“Perfect. I can’t wait.” Kenzie bounced on her toes, gripping Bogs’, and jolting him in the process.
“Fuck me. I got you talking about showing my girl your wood.” He shook his head and glared at Kenzie. “And you're all excited about it.”
She playfully slapped his chest. “Oh, shut up, Bogs.”
“Pretty girl, you mess with my ego when you get like this.”
She curled into his side and whispered, “I’ll stroke it later, okay?”
Jonah glanced down at the concrete, keeping his smile at bay. These two had something. It was slightly strange, but it worked. They were happy, and that was all that mattered.
“Plan on staying for dinner at T’s when you drop off Kenzie. Gonna have everybody there. Free food, beer and good company. I mean, I can’t vouch for the rest of them, but I’ll be there, so it’ll be a good time.”
It was Kenzie’s turn to roll her eyes. “So humble, Bogs.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” While Jonah appreciated the offer, his schedule was tight and left little time for anything personal.He’d carved out some time for fun, a particular dinner date, in a few days. Still, he never wanted to commit unless he knew he could make it happen. His word was important to him. Some time ago, it was the only thing he had of any worth.
“Sounds good.”
They chatted briefly for the next fifteen minutes. Bogs and Kenzie always made a point of asking about his brothers. It was a part of his life he’d been extremely protective over and kept private.The only family I have left. Jonah never took chances when it came to the boys.
“Alright, man. Well, we'll catch you later,” Bogs said, wrapping his arm over her shoulder and leading them to his truck.
He watched as they left the parking lot. It was good they had what they did, but it left Jonah envious. Women were the least of his concerns at the moment. Sure, he missed the companionship and the closeness a woman brought, but by the next morning, he was slithering out of bed, knowing their next rendezvous would only be about sex. Those were his terms. His current situation was conducive for both parties. They had the same agenda, with no expectations for anything more than one night.
It worked. Having the real thing wasn’t an option for Jonah. Had it been, he’d be looking at another woman.Fuck me.If he thought too hard about it, he’d be slapping himself across the face. There were some women who were untouchable, the kind with whom once or twice wouldnotbe enough. The type of woman who’d have a man like Jonah wanting more, wanting it all. And that wasn’t something he could ever have.
Chapter Four
Roxanne tightened her grip on the phone, inhaling a deep breath as she waited for the beep.
Beep.
“Last chance, Cord. I’ve been extremely patient, but I’m no fool. However, you are if you think you’re getting away with not returning my calls.” Her slow simmer of anger had officially amped up to a rolling boil. “I’m giving you until the end of the day.” She ground her teeth. “If I don’t hear from you, I will come find you. And trust me, Cord. You don’t want that.” Roxanne paused before her parting words. “If that sounds like a threat, it’s becauseit is.”
Roxanne ended the call and tossed her phone into her bag. Seven days later, and she was still dealing with this prick ghosting her. Thankfully, the car was functional to drive. However, using the trunk was no longer an option. And it wasn’t exactly a professional look, charging thousands of dollars for her services, then rolling up in a battered vehicle.
She’d spent the morning scoping out a venue for an upcoming fundraiser she was planning. At least she was busy enough to set aside her burning desire to find Cord and beat the ever-loving hell out of him. But at the end of the day, she still hadn’t heard from him. And she wouldn’t. It was time to take matters into her own hands.
Roxanne pulled into the lot behind her brothers’ office building. She was on a mission. She hoped to sneak in, get what she needed and leave without being detected by any other brother. It was bad enough she’d have to confide in Bogs aboutwhat happened.Gah, he’ll never let me live this down.But only one brother would know. The last thing she needed was Stone or T catching wind of this clusterfuck.
The bell sounded above the door as she passed through the hallway. Thankfully, it was quiet, and Stone and T’s offices were empty. Bogs was the last door on the right. She walked in to find him at his computer. Roxanne hadn’t given him a heads up she was coming. This mission required a sneak attack.
“Need a favor.” There was no time for small talk. In fact, she was hoping to avoid any and all. She slipped into the seat in front of his desk. He smiled slowly, grasping his chin.
“Well, hello, Rox. Yes, I’m doing well, thank you so much for asking.” His sarcastic tone wasn’t lost on her. She’d spent almost her entire life with this man. Roxanne was well-versed in the humor and taunting of her funny brother.
She rolled her eyes, hiking her brows. “How are you, Bogs?”
“Great, Rox.”
She doubled down, matching his teasing smile. “And Kenzie?”
“She’s doing good too.” He chuckled, straightening in his seat and cocking his head. “Now what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?”
Shit!Roxanne was a realist. She knew she’d have to come clean with her brother to get him on board with her mission. She wasn’t certain he’d help her, but it was her only option. If there was anyone who could find someone, it was Bogs.
“Let me preface this by saying it wasn’t my fault.” Before she could say another word, he burst out laughing, slapping his hand on the desk and howling.Asshole!Of all her brothers, she was closest in age to Bogs, which was probably why their relationship was the most typical sibling-like. Even as children, they were scolded the most for their arguing and relentless teasing.
