Falling for my Best Friend: The Fighting Sullivans, #3

By Melissa Schroeder

From the USA Today Bestselling author of The Santinis comes a story of another group of military brothers who are about to meet the women who will own their hearts.

I'm the nice one. The one women like to take home to their mamas. The kind women always say would make a good husband.

Only…they don't really know me. Not like my friend Micky. She's been my best friend since we met in high school.

I know how you're looking at me right now. Like I was just trying to get in her pants. Believe me, I wasn't. When we met, I was kind of skinny and gangly, and I was just happy to have another military  BRAT to hang with. We liked a lot of the same things, and we had the same sense of humor. And she didn't care who my brothers were.

Only, lately, I've been having these insane thoughts, like, how does she taste? Does she like dirty talking in bed? And does she see me as only her BFF?

When one of our clients shows interest in her, I decide it's finally time to take a chance. One way or another, I have to make her see we will be perfect together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HARMLESS PUBLISHING
• Release date: Apr 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781956633139

Melissa Schroeder

From an early age, USA Today Bestselling author Melissa loved to read. First, it was the books her mother read to her including her two favorites, Winnie the Pooh and the Beatrix Potter books. She cut her preteen teeth on Trixie Belden and read and reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school. It wasn’t until she was in college that she tried to write her first stories, which were full of angst and pain, and really not that fun to read or write. After trying several different genres, she found romance in a Linda Howard book. Since her first published book, Grace Under Pressure, Mel has had over 60 short stories, novellas, and novels published. She has written in genres ranging from historical to contemporary to futuristic and has worked with 8 publishers although she handles most of her publishing herself. She is best known for her Harmless and Santini series. After years of following her military husband around the country and world, Mel happily lives with her family in horse and wine country in Northern Virginia.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

TYLER

This Prologue was included in the previous book as the Bonus Epilogue.

"M y face is hot," Micky says from beside me. I’m driving her home from Alyx’s because she rode with me, and I know she can’t hold her liquor. For such a tall woman, she can’t seem to have any more than a sip, and she starts acting like an idiot.

Probably because you’re embarrassed.

I feel her glance. I have no idea what you’re talking about.

My hands are gripping the steering wheel so tight, my knuckles are turning white. She knows exactly what I’m talking about.

"He’s old enough to be your father. Wait, he’s older than your father."

What the fuckity fuck are you talking about?

And there it is. When she drinks, the woman cusses like there is no tomorrow. Worse, it makes me want to put a stop to it with my mouth.

Seamus.

She gasps. I am not interested in Seamus. Although, I do like his name. Seamus.

I roll my eyes. Whatever.

What has been up your ass, Sullivan? You were a complete dick all week with Adam too. Are you just not liking other dudes?

I’m not liking other dudes coming on to her, is what I don’t like.

I don’t think I have ever been as mad as I have been this week as I was with our client. He kept flirting with Micky all week. And for the first time, I worried I might lose her. That’s all this is about. If she gets a steady man, then I’ll lose my best friend. The other men in her life have always been kind of replaceable. I realized for the first time this week that a man like Adam—with all his money and status and stability—could definitely sweep her off her feet.

It left me feeling a little out of place and worried I would lose her. Worse, we are back on the job next week with him. Thankfully, he leaves at the end of the week. I just hope he doesn’t try to take Mick with him.

I swallow the panic and take the turn onto her street. She lives halfway down the block. Christmas lights are already out on a lot of houses, including Micky’s. She made me come over and help her put them up last weekend.

I pull up into her driveway.

Oh. My. God! We’re at my house.

I can’t fight the chuckle. Mick can be damned funny when she’s drunk. She starts pulling on the seatbelt, but it’s still locked in.

What the hell? What is happening?

I roll my eyes, press the garage door opener—we both have one for each other’s houses—and slip out of my SUV and walk around to her door. I open the door and reach over to unlock the seatbelt.

Hmm, you smell good, she says, her voice deepening over the words.

We have been friends for years and, other than right when I met her, I never really saw her as more than my friend. Well, until two weeks ago when that bastard Adam Fuller decided to flirt with her. And ask her out. Bastard.

The only thing that saved my sanity is that she said she didn’t date clients.

Do you smell like this all the time? If so, we should bottle that shit up and make a fortune. She slips her fingers through my hair and draws in another deep breath. It causes her tit to press against the side of my face. If I turned my head, my mouth would be on it.

Fuck. Just that thought has my dick hardening. Another byproduct of the last two weeks is that I’ve been getting off to the idea of Mick. And worse, I can’t think of any other woman. It must be her. Like, all of a sudden, my body decided it wanted no one else.

I get her out of the vehicle and help her stand.

Holy shit, someone put my lights up.

We did that last weekend, Mick.

Oh, yeah. We had fun.

We did. We always do. I thought we were back on track until we went in to work the security for Adam, and that bastard flirted with her again.

I get her into the house and into her bedroom. I help her off with her shoes, and she falls on that amazing California king bed.

So, you going to sleep in your clothes?

Nope.

She somehow gets up and stumbles into the bathroom. I hear her flush the toilet, then remember to wash her hands—because that isn’t weird for a drunk to remember—and then she opens the door. I blink. She’s changed into an old shirt of mine she stole last year. It hits her just beneath her ass.

Hey! Ty! She wraps her arms around me and presses up against me. She’s slim, athletically built, with subtle curves. But she has all those curves pressed up against me—and she’s not wearing a bra. I didn’t know you were here. Have I ever told you how good you smell?

Yeah, you said we should bottle it to sell.

She pulls back and looks at me. She’s so close our noses are almost touching. Micky is a gorgeous woman with golden skin, dark brown hair, and the most amazing blue-green eyes. This close to her, I can see the freckles that dance across the bridge of her nose.

No. I don’t want to share.

Excuse me?

I want you all to myself.

Okay, she has me confused with someone. Micky has never been interested in me.

Okay. Let’s get you to bed.

Yes! she shouts so loud, I cringe.

I tuck her in and try to kiss her forehead. I have done it a million times in the last two decades, but this time, she moves and presses her mouth against mine. I don’t think. Can’t. It’s just that overwhelming. In the next instant, she is dropping back onto the mattress, a smile on her face. You’re the sexiest man, and I always want to kiss you when I see you.

I blink.

Love you, Tyler, she says, turning over giving me her back.

I stand there so hard it should embarrass me, wondering just what the hell happened. We tell each other we love one another all the time. We’re that close. But this time, it feels like it means something different.

And I need answers.

Mick?

A little snore floats up, and I groan. I want to wake Micky up and demand an answer, but instead, I leave her. Nothing will be accomplished tonight, but there is one thing I can guarantee will happen tomorrow. Micky and I will talk about what she said, what she did, and just what the hell that all means.

1

MICKY

Ilay in bed, my head pounding as if there are a million little jerks using