Troublemaker Read online

  My gaze skims over the photograph that looks like it was taken outside on a sunny day. They're standing next to one another, each with an arm over the other's shoulder. They're both striking to look at.

  Kade, his younger brother, is attractive in a more subtle way than Crew. He's also completely different personality-wise. I should know. Crew set me up on a blind date with him last year.

  "Hey." I turn to where Crew is sitting on his sofa. "Do you remember when you tried to get me to sleep with your brother?"

  "Christ." He groans as he drops his head back onto the soft black leather. "Why the hell do you insist on reminding me about that? For the record, Kade is the one who asked me to set you two up as a favor to him."

  I know that. Kade told me as much as soon as I arrived at the restaurant for our date. There was undeniable instant chemistry between us, but it was a brother /sister vibe from the get-go. We still text each other a couple of times a month to check-in.

  "At least we hit it off better than you did with Tilly."

  "Matilda was something else, Ad." He laughs softly. "Don't get me wrong. She's a sweetheart, but she could have held back with her list of must-haves in a future husband until we left the restaurant. I didn't make it halfway through dinner before I called it a night."

  When I set up my co-worker, Tilly, with Crew months ago, I didn't give it a lot of thought. I half-expected they'd sleep together. I've known Crew for close to two years and his type has always been the same. If she's tall with dark hair and a pretty face, she'll catch his eye.

  He has a reputation for being a savage in bed. I wouldn't know from experience. We made a pact early on that we'd stay out of each other's reach in that regard. We're both too close to my best friend, Ellie, and her husband, Nolan, to screw up that match made in heaven.

  If Crew and I crossed the line from friends to lovers, it wouldn't last. He's not interested in more than a night or two with the same woman and my sole focus right now is my career. Our friendship works for us and it's all we can ever be to each other. I know that even though sometimes my mind wanders into what if territory when I'm with him.

  "She likes you a lot," I call from the kitchen as I grab a bottle of chilled water. "She still asks me if you're planning on taking her out for a second date."

  "Tell her thanks, but no thanks." He appears at the breakfast bar that separates his custom kitchen from the rest of the open concept space.

  We've always been transparent with each other, but not when it comes to intimacy. I don't go into details about the men I date and Crew keeps it to a minimum when he mentions the women he spends time with. It's part of our unspoken agreement to butt out of that aspect of each other's lives.

  I asked him to stop looking for a man for me after my dinner with Kade. He requested the same regarding potential hookups the night of his date with Tilly. I want him to be happy, but I've learned that the only thing that keeps a smile on his face is keeping his libido sated. He does a good job of handling that on his own.

  In fact, he has a woman waiting for him right now. I know that because I caught an unintentional glimpse of a text message that flashed on the screen of his phone back at the burger place. He got up to get the chocolate shake they forgot to give us when we picked up our food.

  His phone vibrated on the table, my gaze dropped to it and I read the simple message.

  I'm naked and waiting, love. I need you.

  His eyes skimmed over the screen when he sat back down and he hasn't responded even though his phone repeatedly chimed when we were at the Matiz offices and again three times since we've gotten to his apartment.

  "I can take off if you have plans." I wash down the words with some water. "You don't have to entertain me. I'm sure Sydney's boyfriend has left by now."

  "I don't have other plans." He sets his elbows on the counter and leans toward me. "My only plan is to hang out with one of my best friends."

  I straighten. Crew doesn't know what his friendship means to me. Since Ellie and my other good friend, Brynn, have both found their happy-ever-afters, I've been on my own a lot more. It's not as though I need anyone to help me chart a path to a satisfying future. I don't.

  I'm the first to admit that sometimes I'm lonely. Crew fills in that gap for me. We hang out like old friends and there's never a question about what I want out of my life. I'm bombarded with enough of that when I visit my folks.

  I'm almost twenty-six-years-old. I have a stable job, a great place to live and good friends. I'm blessed as it is. Crew views his life the same way. It's one of the reasons we get along so well.

  "What do you want to do?"

  He narrows his eyes. "Not that fucking puzzle, Ad. I'll do anything but that."

  "I can tell you about my list of must-haves in a future husband," I joke with a smirk. "My list is longer than Tilly's, so you better get …"

  "There isn't a man on this earth who is good enough to be your husband," he interrupts me, his voice deep and smooth. His lips ease into a smile.

  "Is that so?" I eye him suspiciously with a measured lift of my brows.

  He turns to the left when the sound of my phone ringing cuts through the air. I stare at the chiseled lines of his jaw and the shadow of whiskers that have settled there. He's incredible to look at. I can't deny that.

  It's not a crime to think your best guy friend is insanely gorgeous.

  "You're not on call, are you?" His brow perks as he turns back to look at me. "You don't drink when you're on call."

  I don't. I can't. It's part of the employment contract I signed when I took the job with Dr. Hunt at his clinic. I'm on call every second weekend and at least one night during the week. "No. It's not work. I have no idea who it could be."

  "Let's find out." He pushes against the counter and jogs across the room to where I dropped my purse on the table in the foyer. He scoops it up and delivers it to me. "Answer, Ad. People don't call after midnight unless it's serious."

  He's right. Ellie's in bed by ten most nights because her kids are up at the crack of dawn. Brynn's schedule has changed too now that's she engaged and pregnant. Getting a call after midnight that isn't work-related is a rarity for me. When it does happen, it's almost always a booty call. I stopped answering those when I realized that I valued sleep more than the shitty feelings I was left with after a quick fuck with a man who didn't even bother to offer to pay my cab fare back home.

  I dig my phone out of my clutch and glance down at the screen before I answer. "Hey, Syd. What's up?"

  I'm greeted with a sob, then another. "Adley, I need you."

  "What's wrong?" I ask calmly because since Sydney moved in, I've become accustomed to her fragile heart and the consequences of that. She feels things deeply, loves fiercely and from what she told me about this latest guy, he's something special.

  "I fought with Banner," she whimpers softly. "I need you to come home. Please, Ad. Come home."

  I close my eyes. "Try to calm down. I'll leave right away. It won't take me more than twenty minutes to get there."

  She whispers something inaudible before she ends the call.

  "What's going on?" Crew's voice is even and gentle. "Has something happened to her?"

  I tap my fingers lightly over the center of my chest. "I'd diagnose it as a broken heart. Treatment consists of time with her roommate, followed by a night with a new man."

  "Is that how you mend your own heart?"

  It's a loaded question and one I don't have the time, or inclination, to answer. "Maybe I've never had a broken heart."

  He surveys my expression, but he'll find nothing of substance there. I've learned how to hide my emotions, not only from the people around me but myself too. "I'll take you home. We can grab a taxi."

  I appreciate the offer. I've always relied on myself to get around the city. I know it like the back of my hand and I have no problem telling a taxi or Uber driver which route to take. I did it earlier when we left Crew's office to come here. The driver of the taxi
Crew flagged down was going to go around Central Park. I told him to drive through it. It cut ten minutes off our travel time. "You don't have to come with me. I'll get an Uber."

  "I'm coming," he insists as he moves to pick up the suit jacket I was wearing earlier. "Wear this in the car. I'll walk you to your door and then I'll head back to the club for lock up."

  I round the counter and let him drape the oversized garment around my shoulders. I want to ask him if he has a list of must-haves for a future wife but it hardly matters at this point. I'll nurse Sydney's bruised heart and he'll go to the club. He'll pick up a beautiful brunette there to bring back here or he'll respond to the text of the woman who is naked and waiting for him.

  "You're such a gentleman," I say with a tilt of my head. "Do you treat all the women in your life this well?"

  He reaches to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. His touch is soft as his fingertips linger on my cheek. "Only the ones who spill ketchup on my thousand dollar suit jacket."

  "Oh shit." I swallow as I look down at the tailored black jacket. "I'll pay for dry cleaning. Can it be cleaned?"

  "You'll pay for nothing." He leans down to brush his lips over my forehead. "I'm keeping the jacket as is. The stain is hardly noticeable and the jacket smells like you now."

  I smile as I look into his eyes.

  Flirtatious teasing has always been part of the dynamic of our friendship. This feels different. Maybe it's the rush from the drinks I had earlier. It might be the look of dark intensity that's settled over his expression.

  Whatever it is, I like it.

  "Let's get you home." He slips effortlessly back into friendship mode with a tap on my shoulder. "Sydney needs you and I need another scotch before I call it a night."

  I think I might need one too. That or a date with my battery operated boyfriend.

  Chapter 4

  Crew

  My head aches with tension. That's what sleeping two hours and then getting up at the crack of dawn will do to me.

  After I dropped Adley off at her apartment last night with a kiss to the back of her hand, I ran through the messages on my phone, laughing when I got to the thread from the woman I stood up so I could hang out with Ad. Messages that began with the promise of her naked and waiting ended with a charming ' Fuck You Asshole.' Patience tends to be in short order when a woman is hungry for a skilled mouth and cock.

  I deleted it all and I asked the taxi driver to take me to Veil East. I was prepared to go inside, grab another drink and find a woman to take home with me. I'm not a guy who sees the need to have a separate place for fucking. I do it in my bed, with the nightstand full of condoms next to me and my shower just a few feet away in the luxurious bathroom I recently had redesigned.

  I don't care if a woman I screw knows where I live. I'm not an unknown in this town. I don't need to hide behind a wall of mystery. I'm young, unattached and I love sex. I should be able to enjoy it where I want. Preferably that's my apartment although I'm not opposed to a semi-public rendezvous. I've done it before and if the opportunity presented itself, I'd be all-in again.

  Last night I didn't take anyone home and my pants stayed zipped.

  I was adjusting my suit jacket after the driver pulled up to the club when my thumb ran over that damn ketchup stain. I lifted my forearm and inhaled, drowning in the scent of Adley's perfume. I didn't want another woman after that, so I told the driver to take me to the Matiz tower.

  My night was spent going over the launch for our winter line. I got a jump on it and when I show the product lineup to Nolan tomorrow morning, he'll flip his shit.

  If he weren't married with kids, I'd drag him down to the office now to go over it, but Sundays are reserved for his family. Often that includes Adley and me when dinner is about to be served. That's the reason I'm standing at the door to his apartment, dressed in jeans and a green polo with a bouquet of flowers for his wife in one hand and a kite for his kids in the other.

  "Captain Crew," Ellie and Nolan's daughter, May, screams as she swings open the door. The nickname she blessed me with when she was a toddler has always stuck. "You're finally here."

  It's the same reaction every time I see her. I cradled her in my arms when she was a day old. I love this kid like she's my own. Her brother, Jonas, holds an equal piece of my heart in his chubby little hands.

  "I got you a kite." I hand it off to her as I close the door behind me. "You're going to share that with your brother. You can show him the ropes."

  "I've never flown a kite before." She studies the package that contains everything a bright seven-year-old needs to assemble it. Her blonde ponytail bounces as she skips in place. "Are you going to take me to Central Park to fly it after we eat?"

  "I'll take you and Jonas to the park. We can stop to pick up a bag of candy too. Don't tell your mom. She'll ruin everything."

  "I'll ruin what?" Ellie, the redheaded firecracker Nolan married, comes into view. "What are you promising my daughter now?"

  Fuck, I love that.

  I know it's just a simple statement but I love hearing that. Ellie legally adopted May right after she and Nolan adopted Jonas. It was a technicality that she wanted in place since the woman who gave birth to May abandoned her. She's the best mom I've ever met and in five months, she's going to be a mother of three.

  She's pregnant with a little boy. I'm holding out hope that he'll be named Crew but it's not looking good.

  "Kite flying and candy." May wraps her arm around Ellie's waist. "You can come too, Mom."

  "You're welcome to tag along if you can waddle fast enough to keep up with us." I hand the bouquet of daffodils to Ellie. "Ad can come too. She's the one who gave me the idea for the kite. She told me a couple of weeks ago that she was an expert kite pilot when she was a kid."

  "I'm barely showing." Ellie lovingly runs her hand over her stomach. "Adley's not coming. It looks like we'll have to figure out the kite flying on our own."

  Work is the only reason Adley misses these things. I can't say the same for myself. I've bowed out more than a few times because of a random woman I couldn't tear myself away from.

  Disappointment ripples through me. I've been looking forward to seeing her since I got out of bed. We ended last night on a different note than we normally do. She sat closer to me in the taxi, our legs brushing when the driver took a corner too sharply.

  I've felt a new bond forming between us the past few months. It might be because we're sharing in the joy of Ellie and Nolan expanding their family, but it feels deeper than that to me.

  "She's not on call." I sigh as I glance over Ellie's shoulder to where Nolan is sitting on the floor with his son in his lap, a toy train set in front of them. "Why would she stand us up?"

  May lets out a laugh. "You don't know how to fly a kite, do you?"

  I look down at her. "I can fly a kite better than Aunt Adley any day of the week."

  "Go wash up for dinner." Ellie tugs playfully on May's ponytail. "I'm going to talk to Crew and we'll eat as soon as I'm done."

  We both watch in silence as May takes off across the room with the kite package in her hand.

  "What's going on with Ad?" I don't mince words. I know Ellie well enough to keep the bullshit to a minimum. "Is it her roommate?"

  "Sydney?" Ellie says her name slowly. "What's happening with her?"

  I wasn't looking for a question or two in reply to my question. I want an answer. "Her boyfriend did something last night that sent her into a tailspin. Adley had to go home to be the shoulder to cry on."

  "Go home?" She waves an impatient hand at me. "You were with Ad last night? How was she?"

  Three questions now instead of an answer. Fuck this is frustrating. "Why is Adley not coming to dinner, Bean?"

  A brief smile passes over her lips at the nickname. Adley coined it years before I met either of them. Ellie is apparently her jelly bean, whatever the fuck that means. I took up the name myself because it used to irritate the shit out of Ellie. She's grown t
o love hearing me say it, even if she won't admit it.

  "Your guess is as good as mine. She texted me an hour ago to tell me she wasn't coming. I sent her a message back asking why and she went silent."

  I scrub a hand over my face. This is completely out of character for her. She's like a sister to Ellie. They tell each other everything. I should know. Nolan has let too many things slip about Adley that he was told in confidence by his wife. I'm the one who has benefited from that so I haven't told him to mind his own business yet.

  "It's probably nothing." Ellie shrugs. "Maybe she has a date."

  Trey Fucking Hale must have called her. Who the hell can blame him after the way she looked last night?

  "Is there a baseball game tonight?" I gesture toward the television above the fireplace.

  She shakes her head. "You know my rule about no television during dinner, Crew."

  Sure. It detracts from our time together. It kills brain cells, and whatever else Ellie read online about how detrimental it is. I've heard it a thousand times.

  "You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you?" she asks playfully.

  I highly doubt that. I'm thinking about how good it would feel to have my hand wrapped around Hale's neck while I'm squeezing that signature cocky grin off his face.

  My eyebrows draw together with the question we both know is sitting on the tip of my tongue.

  "She gave Trey Hale her number last night." She smiles like that's the best thing that's happened since Nolan dropped to one knee and proposed. "I think they make the perfect couple, don't you?"

  I think I should have gone with my first instinct and crushed his phone in my palm.

  "She was so excited about it she sent me a text late last night. I hope she's with him right now." Ellie takes a step to the side. "She needs a guy like that. I need some food so let's eat."

  I take the hint and walk toward the dining room even though I want to turn on my heel and go in search of Adley.