Dick Magnet: A Ruby Romp Novella Read online

  “Well, since it wasn’t jeans I felt against my ass a minute ago, I couldn’t help but assume.”

  “I’m going to blame that snarky remark on the hangover you’ve surely woken up with.” He leans over to kiss my forehead before rolling away and sitting at the side of the bed.

  Grabbing his pants off the floor, he begins to pull them on, and as he stands, I admire his firm ass. I only get to enjoy the view a couple of seconds before his jeans cover up one of his best assets.

  His hazel eyes hold first place, and after putting his shirt on, he turns and uses those mysterious irises, which are surrounded by an autumn forest, to pin me with a steely gaze.

  “Trust me; when the day comes that we have sex, you won’t forget it.” Grabbing his shoes off the floor, he leaves my room.

  What the fuck?

  I roll onto my back and take a deep breath about the time the front door shuts. Ben has never spoken to me like that. I’ve always sensed how much he likes me, but he hasn’t vocalized it since we were sixteen.

  I’ll never forget that night because the disappointment on his face matched the same pain I was feeling inside. Both our hearts were broken that day, and he still has no idea why.

  At the time, I believed Ben losing me would be less painful for him than hearing the truth, but after all the years he’s liked me, I’m wondering if I made the wrong decision.

  After all the years I’ve liked him…

  CHAPTER THREE

  Chloe

  “Amelia, that was amazing,” I say to my piano student. To reassure her, I round my eyes, attempting to exude as much excitement as possible.

  The six-year-old smiles bashfully and sticks her finger in her mouth. I need to remember to wipe down the keys when she leaves.

  Hearing the doorbell, I stand from the bench. “That should be your mom, but first let me give you a special sticker for finishing your tenth lesson.”

  I open my folder sitting on top of the piano and peel off a sticker for Amelia. It has a number ten in the center and is surrounded by cute, pastel dots. I love rewarding my students, especially the adorable ones.

  Grinning, Amelia presses it against her orange dress. She’s wearing it over black tights, and it reminds me of the Halloween party from last night.

  “Thanks, Ms. Chloe.” She skips toward the front door, and I watch her long raven hair swish back and forth.

  Hearing my mother’s voice, I roll my eyes. I wish she’d stay out of my business, but that’s not possible.

  I guess I can’t be too upset since my parents allow me to use their house and expensive piano to conduct my lessons.

  It’s much easier to find clients in this part of Atlanta. The Virginia-Highland area is affluent, meaning the residents can usually afford to pay for private lessons.

  Once my mother stops talking to take a breath, I greet Pam, Amelia’s mother. “As always, your daughter did great.”

  “Ms. Chloe gave me a sticker.” She holds up her hands and spreads apart her fingers. I have another flashback to last night, recalling how I was counting my fingers with Ben. “I finished ten lessons, Mommy.”

  “I know, and that’s wonderful.” She glances to me. “We’ll see you next week.”

  “Perfect. You have a great weekend. Bye, Amelia.”

  “Byyyee.” Giving me one last smile, she runs outside, and Pam follows her.

  “Would you like a snack?” Mom asks as I shut the door. “I have some seven-layer dip ready for our dinner this evening.”

  Ugh, there are beans in that dish. My hangover is better than I deserve, but the thought of food reminds my stomach of how much I drank last night.

  “No, thank you. Mason will be here in ten minutes for his lesson.”

  “That’s enough time for you to eat a bite.” She brushes back a side of her golden-blond bob.

  “I ate before I came over.”

  “Fine. You’re at least staying for dinner, right?”

  “It is the first Sunday of the month.” I give my mother a tight-lipped smile. God forbid I miss one of our monthly family dinners we have with the Ashfords.

  After this morning, I’m not looking forward to seeing Ben. How will he act toward me after what he said this morning? And, why in the hell did he say it in the first place?

  I’m not sure I want him to tell me since it could make our relationship complicated. I don’t want anything to jeopardize our amazing friendship.

  Ben

  “Thanks for letting me crash your dinner,” Nick says as we approach the Carringtons’ front door. I often ask him to eat with us since he doesn’t have family in Atlanta.

  He moved here from a small town in Tennessee to attend Emory University. We shared a dorm room our freshman year, and we’ve been friends ever since.

  “It’s no problem. Mrs. Carrington seems to like you.”

  “She’s a damn flirt. I bet she was a dick magnet back in the day like Chloe and Megan are now.”

  I punch his arm. “Take that back before you’re eating McDonald’s for dinner.”

  “Sorry, man, but it’s the truth. I think Chloe and her sister could be wearing my granny’s house dresses and dudes would still flock to them.”

  I shoot him a look, and as I reach for the doorknob, I think of something he needs to hear.

  “Hey, don’t mess with Megan tonight. I know she has her nose stuck up in the air, but I’m still protective of her, and it gets old having to break up arguments between you two.”

  “She can’t fire at me and not expect retaliation.” He’s not going to listen to a damn word I say, and he has a point.

  I open Greg and Melissa’s front door and stroll inside. I’ve been walking into this house unannounced since I was a kid, and once a month, either Chloe’s parents or mine host a Sunday dinner.

  Our parents were in college together and have been close ever since. When I was six, we moved in next door.

  Hearing voices, I take a deep breath. I’m going to come face-to-face with Chloe any second, and I wonder how she’ll act after what I said to her this morning.

  I don’t know why I said it. I guess I was angry at the way she looked at me. It was as if she was mortified at the thought of us having sex. It pissed me off. I know she has to be curious as to what it would be like if we slept together.

  I don’t get why she keeps up this act, and I don’t know how much longer I can deal with it before I blow up on her.

  Nick and I enter the dining room, and my parents, along with Chloe’s dad, are already seated at the long, shiny cherry table.

  “Hi, son,” my dad, Bryan, says.

  “Hi. I’ll go see if Melissa needs help in the kitchen.” Walking around to the other side of the table first, I kiss my mom, Sharon, on the top of the head. Her dark hair is cool to the touch; I guess from where she came in from outside.

  I start to leave the room, but Chloe, Megan and their mom stride in with bowls in their hands. Chloe’s eyes flit to mine, but it’s only for a split-second, and yeah, this is going to be awkward.

  I take one of the bowls out of her hand and notice that Melissa has made my favorite chicken tortilla soup. She and my mom make a lot of soups and stews in the fall and winter.

  I walk over to sit next to Nick, across from my parents, and I’m surprised when Chloe takes the other seat next to me. It’s probably so she doesn’t have to look at me from across the table.

  “I see you brought the hillbilly,” Megan says before she smirks at Nick and tucks a strand of her golden-brown hair behind her ear.

  “Megan, that’s no way to speak to our guest,” Greg says, “and go change out of those short shorts. It’s only in the fifties today.”

  “Dad, it’s hot in the house, and I’m an adult. I should be able to wear what I want.”

  She glances at Nick, and he gives her a dirty look. I know he’s only keeping his mouth shut out of respect for the parents in this room. Megan’s nineteen, a sophomore at Emory and buck wild.

  N
ick’s an intimidating country boy, able to put about any girl in her place, but Megan doesn’t seem fazed by his broad build or honest mouth. Actually, I think she takes pleasure in taunting the shit out of him.

  Thinking about Chloe again, I grab a tortilla chip out of the bowl in the center of the table and swipe it through the seven-layer dip next to it. I stick the chip right in front of her face.

  “Want one?” I ask. She draws her head back, and I chuckle. “What’s wrong? Is your stomach not feeling it today?”

  “Don’t be an ass.”

  “Damn, I was only joking.” Shaking my head, I eat the chip. I guess she’s mad at me over the remark I made this morning, which means I have to talk to her about it.

  Chloe

  My fingers stalk along the keys of the piano as I work on a melody for a song I’ve written. The lyrics in my head make my heart hurt but not as much as the melancholic sounds I’m creating to go with them. They provide the emotions to validate the depressing words.

  “That sounds fucking sad,” Ben says from behind me.

  “It’s supposed to.”

  He tries to sit next to me on the bench, so I sigh and scoot down to make room for him.

  “Why do you always bail so fast after dinner?”

  Shrugging, I continue to press keys.

  “I’m not much for socializing with everyone while sober, and my stomach keeps reminding me not to drink today.”

  “Sometimes you seem happy when we’re all together, but then out of the blue, you’ll act like you want to be anywhere but in the same room with us.”

  I breathe in his scent of sandalwood that’s mixed with a hint of sweet, and I wish Ben would go away. “Sing it to me,” he says.

  “It’s not finished.” Getting frustrated, I shut the lid and slouch. “You know, it’s rude to leave Nick in the dining room.”

  “He and Megan keep bickering, and I’m sick of it. I needed a break from it.”

  “They like each other.”

  “No, they can’t stand each other.”

  I don’t reply. Guys are clueless sometimes. If Nick and my sister truly hated each other, they wouldn’t speak, and Nick wouldn’t jump at the chance to be around her.

  “What I said this morning…”

  Shit. I don’t want to discuss it. “Already forgotten.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “Well, it needs to be forgotten.”

  “Hey,” Nick says, saving the day. “Are you ready to head out?”

  “This conversation isn’t over,” Ben mutters before he stands from the bench. “Sure. Let me say goodbye to everyone.” He leaves the room, and I’m relieved.

  “No offense, Chloe, but your sister gets on my last nerve, and if she calls me Hillbilly one more time, I’m gonna lose my shit on her,” Nick says.

  “You secretly love it.”

  “Like hell I do.” Looking over my shoulder at him, I grin. He scowls back at me like the thought is repulsive, but I know better. He glances toward the hallway and back. “Since you’re vocalizing your opinion, I’ll tell you mine. I think you like Ben.”

  I turn my head to face the piano. “We’re only friends, and it’s all we can ever be.”

  “He said he’d kick my ass if I ever said this to you, but you need to hear it. If you don’t like him, then stop asking him to babysit your drunk ass.

  “The guy never gets laid, and he sure as hell doesn’t date since he’s always waiting for you to come to your senses. I hate to be a dick, but you’ve robbed him of happiness long enough. If you’re not going to wise up and be with him, then cut him loose.”

  The sound of Nick’s footsteps on the hardwood floor fades as he leaves me alone in the living room. Stunned and trembling, I grab my purse that’s sitting on the floor next to my bench.

  I head for the foyer, but as soon as I reach the hallway, I almost run into my mother.

  “Where are you going?” she asks.

  “Home, and for the record, you ruined my fucking life.” I look behind her, and Ben is staring at me with wide eyes.

  As tears coat mine, my mother’s shocked face becomes blurry. I storm toward the front door and slam it shut behind me.

  “Chloe!” I hear Ben shout as I run to my car.

  “Leave me alone!”

  “Listen to her,” Nick yells from where he’s waiting by Ben’s truck.

  “What the hell did you say to her?”

  “Only what she’s needed to hear for years.”

  As I grab the handle on my white Maxima, Ben slams his hand on the window above it.

  “Talk to me. What did he say? And what did your mom do?”

  “Nick’s a good friend to you. He had the courage to tell me something I’ve needed to hear for a long damn time. Now, get out of my way so I can leave.”

  Growling, Ben grabs his head. “I’m so sick of you shutting me out. At least give me a fucking reason why.” Ignoring him, I jerk my door open, but he grabs it.

  I look up at him in the dark, but it’s still light enough to see his frustration glaring back at me. I feel my hot tears as they land on my cool cheeks, so I brush them away.

  “C.C., tell me what’s happening right now because I sure as fuck don’t know.”

  “We need to stop spending time together. It’s not good for either of us.”

  “You don’t mean that, and if that fucker”–he points to Nick–“told you otherwise, you need to ignore him. He doesn’t understand how close we are.”

  “Do yourself a favor and let me go.” Hurrying into my car, I slam the door shut and start the engine.

  Palming the top of my Nissan, Ben stares down at me through the window, but I don’t dare look up at him. Instead, I shift into drive and take off.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ben

  It’s Friday night, and after spending most of the week angry about my situation with Chloe, I decide to hit the gym–again. I’ve worked out four days this week, but until this evening, nothing has helped.

  It’s 9:00 p.m., and I feel a touch better after pounding on a punching bag for thirty minutes, lifting weights and running on the treadmill.

  I stride into the locker room to retrieve my phone and keys. I see I have a missed call from Nick. It’s the third one from him today. I’ve been ghosting him all week, but I guess it’s time to forgive the asshole.

  “Hey,” he says after I call.

  “What do you need?”

  “Why aren’t you at Grant’s party? It’s dope, man. There are six kegs and loads of chicks in slutty costumes. It’s like Christmas came the week after Halloween.”

  “I don’t feel like going out tonight.”

  “Come on. It’ll be good for you.”

  “I said I’m not feeling it.”

  “I know you’re pissed at me, but you should come to this party to see that I was right all along. Chloe showed up with a date, so you need to get over here and hit on some chicks. Her ass deserves to see it.”

  I freeze in the gym parking lot.

  “Laurel’s with her, right?”

  “I haven’t seen her.”

  “What about Megan?”

  “She’s here… I think she’s in the basement, hanging out with her friends. Wait, no, dude. I didn’t tell you about Chloe so that you could come here and take care of her. Once and for all, we’re breaking this cycle.”

  “You’re damn right it’s breaking.”

  I hang up on him and head for my truck. Chloe’s going to hear me out. I deserve that much.

  Chloe

  “Here you go,” Daren says as he hands me my third vodka cranberry.

  “Thanks.” I give him a faint smile in exchange for the plastic cup. Bringing him here was a mistake. He’s going to expect me to have sex with him tonight, and it’s not happening. Maybe I’ll make him think it could happen on a future date. I mean, I guess it’s possible.

  If I continue to put distance between Ben and me, maybe I’ll actually enjoy having sex with someo
ne. To avoid being intimate with men, I often drink too much at parties so that Ben will take me home. I guess those days are over.

  Right now, I need to converse with this guy since I did ask him out.

  “Grant’s a pretty cool guy,” I say. “I mean, he even lets my sister and her annoying friends, who are only sophomores, attend his parties.”

  “Yeah, we go way back,” Daren replies.

  My date graduated from Emory a year ago, and he works at the local branch of my bank. I’ve watched my mom flirt with him the few times we’ve gone inside together, so to spite her this week, I decided to invite him to Grant’s.

  Daren’s been pursuing me for two years now, so he looked surprised when I stopped by the bank and asked.

  I look around the family room. Grant’s father is a retired Falcon’s player, so his parents’ home is enormous. It’s an awesome place to host a party.

  Taking hold of my hand, Daren leads me over to a loveseat that has opened up. As I’m sitting, he slips his arm behind my back and pulls me close. With the dim lamp next to us, it feels too intimate.

  Someone, please play some loud heavy metal or rap music. This is beginning to feel too much like a private date.

  Crossing my legs, I admire the new black boots I wore with my snug ankle jeans as I wait for Daren to speak. Lord, this guy is a bore. I have no clue what to talk to him about.

  He’s a finance major, but I don’t know much else about him. Well, he has thick strawberry-blond hair and ocean-blue eyes. I think of Ben and his raven hair. He keeps it short, but it makes him appear tougher … sexier.

  “So, what are your hobbies?” I ask.

  “I enjoy watching sports.”

  “Is that even a hobby?”

  He chuckles. “Obviously not the kind you were expecting to hear about. Uh, I recently started taking a martial arts class. That’s been exciting.”

  “That’s cool. I play the piano and give lessons to kids. I’m also in some clubs at Emory. They’d probably seem nerdy to most people.”