So. Long.: Bad Boy Next Door (11 page)

I pull a longneck from the fridge.

Spike gives a low whine.

With the toe of my boot, I nudge his bowl. “Water for you,
my friend. Beer’s for those of us who pay the mortgage.”

Spike flops onto his back, baring his stomach and turning
his head so he can plead with his eyes.

“You’re lucky, boy. Women don’t get under your skin.” Using
my ring as a lever, I pop off the top and salute him with the bottle.

I turn toward the living room, and a flurry of fur and feet
scrambles to follow.

He jumps into my recliner, as though I’m going to let him
have the only seat in the house. After I push him to the floor, I settle in and
pull out my wallet and my phone.

I dig a wrinkled picture from between my driver’s license
and my bank card.

It’s the first of the month. As much as it guts me, and it
does every fucking time, I have a call to make.

I bring up Jen’s number and down half of my beer.

We settled in for the night with sand up our asses and in
our boots. But it didn’t matter. Exhaustion makes those things less important
than they’d be in the real world. And this
wasn’t
the real world. This
was another world, a different world—dusty and dirty and dangerous.

I took a swig from my canteen and passed it to Shulls.

Carter saluted me with it. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem.”

He leaned toward me, his voice raw from a day in the dry
heat. “You know, you’re the best guy I know.”

I grinned. “Shush. Don’t tell anyone.”

His smile faded, and his eyes got this intense look.
“Seriously, Hardick…you’re my best friend. I don’t have anyone else I trust as
much as you.”

I reach for my fly. “If my cock weren’t coated with
desert, I’d let you jack me off, but as it is, I’d probably get sand burns.”

Shulls let out a laugh. “Yeah, and I’d end up with
something I can’t wash off, as much as you spread that shit around back home.
No thanks, dude.”

I settled down, pulling my helmet over my eyes, hoping to
catch at least a couple of winks. But before I could blank out, Shulls tapped
my shin.

“You asleep?”

I pushed the helmet up enough to crack one eye at him. He
pulled out his flashlight and the wad of papers he kept tucked into his breast
pocket.

“You know, Jen and the kids love you. Always have.”

“Jen picked the wrong guy. I’m better looking, and my
dick’s bigger. You know it. I know it. She knows it—well, she knows I’m better
looking, anyway.”

Shulls kicked the side of my leg with the heel of his
boot. “Shut the fuck up. I’m trying to talk to you about something serious
here.”

“Life is too fucking serious, man. All I’m doing is
trying to lighten the mood.”

Carter held out a creased photo, shining the beam of his
flashlight on it. “See them? They depend on me. I depend on
you
. If
something happens, I gotta know you’ll be there for them.”

I sat up straighter as my chest tightened. “Nothing’s
gonna happen to—”

He kicked me again. “We don’t know what’s going to
happen. Hanson bought it last week and the week before that it was Bateman.”

“Yeah, but they were in the wrong places at the wrong
times.” The heaviness in my gut was getting to be too much. “Besides, Bateman
was an asshole.”

Carter shined the light into my eyes. “Shut the fuck up,
man. You’re gonna bring bad juju on us. Don’t you know you should never speak
ill of the dead?”

I hung my head, knowing Shulls wouldn’t be happy until I
showed how contrite I was. “Sorry. At least Bateman loved his momma. God bless
him.”

Carter shoved his photo into my hand. “Anyway, I need to
know you’ll take care of Jen and the kids, you know—if something happens to
me.”

My scalp prickled. I pushed the helmet off and scratched
the top of my head. “Nothing’s gonna happen to you, Shulls. But if it makes you
sleep better, I promise, if something does, I’ll be there for Jen and the kids.
Whatever they need, whenever they need it. Day. Night. Rain. Shine. Drunk or
sober. I’ll be there.”

Carter pats my chest. “Good man. Thank you.”

I push his arm away. “I ain’t talking about this again.
You feel me? Now go the fuck to sleep.”

And he did go to sleep. Then, two days later…

I shake my head and wipe my nose with the back of my wrist.

Suck it up, Hardick. Suck it up and press on.

I hit the call button.

“Adam, it’s late. I almost thought you’d forgotten.” Jen’s
smile comes through with her words.

I cough to clear the rest of my memories. “Me? Forget about
you? No way in hell.”

She sighs. “You know, you don’t have to call on the first of
every
month. I’m doing all right. We’re
all
doing okay. Besides,
we just talked three days ago.”

My chest tightens. “I told him I’d watch out for you. I made
a promise. I’m not breaking it just because you say everything is fine. And I
call on the first of the month because I want to make sure you’ve got
everything you need for the month. Rent? Food? Shoes for the rug rats?”

She clears her throat. “Carter loved you so much, Adam. He
was lucky to have you.
I’m
lucky—
we’re
lucky to have you. We have
everything we need.
Everything.
”

The clamp on my lungs relaxes a bit. “So how’s Maddie’s
tooth? Did it come out?”

She laughs. “Yeah, when Tucker accidentally head-butted her
with his bike helmet.”

The image of little Maddie missing her front tooth brings a
smile—even while I rub my eyes to clear the sting of unshed tears. Carter
should’ve been here to see his little girl when she lost her first tooth.

I swallow the wad of regret and guilt trying to choke me. “At
least it’s out. How did Ryan do at horse camp?”

“Ah. The horses. Yeah. That. Well, let’s just say that after
a certain midnight ride, he may or may
not
be invited back next year.
Thank you for sending the money for him to go. I wish it hadn’t been wasted by
him being sent home early.”

I shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “Did he have
fun while he was there?”

Bickering kiddos in the background crank up the volume so she
has to raise her voice. “He had a great time. Hold on, Adam. Hey, don’t tell
your sister to shut up. And you two, stop it before I make you kiss and make
up.”

Immediate peace falls on the other end of the line.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Jen’s got her mom-tone
perfected. “Sorry about that. What were we talking about? Oh, yeah, Ryan and
his truncated horse camp. He had loads of fun.”

“Then the money wasn’t wasted.”

“You’re too nice, you know?”

“Nah. I’m really not. I know Carter would’ve wanted someone
to help you and the kids out.”

“And you do it well, thank you. So, we haven’t seen you since
you moved into that house. The kids have been asking about you. Want to get
together for an afternoon or something? Oh, and Maddie has a very important
question she wants to ask you.”

My heart slugs along as I think of all Carter has missed—will
miss—with his children. “Sure. Hey, there’s a community pool in my
neighborhood. We can take the rug rats.”

“Yes. That’d be perfect. All right. Now that all of that is
out of the way, tell me—how are you? Seeing anyone?”

My gut clenches. She asks me this same question every time
we talk. And when she does, all I ever think is that I don’t deserve to see
anyone, especially since Carter can’t see her.

“Adam, you there?”

“I’m here.”

“Aw. You
are
seeing someone! That’s so great.”

“No. No, I’m not.”

“Yes you are. You never hesitate like that. Who is she?
What’s she like? What’s her name?”

I can almost see her grin.

“Calm your jets, woman. We’re not seeing each other. We
aren’t doing anything.”

“But there
is
someone? Someone you like?”

I push my fingers through my hair.

Fuck.

“She’s my neighbor.”

“
And
?”

“And nothing. She went on a date tonight. With some guy she
met through an online dating site.” My stomach churns just thinking about it.

I wait for Jen to comment, but silence is all I get.

After a solid minute and a half, I can’t take it. “Fine. I
like her. A lot. I like her a lot, and she’s all dressed up in these hot, red
heels for some shithead who isn’t worthy of her. But she doesn’t want to go out
with me. Wants to be friends…thinks that’s what’s best. I honestly don’t even
know if she likes me.”

“Well, you’ll have to change her mind.”

“Change her mind?”

“Adam Hardick, you are a great catch. You’re smart, loyal,
and not bad looking under all that hair. If she’s what trips your trigger, there’s
zero reason you shouldn’t go after her. Figure out what she wants and help her
see that you’re what she can’t live without.”

I’m fucked. Because I have no idea what Kelsey can’t live
without.

* * *

I dig out my laptop and plug it in.

After checking my email, which is overflowing with
advertisements and spam, I pull up the browser.

What was the name of that dating site Kelsey mentioned?

I type DATE.COM.

Now, what do I have to do to find one Kelsey Malone? I’ll
see what she’s looking for in a guy. Maybe
I
can help her find it.

Of course I can’t just stalk her profile.

The site won’t let me browse unless I sign up and pay.

Pay. To find out what she wants in a man—not just a get-laid
guy, but a guy she actually might
date
?

Is it worth the money to learn that information?

Why the hell do I even care?

Do I
want
to date her? Like changing status on social
media dating?

I don’t even know.

What I
do
know is that I want another chance to taste
that sweetness she hides between her thighs. Another chance to make her scream
when she comes all over my fucking tongue. A chance to sink my cock so deep
inside her she’ll never want to go out with any other guy, because they can’t
go as deep or as long as I can.

All that, and to hold her all night. Make her blush and
smile. Have her dress up in those red heels for
me
. Most of all, I want
the chance to convince her how beautiful she really is.

I want to fix what I fucked up when she overheard me on the
phone.

I tug the collar of my t-shirt away from my suddenly sweaty
neck.

Shit. Maybe I
do
want to date her.

But the kid. Do I want to
date
a woman with a kid?

I envision a smaller version of Kelsey. Reddish hair hanging
down her back, impish grin. Yeah. I think I can handle hanging out with
something that cute.

All right then. Let’s do this.

First, to choose a profile name.

Can’t use just straight-up
Adam
.

It should tell something about me, but without being too
obvious.

I’ve got it.

NextDoor

I fill out the enormous number of questions.

Now, something short and sweet for the
About Me
portion.

Strong man seeks soft and willing woman.

No, that’s probably too blatant.

Ex-military guy searching for the one who can stand
to look at him.

Cool guy looking for the girl who needs to be
heated up.

Damn. This is hard.

Hmmm… I should just say
that
.

I’d probably get all kinds of action if I put that. But, I
don’t want all kinds of women. I only want one right now.

What would attract Kelsey?
Specifically,
Kelsey.

I dick around with the
About Me
part for a few more
minutes until I hit on something that might work.

Screw it. That’ll have to do.

I spend three hours looking through hundreds of women’s
profiles.

What the fuck is up with all the duck lip pictures?

Finally, Kelsey’s beautiful smile shines at me from my
screen. My cock insta-firms, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I was beginning to think I was on the wrong fucking site.

I read her info. Look through the photos she’s posted. Each
more gorgeous than the last. Even the one with no make-up and her hair up in a
messy bun.

That one might be my favorite.

I don’t have any good pictures of myself. Plus, I’m not sure
she’ll go out with me if she knows it’s me. What if she won’t go out with me
anyway? I want a chance to make her see I can be more than a get-laid guy.

The
What She Wants in Her Date
section blinks.

What
does
Kelsey want? Let’s find out.

Honest.
Check. For the most part anyway. The big
things.

Compassionate.
Well, I guess I’m compassionate
enough. I help people when I can, if that applies.

Fun-loving.
Who the fuck doesn’t like to have fun?

Monogamous.
Shit. I’m fucked.

Wait. I’ve been monogamous in the
past
. There was
Rachel. Six months of plugging the same pussy counts as monogamy, right?

I click on the
email her now
button.

What do I say here?

Hey, pretty lady.

No. That’s fucking creepy.

You’re beautiful. I love the photos.

Damn. I suck at this shit.

I like your profile. Want to go out?

Fucking hell. Why is this such a pain in the ass?

Screw it. We’ll start out simple.