AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Doug glanced at Erika. “When you said you shared a dog with your neighbor Blake, I assumed you were talking about a woman.” Then the man’s gaze flew back to him. “Wait. Blake Wright?” Doug crossed the hall excitedly, his hand outstretched. “Holy shit! You’re a center for the Stingrays! I’m a huge fan. Try to make it to as many home games as I can during the season.”
Blake smiled, returning the man’s handshake, pointedly ignoring Erika’s narrowed eyes staring him down as if she was telepathically trying to tell him to fuck off.
“Nice to meet you,” Blake said.
Doug launched into a conversation about the previous night’s home game, which he’d apparently attended with some work colleagues. The two of them spent the next ten minutes rehashing the finer points of the game, which mercifully the Rays had won. Blake had even scored a goal, so it was easy for him to chat, secretly pleased that Doug was impressed by him. It soothed the ragged parts in Blake that were—fuck him—jealous that this man had gotten to take Erika out while he’d been hardcore relegated to the fucking friend zone.
Erika cleared her throat when the conversation carried on a bit too long.
“Oh damn. Sorry about that, Erika. I guess you busted me,” Doug said good-naturedly. “I’m a bona fide, hardcore sport’s fanatic. I usually try to hide that fact until at least the eighth date, lest I scare the woman away.”
Erika giggled at the man’s stupid joke. “I think I can deal with that. So long as your fandom doesn’t involve painting your face or chest.”
“No face paint.” Doug crossed his finger over his heart, and Blake scowled, annoyed to think this guy was getting too fucking close to that eighth date. According to Erika, they’d had two coffee dates and four dinner dates, counting tonight. Turning back to Blake, Doug gave him a single nod of his head. “It was great to meet you, Blake.”
“You too,” Blake said, proud of how sincere his lie sounded.
Erika placed Corky down, the dog scurrying back to Blake as Doug returned to her. It was apparent this was the part where Blake was supposed to say good night and return to his apartment.
He wanted to do that.
He really did.
But it was obvious Doug was waiting for Erika to invite him in for a nightcap. Blake wasn’t a hundred percent sure how he could stop that if she did, and he was a million percent sure he shouldn’t try.
Reluctantly, he began to move back inside, pausing when Erika gave Doug the brush-off, claiming she was working the early shift at the hospital. Blake knew from the digital organizer that she didn’t have to be at work until noon, and because he was him, he smirked to let her know he knew she was fibbing.
She shot him a dirty look that left him feeling less chastised and more amused as he called Corky’s name, guiding her into his apartment to shut the door.
He hadn’t made it three steps away from the door before it flew open. Blake twisted, grinning widely.
“What the hell was that?” She slammed the door behind her.
Blake frowned, pretending the question confused him. “What was what?”
“Why did you open your door?”
“I told you—” He started to repeat his lie, but Erika cut him off, rolling her eyes.
“Please. You didn’t even have Corky’s leash in your hand. You were spying on me.”
He crossed his arms. “You can hardly call it spying when I was standing right where you could see me. I just wanted to meet the guy. See if he’s good enough for you.”
Erika placed her hands on her hips, and while he could see she was trying to be pissed, he didn’t think she was as annoyed as she was acting. “Who I date is none of your business.”
Blake shook his head. “Bullshit. You’re my best friend, Erik. You can be damn sure I’m going to check out your boyfriends to make sure you’re not only safe but with someone who will treat you the way you deserve.”
Erika tilted her head but didn’t respond. He’d taken the wind out of her sails.
“Why didn’t you invite him in?” He was curious if he’d changed the course of her evening or if she’d always intended to send the guy packing.
“I should have. I mean…I was thinking about it.”
Blake frowned. “Thinking about it? The guy walked you all the way upstairs. Seems to me like you’d already decided.”
She shook her head. “I hadn’t.” Then she glanced back at the closed door. “Oh my God. Do you think I was giving Doug mixed signals? He was the one who offered to walk me up. When he kissed me good night, I was trying to decide…” Her words faded away.
“You were trying to decide while he was kissing you?”
