Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Is this the part where I’m supposed to feel sorry for you?” Brayden taunted.
Then came another knock on the door. I hoped to God it wasn’t Lala walking in on this conversation. I was sure the guys’ faces would be a dead giveaway as to what we’d been talking about.
Thankfully, it was just Colby. “What’s up?”
“Hey, man,” I said.
“Brayden just texted me to come down here. Said something funny is going on with you.”
I turned to Brayden. “Are you kidding?”
Brayden shrugged. “I’m sorry. But it is funny.”
After they filled him in, Colby reached his hand to my forehead. “You sure you’re okay, dude?”
“I might’ve lost my mind,” I conceded.
“Nah.” Brayden smacked my shoulder. “I think our boy is growing up.”
Colby chuckled. “This is like if Owen woke up one day and decided there were more important things than work. I wouldn’t recognize him.”
Owen took a bite of his apple and spoke while chewing, “Hey, don’t knock me when I don’t currently have anyone worth neglecting work for—unlike you two whipped pricks. Plus, I’ve decided I’m not getting married. Most women want kids, and those two fuckwad teenage brats in 410 have made me decide I’m never having any.”
“What did they do now?” I asked.
“I saw them in the elevator this morning. They asked me if I had change for a twenty. I did, so I gave it to them. When I got to the train station, I realized my wallet was gone. And my damn watch. They laughed when I went up to their apartment pissed off. They claim they were just screwing around, but I didn’t find it too amusing.”
I chuckled. “At least we won’t be putting kids out on the street when we evict them for not paying the rent someday. They’ll get two hots and a cot in prison.”
“Getting back to our celibate boy here,” Brayden said. “What happens after this two-week period? Say you prove that you can have a great relationship without sex. Then what? Does that solve all your problems?”
I took a moment to ponder that. “I don’t know. The biggest challenge for me is what things will look like if shit starts taking off with the band.”
“Speaking of that…” Colby popped the cap off a beer he’d taken out of my fridge. “You never really told us how everything went out west. Any prospects?”
“More than one, actually. The trip was as successful as it could have been.”
“You seriously didn’t mess around with anyone out there?” Brayden asked.
“Of course not,” I said, a little insulted. “I wouldn’t do that to her.”
“Good for you,” he said.
“It wasn’t effort. I didn’t want to. It’s as simple as that.”
Colby interrupted, “So what’s the next step? Is someone getting back to you guys?”
“There were at least two interested execs. We’re waiting to hear more. That’s putting me on edge somewhat.”
“Well, I, for one, am proud of you for never giving up,” Owen said. “It seems like it might finally be paying off.”
“Be careful what you wish for…” Brayden laughed. “You might just get it all at once.”
I nodded. “That’s exactly what this feels like. Everything is going great with my personal life and my career, but the two are trying to cancel each other out.”
The guys hung around and busted my balls for about an hour before leaving me alone. Venting to them had done me good.
After they left, I took a shower and jerked off before heading over to Lala’s. The latter would be a must over these next several days, although it didn’t help the need much when she was right in front of me.
As I walked next door, I had to stop myself from getting too excited. I’d almost forgotten for a split-second that we weren’t going to be having sex. Instead, I’d be offering her another evening of “platonic fun.”
When she opened the door, my eyes immediately fell to her chest. Lala’s nipples were piercing through the thin fabric of her white T-shirt.
“Hey, handsome. I missed you today.”
I gritted my teeth as I entered. “Lala, what are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your nipples are staring at me like you have a second set of eyes. I want to fucking suck on them right now, and that’s not good.”
“Oh.” She looked down. “I must’ve forgotten to put on a bra.”
Her face turned red as I glared at her.
“Is that it, or are you just trying to torture me?”
She flashed an impish grin.
“That’s what I thought.”
Her blond curls were especially unruly tonight—just the way I loved them. I envisioned bunching all of her hair into a ponytail and pulling on it while I fucked her from behind. And God… I’d been so fixated on her chest, I nearly missed the fact that she’d put on that cute leather skirt that she’d worn out to a couple of my gigs.