by E. L. Todd
“They don’t know their nose from their ass.”
“Which is why they’ll be easy.”
“No, not cool.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
The girls continued laughing.
“Oh no, I cut myself.” The blonde held up her hand and kept laughing.
I recognized that voice. I turned and looked.
Trinity wiped her hand on her leg, smearing the blood. Her bikini barely covered anything. Her flat stomach had a navel piercing, and her cleavage was pressed together in the swimsuit.
I looked at the brunette and felt my heart sink. No.
Skye lay on her back and laughed hard, pointing at her.
Fuck. “Slade?”
“What?” He was eyeing a girl in the corner.
“It’s Trinity and Skye.”
He turned back and looked. “God fucking damn it.”
“Let’s get them out of here.”
We left our beers on a table and came close to them.
Skye stopped laughing when she saw me lean over her. “Why are you naked?” She laughed again.
I’m surprised she even recognized me.
Slade scooped Trinity into his arms. “I’m taking her home because if she does something stupid, Uncle Mike will buy the university just to burn it to the ground.”
“Good thinking. I’ll get Skye home.” I looked around, wondering if Zack was there. If he was, I’d hate him even more.
Slade carried Trinity out the door.
“Your tattoos are so hot,” Trinity said as they walked away.
“Yeah, I know,” Slade said.
I focused on Skye. “We need to get you home.”
“Shit, you work out a lot.” She eyed my chest and stomach.
I felt my cheeks blush slightly. It was the first time she complimented my appearance like that. I ignored her words. “Come on. Up you go.” I gathered her in my arms then lifted her from the ground. The swimsuit she wore hardly covered anything. I forced myself not to look out of respect for her. But I guess if she was dressed like this, she didn’t want to be respected.
Once I was outside, the cold air hit us both. Slade took the car so I’d have to carry her to her apartment. I put her down for a moment then pulled my shirt over her, trying to keep her warm so she wouldn’t get sick.
“It smells like you…”
I lifted her again then carried her through the grounds, the shortest way possible.
Her arms were wrapped around my neck and she rested her face against my chest.
I didn’t say anything to her because I didn’t see the point. Her responses would be illogical and incoherent. I tried to keep her as close to me as possible so she’d stay warm. I was so glad Uncle Sean would never know about this. He would be pissed. And Uncle Mike…I didn’t even want to think about it.
I wasn’t sure why Skye was even there. I expected this behavior from Trinity but not her. Maybe she got thrown into the situation like I did with Slade all the time. I had to hope that was the case. Because it would scare the shit out of me if I wasn’t there to take her home. Some guy could have taken advantage of her. She could have gotten hurt. I tried not to think about it because it made me die a little bit inside.
Where the hell was Zack? Shouldn’t he be taking care of her? Not me? Didn’t he care that his girlfriend was going to a beach themed frat party?
When we arrived at her apartment, I used my spare key to get inside. I shut the door with my foot then carried her to her bed. When I set her down, I glanced at her legs. They were long and perfect. I sighed then started to tuck her in.
“Cayson?” she whispered.
“I’m here, Skye. I know you feel crummy right now but you’ll feel better in the morning.”
She sat up then ran her fingers through her hair. She stared at me, giving me a look I’d never seen before. Maybe it was because she was drunk. Maybe it was because she didn’t feel good. “You always take care of me…”
I’d never seen Skye drunk like this so I didn’t know what to expect. She was obviously vulnerable, emotionally real. It was a side to her I’d never seen before.
“Zack doesn’t treat me the way you do. He doesn’t open every door for me or put me first. He says he loves me like he’s trying to get it over with. You never tell me you love me but I don’t need to hear it. I know you do.”
Where was this going?
“He doesn’t make me laugh like you do…”
My heart was beating so fast the blood was loud in my ears. I was suddenly breathing hard, unsure where this conversation was taking us. The world was deathly silent. I could even hear the crickets outside her window. I stared at her face, seeing the moisture build up in her eyes. Her bottom lip quivered slightly. I glanced at the freckle in the corner of her mouth, longing to kiss it like I had for the past five years. I didn’t say a word, letting her do all the talking.
She fell silent, saying nothing more. A staring contest happened between us. It was dark in the room but I could still see her face. She could see mine. Then she touched my bicep, rubbing the muscle.
My heart skipped a beat.
Then her hand moved to my shoulder then the back of my neck. She gripped me tightly then moved her face close to mine.
We were so close together I could feel her breath fall on my skin. The scent of rose hips was heavy, mixed with the alcohol on her breath. I breathed hard, unable to stop the adrenaline coursing through my body. I wanted this. I’d wanted this forever.
Then she closed the gap between us and pressed her lips to mine.
I took a deep breath, caught off guard by the sudden burn on my lips. Her mouth was locked to mine, and my body shook slightly. I couldn’t believe this was real, that this was really happening.
After I recovered from the initial shock, my lips moved against hers. They were soft like I imagined. I felt every inch of her mouth, wanting to savor it. She tasted so good, like cherry. I breathed into her mouth, unable to breathe through my nose because I needed so much air. My stomach hurt because the butterflies were killing me.
Knowing my greatest fantasy was becoming a reality, I cupped her cheek and deepened the kiss. A quiet moan escaped her lips, telling me she enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed her. She felt the powerful chemistry between us, the all-consuming need for each other. I always hoped that something was between us, that she didn’t just see me as a friend. I wanted so much more with her, a life with her, a love with her.
She sucked my bottom lip then slipped her tongue into my mouth. When our tongues danced together, I felt my hand tremble. The kiss wasn’t what I expected it to be. I imagined this moment so many times but I never expected it to be this amazing. It blew my mind.
Her hand moved to my chest, feeling the powerful muscle underneath. It slid down to my abs, feeling me. She never touched me this way, never even acknowledged my sex appeal. Now she wanted me the way I wanted her.
I gave into my darkest desire then kissed the corner of her mouth, wanting to taste the freckle even though I couldn’t. “I’ve always wanted to do that.” Then I kissed her again, not planning on stopping until we both couldn’t stay awake a second longer.
Skye grabbed my shirt and pulled it off, revealing her body in the swimsuit. I glanced down, seeing her chest, and then tore my gaze away. My mouth found hers again, needing to taste her.
Her hand left my chest and moved behind her back. She untied both strings to her bikini then let the fabric fall.
My lips stopped moving, knowing what just happened. I shouldn’t look. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I did. But I couldn’t help it. I wanted her for longer than I could remember. I looked down at her chest, seeing the most gorgeous and cock-throbbing image of my life. She was perfect.
Unable to control myself, I leaned over her and sucked each nipple. She dug her hand into my hair, moaning while I touched her. I’d never been this turned on in my life. I’d never felt my heart bleed like this. This is what I wanted for so long.
Skye pulled her bottoms off, driving me crazy. Now she was naked beneath me, wanting me.
I lay her on the bed then moved over her, kissing her again. I pressed my chest to hers, feeling her breasts against me. My hand moved down her legs, feeling the smoothness. I couldn’t believe I was touching her. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
Skye reached for the top of my jeans, and that seemed to bring me back to reality.
I steadied her hand, realizing this was wrong. While I loved what was happening, never wanted it to stop, I couldn’t do this. She was drunk, and I didn’t want my first time with her to be like this. I wanted so much more.
“Cayson…”
Hearing her say my name made me want to keep going. But I held back. I moved off of her then pulled the sheets up, covering her beautiful body. “We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”
“I don’t want to wait.” She grabbed my neck and pulled my lips to hers.
I melted all over again. “Skye…I’ve wanted you for so long.”
“Then take me.”
God fucking damn it. I pulled my lips away. “Tomorrow.” I breathed hard, trying to recover from the loss of blood to my head.
She stared at me with disappointed eyes.
“I’ll come back in the morning with breakfast. We’ll talk about this then.”
“Stay here.”
I would but I didn’t trust myself.
“Just go to sleep. The sooner you fall asleep, the sooner you’ll wake up.”
She finally gave in. “Okay.”
I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead, feeling joy in my heart. Skye was finally mine. She was meant to be mine and now I finally had her. My life was complete. “Good night.”
“Good night.” She closed her eyes and sighed.
After another long look at her, I walked out and locked the door.
***
I got no sleep that night.
All I could think about was how much my life had changed. I had to convince myself it wasn’t a dream. It really happened. Skye wanted me and I wanted her. I always hoped she felt something more for me, but I always assumed it was just wishful thinking. But she did. She really did.
As soon as the sun came up, I showered and got ready for the day. I was too excited to sit still. I wanted to climb on top of my building and tell the world Skye was mine. I wanted to head to Zack’s apartment then punch him in the face, just to be spiteful. I wanted to kiss Skye again. That’s all I wanted to do when I got over there; lay on her couch and kiss her until her lips were chapped.
I headed to a coffee shop and got her coffee, a pumpkin spice latte with soy and no foam, and got her breakfast. I couldn’t stop smiling. The clerk looked at me like I was on speed.
Then I headed to her apartment, my fingers drumming on the steering wheel because my excitement couldn’t be contained. My life was forever changed. Everything was different. I was complete. Now I could do everything with her. I could take her to dinner and the movies and be honest with her. I could spend all my time with her and not have to hide my true feelings. I could kiss her whenever I damn well pleased.
I jogged up the stairs then opened her door with my key. After I set our breakfast on the counter, I looked for her. The bathroom door opened and she stepped out, her hair wet and her pajamas wrinkly. She still looked beautiful to me. I admit I thought about her naked body after I saw it. Honestly, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. She was even sexier than I thought.
She groaned then rubbed her temple. “God, I feel terrible.”
I smirked. “I got you coffee, breakfast, and aspirin.”
“Thank you. You’re a life saver.”
“I’ll get you breakfast every morning if you’d like.”
“Then I’ll have to start paying you. And I’m broke.”
“You don’t have to pay me anything.” I stared at her, waiting for her to join me. “Well, you don’t have to pay me in cash.”
“Food?” she asked with a laugh.
“No, I was thinking of something else.”
“Like what?”
She really couldn’t figure it out?
She came to the counter, not looking at me. Then she grabbed her coffee. When I came around to kiss her, she walked away and sat on the couch, blowing the steam away.
What was going on?
“What happened last night?”
I suddenly felt cold. “You don’t remember?”
She rubbed her temple again. “I remember going to that frat party…and drinking…a lot.”
“That was the last thing you remember?” My heart started to slow down, almost not beating at all.
“Yeah…something about breaking a table. Or maybe it was a vase? I don’t know.”
My heart stopped for a full second. Time slowed down, crushing me, breaking me. She didn’t remember what happened last night. She didn’t remember anything. It was like it never happened. The first kiss I had with her never existed. The way she looked at me never came to pass. None of it was real.
I was just a drunken mistake she couldn’t even remember. Maybe she didn’t even know it was me. Maybe she thought I was Zack. Maybe she thought I was just some random guy she thought was hot. I was nothing. I meant nothing to her. The greatest night of my life was just a blur to her, something she couldn’t even recall.
I put my heart on the line. I showed her how much I cared about her. I gave myself to her. She threw herself at me and I covered her up. I could have slept with her and she wouldn’t have even known. I could have been anybody. I could have been a random stranger.
“Cayson?” She stared at me, concern in her eyes.
I remembered every single time I cried in my life after I was five. My sister flushed my favorite stuffed animal down the toilet; one that Grandpa Preston got me. My friend passed away after drunk driving. And that was it. Those were the only two times.
And now this was the third time.
“I have to go.” I turned my back on her so she couldn’t see my face. I got out of there as fast as I could. The tears were inevitable and my heart was breaking. I felt so stupid, so foolish, for ever thinking I meant anything to her. I was just a friend. I was nothing.
I got into my car then hit the road. I didn’t drive back to my apartment. I just drove. The streets were icy but I didn’t care about the risk. I felt the warm tears fall from my eyes. Feeling the moisture made me feel more pathetic. I couldn’t believe a single girl had this affect on me, had the ability to manipulate me like this. I was sick of it. Skye wasted so much of my time and I wasn’t going to waste any more of it. I was done with her.
Done with her.
Chapter Eight
Skye
“Have you seen Cayson?” I asked Trinity when we sat together in the library.
“Um…not since the benefit at home.” She licked her finger then flipped the page of her magazine.
“Was he at that frat party we went to?”
“I don’t think so. I know Slade was.”
“You saw him?”
“Yeah. He took me home. He said I was being irresponsible.”
“Do you remember everything?” I asked. “How did I get home? I woke up and I was in my bed—naked.”
“I think Cayson took you home.”
“He did?”
“I think Slade mentioned that. But I really can’t remember. Don’t quote me on that. Why?”
I was trying to rationalize Cayson’s behavior the other day. “Cayson came over the next morning with breakfast. He was in a good mood and everything seemed fine. Then all of a sudden, he just stormed out. He didn’t drink his coffee or eat his food. It was weird…”
“Maybe he had to be somewhere.”
“On a Sunday? No. His behavior was odd.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. You could just ask him.”
“Yeah, I guess I could. I wasn’t sure if texting him would just annoy him.”
“Why would
it annoy him?”
“He’s just been a little off lately. I think something is bothering him.”
Trinity returned her focus to the magazine.
I tried to study but I kept thinking about Cayson’s behavior. It was so odd. I’d known him my whole life so I always knew when he was upset. But I couldn’t figure it out. It was even more peculiar that he didn’t just tell me.
I forced myself to get back to work and not think about it.
“You want to have game night this weekend? Invite everyone over?” Trinity didn’t look at me when she said it.
“Yeah, that would be cool. Your place?”
“Sure. I’ll invite everyone.”
“Just family?”
“Yeah.”
Zack came to our table, placing a coffee on the counter. “I got your favorite.”
“Thanks.” I inhaled the scent and immediately felt more awake. Then I took a sip, immediately noticing the odd taste. “What is this?”
“Caramel macchiato.”
Ugh. Zack never listened to me. I didn’t bother complaining. Coffee was still coffee.
“What?” Trinity asked. She knew something was up.
“Nothing,” I said.
“What?” Zack asked. “Did they mess up the order?”
“No…this just isn’t what I drink. I’ve never had a caramel macchiato in my life.”
“Isn’t it your favorite?” Zack asked.
“No.” Now I was getting irritated. “You must be getting me confused with one of your other girlfriends.”
He rolled his eyes then sat beside me. “You know you’re the only one. Want to come over tonight and watch a movie?”
“Isn’t football on tonight?” I asked.
“Yeah. Same thing.”
“No…watching a movie and watching sports is completely different.”
“Whatever. You want to come over or what?”
I sighed. “I guess.”
Trinity looked at me over her magazine, giving me a look, and then looked down again.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she said.
“I’ll make you dinner,” Zack said.
“Frozen pizza?”
“You like pizza, right?” he asked.
