Chapter 10

When I knocked, I was shocked to see the same guy I'd met in the driveway greeting me at the door. My back stiffened, preparing for his attack, but instead, the same mint-green eyes I'd admired on his sister softened, and his shoulders slumped. "Thank God. Maybe you can talk some sense into her." He opened the door and gestured me in.

"Everything okay?"

"Fuck no. Bitches are bad enough when they're with men. Couple them with another woman, and it's emotional overload of the worst kind. She's upstairs."

When I didn't move, he stared at me for a split second too long. He clearly didn't understand I didn't know where "upstairs" was. But before I could point that out, his eyes stared into mine and then slowly caressed my body from tip to toe, lingering on my breasts before he admired my legs, and then returned to my face.

I cocked my head as though to ask if he'd just checked me out and furrowed my brow playfully. With squinted lids, I acknowledged the gesture without verbalizing it. "Mind telling me where 'upstairs' would be? This place is rather large, and we didn't make it past the living room when I was here last."

"Great. Guess I need to have that sanitized the next time the maid's here." He shook his head and quickly blew me off. As quickly as his appeal came, it vanished the way all males' did when they spoke. He pointed down a hall. "Go all the way to the end. There's a back staircase that will take you straight to her room."

The sleeve of his shirt pulled tight against his bicep as he raised his hand to his dark hair and ran his fingers through it. If I were still into men, the way his muscles contracted would totally have melted my insides and soaked my panties. But since I was on to vag, I quieted my inner whore in favor of finding his sister.

I set off in the direction he'd pointed, but I could feel his stare on my back, watching my ass as I emphasized the sway in my hips with each step I took. When I was sure he could no longer see me, I relaxed my posture and took in the countless doors that opened to bedrooms, bathrooms, a study, and what looked like a gym before I reached the base of the stairs. As I hiked up toward Beck, it crossed my mind that I was heading up to what would have been servants' quarters on the back side of the house if this place had a staff. There was an outside entrance at the rear of the house to the right of the staircase, and at the top, there were two rooms. Both doors stood open, so Beck was easy to find, but it was odd she'd secluded herself in these meager accommodations when there must've been ten thousand feet of house she could have picked from.

The instant she saw me, Beck stood and came toward me, and threw herself into my arms. "Thank you for coming." So, men were pricks, and women were a little dramatic-it seemed both genders had their drawbacks.

"Yeah, no problem." I hugged her and let her cry on my shoulder for far too long before I pushed her back to see why her face was puffy and swollen. "What's wrong? Collier being an ass?"

"What? Oh, no. He's fine."

"Then why are you crying?"

I spent the next three hours listening to Beck's female problems. I knew she'd recently broken up with her girlfriend, Stella, but she'd downplayed the seriousness and extent of their relationship. A lot. I had no idea they'd been seeing each other for four years. Nor did I know they'd lived together for three of those years. Stella had kicked Beck to the curb when Beck refused to quit living like a teenager and actually expected her to contribute to the household bills. Of course, that was my version of events-that certainly wasn't how Beck presented her account.

"Wait, so this isn't your house?"

She laughed through her tears and tossed herself back onto the bed. "God, no. Are you kidding? Collier is just letting me crash here until I get back on my feet. I could never afford to live in a place like this, much less own it."

Jesus. I hadn't had this conversation since I was twenty, and even then, I'd been irritated by the damsel-in-distress calls I'd gotten from my friends. This chick was approaching forty and still hadn't gotten her shit together. No wonder she was downing Ben & Jerry's naked on a couch. Fuck, if this were my life, I'd be elbow-deep in a pint of Half Baked or The Tonight Dough.

"Maybe she has a point, Beck."

Taking Stella's side was the wrong approach. I didn't know this girl, but I didn't deal well with ignorant females who thought the world owed them something-men either for that matter. I didn't discriminate on this topic. My job wasn't anything to shout from the rooftops, but it paid the bills, and I took care of myself. I lived within my means.

"You don't understand, Giselle. I'm not made like that."

"Like what? To be a partner?"

She cut her eyes at me, likely regretting her decision to call me for backup.

"I'm not trying to be a bitch. Clearly, I have my own relationship issues. But if you don't want to be part of a cohesive pair, then let her go. There are tons of women out there looking for someone to adorn their arm."

"Just not you?"

"Wait. I thought we were talking about you and Stella."

Her features softened, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I just thought maybe you'd want to take care of someone. And in return, let them take care of you." She raised her brows in a motion that almost asked a question.

I let out a sigh and leaned back on the headboard next to Beck. "You realize I've never even made it to second base with a female, right? And the last five years of my life with men have been nothing but bootie calls. I don't do relationships. I tried it-it failed. One marriage was enough to prove to me men can't be faithful. I wish I had answers, but the truth is, I don't know what I want these days, much less how to satisfy someone else."

"So you were just fucking with my head?" There wasn't enough oomph in her words to turn this into an argument. She sounded defeated more than anything.

I picked at the pillow now sitting in my lap. My voice was low and soft. I liked Beck, but Ronnie was right. I'd friend-zoned her. "No. And I was honest with you about never having done any of this before. I haven't led you on, Beck. Hell, we've only hung out twice. Most of our conversations have been via text or on the phone. But if you're looking for another woman to take care of you, you might want to reevaluate what you're willing to give to get that."

Together we hatched a plan. A blueprint of sorts. Beck just needed guidance. I never would have thought anyone would take advice from me, but here we sat. She'd been taken care of her entire life. When her parents died in her early twenties, she quickly blew through her inheritance because she hadn't learned jackshit about how to take care of herself. Collier was an anomaly, but I didn't ask how he'd fared so well. All I knew was he couldn't be half bad if he took his sister in and had made sure she was taken care of for nearly twenty years.

"So, I just strolled up to your brother's house after midnight and knocked on the door?" It hit me like a ton of bricks. I hadn't even been nice to the guy. If anything, I'd acted just like his sister. Fuck.

She waved me off. "He doesn't care. You got me to stop crying, and he got to stop listening."

I yawned for the twelfth time in ten minutes. I couldn't stay awake much longer. "You good?"

"Yeah." She looked over at me with a gentle smile, but this one wasn't filled with lust. Somewhere in those gorgeous, green eyes hung gratitude. "You want me to walk you down?"

I patted her on the leg. "Nah. It's okay. I'll let myself out. Call me tomorrow after you talk to Stella and let me know how it went. You can fix this if you want. Just give her some time."

I closed her door behind me and softly padded down the back stairs, passed the unused bedrooms, bathrooms, office, and gym, and back to the foyer. Two steps before I reached the door, Collier stopped me.

"You going to be okay to drive home? I can take you." Sleep deprivation wasn't good for me. This guy actually seemed likable, which was a far cry from the asshat I'd met in the driveway.

"As much as I'd love to drive your 911, I'll be fine."

His laugh bounced off the walls, creating a symphony of sound. "Never gonna happen."

"We'll see." My bravado shocked even me. It was way too late for arrogance, and I'd given up men. This was starting to feel more like Lent than a lifestyle. "Goodnight, Collier."

"West."

"Huh?" It was three in the morning, and I was confused.

"My friends call me by my last name. West."

I bobbed my head in understanding, and he opened the door. I ducked under his arm. And, with a wiggle of my fingers over my right shoulder, I waved goodbye. He watched from the doorway and smiled when my Camaro roared to life. It wasn't a 911, but she was still respectable.