“You going out with Layla tonight?” my mum asks.
“Yeah, I was just about to text her now.” Mum loves Layla. Always has. Layla is the calm to my storm. I can get riled up easily, but not Layla. It takes a lot to get her going, and even then she doesn’t pull out punches. Unlike me, Layla is the epitome of a lady. I have the temper of the redhead I am, and I’ve been in more fights than most guys I know. I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is.
“Oh, that’s good. You girls have fun. Dad and I are going to the office for a bit. Got some work that needs to get done.” She comes over and gives me a quick hug and a kiss on my cheek before leaving.
I take out my phone and text Layla.
N: Come to my place tonight! Let’s go clubbing. Get ready with me. XX
L: Okay I’ll be at yours in an hour
I love Layla, she’s like a sister to me. We met in the second grade when my family had just moved here from Canada. That’s right, I’m Canadian, bitches! My dad is from Australia. Dad met mum at some business event, and that was that. When they got married, they stayed in Canada for a few years, and after a while they wanted a change. Plus, dad’s company offered him a raise and moving bonus if we went back to Aus. So we all made the big move to Australia, and I started school and met Layla. That was that, the start of the Nikki and Layla era.
I'm digging through my wardrobe, flinging clothes onto my bed, trying to find the perfect outfit for tonight. I find something that catches my eye, just as I see Layla walk in.
“Layla!” I give her a huge hug. She smells like strawberries and coconut.
“Hey! Having trouble finding something to wear tonight?" she says, staring wide eyed at the massive pile of clothes on my bed.
I shrug. “I think I have it sorted. I need to get laid tonight. Need to look sexy!” And I do. I need to get Kade off my mind. You know what they say, to get over someone you gotta get under someone new.
We get ready, have a bite to eat, and then we head out in a cab. The men better watch out, because we are dressed to kill.
I haven’t heard from Layla, so I tried calling her cell a few times. Finally the hottie she went home with answered, and said he’d get her to call me when she woke up. Eventually Layla messages me her address, telling me to come over. When I see the address I do a double take, thinking I must be reading the message wrong. There's no way in hell. Well, f**k. Layla lives with Kade? This is not good. I think of making an excuse not to go over there, but I already said I was on my way over. I need to handle this. I pull into the driveway of the familiar house and groan loudly. It’s such a small world. I cannot believe my bad luck. I make my way to the door, feeling nervous as hell. When Layla opens it with a huge smile on her face, I feel a bit better. We walk into the lounge area and I take a seat, hoping Kade isn’t home.
“Okay, spill,” I demand.
“We just made out. I stayed the night at his house.” I gasp. Wow. Chase seems like a good guy. “Which also happens to be my house. This house.”
Holy shit. I feel my eyes go huge. This really is f**king crazy. Come on, both of our coincidences are insane. I burst out laughing. Moments later, Kade himself walks in. Oh no. I put a blank expression on my face and act like I've never met him before.
“Care to share what’s so funny?” he says in that sexy voice of his. He plops down on the couch next to us, and his eyes widen slightly when he notices me. My eyes go wide, and I swallow hard, then I quickly try to cover it up. I hate lying to Layla, but this is just too much crazy, even for me.
“Where the hell have you been hiding this one, Layla?” I attempt to purr.
I see Kade’s eyes narrow on me thoughtfully, then he smirks, understanding what game I’m playing. “I was about to ask Layla the same thing.”
“This is Nikki’s first time here!” She laughs, and I bristle at that because it’s not. “But Kade, meet Nikki. Nikki, meet Kade. And feel free to continue to eye screw each other like I’m not even here.”
That gets Kade’s attention. “Eye screw?” He laughs. “You can’t even say eye f**k. You're adorable, Layla.”
“Isn’t she?” I grin at Layla. She is so innocent. “So, where’s Chase?”
She pouts her beautiful lips. “At work.” She gestures towards Kade. “That’s his baby bro.”
“No shit.” Holy shit, this just keeps going and going. The universe hates me. I know it. “Good genes, much! So Kade, what do you do with yourself?”
We make small talk for a bit, and I see another guy come in, Layla introduces him as James. He’s hot, too, and I can’t help it when my eyes stray to his sexy lip ring. Damn this family. Layla and James start talking when Kade comes close to me and whispers, “So, your name is Nikki? I’ve been dying to find out what it was since that night.” He grins. “I like it, care to share your full name?”
I may as well tell him because I know that if I don’t, Layla will. “Nicole Jaymes Heath. You?"
“Kade Alexander Steele,” he says without hesitation.
After a while, Kade gets up, quickly grabs my hand, and begins to lead me to his room. The minute his door closes, his mouth is on mine. We kiss each other frantically, for a long while, his hands slowly twisting themselves into my hair, pulling me closer with each gentle tug. When he starts to move his hands up my dress, that’s when I pull away.
“Stop, Kade,” I say softly.