Bad For You: (An Older Brother's Best Friend Romance) (8 page)

nautica

“So what’s going on with you and asshole?” Macy asks me over
the phone. “Any new updates I should know about?”

“I don’t even know,” I answer.  

It’s the day after I snuck over to Bracken’s.
I haven’t heard from him yet, and I’m not sure whether or not to text him. I
don’t want to look too needy or desperate. I’m playing the torturing game of
waiting until he texts me, but I hope he isn’t doing the same thing.

I sit down and think about last night. The
way he held me, kissed me, walked me home, all of those sweet, little gestures
are making me fall harder and harder for him. And he has no idea.

“Earth to Nautica,” Macy calls out. I give
her my full attention. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

“We keep having sex – like
way
too much sex, and we can’t seem to stop doing it.”   

She laughs. “There’s no such thing as too
much sex.”

“You know what I mean. We’re having too much
sex between people who shouldn’t be having sex. That’s a problem.” She’s the
one to snort this time. “What?”

“I’m not sure why you’re both so caught up in
the whole,
“we shouldn’t be having sex,”
thing. I mean, who made the
rule that you can’t sleep together because he’s your brother’s best friend?
It’s ridiculous. You’re both adults who like to screw each other, who cares?
Stop letting other people get in your way.”

I smile in agreement. Macy is right. I’m a
big girl. I’m old and smart enough to decide who I can screw – whether
it’s a short-term thing or a relationship, nobody else should be deciding that
for me.

bracken

“Hey there, son,” my dad greets when I walk into his office. He
asked me to stop by the dealership and take a look at the renovations he’s been
working on the last few months.

Casey Auto Sales is the largest car
dealership in our county. My dad started it twenty years ago with only eight
cars on the lot. Now, there’s around one hundred. He’s spent countless hours
working his ass off to grow this company, and even managed to open up a few
more locations in other towns. His plan, and mine, is for me to follow in his
footsteps, possibly open a few more, and take over the reigns when he retires,
which I have no problem doing. I’ve been working at the dealership since I was
fifteen. 

“The place looks good,” I tell him, signaling
to the showroom behind us before shutting his office door. “I didn’t know Pamela
was working here again.” I was surprised to walk in and see her sitting behind
the front desk helping a customer.

“She started again around six months ago.
With Simon and Nautica both gone, she gets lonely. Not to mention, she also has
to pay what the scholarship doesn’t cover of Nautica’s tuition,” he explains.

I take my own seat in the uncomfortable
customer chair. “That’s nice of you to help her out.”  

I’ve always admired that my dad is willing to
help people – whether it be my best friend’s family, one in need of food,
or sponsoring families for the holidays. He’s a very charitable man.

“And don’t forget the company holiday party
is tonight,” he reminds me.

I frown, letting out a long groan. “Come on,
don’t make me go to that shit. You know I’m not a fan of those.”

I used to be, before I got caught banging one
of his secretaries in the parking lot at one. My dad was pissed, and told me if
I did it again he’d fire the chick. It’s difficult trying to concentrate on
fucking a woman when you’re worried she might be unemployed tomorrow because
she wanted your cock.

He points a pen my way. “You’re coming,” he
insists. “It will look good. You’ll be here full time next year.” He waggles
his eyebrows. “I’ll even let you bring a date … just please don’t let it be one
of my employees. This town is full of women, and the whole fraternizing thing
isn’t a good way to start off.”

I tap my foot. “Fine. I’ll be there.”

“Great, and don’t forget to make sure your
suit still fits.” He stops me when I turn around to leave. “And please check on
your mother for me, will you? She’s supposed to be here tonight.”

“Sure, no problem.”

I say hi to a few people before leaving. I
pull out my phone to text Nautica as soon as I get back in my truck.

“You up for a party tonight?”
I ask.

My phone beeps with her reply. “
Elaborate.”

“The dealership Christmas party is
tonight. Come with me?”  

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

I hesitate, not sure how to answer that.
“Yeah
… something like that.”

 A date.

I’ve never been on a real life date. I’m
taking a huge risk and going against my better judgment, but I can’t stop
myself. If I go to the party solo, I’ll be fighting off chicks because there’s
no way anyone who’s not Nautica interests me, and there’s no way I can stomach
having anyone else but her on my arm.

This girl, she’s getting the best of me.
She’s consuming me, and I need to find a way to stop it before we get in too
deep. But I’ll think about that later. I’m giving myself one more night of her.
I’ll call shit off tomorrow.

* * *

“Shit man, I didn’t know we had plans tonight,” Simon says, in
surprise, when he opens his front door. “And what’s with the fancy ass penguin
suit? I’m honored you want to look nice for me and all, but this is a little
too much. I prefer guys in leather jackets.”

I push him back and walk inside. “Don’t
flatter yourself. I’m not hanging out with your ugly ass tonight. You’re not my
type. Nautica is coming to the dealership’s holiday party with me,” I explain.

He edges in closer, making me nervous, and
his brows furrow together. “Did you just tell me you’re taking my sister out on
a date?”

“No, dumbass. Do I need to buy you a hearing
aid for Christmas? It’s the dealership’s holiday party. You know we have one
every year.” I slap his shoulder. “You’re more than welcome to tag along. I can
always use more company. The more, the merrier, but you have to wear a tie. I
like my squad to look good.”

My smart-ass comment hides the fact that I’m
bluffing. I’m praying he doesn’t actually decide to come. Talk about a
cock-block.

“Funny asshole, but I have plans.”

“Plans? What kind of plans?”

We live in a small town where not much shit
happens. If there’s something going on tonight, I’d know about it.

He shrugs and turns his attention to the
stairs. “I’m just hanging out with someone, it’s not a big deal.”

“Someone?
And who is this secret
someone?”

“You don’t know her.”

“I know everyone in this town. It’s so
fucking small. I swear you can stretch my balls across the county lines.”

“She’s not from around here. She’s visiting
her friend or some shit.” His face tightens, and he can’t look me in the eyes.

“You’re hiding something.” I cock my head to
the side, waiting for him to tell me what the hell it is.

“Dude, you’re being paranoid. Take my sister
to the party. She needs to get out, but don’t let her drink and keep an eye on
her, okay?”

I shut up. He isn’t the only one hiding
something, so I’m apprehensive about pushing too much. I don’t want shit
turning on me. As long as this mystery chick keeps him occupied enough to not
realize who I’m sticking my dick into, I’m keeping my damn mouth shut.

“You know I got her. Always.”

He slaps me on the back. “That’s why you’re
my best friend. You look out for her as much as I do.”

His words hit me with force, making me feel
like an even bigger bastard.

“Is that Bracken?” Nautica calls from up the
stairs.

My stomach jolts with nervousness.
Act
cool. Act fucking cool.

“Yes!” Simon yells to her. “So get your ass
down here so I can lay down some ground rules.”  

“What the hell do you mean lay down the
rules?” I ask, with a snarl, looking at him. “You sound like a fucking idiot.
You’re not her father in some Nicholas Sparks’ book.”

He throws his head back in laughter. “Screw
you. I fucking love
‘The Notebook.’
My mom and Nautica has made me watch
that movie so many damn times. I could probably recite it word for word.”

“Figures,” I mutter, but zone out from our
conversation when I hear shuffling come from the top of the stairs. I remind
myself to breathe when I see Nautica come down, step-by-step in what seems like
slow motion. I move around, telling my cock to calm down, as she tortures me.

She looks breathtaking. Her black hair is
down, parted in the middle, and flowing in loose curls. A sparkly red dress
hugs every single curve of her delicious body and stops at her knees. Perfect
black, fuck-me high heels make her seem inches taller. Her lips are bright red.
I can’t wait to taste them.

I’m trying to hide how turned on I am from
Simon, but he’s not an idiot. There’s no way he missed my jaw practically
hitting the ground.

“You better not be eye fucking her, man,” he
hisses, pushing my shoulder.

I shove him back. “Chill the fuck out.
Tonight is strictly platonic.”  

I wait until I put her in my truck and get in
before saying anything, even though I’m bursting to tell her how I feel. “I have
to start off tonight by telling you how fucking sexy you look,” I say, turning
the key and the ignition fires on. “I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to
keep my hands off you. The only thing I can focus on right now is ripping that
dress off your body, putting you in the backseat, and feeling those heels bite
into my back, giving me marks that’ll stay there for days.”

I notice the blush rise along her skin.
“Thank you.” She runs her hands down her dress. “That’s exactly the reaction I
was hoping for.”

Fuck. I hope I can at least keep my hands off
her while we’re in public. I’ll find a place to fuck her later because that is
definitely happening tonight.

The parking lot is jam-packed, which was
expected. Our holiday parties are always a crowded event. They’re hosted at the
main dealership, the first and largest one. They move out all of the showroom
cars, bring in caterers, and a DJ. Every employee, from managers to the sales
people to the janitors from all three dealerships, is invited.  My dad’s
most important advice he’s ever given me for a thriving business is to make
sure you have happy employees.

I jump out of my truck, hand the valet my
keys, and open up the passenger door. Nautica’s hand interlaces with mine, and
I lead her through the front doors.

“Your mom, is she coming tonight?” I ask her.

“Not that I know of. I think she’s going to
dinner with my aunt or something,” she says, taking a look around. “Wow, this is
amazing. It doesn’t even look like the dealership.”

All eyes are on us, as if we’re making some
big ass entrance. She tries to yank her hand out of mine, but I tighten my
grip. She’s not leaving my side tonight. I’m staking my claim. There are too
many guys here – too many to try to take what’s mine.

“Son, I see you found yourself an impressive
date,” a loud voice calls out.

I look up to see my parents heading our way. My
dad snags a flute of champagne from a waiter. My mom is latched to his side
like a second skin. She looks completely in her element; a different person
than what I found this morning when I went to check on her. She’ll do her act
here, play her role, and then lock herself back in her bedroom for the next few
days. That’s how it always works.

Her long, auburn hair is wrapped in a
ponytail at the base of her neck, and a long, white gown runs down her body and
hits the floor. Her make-up is professionally done. She looks happier than she
actually feels.

“Nautica, darling, you look absolutely beautiful,”
she compliments, giving her a sweet smile. “I adore that dress on you.”

My dad nods in agreement. When I was in high
school, he told me on numerous occasions to scoop her up before some other
lucky bastard did. He didn’t understand that I couldn’t cross that line.

“Thank you,” Nautica replies, giving them a
bright smile. “I’m excited about being here. I’ve never been before.”

“My son slacks on asking pretty women on
dates,” my dad replies, opportunity lighting up in his eyes. “But it looks like
he’s doing much better.”

My mom talks to her about school until my dad’s
CFO comes over and steals their attention away with business talk. Nautica
hooks her elbow through mine and we make a lap around the room. I say hey to a
few guys I went to school with and try to steer clear of any chicks I’ve
fucked, which is a challenge. It’s like my dad has hired every women I’ve
screwed.

I grab a glass of champagne and we move to a
corner of the room, away from the crowd. “You do realize that every man’s eyes
are on you, right?” I ask, coming up behind her and whispering those words in
her ear.

Her back straightens when I wrap an arm
around her waist. Her breathing labors. “You do realize that every woman’s eyes
are on you?” she counters.

“Their eyes are on me because they’re jealous
of how stunning you look in that dress, and they know all of the dirty things
I’m going to do to you later.”

I drag my fingertips down her arm. I can’t
hold myself back from touching her any longer. My eyes stray to her ass. I
lightly grab it and bite my lip to suppress a groan. This can’t wait anymore. I
have to have her.

My hand stays on her ass as I move my tongue
along her ear lobe. “Come with me,” I say, my voice gravely.

She attempts to turn around and look at me,
but I don’t allow it. “What … where?” she stutters.

“Just trust me.”

I snag her hand in mine. She keeps up with me
as I head towards a vacant office and slam the door shut. It’s the one I chose
to be mine when I start working here.

“Bracken,” she whispers, looking from the
door to me. “We … we can’t do this
here.”

I slide my hands down her back and grip her
ass, bringing her into me roughly. “Oh yes, we can,” I say. “There’s no way I
can stand here with you looking that damn good and keep my hands off you any
longer. You have to give me a little taste,
something
, to hold me over
before I take you somewhere and give it to you like I want. Hard, fast, and
dirty.”

 Heels click against the floor as her
lips go to my neck, sucking hard. “Then have your way with me, Mr. Casey. Fuck
me in this office.”

Fuck.
No other words have made me
harder in my life.

I turn her around, push her forward, and bend
her over the metal desk. “Oh trust me, I’m going to do more than just have my
way with you.” I loosen my belt and unbuckle my pants.

“Prove it.”  

My pants fall to my ankles as I roughly tug
up her dress. I get a good view of her plump, round ass and smack it. It fits
perfectly in my hand. She shivers underneath the weight of my body.

I plunge into her with no warning. My hand
cups her mouth at the same time a high moan slips through her lips. I draw in
and out of her over and over again, getting rougher and faster with each pump. I
hold onto her tight, not letting her move. She’s practically pinned to the
desk.  

Perspiration films at the top of my forehead.
Her breathing is ragged. Our bodies are growing more exhausted with every
thrust and moan.

Damn, this is a workout. The best fucking
workout I’ve ever had.