Crushing on my Billionaire Best Friend - Jolie Day Page 0,23

smiled just thinking about it as I unlocked the front door with the extra key he’d given me. “Oliver? You home? It’s me,” I called out as I stepped inside the dim-lit foyer.

I could hear music faintly playing in the background, and there was a delicious smell of garlic and onion wafting from the kitchen. It carried with it the reminder that I hadn’t eaten anything today but a grilled chicken salad and that ice cream cone. Hopefully, he had already cooked something for dinner. My stomach growled.

“Oliver?” I yelled out again, strolling to his bedroom door. I knocked and flung it open without thinking, barging in on him under the sheets of his bed, making out with what my friend Lisa had coined a “Triple T.”

Triple T’s were all he seemed to have any interest in—Tall, Tan, and Thin. Basically, the opposite of me in every way. And as far as I could tell, he was trouble with a capital T—especially for somebody like me.

“Oh, my God. Shit! So sorry!” I quickly slammed the door shut and rushed back into the kitchen to try and recover from my embarrassment. What was I thinking bursting into his room like that? Of course he’s not alone!

I heard his bedroom door swing open.

I turned to the sound with a smile that quickly vanished. My mouth dropped as Oliver came out wearing nothing but a towel loosely wrapped around his waist.

A perfect déjà vu moment. Dick tent included.

“Laney.” He smiled warmly. “You’re home. How was your day?”

“Uh…it was…I, uh…” I was ill-prepared to be hit with the image of his half-naked body yet again. For a brief second, I decided to let myself enjoy it. He was the one flaunting it around all the time. I’d barely been there a whole day and it was already the third time I had seen him without any clothes on except for impossibly tight boxers or a towel.

“It was fine,” I said tightly, hardly able to fake a smile anymore. “I’m just really sorry about that, and…I’m really tired. So…yeah, have a good night.”

Without looking at him, I handed him the gift I’d bought: our matching house shoes. “Oh, I got these for you.”

“Uh, thanks, Laney.”

I turned for the hallway leading to one of the spare bedrooms I’d changed in that morning. I knew if I stood there one second longer, I’d end up snapping at him. Don’t you ever wear clothes? I should have gotten him a damn robe! Giving up on my wine and a movie couch fantasy, I slipped back into his shorts and T-shirt, then climbed into bed.

After using my phone to express-order a few more basics to be delivered the next day, I pulled the covers over my head and tried to fall asleep before the tears began to spill down my face.

I’d had some bad days crying over Oliver in past years, but this one really sucked.

Two nights.

Two different women.

Neither of them me.

6

Oliver

I was left standing there like a dumbass with the spare helmet in my hand next to my bike in the parking garage. Laney’s steady steps away from me broke out into a sprint around the corner. Why the hell was she running from me like that?

I scratched my head for a moment and shook it off, tucking the extra helmet back into its compartment before putting on my own and climbing on, starting the engine. Women. They’re all crazy. I never could understand why Laney always seemed so afraid of everything. Afraid of going out, afraid of motorcycles… Was I crazy to think she might actually be afraid of me?

I parked my bike outside Humphries Properties and slipped through the back entrance into my private elevator. Only my father, my brother Miles, and I had access to it, aside from Damon. Loved Damon to death, even as grumpy as he was. He still liked to join us for long motorcycle rides, which was more than I could say for Laney, who wouldn’t even humor me on the back of my bike for a short ride through the city.

I took the elevator up to our private floor where Miles, Damon, and I had our offices. I nearly jumped when my chair swiveled around in front of me, revealing Miles sitting at my desk, waiting.

His hair was thicker and darker than mine, and his blue eyes carried an eternal devilish spark—hinting at the mischief he constantly seemed to be scheming in his head. Plus, a charming smile to match