Be My December (23 page)

Ahh, there was peaceful silence when I stepped into the hall once the elevator had arrived. There was no loud music, no fleeing girl from Josh’s apartment, just pure untainted silence. I stood at Josh’s door and knocked softly and waited. The door swung open quickly and an amused Josh greeted me. 

“Please never knock on my front door again. My door is always unlocked for you, pretty girl.” His eyes moved and looked over my shoulder. “Ky isn’t with you?”

“He is taking a shower, and he said he might come down later.”

“What the fuck did you do for him to need a shower?” Josh’s booming laugh caused my embarrassment to soar. “Come in pretty girl. Ashlyn and Lachlan are
talking
.”

I followed Josh through the apartment. It was similar to Ky’s but so much more like I would expect a bachelor to live. Blacks and red throughout, the biggest television I had ever seen graced the far wall, and a fully stocked bar took up one corner. Black and white artwork hung from the walls, my eyes instantly drinking the portraits in.

“I ordered dinner. I wasn’t sure what you liked so I ordered a few different pizzas from downstairs. I think it’s just going to be you, Ky, and me if that’s okay? I’m not sure what Ashlyn and Lachlan are doing.”

“Well it might just be me and you seeing your brother probably won’t come.”

Josh’s smirk filled the room. “Oh he would come if you let him.”

“Joshua, did you really just make a come joke?” My question shocked me.

“I did and I am super turned on that you got it.”

I shook my head at his honesty and followed him toward the bar where I propped myself up on one of the bar stools. He had a damn good collection of alcohol on display. Seriously, could he be any more of a bachelor? He turned suddenly and stared at me like I had said the most shocking thing in the world when I actually hadn’t said a word. He remained there, staring at me, and immediately I thought I had something on my face or my mascara had run. The way he was looking at me didn’t scare me; it didn’t make butterflies appear in my stomach like his brother seemed to do; it didn’t make feel anything besides safety. What the hell was it with these Crawford brothers? First Ky and now Josh.

“Drink?” He finally broke and turned his back to me.

“Sure,” I choked out. “Um, can I just have a coke to start with?”

“Of course pretty girl. Anything you want.”

“Stop trying to chat up Eden.”

I jumped at the sound of seduction behind me. I didn’t even hear the front door open, but the feeling of Ky standing behind me sent shivers down my spine and I was caressed by the smell of his soap and aftershave. He moved so his chest was pressed against my back and dropped a kiss to the back of my head tenderly. Josh looked between the both of us wide-eyed and in shock before looking back at Ky. 

“I don’t need to chat up anyone. They flock to me, to us, remember.”

“They flock? Really?” I scoffed and swung around on the bar stool so I was facing Ky. Josh moved from behind the bar and handed me my Coke before standing beside Ky. I sighed into my drink as I took in their attractiveness. “Are you telling me that you two have some crazy brother technique you use?”

Near identical smirks greeted me, and I swear I heard a snort from one of them. Josh spoke with such egotistical delight. “It’s called tag team, Eden.”

“Oh! My! God!” I shrieked loudly. Yes I might not be experienced with sex, but I had heard enough stories from Tori to know exactly what tag team meant. My eyes bounced between Ky and Josh who looked at me amusingly. “You two tag teamed girls?”

“It was once, and I sure as hell didn’t touch him,” Ky scoffed, shooting a stern look of warning at Josh. I watched on amusingly as a silent conversation started between them. I will admit that the thought of Ky and Josh doing that was definitely a good image to keep locked in my head.

“The things you find out,” I teased with a raised brow. “That’s kind of hot though.”

“Not happening,” Ky growled and moved closer toward me, putting his body between Josh and me.

Josh deep laughter filled my ears. “Rightio Tarzan I’m not touching your girl. There is no fucking way I’d let you share her anyway.”

Hearing Josh call me Ky’s girl sent a searing heat through me. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. I wasn’t hiding behind a mask anymore and I wasn’t pretending. I didn’t know whether it was because I was seeing Ky every day and talking to him just about every hour or whether it was because he was so damn confident and told me how it was without regard or fear of my reaction.

“When is dinner arriving? A girl is famished.” Ashlyn’s husky voice rang from the hall and the sound of two sets of footsteps bounced off the tiled floor. She wasn’t alone. I felt Ky’s body tense against me and immediately I grabbed his hand, interlocking his fingers with mine. Ashlyn and who I now assumed was Lachlan appeared from around the corner and stopped dead in their tracks as both of their eyes landed on a highly unpredictable Ky.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, leaning protectively into the side of his rigid body. Ky’s grip on my hand burned with strength. Without a second of hesitation, he twisted his body and stood before me with a face of thunder. My legs parted instinctively and his body was soon flush against mine. My hands fell to his waist and gripped the cotton fabric of his t-shirt anxious to keep him from running. I didn’t care who was in the room, who was watching us with wide eyes, who was confused by my actions. My only focus was Ky and the torment flashing within his darkened eyes.

“We need to leave. We can’t be here.” Ky’s breath caressed my ear as he whispered so pointedly. “Please,” he continued to beg.

“No.”

He pulled away so quickly tearing the soothing warmth of his body from mine. I felt the air leave my lungs the moment his brows pinched together, and his eyes began to scrutinize me. Panic engulfed me, swallowing me whole, leaving my body completely frozen in fear. I did it again. One simple word spoken. No. What the hell was I thinking? With complete desperation to flee I pushed back on the stool, but his strong body was like an impenetrable brick wall and I was cornered. I lost all ability to hear, to feel, to breathe—the comfort I had just felt with him disappeared into thin air. All I saw were those eyes and the unreadable look on his face. Like the world was taunting me, time faltered and then stopped completely.

Before my eyes, his face transformed and softness flashed before me. With a delicate caress his fingertip traced my jawline, and then lingered on my bottom lip while his eyes never left mine. The tension in my body floated away as he took a step back toward me and this time his arms fell around my waist. “You said no,” he breathed effortlessly.

“I’m sorry,” I stuttered, the fear that was strangling me slowly easing. “We can go.”

“Never apologize for saying no. Never.” Ky’s voice was so strong yet pleading with me to believe.

“Eden?” a strong Australian accent questioned. Ky swung around toward Lachlan and by the tension in Ky’s shoulders I knew something silent was spoken between them. “Ashlyn was just telling me about her new friend. I am Lachlan, but my friends call me Lachie.”

“Hi Lachie, it’s nice to meet you.” I held out my hand and was greeted by a strong handshake. Ky remained still, silent, and on guard beside me. The tension in the room was palpable. You could slice it with a knife. “Can you teach me Australian?”

The silence was swallowed by riotous laughter. Was what I asked really that amusing?

“Eden, Australian isn’t a language! Pretty girl, you crack me up. Ky please keep her around, purely for my amusement,” Josh said through roars of laughter.

“Australian slang you idiot,” I retorted and rolled my eyes

Once they stopped laughing at my request we all settled in the living room around the coffee table. Josh had outdone himself with ordering dinner, and we gorged ourselves with pizza. Conversation flowed but I noticed that Ky was sticking close to my side and barely saying a word.

“Are you going to talk to him or at least speak with Ash and see what’s going on?” I asked softly. “I think that’s what you need to do.”

I tried to read the expression crossing his face, but I was at a loss. His eyes beamed of sweet honey, wide and alert, taking everything around him in. I sucked in a deep breath as his hand softly brushed my thigh under the table, and I froze awaiting his next move.

“You’ve got an amazing ability to make me see things I never thought I would.”

He rose from the space beside me, and everyone’s attention fell to him, awaiting his next move.

“Lachlan, kitchen?” His voice showed no hint of emotion. “Josh, you should come too.”

“Uh, sure.” Lachlan seemed unsure, and I knew he had every reason to be. Ky was highly on edge so anything was possible.

I watched the three of them leave the living room and head toward the kitchen, and I sighed in relief. I felt eyes on me, and I removed my gaze from the three men talking softly in the kitchen to turn and find Ashlyn looking at me with wide inquisitive eyes. 

“What?” I laughed nervously.

“I wish you could see what you are doing.”

Okay.

What was I meant to say to something like that
?
A million scenarios ran through my head. I wasn’t trying to do anything. I was simply trying to bide my time while I was in New York until I went back to my comfortable life, with my comfortable home and my comfortable façade. This city uncovered memories I wished I never had and it put me in places I never wanted to revisit; it made me look over my shoulder and question everyone who gave me a second look. And now those stupid text messages were become more regular.

“I meant that in a good way babe.” Ashlyn rose from the floor and grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the couch. Thankfully it provided a view of the kitchen so we could keep an eye on what was happening, not that we could actually do anything if a fight broke out.

My gaze traveled into the kitchen until it found Ky. He stood beside Josh with his arms folded defensively over his chest and his brow etched with a frown as he stared at Lachlan. Lachlan looked animated as he spoke and time and time again he would shake his head. My interest flared as I watched the three men. How was Lachlan possibly going to get out of this mess? He would have to have a good reason because Ky’s anger was on clear display.

Grinding his jaw … Check. Glare in his eye ... Check. Intimidating stance... Check. If Ky had 'Beyond pissed off' boxes, they’d all be checked.

“I love my best friend, he is the best guy I know, but I also know his downfalls.”

Ashlyn’s soft voice pulled away from the looking into the kitchen. I shifted on the couch and turned to Ashlyn and found her eyes on me and worry etched over her face.

“The Ky I am seeing now; the Ky who isn’t staying at work until early hours of the morning, the Ky who is sitting on the floor eating pizza, the Ky who is now standing in the kitchen attempting to make amends with someone who broke his best friend, is different and it’s because of you,” she continued in a rush and her words hit me square in the gut.

“I, ah, I’m not really doing anything. I don’t have much experience with guys so I’m probably really awkward and standoffish. I am actually really nervous around him, around all guys most of the time.”

“Have you been with anyone… since?” she asked softly, and I knew exactly what she was talking about.

“Just one.”

“Was he a boyfriend?”

I thought of Colby and happiness flooded me. Our night together was something I would never forget. For those couple of hours we spent together, he made me feel like I was a goddess who wasn’t broken and that I could actually feel and be loved. He had kissed me and touched me lovingly, and I trusted him with every ounce of me.

“He is my best friend. It was just once, and it meant the world to me. People think he is this scary guy cause of his tattoos and what the press says, but he is the sweetest and most kind hearted guy I have ever met.”

“Hold on a second. Tattoos. Press. Best friend. Holy shit.”

“Colby,” I admitted, and Ashlyn’s eyes shot wide.

“As in ‘the sex god drummer from The Fallen’ Colby?” her voice screeched.

“As in ‘my best friend, teddy bear, sweetheart’ Colby.”

“Fuck me.”

“You’ll get to meet him at the shoot,” I admitted with a smile. “He is a ladies’ man so I am sure he will flirt with a beauty like you.”

“God, I’ll probably die.”

“Please don’t die. You are my only girlfriend here.”

Laughter sounded from the kitchen and called an abrupt end to my chat with Ashlyn.  Standing against the kitchen island, the three guys laughed and drank beer like they were the best of friends and that it wasn’t just moments ago that Ky wanted to physically hurt Lachlan. Ky moved his gaze from Josh and his eyes found mine. I was locked in as he completely dissolved me in one look. He was confusing. The man eyeing at me so intensely, so enticing, wasn’t the man who snapped at me in his office just a couple of days ago. The way he was looking at me now sent shivers down my spine; it made the hairs on my arms stand to attention and made my mind cross to a place that had been closed off for four years. To say that I was dangling on the edge of reality and fantasy was probably the best way to describe it.

Once their beers were finished, Ky, Josh, and Lachlan walked into the living room. Their eyes jumped from me to Ashlyn and then back again.

“What have we missed?” Josh asked as he sat beside me on the couch and his arm fell across my shoulders.

“Just girl talk,” I responded with a smile.

“And by girl talk, do you mean talking about boys?” he teased with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Joshua Crawford, I feel sorry for the girl who finally sweeps you off your feet.”

“I have no plans of being swept any time soon Ashy.”

“Ky, your brother has seriously lost his mind.”| Ashlyn laughed and wrapped her arm around Ky’s waist. “Come make me one of those famous Ky Crawford cocktails.”

Ky nodded while still looking at me closely. Ashlyn pulled him closer, and they walked toward the bar chatting quietly amongst themselves. I turned back to Josh and Lachlan and fell into conversation about Australia. I finally learned some of the Aussie slang that I had originally asked for before realizing that Australian impersonations really weren’t my thing.