Chapter 5: Naughty & Nice: Chapter 5

I stand outside, shrouded in darkness, watching the two of them in the living room.

I’ll never admit it out loud, but I’m jealous.

Their friendship, their connection… it’s incredible.

Sure, Hendrix and I are close. We share the kind of bond that most people could never understand.

But what they have is special in a whole other way.

I’ve never had a friend who’s understood me in the way they understand each other.

I’ve been telling Hendrix for years that he literally has his perfect woman right in the palm of his hands, yet he’s never done anything about it.

He’s so in love with her. It’s obvious from the way he watches her. He’s completely smitten, but he won’t make the move.

I get it. He’s scared.

He’s not like me. He doesn’t dive into things purely for the thrill of it. He worries about the outcome. I just want the high.

It’s why I never stopped that night after discovering the identity of the dead bride who’d stolen my attention at the Halloween party.

I should have. The second I lifted her veil, I should have taken a massive step back and sent her home to him.

But I didn’t.

I couldn’t.

Instead, I…

Fuck. I swallow thickly, attempting to dislodge the messy ball of emotion in my throat.

I betrayed him that night. And I know that Noelle is right. If he were to find out, it would rip him apart. But also… would it be the push he needs to finally take what he really wants?

Quite honestly, the poor guy deserves to give his hand a rest. I can only imagine how fucking sore it is after all these years of jerking off over his best friend instead of letting her sit on his dick.

I stand there in the shadows, watching them talk and laugh. It hurts, but in a good kind of way.

They’re both incredible people. Kind-hearted, caring, selfless. I mean, hell, they allowed me to gatecrash this party with very little complaint. Most would have told me where to go.

I lose track of time as I stand there like a creep in the night, but eventually, a car pulls up behind me, the door slamming and making me jump before footsteps trudge toward the front door.

It’s cold out here. Way too cold considering my suitcase is packed for the warmth of Austin, Texas. Fucking airline. I could be off-my-ass drunk right now with a girl in each arm.

My eyes drop to Noelle as a weird tightness wraps around my chest.

That short time with her in the bathroom that night wasn’t enough. I’ve never wanted more time with a girl before. I keep trying to tell myself that it’s because we were cut short, and that I didn’t get the full experience of her. But it’s never bothered me before with anyone else.

Maybe it’s just because I know I can’t have her…

Whatever it is, this incessant desperation for her needs to stop. It’s going to get me into trouble. And while that doesn’t usually bother me, I know that this time I’d drag her down with me.

I wait until the delivery driver has arrived and returned to his car before I make my presence known.

“I told you he’d be back for dinner,” Hendrix shouts to Noelle as I step into the kitchen to grab a beer.

“Aw, you ordered my favorite,” I tease as I scan the containers littering the counter.

“Not that you deserve it. Here, take this to Noelle,” he says, passing a plate over.

“I’d love to,” I say, spinning on my heels and walking over to the chair in front of the fire.

She tenses the second I approach and refuses to look up at me.

“Someone’s hungry,” I tease.

“Someone ate all the car snacks,” she counters.

“Not this snack, you didn’t.”

Her eyes jump to mine as she sucks in a sharp breath.

“You need to stop,” she warns.

“And you need to relax.”

“I would if you’d quit,” she argues, having little choice but to accept the plate of food I’m offering her.

The second she rests it on her lap, I fall over her, catching myself on the back of the armchair.

“He’s going to notice that you’re uptight, and something tells me he won’t be the one who can fuck it out of you.”

She looks up, her eyes holding mine. “And you’d know that how?”

“Trust me. There might be a lot of similarities between me and Rix, but only one of us has had a taste of you.” As she gasps, I push to stand and take two steps back. “Isn’t that right, Noelle?”

“Isn’t what right?” Rix asks, joining us with two plates in his hands.

I shake my head, refusing to respond, and dart back into the kitchen for the drink I initially went in search of.

When I return, Noelle is fully focused on her dinner, and Rix is scrolling through the TV for something to watch.

Oh, this trip is going to be fun…

“Hey, how is your cabin?” Lori asks once the call connects.

Noelle and Rix are sitting on the couch side by side with big smiles on their faces. We’ve been drinking for a few hours now, and thankfully, the air is a little more relaxed.

“It’s so cute,” Noelle says with a slight slur to her voice. “They’ve decorated the entire place. It’s a Christmas paradise.”

“Aw, that’s awesome.”

“What about your actual paradise?” Rix asks.

I can’t remember exactly where Kian was whisking our big sister off to. I do remember the photos, though, and it looks like heaven with blue sea and white sand.

I guess that’s the kind of life you’re able to live when you marry a billionaire.

It’s sure a long way from the life we all just about survived growing up.

I’m happy for her. Really fucking happy. Kian is a good guy, too.

“Oh my god. I swear, it’s even better than the photos. I miss you guys, though. It still doesn’t feel right, being apart on the holidays. Have you heard from Wilder? He should have landed by now.”

Hendrix looks up and shakes his head.

‘What?’ I mouth.

“He didn’t go,” Noelle explains. “The flight was canceled.”

“Oh. Is he still at college?”

“Nope,” I say, hopping up from the chair and diving between them on the couch. “He’s right here.”

Lori’s eyes widen in shock before she bursts out laughing.

“What?” I ask. “Why is me being here so funny?”

“Many, many reasons. But mostly the look on their faces.”

“He invited himself,” Hendrix explains.

“Yeah,” Lori muses, “I can see that. Not really your type of holiday, huh, Wild Child?”

“A one-bedroom cabin in the ass crack of nowhere? Totally my thing.”

Lori narrows her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. “One bedroom?”

“It was meant to be a two bed, but…” Noelle sighs. “We can’t get a hold of the company we booked it with. Their office is closed, and the emergency number just rings out, so…”

“So the three of you are stuck in a cabin with one bed,” she says.

“What was that?” a deep voice asks before her husband joins her on the screen.

“It’s fine; we’ve got it sorted,” Hendrix says in a rush, not wanting to go into it.

“What are your plans for the next few days?” Noelle asks, attempting to change the subject.

It might work on Lori and Kian, but with the heat of her body burning down the side of mine, I can’t say my mind drifts very far away from her as Lori explains their plans.

We chat for almost thirty minutes before they have to go for a dinner reservation and we cut the call.

“Well, this is cozy,” I say, throwing my arms out and pulling them both in closer.

“Don’t you have anything else to do than annoy us?” Hendrix mutters.

“Dude, look around. There is literally nothing to do here.”

“That was exactly the idea,” Noelle scoffs before attempting to get up.

The second she’s on her feet, I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her back down, forcing her to lie across both of us.

She wriggles in her attempt to gain control, but it’s futile.

She screams as I grab one of her feet and begin tickling her.

It’s been the same since she was a little girl. The two of us would have her fighting for breath when we launched an attack.

“Get off,” she cries, thrashing around, attempting to kick us away. “Get off.”

Unable to ignore the opportunity, Hendrix dives for her waist as her tank rides up.

My fire has worked wonders in this little cabin. I’d be tempted to say that it’s actually hotter in here than it is on whatever tropical island Lori just called us from. Not that I’m complaining, because Noelle shed her oversized hoodie a while ago, letting us both enjoy the vision of her braless in a thin tank top and short shorts. Definitely the highlight of this trip so far.

Her screams continue to ring out through the air, but they’re laced with laughter as she attempts, and fails, to fight back. She twists and turns, her face red with exertion and her limbs flailing around uselessly. The three of us are like kids again and totally lost in the immaturity of the whole thing when Noelle suddenly shrieks, “Oh fuck,” as she falls from our laps. Hendrix tries to catch her but only manages to grab her tank. She lands on her back on the floor with her tits out.

“Shit,” Hendrix barks, the first to react as he reaches down to help her. Only, reality hits her at the same time. She shifts quickly to cover up but instead of helping Hendrix manages to grab a handful instead.

I can’t help but bark out a laugh as the two of them freeze for a beat before freaking the fuck out.

Noelle jumps to her feet and all but flees to the bedroom while Hendrix throws himself back on the couch and covers his bright red face with his arm.

He sinks lower as if he’s praying the couch will swallow him whole.

“Did they feel as good as they looked?” I ask. In hindsight, it’s probably not the best leading question, but so what? “Ow,” I complain when he punches me hard on the arm. “What? She’s got good tits.”

“Fuck’s sake,” he mutters.

“I’m sorry, I’m not seeing the issue here.” Hendrix pushes to his feet and begins pacing. “Okay, no, wait, I do. You want more of them.”

“Wilder,” he warns.

“Dude, just grow a pair and go and tell her that you want to suck on them. I bet she’d let you. She might even return the favor and suck on your⁠—”

“ENOUGH,” he bellows, his voice echoing around the small cabin.

“Just think how good it could be if you told her how you really feel,” I say quietly once he’s stopped with his back to me.

He runs his hands through his hair before blowing out a long breath.

He stands there for long minutes, just breathing. I’ve no idea what’s going through his head. I wouldn’t even know where to begin, seeing as our thoughts are usually so vastly different. I’d never be in the position he is now.

Probably because I’m a selfish asshole and always take what I want without considering the consequences.

“You never know; maybe she wants you for Christmas.”

I have no idea if it’s what I say, or if he’s just trying to get away from me, but no sooner are those words past my lips than he spins on his heels and marches toward the bedroom.