Everything Nice

An
Ellora’s
Cave
Romantica
Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Everything Nice

ISBN 9781419921476

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Everything Nice Copyright © 2009 Mari Carr

Edited by Kelli Collins

Photography and cover art by Les
Byerley

Electronic book Publication June 2009

The terms
Romantica
® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
 
(http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Everything Nice

Mari Carr

Dedication

This story is dedicated to my parents, who are very proud of their daughter, the writer, even though they’ve been forbidden from reading any of her books.

By the way, you can’t read this one either, Mom and Dad! I love you.

Trademarks Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following
wordmarks
mentioned in this work of fiction:

Charlie Brown: United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Ford: Ford Motor Company

Jacuzzi: Jacuzzi Inc. Corporation

New Kids on the Block: NKOTB, Inc.

Prologue

Allie Brooks leaned back against a log, gazing into the bonfire and enjoying the pleasant buzz of the alcohol flowing through her body. Travers, Taylor and Anderson were throwing an end-of-summer bash out by the river to celebrate the first anniversary of their successful engineering firm, and Allie was having a great time although she was fairly sure she’d be sorry about the number of beers she’d consumed tomorrow. She glanced down at the pile of empty bottles by her feet and tried to remember if they were all hers.

While she was happy for the group of men and her sister—who was serving as their office manager—she couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. She’d been hanging around since her high school graduation four years earlier, waiting for her life to begin, while her sister Ginny seemed to have her future all mapped out. Allie was still living at home and working at a job she hated, despite the fact her mother’s cancer had gone into remission ages ago.

Just last night, she’d been offered a new job, a better job. Shit, the world’s greatest job. Yet instead of being thrilled, she sat alone, watching the flames and contemplating the idea of moving away from the only home she’d ever known to take a chance at fulfilling her dream of seeing the world. She should be screaming her excitement from the rooftops, but something seemed to be holding her back.

Glancing across the bonfire, she watched Charlie Anderson talking to Travers. Anderson looked especially hot tonight in his cut-off jean shorts and dark green T-shirt. She admired how the T-shirt was just tight enough to accentuate his perfect
pecs
. He was wearing his light brown hair longer these days and she admired the tousled look as he ran his fingers through it, pushing it off his face. At some point, she supposed she would have to get over her schoolgirl infatuation with her sister’s friend, but—like everything else in her life—that plan seemed to be on hold too.

She’d been sitting here for nearly an hour studying the man’s perfection in relative anonymity. “Relative” being the operative term, as Alex Taylor came and planted himself beside her on the ground and she realized she hadn’t been as careful as she should have.

“So how long have you been in love with Anderson?” Taylor asked.

Allie turned to look at him briefly before letting her gaze drift back to the man in question. “Forever,” she confessed, the alcohol loosening her tongue. “How long have
you
been in love with him?”

Her question was nothing more than a taunt, a petty way to strike out against the man, and she expected him to ignore her challenge, offer a flat-out denial,
call
her a fool.

She’d only come to suspect Taylor’s feelings toward his best friend since they’d moved home from college. For some reason, after their return, she’d begun to watch Taylor as much as Anderson. A fact she couldn’t even begin to explain to herself as the man had been a thorn in her side for most of their childhood. To say they butted heads often was an understatement. Ginny had teased her about her volatile relationship with Taylor, once claiming that they were both too much alike.

She was surprised to hear his heavy sigh of resignation.

“How did you know?” he asked.

Allie offered him a light laugh despite the fact her heart felt far from happy. “I’m not blind.”

Taylor nodded as if her answer were enough. “It would seem that blindness only affects Anderson.”

“He doesn’t know?”

Taylor chuckled, though the sound offered no mirth. “Never came up in conversation.”

“In twelve years?”

“He’s not gay, Allie.”

She raised her eyebrows at his words. “I wouldn’t have said
you
were either, if your list of female conquests was any indication.”

“You’re right. I’m not gay,” he admitted. He turned away from watching Anderson and moved closer to her. His intent gaze, while making her uneasy, drew her toward him like a moth to a flame.

“Care to explain that statement?” she asked, the alcohol in her system making her say things she’d never have had the nerve to voice otherwise.

“Ever heard the term bisexual?” he replied sarcastically.

She scowled, but before she could chastise him for being such a smartass, he grinned at her and ran his hand down her cheek in a more-than-friendly way. “Allie, I love women too. I love being with women, making love to them, tasting and touching them.”

“But you’ve been with men as well?”

“A couple in college,” he confessed.

“Neither of them stole your heart?” she asked, silently wondering why it felt so natural to be having this far-from-normal conversation with a man she’d always suspected detested her.

“
My heart’s
not available,” he answered simply.

“It belongs to Anderson?”

Taylor glanced back at his friend. “He’s the only
man
I’ve ever truly found myself attracted to—in a forever kind of way. I can’t help wondering what it would be like to be with him.”

She nodded. “Well, that certainly explains why you hate me. I never realized it before, but I suppose I’m the competition.”

Taylor’s eyebrows lowered, furrowed. “I don’t hate you, Allie. I never have.”

Allie was surprised by his answer. “But I thought—”

“Allie,” Taylor interrupted, moving closer to her. “You aren’t the competition. You’re part of the equation.”

Before she could respond, his lips lowered to hers, taking them in a kiss that was gentle and hard at the same time, tentative and possessive in the same breath.

She tried to understand what was happening, but the alcohol left her brain feeling fuzzy while Taylor’s kisses and roving hands left her body feeling very warm.

When he pulled back, Allie opened her eyes. “I’m drunk. And confused,” she admitted, and Taylor laughed, drawing his finger softly down her cheek again.

“Soon, hellion.
Soon it’ll all work out. You’ll see.” And with that enigmatic comment, Taylor got up and walked around the bonfire, joining in the conversation with Travers and Anderson.

Allie took a deep breath and struggled to understand what just happened. She looked around at the other people at the party. No one seemed to have noticed Taylor kissing her, everyone engrossed in their own conversations.

What the hell am I doing?

Kissing Alex Taylor—a confessed bisexual who happened to be in love with the same man as she—was not smart.

Shit, she was drunk and depressed about her life. Her mind was playing tricks on her. There was no way she could have possibly understood Taylor’s intentions correctly. He couldn’t have meant that he intended to have her
and
Anderson, could he?

She struggled to take a deep breath and a feeling of claustrophobia closed in on her as she realized she could give in to his desires far too easily. Apparently Ginny had been right. She and Taylor were similar people with similar hopes and needs.

But if she succumbed to Taylor’s invitation, where would that leave her?

Here
, she thought sadly.
Stuck in this same godforsaken town, waiting tables at the fucking diner.
The image of her exciting new job offer floated before her eyes.

Stay or leave?

Stay or leave
?

She felt someone watching her and her gaze traveled to Anderson. She saw him studying her, his eyebrows lowered. So many emotions seemed to be controlling his face, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling.
Curiosity, anger, jealousy, concern?

So she’d been wrong. One person
had
seen the kiss. One person had seen it all.

Chapter One

Six years later

“Well, now that you’ve finished your part in this little scheme of your sister’s, what do you say I drive you home?” Charlie offered his arm to Allie, anxious to get her out of the Way Down Under Club. It was a sex club and God only knew what kind of mischief she would get into if he didn’t get her out of here.

He’d only agreed to let her come in the first place because her sister Ginny had set her sights on his partner and friend, Ryan Travers. After nearly twenty years of friendship, the pair had fallen head over heels in love and Charlie couldn’t be happier for them. Earlier in the evening, Ginny and Allie had set up a bit of a love trap for his unsuspecting friend.

He, Travers and Taylor were part owners of the club, and Charlie knew the fact that she was with
them
would offer some protection from the men who might approach her—particularly the
Doms
.

“Are you nuts?” Allie protested. “I’ve been waiting for months to see inside this place. There is no way I’m going home now. Besides, it’s still early.”

“I think ‘months’ is pushing it a bit, considering you’ve only been back in town a few weeks. And you are most definitely going home.” Charlie had known this would happen. He glanced over at Taylor, expecting support, and was surprised to see his best friend merely shrug.

“I don’t see any harm in her staying. Why don’t we all have a drink and afterward, Anderson and I can give you a tour of the place?” Taylor suggested, and his nonchalant words floored Charlie.

“Are
you
nuts?” Charlie asked, repeating Allie’s phrase. “We’re not giving her a tour of this place!”

“Oh stuff it, Anderson. I’m twenty-eight years old and I don’t need you trying to protect my innocence anymore. I lost that a long time ago.”

Her words were light and accompanied by a playful giggle, but Charlie felt them like a blow to his gut.

“Allie,” he started.

She reached up and cupped his face gently. Her smile was genuine and sweet. “You were wonderful to me when I was younger. Sweeter than any true big brother could have been. You could have brushed me aside as Ginny’s tagalong, annoying kid sister, but you never did and I appreciate that, really. But I stopped needing your protection a long time ago. I’ve grown up.”

Taylor laughed, shaking his head. He directed Allie to a chair at the corner table where they’d been sitting earlier. “I don’t think you need to worry about Charlie viewing you in a respectable, brotherly way.”

Charlie scowled at his friend’s joke, but Taylor ignored him. “What would you like to drink, Allie?”

She took the seat Taylor proffered. “A glass of white wine, please.”

Taylor gestured for the waiter then sat down to her left. Charlie felt like an ass standing alone so he resumed his own seat.

“I have to admit I’m a bit annoyed with you, Allie Brooks,” Taylor said.

“Me?”

“You’ve been back in town nearly a month and you’ve yet to spend any quality time with us.”

Allie smiled. “I’ve been too busy playing Cupid with Ginny and trying to get settled in at my new place. I swear I’ve scoured this whole damn town looking for a decent home to buy, but I’ve determined there isn’t one. I may have to ask you boys to build me a house.”

“So you’re just renting the townhouse?” Taylor asked.

“Yes,” Allie nodded. “I have a definite idea of where I want to settle down, but it’s difficult to find the right piece of land. I’d like to build a house on the lake like you guys did.”

“The lake is a great place to live,” Taylor answered.

Charlie tried to bite back the frustration over being left out of their casual conversation. He glanced around the room and counted at least three men eyeing Allie with definite interest. He gave each of them a proprietary look meant to leave no doubt that she was unavailable and the men turned away.

“Are you ready to go yet?” he asked, interrupting their stimulating conversation about property values.

“I haven’t even gotten my wine,” Allie argued.

“Don’t mind Anderson,” Taylor said to her. “He lost his sense of humor several years ago.
Six, to be exact.”

Charlie clenched his fists under the table and considered clobbering his best friend for his unexpected, revealing comment.

“Six years ago?” Allie asked, and Charlie thought she’d gone a bit pale. He was going to kill Taylor when they got home.

“He’s kidding,” Charlie added quickly, though even to his own ears the words sounded like a lie.

He’d been worried sick when Allie had taken off six years earlier. Ginny had tried to explain Allie’s hasty departure, but he’d never really forgiven her for leaving without saying goodbye. While they’d never crossed the boundary from friendship to relationship, somewhere in the back of his mind he’d always nurtured the belief that she belonged to him. Throughout his entire life, he’d believed that she was his to care for.

When she’d skipped town like a thief in the night, he’d felt as if a large part of his soul had simply vanished. He was fairly certain he would have lost his mind if not for Taylor’s steadfast friendship.

“I should have said goodbye…explained why I was leaving.” Allie placed her hand on Charlie’s knee. “I just thought…”

“Thought what?” Charlie asked.

“That you would try to stop me.”

“I would have.” He replied so quickly he realized it was true. He would never have let her run off with Jim Griffin, regardless of the innocuous job description.

“Charlie,” she said softly, and he struggled to catch his breath at the sound of his name on her lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye, but I don’t regret one single second of my time away. I’ll never apologize for that.”

Taylor leaned forward and chuckled softly, no doubt hoping to lighten the suddenly tense mood at the table. “No one’s asking for apologies or explanations tonight. We’re just three friends, catching up on the good old days.”

Charlie appreciated his friend’s maneuver as it gave him precious time to gather his wits about him. Sometimes he was amazed how in tune to his emotions his best friend seemed to be.

“Ah good.
Our drinks.”
Taylor took the glass of wine the waiter delivered and set it in front of Allie. “You know, hellion, I think these last few weeks are the longest you’ve stayed in one place in years. Aren’t you getting bored hanging around this lazy town yet?
Doesn’t seem to me like there’d be enough excitement around here to keep you occupied.”

Charlie heard the challenge in Taylor’s tone and realized his friend’s thoughts mirrored his own. He’d long ago resigned himself to the fact that Allie had an adventurous streak a mile wide. Ginny had kept them abreast of Allie’s escapades during the past few years.

She’d taken off with barely a word to anyone with Jim Griffin and Charlie still couldn’t think of the man without a growl rising in his chest. For one thing, Griffin had been roommates with Allie’s father in college. The damn man had also been rich enough to do whatever the hell he pleased, which unfortunately meant risking his life—and Allie’s—on a daily basis.

Charlie fought back a scowl as he recalled listening to Ginny describe Allie’s adventures with Griffin. They’d bungee jumped off the Zambezi Bridge in Victoria Falls, skydived in Moab, Arizona, snorkeled in shark-infested waters and even driven a race car at Talladega. If there was an element of danger involved in an activity, Griffin was the first person in line to try it, usually with Allie at his heels.

She’d traveled around the world with him, serving as his traveling companion and personal assistant, and Charlie couldn’t help but wonder just how
personally
she’d served the man. Damn woman was a free spirit with far too much independence and stubbornness for his peace of mind.

“Oh I think the last few years with Jim managed to burn out any aspirations I might have had in terms of living my life as a drifter. Believe me, if I never see the inside of another hotel room again, it’ll be too soon,” she joked lightly before the usual sadness that always crept in when she mentioned Griffin fell into place. “I do miss that crazy man.”

Griffin had died six months earlier of a massive heart attack and, while it appeared that she was at last ready to put down some roots, Charlie wondered what her return would mean for him. His feelings for the woman were such a jumble in his head and heart, he didn’t know which way was up. When her sister had mentioned Allie was returning home, he’d decided that hell would freeze over before he’d let her escape him again.

Unfortunately his work commitments and Allie’s busy schedule—moving back home and settling Griffin’s vast estate—had interfered with any plans he might have had in terms of taking the next step. Seeing her tonight, looking so beautiful,
had
solidified his determination to cast off their “just friends” relationship and attempt to build something more.

“So what’s the plan, Allie? Got your future all figured out yet?” Taylor asked before Charlie could formulate the question. He glanced up at his friend and wondered for the millionth time if Taylor could actually read his mind.

“I guess I decided it was time to settle down and…” She paused, shrugging lightly.

“Stop running.” Taylor finished her comment, and Charlie wondered what his friend thought Allie was running from.
Him?
The thought made his blood run cold.

“I wasn’t running,” she replied hotly.

“You could have fooled me,” Taylor answered with a cocky grin.

“Am I missing something here?” Charlie asked.

Allie grinned at him and shook her head. “Nope, Taylor is just being his typical know-it-all self. Apparently he thinks every decision I make in my life is directly influenced by him.”

Taylor laughed at her insult. She and Taylor had returned to their “put-downs as means of communication” the day Allie returned home, although Charlie noticed these new insults had taken on a decidedly racy tone. “Face it, hellion, you just couldn’t stay away from my hot body any longer.”

Allie rolled her eyes. “Thank God I had a light dinner. I feel fairly certain that inane comment would have brought it right back up.”

As seemed to be the case any time he was alone with them, Charlie felt his patience slipping away at the thought that he was an outsider to some secret these two shared.

They damn well better not have any secrets
, he thought.

“Allie, get your purse. I’m taking you home. This is no place for you,” he announced when yet another man looked as if he wanted to approach her. The
Doms
were circling like fucking sharks and he had no intention of letting them sink their teeth into this prey.

Allie turned to look at him and once again he was blown away by how beautiful she looked tonight. She’d always been pretty, but there was a maturity in her lovely face that hadn’t been there when she’d left. She’d shed her young woman cuteness and drifted into grown woman knock-out. Her long, dark hair was naturally wavy and her deep green eyes were alluring, stunning. Charlie was used to her appearance drawing the gaze of every man in her vicinity. It had certainly captured and held
his
attention for years.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to leave yet. I want to stay here.
With you…and Taylor.”
Her voice was husky, sexy, and the look she gave him left no doubt in his mind that the fact they were in a sex club wasn’t lost on her.

He fought the ingrained instinct that screamed at him to grab her hand and pull her to the nearest bedroom. He wanted her with a desire that bordered on primal, but he found himself fighting his attraction tonight because—despite their constant jibing—he suspected that Taylor was interested in her as well. He and his best friend had never fought over a woman and Charlie didn’t want to now.

Nevertheless, he was fairly certain a war for Allie’s affections was looming on the horizon and he knew there was no way in hell he could walk away from her, even if Taylor was attracted to her.

Taylor leaned closer to Allie, and Charlie struggled to take a breath. Allie’s chair was backed into a corner with the two of them flanking her, partially hiding her from the room as a whole. The table was covered with a long cloth that Charlie noticed was shielding Taylor’s roving hand from the view of every occupant in the bar, except for him.

“Taylor,” he muttered quickly, intending his word to be a protest, a warning, but well aware his tone fell short of that mark.

Taylor grinned at him as his hand drifted over Allie’s skirt and he gave him a look that couldn’t be misconstrued as anything less than a dare. What did his friend expect? That he’d cuss him out? Start a fight? Walk away?

Charlie glanced down and Taylor gripped Allie’s bare knee with his right hand, while his eyes never left Charlie’s face. The short skirt she was wearing only covered her to mid-thigh. As Taylor’s hand crept up her leg, Charlie looked up at her face, expecting to see and hear her refusal at being touched so intimately in a public place.

He was shocked by the look of desire in her eyes. She
wanted
Taylor to touch her. Charlie was blown away by the realization and again he felt like an outsider, but he couldn’t move from the table, couldn’t leave them alone, even if it was the proper, polite thing to do.

“Get your hand off her, Taylor.” His voice was quiet, but only a fool wouldn’t hear the anger.

Taylor’s fingers traveled along the hem of her skirt before disappearing beneath the lacy garment.

“It doesn’t have to be either-or,” Taylor whispered, still looking at him.

Charlie watched as a lovely flush colored her porcelain cheeks and he heard her soft intake of breath.

“Allie,” Charlie said, determined to save her if that’s what she wanted. One look at her proved she wasn’t opposed to Taylor’s touch.

“You’re so soft and warm,” Taylor murmured, turning to look at her with a gentle smile. Then, to Charlie’s shock, his friend spoke to him. “Touch her, Charlie.”

Charlie shook his head as too many things came crashing down on him at once. For one, he and Taylor hadn’t used each other’s first names since the sixth grade. Secondly, it sounded as if his best friend was suggesting they both stick their hands up Allie Brooks’ skirt.