“I meant that in a good way babe.” Ashlyn rose from the floor and grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the couch. Thankfully it provided a view of the kitchen so we could keep an eye on what was happening, not that we could actually do anything if a fight broke out.
My gaze traveled into the kitchen until it found Ky. He stood beside Josh with his arms folded defensively over his chest and his brow etched with a frown as he stared at Lachlan. Lachlan looked animated as he spoke and time and time again he would shake his head. My interest flared as I watched the three men. How was Lachlan possibly going to get out of this mess? He would have to have a good reason because Ky’s anger was on clear display.
Grinding his jaw … Check. Glare in his eye ... Check. Intimidating stance... Check. If Ky had 'Beyond pissed off' boxes, they’d all be checked.
“I love my best friend, he is the best guy I know, but I also know his downfalls.”
Ashlyn’s soft voice pulled away from the looking into the kitchen. I shifted on the couch and turned to Ashlyn and found her eyes on me and worry etched over her face.
“The Ky I am seeing now; the Ky who isn’t staying at work until early hours of the morning, the Ky who is sitting on the floor eating pizza, the Ky who is now standing in the kitchen attempting to make amends with someone who broke his best friend, is different and it’s because of you,” she continued in a rush and her words hit me square in the gut.
“I, ah, I’m not really doing anything. I don’t have much experience with guys so I’m probably really awkward and standoffish. I am actually really nervous around him, around all guys most of the time.”
“Have you been with anyone… since?” she asked softly, and I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“Just one.”
“Was he a boyfriend?”
I thought of Colby and happiness flooded me. Our night together was something I would never forget. For those couple of hours we spent together, he made me feel like I was a goddess who wasn’t broken and that I could actually feel and be loved. He had kissed me and touched me lovingly, and I trusted him with every ounce of me.
“He is my best friend. It was just once, and it meant the world to me. People think he is this scary guy cause of his tattoos and what the press says, but he is the sweetest and most kind hearted guy I have ever met.”
“Hold on a second. Tattoos. Press. Best friend. Holy shit.”
“Colby,” I admitted, and Ashlyn’s eyes shot wide.
“As in ‘the sex god drummer from The Fallen’ Colby?” her voice screeched.
“As in ‘my best friend, teddy bear, sweetheart’ Colby.”
“Fuck me.”
“You’ll get to meet him at the shoot,” I admitted with a smile. “He is a ladies’ man so I am sure he will flirt with a beauty like you.”
“God, I’ll probably die.”
“Please don’t die. You are my only girlfriend here.”
Laughter sounded from the kitchen and called an abrupt end to my chat with Ashlyn. Standing against the kitchen island, the three guys laughed and drank beer like they were the best of friends and that it wasn’t just moments ago that Ky wanted to physically hurt Lachlan. Ky moved his gaze from Josh and his eyes found mine. I was locked in as he completely dissolved me in one look. He was confusing. The man eyeing at me so intensely, so enticing, wasn’t the man who snapped at me in his office just a couple of days ago. The way he was looking at me now sent shivers down my spine; it made the hairs on my arms stand to attention and made my mind cross to a place that had been closed off for four years. To say that I was dangling on the edge of reality and fantasy was probably the best way to describe it.
Once their beers were finished, Ky, Josh, and Lachlan walked into the living room. Their eyes jumped from me to Ashlyn and then back again.
“What have we missed?” Josh asked as he sat beside me on the couch and his arm fell across my shoulders.
“Just girl talk,” I responded with a smile.
“And by girl talk, do you mean talking about boys?” he teased with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
“Joshua Crawford, I feel sorry for the girl who finally sweeps you off your feet.”
“I have no plans of being swept any time soon Ashy.”
“Ky, your brother has seriously lost his mind.”| Ashlyn laughed and wrapped her arm around Ky’s waist. “Come make me one of those famous Ky Crawford cocktails.”
Ky nodded while still looking at me closely. Ashlyn pulled him closer, and they walked toward the bar chatting quietly amongst themselves. I turned back to Josh and Lachlan and fell into conversation about Australia. I finally learned some of the Aussie slang that I had originally asked for before realizing that Australian impersonations really weren’t my thing.
The night soon came to an end, exhaustion was hitting me full force, and all I wanted to do was crawl into bed. Tonight was completely unexpected, and I never thought coming here would result in Ky telling me he wanted to kiss me again, or that I’d have girl talk on the couch and meet an Australian. It was a crazy whirlwind in my head and I was still trying to sift through the layers. After saying our goodnights, I walked out with Ky and waited in the warmed of the foyer waiting for the cab to arrive to take me back to the hotel.
I suddenly felt shy under the intensity of his gaze and his smirk hadn’t left since he walked me down. “I have every intention to ask you to stay tonight, but I won’t because I’d only want you to say yes for the right reasons and I know you aren’t there yet.” His voice was so smooth.
It was about this time that I stopped breathing.
“Don’t look panicked. I’m not asking you Eden.” The cab driver hit the horn as he pulled up and Ky pulled me close to the warmth of his body, placing a sweet kiss on my forehead. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Stay safe.”
Walking into my darkened apartment, I switched on the lights and the space immediately illuminated. It had just clocked over to midnight, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the awkward goodbye I shared with Eden.
So much had changed in such a short amount of time. I was no longer working sixteen-hour days; I wasn’t spending more time at work than I was at home. Fuck, I even had food in my fridge these days. That wasn’t Ky Crawford. She was getting under my skin at an alarming rate, and I was losing sight of what I had set out to achieve in the first place.
The sound of my phone ringing echoed through the air and as I looked at the screen, I was shocked to find Eden’s name flash on the screen.
I pushed the answer button.
“Ky, please come and get me.” She didn’t even give me a chance to speak.
“Eden, what’s wrong?” I asked, rushing back towards the door and grabbing my keys.
“Someone’s been in my room.” Her voice was so panicked and breathless with fear.
My body went rigid. “Eden, go to the front desk. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
I hung up the phone and bolted out of my apartment, determination flooding my veins. I bypassed the elevator because of the time it would take to go down fourteen floors; I couldn’t risk stopping at any floors and wasting any more time. Time was not on mine or Eden’s side right now. I ran down fourteen flights of stairs to get to the underground garage with only one goal in mind. Get to Eden.
I was at Hotel De Luca within eight minutes, having made five traffic violations in the process. As I pulled to the curb, I found Eden standing outside on the sidewalk with her arms wrapped tightly around her body as her eyes darted around feverishly looking for protection and any sign of danger. My car was in park before I could blink and I sprinted from the car until I was in front of her. My desperate eyes scanned her face and her body for any signs of hurt. She was shaking so violently and the look of pure fear on her face tore at my defenses. I pulled her close to my chest, one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders, allowing my hand to rest on the back of her head. She fell into my arms, and I felt the rigidness of her body soften against the warmth of my chest. I didn’t know how long we stood on the sidewalk, all I knew was that I’d give her what she needed until she pushed me away.