Home > Bumbled Love(4)

Bumbled Love(4)
Author: Lila Rose

Grinning at Reagan, I shrugged. “All good, babe. As long as that’s a thing in the family, slapping butts, I could get used to— Fuck.” I coughed out a breath after Carter elbowed me in the side. Yeah, there was no way in hell I would be going anywhere near Reagan’s ass. Not that I was going to in the first place; still, it was fun to tease. “I’ll keep my hands to myself.” I shook my head and mock scowled at Carter as I went by to get another box before I made my way into the house. It was a homey place, not too big, but it’d be perfect for Carter and Reagan to get to know each other better.

When I heard voices down the hall, I walked that way and found a group in there unpacking some things. I dropped my boxes to the bed and ripped one open.

Snorting, I picked out a pair of Carter’s boxers. “I don’t know how Carter can wear these. Though, he told me once he doesn’t like his testes being restricted, which is why he’s a boxer guy. I prefer a tighter type of boxer….” Everyone stared at me like I’d grown another head. “Just in case anyone was wondering.”

Herb huffed. “We weren’t.” Guess I’d still have to work on getting back into his good graces. Which meant I’d have to tone down my charm. It’d be hard, since I was always charming, even if I said so myself.

A noise caught my attention from the doorway. “Jesus Christ, Dustin.” He lunged for his boxers and snapped them out of my hand before shoving them back in the box and closing it. “Is nothing sacred with you?”

“What? We’re all guys here—”

“Hey!” came a voice from the corner. Brooke.

Shit, I hadn’t really taken notice of who was in the room. Wincing, I offered, “Oops, sorry, forgot you were in the room.”

Brooke’s jaw clenched, and I knew I’d screwed up before she threw the box she’d been unpacking to the floor and walked out. She’d forgive me, right? I mean, I was the forgivable type.

Reagan glared as she hit me in the back of the head. Rubbing it, I cried, “What was that for?” I hadn’t said anything that bad.

Reagan shook her head at me, spun around, and followed after Brooke.

Tom snorted. “You two don’t know what you’ve got yourself into hanging with them.”

“What did I do?” I asked the room. All right, I knew what I’d done, but I hoped for a little comradery from the men in the house at least.

Herb looked to Carter. “Is he always that stupid?”

Carter nodded. “Yep.”

“How am I stupid?” I asked. They acted like I’d done the worst thing in the world.

Tom sighed. “If you weren’t on the Wolves, I’d hit you myself.”

Throwing my hands up in the air, I asked, “Why?” I didn’t get the big deal. Yes, I’d forgotten Brooke was in the room, which surprised me since she was a stunner, but it wasn’t the end of the world.

Was I missing something they saw, and I didn’t?

Herb went to say something until Tom placed a hand on his arm and shook his head. Herb nodded. “You’re right. He needs to learn on his own.”

Learn what, dammit?

“And if he doesn’t, we kick his ass. Just not too much. He’ll have to play still.”

Well, at least they still liked me somewhat. Though, what they’d need to kick my ass over, I wasn’t sure.

Since I wasn’t getting answers from these bastards, I made my way to the door. Carter asked, “Where are you going?”

“Obviously, I need to figure out what I did. I’m going to ask the women.” Because it couldn’t have only been about me not seeing Brooke in the room. There had to be something else. I heard laughter behind me but ignored it. Though, when I heard voices in the kitchen, I paused, just as Carter caught up to me. “What are you doing?” he whispered.

“They’re talking.” And it sounded interesting.

“So?”

I pressed a finger to my mouth. “Listen.”

Herb and Tom arrived and leaned in with us as Elaine said, “The only advice I can give you both, without knowing fully what’s going on, is that men can screw up a lot. Sometimes it’s good to just forgive their stupidity. Other times it’s better to make them pay while they grovel for forgiveness.”

Brooke’s reply was quick. “Another thing to do would be to go out tonight, get tanked, and sleep with a random to get over everything.”

Tensing, I stepped back. The conversation kept going and the others stayed listening, but I moved down the hall a little as my gut tightened.

Whatever I did had made Brooke want to go out, get drunk, and sleep with someone.

Why did the thought of that threaten to have my breakfast come back up?

Slipping into the bathroom, I shut the door after me and leaned against it. It wasn’t an easy feat, trying to figure women out and the way their minds worked.

What could I have done to have pissed Brooke off to make her want to drink and… that other thing she said? My jaw clenched, and I fisted my hands as abrupt anger hit me.

Shaking my head, I pushed the emotion aside and tried to put the puzzle pieces together, because I didn’t like the thought of upsetting Brooke so much it would drive her to that.

Brooke had been happy when we spoke down the street before she came to my place to look after Benjie. Even at the house she seemed okay. She’d said she had just come from work…. Wait a damn moment. She hadn’t come from work. Unless she had the day off, but then why would she say she came from work when she’d been dressed in that hot black—

Fuck me, I’m a dumbass.

The conversation ran through my mind. I hadn’t said I needed help minding Benjie. Brooke could have taken the whole thing as me needing a date to the event.

I hit myself in the forehead.

She’d dressed up for me.

She’d come to the house to go on a date with me, and I’d thrown Benjie at her. Then, fucking then, Letta walked in, and now I felt like the biggest moron in the world.

Brooke must have thought me the biggest asshole ever. I could have kicked myself. Shit, I even wanted to punch myself right then and there as my gut twisted.

If I was honest with myself, and if I could go back in time, I would have taken Brooke over Letta in a heartbeat. Letta was a leech. I hadn’t seen that in her the first time we’d met, but she showed her colors when she kept talking about how much I made playing football. I would have had fun with Brooke. I knew it from the night at the bar. She’d seemed easygoing, smart, and a little fiery.

Although, if I had taken her, Benjie wouldn’t have had such a good day. He’d hated all babysitters I’d gotten for him in the past. Brooke was different. They’d hit it off.

Shit.

What did I do now?

Sighing, I scrubbed a hand over my face. I didn’t have a clue what to do. I wasn’t ready for anything long-term, and I had a feeling Brooke was a long-term kind of woman.

I couldn’t deny she was attractive. She was. Her curves were made to be grabbed and held, and caressed, and loved upon.

But all I could offer was friendship. Especially now Benjie had connected with her.

Right, it had to be friendship. I had to put what I’d figured out in the back of my mind and go out there acting like the blind idiot I’d been so they didn’t figure out I knew I’d fucked up.

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