Can't Let You Go: A Wheeler Brothers Novel (12 page)

Get over here
, I mouth to Jen.

She hurries over. I keep my eyes on her the entire time and when she finally reaches me, I grab her with my free arm and kiss her. "Hey, babe. I missed you."

Jackie immediately lets go of my arm. "You're with HER?" She eyes Jen, who even in that hot red dress, looks sweet and innocent compared to Jackie, with her jet black hair, overdone makeup, skintight dress, fishnet stockings, and spiked heels.

I kiss Jen again, and keep kissing her, knowing it will eventually drive Jackie away. And also because in the few minutes Jen was away, I'd already missed kissing her. So what am I going to do after tonight?
 
When we go back to being friends and I can't kiss her anymore?

"Did you know her?" Jen asks once Jackie is finally gone.

"No, but she wouldn't leave me alone."

"So you used me to get rid of her?" she asks kiddingly.

"That was only part of the reason. The other reason was because I wanted to do
this
again." I kiss her, just once this time.

"That's it?" she asks, smiling. "I left the dance floor for that?"

I spot a small booth that just opened up on the far side of the club. "Come on." I take Jen's hand and lead her over to the booth. She slides in and I sit beside her.

"Why are we over here?" she asks.

"You said I had to give you a better reason for leaving the dance floor."

Her lips turn up and I cover those beautiful lips with my mouth, and leave them there, kissing Jen until the waitress stops by for our drink order. We order another round, then I continue kissing Jen, and we stay there in the booth until Nash shows up, hours later.

"What time you guys want to leave?" he asks, supporting Callie on his arm. She seems drunk, her eyes half-shut. "It's after midnight. Callie's getting tired. I kind of am too."

"What about Jake and Ivy?"

"They're ready to go. Austin's not, but he needs to get his ass to bed. Otherwise he won't show up to work. What time you want us there in the morning?"

"I was thinking seven, but that doesn't give us much time to sleep so maybe eight-thirty?"

"Works for me."

I put my arm around Jen. "You ready to leave?"

She rests her head on my shoulder, her eyes heavy. "Yeah. I'm tired."

"Okay, let's go," I say to Nash. And then I realize he didn't even react to seeing me with Jen. Neither did Callie. I'm sure they saw us making out by the bar, but they're not even acting surprised. Did they expect this to happen? Because I sure as hell didn't.

Nash texts Jake and Austin to meet us outside, and within five minutes we're all loaded up in the SUV. I hold Jen next to me in the back seat and nobody says anything about it. What the hell? For years they've been nagging me to get together with her, and now they see us together and don't even make a comment? Maybe because they know it won't last. Shit, that's probably it. I wonder if Jen is thinking the same thing. She's been quiet since we left the bar but that might be because she's tired. She's lying on my shoulder, her eyes shut.

"See you guys tomorrow," Nash says as Jake and Ivy get out of the SUV. Next we drop off Austin, who still lives at our dad's house. He keeps saying he's going to get his own place but then he never does.

As Nash turns down the street that goes to my apartment I say, "Take Jen home first. She's falling asleep back here." That's not the only reason I suggested we drop her off first. The other reason is because her apartment is way across town, which will give me another half hour of having her in my arms. Tomorrow we'll go back to being friends and I'm not ready for this to end yet.

"I don't feel so good," Callie groans. "I think I drank too much."

"Shit," Nash says, as Callie bends over, holding her stomach. "I've gotta get her home. Jen, would you mind staying with Bryce tonight? I don't think Callie's going to make it all the way across town to your apartment."

"Yeah, that's fine," Jen says, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "I'll just sleep on the couch."

So she knows tonight was a one-time thing. That's why she suggested the couch.

"You can have the bed," I say quietly to her. "I'll take the couch."

Nash stops in front of my building.

"Callie, I hope you feel better," Jen says.

"Thanks." Callie yawns. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Jen and I get out of the SUV and I help her to the door. When we get inside, she shivers.

"I'm freezing. When did it get so cold outside? It was warm when we left."

"Guess that cold front came through." We get in the elevator and I hold her against me, trying to warm her up.

As soon as we're in my apartment, I go to the thermostat and turn the heat up to high. If it were just me here tonight I wouldn't even need the heat, but Jen gets cold.

"Can I get you anything? Are you hungry at all?"

"No. I think I'll just go to bed." She stumbles to the couch.

"Jen, no. You're not sleeping there. It's not comfortable."

"It'll be worse for you. You're too tall. You can't stretch out on it."

"I'll be fine. Come on." I help her up and take her to my bedroom.

I have a king size bed, so we could easily both fit and still keep some space between us but it's not a good idea. It's too tempting, especially after what we did earlier.

She yawns and kicks off her heels, then collapses on the bed. "I'm so tired."

"You're going to sleep in your dress?"

She laughs. "Oh, I forgot I was wearing it. I think I'm a little drunk." She laughs again. "Or maybe more than a little."

That's another reason we shouldn't sleep in the same bed. I'm feeling a little drunk myself. Two drunk people who are extremely attracted to each other in the same bed? Yeah, not a good idea.

"Can you help me?" she asks, holding her arms up.

Shit. She wants me to help her undress. Okay, I can do this. I've seen plenty of naked women over the years. Just not Jen. But I've seen her in a bikini, which is not that different than a bra and panties.

I lift her dress up over her head and she takes it and tosses it aside. She's left wearing a red lace bra and matching panties. Okay, this is not the same as a bikini. It shows off a lot more skin and is hotter than hell.

"Jen, I think I'll—"

I stop when I see her turn her back to me and unhook her bra. As it falls to the floor my eyes lower and land on her bare ass. She's wearing a thong. Fuck. I need to get out of here before I grab that perfect ass of hers, which is taunting me, begging to be touched.

The excuse of my brain being too drunk to function is the excuse I use for why I'm not leaving, but the real reason is that I can't stop staring at this beautiful sight. She's perfect. Her body, her skin, her long wavy hair. I've never seen her like this, but I've imagined it about a million times and the real thing is so much better.
 

She goes over to my closet and takes out one of my t-shirts. She slips it on, then walks back to me.

"Aren't you going to change?"

"I'll go in the bathroom and do it."

"Bryce, I've seen you in your boxers before. It's no big deal."

When did she see me without pants? She must've meant back in high school. She was always at my house and accidentally came in my room a couple times when I was changing.

As I strip down to my boxers she goes in my bathroom and brushes her teeth. She keeps a toothbrush and some other stuff at my place because she's here so much.

When she comes out of the bathroom, I'm searching through my drawer for something to sleep in. I usually just sleep in my boxers but I think pajamas are a better option tonight. At the bottom of my drawer, I find some pajama pants I didn't even know I had and put them on.

"Can you get the light?" Jen asks, curled up in my bed.

"Yeah." I turn it off. "Goodnight."

"Where are you going?"

"To the couch."

"Bryce, you're not sleeping on the couch. It's not big enough. Now get in here. There's plenty of room."

"Jen, I—"

"Hurry up. I'm tired."

If she's tired, she'll fall right to sleep, preventing anything from happening between us. At least that's what I tell myself when I climb into bed beside her. I keep to my own half of the bed, lying on my back.

"I'm still freezing," she says, and I feel the bed move as she shivers.

"Get over here." I hold my arm out and she slides over until her body is pressed against my side, her head on my chest. Having her this close, in my bed, nearly naked, has me hard as a rock, ready for action. But it's not going to happen so I try to ignore it.

"Bryce?" she whispers.

"Yeah."

"Thanks for tonight."

Is she just making a comment, or is she saying it because she knows we'll never do this again?

"Goodnight," she whispers.

I kiss her head. "Goodnight."

In the morning, I wake up on my side with Jen in my arms, her back nestled against my chest. I like it. Too damn much. But this never should've happened. She shouldn't have spent the night here. Now that the alcohol has worn off, I'm realizing what a huge mistake this was. I can't have Jen thinking we're anything more than friends.

I need to get out of here before she wakes up. But first, I take a moment to savor how this feels. To wake up with Jen in my bed, in my arms. To feel her warm body pressed into mine. It's perfect. Just like last night was perfect. But it can't happen again.

I carefully slide my arm out from under her and scoot back until I'm able to turn and get up. She's still asleep as I quietly walk to the shower. When I come back in the room, she hasn't woken up so I get dressed but hear her talking.

"Bryce?" she mumbles.

I zip up my jeans and go sit beside her on the bed. "Yeah."

"What time is it?" She rolls over, facing me, her eyes squinting at the light.

"It's seven forty-five. I need to get over to the house."

She sits up. "Are you dropping me off?" She shoves the covers back. "I better get dressed."

"Just stay here." I pull the covers over her. "Sleep as long as you want."

"I should get back to my place."

"Why? You don't have class today."

"No, but I have to work tonight." She snuggles back under my sheets. "But this
is
really cozy. And your apartment is nice and warm."

"Warm? It's freaking hot. I was sweating all night. It's like a damn sauna in here."

She laughs. "Then why didn't you turn the heat down?"

"Because you said you were cold."

"So you did it just for me?"

"Yeah." I don't know why that surprises her. She knows I'd do absolutely anything for her. "Stay here and sleep, and when you're ready to go just call me and I'll come pick you up and take you home."

"Okay." She sits up and hugs me. "Thanks."

Why is she hugging me? It's not like we don't hug, but we normally do it when fully clothed, not when I'm shirtless and she's only wearing my thin t-shirt and in my bed. It's too tempting. Even without the alcohol clouding my judgment, I want to shove the sheets back, slide that t-shirt off her and kiss every inch of her body before—

"Bryce?"

I notice we're still hugging. Shit.

I pull away. "I should go."

She smiles and my eyes get caught on her soft full lips, remembering what we did last night. Before I can stop myself, I lean down and give her a kiss, then immediately stand up.

"I'll see you later." I race over to my closet, grab a t-shirt, and hurry out of the room.

What the hell? Why did I kiss her? Talk about mixed signals. Now she'll think I want to be more than friends. She'll think last night wasn't just a drunk make-out session but the start of a relationship. Fuck.

I yank my t-shirt on, take my keys and phone, and leave my apartment, locking the door behind me. When I get outside, I'm met with a rush of frigid air. The sky is dark and hazy and there's a strong Chicago wind. Yesterday felt like spring, but today it's like winter decided to return. I go from sweating in my apartment to freezing, the cold air practically turning my wet hair to ice. And I didn't bring a coat. But I'm not going back upstairs to get it and risk having Jen tell me she wants to talk about that kiss I just gave her. She's definitely going to want to talk about that. And about last night. Shit.

My phone rings as I get in my truck. It's Rita.

"What do you want?" I bite out the words.

"Did you pay it?"

"Yeah, I fucking paid it. Now stop calling me."

"Where's Jen? She's not answering her phone."

"She's sleeping. She has her phone off."

"And how would you know? Are you over there?"

"She's at my apartment. We went out last night and it was late and—" Why am I telling her this? It's none of her business. "Never mind. I gotta go."

"She stayed at your place? So you two are dating now?"

"I'm heading to work. I can't talk." I hang up on her. I was in a good mood when I left my apartment, and then Rita calls, and just like that, I'm agitated, pissed off, wanting to punch something.

When I get to the house, Nash and Jake are already there.

"Where's breakfast?" Jake asks.

"Shit, sorry. I forgot." Last night I told them I'd stop and get breakfast to thank them for helping me out. "I'll go get something."

"Forget it," Nash says. "Callie's bringing food over." He smiles. "We knew you'd forget."

"Seeing as how you were probably busy this morning." Jake laughs. "And last night."

"We didn't do anything." I take my checklist out of the drawer. I always make a checklist for all my jobs. Otherwise I forget shit. "She fell asleep as soon as we got home."

Jake leans back against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. "And you slept on the couch?"

I don't answer, pretending to review my checklist.

"You slept in the same bed with her and didn't do anything?" Jake asks. "Yeah, right."

"Believe whatever the hell you want but we didn't do anything." I toss the checklist aside.

"Did you guys fight?" Nash asks.

"No. Why do you think we were fighting?"