Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Whit

I look at her wide, innocent eyes and plump lips. Some women would have to do things to make them that full, but I don't think this girl does. I think it's natural. The fact that she is standing naked in nothing, but my hockey jersey hits hard…right in the balls. And let me just say, it looks way better on her than me or any of my teammates could ever make it look.

I'm unprepared for the hit of possession that swamps me when I think of any of them seeing her like this. Not mine! Not mine! But I bet she could be. No! Not mine! And the stupid voice in the back of my head that I've always called my ‘gut' needs to chill the fuck out. I see her face start to morph into one of expectation and remember I need to make sure she understands the rules.

"I won't tell on you if you promise to always tell me if he does something or makes you feel even the tiniest hint of uncomfortable." I see her acceptance already and go for the sticky point. "And…you let me take care of it."

"What? I can't…"

"Otherwise, the next time it happens I'm gonna speed dial big brother and let him handle it. Now, if you think he won't make another play for you, you have nothing to fear about me telling and you can do what you want without a worry."

But she knows he will and that is why I want her promise.

"Fine. I'll let you handle it."

"And you will tell me immediately."

She deflates and rolls her eyes, ‘Yes, I'll tell you."

She doesn't like it but she understands I'm not giving an inch.

"Good girl."

I know the minute I say it, I shouldn't have. I can tell by the widening of her eyes and the little puff of breath she quickly sucks in. I turn so she doesn't see the way it affects me and rush ahead. Am I going to stop doing it? No, not if it affects her the same way every time.

"You have nothing to eat and you probably should eat something before that hangover gets any worse."

"Oh, um, I guess I could go to the corner store…"

"No, let me." She hops off the stool and follows me over to the table I flung my wallet on last night after paying for pizza. "Any requests?"

"I'm easy."

God damn it. She really needs to stop saying things like that if my fucking ‘gut' is going to behave himself at all. A knock comes at the door and before I can reach her to stop her, she is opening it. Without asking who it fucking is. The frown on my face is enough to make Spade shut his damned mouth but the look of shock in his eyes remains.

"Oh. Hi." She gives him a big smile and for the first time in my life I want to hit my best friend. Right in the face. I brush past her and take Spade by the arm pulling him with me but turn before we go very far. "Don't open the door without asking who it is ever again, sweetheart. And lock it when I leave."

I see the look of exasperation written on her face as she closes and locks the door. Spade is silent for the entire ride down but once we are out of the building he breaks.

"Did you hook-up with someone last night when I left?"

"What? No!"

"Look man, just tell me it's none of my damned business but don't lie to me. That was a girl - a very attractive one…,"

"Watch it."

"And she was in your jersey. That pretty much screams hook-up, my man." He doesn't even let my growled interruption slow him down.

"She isn't a fucking hook-up. She's my roommate. And one I am feeling quite protective over."

"Wait a fucking minute! That's your roommate? I'm so fucking confused. That was Kash? How can that be Kash? Are you fucking with me right now?"

"It's not Kash, Spade. It's K dot Ashford. As in Kat."

"Oh shit!" the look on his face is one I knew was coming but this morning I don't really seem to mind it as much as I would have last night. "Did…did you know?"

"Of course not. It wasn't like I was trying to lie to you and I knew this whole time. I just found out yesterday when she opened the door and asked me…" I stop and rethink what I am saying. There is no way I am telling him I helped zip her up, "who the hell I was?"

"Wait she didn't know you were a man either?"

I shake my head no.

"That's…" I wait for it to come, "that's the start of a fucking rom-com, brother. You're living in a real-life rom-com."

I give him a go-to-hell look and keep driving in order not to hit him. Not in the face this time but hard enough he'll feel it for a few days.

"So…how the hell did she wind up in your jersey man?"

Shit! Thankfully by the time he asks, we've made it to the store.

"Did you two decide to say fuck it and just go for it?"

I growl and slam my door, so I don't slam my fist back in his face.

"No. Just…I'll explain everything as soon as we get back. I just want to grab something for breakfast and get the hell back, okay."

He puts his hands up in surrender and follows behind me. "You making her breakfast?"

I wheel around completely ready to throw a fist. But he's still holding his hands up and giving me a look that says he is clearly trying to find out if he can push me to hit his ass.

"I'm not saying anything. Anything you've inferred is your own. I'm just asking what the hell we're doing here in the morning this damned early and can I place an order for eggs and bacon."

If he wasn't my best fucking friend…