Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,32

to cut out. "I'm sorry. I think I better just go."

Kellan backed up further, leveling me with a contemplative look. "You don't need to apologize. Did I come on too strong?"

I scrubbed my hand over my face and shook my head. "No, it's not that…" I just have a thing for my cute-as-shit neighbor, and he may or may not be into more than just my cock. But anyway, I'm hopelessly addicted to him, and he gave me back my music. Yeah, some things were best unshared.

His lips tugged into a grin. "It's about a guy, huh?"

My silence was all I offered and he laughed. "Sounds like you have some shit to work out."

Accurate. "Yeah, maybe."

"Well, I wish I could offer some advice, but I've been hung up on a man I can't have pretty much my whole life." Kellan let out a self-deprecating chuckle as he took off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair before slipping it back on. "It's not like I'm waiting." He gave me an obviously look. "But you can't help who you want." He shrugged. "Not that I'm comparing our situations, since I have no idea what's going on with you…"

"Different situation, but I can understand why that would be rough." I leaned my hip against the pool table and folded my arms over my chest. "So why can't you have him? He's not into you?"

"I think I've told you enough, considering you aren't sharing anything with me."

My lips kicked up. "Fair enough."

"We can just finish our game if you want. I promise not to hit on you." His blue eyes lit with amusement and I chuckled.

"I think I'm just going to head out." If anything came out of showing up at Damon's, it was that Kellan was right. I did have shit to work out and questions for Arch. I needed to know where he stood on this rapidly changing thing between us.

Kellan grabbed the cues and loaded them on the rack. "You're going to go hunt the poor guy down now, aren't you?"

I straightened and nodded. "The poor guy is driving me crazy, so yeah, I'm going to at least try to get some answers."

"Well, good luck." He winked. "You sound like you may need it."

Wasn't that the fucking truth. "We'll see."

As I turned to leave, Kellan called out my name, and I paused.

"I can't swear I won't still come to the club." His lips twitched. "I recently heard there's a good show there."

Shaking my head, I gave him a half-salute. "Later, blondie."

I spotted Damon on my way out. Half-naked, he slammed a card down on the table and tossed a smug look at the man who sat across from him as he blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke. As I passed, his gaze flicked up to mine. "You're leaving already?"

"Yeah. Got something I need to do."

"See ya tomorrow then." He glanced back down at his cards as he tapped his cigarette on the lip of the overflowing ashtray.

Outside, I met a wall of hot air and climbed in my car. Cranking up the engine, I turned the AC up while I searched through my playlist, landing on “Little One” by Highly Suspect.

The clock read two in the morning as I pulled out onto the street and headed home. Archer was probably already asleep, so I'd likely have to wait until the next night.

The smooth acceleration of my car as it purred down the road accompanied the words in my head, louder than the ones through my speakers. Not only did I have questions, I knew if I asked for more from him, I had to be willing to give. I needed to tell Archer about Nashville and the notebook. About my mom.

'Word blind and hollow,

I became a void filled with dust.

Rooted in place,

My dreams turned to rust.’

8

Archer

The breeze brushed through my hair that was still damp from the shower as I sat in the cheap plastic chair I'd found in the garage and carried up to the balcony earlier that day. Leaves rustled in the large oak trees, and the scent of lush greenery filled the air.

With the light above my door turned on, I skimmed over the page I'd just finished illustrating.

An enormous ship rocked in the waves of the deep sea. The pirates banded together, weapons drawn, as the sirens came in droves, climbing up the weathered wood planks. Deep gouged lines were left behind where their claws dug into the splintering wood. When news reached