just come over here and dump me so you can beat me to the punch? It doesn’t work that way, Eric.”
“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.” He knew he sounded miserable. Felt even worse. “I’m confused. You confuse me.”
“Why, because you like being with me?”
“Because I’m afraid you’ll get sick of me. I’m screwed up.”
“Brandon and Alexa really did a number on you.” She squeezed him, ran her hands up and down his back. “If I tell you what Alexa said, do you promise not to get upset?”
“Yeah. Tell me what happened.” Curiosity coursed through him. Only a month ago the mere mention of Alexa or Brandon’s name would’ve set him on edge. Now he felt like he almost didn’t care.
But he was still curious.
“She implied that she and Brandon were having trouble. She said…they wanted to talk to you. See if you’d be interested in getting back together with them. Permanently or as a fling, I’m not quite sure but…yeah.” Stacy rested her head against his chest once more, and he settled his chin on top of her head. “That’s what she said. And we got into a huge fight because I told her she was totally selfish and self-absorbed. I feel bad about it. I should probably call and apologize.”
“You two got into a fight over me? Unbelievable,” he muttered, thinking over what Stacy just said. “I didn’t think I was worth it.”
Stacy tilted her head back and looked at him with a frown. She looked worried. “Would you ever consider going back to them, Eric? Be honest with me.”
He studied her, his gaze lingering on her every feature. Hope and worry shone in her eyes and he knew his answer would please her—especially because it was the absolute truth. “No. That’s in my past. I could never do that again. It would be too…difficult.”
“I told her it would just mess with your head.” Stacy shook her head. “She didn’t get it. I think she got mad because she realized we’re seeing each other. I didn’t want her to find out like this.”
“You know, she’s the baby in the family. She always got exactly what she wanted. She’d go after it, no one could stop her, and when she came after me I didn’t want to stop her. It felt good to be so wanted.” He drew in a deep breath. “But when I refused their offer of occasional sex together after they kicked me to the curb she was pissed. She doesn’t like being told no.”
“You’re right, she doesn’t.” Stacy scowled.
“First I tell her no, then you tell her she’s selfish and she can’t have me.” Eric shook his head, his lips curling into a soft smile. “She’s not used to being denied. You should go easier on her.”
“Like I should go easier on her, please. She needs to get used to it when it comes to you.” Stacy looked downright pissed and it made him want to laugh.
“You tell her, babe. But don’t let her make you angry. She’s your best friend. I don’t want to come between you two. You should call her after a few days and you’ve settled down.” He slipped his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her face back, her lips poised and ready for his. “It’s kind of sexy, how mad you got. Maybe I do need you so you can be my bodyguard.”
“You just need someone who wants to take care of you.” Her voice was soft, beguiling. She clutched at the front of his shirt, tugging on it so he bent his head closer to hers. “And I want to. Now if you’d only let me in…”
He silenced her with his mouth, his tongue. Didn’t want to talk about the heavy shit anymore and he couldn’t freaking believe he didn’t do what he set out to before coming here. She’d somehow talked him out of it.
Stacy made him realize he needed her more than he knew.
“Eric,” she murmured when he finally tore his mouth from hers minutes later to burn a trail of kisses down her neck. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“What?” Her skin was extra soft at a particular spot just behind her ear.
“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.” He knew he sounded miserable. Felt even worse. “I’m confused. You confuse me.”
“Why, because you like being with me?”
“Because I’m afraid you’ll get sick of me. I’m screwed up.”
“Brandon and Alexa really did a number on you.” She squeezed him, ran her hands up and down his back. “If I tell you what Alexa said, do you promise not to get upset?”
“Yeah. Tell me what happened.” Curiosity coursed through him. Only a month ago the mere mention of Alexa or Brandon’s name would’ve set him on edge. Now he felt like he almost didn’t care.
But he was still curious.
“She implied that she and Brandon were having trouble. She said…they wanted to talk to you. See if you’d be interested in getting back together with them. Permanently or as a fling, I’m not quite sure but…yeah.” Stacy rested her head against his chest once more, and he settled his chin on top of her head. “That’s what she said. And we got into a huge fight because I told her she was totally selfish and self-absorbed. I feel bad about it. I should probably call and apologize.”
“You two got into a fight over me? Unbelievable,” he muttered, thinking over what Stacy just said. “I didn’t think I was worth it.”
Stacy tilted her head back and looked at him with a frown. She looked worried. “Would you ever consider going back to them, Eric? Be honest with me.”
He studied her, his gaze lingering on her every feature. Hope and worry shone in her eyes and he knew his answer would please her—especially because it was the absolute truth. “No. That’s in my past. I could never do that again. It would be too…difficult.”
“I told her it would just mess with your head.” Stacy shook her head. “She didn’t get it. I think she got mad because she realized we’re seeing each other. I didn’t want her to find out like this.”
“You know, she’s the baby in the family. She always got exactly what she wanted. She’d go after it, no one could stop her, and when she came after me I didn’t want to stop her. It felt good to be so wanted.” He drew in a deep breath. “But when I refused their offer of occasional sex together after they kicked me to the curb she was pissed. She doesn’t like being told no.”
“You’re right, she doesn’t.” Stacy scowled.
“First I tell her no, then you tell her she’s selfish and she can’t have me.” Eric shook his head, his lips curling into a soft smile. “She’s not used to being denied. You should go easier on her.”
“Like I should go easier on her, please. She needs to get used to it when it comes to you.” Stacy looked downright pissed and it made him want to laugh.
“You tell her, babe. But don’t let her make you angry. She’s your best friend. I don’t want to come between you two. You should call her after a few days and you’ve settled down.” He slipped his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her face back, her lips poised and ready for his. “It’s kind of sexy, how mad you got. Maybe I do need you so you can be my bodyguard.”
“You just need someone who wants to take care of you.” Her voice was soft, beguiling. She clutched at the front of his shirt, tugging on it so he bent his head closer to hers. “And I want to. Now if you’d only let me in…”
He silenced her with his mouth, his tongue. Didn’t want to talk about the heavy shit anymore and he couldn’t freaking believe he didn’t do what he set out to before coming here. She’d somehow talked him out of it.
Stacy made him realize he needed her more than he knew.
“Eric,” she murmured when he finally tore his mouth from hers minutes later to burn a trail of kisses down her neck. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“What?” Her skin was extra soft at a particular spot just behind her ear.
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