Fail to Love by Maci Dillon

 

You Owe Me

 

“The difference between a friend and an enemy is friendliness.” ~ Author Frank Delaney

 

 

RAVEN

 

There’s nothing I hate more than a wasted weekend, yet it’s Saturday afternoon, and I’ve accomplished not a fucking thing. I’d successfully moped around the apartment, avoiding Miah and Kassidy, so I didn’t have to share my run-in with Sean yesterday. He’s in my head enough without them raving on about him and why we should hook up.

I needed to find a way to get him out of my system.

Without sleeping with him.

I was at a loss with this situation. I didn’t chase after men, and I sure as fuck don’t play games. I take what I want and move on. With Sean, however, I couldn’t seem to do either. I’d denied myself what I wanted and for what reason? I had no clue.

His mechanic fixed my car late yesterday afternoon, early evening, and I was able to drive home without any drama. The memory of our closet moment added to my sexual appetite which knew no bounds.

I was going to need shares in Energizer bunny batteries at the rate I was going through them this year.

“Raven, are you almost ready?” Kassidy yelled through my bedroom door as I straightened my outfit and applied the finishing touches to my makeup. I left my hair down tonight, in no mood to make a fuss for a quiet dinner at Will and Chloe’s.

“Ready,” I answered, swinging the door open.

Her eyes roved over my body with a subdued frown.

“What?”

Miah appeared beside her. “You can’t wear that. What if we go out after dinner?” The skewed expression had me taking in my plain, simple dress and flats.

“I won’t be going anywhere but home after dinner. I don’t feel it today, and I need an early night.”

Gah! I sounded like a grandma lately. Who the fuck am I?

My besties exchanged knowing looks and settled with a half-assed, “Okay, whatever you say.”

Twenty minutes later, after stopping to purchase a few bottles of wine, we buzzed ourselves up to Will and Chloe’s presidential suite with our own access card they had gifted us.

“You’re finally here,” Chloe greeted us with hugs and kisses as if we’d been missing from her life for years, not days. “The boys are outside.” She motioned toward the balcony, and my gaze followed.

Dark eyes stared back at me from across the room. I couldn’t seem to avoid the sexy doctor in my waking moments or in my dreams. My heart rate increased, knowing he was here. As I brought my attention back to Chloe, I noticed all three of them were watching me carefully.

I ignored their obvious efforts to deceive me, inviting Sean to dinner without my knowledge. After all, it wasn’t my house, and who was I to dictate who they invited into their home?

As I stepped around them, I made my way to where Will and Sean were sitting, sucking down a cold beer and watching the waves rolling along the shore.

“Raven, great to see you.” Will embraced me. He also perused me with a troubled look. “You look like you need a beer.”

I smiled weakly. “I won’t say no.”

Sean was next in line. He stood and waited for me to greet him with the same affection, I assumed. “Sean, what a surprise. Twice in two days… how did I get so unlucky?” I joked wryly. 

He grinned and moved in to dazzle me with a kiss on the cheek.

“Hang on, you two saw each other yesterday?” Chloe questioned with bug eyes as Miah and Kassidy greeted the guys.

“When did this happen?” Miah requested as she took a seat and cracked open a bottle of wine.

“Girl, have you been holding out on us?” Kassidy glanced between Sean and me with a hint of hurt on her face.

“This is why I didn’t mention anything. Though if I’d known Dr. Judgy was going to be here tonight, I’d have filled you in.”

Sean laughed, and confusion traveled around the table.

Taking a sip of much-needed beer, Sean delighted in filling everyone in.

“It just so happened Raven had a doctor’s appointment yesterday, and her normal OBGYN had to take personal leave at the last minute, and I was his fill-in.”

Chloe’s mouth dropped open. “Sean did your examination yesterday?”

I coughed around my beer and wiped my lips with the back of my hand. “Absolutely not. I had to reschedule.”

Sean’s laughter filtered through the summer breeze. His laugh lines at his eyes and subtle dimples made my stomach flip-flop.

I death-stared Chloe. “Thanks for the heads-up, by the way.”

“I knew he was a doctor, but I had no idea he’d end up being your doctor.”

“In Chloe’s defense…” Sean attempted to clear the air, “… I have my own private practice and rarely frequent the hospital unless it’s for one of my patients. I owed a favor and was called on yesterday to deliver when old Barry had a family emergency.”

Thankfully, everyone moved on from this knowledge quickly, and our usual banter and catch-up resumed.

Over dinner, Sean and I fell into an easier conversation which I hated to love.

“You know, there’s a way you can make it up to me.”

I paused with the fork midway to my mouth and gawked at him. Is he serious? “Make it up to you for what?”

“Calling me Dr. Judgy. Assuming incorrectly about…” he glanced around at our friends, careful not to overshare, which I appreciated, “… the look.”

I chuckled at the way he emphasized this with a whisper.

“I’ve already apologized for misinterpreting the look,” I reminded him.

“Words, only words. I think this level of miscommunication requires action to be fully redeemed from your harsh judgment.”

I was never going to live this down.

Slowly, I chewed on the chargrilled beef and vegetable salad, considering what he might ask of me in return.

“Round two is out of the question. We discussed this also. On the phone.” As much as I wanted to take back those words, I also knew it was for the best to move forward without any further awkwardness.

“What are you two whispering about down there?” Kassidy asked, leaning forward in her seat. I noticed then that all eyes were on us, and the table was silent.

“I was trying to save Raven the embarrassment, but I could probably use the help of the wing squad.”

I frowned at his use of the term. “Who told you about the wing squad?”

His eyes moved quickly to Chloe and back to me. Of course, she did. Clearly, nothing was off-limits with this guy.

“How can we help?” Miah chimed in.

Finishing my meal, I pushed my plate to the side and buried my face in my hands. “Thank you for dinner, guys, it was delicious.” My attempt to change the conversation lasted as long as it took for Will to assure me I was welcome anytime.

“I have a work dinner next Saturday night. Colleagues, their partners, you know the kind?” The question was directed at Will, who agreed.

“Trouble is, I don’t want to be the only one without a date, and my dating life is fairly non-existent, so I was just about to ask Raven if she’d be able to hide her hate for me long enough for one evening as my date.”

Oh, he’s clever. Asking everyone but me pretty much assures I’d be pushed into saying yes. Taking one for the team and all that.

The truth is, if a fake date was all I could get, I would take it for the chance to enjoy more time with him, only because he intrigued me. But there was no fucking way I’d ever let him know that.

“Aww, poor Dr. Sean, Bachelor of the Year, needs a date,” I scoffed out. “As if. What game are you playing here? You know you’re going to lose.” I chuckled as I began to clear the plates from the table.

“Leave that.” Chloe jumped from her seat, taking over the collection of plates and cutlery. “Will cooked, so it’s my job to clean up.”

I laughed at her. “Who are you, and where did my friend Chloe go?”

She poked her tongue at me and bumped me with her hip. “You heard the man, he needs a date and sadly, so do you.”

Ouch!

Nope she’s still the same Chloe, just a domesticated marital type and less fun.

“A fake date?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Call it what you like, sweetheart, but I believe you owe me.” I’d love to lick his smirk straight off his face. The trouble with that was I’d like to lick a hell of a lot more of him.

My mind flashed back to New Year’s Eve, me on my knees, his cock in my hand and my mouth, the taste of his arousal stirring my libido.

Fuck. This was a bad, bad idea.

Somebody, send help. A blush crept up my face, and I had to alleviate the mind-fuck by staring out at the ocean.

“Fine. One date.” I glanced back at him, and his deliriously handsome smile threatened to pull me under.

“One fake date.”