by Lynn Stevens
Erik didn’t say anything. He just bent down and pressed his lips gently to mine. I melted against him, then he deepened the kiss. If what we did in the hallway was pornographic, this was purely hedonistic. His hands drifted to my rear, then down until his fingers found the hem of my skirt, lifting it up until my butt was exposed. The only thing between his hands and my bare skin were some really thin silk panties. I moaned into his mouth.
“Is this how you want me to kiss you?” he said briefly before attaching himself back onto my mouth.
“Mm hmmm,” I said, digging my fingers into his hair.
The doorknob turned and someone tried to enter, but Erik was firmly holding it in place.
“You kids need to get to class,” a raspy voice said. “And I need to mop up puke in the cafeteria. Go now, and I won’t rat you out.”
I pulled back and straightened my skirt. Erik’s gaze was downright feral. “Come over tonight,” he said, taking my hand and opening the door.
Mr. Reilly raised his eyebrows when he saw us. “I suggest straightening your clothes a bit more or people are gonna know what you were up to in here.”
I smiled. “Let them think whatever they want.”
We stepped into a mostly empty hallway. Vicky and Eva strolled by, but neither one of them noticed us. Logan, however, whistled low.
“Nice hair, Andrea,” he said wiggling his eyebrows. “You too, Perday.”
Erik laughed and smoothed down my tousled locks, not touching his at all. He kissed the top of my head. “I’m serious about tonight.”
“What about your parents?” I asked when we stopped outside my classroom.
“Don’t worry about them. Just come over.” His eyes said please.
How could I resist that? I nodded. “I’ll text Mom and will be over right after golf lessons.”
He smirked. “Perfect.”
Lunch was tame. Erik and I ate in the library. Our legs tangled under the table, but he spent more time doing schoolwork than talking or anything else. It was comfortable silence. I loved that about us. We didn’t have to talk the entire time. We could just exist.
We also kept our hands mostly to ourselves in the hallways. Our little stint in the utility closet had spread like wildfire around the school. Not that I cared. It was crazy how easy it was not to care about the rumors anymore. Last year, even this past summer, I was so worried about people talking about me all the time. The rumor mill at Xavier was vicious, but it didn’t matter what these people said about me anymore. It was freeing.
“Hey, can we talk for a minute?” Vicky asked out of nowhere at the end of the day. She fell into step beside me as I walked toward my locker.
“Sure,” I said. Why I agreed, I didn’t even know. She’d been my friend for so long, it was either out of habit or because I actually wanted to hear her out. Maybe because of my conversation with Brendan. I wasn’t sure which. “But Erik usually meets me at my locker and walks me out. I’m not going to shoo him off for you.”
She inhaled fast and hard. “I can’t forgive him.”
“For what though?” I asked as I opened my locker. “Last year or for beaning you this summer?”
“Either.” She turned and watched the hallway. “He’s done too much damage.”
“You’ve done your fair share, too,” I said. Her head whipped toward me. “Hold on before you jump down my throat.”
She didn’t say a word.
“You knew Erik was into you last year.” I closed my locker door and leaned against it. “Before that party, he was always around you. You guys had been best friends since grade school. Everyone else knew he wanted to be more than friends. And you went for it when you guys were both drunk at a party. You regretted it, and that’s when the shit started at school.”
“He told everyone we had sex,” she seethed.
“So you assumed. Did you ever think he told his best male friend, Theo? Or Logan? Either one of them could’ve told Megan Herald and it would’ve been all over the school before attendance was taken. And you know that’s true.”
“You’re taking his side,” she snapped, pointing her finger at my chest.
“I’m not taking sides, Vicky.” I threw my hands up in the air and pushed off my locker. “I’m just being realistic. You were so quick to throw him under the bus. Did you ever even ask him?”
Erik stopped halfway down the hall, then he lifted his chest a little higher and strolled toward me with his usual cocky attitude. I rolled my eyes but smiled. Vicky wasn’t look at me. She stared at her fingers, inspecting her perfect cuticles.
When Erik was closer, I threw everything out there. “Maybe you guys should actually talk to one another and clear the air.”
Erik stopped and glared at me. It was so fast that I wasn’t sure I saw it. Then he stepped around Vicky and put his arm around me, tighter than usual. “I’m game if Vicky is.”
Vicky stared at him. I expected a response of any kind, mostly disdain. She turned on her heel and walked away. I shrugged and glanced into the stormy eyes of my boyfriend. Erik was controlling his anger quite well. I was a little bit proud of him, also a tad terrified he’d lose that control.
“Sorry,” I said, but I really didn’t feel an ounce of regret.
“Liar,” he said. He closed his eyes, but he didn’t mouth the poem like he normally did when he was about to lose it. When he opened them again, the storm was gone. “You knew she wouldn’t agree to talk with me.”
I nodded.
“And you knew I would hear you suggest it.”
Again I nodded.
“You don’t get enough credit for your conniving mind, do you?” He grinned and kissed my forehead. We turned toward the exit. “I kinda like it.”
“Me being conniving or me being conniving for you?” I asked as we stepped in the warm September sun. In a few weeks, the weather would start to shift. I loved autumn, but it was far too short. “What’s your favorite season?”
“Huh?” Erik led me through the maze of cars. “Favorite season? I don’t know. Winter I think. I love snow. You?”
“Fall. I love the colors and the bonfires and Halloween.” I sighed when I thought about how much fun we used to have when I was a kid. Mom, Brendan, and I would go trick or treating. We’d make s’mores around the firepit. I don’t remember Dad ever being there. “Hot chocolate, apple cider, carving pumpkins. I love all of it.” I paused. “Favorite color?”
Erik raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Black like my soul. You?”
“Caribbean Blue, like the tropics.”
“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” Erik leaned back against his car and wrapped his arms around my waist.
I settled against him. “How do you figure?”
“Well, I think I prefer Caribbean Blue over black now, and I’m reconsidering my position on my favorite season.” He grinned wider.
“I don’t think your soul is black,” I said softly. “Maybe red sometimes, but not black.”
He bent down and kissed me until my knees turned to putty. I didn’t want this to ever end, but we had to be other places. And Rex was getting more demanding in my lessons.
“I have to get home before my house arrest gets extended indefinitely.” He let go and I stepped back. “What time do you usually get done with Rex?”
“Around sixish, give or take. I can be over by seven. Have to take a shower and other girly stuff.”
“Seven it is,” he climbed into his car and waved as he drove off.
I turned to get into my own car, but Eva stood in my way. She stared at me like I was a puzzle, and she was determined to figure me out. It was creepy the way her mind worked. Rarely did she tell anyone what she figured out about them. It was like she just processed the information and stored it away.
“You really shouldn’t sneak up on me like that,” I said as I opened my back door and tossed my bag inside.
“Who’s Rex?” Eva asked, totally unabashed.
“My golf coach.” I
glanced at my watch. “And he’s going to be pissed if I’m late.”
“When did you start taking golf lessons?” she asked, crossing her arms and blocking my door.
“Eva, I seriously have to go. Can we talk about this tomorrow?” I was preparing myself to shove her away.
“You’re always with Erik. I never see you.” She stepped away from my car. “I guess we can talk tomorrow. If you’re not too busy.”
“Seriously?” I opened my car door and stared at her for a moment. “You’ve only ever wanted to hang out with me when we’re with Vicky. We have nothing in common. I don’t think I’ve been to your house once unless I was with Vicky. I know we agreed to stay friends and everything, but I don’t know why I suggested it.” It dawned on me like a brick falling from the sky. “Did she put you up to this little ambush?”
Eva huffed and threw out her hands. “Fine. Yes, Vicky asked me to talk to you. Not ambush, just talk. And we are friends, Andrea. Just not as good as we could be, I guess.”
I rolled my eyes, as dramatically as I could.
“Just ...” Eva held up her hand and walked backward, then turned around. She disappeared into a group of sophomores.
I had no idea what I was supposed to ‘just’, but I wasn’t about to do it. Or wait to do it. Or whatever she was up to. I was thoroughly confused. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and grimaced.
Rex: Extra laps for every minute your late.
He didn’t mean running either. If I was late, I was driving the cart to pick up the balls on the range. Rex thought it was hysterical. He’d tell everyone to aim at me, claiming it helped their game. I’d never tell him, but it was funny. Annoyingly funny anyway.
Chapter Twenty-Five
My thighs burned. Rex had me do a hundred squats instead of two extra laps on the cart. I would’ve preferred the cart. After two hours of hitting balls and working out, I just wanted to take a shower, crawl into bed, and sleep. It was like Rex knew I had a date. We planned the rest of my week, and surprisingly, he gave me Friday night off. The father son tournament was Saturday. He said I needed to be well rested.
It was hard to believe I was going to show up with Rex Vargas as my caddy.
Showering was still required. Mom wasn’t home again. Not that I needed her around, but after all the things she’d told me, I realized how much we had drifted apart. My mom was so much more than I’d reduced her to.
Erik’s house was only ten minutes away. My stomach was either rolling from nerves or rolling from hunger. I should’ve grabbed something at home.
I pulled up to the wrought iron gate with a giant P in the center and pressed the intercom.
“May I help you?” a snooty voice said through the small speaker. It was impressive how clear it was. I felt like I could even see this butler’s nose stuck up in the air as he asked the simple question.
“Andrea Hoffpauir to see Erik Perday,” I said, grimacing at how formal it sounded.
The snooty voice didn’t respond, but the gate opened silently. I pulled through and around the gaudy large fountain. It looked like one of those fountains seen in the movies that’s really just there to show the wealth of the person inside. I guessed that was kind of the point here too.
The white limestone of the house reflected pale yellow in the dying sun. I’d only been there once during my freshman year, but I remembered Erik’s mother demanding to give everyone a tour. For a fourteen-year-old girl, I was impressed at how three people could live in a house so big. Vicky’s house in Hillsdale was big, but this was colossal. I parked and climbed the short steps to the front door.
My hands felt clammy, and I rubbed them down my skirt. This wasn’t a good idea. Or maybe it was a great idea. Despite my pedigree, Erik’s family were the epitome of snobbiness. I doubted even being an O’Brien impressed them. I rang the bell, then rubbed my hands again. The door opened and a man in a butler’s uniform stepped back to let me in.
“Miss Andrea, Mr. Erik will greet you in the kitchen,” the butler said in the snooty voice that had answered the intercom. He turned on his heel and walked very precisely toward the back of the house.
The foyer opened to a skylight high above, allowing natural light to shine on the marble floors and white walls. The formal living room was to my left, and the formal dining room to my right. I knew the kitchen was on the same side of the dining room, and the living area led to a large library and study. Up the marble stairs, there were two master suites on the second floor and four guest rooms on the third. The basement held the theater and family room.
I followed the butler to the large kitchen that was more stainless steel than anything else. Erik stood at the stove set in the large island in the middle of the room. I almost laughed at the red apron he had on that had a set of lips and the words “the cook” on the chest.
Butler snapped his feet together and left.
“Hey,” Erik said as he glanced up at me before returning to whatever was on the stove. “I thought you might be hungry.”
My stomach growled in response. I inhaled the scent of rosemary, garlic, and oil. “You cook?”
“Yeah, I taught myself a while ago. Mom and Dad go on a lot of vacations and I got tired of eating the same stuff the former cook used to make.” He tossed something into the pan and shook it. “They eat out a lot, so I cook for myself. And Edison. He likes my food.”
“Edison? The butler?” I asked, sliding onto one of the six stools at the counter.
Erik laughed. “Yeah, he’s more like a babysitter and the house manager. He prefers the uniform. I wish he’d wear a polo shirt every now and then.”
“Are your parents home?” I subconsciously glanced around expecting them to pop out like those creepy guys at haunted houses at Halloween.
“Nope, they’re having dinner at somebody’s house.” He shook the pan one more time then tipped it into a bowl on top of steaming rice. “Edison’s in charge tonight. He’s making himself scarce because he actually likes me.” He nodded toward a four-person table lit by candles. “Come on.”
“This is too much,” I said as I followed him to the table. He pulled out my chair and I settled onto it. “Seriously.”
“It’s our official second date.” Erik sat across from me and tucked his napkin onto his lap. “I’m still trying to impress you.”
I laughed as he ladled the food onto a plate and handed it to me. The plate looked like it was from a five-star restaurant. He’d made sure the presentation was perfect. “It smells delicious.”
“Thanks.” He plated his own. “Do you want a soda or anything or is water fine?”
“Water’s perfect,” I say before taking my first bite. The flavors exploded in my mouth. The rosemary and garlic sauce mixed perfectly with the steamed white rice. “This is amazing.”
Erik smiled. We didn’t really talk through dinner. I enjoyed the silence. It felt like my life was full of noise most of the day. At night, I’m filling it with knowledge because I always have homework. Sometimes so much ran through my head sleep seemed impossible. When we did talk, it was just about school and golf.
“You ready for Saturday?” he asked as he cleared our plates. “Dad’s determined to win.”
“So’s mine,” I said with a dark laugh.
“Have you talk to him since....” He didn’t have to finish the sentence.
“No.” I stood to help him rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher. “He’s never been a big communicator though. Mostly I just get grunts from him anyway. So I’m not really surprised.”
Erik nodded and wiped his hands on a towel. “Dad said he ran into him yesterday at the office. Dad didn’t really know why he was there, but I’d bet it was for a job. Dad’s been bitching that the accounting department lacked someone with the brains for business.”
“That would be weird, wouldn’t it? Your dad’s the president, right?” I took the towel and dried my hands.
Erik shrugged. “Not really. I mean, a job’s a job. J
ust because my dad would be his boss, it shouldn’t affect us.” He grinned, closing the distance between us. “Wanna study?”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” I wrapped my arms around his waist.
Erik laughed, pressing a quick kiss on my nose. “I meant actual studying with moments of liplocking.”
“Let me get my bag.” Studying was not what I had in mind, but I did have homework and two tests the next day. I hadn’t so much as brought my book bag as I hadn’t taken it out of the car.
Erik walked me out, leaving the door open behind him. “We can get in the hot tub later. I’ve got a paper due in my psychology class.”
“Psychology? How many classes are you taking?” I found my bag exactly where I’d left it, in the backseat.
“My load at Xavier isn’t bad. Mom worked it out that a couple of my college courses get high school credits.” He took my bag and slung it over my shoulder then put his arm around me as we walked back to the house. “Technically, the first two periods I’m in college. Mr. Rincker set up an empty classroom and I go online.”
He led me to the back of the house and flipped a switch. The backyard lit up, illuminating the pool which had a small waterfall from the elevated hot tub. Steam drifted in the humid evening air. A soft breeze carried the sweet smell of roses from the garden in the back of the yard. I inhaled, savoring the scent. I loved roses.
“I like studying out here,” Erik said as we walked toward a large patio table where his books were spread out already. “It’s quiet.”
The covered patio cooled by ceiling fans whirling gently. Oversized lounge chairs like we stretched out on at the lake lined the pool. A large, bricked grill and stove filled the space by the table.
“I don’t blame you,” I said as I sat in the plush patio chair. “But I’d have a hard time not jumping in the pool or hot tub every five minutes.”
“The struggle is real.” Erika grinned and set my bag on the chair beside me.
“What other classes do you have?” I took out my calc book. That wouldn’t take long, but I could work on it and talk to Erik at the same time.
