Texas Tangle (12 page)

He flipped the lock and, bracing himself, opened the door.

Dillon pushed past him and glanced around the apartment, as if he’d never been there before.

Not for the first time, he wondered why he couldn’t have been the one to drive past her that first night. To have bought the place bordering hers. Sometimes fate was a black-hearted bitch. “What do you want, Dill?”

Dillon took off his hat and banged it against his thigh a couple times before he faced Brett. “I want you to explain what the fuck you’re doing sleeping here. You’re supposed to be stayin’ at my place.”

Brett rubbed his hands over his face. “I felt like sleeping in my own bed, all right?”

He realized too late that he’d left the bedroom door open, and Dillon could see for himself he’d not slept in the bed.

Dillon tilted his head to one side, his eyes glittering obsidian in the dim light. “You look like shit. And Nikki was antsy tonight too. So you want to tell me what the fuck’s going on? Did you two fight or something?”

Few other men would have heard the challenge in Dillon’s voice. So Nikki wasn’t just a casual fling to Dillon. There went that fantasy. “No, we didn’t fight. Didn’t you ask her?”

“Yeah, she wouldn’t say anything. When you didn’t come home, I figured something may have gone on between you, and she was too polite to say anything. So what happened?”

There was the opening. He should just admit he had a thing for Nikki still and get it over with. “She tell you about what she found out at the bank?”

“About Phil cleanin’ out her bank accounts? Yup.”

“Yeah, well, she was crying about losing all her stuff, and I—”

Before he could get any further, Dillon interrupted him. “She was crying?”

“Yeah.”

“Shit!” Dillon ran his hand through his hair, spiking it in a half-dozen directions. “She’s not once cried around me.”

“She’s trying to be strong, Dill. She thinks she has to prove something. That she has to handle things all by herself, or she’s failed or something.”

Keep going. Tell him the rest of it. Go on, you coward.

Shaking his head, Dillon tossed his hat on the chair and began to pace. “Why would she think that? She has me to lean on.” He waved a hand in Brett’s direction. “She’s got you too. She doesn’t have to do everything all by herself.”

“She thinks she does.”
Coward, coward, coward!

But I
didn’t
kiss her
, he argued with himself. You can’t charge people for something they were thinking about but didn’t do. It wouldn’t stand up in a court of law, so why ruin things between him and Dillon again? He cursed the equivocation, hating when his suspects tried such games. “Outward she’s comes across confident, but inside? She’s probably hearing everything her parents said to her, about her being stupid and such. She’s hurtin’ still, Dillon.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I want you to come back.”

So I can act on my impulses? No fucking way
. “You don’t need me there anymore. You didn’t before. Phil isn’t coming back. I’m the third wheel. I’m in your way.”

“You’re just going to walk away? Leave her to do the morning chores all by herself. Just like Phil.”

It was a low blow, but he deserved it.

“I’ll get Matt to help her out in the mornings, before he heads to school. I got things to do. Responsibilities.” He walked to the door and opened it again. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything more about Nik’s stuff.”

Dillon rocked on his heels for a moment. “What about your responsibilities to Nik?”

“I’ve done what I can. It’s time to get back to a normal routine. To get on with life.”
It’s too dangerous for me to go back there again. It hurts too much
.

“Huh.” The white hat banged against denim with a sharp snap before Dillon placed it back on his head and walked to the door. “Never figured you’d walk away from a promise. Your word used to be good for something.”

Well, shit. Whoever said words couldn’t hurt didn’t know jack shit. Because he felt like he’d just been stabbed with a fucking bowie knife right in the chest.

“Tell Nik…”
Tell her I love her.
“Tell her I’ll call you if anything new comes up on her stuff.”

Chapter Seven

Brett reached for Dillon’s front door then stopped. Why couldn’t Dillon have been home? At least that way he knew he could control himself. Even though he’d stayed away a full month, he still hadn’t gotten her out from under his skin.

Get it over with. Give her the news, then stay far away.

He lifted his hand and after a moment’s hesitation, knocked on the door. Maybe he’d get lucky, and she wouldn’t be here. Maybe she’d gone into town with Dillon.

The door creaked open, and there she was, wearing one of the white shirts he’d left behind, a pair of cut-offs beneath. She’d left the top three buttons undone, giving him a tantalizing view of her cleavage. His cock punched against his zipper at the thought of unbuttoning the rest of the buttons, of spreading the fabric wide and tasting her nipples.

Why didn’t he just cut off his balls and hand them to Dillon on a plate?

“Brett?” She looked startled to see him. “Come on in.”

He followed her into the kitchen, watched her fiddle with the coffee maker. Nikki never fiddled and, more importantly, she wasn’t looking at him. He made her nervous. Did she worry he might try something on her again?

His fists clenched at the thought that he might have scared her, made her think he might take what she wasn’t willing to give.

“I didn’t mean to drive you away.” She made a gesture of impatience. “I’m sorry, I’m being selfish. I just…I’ve missed you.”

The heated blood racing through his veins headed south when she smoothed her hands down her front, tightening the fabric over her breasts, accentuating that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Did she realize how beautiful she was with the color high in her cheeks when she blushed? Longing spun his senses until he felt like he’d been caught in a twister, especially when she turned those soulful eyes on him. The lost tone in her voice cut right through him, pierced defenses he didn’t know he’d erected.
Shitdamnfuck, get control of yourself, Anderson
.

He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on the memory of how she’d softened in his arms, how right she’d felt cuddled up to him.

I’ve missed you too.

“Dillon’s missed you too,” she continued. Her head tilted to the side, and a strange look flickered over her face. “He’s starting to think you’re deliberately avoiding him. Did we do something to upset you? Are you mad at us?”

“No. There’s just been a lot going on at work.”
It was easier for me, less tempting to take you in my arms again.
Though the ache in his chest that had formed as he’d driven away hadn’t eased at all.

“Oh.” She took a deep breath and stared out the back door. “I take it since you’re here that you’ve got news about Phil?”

Thank God she’d given him a way out. “Yeah, the truck Phil used to transport your stuff turned up. Apparently, he sold it to a guy who didn’t realize it was stolen and tried to change the ownership with the DPS. He said he bought the truck at a swap meet after Phil had sold everything in it.”

Her shoulders slumped, and the light in her eyes faded. “Oh. I was hoping…”

Her voice was so small, so heartbroken, that before he thought twice about it, he’d wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin. “I’m sorry, Nik, but I doubt you’ll get anything back unless you start haunting yard sales.”

She breathed an even quieter “Oh” into his chest.

How had he ended up with her in his arms again after vowing to stay away from her? What type of bastard was he that his cock was demanding to be buried in her when she needed to be comforted?
You stupid fucking prick, you’re going to destroy everything you’ve got.

“Have you talked to your parents about Phil? Have they offered to help you replace any of your stuff?”
Are you thinking of moving back to your own place?

“Dad got laid off again a couple weeks ago, so they don’t have any money to spare. Besides, they’re still angry that the cops were called. They think I should have kept it quiet, not said anything to anyone. When I told them the bank and the credit companies were planning on laying fraud charges against him, they…well, they haven’t called me since, and they’re not picking up when I phone them.”

Her body trembled against his, the effort at not crying evident in the way she was gulping air. Her hair tickled his cheek when he pressed it against her head and ran his hands along her spine in a futile attempt to soothe her. “It’s all right, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong. Everyone knows that. I’m here for you.”

He was here for her? Where had he been the last month? He’d been off licking his own wounded ego when he should have put her first.

A board squeaked on the porch; Dillon stared at them through the screen door, his jaw jutting to one side.

Shit.

Brett pulled his arms from around Nikki and placed them on her shoulders, drawing her away. “Sorry to bail on you, Nik, but I have to get back to work.”

He stiffened when she stood on her toes and kissed him, her lips brushing over his as soft as a butterfly’s wings. “Thanks, Brett. I’ll never be able to make it up to you.”

Aware of Dillon watching them, he swallowed and nodded, wanting to tell Dillon that her kiss meant nothing, that he felt nothing but friendship for her. But he didn’t. He couldn’t.

“I’d better be going.” Stepping around Dillon with a nod, he hurried down the stairs and around the house to where he’d parked his car. A hailstorm of gravel flew out from behind the car as he spun it out of the driveway.

Five miles later, he slowed for a stop sign at the edge of town.
Shitfuckdamn.
Why the fuck had he walked away? There was no ring on her finger. As far as he knew, Dillon had never once said he loved her. Why should Dillon get Nikki? Didn’t he deserve a shot?

Because if you try to get between them, it’ll be senior year all over again.
No, it would be worse, because the rest of the Barnetts would have to side with Dillon this time. And he’d lose them too.

Which was exactly why he had to keep pretending watching Dillon with Nikki didn’t rip his guts out.

Dillon took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh to dislodge as much dust as he could before he came in the house. Holy hell in a bucket, there had to be something wrong with him. Who else would get a hard-on from watching Brett holding Nikki like that? If it had been anyone else with their arms anywhere near her, he would have been plowing his fist into their belly about now. But all he could imagine was pressing his dick against Nikki’s backside and sandwiching her between them.

“Nothing happened between us, I swear.” Nikki’s eyes were wide, her fingers twisted together.

Shit, she thought he was mad at her?
Had that bastard Wade thought she’d cheated on him? Had he been the jealous sort? What was it Brett had told him about Wade? He kept his voice gentle. “I know.”

If he was honest with himself, he could think of a reason why Brett might think he’d be jealous. One he himself had given his friend ten years before. But hell, he wasn’t a raw kid anymore. If Nikki preferred Brett to him, then he was man enough to stand back. It would be like slicing his wrists open to let her go, but he wasn’t about to destroy their friendship, especially if she didn’t want him. Which made his fantasy that much more bizarre.

“So you’re not mad?”

“Nope.” He toed off his boots before opening the screen door. Moving slowly, he approached her. Once he was close enough, he stroked her arms until her shoulders dropped and her death grip on herself eased. God, she was amazing. Her family had walked away from her—actually blamed her because Phil was an asshole, she’d lost everything she owned, and here she was pulling herself together. Talk about a steel backbone.

“You know, seeing you with Brett made me kind of hot. If he hadn’t peeled out of here so fast, I might have suggested—”

Shoot, boy, you can’t tell her you were considering a threesome. What type of pervert would she think you are?

The type of pervert you are, dumbass. Sheesh.
“I heard what he told you about your stuff. Are you okay?”

Unfortunately Nikki didn’t let it drop. “What would you have suggested?”

He recognized the way her eyes zeroed in and focused solely on him. He’d seen her use that dominant look on one of her more stubborn colts. Man, that was hot. Sweet and innocent one moment, all business and power the next. He shook off the lingering fantasy of the three of them getting hot and sweaty between the sheets. That was never going to happen. “Nah, never mind. Just an idea—”
fantasy
“—I’ve had.”

But he couldn’t stop thinking about how fantastic it would be to have his cock buried in Nikki’s sweet pussy while she sucked Brett off. He adjusted his jeans covering his hard-on. Like she’d go for that little scenario. If he even suggested it, he’d be the one with Brett’s fist in his gut.

“An idea? Involving Brett?” She must have been having a few fantasies of her own from the blush that crept up her neck and filled her cheeks. Damned, if she didn’t look even more innocent. And as sexy as all get out.

He pulled down the neck of her shirt and peered beneath the fabric.

“What are you doing?”

“Seeing if that blush you’ve got going extends all the way down. Hey, look at that, it does.”

She slapped at his hand until his finger popped from the fabric. “Do you ever think of anything but sex?”

“Sure. I think of food sometimes too.” He couldn’t resist teasing her, especially when she rolled her eyes. At least she wasn’t looking like a puppy someone had kicked, like she had when he’d arrived. “Nothing like a nice grilled steak. Baked sweet potato with some marshmallows roasted on top. S’all good.”

She opened the oven and gave him a delicious view of her ass. “It’s not a steak, and there’s no sweet potato, but I did make you this.”