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We dropped Tia off first to make sure she got home safely. Then the four of us headed back to the building.
Once inside, Brayden went on ahead of the pack to his apartment while Owen seemed to be following me back to mine, and he then decided to linger in front of my place. I knew he was doing it because he wanted to make sure I went to my apartment and not to Lala’s, or vice versa. God, he was such a dick sometimes.
But even when Lala had bid us both goodnight and disappeared inside her apartment, Owen still hung around.
“Can I help you?” I asked as he followed me inside my place.
“Just making sure you don’t do anything stupid, my friend.”
“You don’t need to babysit me.”
“Not babysitting you. Just looking out for Ryan’s little sister.”
I opened my fridge to grab a water. “What makes you think I haven’t had multiple opportunities to tempt her that I’ve passed on? You seem to think I can’t be trusted when all I’ve been fucking doing is staying on my best behavior. In fact, being good is nearly killing me.”
“I don’t believe that you’d pass up an opportunity to go in for the kill if she really weakened to your charms.”
He had no freaking clue. I slammed my water bottle on the counter. “Do you have any idea how much restraint I’ve exhibited, Owen? Let me tell you!” I paused, giving myself one last chance to stop before saying fuck it. “I slept in the same goddamn bed as her that night we had to stay in a hotel together. Because she insisted I not sleep on the floor. Then sometime after she fell asleep, she unknowingly pushed her ass right against my dick. You know what I did? I fucking moved. Put some space between us. Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life aside from burying my best friend. So tell me I don’t have restraint,” I spat. “Tell me!”
I stopped short of telling him about the timed, mutual peep show she and I had done. Details. That I would take to my grave.
Owen kept blinking, as if trying to process. “You slept in the same bed?”
“That’s the part you’re stuck on? Did you not hear everything else I just said?”
“Yeah. I heard you, and I still can’t believe it. Ultimately, it was your decision to get into that bed, even if it was her suggestion.”
“Sue me for wanting to sleep in a warm bed.” With Lala.
He pointed up at the ceiling. “You do realize Ryan can probably see everything you’re doing from wherever he is?”
While that idea made me cringe, I snapped back, “You know what, Owen? If he could really see inside my head, he’d know how damn hard I’ve been trying to do the right thing and control my actions. Feelings? They’re not so easy to control. I made a decision not to cross a certain line with her as long as she’s engaged. Because of my feelings for her, I’ve toed the line—I admit it. But I haven’t crossed it, even though I wanted to a long time ago. You got to give me some credit for that.”
Owen just stood there, shaking his head. Then he rubbed his eyes and muttered, “You know what? It’s late. I’m going to sleep.”
I smirked. “I love shutting you up almost as much as I love proving you wrong. When I get to do both at once? Even better.”
“Don’t get too confident, jackass.” He pointed to his eyes then back at me. “I’m still going to be watching you.”
I gave him the finger. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t you find yourself a woman so you’re not constantly up in my business?”
“Find me someone I’m interested in,” he said as he opened the door to leave.
“I’ll have to go to Mars,” I called after him as he headed down the hall. “Because you’re the pickiest motherfucker on the face of the Earth.”
Feeling restless after he left, I took a shower before going to bed. But I was still wide awake as I sat up against my headboard.
Then Lala sent me a text.
A flash of panic hit as I worried she’d heard our conversation through the wall. But her text was about something else.
Lala: Why do you keep a photo of me, you, and Ryan in your wallet?
Oh. When she’d admitted to going through my wallet, I’d been more concerned with the condoms in there and hadn’t even thought about that photo. I could’ve told her the truth—that I loved her smile in that photo and it made me happy to have two of my favorite people in the same shot. But then I reminded myself of my vow to Owen—that I’d do everything I could not to encourage anything between us while she was engaged. I needed to keep myself in check.
