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“We just dropped her off with Doc and Grandpa for a sleepover. They’ve been begging to keep her, so it worked out. Saint’s stoked about seeing Charlie again,” Nico added with a grin. “He might have mentioned how freaking pretty the guy is. I can’t help but want to ink all that virgin skin.”
The Irishman was going to be the cause of my broken molars one day soon.
“You’re not inking him,” I ground out. Nico’s eyes widened in surprise, so I tried to soften my tone. “He doesn’t have any tattoos, so clearly that’s not his thing.”
It didn’t occur to me until later that I couldn’t possibly know how virgin his skin was unless I’d seen him in something more revealing than the long sleeves and long pants he wore to work every day. I hoped like hell neither Nico nor my brother had caught the slip.
“Anyway, I can’t go. Darci’s…” I realized I couldn’t tell them what had happened since I didn’t know myself. “Staying here,” I finished lamely.
“Oh,” West said, reaching for Nico’s hand. “We’ll leave you alone, then. Sorry.”
I wanted to correct their obvious assumption that she was there for some kind of romantic reunion, but I owed it to her to keep the real reason for her presence at my place private. If she wanted to lie low for a few days, it wouldn’t be fair to feed the rumor mill about her injuries.
“Have fun, and be safe on the road,” I called out to them. At the last minute I couldn’t help but add, “Take care of my coworker. Don’t let him out of your sight; we’ve got a busy week ahead at the pub.”
Was I petty? Maybe.
I heard a chuckle and turned to see Charlie wandering up behind West and Nico with an overnight bag in his hand.
“Don’t worry about me, Hudson. I’m still in my twenties, remember? I can handle a night out and still make it to work on Monday unlike you old fellas.”
“Hey,” I said stupidly.
“You coming with us?” Charlie asked. Was that insecurity I saw in his eyes before he plastered on the smile?
“I can’t. I…” I took a breath, trying to figure out how to say I wanted to come but had to help a friend instead.
Just then Darci came shuffling out of my bedroom half-asleep and took the turn into the bathroom, calling out to ask if I had any clean towels for her shower. None of the men could see her from where they were standing, but it didn’t matter, because there was no mistaking the unintentional insinuation. I felt my stomach drop out when I was sure I saw what looked like flash of pain in Charlie’s eyes.
“Oh,” Charlie said, dropping the smile. “Sorry. You’re busy. We’ll leave you alone then.”
Before he could turn to leave, I blurted, “Wait!”
He turned back to face me. This time the hurt and disappointment were clear as day. My heart squeezed tightly in my chest while West, Nico, and Charlie all waited for me to explain myself.
“I’m… I’m sorry. I just…” I took a deep breath and locked eyes with Charlie, trying desperately to send him an unspoken message of some kind. I wasn’t even sure what. “Have fun, okay? Be safe. Those places are breeding grounds for—”
“West has hand sanitizer and condoms, don’t worry,” Nico teased. “Let’s go.”
As the three of them made their way back toward where West’s SUV was parked, I heard West mutter, “I don’t carry hand sanitizer and you and I don’t use condoms.”
Nico laughed and threw an arm around his husband. “Shhh, you’ll worry your brother. Let him think we’ve got all the bases covered. I’m sure Charlie has condoms.”
I turned back inside before I could hear if Charlie answered. I didn’t want to think of him needing condoms at the club in Dallas. The very idea of it made me want to beat the shit out of something.
When Darci finished showering and made her way out to the main room of the cabin, I shook myself out of the mental pity party and got up to help her settle on the sofa under a patchwork quilt that lived in a basket by the TV.
“Want some tea or coffee?” I asked. “I can make your favorite cheesy pasta if you want.”
She looked up at me with a grateful smile, and I was reminded of the sweet woman I’d initially been attracted to the year before.
“That would be perfect, thanks. But just some ice water with it. I’m probably going to go back to sleep before long if I can.”
Once I got everything fixed and set on a tray, I brought it to her so she didn’t have to get up. I took my own bowl of pasta and a beer and made myself comfortable in the armchair next to the sofa.
