Deal

by Shey Stahl

  “Did you know that he’s twenty-six and has only had two girlfriends his entire life? Both were long term too.”

  I want to ask if they’ve found their dead bodies or something because why else would someone break up with Tathan Madsen unless they were deceased. It just doesn’t make any sense to me but yet here I am, refusing to believe he’s any more than a guy collecting girls in a bucket.

  I know I’ve had a misconception about Tathan, much to my own belief but I never really expected him to be that good guy. I didn’t want him to be. I was counting on him being a man-whore.

  “So what happened to those girls?” I finally ask relaxing into the chair.

  “Ask him.” Paul folds his arms over his chest. “He’ll tell you. He’s the most honest person I’ve ever met.”

  “Okay.” I nod, though I really have no intention of actually asking him. “Why is it that he’s so fucking drawn to me?”

  “Again, Amalie,” he leans forward to get his point across. “Ask him.”

  Growing frustrated with his cryptic answers I stand and intend on going back to my desk. Only he stops me before I get to the door. “I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time. Give him a chance.”

  Between Zane singing “Womanizer” on repeat and Sweet Cheeks not knowing a goddamn thing about filling paperwork, my morning sucks and I get nothing accomplished. On more than one occasion, I had to tell her that “N” came after “M”, not the other way around.

  Despite me wanting to avoid Tathan, I’m strangely determined to get some answers out of him. Between what happened today and then last night when he said “I see you.” I’m confused. Most of the time, well those last three times we’ve been in the hot tub, it’s been him with the prying questions or just us sitting in silence listening to Elvis Presley.

  I wasn’t sure he’d come down there, after all, I hung up on him today but I was only down there ten minutes and here he came. When he opens his beer, now was as good of a time as any. I waste no time in hurling into my questions. “When were you adopted? And what did you mean when you said, I see you?”

  He looks at me for a long moment before answering as he takes his time opening his beer. “I was adopted when I was eleven. And I see you because you’re giving into me, even if you don’t want to. I see you because, I’m a good guy and you know it. You see it. Even if you chose to ignore it.”

  Okay, well he has me pegged exactly. “So Paul is your adopted dad?” I’m avoiding everything else he just said.

  “He’s my Uncle. He’s my dad’s younger brother.”

  “Oh.”

  He switches playlists on his phone to the Eagles. Makes me smile that I never would have taken him for a guy who appreciates the classics.

  “You don’t want to go on a date with me, do you?” He finally asks never looking at me.

  I won’t lie to him. “No, not really.”

  “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, just please, go out with me on one date.”

  “Okay”

  He considers that and then adds. “I don’t have a bucket of sluts as you call them.”

  “What do you have then?”

  “Nothing ... I don’t sleep around like you think I do.”

  Deep down I know this. “You don’t?”

  “No ... I don’t.” I watch his lips intently as he takes a drink of his beer.

  Fuck. I want to be that bottle. It gives a whole new meaning to a tall drink of water.

  “What about Sweet Cheeks, Lizard Lips, Chatty Chubby ...”

  He groaned. “Stop already.” Leaning forward, his hand rubs along his sharp defined jaw. “I didn’t sleep with any of them, Aldon did.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me suggestively. “I introduced them.”

  “Who?”

  “Aldon Hernandez.”

  “The pro football player?” I’m acting like I don’t know.

  “Yeah,” he gives me a smile like he knows I know exactly who Aldon is. If you’ve lived in Arizona for longer than a few months, you know who Aldon Hernandez is. “He’s my best friend. We grew up together.”

  “Why do you hook them up with Aldon?”

  He shrugs. “Once they find out we’re friends, they want to meet him. I guess it just goes there automatically.”

  That’s sad and I’m never asking to meet him. Not that I have any desire to especially considering Aldon is handsome but he’s not Tathan.

  “Alright, so why do they hang all over you at work?”

  “They know I take photos.” Tathan leans back spreading out his arms on the ledge and it makes him look inviting. I could just sneak over there and curl up next to him. “I took photos for Lizard Lips as you call her, her name is Jessica by the way, her sister got married last month.”

  “And the rest of them, you take their photos?” I deduce feeling like a dumbass. “That’s why they sweet talk you.”

  He nods. “You’re perceptive ... though I’d wished you’d figured that out a while ago.”

  “A while ago?”

  “The first time I asked you out.”

  “And that was ...” Something seems off with the way he says first time.

  “Four months ago when I met you at Madsen Construction’s Halloween party,” he winks.

  Are you fucking kidding me?

  I can feel my heart beating in my ears, blood rushing to my cheeks.

  Well. Fuck me ... actually, he might have already ... I was pretty fucking drunk that night.

  “What’s your name?”

  I claw at him biting my lip and holding the bottle of gin close to my side. “Cat woman. What’s your name?”

  He holds out his hand as brown eyes travel over my body. “Batman and we’re meant to be.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m Batman and you’re Cat Woman. Meant to be if you ask me.”

  Tathan says nothing more when his cell phone rings snapping out of my flashback. It must be something because he shakes his head and then stands. A small smile tugs at his lips before he says, “Night.”

  I give a nod myself, and then wait for him to be completely out of sight before I leave.

  When I get back inside my apartment, Oliver is jumping all over but I’m on a mission. I need to ask Jade what happened. Besides Tathan, she’s the only one who knows what went on that night.

  If I actually had sex with him and didn’t remember, how much of an asshole do I look like right now?

  Jade is practicing her new routine for her dance to Lollipop. I don’t even know Jade’s last name or ever if Jade is her real name but she’s great to talk to and makes killer nachos. I was lying on the floor, watching. She has mad moves and I’m captivated. Even Oliver is entertained by it and watches her intently. It’s way past his bed time but he’s mesmerized.

  “You don’t remember?” she finally asks a little winded. I’d been discussing the recent turn of events with her and waiting for her to reply. “That sucks.”

  “I wasn’t exactly in my “right mind” that night.” I roll over on her wood floor, propping myself up on my elbows.

  “Well ... from what I remember ... you left shortly before I left with that football player. What was his name?”

  I gasp. “You left with Aldon?”

  “Not really the point here ... you left with that Batman guy.” Her eyes widen that she remembers, Jade doesn’t remember shit. Last week I had to remind her which apartment was hers when she tried to unlock my door and started throwing a hissy fit when her key wouldn’t work.

  “Do you remember what he looked like?”

  “Not really but Aldon said something about it being his best friend.” Then she tips her head. “He had brown eyes. I remember that.”

  Holy shit! I did sleep with him.

  I ran out of Jade’s apartment, into my own. I remember bits and pieces of that night. I practically raped poor Batman in the hallway. The only reason we made it in my apartment was because he stopped us and pushed me inside.

  To
o bad I don’t remember if it was good or not. Who am I kidding, it was probably fantastic.

  When you think about it, I’m the whore, not him! I raped Batman!

  “What do I do now?” I ask looking down at Oliver.

  He doesn’t answer me as he’s now fast asleep on my lap.

  I smell like chlorine so I take a shower before bed. When I’m out of the shower, I hear commotion outside my door so I open it. There is no one there but when I look down to get Oliver back inside, fresh off a midnight nap, there’s a single red rose with a note attached to it.

  Tathan isn’t in the hall, which throws me a wicked curveball of amazement. Oliver takes off with the rose and leaves me standing at the door with the note in my hand.

  Amalie,

  I know you don’t remember me. How could you? We were wearing costumes and incredibly intoxicated. But I remember you. I didn’t know it was you until I saw a picture months later in Paul’s office, the day I started with Madsen Construction. It seemed like fate to me, I’d asked you out that night and you said no, but we left together and I know you don’t remember, hell, my memory is foggy from that night as well.

  I assure you, I’m not a stalker but I do know what I want ... you. Please keep the deal.

  Sincerely,

  Tathan

  “I am a whore?” I tell Oliver who sits next to me against the door, eating his rose.

  Why do I find the fact that Tathan wrote me a note so ... incredibly enduring and heartfelt, which I hated to even say those words associated with Tathan in the same sentence but I do.

  Damn him and his note. It’s my breaking point because how can I throw office supplies at a man who writes notes and gives me roses?

  Though it’s two in the morning on Friday, I call in the Crisis Campers, Casey and Zane. Though this was essentially a bad idea, I need someone to talk to who answers back.

  We go out to get ice cream and return just a few minutes later. I was getting a piggyback ride from Zane through the lobby of my apartment complex, I’d convinced him my feet hurt from pole dancing with Jade and he needed to carry me.

  “You fucked him?” Zane asks snickering. “You lucky bitch, muff!”

  I bite his ear. “Can you not act like a twelve-year-old for like five minutes? This is serious.”

  “Not likely, hey look,” he points to a vending machine, “Do you have a dollar? And I’m staying up all night for you. Don’t bite me.”

  Reaching into the pocket of my shorts I retrieve a dollar and hand it to him over his shoulder. He takes the dollar where he inserts it into the machine as I lay my head on his back. He gets his peanut M&M’s and starts walking towards the elevators.

  “I don’t see what the big deal is. So muff got some action and doesn’t remember ...” he shrugs. “What’s the problem?”

  Casey catches up with us after getting her own bag of M&M’s. “The problem is,” she opens her bag and pops two green ones in her mouth. “She doesn’t want him to know that she doesn’t remember, is that right?”

  I nod. “Can you nosy nellies focus? What am I going to do ... he wrote a note?”

  Zane sets me down in front of my door so I can unlock it.

  “Go out with him!” they both scream.

  With the sound, Tathan’s door opens. It’s like two in the morning so his hair is all messy and he’s wearing just a pair of shorts.

  I want to attack him. Which is not good for me.

  “What’s going on out here?” he asks, rubbing his beautiful eyes. His hair is all over the place, sticking up on one side as he lazily rubs his stomach. My eyes automatically dip south and I think that’s by design. He wants my eyes down there.

  All three of us are gawking at him, me more so, actually scratch that ... I’d say Zane is giving him the biggest once over judging by the fact that he now has drool descending from the corner of his mouth.

  “Oh ... hey, Amalie ...” Tathan smirks and steps outside his apartment.

  Zane and Casey push me forward and into Tathan.

  I push Tathan inside his apartment and follow him inside, I’m sure Casey and Zane are on the other side of the door, listening.

  We stare at each other for a few moments before he smiles. “Did you get my note?”

  “Yes. Oliver liked the rose.”

  His hand raises and he scratches the back of his head, his eyes closing slowly and then reopening like he’s trying to stay awake. “I guess that’s a good thing then?”

  I want to shake him and scream in his face, why are you so adorable?

  “Oh yes ... flowers are good for his diet.” I tell him and lean back against the wall of his living room. I feel safe in here and it makes me want to run away. “Keeps him regular and happy.”

  His eyes are on the floor but then he looks up at me and asks what I know he wants to know. “You didn’t know it was me that night, did you?”

  “No,” I answer truthfully and he nods once, his eyes sad. “I barely remember that night.”

  Way to go. You made Tathan sad.

  “But it happened.”

  “Spill the details then.” I tell him eventually not wanting to waste any more time.

  “What do you want to know?” He shifts his stance crossing his arms over his chest and yawns.

  “We left together that night?”

  “Yes ...” He gives a nod. “I asked you out. You said no but took me back to your apartment where you attacked me.”

  “I’m sure.” He senses the sarcasm and gives a chuckle. “So when you moved in, you knew then?”

  “Yes... but let me finish. You kicked me out after we had sex that night.” Tathan continues and takes a step toward me. “I didn’t see you again until I started with Madsen Construction. Imagine my surprise when I saw that you sat right next to me.”

  “I’m sure.” My sarcasm is even thicker. “Now, why do you come into the office? Clearly, you don’t need to.”

  “I told you. Because ... I get to see you every day that way,” his tongue darts out and licks his lower lip, shrugging. “You’re sexy.”

  I ignore the sexy remark. “Why me?” I ask watching the way he’s watching me. It makes me nervous. “You could have anyone.”

  “I don’t want just anyone.”

  “Okay.” I consider what Paul said and everything he’s been telling me. “So you’re not a man-whore.”

  “Have you ever seen a girl at my apartment?” I shake my head no, because I haven’t. “I haven’t slept with anyone since you.”

  “Really?” I draw out. “That’s hard to believe.” I give a little nod to his body.

  Tathan chuckles and leans to one side.

  I fan myself, I can’t handle the leaning. It’s like watching porn for a man!

  His eyes twinkle when he speaks. “I’ve had two girlfriends in my life and never ... up until you ... have I ever slept with someone outside of being in a relationship with them.”

  Sigh. Just fucking sigh.

  “I’m not interested in sleeping around. Sure if I wanted to, it’s available but I wasn’t raised that way. When I’m with a woman, she’s gonna know that it’s just me and her.”

  I don’t say anything. I’m not sure I can after this week and everything I’ve been schooled on.

  “I want you.” He takes a step closer, and another until he’s backed me up against his door. “Why can’t you give me a chance?”

  Nothing comes out. I guess in some ways, I’m not protesting that.

  “When I’m with a woman, I’m only with her and she’s going to know exactly who she belongs to, every single inch of her. I don’t share.”

  Panties feel free to melt now.

  His stare, so serious and relaxed, searches mine waiting to see my reaction to that. I close my eyes, unable to reply and his hands move to my face.

  “Do you believe me now,” he asks so quietly that I almost can’t hear it. I hear him swallow and when he pulls me closer, his heart is pounding in his chest, or maybe it’s
mine, but I think it is both of ours, one drowning out the other but neither able to determine who’s is beating the loudest.

  “Yes.”

  I didn’t see Tathan on Friday, he wasn’t at work and I knew that he had to take Casey’s photos that day too. I spent the night in my apartment and watched movies with Oliver.

  Saturday I spend the entire day with Casey and Zane preparing for the wedding but mostly the bridal shower. When I finally get back to my apartment, Tathan is just unlocking his door. I know exactly where he’s been based on the camera bag and the nice clothes. I envision what he must have looked like today while shooting. Those bright eyes taking on that brooding essence they had when he concentrates and the way he selectively chooses the angles that gives him the images he was seeking.

  God, he’s seriously starting to get to me.

  By the time I walk over to him, he’s leaning into the wall waiting for me, relaxed and content as he watches me approach...unlike me who is fidgeting with everything from my hair to my dress to the strap of my purse.

  He gives me that adorable smile, eyes twinkling as he looks at the sun dress I wore today. “Hey,” his eyes drift south. “I’m disappointed I didn’t see you all day.”

  He’s flirting.

  “You missed out.” I poke his chest when I get closer.

  “Is that so?” his beautiful eyebrow arches in question and then he groans as if this is devastating news to him.

  “Yep.” My shoulder presses into the wall as I wait to see what he’s going to do next. It’s like I’m giving him an opportunity here, which I am.

  “Hot tub?” He suggests, leaning into my wall, his eyes still wandering.

  I groan, giving in. Like he had to ask.

  “Meet me down there in twenty minutes.”

  He winks. “Deal.”

  “What happened with you and Colton?”

  “How’d you know about Colton?”

  “Casey ...” He’s amused and takes a drink of his beer. He’s on his third one now and I’m on my second glass of wine as we sit under the stars. “She gave me your life story yesterday when I was doing the engagement photos.”