Forrest sat on the bed with Rourke’s arms wrapped around him.
“Hi,” I said.
Forrest took one look at me and groaned. “No. You don’t want to get tangled up with a Killough Company man.”
“Hey.” Rourke gave him a friendly shake.
Forrest put his hand up, but they were all squished together, so his palm rested on Rourke’s face. “Were you really with Jamie earlier? How did that even happen?”
Shrugging, I smiled. “I liked it.”
“Tell me everything!”
“Why do you need to hear that?” Rourke asked Forrest, and it almost seemed like he was hurt. Then they were off bickering, although I felt kind of dumb for worrying about Rourke hurting Forrest with the way he was holding him right now, softly, even though they were sort of arguing.
Stepping back to lean against the wall, I closed my eyes, and that parting kiss was all I could think about. Would I get another one? Would tomorrow be the end of this?Probably.My stomach twisted into a knot. Probably I wouldn’t be able to carry on a conversation and then he would be done with me, but I wanted that little bit of nice anyway. It would be a good memory to take home to New Gothenburg. I wasn’t stupid. Eventually Barnes would wear me down and get his way because it wasn’t like I had anything else going for me; there was already a time or two I was so lonely I’d thought about it. Barnes would be terrible, but at least I’d know what it was like to be with someone who treated me well first.
“Oh, you’re asleep on your feet. Let me get you settled in your room.” Forrest was all smiles as he jostled me into opening my eyes, and that was nice too.
“Thanks for not being mad.”
He stopped and stared. Rourke went into the bathroom and the sink started running in there.
“Hunter, you’re okay. Do you know that? There’s nothing wrong with you. I’ve had… clients like you before. They’re….” He winced and glanced away. “You’re better than you give yourself credit for.” He smooched my cheek and ruffled my hair. “Now, come on. I have a great room for you.” His eyes crinkled at the corners just a little, with his wide smile. “There’s one free next to Jamie.”
“My phone and wallet,” I said, ignoring the way my face heated at the mention of Jamie. “I left them in the drawer in your bathroom.”
“I’ll go. Hold on.” He patted my cheek, raced off, and then was back fast, pushing my belongings into my hands.
As I followed Forrest out of the room while he chatted about a client who had nearly drowned one time while getting a blow job in the pool, I decided that I would follow him anywhere. King might be my dad, and Grant might be my uncle, but Forrest was my twin, and he filled in my silences without any demands, any long looks, any regrets. My heart thudded and I felt… good, for once, as he delivered me to one of the cleanest rooms I’d ever seen. The color theme for the furnishings was green, that was immediately apparent.
“Hunter green!” he said with a flourish when I met his gaze with my own. I had to sigh to myself at his sense of humor, but Forrest only smirked.
“Thanks. For bringing me here,” I said.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”
Glancing down at the key he shoved into my hand, I sucked in a stuttering breath. “Thank you. For saying that.”
He made a noise and sighed. “I have to get back to Rourke tonight. He’s… in a mood, but we’ll talk. I meant every word I said to you. Now go in that room and don’t open the door tonight, especially not for smooth-talking guys with Irish accents.”
“Like he would do that,” I grumbled.
Forrest gave me a small shake of his head. “Go. I’ll wait. Lock the door.”
With one last wave, I did just that, but it took a long while for me to wind down and decide to undress and get into the massive crazy-soft bed. Even then, all I could think about was tomorrow and wonder what seeing Jamie again might mean. Did he just want to have sex? What did normal people do together? I didn’t even know. I’d never had a normal life. Anticipation danced in my stomach. I turned out the light beside the bed and stared at the ceiling until my eyelids drooped closed and I couldn’t force them open anymore.
Jamie.
5
Jamie
My hair wouldn’t do anything I wanted. I glared into the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the closet door at the frizzy mess. It was going to storm later, and so I was stuck with this, thanks to the humidity.
“Corbin. Get me that hair shite from the bathroom. It’s next to the basin.”
He gifted me with his coldest glare but got up out of the chair he occupied in the corner to do as I said. “Ya know,” he called from the bathroom, “if I’d known I was gonna be watching the health and wellbeing of a randy teenager rather than a fuckin’ scary underboss in the Killough Company, I woulda brought my boutonniere this week instead of my gun.”
