Always Remember (Memories #2)(4)
Author: Emma Hart

Bing is sex on legs and then some, and he knows it. He knows he’s got that sexily styled messy hair that looks like he’s just run his fingers through it, and he knows his smoky, mocha brown eyes can draw you in to another world with just one look. He also knows he has a better six pack than Carlsberg could ever dream of making.

Him knowing it is the problem because he flaunts it every second he gets. Like this morning, when he came out of the shower wearing nothing but a little white towel. I’m pretty sure my face went seven shades of pomegranate and well, if I was a lesbian, which I’m definitely not, the sight of him all wet and dripping would have made me straight again.

I shake my head and unlock my flat door. I think I’m mentally disturbed. I just broke up with my boyfriend of three years and I’m dreaming about licking water droplets off my best friend’s brother.

God, someone call the men in white coats or, better – pass me the vodka.

I nudge the door shut with my hip and set my suitcase down against the wall. After a day of travelling, being attacked by my crazy yet loveable niece, that final day in Lilac Bay, and a night sleeping next to the guy who has inappropriately appeared in my dreams for the last six months, I’m ready for a holiday abroad. Or maybe, if I’m lucky, a trip to space.

Crap on a lollipop. I shake my head at myself, and chuck my coat on the sofa. My phone rings, and I jump, my heart thudding. Okay, it’s too damn quiet here.

“Hello?” I hold it to my ear.

“Are you back? Mum said you were stranded with Bing. You have no idea how sorry I feel for you right now!” Lexy exclaims.

“Considering you’re ringing on the landline phone then yes, I am home, you moron.” I laugh. ‘“And you have no idea how torturous it was.”

“Torture? Tell me more.”

I can envision her sitting down with Alec leaning in to listen. “Your mum rang ahead and booked us two rooms, or so we thought. We get there and there’s only one. Your brother, the f**king genius he is decided that because it was a double bed, we’d share. I wanted to toss him into the snow.”

“And he sleeps naked,” Lexy muses.

“I’msorrywhatdidyoujustsay?” I spit out without breathing. “Naked?!”

I had that fine, naked piece of ass next to me all night and I didn’t even realise?! Wait, “fine, naked piece of ass?” Mother Nature must be on her way ‘cause this is definitely my hormones.

“Mm, he usually does. I think its habit from when he used to sleep around,” she explains almost apologetically. “I don’t know if he did last night though. Probably not.”

I remember the way he leaned over me, his lips millimetres from mine. “He probably did. It’d be just like him to do that.”

“You have a point. But he didn’t crash you into a lamppost or anything, did he?”

“No, if he did I would have crashed his ass into a tree or something.” I shrug even though she can’t see me and take the orange juice from the fridge.

“I don’t doubt it. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you got back okay. We’ll be back in like ten days.”

“I’m fine. How is… Um, how’s Carl?” I flinch at the guilt that slices through me. Wait, I don’t have anything to be guilty about, do I? Oh, I am so not on board with this self-doubt shit.

“He’s… Okay, actually.” I imagine her frowning. “I dunno, this was for the best, Jen. Neither of you have really been happy lately, have you?”

“No, I don’t think so. The arguments and all that crap was just wearing us down. We were trying to hold onto something that slipped away a long time ago. We have totally different paths in life. He’s happy to stay in that small town and I’m… not. You know, there’s a part of me that wishes he could be more like Alec.”

“Why?” She’s incredulous.

“He followed you to London because he couldn’t be without you. For everything me and Carl shared, he never did that. He didn’t even visit me once. But it’s done now, right?” I put the carton down.

“Jen, are you okay?”

“I am. Really, I’m fine. I guess I’m just a little upset things had to end the way they did, but at least it was a mutual thing.” But not upset enough that I can’t think about your brother in an inappropriate way.

“Okay. Look, I gotta go. We’ll speak later, yeah?”

“Of course. Have fun. Bye!”

I drop the phone, and watch it slide across my counter. There is another guy in this city I could use to get the break up out of my mind, and get my inner Jen back out. But again with the best friend’s brother. The best friend’s stupidly hot here-have-it-on-a-plate brother. Ugh. Again with the inappropriate thoughts.

The photos stuck to my fridge with magnets taunt me, especially the one of me and Bing at Si’s 50th birthday party last year. Carl couldn’t make it up, as usual, so I went with Bing. I sigh at the teal gown I wore that made me feel like a princess, and him in his sharp, tailored suit. His arm is hooked around my waist and we look, for all intents and purposes, like a couple. That picture was taken not long after our almost kiss.

The almost kiss that has haunted me ever since.

I snap out of it and focus my attention on unpacking my suitcase full of clean clothes. I need to stock up on Vino, chocolate, and ice cream ready for this month’s visitor. I can already tell she’s gonna be a bitch.

BING

Did u sleep naked last night?

I frown at my phone and laugh out loud. I think that tops the ten weirdest text messages ever received.

Why? Are u hoping I did?

I hit the send button and chuckle to myself. Jen is the only girl I know with big enough balls to send me a message like that.

In ur dreams, space cadet. I’m wondering if I need to de-flea myself, that’s all.

I shake my head at her. Space cadet? The girl is random as shit.

No de-fleaing necessary. Cold shower maybe.

Ur not that hot.

Not what ur eyes said last night. I smirk to myself, wondering how she’ll come back to that one. I know she’ll have one.

I need to go to specsavers apparently. I must be half blind if I looked at u like ur hot.

I laugh. Loudly. Goddamn, she has enough fire inside her to set this city alight. I’d love to be the one to cool her down for five minutes. Actually, make that five hours. I’d need more than five measly f**king minutes with a goddess like Jennifer Mason. My dick stiffens at the thought of spending time with her… In my bed.