The Girl Next Door Read online

I closed my lips around the spoon and nodded.

  Kai rolled his head to look at me. “Is it working?”

  Frowning, I replied, “Is what working?”

  “You told me free food is the way to your heart. Is it working?”

  My cheeks burned and I looked down into the carton of ice cream.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said smugly.

  “Oh, shut up,” I muttered. “You already wormed your way into my uterus. My heart is pretty inconsequential at this point.”

  Kai shuffled along the sofa until he was right against me. He took the carton and the spoon from me, then grabbed my ankles so that my legs were resting over his lap. He stretched out his arm on the back of the sofa and leaned into me, using this other to cup my chin.

  He brushed his thumb along my lower lip, and his gaze caught mine, holding mine in place. My breath hitched as he leaned in, and I knew he was going to kiss me.

  I was still surprised when he did.

  His lips were warm, a stark contrast to the chill of my own thanks to my ice cream. It made the kiss feel even more intense even though it was just the barest of touches.

  God, that felt like an understatement.

  I felt it everywhere, right down to my bones, and his skin pebbled beneath my touch as I wrapped my fingers around his bicep to lean up into the kiss.

  It was magic.

  For a moment, one magical, wonderful moment, I forgot everything that was going on and just enjoyed being kissed by him.

  And honestly, I could have let him kiss me all night. I could have stayed here, on the sofa, wrapped up in him, just letting his lips roam over mine without a care in the world.

  But we didn’t.

  After a moment, he pulled away and adjusted himself on the sofa so we were curled up together.

  And we watched two hours of True Blood, only stopping when I started to fall asleep and he told me to go to bed with another soft kiss.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN – KAI

  “Happy birthday tooooo yooouuuuu!”

  “Fuck off.” I rolled over and put the pillow over my head. Not that it blocked out Anna’s awful singing, but it muffled it somewhat.

  Not enough…

  “Wake up! It’s your birthday!”

  “Anna, you’re thirty, not three. Go away.” I kicked my leg out from under the covers.

  She grabbed them.

  “I’m naked,” I warned her, right as the covers were yanked off my body, exposing me to the cool air of my bedroom.

  “Oh, Jesus, Kai!”

  The sheets fell to the floor in whoosh, and I chuckled at the sound of my bedroom door slamming. In my defense, I’d warned her. Probably not in enough time, I admit, but she should have known better than to pull the covers off me.

  She’d been staying here for nearly three weeks. It wasn’t exactly the first time my sister had accidentally seen my balls in recent days.

  Note to self: lock the bathroom door before showering.

  Now that I was cold and awake and my balls were probably the size of marbles, I rolled over with a groan and sat up.

  This was not the start to my birthday I had in mind. In fact, all I had in mind was going to work, getting dinner, checking in on Ivy, and going to bed. I’d gotten bored of my birthday a long time before now, and all I had to celebrate at twenty-nine was the fact I only had one year left until I was officially thirty.

  Something about thirty sounded a hell of a lot older than twenty-nine.

  Not in terms of age, per se, but in terms of maturity. Like I should be married with kids in a cute little house and have a Labrador.

  Not a fake marriage with my next-door neighbor, a baby conceived in a drunken one-night stand, a rented apartment, and no pets.

  Unless my sister counted because she was sure as shit starting to feel like one.

  I dragged myself out of bed and tugged on some boxers and shorts before I left the room and walked into the living room.

  I froze.

  There was a huge banner strung up at the window that screamed happy birthday, and there were at least twenty balloons scattered across the floor. Streamers hung from the light fixtures, giving the room a very happy-first-birthday look as opposed to… happy twenty-ninth time of doing this bullshit.

  “What,” I said slowly, “Have you done to my poor apartment?”

  Anna stood in front of me and slowly, purposefully, blew out one of those little horn tooter things.

  “I’m going to work,” I muttered, turning away from the birthday explosion in front of me.

  She dropped the tooty horn and stared at me. “It’s six-thirty, Kai. That’s too early.”

  “I’ll walk,” I replied dryly.

  “I baked you a cake.” Her tone was bright. “With sprinkles.”

  I rubbed my hand down my face and turned around, meeting her gaze. “Anna, don’t take this the wrong way, but I think it’s time you went home.”

  My sister sighed. “I had a feeling you were going to say that. You’re right. I’ve been thinking that for a few days, but you’ve been so busy…”

  “If you want to go, go.” My lips twitched. “You don’t need to stay here because you feel some misguided sense of needing to look after me.”

  “Okay, good. ‘Cause I was gonna leave a week ago, but Mom was worried you’d have a breakdown.”

  “What am I breaking down about? The fact I still can’t get some peace and quiet from my siblings eleven years after leaving home?”

  She swatted me with her tooty party horn. “The baby.”

  “I’m not having a breakdown about the baby.”

  “Ivy told me you spent thirty dollars on a bear from a claw machine.”

  “In what world is that a breakdown?” I detoured to the kitchen and hit the button to turn on the coffee machine. “I saw Dad spend more than that on stuffed animals you wanted.”

  She paused. “That’s not the same thing. I was an annoying little kid.”

  “You’re still an annoying little kid.”

  “I’m older than you.”

  “Then act like it.”

  “I don’t wanna,” she shot back, grinning. “What are you doing today?”

  I side-eyed her, pulling a mug down from the cupboard. “I’m going to go take a shower, go to work, check in with Ivy, then go to bed. Just like any other day.”

  “But it’s your birthday!”

  “If you like my birthday so much, why don’t you have it?”

  “I have my own and it’s better than yours.”

  “Are you sure you’re thirty?”

  “You’re only as young as the man you feel, Kai, and I plan to find me a younger man.”

  I grimaced. “Then by all means, please go and find him.”

  My sister grinned again. “Can I bring him back here?”

  “You just said you were going home.”

  “Yeah, but back home is, uh, Mom’s house.”

  I raised my eyebrows as I cradled my coffee cup. “You said he was moving out.”

  Anna sighed and perched on the arm of the sofa. “He was, but our landlord was his dad’s friend. He flipped the script on him, told him I was the cheater, and he took me off the lease. All my stuff is in storage right now.”

  Well, shit.

  “Well, shit.” My mouth echoed my brain. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I’m a single, homeless thirty-year-old woman? I don’t want to move back into our parents’ place, but I don’t have the savings to get my own apartment right now. It went on our vacation that I can’t cancel because travel insurance doesn’t cover cheating scumbags.”

  “Well, I’d imagine they do put that in the small print.”

  “Not helping.”

  I walked over and lightly knocked my fist into her arm. “You don’t have to go anywhere.”

  “Really?”

  “You’ve gotta pay rent,” I warned her. “We’re splitting all the utilities, too, and you’re responsible for
your own food.”

  “Obviously. Although I did finish your Doritos last night.”

  “Then you owe me a bag of Doritos.”

  “Seems fair.”

  “And you’ll stop barging in on me when I’m naked.”

  “Hey, you should start locking your doors.”

  “Fair point,” I acquiesced. “How about we both agree to knock?”

  “Done.”

  We shook on it because we were, you know, adults.

  Although I did think she was going to spit in her hand there for a little while…

  “I’m gonna take a shower,” I said, finishing my coffee. “And I’ll lock the door.”

  Anna clicked her tongue and pointed a finger gun at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her and headed to the bathroom for my shower. It was hot and quick, and only a few minutes had passed when I was done.

  I locked myself in my bedroom and checked my phone. There were three unread messages, all from Ivy. Panic flashed through me, and I rushed to unlock my phone and read them.

  IVY: Do you know why there are streamers in the hall?

  IVY: Oh, I just saw your sister. Never mind.

  IVY: I didn’t know it was your birthday.

  I had a lot of ways I could answer those texts, so I went for the one that avoided my birthday entirely.

  ME: Why are you awake so early? And in the hall?

  IVY: …Funny story.

  ME: I got time.

  IVY: I woke up to pee and felt sick.

  I knew where this was going.

  IVY: Went to get water and the trash can was the nearest safe place, so I had to take the bag out.

  ME: Are you okay?

  IVY: No.

  ME: Why? What’s wrong? Do you need me to come over?

  IVY: I’m mad you didn’t tell me it was your birthday.

  I sagged back onto the bed. What was it with women and birthdays? Was it a general female thing, or had I merely surrounded myself with birthday lovers?

  ME: I don’t really celebrate my birthday.

  IVY: HOW CAN YOU NOT CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY?

  ME: I just… don’t. And no, before you ask, there’s no unresolved childhood trauma there. I just think it’s pointless, and I don’t need to hear about how I kept my mother in labor for thirty-nine hours before my fat head made its entrance into the world.

  IVY: You don’t have a fat head.

  ME: I thought you would focus on the thirty-nine hours of labor thing.

  IVY: If you mention that again, this will be your last birthday.

  IVY: Actually, if that happens, this will be your last birthday.

  I snorted and sat back up, quickly exchanging my towel for some boxers.

  ME: Duly noted. I’ll be sure to have words with the baby.

  IVY: I doubt it’ll listen to. It’s a girl.

  ME: You don’t know that.

  IVY: I absolutely know it.

  ME: How do you know that?

  IVY: *taps temple with finger*

  ME: If you say so.

  IVY: I do.

  IVY: Now why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?

  ME: I just told you. I don’t celebrate it. It seemed ridiculous to tell you.

  IVY: Hmph.

  IVY: I just put it in my calendar. Now I won’t forget.

  ME: Great. I can’t wait until next year.

  IVY: I’m not sure I can top your sister. Judging by the hall, I bet your apartment looks fun.

  ME: It looks like a party store threw up. It’s awful. I hate it.

  IVY: LOL she’s just trying to be nice.

  ME: It doesn’t suit her. And now she’s living here forever, I’d rather she didn’t.

  IVY: She’s moved in?

  ME: Long story. I’ll tell you later. Want to get dinner tonight?

  IVY: Like a date?

  ME: If you want it to be.

  IVY: It’s your birthday. It’s up to you.

  ME: …Then it’s a date.

  IVY: See? You just coerced a date out of me for no reason other than it’s your birthday. How can your birthday be bad?

  ME: You’re right. You might convert me yet.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN - KAI

  I put the truck into park in the lot outside Bronco’s and got out. The bar was lively, with music pounding out through the windows, and the chatter and laughter of everyone inside screamed into the evening as the door swung open and a family left.

  I caught the door before it closed over and stepped inside. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the rich scent of the amazing food filtered through the air and assaulted my nostrils.

  Oh, God. I was so fucking hungry.

  I scanned the room for Ivy. I knew she was here because she’d been working, but her shift was over at seven-thirty and it was a little past that already.

  I jolted as someone pressed their body to my back. Two small hands reached up and covered my eyes, and the second the scent of strawberry shampoo hit me, I knew it was Ivy.

  “Guess who!”

  “Santa?”

  She giggled. “Nope.”

  “Tooth fairy?”

  “Nope.”

  “Someone who’s going to get kissed very publicly if she doesn’t let me go?”

  She quickly dropped her hands and stepped back.

  I laughed and turned around. “Wow. Way to give a guy a complex.”

  She jutted out her lower lip. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

  I took a step closer to her and dipped my head. “Well, since everyone here thinks we’re married…” I pulled her against me and closed my lips over hers.

  She squeaked, but she softened against me in a second.

  “Hello, darling,” I muttered.

  “Hello, sugarplum,” she shot back dryly, moving away. “Happy birthday!” she added, extra loudly.

  Two seconds. That was all it took for everyone in the immediate vicinity to turn to me and begin the rigamarole that was birthday wishes. Before I knew it, I had half the damn bar offering me them, and I was half expecting a rendition of the song to break out.

  “If there’s a cake, I’m going to kill you,” I said under my breath.

  Ivy laughed as her parents joined us and repeated the whole happy birthday thing. By the time her mom had kissed my cheek and her dad clapped me on the back and they’d both been called back to work, I was so tired I was ready to turn around, walk out, and go to bed.

  “Come on.” Ivy grabbed my hand and tugged me through the bar.

  “Did you have to tell everyone it’s my birthday?”

  “Yes.” She threw a grin over her shoulder. “Ta-da!”

  I stared at the huge group in front of me. Anna, Josh, Colton, Tori, Kinsley, and Holley were sitting at the table, all of them grinning and wearing party hats. Holley tugged on a string of a balloon, diverting my gaze up.

  Yep.

  Two huge foil balloons—one a two, one a nine.

  I turned to Ivy. “My sister put you up to this, didn’t she?”

  “I did not!” Anna protested.

  Ivy shook her head to agree with her. “Nope. I did it. It’s punishment for not telling me when your birthday was.”

  I ran my tongue over my lower lip. I really did hate birthdays, and while I knew she’d definitely done a part of this to punish me, something about the look in her eye told me she’d done it because she genuinely cared.

  I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tucked her into my side. “Well, it’s not the worst thing a guy could do on his birthday.”

  Ivy rolled her eyes and sat down. “You changed your tune.”

  I took the empty chair next to her. “I’m trying to be grateful.”

  Josh snorted. “Yeah, you’re doing a shit job. Hey—ow!” He reached down under the table, and I glanced at Kinsley who was smirking.

  Tori laughed and grabbed a menu. “Yeah, yeah, can we do this in a minute? I’m fucking starving, and I’m about to waste away.”
<
br />   Colton looked her up and down. “No, you’re not. Ow!” He did the same as Josh had a moment ago, and I looked at Kinsley again, but it was Tori herself wearing the smug smile.

  “Whoops,” she said through gritted teeth, a fake smile plastered on her face. “I guess I didn’t see your shin there.”

  “Your toes found it just fine.”

  Holley rolled her eyes. “I hate to break up the inappropriate hate foreplay going on here, but I agree with Tori. I’m hungry. I’ve been at the store taking stock with Saylor all day.”

  Kinsley looked at her. “I’ve been there, too, you know.”

  “Where is Saylor?” I asked, turning to Ivy so they could continue their conversation.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “She said something about a date, and since I organized this last minute, she couldn’t change her plans.”

  “Something about a date?” Josh asked, peering over the top of the menu. “She tells you everything. She wasn’t more specific?”

  Holley shook her head. “No, she was weirdly cagey about it. We thought she might be meeting her ex, but we saw him in the store when we bought the balloons.” She motioned unnecessarily to the monstrosities that were bobbing against each other at the end of the table. “We asked him if he’d seen her lately, but he said they hadn’t spoken since they broke up.”

  Kinsley nodded in agreement. “I tried getting it out of her and she didn’t say a word.”

  “Weird,” Colton muttered.

  I met Ivy’s gaze and shrugged. Of all of them, I knew Saylor the least. She was probably the most introverted of them all, which meant you rarely saw her outside the bookstore unless she was with everyone else.