Kayden
''Come on, lover boy. Show me what you got.''
''Fucking trying,'' I mumble, purposely ignoring the snide remarks he's been throwing at me since I got off the phone with Bella.
Damn. I'm getting my ass kicked right now. I haven't played in so long, I'm rusty as hell.
I swear I used to be good at this.
''What happened to you, man? This is embarrassing.'' He sniggers.
''Excuse me for being too busy running a multi-million dollar company to work on my Black Ops skills,'' I heave back.
''Hey, I run my shit as well. You don't see me using that as an excuse, do you?''
He's right. I am off my fucking game tonight. I seriously need to lax some energy.
''You up for a workout downstairs?'' I question, pressing one of the controllers knobs to put a pause to the game.
Josh turns to me. ''Gym's open?''
I nod. I'll just get the key from the reception if it isn't.
He shrugs, putting his own device down on my off-white sofa. ''Let's go then,'' I knew he'd never turn down a workout. The guy's a freaking beast through his trainings. He could go the entire day without even so much as a break.
''Let me get changed real quick.'' He came straight from his gym so he's set in his Nike gear. I swiftly change into the first basketball shorts and short sleeve tee I find laying around in my closet and make my way back to my living room.
Joshua is ducked down, tying his sneakers lases by the front door by the time I make it there, fully dressed and two water bottles in hand.
''Ready to sweat all that amped-up sexual frustration away?'' he grins as if he won some lottery.
''Shut the fuck up.'' I aim one of the bottles at his head and take a lob, but he catches it in his palms with a lampooning snicker.
✨
Each of my muscles taut as one and I feel sweat constructing over my forehead as I try to keep the weight of the bench press stable, directly above me.
Kind of hard when you're arms feel like Jell-O.
I'm a jittery mess and I don't have a fucking clue what to do about it.
Good thing Josh is behind the bench, keeping me steady and pulling the load off of me to place it in the holder above my head as I groan in frustration at the hasty skittish senses surrounding my limbs.
''Okay, seriously. What the fuck is up with you?'' he gripes, as mystified as I am. I could usually lift 300 in my sleep, but almost broke an arm on a 250 lbs. load. I would have, wasn't Joshua right behind me.
I keep my head on the leather seat as I close my eyes, panting like I just ran a marathon. ''I don't know. My heads someplace else.'' I grumble.
''Clearly,'' he huffs. ''Somethin' you wanna talk about?''
''I almost asked her out.'' I blurt without a second thought, eyes still shut and head still resting on the hard surface of the bench.
''Who?''
''Before. With the phone call,'' I sit back up, feet on either side of the machinery. ''I almost asked her out. Like a date, Joshua. What the fuck?''
He strolls over so he's in front of me. He hands me a towel and I dab it over my face. ''And what about it?'' he queries.
''Are you kidding me? I can't ask her out.'' I stress.
He frowns, throwing his own white towel around his neck, letting it fall over his shoulders. ''Why? I thought you liked her or whatever...''
''Liking her is not the problem,'' I mutter. It definitely isn't.
''So then I gotta ask again, brother. Why can't you ask the girl out?''
''First off, she's,'' how do I explain that she's this beatific creature that deserves so much. So much that I have no clue how to give her. That the ambiguity is driving me insane, but I'm the most placid I've ever been whenever she's around. That my heart would love nothing more than to hand her the world on a silver platter, but my head is telling me most I could offer is physical pleasure and she's better off.
Yeah, so, how do I explain that without sounding like a total, full-blown pussy?
I settle with, ''She's too good.''
He snorts. ''Go on, Casanova. You said first off. I'm thinking we're not done here.'' he tips his chin. ''I know I give you a lot of shit but you know you can talk to me, right? You're kinda freaking me out today. Especially after that phone call.''
''I don't know how she would react to it.'' Just admitting this makes me want to submerge myself six feet under.
''To you asking her out on a date or...''
I nod. ''I don't think she's given me any sort of indication on wanting more. It's been weeks since we've met, and-''
''And most girls would've hopped on the first chance to hop.'' He concludes for me.
''Right,'' I sigh. ''She's pretty set on friendship.'' If you could even call it that.
''I warned you about that. She's not gonna be easy to crack, Kayden.'' He reminds me. I've found myself wondering on why that is lately. Why is she so closed off? So set on always keeping a gap between us. I wish I'd knew how to smash that barrier.
''I realized.'' The hard way.
''So this friendship.'' He starts. ''Pure platonic? Nothings ever happened?''
''Uh...'' how the fuck am I supposed to explain this. ''There's tension.'' I acknowledge. The tension between the two of us is undeniable. Off the fucking charts. ''I've been on the verge of kissing the fuck out of her for like... two times now.'' Not counting in all those times she looked so damn pretty, smiling or simply talking, that my fingers started itching, wanting to cup her face between my hands and slam our lips together.
''Okay... So what stopped you?'' he presses.
''Well the first time, you walked back in the kitchen.''
''Motherfucker,'' he smirks, shaking his head.
''Also got interrupted the second time.'' I confess, thinking about that night on the roof.
''I'm failing to see a problem here. What's blocking you from making your third time the charm?''
He narrows his eyes as if he's reading me when I remain voiceless.
His entire face suddenly beams up. ''No way.''
I groan, knowing what's coming. This is exactly why I don't open up. I should've just kept my mouth shut.
''You scared of getting rejected, ain't you?'' he chortles. ''Goddamn. Never thought I'd see the day.'' He cackles. ''She's got you good, man.''
Thanks, asshole. Hadn't noticed.
''You know what I think?'' he questions.
''No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway.'' I mumble.
''Bingo.'' He chuckles. ''If you're really as serious about her as you seem right now, I think you should shoot your shot. At the end of the day, you'll never know if you don't.''
''Cassie said the same thing.''
His brows furrow. ''Cassie? What does she even know about her?''
''They've met,''
His eyes bug. ''What the fuck? She's met you sister?''
I nod. ''You should see 'em together. Like best fuckin' friends shit.'' I snort. She probably likes my sister more than she does me.
''When the hell did that happen?'' he's still baffled.
''Few weeks before she met Ma,'' I mutter, dodging his eyes now.
He howls out in wheezy laughter. It's a nervous, uneasy laugh. ''Wanna repeat that? 'Cause it really sounded like you just said Bella met your Ma.''
''She did.''
''You're shitting me, right?'' he strains.
I meet his sharp gape and shake my head. His eyes bug even wider as he realizes I'm not joking.
''I need a moment.'' He breathes.
Why the fuck is he so damn dramatic?
I wave a hand in a by all means gesture. He runs a hand through his rumpled, dark coiled hair and purses his lips.
''Done with the dramatics?'' I call out after a moment of reticence.
He nods his head and I take it as my cue to explain. ''It happened after the barbeque,'' I begin. ''We were just driving around. I had to pick up Cassie, Mom stepped outside.'' I don't want to go into detail. Josh is like a brother to me but that's our business. Not anyone else's.
''How did it go, though?'' he pries like I knew he would.
''Ma loved her. Invited her over for dinner and everything.'' I shrug. What's not to love?
''Seems like Alexia is ready for them grandkids,'' he sniggers.
My eyes roll in exasperation. As if I'm anywhere near ready to have kids.
As if he knows that's not all, he gullies a brow in a awaiting manner.
''Ran into her and her brother the next day while me and Cassie were having dinner uptown.''
''And...'' he falters.
''And they joined in.''
''Richen didn't give you any shit?'' he solicits, completely perplexed.
''Nah, he was cool. Knew we were just friends so,'' We had a pretty great talk around the table after the meeting fiasco between us. He's a good guy. Loves his sister and they both seemed very protective of one another, so I'm glad she has a relative like that.
Joshua blinks.
''Let me get this straight.'' He starts after a few seconds. ''You guys almost kissed. Twice. I'm not hearin' nothin' about her runnin', or shrieking away out of horrification. You've met Richen. The girl's become like... best friends with your sister, met your Momma and's agreed to have dinner with you and your family... and you're still thinking of this as some cute friendship?'' he raises. ''Let me ask you this; does it feel like it's nothing more than a friendship when you're together?''
Wow, okay. So we're doing the whole heart-to-heart thing?
''Fuck. I don't know. Talking to her... its fucking effortless. Natural and so normal. She listens, you know? Its... easy.'' I feel like she understands. And when she doesn't, she tries to. So many people would be quick to judge and label the little rich boy to put me in the corner with the rest. But with her... I feel like she's actually there with me. No conviction. No refereeing.
''You think she feel the same way?'' he solicits.
''Sometimes, I do. But she's pretty hot and cold so I wouldn't fucking know.'' I divulge, thinking about all the times it felt like she couldn't run from me fast enough- evading proximity as much as possible.
''Man, you're fucked.'' He shakes his head, exhaling, his lips press together as if he's holding back one of his signature smirks.
Don't I fucking know it.
''The way I'm grasping this is that you have to make her realize you don't want her to be just another notch on your bedpost.'' He comprises. ''Like it or not, Kayd, you've got a reputation, bro. A girl like Isabella isn't falling for that shit. I can guarantee you a permanent spot in the friendzone if you don't step up your game.''
''I've got plenty game,'' I scoff.
Well, I usually do, anyway.
''Right, 'cause you normally compliment a girl on her fuckin' glasses.'' He snorts. ''When's the wedding?''
''Okay, Cupid. Got any ideas?'' I alter before I punch him straight in the nose.
''Are you dumb? Plan something special, arrange it just for her. Anything that'll show her you fuckin' care.'' He alludes. ''I'm about to sound like a sappy little bitch but this is not about how she's too good for you or deserves better, it's about what you're gonna do to become that better you think she deserves.''
''Yeah, okay, Don Juan.'' I grunt, not wanting to disclose that it makes perfect sense and I would love to be good for her, show her the best of me. How good we could be together.
''Alright, Romeo.'' He retorts.
''We done here?'' I quirk a brow. ''I would actually like to work out tonight.''
''Fine. But you should think about what I said.''
I fling him a pointed look. ''You know you should really follow your own advice now and then,''
He pauses, slightly turning away from me and avoiding my eyes as he swipes the towel over his face once more. ''I have no idea what the hell you're talkin' about.'' He mutters.
He knows exactly what- who- I'm talking about.
I hum in incredulity and a low-slung groan arrives from the back of his throat. My turn to annoy him.
''Sore subject, huh?'' I allow a smirk to take over my features.
''Drop it. Deadass.'' He demands, turning back to me with his eyes blazing in fire I've never seen before in his before.
Woah, sore subject indeed.
He ambles back and puts himself behind the pew again.
''Think you can keep yourself from breaking some bones this time?''
I respire, tossing the cloth that's over my one shoulder across the room and leaning myself back on the bench.
This time, the weights lift effortlessly as I follow Joshua's instructions on how to curve my arms accurately, my mind feeling like its finally exonerated and my body eased, feeling like an anchor just dropped off my shoulders.
I didn't go through the shit I did, only to grow up and let the fear of rejection keep me from going after the woman I want.
No.
I know exactly what I need to do.
..............................................................................
You guys.... I love this friendship so much. These two have my heart.
Men are so used to keeping everything bottled up inside so it was very important for me to make Kayden at least acknowledge this side of him to his best friend.
What are your thoughts?
And also, merry early Christmas to everyone. ♥️ I know it's been a frustrating year for all of us but I hope you can still enjoy the holidays with your loved ones. Even if it's not all of them.
Lots of love,
So💞
Ps. Follow me on Instagram for release updates, edits and much, much more: @SoHoAuthor
♥️⭐️💬