Chapter 12: Naughty & Nice: Chapter 12

I didn’t get up with the intention of listening at the door like a creep. I was going to get a drink, but then I heard a moan and my feet took me in a different direction from what I was expecting.

I couldn’t complain, though. It sounded hot. And it wasn’t my fault that they’d left the door ajar. Although, it might have been mine when I pressed my palm against the door and pushed it open a little wider.

Watching two people go at it isn’t anything new to me. I’ve done all the wild parties and watched my teammates get up to all sorts with an audience.

But watching Hendrix with Noelle hit differently.

I was hard long before I laid eyes on them, just from the sounds they were making alone. But as I stepped into the doorway and started watching them grind against each other… Shit.

And they weren’t even naked.

“You need to get the fuck out,” Rix growls as he glares over his shoulder at me.

It’s hard to take his anger seriously after watching him get off on his best friend.

“Sorry,” I say, holding my hands up like I actually am.

I’m not. I couldn’t give a fuck.

“I couldn’t help it. She’s hot when she comes, right?”

Hendrix’s expression flips in a heartbeat, and before I can blink, he’s off the bed and flying toward me.

“Rix, no,” Noelle cries a beat before my twin brother’s fist collides with my eye.

I stumble back, allowing the wall to catch me as my hands lift to cover my face.

“Dude, the fuck?”

He comes at me again, this time hitting my jaw. It’s not the first time we’ve fought, and I highly doubt that it’ll be the last, but unlike usual, I don’t even attempt to retaliate. Why would I when I deserve the pain and everything he can throw at me?

I won’t deny that I fucked up both that first night at the party and then again this morning.

I just… I can’t help myself.

“That’s enough,” Noelle snaps, stepping between us and pressing her tiny palms to each of our chests.

Hendrix’s bare one heaves with a mixture of anger, frustration, and lingering desire. I’m much more relaxed, although still very turned on.

“I should kill you for touching her,” Hendrix seethes.

I can’t help myself; a smirk pulls at my lips. “And why would you do that? Have you already forgotten what just happened right there?” I say, pointing at the bed.

“You’re an asshole,” Rix points out.

“That isn’t news to anyone, Bro. I do think you should probably be thanking me, though.”

Rix shakes his head while Noelle breathes, “Leave it.”

“I am disappointed, though. You’re both wearing way too many clothes. What’s the problem, man? Worried she’ll discover mine is bigger?”

“You fucking⁠—”

“Hendrix,” Noelle shouts, turning toward him and shoving him back.

“Why are you protecting him?” Rix barks back.

“I’m not. I’m stopping both of you. Fighting isn’t going to solve anything,” she states firmly.

“Wilder and I fucked up. It was reckless and selfish, and we’re sorry. Right?” she shoots over her shoulder.

“Sorry for hurting you, yeah. I don’t regret it, though.”

“Wilder,” Noelle hisses.

“What? It was hot. And if it ultimately leads to this,” I say, gesturing between them, “then it was more than worth it. I want you happy, Bro, and I’m sorry for saying it but you needed a kick up the ass. You’ve been in love with Noelle for forever; you were just too pussy to do anything about it. So now… you’re welcome.”

Rix looks down at Noelle, and all his fight leaves him. Instead, his eyes go all soft and sappy. He really is hopelessly in love with her.

“You okay?” she whispers, stepping up to him and cupping his cheek.

I watch them, feeling totally out of place as they gaze into each other’s eyes. I should slip back out and leave them to figure this out together, but I can’t. My feet are rooted to the floor.

“Yes. No. I have no idea,” Hendrix confesses before lowering his forehead to rest on hers.

No more words are said, at least not out loud. I might not be a part of it, but they have quite an in-depth silent conversation.

“I’m going to go and clean up,” Hendrix finally says.

“I would,” I pipe up. “Coming in your pants is all good fun until it goes cold and starts to dry.”

“Fucking hell,” Hendrix mutters as he takes a step back from Noelle. His eyes lift to mine, and I read his warning long before he says the words. “Can I trust you with her?”

It hurts that he has to question it, but also, I totally understand. I haven’t exactly proven myself to be trustworthy or respectful recently.

“Of course,” I agree.

“I fucking hope you’re right. If you touch her again⁠—”

“I won’t,” I agree. “Not without your permission, at least.”

Hendrix’s eyes widen, his chin dropping. “W-what?”

I can’t help but laugh as my eyes meet Noelle’s.

“You should get your girl to read you a bedtime story tonight. I think you’d enjoy it,” I say before twisting around and walking out of the room.

Forcing myself to walk away, I stop in the kitchen for the drink I wanted earlier before dropping back onto the couch as the news continues to report the incoming storm.

It was a bullshit question to blurt out when they first found me standing there, but it was for good reason. We’re about to get hit with something we weren’t expecting.

“What the hell?” Noelle gasps when she joins me a few minutes later, once again dressed in Hendrix’s hoodie.

Looking over, I find her staring at the TV with wide eyes.

“You said you wanted snow,” I mutter.

“Y-yeah but—shit,” she breathes as she lowers herself into the chair and watches the report. “That’s a lot.”

“I hope you brought a couple of extra books. I don’t think we’re going to be going anywhere for a while.”

It takes her a second to look over, but when I do, I find a mixture of anticipation and excitement dancing in her eyes. Not only that, I feel it too.

Things might be a bit weird right now, but the three of us trapped in a small cabin opens up a whole world of possibilities.

Maybe this trip isn’t going to be so dull after all.

It takes another thirty minutes for Hendrix to appear, and when he does, he looks a little more put together and like himself again.

Predictably, his eyes find Noelle first, and I’m pretty sure his chest compresses the second he sees that we’re sitting apart.

I might be reckless, but I’m not fucking stupid.

“Hey,” Noelle says softly.

“Hey.”

Christ, he looks like a love-sick puppy. I thought it was bad before, but one round of dry humping and he’s completely fucking gone for her.

Suddenly, he rips his eyes away from her and turns to me.

“Get up,” he demands.

My brows lift. “I’m sorry?”

“You heard me. Get up.”

“But I’m watching⁠—“

“I don’t care. Get the fuck up.”

Rolling my eyes, I do as I’m told and get to my feet.

“Perfect, now go and get us all a drink and some snacks. We’re watching a movie. Noelle’s choice.”

“Obviously,” I mutter under my breath.

“If you don’t like it, you can go out.”

“Fuck off, have you seen how hard it’s snowing?”

“No, I’ve been kinda busy,” he points out, glancing at Noelle, his cheeks heating in a way I’m sure she’d describe as adorable.

“Fine,” I hiss as I continue toward the kitchen to do my big brother’s bidding so he can snuggle with his girl.

“We’re getting hit with a storm. They’re predicting it’s going to be really bad,” Noelle explains. “We’re probably going to be stuck here.”

“Sounds awful,” Hendrix quips. “Whatever will we do?”

Noelle’s happy squeal rips through the cabin. Something weird twists up my stomach as I listen to them laugh.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m usually the focus of attention, so it feels weird to be the one on the sidelines.

I don’t like it.

Jealousy…

“Get a fucking grip,” I mutter to myself as I rip open a bag of chips and pour them into two bowls. Something tells me that I’m going to be kicked off the couch now.

Their laughter continues as I grab beers and head back out with the bowls precariously balanced on my hand and arm.

Unsurprisingly, they’re cuddled up on the couch. It’s not an unusual position for them to be in, but if it’s possible, they look even closer than ever now.

Hendrix spots me the second I walk into the room, and his eyes follow me as I place everything on the coffee table in front of him.

“Good enough for you, Sir?” I mock.

“It’s great,” Noelle says, leaning forward to grab two of the beers.

She passes one to Hendrix, but he’s too busy glaring at me to notice.

“I get that you’re pissed with me, Rix. I’m sorry. I fucked up. But can you blame me? You’ve seen her; she’s hot.”

“She is sitting right here.” Noelle scoffs.

“Yeah, and you’re hot. But seriously, we’re going to be stuck here for a few days at least by the looks of it, you can’t stay pissed all that time.”

“You wanna bet?”

“But it’s Christmas,” I state. “And we’re family.”

“You were meant to be in a different country right now,” Hendrix mutters.

“Yeah, well, aren’t you lucky that I’m not? You might not have come in your pants just now if I were elsewhere.”

“Will you just shut the hell up?”

I shrug before dropping into the chair with my bottle of beer and bowl of chips.

“What are we watching?” I ask, although I already have a very good idea.

“Christmas movie,” Noelle says.

“Wonderful. I hope there’s a good car chase and gunfight.”

I feel the heat of her stare when she turns it on me, but I don’t look back. I don’t need to give Hendrix another reason to hate me right now.

“You’d be so lucky. Pretty sure it’s Hallmark,” my brother mutters.

“Even better. I fucking love Christmas,” I say before throwing a handful of chips into my mouth.

We fall into a comfortable silence as the movie begins. As predicted, it’s cheesy as fuck and possibly the most cringeworthy thing I’ve ever seen. But Noelle seems to enjoy it, and I guess that’s the main thing here.

It’s only about twenty minutes in when my cell buzzes in my pocket and I find a message from Benny, one of my teammates, in our group chat.

I lose myself messaging the guys, trying to ignore the presence of the couple in front of me.

They look cute. Too fucking cute, and I can’t help but find myself wondering what it would be like to find a girl I actually wanted to spend time with outside of the bedroom, or the back of my car, or the locker room…

It’s a bizarre concept, but it soon hits me that Noelle is the only girl I’ve ever really spent any time with. All the others… they’ve never interested me enough to give me a reason to keep them around.

I tell myself that it’s because she’s Hendrix’s best friend, that I haven’t had a choice in having her in my life. But I can’t help wondering if it’s more than that.

There’s a break in the group chat, and I risk looking up. I want to say I’m surprised that neither of them is watching the movie and they’re instead having a hot and heavy make-out session, but I’m not. They’ve both been waiting for this for years; I guess it’s only right they try and make up for lost time.

I just wish I had somewhere to go, but other than chilling out on their bed, or lazing in the bathtub, I’m pretty fucking stuck.

Closing our group chat, I scroll through the messages from girls I’ve got in my inbox. I could message one of them and I’ve no doubt they’d happily reply, maybe even video call, but unlike usual, the idea isn’t all that tempting. Instead, I find my eyes lifting once again.