noise isn’t so much the throbbing torment pulsing in my leg, but a car, its horn blaring. “Stop honking your damn horn!” I scream into the bright light.
Looking away, I try to shield my eyes from the blazing light, and that’s when I see her blonde hair fanned out across the middle console. Streaks of blood growing thicker and darker by the second.
How could I have forgotten I wasn’t alone?
Shaking off the memory, I record the workout we just completed, thankful for the life I have now. After the accident . . . slowly, with Reed’s help, I built my body back up, working out and training like it was my profession was the only way I knew how to live my life. It wasn’t until a few years ago Reed and I decided we could grow a business out of what we did best—mass market our workouts to people all over the world, that I started to believe my life once again had purpose. And it’s the belief that I can make a difference in other people’s lives that helps me find peace with my past.
“Let’s go Reed. You have a date with a nice set of tits.”
Grabbing his water bottle, he points a finger at me. “I’m going to ask my date if she has a friend.”
“No thanks.”
“I think you need to get laid, Dude. When was the last time you had a piece of ass?” He puts his bottle down and grins. “A real piece of ass, not some relationship chick.”
Ignoring him, I walk to the car. My dad is a man whoring asshole. Casual sex is not high on my priority list, and Reed knows it. He should keep his mouth shut.
“Exactly, you can’t even remember,” he mocks.
I do remember. Two years ago, auburn hair, hazel eyes, and I recall the experience wasn’t something worth remembering or doing again. There hadn’t been a chick in recent history that had an effect on me worth going back for seconds. The first time in six years that my blood heated at the sight of a woman was last weekend when Addison Peacock fell at my feet. But she’s my neighbor and most likely off the market. Girls like that don’t stay single, and they’re smart enough not to mess with the boy next door.
Every morning that tiny, colorful ray of light is on her balcony drinking coffee and reading some smutty novel. Her dark hair pulled up away from the delicate features of her face, her eyes, soft with the early morning sun and her lips, fuck those lips always deliciously turned up in a sweet and seductive smile that instantly makes me hard. It’s the highlight of my day wondering if she’ll still be in her pajamas or dressed for work. Either scenario has me needing a cold shower, and I’m not one for torture, so I normally turn the water on hot and take care of business on my own, imagining it’s her mouth working my cock up and down, instead of my own right hand.
Packing up the rest of my gear, we head to the car.
Throwing my shit in the back of my 4runner, I hop in the driver’s side. “Random sex isn’t on my agenda, Reed.” Buckling my seat belt, I mumble, “I still have a shit load of unpacking to do, anyway.”
Reed slides into the passenger seat and glares at me.
“What?”
“I know you’re thinking about your new neighbor, Dude. You shouldn’t shit where you sleep, trust me, it never works out well.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
Huffing out a huge breath, he looks me square on. “I did a little research.”
“And?” Fucking Reed and his theatrics.
“And, Addison is an associate at Martin, Feeley, and Partners.”
“The Family Law firm?” My body tenses. “The one representing Emily?”
“One and the same.”
It takes me ten seconds to come to some lame conclusion. “Doesn’t mean she’s on the case, Reed.”
“She’s not on the case, and it’s probably fine, but it also looks a bit sketchy if you’re dating one of Thomas Feeley’s associates.”
“Dude, I’m not dating her. She’s my neighbor.”
Rolling his eyes, he says, “You know what I mean.”
“Feeley is an ass,” I say petulantly.
“I’m not disagreeing with that.”
“Well, don’t worry. My plan really was to go home and finish unpacking.”
Dropping Reed off at his house, I decide to stop by and visit Emily before I head home.
Pediatric Oncology
Room 434
The sign still twists my gut whenever I see it. No child should have to go through what these