Page 2 of The Big Bad’s Obsession
“Keegan.” The word falls past my lips like a prayer. Always my savior.
“Who?” Brad roars as I shove past him as fast as I can.
“Keegan, my childhood friend.” That doesn’t even begin to describe him. He’s always had my back, no matter what. He always wants to know if I’m safe. If everything went wrong, I can still count on him. He would never let me down.
“Why the fuck is he here?” Brad roars, but his voice lowers. He doesn’t want Keegan to hear him.
I halt and whirl around to face Brad. “I told you. He’s back in town, and he needed a place to crash. I offered the couch.” God, I told him that several times. Keegan’s arrival has been the only good thing about this week.
Brad rolls his eyes, and I know he’s about to complain I didn’t tell him when in all honesty I did, but he doesn’t pay attention. Before he can do anything else, I go for the door and yank it open.
A man stands with his shoulder to the jamb and it takes me a moment to recognize my best friend. He’s much, much taller than last we saw each other, his head brushing the top of the jamb. His broad shoulders almost take up the entire door when he stands straighter. Keegan’s in a dark jacket and pants, a weekend bag thrown over his shoulder. I gasp for a moment, too surprised to hold back, then I meet his bottle green eyes and all the memories crash into me.
My best friend is back.
A smile stretches my lips when his gaze locks with mine. I throw my arms around his barrel chest, hugging him close and soaking in his ever-present gingery scent. “Keegan!” I call out, slamming my eyes shut to keep myself from crying. It would be so silly to cry now. He doesn’t need to know how hard life’s been for me.
His big hand curls around the back of my skull. “Hey, Aleida. Everything alright?” he asks in a much raspier voice than I remember.
“Yeah.” I pull back, looking up to meet his eyes. “Man, you grew up. A lot. It’s been, what?” I’m twenty-two and we were eighteen when we last saw each other. “Almost four years?”
The side of his lip crooks up. A little bit. “Four years and two months.”
I play-punch his chest. “Excellent memory, as always.”
His lips move, but he freezes. He shoots his gaze over my head and his body grows taut. I glance over my shoulder to find Brad crossing his arms as he approaches us. He tilts his chin in greeting. Keegan doesn’t do the same.
“Brad, this is Keegan. Keegan, Brad,” I introduce them and step inside. “Come in. You must be tired.”
Keegan enters the apartment silently, not unlocking his gaze from Brad’s. The staring contest goes on for a while. I ignore them and go into the kitchen to fetch myself some wine. My feet still throb with exhaustion, and I limp a bit when I cross the threshold.
I find the bottle and bring it up to open it. The wine sloshes inside and the light catches in the green glass. The bottle is half gone already. My stomach plummets. I’ve been saving this wine up. Even if it was cheap, it’s mine. Why the hell can’t Brad respect my things?
Keegan enters the kitchen, the bag not over his shoulder any longer. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
I’m still gaping at the bottle in frustration. “Nothing. I’ve just... I was saving this one up and...” I look around Keegan to find Brad standing on the threshold. He arches an eyebrow in question. I shouldn’t say these things about him. God knows what he’s going to do with me when Keegan leaves. “Nothing.”
Keegan turns, his gaze shooting over his shoulder for less than a second. Wow, he’s so big the kitchen looks tiny. “You had dinner? I’ll grab us some pizza,” he says, his voice in that same inflexible tone. That’s the Keegan I’ve always known. Serious and guarded, but good-hearted.
“No need. I’m not even that hungry.” And my stomach, of course, chooses this moment to rumble.
Brad cackles. “She likes to eat too much to refuse that pizza, man. I want some pepperoni, if you don’t mind.” And he slaps Keegan’s shoulder.
Something crosses Keegan’s face. I can’t tell what it is, but it makes Brad step away. “I didn’t offer you shit,” Keegan growls, low and menacing, like a caged animal.
It sends shivers rolling down my back, but it’s the good kind of shiver now. Since when has Keegan become this sexy, gigantic man? My nipples even tighten at the sound of his voice.
He turns back to me, his expression softening. “Pizza? It’s on me.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I know,” he replies. “But I want to. You’re letting me stay.”
I cock my head, narrowing my eyes. If this is about paying back for hosting him, shouldn’t he get some pizza for Brad, too? Whatever. I don’t want to think too hard on this matter. I’m already tired. “Okay,” I agree, smiling at him.
“Wanna come with me? Or would you rather stay?”
My swollen feet would rather stay, but I don’t know what Brad’s going to do if we’re left alone. With a razor-thin smile, I step up to Keegan. “I’m coming with you.”
