My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family #1) - Piper Rayne Page 0,51

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not going to let her starve.”

“You’re a better man than me.” He opens the fridge and takes out his green juice smoothie.

I set down the tray, figuring we should hammer this out now. Especially since I’m starting… whatever this is with her. I don’t want the guilt that Jed doesn’t like her hanging over my head while I’m on the cusp of an orgasm. “Okay, her store is practically ready to go. You can stop with the grudge now.”

He sits at the table and bends to untie his shoes. For a moment, I think he’s going to ignore me. But he straightens, toes out of his shoes, and meets my gaze. “You think I don’t know you want her? Hell, you wear your emotions more than the mother of a newborn who cries at every commercial.”

“How I feel isn’t the topic of conversation.”

“I don’t hate her. I’m still pissed about the building though. I wanted it for us. And we almost had it.”

Jed is a complicated guy. He grew up in the lap of luxury back in Arizona, his daddy buying everything for him. He’s made huge strides so that he’s not that guy who expects things to always go his way, but he can’t seem to stop with this one. It’s over, we lost the opportunity to expand the building, and all we can hope is that Ginny from the doll shop on the other side of us decides to retire soon and doesn’t have some long-lost daughter to will it to.

“I get that you’re disappointed, but it’s not her fault. Plus, imagine what she’s going through.”

He shakes his head. “You’re such a softy. Always have been. Look what happened with Reese.”

As if I really want to talk about my high school girlfriend right now. “Just give Presley a chance. I think she’ll surprise you. Adam really likes her.”

Speaking of, Adam enters the room with his AirPods in. He’s singing “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes. Jed shakes his head at him.

At least Adam’s in a better mood than before.

“Fine.” Jed points at me. “I’ll give her a chance, but I’m not making any promises.”

I chuckle. “Okay, good enough.” I pick up the tray. “I’m taking these up to her.”

“Try not to let your dick accidentally slide into her while you’re up there.”

I stop short at the door, then walk through it, not wanting to get into it with him. I just hope Fisher keeps his mouth shut.

I knock when I reach the top of the stairs, and Presley answers. She’s wearing another pair of tight jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt.

“‘Morning,” she says. If she’s upset I left last night, she’s not showing any signs of it.

“I knew you didn’t have anything here.” I hold the tray a little higher.

She nods. “Thank you.”

I place the tray on the counter, and she goes back to putting on her makeup in the bathroom.

I stare at her reflection through the mirror and work up the nerve to say what I came up here to say. “I think you should stay here longer than you originally intended.”

She stops mid-stroke with her blush brush but starts back up again. “Listen, I had a great time last night and I’m all for continuing that, but me staying here is just going to complicate things.”

“Why? If anything, it gives us more opportunity to do what we want to be doing.” I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her neck.

“Because of this. I’m not sure our arrangement should include you bringing me breakfast. I actually think our arrangement ends much like it did last night. After we’re satisfied, the other party leaves. Anything to do with morning is usually off-limits.” She swivels in my arms, and since she’s yet to put on lipstick, I kiss her, my tongue sliding into her mouth. Her breath is minty as though she just finished brushing her teeth.

The minute our kiss deepens, her arms wrap around my neck and I grab her ass, spurring her to straddle me as I prop her up on the counter. Damn, I wanted to be inside her last night. My morning wood wasn’t nearly satisfied with my palm. It wanted Presley wrapped around it tight.

“Hey, guys!” Adam yells, knocking after he announces himself.

We dislodge so fast you’d think we’re world-class sprinters. I fall to my knees as though I’m looking at something, and one glance at Presley and I see that she looks as if she’s wearing too much