Kelly's Quest (NYC LOVE Book 2) (2 page)

“Ohmigod, Adam!” I drag him over to one of the couches, sinking back into the giant pillows. When he collapses on top of me, I kiss him. Hard. “It’s exactly what I pictured! When did you have time for all of this?”

His lips trail down my neck. “Davis was only visiting as a ploy to keep you busy while I had to put in ‘extra time’ in therapy.”

I spent the better part of the last week running around the city with Adam’s cousin from Minnesota. He’s an artist and has been in New York dozens of times for shows, so
he
actually showed
me
some of the insider tips I’ve missed. “So he really
isn’t
thinking of moving out here?”

“I think deep down he’s actually considering it, but you never know with him.” Smirking, Adam bends in to cover my neck with kisses. “Want to know the best part about this setup?” His hands wander down my thigh before reaching up my shorts to gently stroke the part of me that will always want him. I inhale sharply, delighted. “With this ingenious cover over our heads, I can do whatever I want,
whenever
I want, to my girlfriend in the privacy of our backyard.” He kisses my lips. “Just don’t let out one of your screaming orgasms, or the new neighbors will likely call the cops.”

“Could you be any more amazing?” I cling to him, dusting the tip of my tongue against his lips. “We better send Theo and Kel away. I have a feeling we’re going to be back here a while.”

“By all means, don’t let me stop you,” someone calls out sarcastically.

Adam and I turn around at the same time to find the very last person we’d
ever
expect to see standing in our new patio doorway.

It’s almost impossible not to acknowledge that Adam’s brother, Erik, is just as hot as my boyfriend. Their square faces have the same exact shape and angles in addition to their eyes being nearly the same beautiful shade of blue. Even their hair is styled in a similarly precarious way. Last time I met Erik, I wondered if I’d be able to tell the difference between them in the dark, aside from Adam’s surgery scars marring his otherwise smooth stomach.

But Erik’s abrasive personality makes him a thousand times less charming. He reminds me of one of those preppy assholes in 80s movies with his turquoise designer polo and striped khaki shorts. The arrogant smirk against his full lips is something I’ve come to expect, even though we’ve only met once before. I’ve heard Adam call him a “prick” or “asshole” enough times to know he’s a piece of work. Plus there were the inappropriate comments Erik made about me being too hot for Adam and how he’d be around if things didn’t work out just seconds after we were first introduced. Needless to say, the brothers aren’t close, and very rarely communicate.

I scramble to adjust my clothing and hair before Erik can make some kind of gross comment about what he caught us doing.

“What are
you
doing here?” Adam yells, pushing me off his lap. “How did you know where to find us?”

“I hired a PI,” Erik says, shrugging one shoulder.

Adam bolts to his feet. “You
what
?”

With a jolly chuckle, Erik strolls toward us. “Holy shit. Back it down a notch, bro. I’m not
that
interested in finding you. Mom gave me your address. I was passing through on my way home and thought I’d stop by.” He sinks into the other couch beside me, stretching his long arm across the back as he assesses our backyard. His musky cologne makes my eyes water. “Nice pad.”

“Thanks.” I reach up to pull Adam’s hand until he’s back down on the couch at my side. All the muscles in his upper body are tight with tension. I lace my fingers through his and squeeze. My gesture doesn’t seem to take the edge off as I had hoped.

“Don’t make yourself too comfortable,” Adam tells his brother in a low, almost threatening voice. “Next time you should considering calling before making a surprise visit.”

Erik rolls his eyes with an arrogant flair. “I would if you actually gave me your number. I figured you would’ve reached out to me sooner, considering we’re only living
minutes
from each other now.”

Theo sticks his head out the patio door and nods at Adam. “Delivery truck is here. They need your signature.” His expression changes when he tips his head at Erik. “Hope it’s okay that I sent him back. You didn’t mention you had a brother, but I figured there’s no way he’s lying since the two of you could pass as twins.”

“I’m not exactly his favorite person,” Erik replies smartly, a tight smirk curling his lips.

Adam turns to kiss my cheek. “I’ll be back in a minute.” When he stands, he passes a poisonous look to his brother. “Be nice to her. I mean it.”

“I’ll be a perfect gentleman,” Erik insists, crossing his legs. He throws me a sickening wink as Adam joins Theo in the doorway. Once they’re out of sight, Erik leans in closer, his eyes narrowed. “It seems you have my brother whipped. He nearly blew his entire inheritance on this place. My parents don’t seem too concerned, but they’re idiots. Give me one good reason I shouldn’t think my big brother has snagged himself a little gold-digger.”

My jaw drops. I figured his rude side would rear its ugly head eventually, but hitting me with a 2 x 4 would come as less of a surprise. “I...are you high?” When his suspicious gaze doesn’t change, I cross my arms. “I
seriously
can’t believe you just said that. You don’t know a thing about me. And whatever Adam chooses to do with his inheritance isn’t any of your business.”

A low chuckle rumbles in his throat. “So you’re not going to deny it, then?”

Both flustered and appalled, I bring my hands up to cover my face and moan. Just when it feels as if things couldn’t possibly become any more awkward, Kelly comes skipping out to join us. “Jewels, what’d you think? Isn’t this fucking amazing?”

“
Hello
,
beautiful
,” Erik sings, popping to his feet. He offers his hand to her, using a sudden charm that makes him almost appear civil. “And you are?”

She takes his hand with a suspicious gaze. “I’m Kelly, and
you
must be mistaking me for someone who is easily charmed.”

I stand at his side with a wide-eyed stare, hoping to pass a silent message. “He’s
Adam’s brother
,
Erik
.”

Kelly’s eyes also burst wide when she understands. “
Oh
! The infamous brother.
Right
.” She drops his hand like a hot potato. “What are you doing here? I thought you and Adam weren’t simpatico.”

“He’s just leaving,” I say, crossing my arms.

“Do you live in the city?” Erik asks Kelly, unfazed by my blatant hint. “We should really meet for drinks sometime.”

Kelly runs her fingers along the torn hem of her shorts, suddenly looking peaked. “Actually, I...” Her voice trails off and she wets her lips, glancing back at me, her brown eyes perplexed.

I know my best friend’s mannerisms better than my own. There’s something she’s holding back because she knows it will upset me. I’m wrecked with guilt. She’s had to walk on eggshells ever since my high school sweetheart was killed in Afghanistan last year, sending me into a deep depression. Before I met Adam, my life was a total mess. Kelly was always there to pick up the pieces.

“Kel, stoping making that face. What’s going on?”

“Shit. I’ve been meaning to tell you since I got here, I just haven’t found the right time, if there even

{Kelly Cavenaugh}

ONE

Deciding to drop my life
in Wisconsin and move all the way out to New York City was an extremely rash decision—probably ranks up there as one of the dumbest ideas of all time considering I have no real
plan
now that I’ve arrived. I mean, I haven’t even
been
to New York before now. I don’t know that I would’ve ever pictured myself living in such a colossal place. Still, the decision to come here came at me with such blinding clarity that I threw hardly enough of my belongings into a suitcase to last me a week, let alone however long I end up staying.

The idea first popped into my head when Jewels told me she was moving to the city with Adam. She made New York sound so damn exciting. Of course it started out as a thing of grotesque jealousy—the type that a girl would never dare admit to her bestie—but after I put some thought into it, I decided moving away was the best way to erase my foolish past and start fresh. I knew it would be incredibly exciting, too.

Spending the first two months of summer working alongside my annoying, nosy, and sometimes pretentious four sisters just solidified the fact that I needed to get the hell away from Wisconsin. I booked the ticket online before I had time to change my mind.

Jewels stands next to Adam’s smoking-hot brother, her jaw literally dropped, pale blue eyes frozen on me. As much as I wanted to share my news much earlier, I was afraid of how she would react to my poorly executed decision. What if she sees me as a leech for deciding to follow her across the country? In hindsight it seems I
did
latch onto her dream in an attempt to find the kind of happiness she found with Adam. What if I’m just too much of a coward to devise a dream of my own?

I grab my friend’s arms. “
Jewels,
you’re freaking me out. Surely there must be
something
you want to say to me.”

“So I guess you
are
going to be living around here,” Erik says with a sly smile. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in, well,
forever
.”

Looking away from Jewels, I meet his intimate gaze and suddenly feel like sex on a stick despite the fact that my hair is a mess and I’m all sweaty.

Erik is undeniably sexy—even more so than his reserved big brother. He’s the type who defines the very definition of a “pretty boy”: the type you’d expect to rule at a fraternity house. Long eyelashes, high cheek bones, pouting lips, eyes that make you forget anything else exists. I can just about imagine what he can do with his full set of lips. Or his long fingers that look as if they’ve had a recent manicure. A hot guy
and
a full bank account? Puh-lease.

Jewels warned me he’s trouble, but I’m a firm believer that sometimes a girl needs a bad guy in her life to show her a good time. Then I remember that I resolved to come here to change my ways and let out a frustrated sigh.

Jewels finally snaps from her trance to gather her thick blond hair behind her head. “Erik, could you give us a minute? Better yet, maybe you should leave before I tell your brother what you just said to me. And quit leering at my friend. She’s not interested.”

Erik replies with an arrogant hum. “I didn’t hear
your
friend
protesting.”

I somehow manage to press my lips together and flash him a stiff smile before I say something that would piss Jewels off further. She’s obviously irritated by her boyfriend’s brother, and I’m not going to push the issue. I stand tall, trying to appear assertive even though I only have so much restraint when it comes to incredibly good looking guys. “What she said.”

Erik turns to leave, flashing Jewels a darker look. “I’ll be back another time.”

Parts of me throb excitedly with his words—the parts that always seem to take precedence over whatever rational thoughts may be milling around in my head. The guy may be totally wrong for me, and it would probably put a ginormous wedge between me and my bestie if I were to actively pursue him, but
damn
I bet he’s a tiger in the bedroom.

Once we’re left alone, Jewels flashes me what I affectionately call her “motherly” gaze. Her blond eyebrows furrow with worry, her lips turn down at the edges. I’ve always pictured her becoming a school teacher despite her resolve to stay far away from little kids. “Seriously, that guy is trouble. Don’t even
think
about hooking up with him.”

Irritation stirs in my gut. “Wait. You’re just going to assume that I want to hook up with him? Could you maybe give me a
little
credit?”

She waves her hands through the air like a madwoman. “Can we focus on the fact that you just told me you’re
staying
in New York? How? Where? When did you decide this? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Does this have anything to do with why you just randomly quit Facebook?”

“Sure. You like it when
Adam
surprises you. Why can’t I pull the same shit?” I take a deep breath and wander over to one of the new outdoor couches, sinking into the plush cushion. “Are you mad?”

Jewels plops down at my side, slapping a hand on my bare leg. “Are you kidding? I love it that you’re going to be here with me! I just wasn’t expecting it. You’re seriously
moving
here?”

“
Here
as in your backyard? That would be a little awkward, don’t you think?” When she doesn’t smile, I roll my eyes and let out a low grumble. “A lot of shit happened this summer while you were away. I wanted to tell you everything sooner, but you had your own issues to wade through. It just never seemed like the right time.” I feel a sharp sting behind my eyes and quickly push it back down. I’m not a crier. Crying is a sign of weakness, and I’m Kelly Fucking Cavenaugh.

Jewels takes one of my hands in both of hers. “God, I’m so sorry.
You’re
always there when I need
you
. Whatever it is, I want to know. I want to return the ten thousand favors I owe you from all the times you’ve scraped me off the ground.”

“There’s no reason for you to apologize. I’m pretty sure getting your boyfriend to agree to a life saving surgery trumps my petty drama.”

“It can’t be
petty
if it made you want to permanently leave Wisconsin.” She draws me in with one of her pleading looks. “C’mon. I want to know what happened.”