The Rules of Dating My Best Friend's Sister(38)

“What do we have here, lovely Lala?” He waved it around between us. “Were you using this magic wand while watching porn after I left last night?”

I was pretty sure my face was glowing with fire. Snatching it from his hands, I shoved it back into my purse and opened the van door. “I wasn’t watching porn last night! Were you watching porn while you jerked off last night? Are you projecting your guilty conscience on me now?”

“No, ma’am. I haven’t watched porn lately.” Holden’s eyes dropped to my lips. “I’m too busy thinking about the one woman I could never have while I jerk off.”

There was only one way to respond to that comment. Jumping out, I grabbed my boxes, then the door handle, and…slam!





CHAPTER 10


Holden



Thinking about what Lala does with that damn vibrator was the only thing that had been able to get me off lately. Believe me, I wished another woman would capture my attention. This forbidden-fruit fixation on Lala wasn’t healthy, and it was time I moved on from it; I just didn’t know how. The more I tried not to think about her, the more I did.

All this week, I’d once again attempted to put some space between us. But as always, the need to see her eventually wore me down. I’d always convince myself that this time it would be innocent. Such as tonight, when I’d decided to knock on her door to see what she was up to and if maybe she wanted to grab a bite to eat.

To my surprise, when she opened the door, she wasn’t alone. There was a woman there I’d never met before.

Lala’s eyes widened. “Holden.”

“Hey.” I turned to her friend. “Who’s this?”

The dark-haired girl answered before Lala could. “I’m Tia. And Laney clearly has been holding out on me.”

Lala cleared her throat. “Tia is one of my admins from work and a friend.”

“Oh, yeah. Okay.” I nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Lala turned to her. “Holden is one of my brother’s friends and my next-door neighbor.”

“And sometimes I rescue her from broken-down vehicles and locked doors.” I winked.

“I might have to fake an accident so you can rescue me.” Tia laughed.

Well, alright then. This chick was nothing if not forward. She was practically fucking me with her eyes, too.

Meanwhile Lala’s face was beet red. Of course, I could’ve gone easy on her and left right away. But I was sort of getting off on the fact that my being here made her all flustered.

She finally stepped back, allowing me to enter her apartment, and I made myself comfortable, leaning against the arm of the couch. “What are you guys up to this fine Friday evening?”

“Actually,” Lala answered, “we’re getting ready to go out dancing.”

“Oh, nice.” I nodded. “You deserve to unwind. You haven’t been out with friends—besides me—since you got here, from what I can remember. Right?”

“Well, I don’t have too many girlfriends here.”

Lala looked really cute, dressed once again in a black leather skirt and her off-the-shoulder Debbie Harry shirt. Her hair was off-the-charts wild too—just the way I liked it. Her friend wore a tight green dress with tall leather boots. They were definitely dressed to go clubbing.

“Where are you guys going?” I asked.

Lala looked over at her friend for guidance. She wasn’t the one making the plans.

“Zanzibar,” Tia said. “You know it?”

“Yeah. I pretty much know all of the dance clubs.”

“You’re the drummer, right?” Tia grinned.

“That’s correct.” I nodded.

“I could tell.”

“Because I look homeless or something?”

“No, because you’re super hot. Most drummers I know are.”

Lala looked ready to crawl out of her skin, so I decided to put her out of her misery.

“Anyway, ladies. I should let you get ready. I hope you have a fun night. Just wanted to check in and say hi, Lala, since it’s been a couple of days.”

Lala perked up, seeming relieved that I was halfway out the door. “Okeedokee.”

But then her friend called after me. “Wait! Why don’t you come out with us? The more the merrier!”

I turned. “No, I don’t want to interrupt girls’ night.”

“But it’s not girls’ night.” She turned to Lala. “You invited one of the other guys already, didn’t you?”

I froze. Hold up. Say what? I narrowed my eyes. “Is that right…”

“Uh…” Lala sighed. “Brayden is coming out with us, yeah.”

What the fuck? I took a slow breath in to calm myself. Before I got all pissy, it occurred to me that maybe she was trying to set Brayden up with her friend; that was probably the only excuse that wouldn’t totally offend me. But still, she could’ve asked me to hang out, too. She’d specifically chosen not to.

Tia got a phone call and wandered over to the corner of the apartment to talk in private. I took the opportunity to grill Lala.

“So…” I crossed my arms. “Brayden. Since when do you invite him out with you?”

“Okay…” She sighed. “I know it seems weird, especially since I didn’t tell you. But Tia had asked me to introduce her to one of my single guy friends. And Brayden was the first person who came to mind.”