Authors: Mk Schiller
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Erotic Contemporary, #Literature & Fiction
The Do-Over
Loose Id Titles by MK Schiller
THE DO-OVER
MK Schiller
www.loose-id.com
The Do-Over
Copyright © October 2013 by MK Schiller
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
eISBN 9781623004804
Editor: C. J. Williams
Cover Artist: Mina Carter
Published in the United States of America
Loose Id LLC
PO Box 809
San Francisco CA 94104-0809
www.loose-id.com
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning
This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
* * * *
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Dedication
I want to thank the reader who purchased this book for spending not just your money but your valuable time. I hope you enjoy Kyle and Lanie’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it and consider leaving a review. I need to thank Savvy Authors for providing such great opportunities for aspiring writers like myself. I want to thank Loose Id for inviting me to be a part of their family, and in particular, my editor, CJ, whose expertise helped me take the crooked stitches and transform them into a finished tapestry. Thank you for your suggestions and making me laugh along the way. Thank you to my beta readers, Roberta and Etheleen, for their support. Last but not least, I need to thank my family, whose support encouraged me to delve deeper into Kyle and Lanie’s world, because they had everything under control in mine.
Chapter One
Kyle Manchester sat at Duggan’s Pub sipping the last of his top-shelf whiskey and wondering where in the hell Brad Jansen was. He was fifteen minutes late. Boy Scout Brad had probably stopped to help a blind person cross the street or take an abandoned litter of kittens to a shelter. Kyle was using the time to scope out women.
The red-haired vixen in the corner had been eyeing him since he’d walked through the door. He nodded in her direction. She rewarded him with a sexy smile. He played his favorite game to pass the time, guessing her to be a 36 D but probably fake. He was usually right on both counts and was able to validate his estimates since he typically examined the subjects up close. He was proud of his accuracy on the size but disgusted by the amount of saline in women today. There were so few real women anymore. Getting breast augmentation was as common as having wisdom teeth pulled. It wasn’t a deal breaker though. He enjoyed women of all shapes and sizes, fake or real. Until he got bored, usually around the third time he fucked them. That was when girls started talking about relationships and that dreaded
F
word…
future
. It never failed, even though Kyle was always up-front with them. He didn’t have that special commitment gene like Brad did. The absence of that trait was as much a part of his inherent genetic makeup as his green eyes and black hair. Kyle motioned to the attractive, raven-haired bartender for another drink and ordered one for the buxom redhead too.
“I love the way you handle the neck of the bottle,” he complimented her, displaying a sly smile that showed off his chipped tooth, a feature many women said made them wet on sight.
“I know how to handle a bottle,” the bartender replied with a wink.
“Hard to believe.” Kyle grinned.
“What, that I know how to handle a bottle?” she asked, leaning over just enough to show off the slope of some promising, pert breasts.
“No, that I’m jealous of a bottle of scotch,” he said.
“Sorry I’m late, bro,” Brad said as he sat on the stool next to him. Kyle sighed, perturbed by Brad’s timing.
“I’m sorry you showed up at all. I was about to close a deal with the busty beauty in the corner.” Kyle jutted his chin, gesturing to the redhead who was doing naughty things with her straw.
“So what? You think because I sit next to you she’s going to think you’re gay or something?”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “Two minutes with me, and she’ll know I’m not gay.”
“You’ve got more stamina these days?” Brad said, followed by a hearty laugh.
“Put his beer on my tab,” Kyle said to the bartender. He shook his head at his childhood friend. “Two minutes doesn’t even cover the opening attractions.”
“You know most girls want more than casual sex, right?” They’d had this conversation many times. Brad didn’t approve of Kyle’s lifestyle, but they usually joked about it.
“Luckily, those girls have you. At least, after I’m done with them.”
“God, you’re a whore.”
“I don’t charge. It’s consensually casual. The way I like it. I don’t even charge you.”
“Charge me for what?”
“For living vicariously through me.”
Brad chuckled, but the statement wasn’t completely false. Brad didn’t do casual, but he seemed a little too interested in Kyle’s exploits. It was apparent there was some envy there. Kyle’s eyes stayed fixed on the fiery seductress who was gaping back at him. They were having their own conversation.
“Jesus, can you just look at me for a second? I have a favor to ask you.”
Kyle straightened up and turned to Brad. “You didn’t just want to watch me close a deal?”
“Entertaining as that may be, I’ll have to pass,” Brad replied dryly.
“What do you want?”
“You know I’ve been seeing a girl for a few months now.”
“Yeah, um…Callie?” Kyle rarely had the ability to recall the names of girls
he
was with, let alone keep track of Brad’s girlfriends.
“Cassie.” Brad rolled his eyes.
“Sorry. Names aren’t my strong suit.”
“Bullshit. I’ve seen you remember names I can’t even spell.”
“If they pertain to a story.” Kyle savored his last sip and motioned for another drink.
“Well, whatever. Anyway, I really like her a lot and…”
“I won’t fuck her. Bros before hos,” Kyle joked.
“Jesus, Kyle! Cassie’s no whore.”
“Sorry. I’m sure she’s lovely. Not that I’d know since you haven’t introduced us.”
“Well, I want to. Actually, I was wondering if you’d be interested in going out with her sis—”
“No.” The statement came out with such force that heads turned, conversations stopped, and even the bartender overfilled the shot glass because she was staring at them.
“Hear me out,” Brad said.
“I’m not into setups. You know that.”
“Lanie’s very nice. She’s an attorney too and works at my firm. She’s very successful.”
“Yep, and I bet she wears granny panties.”
“You’re disgusting. Do you know how offensive you are?”
“Offensive? To grandmas?” Kyle asked with a wicked grin.
Brad hesitated, opening and closing his mouth, before choosing his words. “She’s not bad looking.”
“Yeah, well, ‘not bad looking’ doesn’t mean good-looking, and even if it did, that’s way below hot.”
“She’s a nice girl, and she’s very intelligent…and articulate…and successful.”
“Just the kind of girl I avoid. Tell me something, Brad. Is your girlfriend hot?”
“Cassie’s beautiful.” Brad took out his cell phone and scrolled through photos.
“Give me that.” Kyle snatched Brad’s cell phone and laid it on the counter.
“What are you—”
“See how fast you responded when I asked if your girlfriend’s hot?”
“She is.”
“Yeah, and the sister’s successful, intelligent, and what was it?” Kyle drummed his fingers on the bar and pretended to think. “Oh yeah, articulate.”
“Because I’m not dating her.”
“Is Angelina Jolie hot?”
“Hell yes,” Brad answered without pause.
“See? No hesitation, and yet I don’t believe you’re dating Angelina Jolie. Jesus, Brad, you’re the lawyer, but I seem to be making a very strong case for myself.”
“Look…she’s a very nice girl.”
“Then why the hell do you want to set her up with me?” Kyle turned around, set his elbows on the bar, and smiled at the well-endowed redhead.
God, she’s doing delicious things with that straw.
“Good question. I feel sorry for her. She’s always working. She and Cassie live together. I see her working her butt off at work, and then I see her every night in front of her laptop.”
“Oh? Does Mommy live there too? How fun for you.”
Brad gave Kyle a warning glance. “No, it’s just Lanie and Cassie.”
“I get it. You want me to babysit.” Even as he said it, Kyle knew that wasn’t Brad’s intent. Brad was the kind of man girls swooned over—the first to offer a loan, help a friend move, or give a stranded coworker’s car a jump in the middle of winter. He was Mr. Fantastic while Kyle was Mr. Fucktastic. It was amazing they had remained friends all these years with their differing views about most things, especially the opposite sex.
That was except for their freshman year at Syracuse, when the friendship was tested, but it was a long time ago and a forbidden subject. “She’s a fan, and she has a crush on you.”
For the first time in the conversation, Brad captured all of Kyle’s attention. He focused his thoughts on the conversation instead of mentally undressing the straw-sucking minx, who was probably doing the same thing to him. “I’m listening.”
Brad displayed his own cocky smile as if he’d just put Kyle in checkmate, which in a way, was exactly what he’d done. “I thought she might like to meet you. She reads all your articles, even the ones when you were on the back pages.”
Did girls read newspapers anymore? Certainly not the girls he dated. Why bother when they could get their news through microblogging and celebrity Twitter messages. “So she has good taste. She should read my articles. They are Pulitzer-worthy, after all.”
Kyle was not a humble man, but his pride was supported by his stellar work.
“I think you should meet her. Don’t fuck her. Just be a nice guy like I know you can be.”
“Sounds like a stalker to me,” Kyle said sarcastically.
The smile left Brad’s lips. “That’s it. You owe me, and I’m cashing in. Do you remember when I talked my client into giving you the interview over Thomas Watkins?” At the mention of the other journalist’s name, Kyle scowled. Thomas Watkins worked for the
Times
and Kyle worked for the
Tribune
. They were constantly in competition for the best stories. Kyle owed Brad for that lead, if only for the small victory over Watkins.