She trails off.

So, she’s keeping count?

“I like her, she’s great company and I want to keep seeing her. She’s away for a while, so I guess we’ll see where the long-distance thing takes us.” I can’t offer her any more than that right now.

“Where has she gone?” She shuffles forward, so there’s barely a few inches between us on the blanket as we face each other.

“Glasgow. She’s been sent there to deal with the store. It could be good to benefit her becoming more of a senior manager.”

“Which shop is it?” There’s a level of intrigue there in her eyes.

“Darcy’s, so you never know. Play your cards right, she could get you some discount. I know you like to shop there.” I wink as she stares at me in confusion.

“How the hell do you know where I shop?”

“I just know. I might be a guy, but I do take notice of clothes.” I took notice of everything she wore, even down to her sweats.

“Thanks, but I’d rather not feel like a bludger,” she mumbles.

“Hey, you’re going to be spending time with her. I want you guys to get along. I need for you to like each other,” I insist. Luce would always be a part of my life, regardless of where it took us.

“Well, I haven’t even met her to decide.”

“I know, but it’s early days. You will in time.” I feel sick at the thought, but I know it’s something that inevitably will happen.

“Has she been calling you since she left?” She bites down on her lip, and there’s a look of hesitation in her eyes.

What is she thinking?

“Calling and texting. It’s enough for now. I might even head up there and surprise her.” It’s something I’d thought about, to try and break up the time apart.

“Oh.” Her face falls, and I frown.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, you’re making this kind of effort for a girl. It’s just a little surprising. I’ve never seen this side of you before.”

“I always make an effort with you, don’t I?” I do everything I can to make her happy.

“Yeah, but that’s different,” she mutters, her fingernails picking at the blanket. She’s avoiding my stare, so I brush my fingers against her arm, causing her to shiver slightly at my touch.

“How?” I ask confused.

“Well, we’re friends, that’s all. I’ve never seen you actually fall for a girl.”

I pull a face at her words. “I haven’t fallen for anyone.”

I barely know the girl.

“But you do like her.”

Fuck.

“Yes, I like her.”

“You would tell me if I was ever in the way, wouldn’t you, Dray?” Her eyes hold mine for a few seconds before dropping back down. I hate the insecurities she has. How could she ever think that? I treasured every moment we spent together.

“How the fuck are you in the way?”

“Well, I’m staying at your home. If you need me to leave when Diane returns, I can go. I’m sure I can find a sofa for a few nights until the flat is finished.”

Her words incense me. “Firecracker, you’re going nowhere till that flat is back to normal. You’re not bedding down on anyone’s sofa when there’s a spare room at mine. I’ll always have a room for you to stay. You’re one of the most important people in my life, do you know that?”

She smiles shyly. “The same applies to you, too.”

“So, quit talking about leaving me.”
I feel sick at the thought
. I was getting into a routine of seeing Luce every day. The penthouse had become more of a home since she moved in.

“Okay, fine, but the minute you get tired of me, throw me out. I never want to be someone who overstays their welcome. Promise me you’ll do that?”

I chuckle at her straight face. She really is too fucking cute. “Okay, fine.” But in my heart, that day would never come. I’d want her to stay forever if I could. I loved her toothbrush standing next to mine. Hell, I loved the way her toiletry shit took up all my shelves.

I was seriously losing it.

“Good. I want us to be best friends for life, and friends tell each other the truth.”

Well, not everything.

If she only knew
.

“Quit talking about leaving and hug me already.” I grab her and pull her tight against me. She squirms as I tickle her, but her laughter is like pure Heaven, so I continue till she’s panting and short of breath. I pull her closer and press my lips against her forehead before whispering, “Best friends for life.”