Page 13 of Next in Line
The truth is, Miles and I haven’t seen much of each other these past few months. He’s in the honeymoon stage of his relationship, and I’m not about to begrudge him of it…even if it’s not something I ever want for myself.
Kate narrows her eyes at me and then looks up at Miles. “I’m going to go write now unless you were planning to club me over the head and drag me away.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Miles says, waggling his brows at her.
I can’t help but groan out loud. “Seriously, you two…get a room.”
Kate giggles, shoving Miles as she strides toward the customer comfort center with her laptop bag in tow.
Miles props his elbow on the counter and watches her leave. “I wasn’t even worried. I just love getting a rise out of her.”
“You guys are gross,” I mumble as I punch some numbers into the computer. “You’ve been living together for months. I thought the gross stage would be over by now.”
“Not even fucking close,” Miles murmurs. I have to swallow the bile that bubbles up my throat as he asks, “So what’s up, man? How was your weekend?”
“Good actually. How about yours?”
“Mine was good too, but that’s normal for me.” He winks like a creep. “Why was yours good? I thought you were just working and ice fishing. Did you catch a shitload or something?”
I rub my lips together and nod slowly. “Something like that.”
Miles eyes me carefully. “I know that look.”
“What look?” I ask, and I can’t hide the shit-eating grin on my face.
He smacks his hand on the counter. “Don’t hold back on me now, man. You and I have chased our fair share of girls around Boulder, and you’re giving me the ‘I just got laid’ face!”
I press my lips together and remain silent. Miles and I did have some fun times together after he broke up with his ex. We made a regular thing of beers after work and girls after dark. But since I’ve started working on taking over Tire Depot and he’s started spending time with Kate, we haven’t talked as much as we used to.
Miles lifts his brows, his blue eyes expectant as he says, “Oh come on, give me some details. I haven’t been out with you for months. I know nothing about your love life anymore.”
I freeze and stare at him.
He stares back. “I’m really embarrassed that just came out of my mouth.”
“No shit,” I reply.
He rolls his eyes. “It’s not my fault, man. I’m living with a romance novelist. She has me like…verbalizing shit now.”
“Do you get to verbalize dirty shit too, I hope?” This is a question only a true wingman can ask. It’s my responsibility to make sure my buddy’s balls stay intact.
“Oh yeaaah,” he answers with a creepy leer. “But come on, I feel like a dick because I haven’t talked to you in a while. Give me some details.”
“Like what?”
He leans across the counter, and says softly, “Like what positions?”
“Come on, man,” I groan.
“What?” he balks. “It can’t be any crazier than the shit my girl writes in her books.”
I exhale heavily and prepare for the assault that’s to come when I tell him the truth. “We didn’t hook up…we just kissed.”
Miles slow blinks at me. “You’re smiling like that over just a kiss?”
I touch my jaw because I hadn’t even realized I was smiling. “It was an epic kiss, I guess.”
He blinks again, clearly unable to process my response. “Okay, so where’d you meet this epic kisser?”
