Don't Forget Me Tomorrow(2)

Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I let a smirk ride to my face. “You know it. It’s my job to know where you are at all times.”

“Is that so?” Her expression twisted in playful disbelief.

“Isn’t that what friends are for?”

“Friends? Hardly. It sounds to me you’re acting more like my overbearing brother. I swear, if it was up to the two of you, I’d never step foot outside by myself.”

Sounded like a solid plan.

“What are you doing out here, anyway?” I asked.

“I had to pop over to Costco in Poplar to grab some things for the café. What are you doing out here?” She tossed it back at me like she figured I’d been up to no good.

I had been, but I doubted it was what she was thinking.

Shame locked down my throat. As close as I was to Dakota, there would always be a wall. A place I couldn’t let her see. The fucking last thing in the world I wanted her to know about me.

My jaw clenched as I forced out the lie. “Just felt like feeling the wind on my face. My bike was calling to me.”

“A little hot for that, isn’t it?”

“Never too hot for me.” The smirk was back in full force.

With the history around us, I was thankful we’d gotten to this place.

Where we could be easy together.

Friends, even though it was fucking painful being this close to her most of the time.

But I would take her any way I could have her.

She scoffed and turned her attention back to the jack, clearly picking up on the innuendo I couldn’t help but slide into the conversation. Before I could let my brain spiral into depravity, I strode the rest of the way up to her.

It cast her in my shadow where I towered over her.

“Are you going to get up off your knees and let me help you, or are you just going to leave me standing here staring at you like a lazy prick?”

Leaning back, she swiped a bead of sweat that trickled from her hairline with her bare shoulder.

My fingers itched with the urge to reach out and trace the spot. But touching her was the last thing I could do. I wouldn’t taint her goodness with the sickness of me.

“Haven’t you learned yet that you don’t need to ride in like the cavalry, Ryder?”

“I already rode in, Cookie, so you might as well let me.”

I’d started calling her that years ago.

Now there was no way I could stop.

Pushing to standing, she waved at the flat tire. “Fine, if it makes you feel more like a man, then go for it.”

I shook my head at her. “Are you trying to bust my balls?”

“Someone needs to.” She punted me a grin.

I started to move to take her place, but she bent over to straighten the skirt of her dress.

It speared me to the spot.

Her tits were heavy and spilling out of the scooped neckline.

Her hips full and wide and perfectly hugged by the fabric.

Hair a warm brown that was streaked with honey, and she wore it in a high ponytail, the same way as she did most days, the lush locks wavy and draping over one shoulder.

I couldn’t help but envision wrapping my hand around it, tugging her head back, and devouring that lush mouth.

I swallowed hard, doing my best not to ogle my best friend’s baby sister.

Dude would fucking gut me if he had an inkling of an idea about the thoughts I had of her.

Too bad he was the least of my worries.

She moved a foot to the side, and I took her spot, reining that bullshit in.

I knew better.

Dakota was a friend. Like a sister to me. And I’d do well to remember it. Because I would never fucking drag her into the mess that was my life.

I cranked through the lug bolts, removed the tire, then was quick to replace it with the spare.

The whole time, I could feel her attention on me. Eyes tracing.

“You enjoying yourself, Cookie?” I canted a glance up at her. The last of the light caught her in its hazy rays.

Brown hair and mesmerizing eyes.

So goddamn pretty my stomach clutched.

Raking her teeth over her bottom lip, she tried to contain her laughter. “Guess I like you on your knees for me.”

A snort left my nose. I’d been for years, and she didn’t have a clue.

Giving a final tug at the lug nuts to make sure they were tight, I shifted to fully look up at her. “You need to make sure you’re not driving on this for long and take it in to get the original tire repaired or replaced.”

The cock of her head was nothing but a razzing challenge. “I am a capable adult, Ryder. I even own my own business.”

“Know that, Dakota.” The words were low.

“Then you can stop treating me like a little girl.” The barest flash of annoyance hit her expression.

If only that was the way I saw her.

“Go ahead and tell my brother while you’re at it,” she tacked on, rolling her eyes though there was affection woven through. “The two of you are ridiculous.”

“I just care about you, Dakota. About Kayden.” The admission came rough, and the sweat that suddenly slicked my skin didn’t have anything to do with the summer heat.

Thinking of Dakota’s son always got me that way. He was two, and the cutest fucking thing I’d ever seen.

I didn’t know if it was loyalty or jealousy that hit me hardest, not that I had any right to the last.