Violets are not Blue

by Melissa Toppen

So predictable.

  “I told Harris you’d ask me that.” I laugh. “And the answer is yes. He is Harris’ brother, after all.”

  “You never know. Maybe Harris got all the good genes. Haven’t you ever seen Twins with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito?”

  “That was a movie, Hannah.”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.”

  “Well if it helps, I have seen a picture of him. He looks a lot like Harris. Only he’s not quite as tall and he’s broader. So, are you in or not? I told Harris I’d let him know as soon as possible so he can make arrangements with Everett.”

  “Everett.” She thinks on the name. “Well, his name is hot, so that’s a start.” Another pause. “Okay, count me in. But if he turns out being a DeVito, don’t expect me to hang around for dessert.”

  “He’s not,” I promise. “But, noted.” I turn my attention to my phone when it vibrates in my lap.

  Harris: I’m hurt that you’ll accept a ride from Hannah but wouldn’t accept one from me. You wound me, Blue.

  I obviously can’t read his tone through text message but if I had to guess I’d say he’s messing with me.

  Me: Well in my defense, I told her no. She’s just not as good of a listener as you.

  “What’s he saying?” Hannah glances down at my phone.

  “Would you please keep your eyes on the road? I’d like to get home in one piece.”

  “Oh stop being so dramatic. What are you two talking about?”

  “Nothing.” I lay my phone face down in my lap. “I just told him I was headed home.”

  “Is he coming over tonight?”

  “He wants to.” I blow out a puff of air.

  “But you don’t want him to?”

  “I don’t know. I do, but at the same time I don’t. Is that weird?”

  “Not at all. In fact, it makes total sense.”

  “What does?” I ask, not sure I follow.

  “You want to see him because you like him. You don’t want to see him because you’re afraid you’re falling for him. That about cover it?”

  “Pretty much,” I admit. I don’t have the energy to keep this charade up in front of Hannah. She knows me better than anyone. I shouldn’t be surprised that she can read me so well.

  “I have to ask, would it be so wrong letting yourself fall for him? Would it really be the end of the world?”

  “For me, yes. If I let myself continue on down the rabbit hole then I’m setting myself up to be hurt all over again. Or worse, I’ll end up hurting him.”

  “Why would you hurt him?”

  “Because I don’t want a serious relationship, Hannah. You already know this.”

  “No, what I know is that you say you don’t want a serious relationship. What I believe is that you’re afraid to be in one.”

  “The two kind of go hand in hand, don’t they? In order to commit yourself fully to another person you have to be willing to accept that it might not work out. There’s always a level of fear involved. But that’s not all that it is for me. I don’t want a relationship because I like my life the way it is. For the first time in years I’m truly happy and I didn’t need a man to do it. Love isn’t something we need.”

  “It’s something we’re taught we need,” she repeats the phrase I’ve said to her more than once. “You’re so predictable.”

  “I could say the same about you.”

  “Maybe we just know each other too well.” She chuckles.

  “Maybe we do.”

  “So, Friday night,” she continues when a long moment of silence stretches between us.

  “Just keep your evening open and I’ll let you know for sure once I talk to Harris.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” She taps her fingers on the steering wheel. “Is it bad that I’m actually kind of excited to get a front row seat to The Blue and Harris Show?”

  “The Blue and Harris Show?”

  “That’s what I’m calling it. The shit you two have going on is like a soap opera. It’s entertaining as hell. I’m over here popping popcorn in my mouth waiting to see how it all unfolds.”

  “Well hopefully you’re not rooting for a happy ending because you might be disappointed.”

  “I don’t know. I’m holding out for a major plot twist.”

  “You seriously need a life.”

  She thinks on that for a minute. “Yeah, I guess you’re not wrong there,” she says, turning onto my street before pulling up to the curb in front of my building. “Want me to come up and hang for a while?”

  “Nah, I think I’m gonna crash for a bit. I’m exhausted.” I pop open the door and climb out before leaning into the backseat to retrieve my bag.

  “Okay, call me later?”

  “I will. Thank you again for the ride.”

  “Anytime.” She gives me a little wave seconds before I close the door.

  I’m halfway to my building when my phone vibrates in my hand. Glancing down at the screen, I stop dead in my tracks when I see the message from Harris.

  Harris: Turns out I’m not a very good listener either. I’m on my way over.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Harris

  Blue answers the door on the first knock, almost as if she was waiting right next to it for me to arrive. The thought makes me smile.

  When the door swings open and her face comes into view, my body does a lot more than just smile. It comes to life. As if the last five days I’ve been walking around in a haze.

  “Hey.” She looks tired and I immediately feel a little guilty for being so selfish and showing up when she told me she needed rest. I still plan to let her sleep, but I needed to see her first.

  “Hey.” I step over the threshold and tug her into my arms, kicking the door closed behind me. Burying my face into her hair, I inhale deeply. “You smell good.”

  “I do?” She pulls back, crinkling her nose in that cute way she always does.

  “You always smell good.” I lean down and sweep my lips against hers. “I’m sorry for just showing up. I really needed to see you.”

  “It’s okay.” She gazes up at me. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “You are?”

  “I am.” She wraps her hands around the back of my neck and pulls my face to hers. “But right now I don’t want to talk.” She kisses me deeper, sliding her tongue into my mouth. I groan at the sweet taste of her.

  “But I thought you wanted to get some sleep,” I murmur against her lips.

  “I’ll sleep later.” She reaches for the hem of my shirt and tugs upward. I step back and pull it the rest of the way off, tossing the material to the floor as Blue works at the button of my pants.

  She’s not being subtle about what she wants and I am more than happy to give it to her.

  Working my pants over my hips, I kick them and my boxers off as Blue strips out of her jeans, panties, and shirt in record time. When she reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, the material slowly falling away, I damn near come undone.

  Pulling her to me, I lift her up; her legs wrapping around my waist as I tangle my hand in the back of her hair and reclaim her mouth.

  I know I should do the gentleman thing and take her to bed, but I’m too impatient to wait. Reaching between us, I line myself at her entrance and slowly guide her down until I’m buried deep inside of her.

  We both gasp.

  Fuck, I’ve missed this girl. And not just the feel of her, either. But her smell, her taste, her voice, the way she whimpers as I thrust inside her. Everything about her drives me insane. I crave her in a way I’ve never craved anything in my life. When she’s not with me, I ache for her. Physically ache for her to be with me.

  It’s been two weeks and already I can’t imagine letting her go. Hell, I’m pretty sure I was hooked the night we made the bet. This may have started out as something fun, but it’s quickly morphed into so much more. Or at least for me it has.

  The encounter doesn’t last long. As soon as I b
ack Blue up against the wall to give myself a better angle, I feel my release starting to build. It starts as a tingle in the back of my neck and slowly spreads down my body. I shake from the intensity of the build, trying to hold on until I know she’s ready.

  Within seconds she’s clawing at my back, her face buried in my neck as her orgasm takes hold. Mine plows through me at the same time, the force enough to cause my knees to shake under the weight of us.

  Once I’ve come down, I’m reluctant to release her. Buried inside of her has become my favorite place to be. So much so that I never want to leave. But I know I have to break the connection and feel the loss of her the instant I lower her to her feet.

  “Well that was...” Unexpected. Incredible. Mind fucking blowing.

  “Yeah.” She grins like she feels the same emotions even though I never got the words out. “Come on.” She takes my hand and tugs. “I need a hot shower and a warm bed.”

  “Is that an invitation?” I ask, following her toward the bathroom.

  “What do you think?”

  I second guessed myself the whole way to her apartment, but now I’m damn glad I came. I hadn’t planned it, but the minute I learned she was back in Boston, I couldn’t help myself. I made some bullshit excuse about not feeling well and dipped out of the office as quickly as I could.

  I was afraid that she wouldn’t be as excited to see me as I was to see her, but that fear dissipated the instant I saw her. She may not be as vocal about how she’s feeling as I am, but I can tell she feels this, too. Whatever is happening between us is undeniable.

  No matter what happens over the next two weeks there’s one thing I know with complete certainty, Blue Daniels belongs with me. And I only have fourteen days left to prove it to her.

  ——

  “You okay?” Everett leans back in his chair, observing me.

  We’re sitting at a round, four-person table in the corner of Pedro’s, an upscale Italian restaurant in the heart of the city.

  Everett arrived in town two days ago, and while I’ve enjoyed my time with him, I’m anxious to spend some time with Blue. Something I haven’t gotten to do since Tuesday night.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I try to force myself to seem casual. “Why?”

  “You seem...” He thinks on it for a moment. “Nervous.”

  “I don’t know if I’m nervous, but I’m definitely feeling a little anxious.”

  “You really like this girl.” It’s a statement, not a question.

  “I really do.”

  He scratches his chin, contemplating my words.

  “She must be one hell of a woman if she’s gotten you tied up in knots. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

  “I’ve never felt like this. I think she’s the one, man.”

  “Wow.” He doesn’t try to hide his surprise. “That’s a pretty bold statement considering you’ve only been seeing each other a couple of weeks.”

  “Three weeks. And it’s been three of the best weeks of my life.”

  While Blue had been in Florida it seemed that she was pulling away from me, but once she got back we picked up like she had never left. This past week has been even better than the ones before it. We spent last weekend in her apartment. We only got up to eat or use the restroom. Other than that we stayed in bed, making love, and binge-watching shows on Netflix. I can’t remember a time that I’ve ever felt so content before. I would have stayed there forever with her if I could have.

  Monday and Tuesday were equally amazing. Now that Robert is out of the office, I don’t feel like I have to keep my pursuit of Blue a secret. I kissed her in the break room and held her hand in the parking lot as we left the office. I took Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off to spend time with my brother, and while I’ve missed the hell out of him and it’s been great catching up, I think I might miss Blue a little more.

  We’ve talked about her a few times over the last couple of days, but up until this point I haven’t been forthcoming with how I feel about her.

  “So, tell me about this friend.” Everett pulls me back to the conversation after a long moment of silence.

  “She’s around the same age as you. She’s a redhead, which I know you like. She’s super sweet but don’t let that fool you, because she also has a wicked quick tongue.”

  “Wicked quick tongue.” He grins. “I think I like the sound of that.”

  “She’s Blue’s best friend so you better be on your best behavior,” I reiterate for a second time since telling him we were all meeting for dinner.

  “Yeah, yeah. Best behavior.” He rolls his eyes. “Now tell me more about this tongue thing.”

  “Just wait, you’ll see. She’s a bit of a spit fire. I’m not promising she won’t chew you up and spit you out.”

  “If she’s hot enough I don’t think I’ll mind.”

  “You really are my brother, aren’t you?” I chuckle.

  “As if there was ever any question.” He gestures between us, pointing out our very similar appearance.

  It’s true, we do look a lot alike. Everett keeps his hair shorter than mine, and he’s clean shaved whereas I am not. He’s also bulkier than I am, and a little shorter, but our facial features are almost spot on.

  When Everett’s eyes lock on something behind me, I turn to follow his line of sight. Honing in on Blue as she and Hannah make their way toward us.

  She’s gorgeously dressed in a simple black cocktail dress with heels that make her at least three inches taller than she normally is. She has her wavy locks pinned back on the sides, and her full lips are painted bright red. Fuck me.

  I shift in my seat as my groin begins to stiffen. The things this girl does to me.

  “Holy hell. Is that her?” Everett whisper hisses across the table. I’m too preoccupied with the woman who meets my gaze and smiles to answer.

  I stand as the two women reach the table, leaning down to lay a soft kiss to Blue’s cheek.

  “You look beautiful,” I tell her, nodding to Hannah who stops next to her.

  “Thank you.” A soft blush dusts her cheeks and I swear it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

  Turning, I pull out the chair next to me and gesture for her to take a seat. Everett does the same to the chair next to him for Hannah.

  “Blue, Hannah, this is my brother, Everett. Everett, this is Hannah.” I first point to the woman on Blue’s left. “And this is Blue.” I smile, taking her hand and giving it a brief squeeze as I reclaim my seat.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Everett turns on the normal Avery charm, smiling at the two women.

  “How was work?” I ask to neither one in particular.

  “It was work.” Hannah does some weird thing with her hand. “Speaking of which, you need to tell this one to get a ball glove before Wednesday. I keep reminding her and she keeps putting it off.”

  “You’re playing in the company softball game?” My gaze slides to Blue. “You hadn’t mentioned that you’d signed up.”

  “I didn’t, exactly. She signed me up.” She hitches her thumb in the direction of her friend.

  “After you agreed,” Hannah fires back.

  “I have a glove you can borrow.” I nudge her shoulder with mine. “I have our old gloves from when we were kids.”

  “Are you playing?” She presses her red lips together as she looks at me.

  “I’m the pitcher for the red team.”

  “The red team?”

  “Development is the red team. Sales and HR are the blue team.”

  “So I’m assuming I’m on the red team?” She looks to Hannah who nods and smiles, clapping her hands together when the waiter appears.

  Both women order a glass of wine and I get another beer, having consumed my first one as Everett and I waited for the girls to arrive. I had intended on picking Blue up but I think she felt obligated to ride with Hannah.

  “So Blue,” Everett waits until the waiter leaves before continuing. “I gotta ask. How are your
softball skills? Because I’ve got to tell you, this one over here does not like to lose.” He points at me.

  She bites her bottom lip to contain her smile and I’m reminded that I’ve already lost to her once. Though it’s a loss I happily accepted.

  “I’m not very good,” she admits. “I’m holding out for the position of bench warmer.”

  To that we all laugh and it seems to be just the ice breaker we need. The conversation is easy through dinner. I’m sure the amount of alcohol consumed at our table probably plays a large part in that, and by the time dessert comes we’re all laughing and joking like we’ve known each other for years.

  Blue is smiling next to me when Everett catches my eyes. He gives me a nod. A simple shake of his head. But that one action says so much. It says he understands. It says he approves. It says he’s happy for me.

  Not that I need his blessing or anything, but it feels good to know he sees it, too. He must. Because if he didn’t he wouldn’t be looking at me the way he is right now.

  I reach under the table and grab Blue’s hand, entwining our fingers before my gaze slides to hers. She graces me with that incredible smile of hers and that’s when it hits me. Like a hundred mile an hour wind knocking me in the face, I lose my breath.

  This thing between us has been building for some time, but I think this is the first time that I’m truly coming to grips with the magnitude of my feelings for her. My insides twist and my heart thuds loudly against my ribs as I come to terms with what I’m about to admit to myself...

  I’m in love with Blue Daniels.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Blue

  I don’t know if it’s the wine or if it’s really hot in the restaurant, but I suddenly feel flushed with heat. Harris is looking at me in a way that makes me squirm in my seat and causes the little hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

  Averting my gaze, I turn back toward the table, refocusing on Everett who’s telling Hannah all about life in Hawaii while she listens, completely enraptured. If I was a betting woman, which clearly I am, I’d put money on them going home together tonight.

  “We should go next door after this,” Hannah announces as Harris slips his credit card to the waitress without her bringing the bill.