Just a Little Flirt

by Renita Pizzitola

  “Tell them that.” She tucked a pillow into her lap.

  “Sorry.” I closed the closet door and dug through my suitcase for my makeup bag.

  “It’s not your fault.” Her phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. She smiled and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hey, babe.” She stood and walked out of the room while I tried not to gag.

  On a good note, I could make a call of my own. I closed my door and plopped onto my bed.

  Cade answered on the first ring. “Hey.”

  “I can’t talk long. Mom wants me to visit with her, but I had a few minutes.”

  “How’s it going so far?”

  “Eh.” I examined my hair for split ends.

  “That good, huh?”

  “Well, let’s see. My sister just called my ex ‘babe,’ my mom may have suggested I got fat, and my dad might think I’m a lesbian.”

  Cade laughed. Like hard. “Okay. First off, you’re not fat. I should know. I’ve seen you naked.”

  My face warmed. “That you have.”

  “Very naked. In fact, picturing it right now.” He made a low satisfied sound. “Nope, definitely not fat.”

  I laughed. “Focus, Cade.”

  “Sorry, so, um, lesbian? What’s that about?”

  “Dad was teasing me, asking a bunch of questions about you. I told him if he mentioned anything to Mom, I’d tell her I was into girls—it would totally freak her out—then he gets all supportive of my lifestyle choices and says he’d love me no matter my orientation.”

  “So you told him about me?” I could tell he smiled by the sound of his voice.

  “Yeah. Though I’m not sure I’ve convinced him of your gender. On a good note, he approves of you, regardless.”

  Cade chuckled. “Good to know. Guess you said something right.”

  “Just the truth.”

  “Wish I could meet them.”

  “My family?” Who’d want to do that?

  “Yeah. I’d like to meet them.”

  “Doubt that. Maybe Dad, but the other two…” I sighed. “They are a bit high maintenance.”

  “I’m guessing you take after your dad?”

  “I’d like to think so.” He was funny, laid-back, the peacekeeper…or maybe a pushover. “Maybe. I don’t know. Anyway, how’s Scout?”

  “He’s doing well. Should be able to come home the day after tomorrow. My bed’s gonna be real freaking lonely without either one of you around.”

  “You’ll have Scout soon enough.”

  “Yeah.” He sighed. “Well, I have to get to work, but if you get a chance, call me tonight?”

  “Sure.”

  “Okay.” He paused. “I—I’ll talk to you later.”

  “ʼBye.” The second the call ended I missed his damn voice. On the phone I could pretend we weren’t miles apart, but reality had a tight grip on my chest at the moment.

  How did I get so hung up on a guy? Oh that’s right, he was perfect. Who wouldn’t?

  After sending a few texts to old friends letting them know I was in town, I trudged downstairs.

  Time to pretend I actually wanted to be here.

  —

  The first few days went quicker than expected. Mom dragged me around ensuring I got a trim—since I’d refused to cut more—then clothes shopping. I didn’t mind the shopping part. We also had lunch, just the girls, and I’d managed to avoid my ex the entire time. The impression I’d gotten was he typically spent a good deal of time at our house, but he hadn’t been around lately. Maybe a coincidence; maybe Amber respected Dad’s request. Most likely, he avoided me.

  Tuesday I had dinner plans with friends. Wednesday a movie. Thursday a party. If my schedule stayed this busy, I’d be back to Cade in no time. We talked every day, texted constantly, but the more time away, the more I worried he’d lose interest. My rational side knew this was stupid. But irrationality won every argument. I’d moved from one guy to another in a twenty-four-hour period; who’s to say he wouldn’t do the same in ten days? Obviously nothing he said or did validated this fear, but that’s the problem with fear. It tended to be irrational.

  As I got ready for the party Thursday evening, I called Cade.

  His phone rang several times, until he finally answered. There was a rustling then a girl’s voice in the background. “Hey, your phone’s ringing,” the girl said.

  Cade’s voice came through clear but distant. “Did you answer it?” His tone filled with mistrust and questioning.

  “Oh, did I?” There was a giggle. “Sorry, I must have bumped it when I picked it up.”

  Cade came on the line. “Hello?”

  “Um, hi.”

  “Hey, how’s it going?”

  “Okay.” I paused then blurted. “Where are you?”

  “Spike’s. Volleyball Thursday.”

  Of course. I knew he’d be there. But the girl? That wasn’t Amy. Questions gnawed at my gut. Did I ask? Would it make me sound jealous? Psychotic? Because right now I was both. Fuck it. “Who, uh, answered your phone?”

  “Claudia did, I guess. I have no idea why.”

  “Claudia is there?” Considering we no longer worked at the hospital I hadn’t expected her to be there, but I suppose she was still friends with them. Or wait? Did that mean she got the job?

  “Yeah. Everyone but you.”

  My heart clenched, filled with sadness.

  “You’re the only one who matters to me though. It’s not the same without you.”

  Okay, that was super sweet, even if jealousy had a hell of a grip on me right now. “I wish I was there too.”

  “Aren’t you headed to a party tonight?”

  “Yeah.” My makeup bag spilled. I muttered a curse and stooped to pick it back up. “I’m ready to come home.”

  “I’m ready for you to be home.”

  Sean was suddenly in the background again. “Just tell her, dude.”

  “Tell me what?” Fear and jealousy gripped me again.

  “Nothing. Sean’s just being an annoying little fucker.” I heard a thump followed by Sean’s laugh. “So are you wearing sweatpants to the party?”

  I grinned. “It’s too hot for sweatpants.”

  “Hmm, yeah, I suppose. Oversized T-shirt?”

  “Left my favorite one at home.” Which was a lie. I’d totally packed his shirt to sleep in.

  He chuckled. “Okay, well, I hear baggy, unflattering clothes are really in this season. So keep that in mind as you dress for the party.”

  “Fashion tips from Cade. Helpful.” He’d die if he saw the dress I actually wore. I knew for a fact it was his favorite. He couldn’t keep his hands off me in it. But I didn’t wear it to attract other guys. I wore it to think about him all night, and the way he’d tossed this dress over my stomach and buried himself between my legs. Heat flared in my stomach and rolled down my thighs just thinking about it. “I miss you.”

  “Five more days.”

  “Yeah.” I sighed. “I’ll call you tonight. It might be late.”

  “I’ll wait up.”

  We hung up and I plopped on my bed. Claudia got to spend time with Cade, while I was stuck here. She’d probably flirt with him too. He wouldn’t flirt back, but he wouldn’t be rude either. He’d never tell a girl to get lost, even if she deserved it. And what did Sean want him to tell me? Ugh. Why did I fear the worst?

  Then it hit me. We didn’t have an exclusive relationship. I just assumed it would be, but I needed more. A confirmation. A promise that I was the only girl in his life. Which would make him…my boyfriend?

  Chapter 21

  Running into old friends used to be fun; now it was annoying. I was no longer the girl they knew, yet they wanted me to conform to the mold they believed me to be, or explain “what happened?”

  People change. Grow. Adapt. Adjust. Whatever. Life wasn’t stagnant.

  But, as the party moved around me, it felt very stagnant. The same girls in the same cliques. The same people dating. The same shit ta
lk going on behind their backs. And me, just a bystander.

  No one told me going away to college would change me like this. I’m glad they didn’t. A year ago it would have terrified me. Now, it was liberating.

  I chugged down my fifth, maybe sixth, beer and pushed my way to the kitchen in search of something stronger. Something to numb my brain. It needed to catch up to my body.

  Erin, my friend and ride, had beat me to it. “Don’t worry. I talked David into driving us home. He’s not drinking. Might as well take advantage of that.” She tilted a shot of tequila to her lips. “This party reminds me why I left Brighton in the first place.” She slammed the glass down. “I just saw Kyle making out with Claire.”

  Her ex and her former best friend. That almost topped my crappy ex story. Erin hadn’t left the state for college, but she went to school several hours away in Alamosa. She was home for the entire summer, but clearly even a few hours had put enough distance to disconnect her past and present life.

  She handed me a shot glass. I threw back the shot then shoved it her way for a refill. “Did you hear Cameron is dating my sister?”

  “Yeah. Sorry. I’ve actually seen them around a bit this summer. Kind of surprised they aren’t here tonight.” She refilled our glasses.

  “Wait. Seriously? He’s been bringing my sister to parties like this?”

  “Yeah.” She shrugged an apology.

  “That piece of shit.” I threw back the tequila.

  “Oh, shit. Speak of the devil.”

  My body tensed and I refused to turn around. I couldn’t see him with her. Mostly because I wanted to kill him for fucking her over. It was bound to happen. “I can’t even.” I put up my hand, shook my head and headed out the back door.

  David stood out there with a few friends.

  “I hear you’re our ride.” I wobbled a bit and put my hand on the porch railing to steady myself. “That’s good.”

  He smiled. “I’ll get you home safe.”

  “You’re a good man.” The best part: He was looking for a good man of his own. I didn’t have to worry about getting hit on or looking like a drunk dumbass in front of him. He was used to holding girls’ hair back and getting a drunken earful about the scum known as men; hell, half the time he had his own gripes.

  “No problem.”

  “Ugh, I have to pee. Cameron is in there with my sister. Will you walk with me?”

  He smiled. “Sure.” He looped his arm through mine. “Just so you know, I always thought Cameron was a bit of a slimeball. Cute, but obnoxious.”

  “You should see my new guy.” My words slurred a bit; even I could hear it, but I didn’t care. “Wait. You must see him.”

  I whipped out my phone, scrolled to a picture of Cade and held it like two inches in front of David’s face.

  He pushed my hand back a bit and blinked, refocused and smiled. “Oh, honey, he’s gorgeous. Please tell me he has a little gay in him…or wants one.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  My laugh came out a weird choke, snort mixture. “Sorry, he’s all mine. So fucking hot and mine.”

  “I’d say.” He opened the door to the bathroom. “Here we go. Try not to fall in.”

  “Wait for me.”

  And he did. When I came back out, he stood just where I’d left him.

  “I’m drunk,” I announced.

  “You don’t say? Do you think Erin’s ready to go?”

  “I don’t want to make her leave, but oh my God, my legs are numb.”

  “Let’s see if we can find her.”

  Arms looped back together, we headed into the living room and right into Cameron and Amber.

  “Hey, Fallon.”

  I glared at him.

  Amber eyed me, concern filled her gaze, her mouth turned into a slight frown. She tugged on Cameron. “I think I see a friend in the—”

  “She’s seventeen. Seven-fucking-teen.”

  David urged me the opposite direction. “Let’s find Erin.”

  “You disgust me.” I aimed my finger at Cameron. “You’re so fucking pathetic. What? Can’t find any girls your own age to—”

  “Okay, let’s get going.” David tugged me away.

  “Let it go, Fallon. I have.” Cameron smirked.

  That piece of shit. I yanked free of David and spun around. “Really? When exactly did you move on? When you found out I had? Did you tell Amber about your little call to me?” I looked at Amber. “Ask him about it. He’ll lie. But it should at least make for an entertaining story.”

  I stormed off and David wrapped his arm around my waist.

  “Oh, girl, you are full of piss and vinegar tonight.” He squeezed me. “Where was this girl hiding in high school?”

  “Behind that asshole.”

  “Can’t argue that. Glad she stepped free of his shadow.”

  “You and me both.”

  We found Erin, or she found us after hearing about my Cameron run-in, and agreed it was time to go. They deposited me at my house and I tiptoed to my room. If Mom saw me this drunk, she’d have a conniption.

  I didn’t even bother changing before crashing on my bed. But before I passed out, I needed to call Cade.

  The phone rang and I’d almost given up when he answered.

  “Hey there.” His voice was thick, sexy and raw with sleepiness.

  “That’s hot.”

  “What?” He cleared his throat.

  “Did I say that out loud?”

  He chuckled. “Are you drunk?”

  “Very.” I pulled down my blankets and slipped under them.

  “I guess you had fun?”

  “No, it sucked, which is why I’m drunk.” I rolled onto my back and fluffed my pillow, wanting to get comfortable so the spinning of the room would be less noticeable.

  “What happened?”

  “Everyone’s changed. Wait, no. They haven’t changed. I have. And I hate it. It’s so weird being home. And I ran into my sister with the ex and, of course, let my temper get the best of me.” I sighed. “But the biggest problem is you.”

  “Oh? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong; it’s just I like you so much and it’s making me all weird and jealous and I feel like you’re going to meet another girl while I’m gone and forget all about me.”

  “You do realize you’re only out of town for a little over a week.”

  “Uh, yeah. Plenty long enough to meet another girl.”

  He chuckled. “While I’m flattered by the fact you think I’m a whole lot more skilled in picking up girls than I really am, I’m not interested in other girls. You know that, don’t you?”

  “I hope you’re not, but we don’t have anything official. Nothing to make it exclusive.”

  “I promise you, it’s exclusive.”

  “I trust you but I think I need official. I think you need to be my boyfriend.”

  His tone filled with amusement. “You want me to be your boyfriend?”

  “Yeah.”

  “This is the best drunk conversation ever.” His voice was still rough with sleep, and crazy hot. “You sure you don’t want to talk about this tomorrow?”

  “Is that a no?”

  He chuckled again. “This isn’t a no. This is me not wanting to look like an idiot when you have no recollection of this little chat.”

  “But I’ve been thinking about it all day. In some ways, I’ve been thinking about it since I left town. I just need more.”

  “You have it all. And if tomorrow you still want me to be your boyfriend, you have that too. You’re the only one.”

  “You’re my only too.”

  “You mean only one?”

  I was drunk, but I knew exactly what I’d said. “No. My only. Solely. Exclusively. It’s an unquantifiable measure so you can’t devalue it by adding a number as if there will be others.”

  Cade was quiet on the other end.

  “Hello?” I asked.

  “I’m here.”

  “Did I scare you off?�
��

  He cleared his throat. “No.”

  “Then why are you so quiet?”

  “Don’t freak out.”

  Wasn’t that universal code for freak out?

  “I thought about telling you the last night we were together, but I didn’t want you to think I was just saying it because I wanted to have sex or because we did have sex. Then I wanted to tell you before you got on the plane and pretty much every time I’ve talked to you thereafter, but I worried you’d think it was just a generic statement. Sean’s been giving me shit about it ever since you left. I just blow him off, but only because he’s right. And hell, you’re drunk tonight and probably won’t even remember—”

  “About what?”

  He cleared his throat then sort of rambled the rest out. “You’re the best thing in my life and I love everything about you…I love you.”

  It took a moment for that to sink in. I knew, well hoped, he liked me as much as I liked him. And he told me he was falling for me. But love? I felt like I’d won the guy lottery. “If we weren’t like a thousand miles apart, I’d be all over you right now.”

  “That’s super romantic,” he teased.

  “Baby steps, Cade. I’ve already asked you to be my boyfriend. That’s huge for me. And really, it’s always been easier for me to show you how I feel.”

  “Okay then, tell me how’d you ‘show’ me.”

  “You want the long version or the short version?”

  “Hmm.” It was nothing more than a sexy rumble. “The long version.”

  I closed my eyes, envisioning it, as I gave him a slow rundown. “I’d climb on top of you, straddle your lap and let you undress me.”

  “And what exactly would I be taking off you?”

  “Well, I wore a dress today.”

  “The blue one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Mmm, I love that dress on you, but I like it better off.” There was a rustling, like he’d shifted the phone. “So then what?”

  “I’d run my hands up your body, slowly pushing your shirt over your head so I can enjoy those lickable abs.”

  With a low chuckle, he repeated, “ ‘Lickable’?”

  “Have I never told you? The first time we played volleyball I couldn’t stop thinking about how badly I wanted to run my tongue over your body.”