Read Online Just the Way I Like It by Erin Nicholas - Free Book Online

some scary stuff,” Danika said.
    “Well…” Dooley said. Wasn’t it obvious?
    “Well, what?” Dani asked, eyebrows up.
    “We couldn’t just not date at all,” Mac said.
    “Why not?”
    “Who would we have had sex with?” Sam asked.
    Dani turned to her husband. “So, better to be surrounded by borderline psychopaths than celibate?”
    The guys all turned to Kevin. The only one who knew anything about celibacy.
    He shrugged. “I’m pleading the fifth here.”
    “Maybe you deserved the stuff that happened to you,” Sara suggested. “I know you all pretty well and I’m not sure any of you can claim to be Prince Charming.”
    “ You like me,” Mac reminded her. With both hands on her hips, he slid her back on his lap and nuzzled her neck.
    Sara giggled. “I don’t have very good taste.”
    “I think you taste great.”
    “Ahem,” Sam cleared his throat loudly.
    “Maybe we should make that a scale,” Dani said. “The Prince Charming meter. You get points for being good , and sweet and romantic instead of crazy on this scale.”
    “Where am I starting on this scale?” Sam asked Danika, pulling her closer on the couch.
    He said something in her ear that made her blush…and nod. “That bumps you ahead,” she told him, her hand on his thigh.
    Ben tipped his head back to look at his wife. “I’ve got some ideas of how to get ahead here.”
    She laughed and ran her hand down the side of his neck. “Me too.”
    Dooley sighed and drained his beer.
    He kind of hated this part of these gatherings.
    He loved his friends. These people were amazing people and outstanding friends. He wouldn’t trade any of them and he’d do anything for every single one of them. He was also happy for them all. Truly.
    But when the couples acted like couples it was…hard. He didn’t want that. Well, he wanted it on some level but he couldn’t have it. Period. He’d accepted that.
    But, he always felt a tightness in his chest when watching them all together.
    Being loved like that, and having someone you felt that way about—he couldn’t imagine it.
    He caught Kevin’s eye again and could tell his friend was thinking something similar.
    Dammit.
    His reasons made sense to him. It was his decision. But he hated that Kevin hadn’t found anyone either. Kevin deserved true love.
    “Oh, hey, Kevin,” Ben said, pushing to his feet from his seat on the floor. “I have two tickets for the Casino Night fundraiser for the new cancer wing. It’s at the Hilton downtown. Wanna go?”
    “You’re not using them?” Kevin asked as Ben handed him the tickets.
    “Nah. We’re staying home a lot more now.” He gave Jessica a sweet smile as he helped her to her feet. “Which is why we’re heading out now, in fact.”
    “It’s early,” Sara protested, but she got up to give her sister and brother-in-law kisses.
    “Ava needs bedtime stories and Ben does the best character voices,” Jessica said, squeezing her husband’s hand.
    Damn . Dooley took a deep breath. He didn’t need that, he didn’t need that, he didn’t need that.
    Maybe if he said it enough he’d get back to believing it. Before all of his buddies fell in love, it had been a lot easier.
    Digging the knife a little deeper, Ben said, “You all should think about getting an Ava or two.”
    He hugged Danika as he said it and her cheeks got pink again. Dooley wondered if anyone else noticed.
    “If I had Ava at home I’d probably never leave,” Sara said with a little sigh.
    Mac stood next to her and at her words he straightened fully and looked down at her. “Yeah?” he asked, gruffly.
    She wrapped her arm around his waist and nodded. “Yeah.”
    “I know where to get one,” he said.
    Sara wiggled her eyebrows. “Do you?”
    “Let’s go home and I’ll show you.”
    “And on that note,” Sam said loudly. “Everyone out of my house.”
    “Love you all,” Danika said as Jess and Ben and Sara and Mac headed for the door. She kissed Dooley’s cheek.