Page 54 of Foul Territory

A growl works itself up in my throat but I swallow it back down. He makes me want to scream.

“Maybe I should go.” Joe begins to pack up the rest of his breakfast. He releases a frustrated breath. “Is there something going on with you and Mahina? I like you, Sydney, but I don’t play games.”

“I don’t either. There isn’t anything. He’s only here to help me plan Nash’s birthday party.”

“Oh. I didn’t know he was having a party.” He stands from his seat. I take the trash from him and toss it in the kitchen trash can.

“It’s kind of last minute. You’ll come, right?” I don’t know if I’m inviting him for me or because I know Nash would have put him on the list anyway. “It’s going to be a luau theme. I can text you all the details.”

“Wyatt is going to enjoy dressing up.”

I walk him toward the door. “I’m sure he already has a coconut bra and grass skirt somewhere ready for the occasion.”

He chuckles. “Probably. Yeah, I’ll be there. What are the odds you’ll be wearing a coconut bra?” he jokes.

“Slim to none I’m afraid.”

“Whatever you wear, you’ll look beautiful.”

“That’s sweet. Thank you. And thanks for breakfast, too, even though Koa ruined it.”

“That’s my fault. I should have called first.”

“Well, it was a nice surprise.” I open the front door.

Joe moves to step outside but stops and kisses my cheek first. “I’ll text you later.”

“Sounds good.” I close the door and lock it this time. Leaning against the front door, I take a moment to get my head on straight before I deal with Koa.

Joe is a nice guy. Koa shouldn’t have made it look like something is going on between the two of us when he’s made it clear he’s not interested. I push off the door, determined to put Koa in his place.

“You have some nerve,” I say as I open my bedroom door. Those are the only words I’m able to speak before I lose my ability to think straight.

Koa has pushed all my clothes to one side of my full size bed and stretched his mammoth body out on the other side. He has one hand tucked under his head and the other rests on his lower abs where his shirt has risen up exposing enough skin to have me salivating like a Saint Bernard.

Damn him for being so attractive. He’s only gotten better looking over the years. His once round face has become moresquare and defined. His bronze skin gets covered in more ink every year which highlights his defined muscles.

It’s just rude. All of him is just fucking rude.

“Why are you trying to ruin my relationship with Joe?”

“You need to water your plants,” he says, ignoring my question. I glance at my bookshelf and assess the health of my plants. I hate that he’s right. The one he bought me is on the brink of death. How ironic?

“I asked you a question. Why are you sabotaging my dates all of a sudden? Last night and now this morning.”

“I didn’t do anything. I came over at our agreed upon time. You should be saying sorry to me. You double booked yourself. That wasn’t very thoughtful,” he says with an undertone of sadness. I can tell he’s faking by the way the muscles in his jaw ticks.

“That isn’t what happened. He just showed up. He wanted to apologize for last night.”

“That’s the least he should have done,” he mumbles with his eyes still closed.

“Can we get this over with please? I’m sure we both have better things to do. You clearly need a nap.” I reach over his legs and grab a small sample of the clothes I’ve pulled out of my closet. I tap the top of his thigh. “Scoot over. What?” I ask when I notice him staring at me.

He sits and swings his legs to the floor. “This is what you wore in front of him,” he says, lifting the hem of my sweatshirt and exposing my sleep shorts.

I swat his hand away. “You know I did. What do you think of this dress?” I ask, holding up a flowy halter top dress.

“You look like you aren’t wearing any shorts underneath the sweatshirt.”