by Claire Adams
“Of course not.”
“Should I sleep on the couch?”
“No, you can sleep with me.”
“What? No, I don't think so.”
“Don't be silly. I will keep my distance. I just don't want you out of my sight right now.”
I nodded. I watched as he downed his drink, and then I followed him down the hall and into his bedroom. He pulled back the covers of the bed and put a few pillows down the middle.
“See, there is something in between us. You don't have to worry about me putting the moves on you.”
I laughed for the first time that evening.
“Sorry I ruined your hookup.” It was the first time I brought up the blonde he was leaving the club with. He looked a little embarrassed at my mentioning it.
“Naw, you probably did me a favor. Besides, I would much rather you be here.”
I crawled into bed and drew the covers up around me. I lay my head down on the pillow and Jet did the same. We faced each other, and I smiled to lighten the butterflies that were in my stomach causing a stir.
“Can we talk about the kiss?”
He nodded. “It was a pretty great kiss.”
I laughed. “Yes, it was. I'm sorry I sent you away, it kind of scared me. I just didn't handle it well.”
“You did fine. I'm just an idiot. I should know when to take things slow. You're not like other girls.”
“You know what you handled badly? The next day.”
By the look on his face, he knew that I knew about the lie.
“Yeah, like I said, I'm an idiot. If it makes you feel better, I didn't expect it to go beyond this apartment. Believe me, Kyle got a beating when I found it went public.”
“But why did you say it to begin with? Why would you tell him something like that when it wasn't true?”
“I don't know. I thought you blew me off. I was hurt and angry, and when I got back home, Kyle was already sure we had slept together, and I just didn't want to look like a fool for not having sealed the deal.”
“Why? What's the big deal that we didn't?”
“It's just the way guys are, Natalie. We consider that shit important for some reason. It was never my intention to hurt you, and I was pretty devastated when I found out most people knew. If I could take it all back, I would.”
I stared at him for a moment or two before saying, “I forgive you. As long as you promise me you will never do anything like that again.”
“You have my word.” I smiled, feeling the anxiety of the evening drifting out of my body. “You know, I don't always have it together, ya know. I may seem cool and collected, but I'm messed up myself, and that's probably why I say and do things that I shouldn't. I used to be real scared when I was a kid. It's no excuse for my behavior, but I just want you to know I really am sorry.”
“I know.” I paused before I asked, “Why were you scared as a kid?”
He smiled softly and had a sad look on his face. “You should get some rest, beautiful. Tomorrow is another day.”
Confused, I decided to let it go for the time being. As my eyelids fluttered closed, it wasn't long before I fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Jet
I rolled over in bed to see the most beautiful creature beside me. Sunlight shone through the window and caressed her face. I didn’t want to wake her; I just wanted to watch her while she slept. She was peaceful and beautiful, and when she opened her eyes, the spell was broken. Her eyes fluttered open and closed repeatedly as she fully awakened.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby. You have a nice bed.”
I laughed. “The parental units spared no expense.”
“Must be nice.”
“It's alright. Doesn't matter to me what kind of bed I sleep in.”
“Yeah, you say that until you sleep in a bad bed and wake up sore.”
I smiled. “Maybe.”
She rubbed her eyes, and brushed her hand through her hair. She wasn't self-conscious at all; there was no rush to get to the bathroom to put on makeup. Her movements were from habit, not out of insecurities. She rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling. I wondered what went through her head; l wished I knew.
“Would you like some breakfast?” I asked.
She turned her head to me and grinned. “I would love some.”
“Okay, I will meet you in the kitchen. Feel free to use the bathroom to freshen up.”
“Thanks.”
I rolled out of bed and waited until she got out and went into the bathroom. I changed out of my flannel pants and put on some clothes. I exited the bedroom and headed to the kitchen. Kyle was up, and already playing video games.
“Hey, man, what time did you get in?”
Kyle looked up and answered, “Like, 4:00 a.m. You left the bar pretty quickly. You found a girl real quick, right?”
“Something like that.”
“What time did she leave?”
“She didn't. She's still here, so behave yourself.”
“You let her sleep over? Seriously? When have you ever done that?”
I went into the kitchen and started to put some coffee on. I grabbed a filter and put it in the coffee machine. I added a scoop of coffee, and then filled the pot with water. Once I emptied it into the machine, I turned it on. I loved the smell of coffee in the morning because it always reminded me of possibilities, of a fresh start to take over the world.
I opened the fridge and pulled out some cream. I assessed the rest of the fridge to determine what there would be for breakfast. It looked like it was going to be bacon and eggs. I turned on the stove, and started to put slices of bacon in a pan. I waited to hear the sizzling of the bacon cooking. I pulled out the eggs as well, but they would have to wait.
When I turned around, Natalie was behind me, and Kyle's jaw was on the floor. Yes, I would have some explaining to do later. However, for the time being, it was sort of amusing that Kyle was so shocked that it was the artist I had brought home from the bar.
“Kyle, this is Natalie. Natalie ... Kyle. Kyle is my roommate and teammate.”
“Hi,” she said tentatively.
“Hey, what's up? Nice to meet you.”
I could tell by Natalie's expression that she realized that Kyle was the one who told everyone we had slept together. She held herself together pretty well, though, not giving anything away.
I turned back to the bacon, and started flipping the pieces while she moved up beside me and smiled.
“Bacon. How healthy.”
I laughed. “Please tell me you're not on a diet.”
“No, but aren't you supposed to eat properly?”
“I do, for the most part. But I also indulge. My body burns food up like fuel since I train a lot. I am careful when I'm preparing for a fight, because I may need to cut weight; but if I'm not training, then I have a little more leeway.”
She just nodded.
With the bacon well underway, I fried us up some eggs.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
I poured her a cup of coffee. “Would do you like in it?”
“I can make my own, thank you.”
I watched as she opened drawers until she found the silverware. She plucked out a spoon and proceeded to add cream and sugar to her coffee. I watched her stir it, mesmerized by the swirling in her cup. I smiled as she looked up at me.
“Have a seat,” I told her.
She carried her cup over to our small kitchen table. I prepared some plates with bacon and eggs and brought them over and sat them down.
“So I was thinking that maybe I could help you out today.”
“Help me again? I think you’re already doing that with my school assignment.”
“Yeah, well. Good thing I like you.”
She blushed, and I liked how the crimson went across her cheeks. “So how are you going to help me?”
“By teaching you some self-defense. That way, if you ever find yourself in a situation like yesterday, you will be able to defend yourself.”
She thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “I guess so.”
“Great. Let’s get going, then.”
We quickly finished our breakfast before heading to the gym.
“Okay, self-defense is really simple. The movements are basic, and they will ensure your safety the next time some guy gets in your face.”
I saw her shudder as she remembered what happened to her the night before. I went through some movements with her on how to get out of a choke hold, as well as a defensive hold. I showed her how to use her car keys as a weapon, and how to throw a punch.
“Okay, let's try an attack. I'll come up from behind you and put my arms around you, and you try to break the hold.”
She made a face, and then said, “Sure, let's give it a try.”
I went up behind her nice and close, wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and pulled tight. It was then that I realized her hair smelled like strawberries. My heart began to beat hard, and having her there in such close proximity aroused me the hell out of me.
“Jet?”
I hadn't realized I dazed out for a bit. I pulled her in tighter, trying to concentrate on the movement, and then told her to go for it.
In one fluid movement, she elbowed me in the stomach, which loosened my grip on her. She moved quickly, grabbing my arm and twisting it around so that I was forced to let go. She spun around, and only then did she let me go. She was blushing hard, and it made me think she knew why I was in such a daze. Oh boy.
“Well that's probably good for today, you got some basics down, and at least you can throw a clean punch.”
“Yup, and next time a guy tries to mug me, he’ll wish he didn’t.”
I wrapped my arm around her neck and held her for a second before letting her go.
“Well, let’s hope it never comes to that.”
Chapter Fifteen
Natalie
My phone began to ring, and it was my friend Benny. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Not a lot. Want to go out with me tonight?”
“Of course. I have been dying to go out all week. Since my incident, I have been sort of freaked out, but I think I’m ready.”
Benny also happened to be on the MMA team, though we never discussed Jet at all, oddly enough. Probably because when we hung out, we never really discussed fighting. Benny was an awesome friend, and we had a lot of fun together; we just never discussed sports, as he knew I wasn't into athletics that much.
“Meet me at my house.”
“Okay. Cya then.”
“Bye.”
I hadn't seen Jet all day, which was sort of weird, since I had been staying at his apartment all week. It wasn't what you think―we were still just friends, but I was still so freaked out over the mugging that I had a hard time staying in my apartment with Julie, or even really going out at all. He had offered for me to stay at his place, and I agreed, as long as the pillows remained between us. He had practice that day at the gym, and never came home afterwards. It didn't really matter to me, it's not like he was my boyfriend, so he could do whatever he wanted.
I did want to remain respectful, however, so I left him a note letting him know I would be out for the night with Benny, and that I would talk to him later. I then went into the bathroom to get ready. Once I had brushed and straightened my hair, I applied makeup. Now I needed to find an outfit.
I had brought some things from my apartment back to his place, and I remember Julie shaking her head when I did so. I was aware that I was acting sort of like a pussy, but I didn't care. Everyone seemed a little perplexed as to what kind of relationship Jet and I had. Kyle was the most perplexed of everyone. Every time he returned home and I was still there, his confusion grew. I preferred not to analyze it, however.
I chose an off-the-shoulder black sweater with a skirt, and assessed myself in the mirror. I had to admit that I was looking a little hot that night. It was time to forget about the mugging and start having fun again. I grabbed my clutch and headed out the door.
The club was booming that night as Benny escorted me into the bar. The music thumped through the walls, and the dance floor was full. Benny was not about to let me sit at the bar all night and drink, however, so I had to follow him around the room and mingle with his friends. It was kind of nice, actually, being social again. I hadn't done a lot of that since my breakup, and it was good to get back out there.
Benny introduced me to a few of his classmates, who seemed to zero in on me immediately. I danced with one of them, and the other couldn't stop buying me drinks. I didn't even need to bring my wallet at all. I was sitting with Benny and a guy named Mike, drinking rye and Cokes, and laughing my ass off when I saw Jet walk into the bar. I checked my phone quickly and frowned when I didn't see a message from him on my phone. He had to have gone home and seen my note, so why didn't he message to meet up? Why do you care, Natalie? You didn't want a boyfriend, remember?
I watched Jet as he made his rounds around the room, saying hi to friends, and flirting with anything in a skirt. He took a girl’s hand, led her out to the dance floor, and proceeded to do something that could only be considered foreplay. I rolled my eyes, and downed the rest of my drink. Mike ordered us all another round, and winked at me. I was starting to feel a pretty decent buzz, and I had Mike to thank for it. I looked back over at Jet and felt my blood pressure rise as he continued to dance with the girl. Was it really necessary for them to be that close?
I shook my head in disgust until I realized once again that I had no reason to act crazy. There was nothing between Jet and me, so why did it matter who he was dancing with, or how close they were dancing? And they were dancing very close. I had a difficult time taking my eyes off of him and the girl, and the whole scene was starting to make me sick to my stomach.
I turned to Benny. “Who is that girl dancing with Jet?”
He glanced over and shrugged his shoulders. “She looks pretty random to me.”
When I looked back over, the two of them were leaving the dance floor. Jet walked over to a booth and started talking to another girl. Wow, he was sure on fire tonight. He hadn't even noticed I was in the room, and didn't even seem to care, for that matter.
My mouth dropped open as I saw Jet grab the girl by the hand and lead her across the room. I couldn't believe it, but he was actually leaving with that girl for the night. I guess that meant I wasn't spending the night at Jet's again this evening. I would have to return to my own apartment, and think about the two of them having sex all night.
“Jet just left with a different girl.”
Both guys looked at me, confused. Benny asked, “The girl from the dance floor?”
“No, someone else. He just found her in a booth, and they left together. Who is she?”
“I have no idea. Why do you care so much about what Jet's doing? The guy likes to play around―that's what he does.”
Something quite akin to jealousy brewed up inside of me, and I felt a little out of control.
“I need to go talk to him.”
“He just left with another girl. They are probably fucking right now, or very soon.”
That propelled me out of my seat, and I grabbed my clutch and headed across the room. Benny was by my side in an instant.
“Natalie, what are you doing?”
“I need to stop him.”
“Why?”
He tried to grab for me, but I dodged him.
“Look, Natalie, you're drunk. Just go home, I can take you there. But chasing after Jet when he's left with another girl is a really bad idea. Really bad.”
I ignored him as I went down the stairs of the club and out the door. As I got out onto the sidewalk, nervousness came to me as I thought about the mugging. How could Jet assume I wasn't spending the night? Or had he gone to the girl's house instead? I hailed a cab and watched as it
moved to the curb.
Benny finally managed to grab my arm and pull me away from the cab. “Natalie, what's going on? Is there something you're not telling me about?”
“No. I just need to talk to Jet. He's my friend.”
Benny laughed and shook his head. “Okay, if I can't stop you from making a fool of yourself, then go ahead. Call me if you need to be picked up.”
I didn't answer as I crawled into the cab and gave the driver Jet's address. When the cab pulled up to Jet's home, I paid the driver and got out. I tentatively headed up to the door and nervously knocked a few times.
I cringed inside at the thought of the two of them already having sex inside the apartment. It seemed to be taking an awful long time for the door to be answered. I heard a noise and braced myself for the surprise attack. Was he going to be half-naked when he answered the door?
The door swung open, and there he was, thankfully with all his clothes on. He looked surprised to see me, and before he could say another word to me, I kissed him fully on the lips. The kiss lasted for a moment as warmth flooded my body, and I released his lips from mine.
A grin broke out on his face, surprise still etched all over it. “Wow, what was that for?”
“Please don't sleep with her.”
He laughed. “What the hell are you talking about? Sleep with who?”
“I was at the same bar as you were. I went with Benny and I saw you leave with that girl.”
“You have it all wrong.”
“Have what wrong?”
“She's my cousin. Yes, I left with her, and drove her home, but she's my cousin. I didn't pick her up; she just needed a ride.”
I stood there, stunned, as shame washed over me. So this was what Benny meant when he said he didn't want me to make a fool of myself. And yet I managed to do exactly that.
“Oh, wow, I'm so embarrassed. I'm such an idiot.”
“No, you're not. It's actually really flattering that you are jealous. I know how it must have looked at the bar. I was just having fun, and I had no intention of taking anyone home. For one thing, I wasn't sure if you were still staying with me.”
“Oh, this is mortifying.”
