Ours After All (All Ours, #2)

Prologue

Joshua

''You fucking dick!''

''Uh...''

''You are unbelievable, Joshua. Unbe-fucking-leviable.''

I grin. ''Thanks.''

''It wasn't a fucking compliment!'' she bellows.

I didn't think it was, giving that she's practically screaming her lungs out of her chest.

''I don't know what you want me to say, Casey.''

''You don't know what I want you to say?'' her eyes bug. ''How about sorry?''

What the fuck? ''For what?''

I duck just as my bedside tables lamp sails right past my head, barely missing and hitting the wall behind me with a loud and crashing thud.

''For what?'' she shrieks back.

''Yeah. For what?'' I repeat, my voice slightly raised as I feel myself getting more and more worked up with every second of her screeching. ''From the fucking start I've made it clear what this was going to be. Just sex. Nothing more or less. You knew that damn well.''

If there's something I despise, it's women demanding more from me when I have made it more than clear just what our relationship will entail. Which is nothing more than a temporary fling. I'm a straight-up guy. I like sex. I like women. I like sex with women- and I like women who like sex just as much as I do.

What I don't like however is women agreeing to the terms I set straight before even touching them, and then suddenly changing course after getting the D.

Now I'm a reasonable man. It's not like I get my fill and kick them out right afterward. Although the aftermath isn't my favorite part of a hookup, they're more than welcome to stay for the night. Hey, I'll even whip them something up in my kitchen the next morning. Maybe even call the ones that were really wild in the sack back for seconds or thirds.

But sometimes they forget that those things do not necessarily mean I want them as a...girlfriend.

Like dear, sweet Casey here. She was hot. Appeared fantastic. Blond hair shinier than the last car I bought. Stripper tits. Great smile. Pretty funny personality. She seemed good, until week two of meeting for random hook-ups hit and she apparently started thinking of herself as my girl. Which she is most definitely not.

''You took me out on a date!''

I stifle a choked sigh and throw my head up, glancing up at my ceiling, hoping- no, praying that God will give me enough strength to get through the next couple of minutes without me being the one to bash a lamp against my own face.

''I took you to the Chinese place down my street.'' I deadpan. It was after four rounds of midnight sex and we were sleepy and hungry and it was the only place still open so late at night. If that's considered a fucking date... Goddammit. This is why I rarely pass my limit of three times with the same girl. It's like after that, something switches in their brain that possesses them to get clingy.

''Argh!''' she groans, stomping her bare feet like a little child. I can already feel a headache bubbling as a tightening pressure crams at the sides of my head. She's not much better because she's got a vein sticking out of hers.

''Don't be like that, Casey.'' I soften my voice to coo. You kind of master it after years of ushering ladies out of your space, trying to make it painless as possible for both parties. Not that it works every time.

Yeah. Let's just say that lamp was not the first object in here that was thrown at my head. I'm a fucking regular at Ikea at this point.

''Don't be like what?'' she throws back. ''Hurt? Heartbroken? Fucking livid?''

''Well, that's a tad dramatic.'' To put it lightly. She's acting as if I'm breaking off our engagement. I don't even know her fucking last name.

''Is it though?'' she asks, jaw tight and eyes getting glossier with every second she looks at me.

Yes.

She shakes her head at the silence her question is met with, finally turning around to gather her shoes and the pink see-through blouse she wore over her white minidress. She hooks them over her arm and spins towards the door. A relieved breath escapes me before I can swallow it down as I follow after her. She was one screaming match away from making my neighbors and everyone else in this building call security on us.

She throws the door open with force, but with her hand still on the handle, she turns to face me once again. ''You want to know the reason why it's so hard for you to commit, Joshua?''

No, actually, but I tip my head for her to go ahead and clarify because I have a feeling she won't leave until she does.

''Because you're already in a fucking relationship.''

My eyes narrow in question, and she reads the confusion all over my face because she shrugs, muttering, ''Think about it,'' before she steps out of my home and shuts the door behind her.

It takes me about a minute to realize what the hell she meant. Only because I walk past a photograph of me and my best friend in the hall, on my way to my bathroom.

I'm not in a fucking relationship with Nara.

How can I be in a relationship with someone who refuses to talk to me?

...................................................................................

OMG. First chapter. Joshua is so so different from Kayden, I know you guys have already met him in OTB and loved him, so I hope you love him as the main character as well.

Updates are going to be very regular so keep an eye out, y'all.

Happy reading, and until next time!