“Did. He. Hurt. You?” His gravelly, harsh tone has my mouth gaping and butterflies erupting. Bossy looks so, so good on this man.
I gesture haphazardly toward my previously injured ankle. Garrett’s gaze hardens before he stalks off.
Garrett’s not a fighter. He’s a carefree, laid-back guy, that east coast twang making his words languid and happy. It takes a lot to rattle his cage. Judging by the way he looms over Simon, forcing him backward, I’d wager this is one of those times.
I watch as Simon nods repeatedly at whatever Garrett’s saying, hands coming up between them like a shield before he finally scrambles back inside the building.
When the normally shy, awkward man slides into the driver’s seat without a word, I’m equally turned on and annoyed.
“What did you do, Garrett?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. Why did you get involved? I can handle Simon.”
Garrett glances over his shoulder before pulling into traffic. “Carter would kill me if he found out you hurt your ankle after that douchebag tried to kiss you, and I didn’t do anything about it.”
“Right. Carter.” Because it always goes back to him, every fucking time.
Silence and anger drench the air between us like a heavy fog. My skin crawls.
“I don’t need a boyfriend,” I snap, shoving a finger into his shoulder. “And I certainly don’t need a chaperone who thinks I can’t take care of myself and only looks out for me because of some ridiculously misplaced sense of duty to my brother.”
Garrett nabs my finger, wrapping his hand tightly around mine in an effort to control my violence. For the most part, I strive to be controlled by no man. But I kinda like the way he controls me, you know, physically, and while naked. Slightly messed up.
“I didn’t ask to be your boyfriend. I asked to—respectfully, I might add—wreck your body in a way that both of us enjoy immensely, based on the way I can’t keep my tongue out of there and you keep trying to detach my hair from my scalp. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna sit by and let someone disrespect you or your boundaries just because we aren’t dating. I’m still gonna have your back.”
Okay, not exactly the response I was expecting. Still, I yank my hand back and cross my arms over my chest, grumbling quietly, “I don’t need protecting.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for the future. But if, in the future, I happen to accidentally punch Simon Syphilis in his smart-ass mouth, don’t think of it as protection. Think of it as karma.”
The corner of my mouth twitches. “I call him Simon Syphilis.”
Garrett graces me with a lopsided smile. “For the record, I didn’t do that just because of your brother. I’m sorry it came out that way. This thing between you and me has nothing to do with him. And I know you can take care of yourself, Jennie, trust me. I’ve been on the receiving end of your wrath many times. But from what I gather—since you won’t come out right and tell me—you told him no. And nobody fucking touches you. Except me,” he adds with a wink. “With your permission, of course, because I don’t have a death wish.”
I giggle quietly as my anger dials down to a simmer.
Garrett clears his throat, gesturing at the Starbucks cup in the middle console. “I, uh, got you a drink. Figured ’cause it was cold and snowy, plus you’re probably tired.”
“Oh. Thanks.” I bring the warm drink to my nose, inhaling the scent. It smells delicious, like Christmas, robust and heavenly, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
“I didn’t, uh…” He shoves his fingers beneath his toque and scratches his head. “I didn’t know what you like, but you always smell like cinnamon and coffee, so…yeah.”
I smile against the lid. “It’s perfect, Garrett. Thank you.”
The car rolls to a stop at a red light, and Garrett’s eyes flit between me and the road, fingers drumming the steering wheel. On the fourth look, I face him, prepared to tell him to spit whatever the fuck it is out already.
But he leans over the console, pressing a quick kiss to my lips.
“Uh, hi,” he says, as if we haven’t been together for the last several minutes.
“Hi,” I laugh. “You don’t have to kiss me when we say hello or good-bye. We aren’t dating.”
“I guess, but I like kissing you, so it’s not a big deal as long as you’re cool with it. Unless you’re not cool with it. If you’re uncomfortable, then I will…stop.” He stares straight ahead, eyes wide like he has no clue what he’s doing.
I don’t know, either, to be honest. I haven’t been in a relationship since my senior year in high school, and it wasn’t particularly healthy. So friends with benefits? Not only do I have no idea where the lines are drawn, I have no clue how normal people in consenting relationships act ever. I guess I can think of this thing between us as my test run.
“I don’t mind,” I finally say as Garrett pulls into his parking spot. “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to do boyfriend crap because we’re getting naked together.”
“I don’t mind doing boyfriend crap, like picking you up and getting you coffee. If it makes you feel better, we can call it committed friends crap.” Garrett takes my bag and my hand, helping me out of the car. “Besides, if you were my girlfriend, I’d tell you to carry your own shit.”
“As if. You’re a sap.”
“Nope.” He directs the elevator to the penthouse as his eyes glide over me, heating on the way. “Then you’d yell at me for making you carry it, and I’d tell you to get over it and stop acting like a princess.” He steps into me, lips sweeping my jaw, pausing at my ear as he slips a hand below my top. “Just to push your buttons a little further, get you all riled up.” He grabs my hand and tows me out of the elevator, down the hall, and inside his condo. “Couch or bedroom?”
“Couch,” I answer breathlessly as he pulls his shirt over his head.
He yanks my leggings down and I fumble out of them, gripping his forearms while he walks me backward, wearing that self-righteous smirk I love/hate.
Garrett spins me around and shoves me over the arm of the couch, his chest against my bare back when he tugs my shirt off. “And when you were good and angry, I’d bend you over the couch, just like this.” Pushing my panties aside, he swipes two fingers along my slit. I’m embarrassingly drenched from a few simple words, and God, I fucking want him. “And I’d fuck you right…here.”
I shoot forward with a gasp, clawing at the leather as his fingers pierce my entrance, and Garrett spends the next hour showing me exactly what I’m missing with my no-sex rule, and how lucky his future girlfriend is going to be when she’s on the receiving end of his body, his attention.
Garrett steps out of the bathroom, shaking his shaggy hair out in a towel while I pull my panties on. “You hungry?”
“I should go, no?” I’m starving, but I’ll order in when I get home. I don’t want to overstay my welcome now that the naked fun is done.
“Nah. Why? There’s a game on, and we’re playing the home team this week.” He tosses a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants at me. “Let’s order pizza and watch.” He strolls from the bedroom, where we wound up somewhere between the third Big O and the shower, right out to the living room, not sticking around to let me overthink the simple invite.
So I’ll overthink something else, like his clothes in my hands. I should put on my own. But he offered, didn’t he? So it’s not weird, right?
His sweats swallow me whole, engulfing me in warmth. They smell like him, this homey, comforting scent, like fresh laundry and cedarwood. It’s nice, and I make my way down the hall, pulling the strings at my waist tight.
Garrett’s still shirtless, sweatpants hanging low on his hips, showing off those dips right above his perfect hockey butt as he roots through his pantry. “Pizza will be here in forty,” he mumbles around a mouthful of food as he turns toward me. “But I couldn’t wait.” He holds up a blue box and swallows. “Want one?”