Her eyes widened as she turned to look at me before putting the window down.
“Hello, Lover. Did you miss me?”
Was she drunk?
Reese was a goofy drunk, and I’d always loved when she got a little tipsy because she was a lightweight, and all she did was laugh when she was intoxicated. But Carl was looking at her like she was his next meal, and I was fucking livid.
Did I have a right to be this mad?
Hell yeah, I did. What kind of actor would I be if I allowed shit to go on under my nose?
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but I suggest you take your ass home and meet up with your own woman,” I growled.
Reese unbuckled herself, and I tugged the door open. When she stepped out, I wrapped an arm around her neck and covered her mouth with mine. Her lips parted immediately, inviting me in. My tongue tangled with hers, and she molded her tight little body against mine.
I pulled back and stroked her bottom lip with my thumb. “Better?”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice breathy.
I slammed the car door, leaned down to look at him through the window, and flipped Carl the bird before leading her inside. He sped out of the driveway as I pushed the front door open.
“Chewy! You really are the best actor. That was brilliant!” Reese squealed once we were inside. She hurried over to hug my brothers before sitting on the couch beside Hugh. “You guys should have seen him. He acted all pissed off and possessive. I thought Carl was going to wet himself when you pounded on that window.”
“I won’t be disrespected in my own home,” I said as I took the seat beside her and tried to tone down my anger.
“How was dinner?” Hugh asked.
“He took me to his place and ordered takeout, poured me a few glasses of wine, and lit some candles. It was all very romantic.” She waggled her brows.
I pushed to my feet and ran a hand through my hair. “That was not the deal, Miney. I don’t appreciate some dude that you used to date making you romantic dinners when we’re supposed to be together.”
She fell back in a fit of laughter. “Right? It was a ballsy move. He said he really misses me. I’ll tell you the rest on our walk to Garrity’s. Let me go put on my jean skirt. I’ll be right back. Are you guys coming with us?” she asked my brothers.
“Nope,” they both said at the same time and then followed it up by saying that they had to get home.
She hugged them goodbye and jogged toward my bedroom to change her clothes.
“You do realize this is all getting a little complicated,” Cage said once Reese was out of earshot.
“No, it’s not. It’s fine. I’ll have to set some boundaries. I’m not going to stand by and allow him to shit on my turf.”
“Your turf?” Cage raised a brow.
“Yeah. He thinks we’re dating, and he’s trying to move in on my girl.”
“Isn’t that the goal?” Hugh asked, keeping his voice low.
“I’m not sure about that.” Cage barked out a laugh.
“It is the goal. But not like this. He can’t just walk in and disrespect me. He’s going to have to work a lot harder than that.”
“Let me get this straight.” Cage pulled the door open, and I followed them out to the front porch. “You’re fake dating your best friend so that she can get her ex back. But now that he’s interested, you have a problem with it?”
“I have a problem with the way he’s doing it. Plus, this is supposed to improve my image. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I allowed him to move in on my woman right in front of me? Not a fucking chance.”
“I don’t think you have the same goal as Reese. You don’t want her to get back with him at all,” my oldest brother said with his brow raised.
“That doesn’t make you a fucking rocket scientist. Newsflash. I don’t like the guy.” I shook my head.
“I know you don’t, brother.” Hugh clapped me on the shoulder. “You haven’t been yourself since she left for London. Maybe things have changed between you two.”
“Oh, I haven’t been the same? I wonder why. Let me see… My costar tried to poison the world against me. My best friend got her heart broken by a pussy-hating-narcissist. Could that be the reason that I’m a little on edge? I haven’t been laid in almost a year, and I just want to protect my best friend from getting hurt again. Is that not enough?”
Hugh nodded. “All right. We’ve got your back. You know that.”