Page 14

“Deny it all you want, Peachy… but I know you better than you think…” His gravelly voice sends heat spreading through my body, “It’s what you made for me yesterday…

I know it’s your favorite. So, I bought one for you…

” he shrugs, then leans over the counter so only I can hear, “Plus, when I lick my lips this morning and taste the sweetness, I will know exactly how your lips taste, too.” He winks, then spins and leaves me standing there speechle ss.

What the fuck just happened? I’m so confused by him. My head is spinning from the realization and the shock of his words...

The drink wasn’t for another woman . It was for me.

For some reason, that simple thought sets butterflies free to dance inside my belly. What the fuck is he doing to me? I feel like such a dumbass. How the hell is this even the same man?

I can’t wrap my head around the fact that one day he’s a complete asshole to me and the next, he’s coming into the place I work and buying me a coffee—and not just any coffee. Somehow, he knew. He knew I had made him my favorite drink yesterday.

The day has gone by in a blur of customers and coffee orders, and before I know it, it’s almost time for me to clock out. I quickly check my phone and find a few missed texts.

Jaydon : Mmm… I can still taste your lips. So. Fucking. Sweet .

The next text is a picture of him holding his coffee, smirking like he knows exactly what he's doing to me.

I roll my eyes at his antics, but I quickly realize I already have a stupid smile on my face.

I scroll further down the text thread to see another message.

Jaydon : though, I still think your other lips taste sweeter.

Fuck.

My breath catches. Heat crawls up my neck as I bite back a giggle and glance around the café like someone might’ve just read it over my shoulder.

He’s making my pussy wet with a simple text. I’m so fucked. I groan inwardly. He doesn’t get to do this shit to me. He thinks he can play around with me and my sister at the same time. No thank you, asshole.

I quickly type my response and send it to him.

Ellie : Fuck you

Then I shove my phone in the back pocket of my jean shorts.

The drive home is quick, and I’m pissed to see my sister’s car in the driveway when I pull up. I haven’t talked to her since yesterday, and I don’t want to fucking talk to her now. I’m still spun up thinking about Jaydon and his stupid texts, and now I have to fucking see her as well.

I grab my bag from the passenger seat and step out of the car.

I'm silently praying she’s not actually home.

Maybe someone picked her up. I know it’s wishful thinking, but I can only hope.

Of course, when I step into the kitchen from the garage, her grimy ass is sitting at the bar with a sleazy grin on her fucking face.

“Hey, how did your date go last night… you fuck him?” She cocks her head, twirling her straw in her half-empty glass.

My eyes go wide. Ugh. I seriously can’t with her dumbass right now. I’m starting to wonder how we are even related at this point.

“Not that it is any of your business,” I bite out, slinging my bag on the counter, “but no, I didn’t fuck him, Breanne. Why the hell would you ask me that?”

“Hmm,” she giggles a fake-ass laugh. “Well, I got fucked last night, and it was amazing. Want me to give you details?” She leans towards me like she's about to share a dirty secret. “All the things he did to me, you would never believe, his tongue—.”

I hold up my hand, cutting her off, “Enough!” I shout and grab my bag from the counter. Spinning on my heels, I storm out of the kitchen and head to my room.

My fucking blood is boiling .

I could smack her smug face right now.

Fuck her.

And fuck him.

They can both go to hell.

I know exactly what she’s insinuating—that she fucked Jaydon last night. She made damn sure she told me she was going out with him. But what I don’t understand is why he continues to mess with my head if he’s seeing my sister.

I can still hear her snarky laugh echoing behind me as I reach my bedroom door.

I got a text from Haleigh asking me to come over for dinner shortly after I got home, so I’m headed over to her house now.

I had to get away from Breanne; I can’t stand to be around her anymore.

I don’t know what the fuck her deal is. I didn’t even come out of my room all afternoon, and I’m starving since I missed lunch.

Hopefully, my bestie will have lots of food because she’s eating for two, and I might as well be, considering how hungry I am.

The sun is just getting ready to set as I make my way up her huge front porch steps. Her house is gorgeous—a century-old farmhouse that has been well-maintained over the years. Ryan bought it for her as a surprise when they got back together.

Hopefully, one day, I can find a man who treats me the same way that he treats Haleigh. That man is crazy over her. She opens the door as soon as I knock and pulls me into the best hug.

“Hey, bestie! I missed you.”

I giggle, “Hales, I just talked to you earlier…”

She’s still hugging me. “I know, but I just missed you…” I can hear the tears in her voice, full of emotion.

I pull back to look at her face while still holding her by the shoulders. “What’s going on, Hales?” She’s scaring me. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes…” she starts to laugh.

I give her a weird look. “You sure? Because I’m not sure why you’re crying right now, girl.”

“Yes, I guess it’s just the stupid hormones.” She sniffs, swiping at the tears streaming down her face, and we both start laughing.

“Damn, girl, don’t do that shit to me… I thought something was wrong with you, or the baby, or something.” I say shaking my head. “Just please don’t fucking do that shit again. I can’t handle anything else today.”

“Sorry… I’m just a mess, Ell. Come on…” she says, laughing as she grabs me by the arm .

We‘re both giggling at our craziness when she pulls me inside. As soon as we step in, I smell the wonderful aromas of garlic and tomato that fill the air.

“Mmm…something smells amazing,” I say as we walk from the foyer into her large, open kitchen. “Can I help you do anything?” I ask when she finally lets me go.

“No way… I invited you for dinner, so just sit and talk to me,” she replies, waving me off.

“Are you sure? I just feel weird not helping… You are the pregnant one, not me.”

“I’m pregnant, not disabled.” She turns to me with a grin as she says the last part.

“Okay, I know, I know… I will just sit and watch then. I still feel weird, though,” I admit with a shrug.

She laughs and gestures to the island. “Help yourself to the veggies and dip.”

Her tears have finally dried, and I take a seat at the kitchen island, reaching for the fresh carrots and other veggies she has nicely arranged around the bowl of dip.

“So, what’s going on in your life? How’s the house hunting going? Any luck yet?” She asks while glancing into the huge pot she has on the stove and stirring its contents.

“No, I put an application in for the apartments downtown, but they said they didn’t currently have anything available in my price range.

I have no idea what I’m going to do. My time is running out.

I have been working longer days at the café to help save, but it’s just not enough.

There is no way I’m moving across the country with them…

I just can’t fucking do it, Hales. Breanne is being even worse than normal lately; I’m not living with her. I’m so fucking done.”

She spins, concern etched in her face, “Wonder what her deal is? Has she said anything to you?”

Ugh, I can’t tell her about my sister and Jaydon. She still has no idea I even slept with him the night of her birthday. I’m such a shitty friend for keeping this from her. I literally have no one to talk to about this. Fuck, it's driving me crazy.

“No… You know how she is. She’s just a bitch, but it’s just worse here lately for some reason.”

“Well, you know the offer still stands to stay here while you figure something else out.”

She’s the best friend I could ever ask for, and I’m not even telling her the entire truth. I feel horrible. But I just can’t tell her about Jaydon and me right now.

“I know… but I can’t do that to you and Ryan. Speaking of Ryan, where is he anyway?”

“Oh, he will be home in a little while. He had to go into the office to help Jaydon with something.”

“Hmm…” Now she said his name. I’m thinking about his earlier text messages and imagining him with his shirt off.

Fuck. Why do I do this to myself? It’s pure torture.

“… yeah, I meant to ask you the other day. Did Jaydon start his own business or something? I know you mentioned something a while back about Ryan going in with him to help cover expenses. Did they ever do it?”

“Yeah, they actually did! It was Jaydon’s dream, but he just didn’t have the money he needed up front to start. So instead of getting a loan, Ryan decided to go in with him. He’s mostly a silent partner, but with his experience, Jay calls him in a lot to help.”

“That’s pretty exciting! I didn’t really know… and I felt weird asking.”

She giggles, “Come on… You know I would have told you anything you wanted to know. Jay would have, too. You’re like family to us, Ells.”

“Aww, thanks. Now you’re gonna make me cry, don’t say that kinda shit to me. Although…” I put my finger to my lips in thought, “… I’m not so sure your brother would feel the same way…” We both burst out laughing.

She swipes her hand through the air, brushing off my last comment, “Oh… stop it, you know he would have told you.”

“So, what kind of business is it exactly?”

“It’s sort of a cyber program, mostly supporting the government.

I’m not privy to all the details since it's like top secret shit or whatever, but I know in the short amount of time he’s made his start-up money back.

I guess it helps when you have an in and are familiar with the team that actually uses it. ”

“Hmm… that’s really interesting. I had no idea that’s what they had been working on this whole time.” It’s actually kind of shocking to me that they have kept all this so quiet.

“Yeah, it was actually in the works for years. Jay started working on it before they ever came back home.”

“Ahh, that makes sense. I knew they both wanted out of all the traveling and missions, but I had no idea they started their own company.”

“Yeah… It's mostly Jay's baby, though. His office is downtown. Only about a block from Sprinkles, actually.”

I find myself nodding along, so interested in what the man who steals all my thoughts has been up to all this time. That explains it, though. I guess that’s why he’s been stopping by the café in the mornings.

“Oh, I was wondering why he had stopped by a few mornings.”

Her eyes crinkle in confusion. “What do you mean he stopped by?”

“Sprinkles… he stopped by Sprinkles a couple of times.” I quickly correct myself so she doesn’t think anything else.

“Hmm, strange… Jay doesn’t even drink coffee.”

That's surprising since that’s literally what he orders every time he comes in.

What the hell is his angle?

I can’t have her thinking he might be stopping by to see me, so I make up a small white lie. Eh, please forgive me for this.

“Well, he just grabbed breakfast...” I say while looking down, swiping a baby carrot into the dip. I need to change the subject quickly. “… what are you making anyway? It smells so good.”

“Just some spaghetti. I have a salad and some garlic bread to go along as well. I guess I need to go ahead and pop that into the oven.” She glances at the clock. “Ryan should be home in about fifteen minutes.”

Dinner was amazing and a nice distraction from what has really been going on in my life.

I purposely left my phone in my pocket on silent the entire time I was at Haleigh’s.

I didn’t want to interrupt our time together—but mostly I needed to distance myself from thoughts of Jaydon.

However, right now, his texts from earlier are slowly sliding their way back into my thoughts.

As soon as I get back into my car, I pull my phone from my back pocket and see I have notifications waiting for me. Pulling up my text thread, I already know who it’s from. He just won’t fucking stop with the torture. In my response to my earlier Fuck you, he replied.

Jaydon : I’m down anytime you are. All you have to do is ask. I’ve been craving that juicy peach ever since I had it the first time.

I’m not responding to him this time; screw him.

I can picture the smug fucking smirk he had on his face as he sent it.

And now I need to go home and use my favorite purple vibrator—I’ll be exploding in seconds thinking about his filthy words and sexy-as-fuck body.

But he’s still a fucking asshole… A fucking asshole that I can’t get out of my goddamn head.