I rub my lips together and nod slowly. “Something like that.”
Miles eyes me carefully. “I know that look.”
“What look?” I ask, and I can’t hide the shit-eating grin on my face.
He smacks his hand on the counter. “Don’t hold back on me now, man. You and I have chased our fair share of girls around Boulder, and you’re giving me the ‘I just got laid’ face!”
I press my lips together and remain silent. Miles and I did have some fun times together after he broke up with his ex. We made a regular thing of beers after work and girls after dark. But since I’ve started working on taking over Tire Depot and he’s started spending time with Kate, we haven’t talked as much as we used to.
Miles lifts his brows, his blue eyes expectant as he says, “Oh come on, give me some details. I haven’t been out with you for months. I know nothing about your love life anymore.”
I freeze and stare at him.
He stares back. “I’m really embarrassed that just came out of my mouth.”
“No shit,” I reply.
He rolls his eyes. “It’s not my fault, man. I’m living with a romance novelist. She has me like…verbalizing shit now.”
“Do you get to verbalize dirty shit too, I hope?” This is a question only a true wingman can ask. It’s my responsibility to make sure my buddy’s balls stay intact.
“Oh yeaaah,” he answers with a creepy leer. “But come on, I feel like a dick because I haven’t talked to you in a while. Give me some details.”
“Like what?”
He leans across the counter, and says softly, “Like what positions?”
“Come on, man,” I groan.
“What?” he balks. “It can’t be any crazier than the shit my girl writes in her books.”
I exhale heavily and prepare for the assault that’s to come when I tell him the truth. “We didn’t hook up…we just kissed.”
Miles slow blinks at me. “You’re smiling like that over just a kiss?”
I touch my jaw because I hadn’t even realized I was smiling. “It was an epic kiss, I guess.”
He blinks again, clearly unable to process my response. “Okay, so where’d you meet this epic kisser?”
My smile grows. “Marv’s.”
Miles face contorts. “The bait shop?”
“Yep.”
“Did she have all her teeth?”
“Fuck you, man. She was hot. Like smoking hot.”
Miles chuckles disbelievingly. “Okay, so what happened after this epic kiss?”
“Well…not much, but I’m hoping it’s just the start.”
“Huh, interesting,” Miles replies, his brow furrowed deep in thought.
“Why interesting?”
“Well, you never take anyone seriously.”
“Who said I’m taking this one seriously?” I scoff, feeling my shoulders rise defensively.
“The way you’re telling this story, it’s clear this chick is different than your typical one-night stands. I’m not judging either. I think that’s awesome. You turn thirty-one on Saturday, so you’re no young buck anymore.”
“It doesn’t matter how old I am, asshat. You know I’m not doing serious. I have enough women who depend on me already. I don’t need another one…even if she is an epic kisser,” I state firmly because it’s the truth. If I’m not doing stuff for my mom around the house, I’m helping my recently divorced sister with her kids or running interference between all of them because a household full of women is never short on drama. “You’re just pushing a relationship on me because you’re prepping to pop the question to your ball and chain.”
Miles’s face falls, and he leans forward to shush me. “Shut the fuck up, man. She’s right around the corner,” he says, pointing at the comfort center.
“She can’t hear me from in there…but hey, did you find a good hiding place for the ring? I can still hold it if you want,” I state, lowering my voice to calm him down. I may not want a relationship myself, but it doesn’t mean I don’t fully support his. Kate’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Miles.
Miles grins. “I put it in my toolbox. She never goes in there.”
“Perfect. But you’re still holding off on popping the question?”
“Yeah, I don’t want to rush this. Things are perfect with us right now. Living together is great. I just couldn’t see that ring and not buy it, ya know?”
“I get it, man. Your chick is into tires, and a circular diamond is a rare find.”
“Just like her,” Miles says, getting a dreamy look in his eyes that makes me want to nut punch him. Shaking away his thoughts, he asks, “So when are you going to see this chick again?”
“Maybe this weekend…at least, I hope.”
“Cool. Well, keep me posted if she turns into more than another one-nighter, all right?”
“She won’t.”
“She could. But even if she doesn’t, I still want the dirty details…I’m not married yet.” Suddenly, Miles’s phone lights up. “Oh hey, I gotta take this call. I’ll check you later.”
He walks away, and I shake my head. Miles is so wrapped up in his own world these days that it’ll be weeks before he even asks about my spark plug again. And I’m cool with that. Just because I don’t believe in long term doesn’t mean I don’t understand why things between us have shifted a bit.
Catch And Release
A big yellow rotary telephone trills from the bedside table, and with a pained groan, I throw my arm across the bed to pick it up. “Hello?” I answer, trying not to sound like I was asleep but failing miserably.
“Hello, Miss Hudson, this is Claire from the front desk.” Claire’s waspy voice is like a feather on my cheek, annoying and soothing at the same time.
“Hi, Claire…yes, I’m coming down for breakfast. Sorry, I overslept again.” I shove the quilt off my body, allowing the cool air from the weak radiator heating of the Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast where I’m staying help me wake up.
“Oh, it’s perfectly okay. I was calling to remind you about your room.”
“My room?” I sit up and shove the hair out of my face to look around the adorable suite I’ve been calling home for a week now.
“I told you we had a group of travelers checking in today, so we’ll need to turn over your room as soon as possible.”
“Oh, right. Yes, of course,” I reply, trying to hide the urge to weep into the receiver. “I’ll just finish packing, then I’ll be on my way.”
“You’re welcome to stay for breakfast, of course. And if you need to stay in the living area for the day, that’s okay too. We can hold your luggage,” Claire adds helpfully. She really is a sweet old lady.
Nodding, I look at the clock to see it’s ten a.m. already. “It’s okay, Claire. I have somewhere else I can go.” I inhale deeply and shake my head. “I’ve avoided my brother for far too long as it is.”
I can almost hear Claire’s awkward smile. “All right, dear. We’ll see you down here for breakfast then.”
I hang up and drag myself to the en suite bathroom for a shower, but it does nothing to dampen my anxiety over finally having to face my brother today.
After Christmas and everything in my life went to shit, I jumped into my car and drove eight hours to cry in the arms of my brother who lived in Boulder. Then, just before I reached town, I happened upon the Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast, an idyllic little place that reminded me of a Nora Roberts romance novel. She always has the swooniest happily ever afters, and that’s just what I was after. So I pulled in and have been holed up eating Claire’s baked goods and avoiding my brother ever since.
And let’s face it…also thinking about that incredible kiss with Sam the fisherman.
Kissing Sam was a mistake. A huge, monumental mistake. I was nursing a broken heart and got caught up in the moment. Simple as that. It didn’t help that his lips tasted like freedom and his unyielding grip around my body felt like delicious confinement that I never wanted to end. But it meant nothing, and it was certainly not going to distract me from my goals.