I gave him a weak smile. “I don’t know, man.” But I did. The one thing I knew about Bear is that he’d never hit a woman. He had always been the one to step in and stop us from doing something we’d regret later.

“I deserved the slap.”

“I’m sorry, Bear.” Brandy glanced down at the floor, hiding her face behind her brown hair.

“Nah, Brandy. I was a dick. Forgive me?”

She brought her eyes to his but didn’t smile. “I’m still not fucking you, Bear.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” Bear replied before walking away and leaving us behind.

“What the fuck was that about?” she asked, shaking the sting from her palm and peering over my shoulder.

Grabbing her hand, I massaged her tender flesh. “I’ll tell you later.”

“It better be good.” Her shoulders sagged as I continued to rub her fingers. “That feels so good.”

“I’ll make ya feel better, sweetheart,” I promised, giving her a smirk that I could only describe as carnal.

A greedy smile spread across her face. “I know you will, handsome.”

I released her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Get back to work and let me deal with Bear.”

“I’m counting the hours,” she whispered, turning her face to brush her lips against mine.

“Me too.” I pulled away, letting our fingertips touch as I took a step backward before turning and heading for the table.

I couldn’t hide the smile on my face. Bear’s posture said it all. He was pissed.

“I smell defeat,” I teased as I sat down and rubbed my hands together.

His eyes narrowed. “I call bullshit, Frisco. You had her before we made the bet.”

I glanced around the table, glaring at everyone. “Who fuckin’ opened their big mouth?”

The only person at the table smiling was Sunshine. She never could keep a secret, especially after a few drinks. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck because what was done was done.

“Don’t be mad at me,” she whispered, displaying a sweet, innocent, bullshit smile on her face.

I shook my head and sighed. “I could never be mad at you, babe.”

“He just looked so sad. I couldn’t help myself.” She drew her shoulders up near her ears in an exasperated shrug. “Sorry, Frisco.”

I waved her off. “It’s cool. I’m still the winner in the end. I’ll be going home with Brandy, and Bear will only go home to a handy.” I laughed, but I winced when City grimaced. “Sorry, man. Too much?”

His piercing blue eyes softened. “A little.”

Sunshine just laughed and gave him a quick, playful swat to the chest. “Oh, stop. I’ve heard worse from his brothers.”

“Let’s not forget Izzy,” Bear chimed in.

City turned slowly as he pinned Bear with his glare. “Forget she exists.”

Bear swallowed hard, all color draining from his face. “Forgotten.”

“I better go get a drink at the bar. I don’t think Brandy will be coming back.”

“Grab a round while you’re up.” Tank shook his empty bottle.

“I’ll put it on Bear’s tab,” I called out over my shoulder.

“Fucker,” he mumbled.

“I plan to,” I added, turning around to hide my laughter.

Bear wanted to beat my ass. It was a good thing he’s my best friend or I would’ve been laid out already.

“Hey,” Brandy said from beside me as I leaned against the bar. “I’m getting off early. Bar’s slow. Wanna leave in an hour?”

I licked my lips and raked my eyes over her body, leaning into her space. The heels she had on showed off her calves beautifully and caught my eye. “I’m ready when you are. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into you and taste your sweetness,” I whispered in her ear. The line had been cheesy; I’d admit that. Brandy didn’t need to be wined and dined. We had the same goal—to get off.

“You know all the right things to say to me.”

“Uh-huh,” I mumbled, sucking her earlobe into my mouth and biting it gently. “Now be a doll and bring us another round, and I’ll make all the misery melt away when I eat your sweet pussy later.”

“Yes,” she said, shivering in my arms.

I kissed her on the cheek. “Good girl.”

As I started to walk away, she took the liberty of smacking my ass. The loud music of the bar mixed with the chatter of the crowd drowned out the thwack of her hand. I laughed, shaking my head as I walked back toward the assholes I’d have to kill an hour with.

Chapter 3

Cupcakes and cuties

“I don’t know why the fuck I’m here,” Bear said as he grabbed a cupcake off the dessert table.

I slapped him on the back and he jolted forward. “Because City is your friend and it’s his kid’s birthday party, dumbass. Can’t you be a happy bastard one day in your life?”

He cracked a smile, barely visible behind all the facial hair. “I’m always happy.” He scraped the pink frosting off with his index finger, eyeing it with curiosity. “How was Brandy Friday night, you lucky bastard?” He stuck his finger in his mouth and closed his eyes.

I widened my stance, feeling my muscles tense. “I don’t kiss and tell, Bear.”

He waved me off. “You’re such a liar.” He looked ridiculous with a small dollop of pink frosting stuck in his beard.

“I didn’t see you leaving the bar alone. So don’t pretend you didn’t get a piece of ass.”

City cleared his throat behind us. “Can we watch our language? There are children around.”

I grimaced and knew better. Sunshine would’ve smacked me for such language. “Sorry, City. It won’t happen again.”

“I’m just fucking with you.”

“Great party, man,” Bear mumbled before he shoved the entire cupcake into his mouth.

City glanced around the yard and radiated confidence. “It turned out better than I thought.” He placed his hands on his hips, puffing out his chest as his eyes roamed the crowd. “Suzy pulled it off.”

The yard had been transformed into a pink princess wonderland. Round tables had baby-pink tablecloths with bright pink flowers as centerpieces. Pink lanterns, pink balloons, and pink streamers were tied everywhere. Pink threw up in City’s yard, but his daughter Gigi seemed to be ecstatic as she ran around the party squealing.

Bear whistled. “I thought you decorated this masterpiece.”

“Don’t be an asshole, Bear.”

There was a light tap on my shoulder. “Frisco,” Sunshine said from behind me in a soft voice. She was up to something. I’d known the woman long enough to know when her sweetness had a purpose or a victim.

I turned, giving her a smile. “Hey, babe.” I wrapped my arms around her. “Thanks for inviting me.”

Her tiny hands rubbed my back when she curled into my body. “You guys are like family.”

“The side we don’t talk about, of course,” City added.

“Dick,” Bear mumbled.

City smacked Bear on the shoulder. “Language, fucker.”

“What the—” Bear started, but City silenced him with a single look.

“Everything looks great, Sunshine,” I told her after I let her go.

“Thanks, Frisco. So, I wanted to ask you…” She clasped her hands in front of her as she started to shift on her feet, ready to hit me with her request. “I know things didn’t end that long ago with Jeanine, but I think—” She stopped talking and glanced at City.

He placed his arm around her shoulder. “Tell him, sugar.”

I tried like hell not to make a facial expression that would make her feel bad. I knew where this was going—the classic fix-up for the poor guy who couldn’t get a date.

Suzy Sunshine was always trying to fix everything. Sometimes the heart couldn’t be fixed; it needed to mend on its own…or never.