“What do you mean?”
“I mean I really went out on a limb to tell her how I felt and the look of shock on her face was pretty priceless. And despite how much I had always wanted to be with her I’ve been pretty surprised at how good we really are together.” Hannah frowned slightly and stared down at the carpet.
“So what now?” she asked, picking at a loose thread on her sock.
“We just figure it out as we go, I guess.” I squeezed her hand, “Listen, Hannah. I care a lot for your sister and I plan on working hard to keep proving myself to her. And to you. You’re my best friend, Hannah-banana. I need your approval just as much as anyone’s if not more.”
“You really care about her?” she asked quietly.“I love her, Hannah. Very much.” I admitted. It felt so damn good to say those words. I could say them over and over to anyone who would listen. I wanted the entire world to know that I loved Amber Kilroy more than anything else and I would do anything to keep her. Including professing my love to her very protective sister, and my best friend, who earlier today had said the most hateful things she could think of.
Hannah’s eyes began to fill with tears. They slowly slipped out of the corners of her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She sobbed, and wiped her face with the back of her free hand. “Hannah, you’ve got to stop crying. You’re a very ugly crier.” I teased, pushing her hair out of her face.
“And you’re a dick, Tobie.” She laughed through her tears, “I can’t just stop crying! You’re in love with my sister and that was the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” She sniffed up a noseful of snot, “What if you get married? Where does that leave me?”
I started laughing so hard I was shaking. Hannah pulled her hand from mine and slapped my shoulder. “First of all, that’s not exactly a discussion that has come up in the last few weeks… and if Amber and I did get married then that would officially make you my sister. Which is only fitting since that’s how I’ve seen you since that time I kissed on the bus anyway.” I nudged her shoulder with my own.
She snorted. “You were such a terrible kisser.”
“Amber seems to think my technique has improved,” I teased.
“Oh, good gravy, please don’t tell me things like that! I’ll never want to know what you two are up to,” she laughed.
“I promise to keep the details to myself.”
“You better also promise me that you’ll never hurt her.” She held up her pinky, “Because if you do I’ll cut off your balls and shove them down your throat.”
“I’d expect no less.” I looped my pinky into hers to seal the deal.
She grabbed me in for a big hug. “I’m sorry I went ape-shit on you and caused a scene. But to be fair, you really should have told me.”
“I deserved it.” I grabbed her tight and pulled her into my lap. “I love you, Hannah-banana.”
“Love you, too, Tobie Magoo.”
Amber
Nervous didn’t describe it. What are other words for nervous? Agitated. Jittery. Uneasy. Basketcase.
That’s it: Basketcase.
I was sitting at the kitchen table, a complete basketcase. My world had just been flipped upside down. I had never seen Hannah that mad before. Even after our parents died and we each went through the grief stages I never saw her rage like that. It terrified me. I knew she was going to be upset but I hadn’t thought it would have been that bad. And I didn’t think I would react the way that I did. If Tobie hadn’t gotten to the house when he did I don’t even want to think about what would have happened. What if Hannah had come back downstairs? I couldn’t think about that. I had to focus on what was happening right now.
Tobie was upstairs instituting damage control and trying calm Hannah down. I didn’t hear any yelling or screaming so I guessed that was a good thing. I wanted to go up and talk to her but Tobie insisted that he be the one to go. If she was going to go ballistic again he figured she could do less physical damage to him than me. I prayed it didn’t come to that.
I thought I might pick a hole through my kitchen table before Tobie finally came back downstairs. His expression was calm even though he had his hands jammed deep into his pockets. I jumped up from the chair meeting him halfway between the stairs and the kitchen. I slid my hands in the space between his arms and torso. His demeanor relaxed. He slid his hands out of his pockets and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Well?” I pried, “What happened? Is she ok?”
“She’s fine.” He placed a light kiss on my forehead. “I’m going to go. You’re going to go upstairs and talk to your sister. I’ll be back tonight with dinner.”
I didn’t really understand what he was telling me. He was leaving? Was Hannah ok? Was it going to be ok to leave her alone with me?
“Are you two ok?” I asked him. I was genuinely concerned that I had put a major wedge in their friendship. That was the last thing I wanted to do. No matter how much I wanted Tobie in my life, no matter how much it would hurt me to lose him, I could not - would not - allow their friendship to suffer.
“Yes, love. She and I are fine. Now go up and talk to her. You guys have a lot to work out.” He smiled softly at me. His hand reached up to cup my cheek and I instinctively snuggled into its warmth. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing me softly on the lips. My eyes closed as I relished the sound of his voice. The softness of his lips, the heat of his body, and the depth of his scent. If I could freeze time, I’d freeze this moment. I’d bottle it up and keep it next to my heart forever.
That’s only the second time he’s said that but I know that I will never be tired of hearing it. I’ve never felt more emotion in three little words than those in my entire life. “Tell me again.”
“I love you. I loved you then, I love you now, and I’ll love you forever.”
My body felt like a bowl full of jellyfish. There was no ability to sense gravity. I was floating. Only being connected to him. I couldn’t make sense of anything around me. Just him.
“I love you, Tobias. Now and forever.”
“Han?” I called cautiously. Her door was slightly cracked. “Can I come in?”
I pushed the door open a little farther and peered my head in. Hannah was sitting cross legged on her bed hugging a pillow tight to her chest. Her hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail but was still all messy. Her eyes were red and her face was all puffy. I hated that it was me who made her so upset. I was the cause of all of this pain.
I carefully walked towards her not wanting to assume she wanted me there. I wanted her to know that she could tell me to leave if she wanted. But she didn’t. She didn’t say anything.
I sat sideways on the foot of her bed. One leg up on the bed, the other foot still on the floor. The teddy bear she’d had since she was a baby gazed up at me. Its face was matted and lumpy from years of loving. One of the eyeballs had fallen off when Hannah was five. I remember her crying because she thought Boo-Bear couldn't see anymore. Mom had taken a button off one of Dad’s dress shirts to replace it. I fingered at the button. “Remember when Mom fixed this?”
Hannah studied the bear while I played with the button. “Yeah. She stopped everything to put a new eye on him,” she sniffled, “Dad wasn’t too happy that she took the button from his work shirt, though.”
I let out a small laugh. “No, he sure wasn’t. But that’s the kinda stuff Mom did. She would have done anything for us.” I looked up to Hannah and placed my hand on her knee. “And I would do anything for you.” Hannah’s chin poked out and her bottom lip quivered.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. I’m sorry for how you found out. I’m sorry that you feel like I tricked you or that I stole him from you. Never in a million years would I do that to you. I know how important Tobie is to you. I don’t ever want to come between you guys.”
Hannah placed her hand on top of mine. “I know, Amb. I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean to accuse you of those things. I know that you’d neve
r do something to hurt me. I just… I’m just so shocked by this. Like I told Tobie, never in a million years would I have thought that you two would have ended up together. Did you know that he’d had a crush on you for so long?”
I shook my head. “Honestly, no. I was completely shocked when he told me that. Even looking back, I can’t even remember times where I thought he may have when you guys were in high school. I still have a hard time accepting that I’m who he wants to be with.”
“But he does.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
“Yeah,” I sighed, “he does.”
“And you?”
“I love him, Hannah. I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone else. He makes me feel complete.”
There was a long silence between us. People say that there is an unwritten law of communication between siblings. That years can pass without contact and moments can be shared without words. It’s the one relationship in existence where words aren’t needed. They can exchange an entire conversation without a single sound. Just feelings passed between them. This was one of those moments.
Without a single sound uttered I knew that Hannah forgave me. I knew that she would support us, she would straddle the line between sister and best friend so that Tobie and I could have a chance at happiness.
Chapter Thirty Two
Tobias
** Fourth of July Weekend **
“Hannah!” I shouted over the music, “Get your ass over here!” The bartender set me up with four tequila shots. They were lined up in a little row on the bar.
“Oh, hell no!” she yelled, seeing the shots. “You know what happens when I shoot tequila!”
“You bet your ass I do. Down the hatch, little lady. Go big or go home!” I picked up one of the little glasses and handed it to her, along with a lime wedge.
“This is a bad idea. Remember that I said that tomorrow morning. This is your bad idea.” She licked the back of her hand and stuck it out towards me so I’d sprinkle salt on it.
“Ready?” I asked her, holding my glass out.
“No, but it doesn’t appear as though I have much choice.”
“That is correct. You do not have a choice here.” I winked at her and a huge grin spread across her face.
“Let’s get on with it then,” she yelled.
“To Hannah-banana. The very best friend I could have ever hoped for. May she have an amazing time in California and get her ass back home safely.”
Our glasses clinked. Hannah licked the salt from her hand, threw back the shot and shoved the lime between her teeth. “Whoo!” she shouted, shaking her head back and forth.
Picking up the second round of shots, she handed me mine. “And to Tobie Magoo. The biggest dork and most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life. May he have a lifetime of happiness working in the dirt.”
I laughed. The shots went down a lot easier the second time. We made our way back over to the table with all Hannah’s friends. I took my seat next to Amber, wrapping my arm over the back of her chair and pulling her close to me, kissing the side of her head. Hannah sat down across from us next to Adam.
“How’d he get here anyway?” I asked in Amber’s ear.
She laughed, “You don’t approve?”
“Not really.”
Amber laughed again, “Why not? He seems like a really nice guy.”
“That’s the problem.”
“Oh ok, I see how it is. So it really has nothing to do with Adam, it’s just you being an overprotective bodyguard, huh?”
“Maybe.” I didn’t see what was so funny. This was serious stuff.
Amber started howling she was laughing so hard. “What makes you think you can tell Hannah who to date when you’re dating her older sister?!”
“That’s different. I’m in love with you.” I responded stubbornly.
“Oh, yes, the classic double standard,” she rolled her eyes, “You’d better be ready to flex your big sexy muscles then because there’s a whole lotta something going on over there.” Amber jerked her head in Hannah’s direction.
Adam had turned to face Hannah’s and was leaning in towards her, his arm on the back of her chair. He must have said something that really got to her because she laughed, picked a peanut up off the table and threw it at him. His laughter boomed over the loud music. She was acting completely normal and he was eating it up. Hannah looked like she was having the time of her life.
There was a sudden paradigm shift in my brain. A switch was flipped and I was no longer irritated by Adam’s interest in Hannah. The joy on her face made me aware of the fact that he was making her really happy. Happier than I’d seen her with a guy… ever.
“I’m gonna run to the bathroom, be back in a minute.” Amber squeezed my thigh under the table. “Han? Come with me?”
“Sure!” Hannah jumped up to follow Amber. Adam’s eyes didn’t leave Hannah’s body until they were out of sight.
“Adam. What are you doing?” I called across the table.
“What?!” he threw a peanut into his mouth. “She's pretty awesome.”
“How’d you know to be here tonight?”
“Uh… I talked to her on the phone?...” Adam was looking at me like I should have known all of this information.
“How’d you get her number?”
“Oh!” He laughed like he suddenly realized why I was so clueless about the situation. “I got her number from you, man.” Another peanut flew into his mouth.
“What are you talking about?”
“You. I got her number from you. Remember? You called Hannah from my phone that day you left yours at home. I just called that number and told her it was me.”
You’ve got to be shitting me. He hijacked her number. I shook my head. “You’re such a dick.”
Adam laughed. “Yeah, you’ve told me that before. Too bad I know you really like me and you’re just being an overbearing jackass.”
He leaned in closer to me, “But seriously, Tobe. I really like her. Everything about her makes me happy. I never felt like this in all four years with Caroline.”
Damn it. Why does Adam have to be such a good guy? “Just treat her like a fucking queen or I’ll end you.”
“I will.”
I picked up my beer and held it out towards him. He did the same. We tapped the necks together and took a long pull.
The girls came back to the table full of giggles.
“Hey, Tobe!” Hannah slapped me on the back. “Remember that frat contest you were in?” Oh, damn it. She’s going to bring up the Man of the Year contest. I groaned. Tequila shots for Hannah were a bad idea. At that very second, the DJ segued into The Weeknd’s High For This.
“Do you really want me to do this?” I challenged her. “I thought you said you didn’t want to know the details between Amber and me. Won’t this burn your eyeballs?”
“Oh, please! That was weeks ago when I was still in shock. I dare you to do it now.” She stared back cocking her hand on her hip.
“What are you guys talking about?” Amber interjected, completely lost.
“Oooooh, you just wait, Amber.” Hannah started howling with laughter.
I stood up and grabbed my chair taking care to place it a safe distance from the table. I held a hand out to Amber and guided her to have a seat in it. She was looking at Hannah for some sort of explanation. Hannah just kept laughing. I grabbed my beer and chugged what was left. Thank God it was practically full because I was going to need a whole lot of liquid courage for this. My tequila shots needed to kick in pronto.
The music kept thumping as my hips started moving. Muscle memory kicked in as I started dancing and making my way around the chair. A few of my frat brothers and I had memorized a routine from Magic Mike and added in a few lovely ladies in chairs. We cleaned the floor with the other guys competing. I had a date with a different girl every night for two weeks after that. Tonight though my only interest was Amber.
Her eyes were as big as sauce
rs and her jaw was dropped practically to the floor. Her reaction fueled my confidence. My hips thrusted towards her while my legs straddled on either side of her thighs. I finished the dance, chair tilting and all. Somehow I managed to keep my clothes on despite Amber’s hands dragging all over me. She practically climbed up my body when the DJ faded into to the next song.
“Tobie?” Amber groaned in my ear, nibbling at my neck.
“Hmm?” I squeezed her ass, her legs wrapped tightly around my waist.
“Take me home. Right. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Amber
“I had no idea you could move like that.” My mouth was all over Tobie’s. I couldn’t stop kissing him. The way his body had moved, the way his hips circled. If it was any indication of what sex with him would be like I didn’t know if I had the strength to keep my promise to myself. I wanted to touch every inch of his skin with my lips. I wanted to taste all of him, feel my fingers against the burning heat of his body.
He carried me up the stairs to my bedroom. He stood behind me as he stripped my clothes off piece by piece. His hot kisses rained down my back and shoulders. I spun around and grabbed tightly to his body, pressing my naked chest firmly against his. The need to feel him without barrier was driving me insane.
I reached down and ripped his shirt over his head. My hands made quick work of his jeans pulling them down his hips in one swift movement revealing the swollen outline of his cock pressing against his boxer briefs. My palms planted firmly onto his chest and shoved him down onto the bed. He grunted approval of my authority. My hands roamed all over his chest. All over his abs. Up and down his arms and shoulders while I devoured the taste of his mouth. My thumb brushed over his nipple and he gasped. I smiled in our kiss and continue to tease his sensitive flesh.
His fingers dug into my hips and he began to pull me closer to him. Taking a page from him, I straddled his lap and allowed my throbbing clit to press against his hardness. I needed more. I needed to feel him against me. I pushed back on his chest and he fell back onto the bed. I climbed up higher onto him so my thighs were around his waist. I reach behind myself to drag my fingertips drag lightly along his lower abs and dip just below the fabric of his shorts. Leaning back to view all of his unbelievable body, I continue to graze the skin that leads to the ultimate prize, staring into his eyes, I raised my eyebrows as a dare.
Delicate (Sublime Series Book 1) Page 20
