Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,39

reflection.

Lost in memories of my path—

How I'd lost my direction.

Then there was you,

My unexpected muse.’

P.S. I didn't want to wake you but I had to head out. If Isaac finds me in your room, it's possible he'll sneak a dick and balls into my next tattoo. I do think we should tell him though, because I don't want to sneak around. Not with you. Not ever.

Extracting myself was difficult when he'd all but pinned me to the bed, but I worked my way free and left the notebook open on his desk. Leaning down, I kissed the tip of his nose that immediately scrunched at the contact.

I gathered my clothes from the floor and quietly dressed. With one last lingering glance at his sleeping form, I silently slipped through the sliding glass door and climbed back down the way I'd come.

Running late because I'd slept past my alarm, I rushed through a shower, dressed, grabbed my things and shoved my shoes on by the front door.

I squinted as the midday sun blazed bright in the sky. It was scalding hot outside and the humidity sat thick in the air as I locked the door behind me.

On a mission to find some fucking air conditioning, I strode toward my car.

I tossed a small bag full of new uniforms I intended to wear tonight into the cramped backseat and then ducked into the driver’s seat.

The leather seats had baked in the sun, and the heat seeped through the random pair of jeans I'd thrown on. Cursing, I cranked the AC on full blast, slinging out expletives at the immediate punch of hot air that blew through the vents.

The time showed me I was already ten minutes late, and I still had a fifteen-minute drive to the club. I grabbed my phone and shot Desi a quick text that I was on my way.

Just as I shifted into reverse, movement next door caught my eye. Isaac was marching across the lawn, holding up a hand to stop me.

Tension squared my shoulders, and I braced for the inevitable blow as I shifted back to park. The timing and rigid posture with which he carried himself screamed busted. I hoped I was wrong.

He approached my car and gestured for me to lower the window. Once it was down, I adopted a neutral expression. "Hey, what's up?"

His brows rose, and he smirked as he dipped down, bracing his forearms on the window

"Well, I was hopin' you could tell me." He frowned. "The oddest thing happened last night."

Alarm bells sounded in my head, and my gaze shot toward his house. "Where's Arch? Everything okay?"

He chuckled. "Cool your tits, kiddo. Archer is fine."

Relaxing, I realized if he hadn't already known, I'd just given myself away. I blew out a deep breath and sagged back into the seat. "Let's hear it then."

He nodded stiffly. "All right, I'll just be blunt." He cocked his head and studied me with dark brown eyes so similar to Archer’s. "Nix, I saw you climb the fence to Archer's balcony last night."

His tone was calm, and an unasked question was written in his expression.

"Isaac, I don't know what to tell you except that I like him." I waited as he considered a response.

He cleared his throat. "I expected as much. Archer is…hard not to love. But the kid hasn't had it easy, and I know you haven't either."

Many hours spent under his needle had loosened my lips, and while Isaac didn't know everything about me, he knew the only family member I'd ever had was gone.

Archer hadn't shared his story with me yet, and it felt wrong to ask Isaac to spill, but I couldn't leave the conversation on that note. My thoughts were jumping to awful conclusions.

Isaac clearly had something he felt he needed to share with me, and I'd have to come clean to Archer about asking and hope he didn't get upset.

Preparing for the worst, I asked, "What do you mean he hasn't had it easy? Did someone hurt him?"

"Not in the way you're probably thinking." He lowered his eyes to where he tapped the window. "What do you know about his mom and dad?" The last word was twisted with disdain.

"He hasn't told me anything," I admitted and that truth stung a bit. But I'd only opened up to him last night and hadn't really given him the opportunity to reciprocate.

"There's no telling if he even would. And that's why I'm here." He shifted as though he was uncomfortable. "He