“In the name of honesty, Tamara was easy pussy,” Gigi adds with a snort.
Tamara’s eyes snap to Gigi and narrow. “Um, you literally had your mouth wrapped around a stranger’s dick within an hour of meeting him.”
Pike smiles. “That stranger was happy too.”
“Stop,” I mutter, not wanting to hear their mushy bullshit. “I’m not in love with Arlo.”
“Didn’t say love, brother,” Mammoth says. “But she’s under your skin, and there’s no easy way of getting her out. It’s best to just give in and see where the shit lands in the end.”
“Fuckin’ great,” I grumble against the rim of my beer, glaring at Lily. “You did this.”
She lifts her hands, giving me an innocent smile. “I did nothing. I put someone in your path, but the rest is all you, cousin.”
“I’ve been in your shoes, man,” Jett tells me with his arm slung around Lily’s chair. “Just give in and let whatever’s about to happen, happen, or you’re going to be one miserable bastard.”
“I already am,” I mumble against my beer, knowing Arlo’s already fucked with my head.
13
An hour later, I’m standing on the front step of Arlo’s place, hands tucked in my pockets, waiting for her to answer.
The front light is turned on, and then nothing for a few seconds before she says, “What are you doing here?” from the other side of the door.
I stare at the peephole, knowing she’s looking at me. “Arlo, open up.”
“I’m not decent.”
I smirk. “And that’s a problem, how?”
“It’s late,” she says, her voice muffled by the door, sounding a million miles away.
“We have shit that needs to be said.”
“We do not,” she shoots back immediately. “Go home, Carmello.”
I rest my hands on either side of the door, moving my face closer to try to see her inside, even though it’s futile. “No, sugar. I’m not leaving.”
“You had no problem leaving before.”
Bing-fucking-o.
“Come on. Let me in to explain.”
“Explain from there,” she tells me.
I growl, gripping the frame tighter, and rest my head against the door. “I’ll stand here until morning if I have to.”
The light switches off, and I’m cast back into darkness. Un-fucking-believable. The woman has big-ass balls, and she is sporting them for me right now.
“Arlo,” I beg, not hearing her walk away. “Please.”
“Give me one good reason to let you in.”
I let my head fall forward, holding on to the doorframe, my body stretched out and boots firmly planted on the cement. “I could’ve kissed a woman tonight. Hell, I could’ve fucked her in the bathroom.”
“You’re not winning me over,” she interrupts.
I lift my head, staring straight into the peephole, and hope she can see my face. “The important word is could’ve.”
“You should’ve,” she bites out. “We’re not in a relationship, Mello. You don’t have any loyalty to me.”
I take a deep breath, remembering Arlo doesn’t know me and she’s pissed. She’s super pissed, in fact—not about the chick, but because I left without so much as saying goodbye. It was a dick move, especially since I didn’t contact her after either. “Fuck,” I groan. “You know why I didn’t, and you’re pissed at me for the same reason.”
“Nope,” she clips. “And it’s none of my business.”
“I didn’t and couldn’t because, even with her in front of me, offering herself up on a platter, all I could see was your face.”
“Am I supposed to be flattered by that?”
I peer up and grunt. “What are we, Arlo?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you want to be?” I ask.
Silence.
“I thought we were going to be friends at the most— and at the very least, acquaintances—but fuck me, one night with you and…”
The door opens a few inches, and I see half her beautiful face, with her body hidden behind the door. “And?” she asks, her eyes staring into mine.
I don’t let go or move a muscle but keep rolling with what I had been about to say before. “And you’re the only thing I can think about. Do you know how fucked up that is for a guy like me?”
Even with only half of her mouth visible, I can see the small smile. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “Feel better now?”
“No,” I snap. “We have to talk about us before we dig this ditch so deep, the depth becomes too high for us to crawl out.”
She sweeps her gaze across my face. “What?”
“You’re pissed at me for leaving last night.”
“You mean this morning.”
“Same thing, but you’re pissed, right?”
She shrugs.
“You are, and I’m not leaving until we talk about why you’re pissed and why I left.”
“Carmello, it’s been a long day, and I….”
“It’s going to be a longer night if you make me keep standing out here.”
She sighs before opening the door wide enough for me to come in.
“Thank you,” I tell her, walking inside and immediately kicking off my boots.
When I turn around, she’s standing with her head cocked, dark hair up in a messy bun, arms folded, and clearly still not happy with me.
“Stop being mad at me.”
She purses her lips because my words don’t resonate, and she isn’t about to listen without explanation.
“Can I sit?”
“Yep. Sure. You’re inside now. Might as well.”
Her attitude level is maximum. I can’t say I blame her with the way I ditched out, but that has always been my MO.
As soon as my ass touches the couch, I pat the cushion next to me. “Come closer.”
She stares at me without so much as blinking.
“Please,” I ask again.
She moves, and I can’t keep my eyes off her legs in her tight yoga pants, revealing every inch of her body, along with a T-shirt cut just below her breasts, revealing her fresh ink.
“My eyes are up here near my ears,” she says before collapsing onto the cushion next to me, quickly tucking one leg underneath, using it to keep a space between us. “You’re here. Now, talk.”
I mimic her position, turning to face her, leg tucked beneath me, but I sling my arm over the back of her couch. “You have my head twisted.”
She cocks her head and furrows her brow. “How’d I do that?”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head slowly. “But you did. In the last twenty-four hours, I’ve done things I never thought I’d do.”
“Like…” She dips her chin and waves her hand in between us.
“I’ve never slept at a woman’s house.”
Her shoulders drop, and I get the feeling she already thinks I’m lying. “Never?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I always left, or they did.”