Free Relentless by Cheryl Douglas Page B

his legs. “According to her, it was the other way around, my friend.”
    “What’re you talking about? I went to grab a shower. I needed a minute to get my head on straight.”
    “Maybe if you’d asked her to join you…”
    “Damn it, I…” He was about to defend his actions when he considered how it might have seemed to her. He’d barely said a word to her when he hightailed it into the bathroom. “Okay, obviously I’ve messed this up.”
    Brad crossed his arms, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Gee, you think so?”
    J.T. shot him a warning glare, which he guessed was lost on him. “Don’t be a smartass. Why don’t you help me figure out how to make this right instead of trying to piss me off?”
    Regarding him carefully, he said, “You really like her, don’t you?”
    He rolled his eyes. “Would I be here if I didn’t?”
    “You said you needed a few minutes to get your thoughts together last night. What does that mean?”
    He was not discussing his sexual performance with this guy, no matter how dire things seemed with Nikki. He stared across the table. Like it or not, Brad was her friend and he had been with her last night. If anyone knew what she was thinking and how she was feeling where he was concerned, it would be him. Sighing, he decided to swallow his pride. “Nikki and I first met five years ago.”
    He nodded. “I know. She told me.”
    He was pleasantly surprised their brief encounter years ago had warranted a conversation with her friend. That had to be a good sign. “Yeah, well she was too damn young for me back then. Hell, in my mind she wasn’t even legal.”
    Brad crossed his arms, tipping his head as he regarded him carefully. “How old are you?”
    “Thirty-three.”
    He shrugged. “That’s only ten years. Not that big a deal if you ask me. My boyfriend is nine years older than I am. It’s never been a factor in our relationship.”
    How could he put this without making himself sound like the male whore many believed him to be? “Let’s just say, it’s not about how many years I’ve lived, but how I’ve spent those years.”
    Brad laughed, slapping his palm against his knee. “You’re honest, direct; I like that in a man.”
    J.T. raised an eyebrow. He didn’t know where he was going with this, but he didn’t think he liked it.
    He held his hand up, smiling. “Relax; I’m not hitting on you. I’m just saying those are admirable qualities in a person.”
    Feeling like a jerk for jumping to the wrong conclusions, J.T. raised the mug to his lips and indulged in a fortifying drink of the strong brew.
    “Nikki is an amazing woman,” Brad said quietly.
    “Yeah, I kinda figured that out,” J.T. muttered.
    “You haven’t even begun to scratch the surface with her.” He paused, looking J.T. in the eye. “And I doubt she’s willing to let you get that close.”
    “Why the hell not?” J.T.’s cell phone rang, but since he hadn’t given Nikki the number, he chose to ignore it. This was more important. “Is that what she told you?”
    “No, but I know her. I know how hard she’s worked for this opportunity. She’s not willing to let anyone stand in the way of her dream.”
    “What makes you think I want to stand in her way?” He scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to resist the urge to shoot the messenger. “I think she’s incredibly talented. She deserves to be successful.”
    “And if you were the man in her life, you’d support her even if it meant she was on the road more than she was at home?”
    For the first time, he considered what it would be like to be involved with a woman who was never there, who was living a life completely separate from his.
    “I can guess what you’re thinking and you’re right. It wouldn’t be easy. I don’t think I could do it, share Ron with the rest of the world. But the man who falls in love with Nikki will have to share her; that’s just the way it is.”
    He considered his brother’s