“Okay. Fine. We fucked once. But we both agreed that it was a one-time thing. I was leaving the next day anyway, so…”
“Yeah, but now you livehere.Andhe’s your next-door neighbor.” She shimmies her shoulders. “I’m sure I can speak for everyone else in this room when I say how fucking excited I am to see how this scenario is gonna play out.”
Not wanting to add more fuel tothatfire, I shift the conversation again. “Smart ass. Now tell us about… what was it you called him? Ro? How is it you have a nickname for one of the hottest actors in the known universe?”
Lizzy nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, hand stained with what looks like tattoo ink or paint. “We kind of grew up together. He’s my twin brother Logan’s best friend.”
My jaw drops, but Claire and Noia’s reactions are even more dramatic. Claire nearly chokes on her last sip of whiskey, and Noia lets out a muffled squeal.
“What?” I sputter, tossing my hands in the air with unbridled delight. “Wait. So you’re telling me that Rowan Cole—theRowan Cole—is your brother’s best friend? Like, the same Rowan Cole who’s been People’s Sexiest Man Alive twice?ThatRowan Cole?”
Her expression darkens as she twists a strand of hair aroundher finger. “Yup. And trust me, he’s not nearly as charming in real life as he is on screen.”
“Holy shit,” Claire whispers, leaning forward to rub her hand in circles over Lizzy’s back. “So that’s why you hate his movies. How didn’t I already know about this?”
“It’s not something I like to talk about,” she shrugs, tension more than evident in her tone. “Look, it’s getting late, and I have an early appointment tomorrow. Some of us still have to work, and I need to feed Slash.” She stands up, gathering her things. “Thanks for having me over, Sasha. Your place is coming together real nice.”
I want to press for more details, but something in her expression warns me not to push. Whatever history she has with Rowan Cole, it’s obvious it’s way more than just complicated.
“Yeah, of course. Thanks for coming to help and hanging out. It was fun.”
After a round of hugs and promises to get together again soon, Claire and Lizzy head out, leaving Noia and me alone in my living room.
The second the door closes, she whirls on me and sputters, “Okay, what the actual fuck? Lizzy knows Rowan Cole? And you’re living next door to Jax? There’s some serious book inspo going on in my head right now.”
I collapse back onto the couch with a groan. “Let’s focus on one bombshell at a time. Jax Riley, the man I’ve been avoiding for the past few months, is my next door neighbor. My fuckingneighbor, Noia.”
“I swear I didn’t know,” she says, raising her hands in defense. “But come on, is it really that bad? He’s hot, and from what you’ve told me?—”
“What I told you is that it was a one-time thing,” I interrupt, sitting up to palm my head in my hands. “And it’s best to keep it that way. I’m here to focus on getting the new Summit up andrunning, not to rehash a one-night stand that happened months ago.”
Noia rolls her eyes. “So what if you run into him? It’s not like youhaveto sleep with him again.”
“But that’s just it!” Throwing my hands in the air, I let them fall with a slap in my lap. “What if I want to? What if I see him and can’t help myself? He’s... He’s like chocolate cake laced with crack! You know you shouldn’t eat it again because it’s hella bad for you, but fuck it, might as well take another bite. Damn the consequences.”
A slow, triumphant smile spreads across her face. “So youhavethought about screwing him again?”
I flop back against the couch, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes. “All. The. Fucking. Time.”
three
The roarof an engine yanks me straight out of a deep sleep. I bolt upright in bed, heart hammering against my ribs as the sound of a truck’s backup warning beep stabs its way into my brain, followed by a loud, booming thud, making me wince.
“What the actual fuck?” I groan, rubbing my eyes.
I grab my phone off the nightstand. 7:42 a.m. Not only is it my day off, but it’s the second time in two days I’ve been woken up by whatever the fresh hell is going on next door.
After a year of blissful, neighborless silence, it looks like I’ve got neighbors again. Perfect.
A dull throb thuds in my head as I swing my legs over the side of the bed.
Ryder and I closed down The Brew last night after a particularly busy day at the shop, and I don’t recall seeing any lights on next door when I stumbled in just after two a.m.
Eyes half-closed, my bladder screams for attention as I shuffle into the bathroom.
After taking what feels like the longest piss of my life, I splash some cold water on my face and squint at my reflection.My hair is sticking up in every direction, and I have dark circles under my eyes.
Jesus. I look like hell.
