Truth is, I’m still pissed at him. One, for barging in. He’s known me long enough to know that is one of my things that absolutely irritates the shit out of me. When my door is locked, it’s for a goddamn reason. Secondly, his trying to claim Mazie as property caused an overprotective urge in me that I’m still trying to process since that has never happened before. Normally he’s interested in a woman, and I back off, or vice versa, but not this time. Finally, the way Mazie comes apart at my hands and the connection we shared that night was something that I’ve never experienced, and it scares the shit out of me. Maybe I don’t want to go find her and try to talk to her because I’m afraid of what it could actually turn into. A future. Am I even ready for that?
The setting sun is so bright as we drive directly into it, I just stop fighting to see where we are going, close my eyes and lay my head back on the headrest.
I must have dozed off as I wake up to Bryce pulling through a gate to a housing community that rivals my own where my house is in Dallas. He must have some business with someone here, which would not be a surprise. Picking up papers or something is normal for him, even when he’s not working, he’s still working. This guy needs to take a vacation, and I mean, go to a remote location where they do not have any cell or internet service.
We pull up to the curb in front of a very contemporary style light grey two-story house. It’s smaller than the others that surround it but still huge. A little drab and too bright for my taste. I think houses should have warm and comforting colors, something that says, “Hey, welcome home. Kick off your shoes and come rest awhile.”
“Alright, this is it,” Bryce says as he looks out the windshield to inspect the house. “Take this to the door.” He hands me a letter size white envelope that’s sealed.
“What? You make me come along with you, and now you want me to be your runner boy also. I draw the line, bro.”
“Stop bitching and just go take this to the door.”
“God, I swear,” I grumble and yank the envelope from his hand. I know if I keep arguing, we will be here forever because he will go on and on, and it will be never-ending. With a pop of the door handle, I fire more curse words and name calling back at him as I throw myself out of the car and make my way up the concrete sidewalk to the front porch.
I ring the doorbell and look back at him with a flip of the middle finger while I wait for someone to answer the door. His reply comes by way of blowing me a kiss off his hand, and takes the fuck off in the car, turning it around and leaving me on the doorstep of some random person’s house. What the actual hell is he doing? Is he just turning the car around to park on the opposite side of the street? I watch on, waiting to see what this crazy asshole is going to do next. Well, the motherfucker keeps driving right out the gate that we came in through.
Bryce’s taillights disappear as the front door opens. Mazie. God, I have a love-hate relationship with that man. I hate him for bringing me here, but I love him for forcing me to see the woman I’ve been dreaming about every night for the past week.
“What are you doing here?” She sounds as shocked as I am.
“Honestly,” I shake my head, “I don’t know. Bryce literally just dropped me off and ditched me.”
“Right?” She crosses her arms against her chest, causing her breast to catch my attention and my mouth starts to water. Her throat clears, and I remember what I was saying.
“Seriously, he gave me this and told me to take it to the door.” I pass the envelope to her. She grabs it with hesitation and opens it.
Dearest Dr. Hard,
Please accept my sincerest apologies for being an ass, and please talk to my friend. He’s been miserable these past three weeks, and I really need him to be his normal self again.
Thank you for your consideration,
Bryce, asshole, Coleman
She lets out a hearty laugh, and it’s music to my ears. Then she hands me the letter. “What does it say?” I ask before looking down at it, then I read it. “Selfish bastard. Of course it would be all about him.”
“Come inside, I guess I am your ride home,” she says, still laughing.
Chapter 10
Mazie
I had already written this guy off in my book. Now he’s standing in my living room, staring out my window to the lush green landscaped backyard. The one I very rarely go into. Even if I do venture there, it’s only to sit in the cushioned patio furniture to read a book, but then again, that hasn’t happened in months. There’s simply no time for relaxation. I certainly try, but I just can’t. My mind races with all the things I need to get done, yet here he is.
Truth is, not an hour has gone by these past few weeks that I haven’t thought about Grant Darling, his strong demeanor, the way his body and hands felt against me, and those piercing blue eyes that I swear can see through my body and into my soul. He haunts my dreams when I try to sleep at night, so I do not get much sleep. I always wake up with an ache in my core, a need for his touch, and then I have to relieve the pent-up tension in my body the only way I can.
Is waking up every morning and immediately masturbating a weird thing for women? I know guys do it all the time, but do women? I make a mental note to Google that later. My life has been devoted to male anatomy and habits, not female. Guys though, believe me, there are plenty of men that I have as patients that tell me these things all the time. That is normally what makes them schedule their first appointment. They call into the office and say, “I need to see the doctor right away. I could not get it hard when I tried this morning.” Then the appointment desk sends the call to the nurse so she can screen the severity of the situation. Nine times out of ten, they have jacked off seven days straight. We have a standard protocol to go by. Rest for three days and then try again. If it doesn’t work, then rest another three days. After three tries of this, nine days, and it still does not work, then she asks them to call us back and she will schedule the appointment.
“What, are you guys fifteen, passing notes and tattling on the other?”
“Haha, funny. I don’t know why Bryce does half the shit he does, but I do know that I have more than proved my manhood to you,” he replies with a wink and that sexy as hell smirk.
“I have to tie up some loose ends that I was working on. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen to drink or eat, and I will be out in a little while.” With a hair flip, I turn and swiftly exit the room. Was that a flirty hair flip I just did? Why in the hell would I do that?
“Yes, I’d like to tie you up,” I hear Grant mumble under his breath just as I turn the corner. Yes, I could handle him tying me up as well and do what he wants with me. Shit, no. That’s why I walked off that boat and ignored all of his attempts to get in contact with me for several days after.
“What, are you fifteen with only having cereal in your house to eat?” He throws my question back at me, causing me to stop midway down the hall.
“Hey, I use almond milk and buy healthy cereal. Don’t judge. I’m not here much and don’t want to be wasteful with food. Those both keep well for periods of time and are easy to order and have delivered.”
“I get it, but I don’t see even one piece of meat in here.”