by Cassie Mae
“Think there’s a way to pry them apart? I’m not sure if I can handle much more.”
He takes a gulp of his water before answering me. “I have no clue. To be honest, after what Talon told me yesterday I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
“What? His big pepperoni revelation said he wasn’t going to make out with his girlfriend?”
Wesley’s face turns a little pink, and he takes another swig from his water bottle. “I may have withheld a little bit of information.”
I shove his shoulder. “What the hell? I thought we were in this together.”
“We are. It was … personal. Wasn’t sure if I should say anything.”
Okay, I’m going to give him a pass. I wasn’t exactly telling him everything about the epic anniversary present Reagan has planned.
Wait a minute …
“Crap.”
Wesley’s eyebrows disappear into his blond hair. “What?”
I glance over my shoulder, peeking around the tiny wall that’s separating us from the other room. Talon and Reagan are all snuggled together, but thankfully not glued at the lips. They’ve turned off the game, the blue screen lighting up the room. My gaze goes back to Wesley. “I think I know what’s going on.”
“Okay …?”
I suck in a breath and wave him closer. Better make it 100 percent guaranteed we won’t be overheard. “Can’t tell a soul, promise?”
He nods and comes so close his warm breath covers the skin on my forehead. He smells like gummy bears. No surprise, since he got off work just before we came over. And for some stupid reason that makes me super aware of his lips, and my face flames up. I’m sure the blush is because I’m going to talk about sex, though. Not because of his proximity. That would so not make sense.
I clear my throat and refuse to shake my head because I may smack him with my curls. “Reagan told me what she’s planning on doing for Talon for their anniversary.”
“And you’re thinking she spilled the beans to him?”
“You know her. She can’t keep a secret to save her life. So yes, that’s exactly what I’m thinking.”
His hazel eyes flick to the living room again before landing back on mine. “I’m guessing that present is going to make Talon a very happy guy.”
“You knew they hadn’t … yet?” Am I the only one who assumed they had already been tossing around in the sheets for a while?
“It’s pretty much all Talon talks about. Not in a douchey way, but it’s frustrating when you only get to go so far, and you’ve been …” Wesley closes his eyes and quickly says, “Never mind. I guess I won’t have to hear him complain about it anymore.”
He sounds just as depressed as I feel. And I try not to, but I can’t help it. There’s a heat wave tingling behind my eyes, and I close them to keep the tears from coming out. This is so messed up. I should be happy for my best friend when she decides to go all the way. I should be happy for her and for him because I’ve known her forever and I feel like I’ve known him just as long because of how long I’ve panted over him. But instead I feel like it’s the final stake in the vampire’s heart.
It’s not until Wesley’s arms are around me that I realize my tears have escaped and I’ve been holding my breath. This guy doesn’t hug me often, so it feels kind of weird, but nice at the same time because he doesn’t look at me like he should. Like the evil person I am for wanting someone way off-limits and for trying to make him mine. But then again, I don’t look at him that way either.
“Shh,” he whispers into my hair as he rubs my back. “It’s not a done deal yet. We’ve got the road trip before, and Christmas vacation.” His fingers stop, and when they do, I notice my back is full of goose bumps. Then his voice drops. “And if you promise not to say anything either …” I nod into his chest. “Things aren’t as perfect as they seem in their relationship. Trust me on that one, okay, Mickey?”
I take a huge inhale through my nose, catching that gummy bear smell again and totally ignoring the name he called me. “Okay.”
We pull away from each other, and there’s this moment—really, the smallest second in the whole world—when I feel the need to pull him back. Forget the guy I love in the next room and take comfort in the guy who’s in front of me.
“You guys lock yourselves in the fridge or something?” Talon yells.
Wesley half smiles, then we both take a big breath of air before going back to the torture chamber.
Step 5:
Pick Up on the Silent Hints Your Accomplice Gives You
(And learn how to fake a yawn without looking like a dork.)
“Give me a kiss.”
“Stop it, Reagan.” I laugh, pushing her face away from mine.
“C’mon. I promise you’ll like it.” She puckers her lips and slides closer to me on the couch. Both the guys and I burst into fits of laughter. Late-night Reagan is a lot of fun, especially when she’s had too much sugar. We keep her away from alcohol, because if she gets this way off regular soda, she’d probably be streaking across Wesley’s apartment complex trying to get into the pool if she had a drop of anything stronger.
“If I kiss you, will you leave me alone?” I say it just to see Talon’s reaction, but it’s Wesley who ends up spitting his water all over the TV screen. After wiping his face, he takes off the jacket he’s wearing to clean up the spill. We’re all laughing, and with Talon sitting on the floor in front of me, Reagan still crawling across the sofa in this pretend sexy way, I allow myself to be in the moment, instead of thinking too hard about how I wish he was the one threatening to kiss me.
“Let’s play a game!” she shouts, leaping off the couch and running up the stairs to Wesley’s room.
I shake my head and glance at Talon, who’s doing the same thing. His dark hair is a little messed up from playing Just Dance, but also from Reagan giving him noogies every chance she got. The shadows under his gorgeous eyes tell me he’s exhausted. I give him a sympathetic smile because Reagan will be up for a few more hours before she’s ready to go home.
Heaven help me, he’s so sexy. That small lift of his lips, grinning back at me. I let out a sigh because I’m oh so smooth.
“You look tired,” Wesley says to him. Talon’s amazing blue eyes pull away from mine as he looks at Wesley.
“I am.”
“Go home.” Wesley stands, grabbing an empty bag of chips and empty bottles to throw in the trash.
“You know I’ll get my ass chewed off if I leave before she’s ready.”
Wesley shrugs. “She can stay if she wants. I won’t be going to bed for a while.” His eyes flick to mine for a second before he walks the rest of the way to the kitchen.
Oh! I get it. Way to catch on there, Kayla.
I turn to Talon, who’s eyeing his jacket. My stomach goes haywire like I swallowed a whole bunch of jumping beans. Can I do this? I’m not usually alone with Talon, but when we are, it’s pretty much magical. On August 13 Reagan had this major job interview and was super nervous. So Talon and I went shopping for her favorite things. We ended up getting her forty-three different shades of nail polish. We wanted to get fifty-two—one for each week of the year—but the store only had forty-three. And I made him go and buy them, saying he was in the doghouse and his girl hated flowers. His face got all red, and it was the most adorable thing in the world to watch the future quarterback of our college team blush. It was the best day so far this year—like I said, simply magical for me, even though it sounds so stupid.
But how do I make our alone time magical for him too? Especially since he looks like he’s going to fall asleep in midsentence.
I push back the nerves as much as I can. Wesley’s giving me a good opportunity here—him too. So I better take advantage. “Um, I’m pretty wiped out myself. Think you could give me a ride?”
Talon yawns as he nods, and that seems to be his cue to put on his jacket. “You sure you’re okay with her staying?” he asks Wesley when he walks back in the room.
“Hey, wait! Where are you going?” Reagan jumps off the stairs, a deck of cards in her hand. She’s giving us the classic puppy-dog face, so I send out mind waves to Talon not to fall for it.
You’re tired. You want to go home now.
“Heading out. I’ve gotta crash.”
If it’s possible, her lip juts out even more.
“Don’t give me that look.” Talon smiles and tugs her in for a hug and a kiss—on the forehead. “Wesley says you can stay if you want.”
“Fine. Leave me.”
“Stop it. You know I’ve been at late practices and studying for finals. And I’ve got an early class tomorrow.”
“I do too.”
“It’s not illegal to be tired, babe.”
“Don’t ‘babe’ me. Just leave. Kayla, Wesley, and I will have fun without you.”
I open my mouth to agree because fighting couples, even if I want them to fight, make me uncomfortable. And when they really fight, that’s when the anxiety attacks start. I have no idea why this happens to me, since my parents hardly ever fight, but the few times they did, my breathing would go all crazy and my heart wanted to shoot out of my chest. So yeah, confrontation is not my thing. It’s probably why I’ve never brought up how I feel about Talon.
But before I can say anything, Talon speaks, his voice coming out a little forceful, making me wish I wasn’t in the same room.
“Kayla’s going too. Sorry, but not all of us have half the energy you do at two in the morning.”
Reagan gives me a look, and despite having sent Talon the don’t-give-in brainwaves, I’m on the verge of giving in myself. But I won’t. Alone time with him is precious. And crucial. That, and Wesley would lose his chance at being the consoling friend tonight when Talon and I walk out the door. Wesley and I have to work together.
So instead of giving in to Reagan’s pout, I shrug and grab my coat. Reagan huffs, flicking her eyes between me and her boyfriend. “Fine. Wesley and I will have fun without you.”
“Don’t be mad. It’s not a big deal, okay?” Talon tries to kiss her forehead again, but she doesn’t let him. I totally agree with him. It’s not a big deal. But Reagan likes to make everything a big deal.
Drama, drama, drama.
“How about a round of blackjack, Ray?” Wesley says, hopping over the back of the couch and patting the spot next to him. “Loser has to get coffee for everyone in the morning.”
Bravo, my friend. Reagan’s body loses the tension, and she parks herself across from Wesley. “Deal. Even though party poopers don’t deserve coffee.” She laughs, and Talon rolls his eyes at me and stifles a grin.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, guys.”
Wesley gives me a wink as I leave, and I almost skip on my way to the car. Talon, sweetie, you are all mine for the next fifteen minutes.
Step 6:
Be Interesting!
(If the driver is about to fall asleep at the wheel because you’re super boring, you’re doing it wrong.)
Talon’s car always smells like watermelon. It’s the air freshener I stuck in here when he finally started giving me rides as a regular thing. Well, not the exact one, but he buys this scent now because it makes his car smell amazing. I was oh so subtle when I gave it to him, clipping it on his air vent while plugging my nose. As hot as the guy is, he’s also very sweaty after those football practices. I think he’s secretly thanked me every time anyone gets in his car now. Or at least everyone else has.
“All right, Kayla. Talk to me. Jabber on and on about something. It’s your job to keep me awake.”
I hold back the stupid sigh I want to let out because he said my name, and search my head for an interesting topic. And I find nothing up there. Well, nothing I want to say out loud. I can’t exactly start off with, Oh, Talon, you have the most beautiful face in the entire world! That would be totally weird, even if it is true.
“Uh, Kayla? You didn’t fall asleep, did you?” He laughs and I’m so glad I’m sitting down because my legs turn to rubber bands, and I’m certain I won’t be able to stand or walk or do anything with them.
I force a giggle, which sounds awful and nasal. Why does he have to make me so nervous when we’re alone? “No, I’m still here.”
“Then shoot. How’s the throwing arm?”
Thank you, sexy man, for providing a topic, even though I still know practically squat about football despite all the games I’ve been to. Wesley and Reagan would sit next to me trying to explain what a down, set, hulk—or however you say that—is. And like every other normal person who’s crushing on the quarterback, I pay absolutely no attention to anything but the way his ass looks in that uniform.
“It’s okay. I still suck major at getting it to do that spiral thingy.”
He takes his right hand off the steering wheel and sets it on my knee for two small pats. My rubber-band leg dissolves under his fingers, and I may black out. The car seems to be spinning. “You’ll get it. Just takes practice.” He smiles with his kissable lips, then pulls his hand back.
I sigh.
Then I cough, because for hell’s sake, he’s only smiling at me.
We’re quiet, and I’m still sitting here trying to come up with something to say. And the longer the silence stretches out the more self-conscious I get. Seriously, I must have some sort of disease. I’m not normally so tongue-tied. Well, I always considered myself pretty comfy around him. We’re soul mates, after all. But there’s all this pressure now to make him see me differently while at the same time being completely smooth about it. Reagan would chop me to pieces if Talon said anything to her about me coming on to him. Not that I really know how to do that anyway.
“Kayla!” Talon says, throwing his head back against the headrest and making me jump so bad I smack my head on the window. “I’m going to crash if you don’t talk. It’s way too quiet and I’m dozing off.”
My tongue takes over before I can think. “You and Reagan have been together for a while now, huh?” Oh, freaking smack in the forehead. I didn’t want to talk about that for my alone time with him, but I guess it was sitting there in my store of embarrassing topics of conversation, and it flew out because I can’t stop thinking about it.
He shrugs. “I guess.”
Whoa, whoa … that wasn’t the tone or answer I expected. Hmm … I widen my eyes at him, and he shakes his head.
“I mean, yeah. It’s almost been a year. That’s a while for our age, I guess.”
“Longer than any relationship I’ve ever had.” I force a laugh, trying to lighten the sudden stretched tension in the air.
“And how long was that?” He nudges me with his elbow, and there go my dissolving body parts again.
“Uh …” I cough and blink a few times before staring out the window so I can concentrate. “Like, two days.”
He barks out a laugh, but it’s not nearly as loud as when Wesley cracks up. And I can’t believe I’m even comparing the two right now because it’s not doing me any good. “Please tell me you’re not talking about Ed Westfield.”
That’s exactly who I was talking about. And even in the darkness, Talon must see the redness blossom all over my face and neck because he chuckles and nudges me again.
“That tool did not deserve you.”
Instead of sighing, I can’t find any air to put into my lungs. It’s a total line, but it’s coming from freaking Talon Gregory! He’s feeding a line to me. Soul mates—I knew it!
“Really?” I say, trying to keep the flirtation out of my voice, but I’m pretty sure I’m totally unsuccessful. “I mean, I gave him the best two days of his life!”
We chuckle, and he shakes his head again. “If I’d been around, I would’ve pounded his face in for you.”
“Oh, it wasn’t like he broke my heart or anything,” I say, waving him off, because really, I only dated Ed because Reagan had just had her first kiss and was making such a big deal out of it, I wanted to have mine too. And since Talon was still that guy I thought would nev
er ever happen, Ed seemed like an okay candidate at the time. He was nice to me, and kind of flirted. So when he leaned in that one time to kiss me, I thought, What the heck? and let him. For two days he held my hand and pecked my lips, then he dropped me the second his ex-girlfriend came flying back to him saying she was super sorry or some crazy crap like that. So my first breakup was a total cliché. Add me to the list of those who’ve been used to make the ex jealous.
Since Reagan and I started hanging out with the guys, we’ve had our fair share of truth-or-dare nights, and my pathetic relationship with Ed was a topic once. I’d never seen Talon—or Wesley, for that matter—get so pissed. It felt kind of nice to have them go all protective over me instead of drooling over my oh-so-perfect best friend.
“Still …,” Talon says, pulling onto the freeway. I mentally take note that I have only about five or seven minutes left with him. “What a dick.”
My teeth press into my bottom lip, biting back the goofiest of all grins. Once the jumping beans settle, I pull my foot on the seat and tuck my knee under my chin, hoping this will hide the dorky reactions I get from him just being him. “What about you?”
“I’m not a dick.”
“No.” I laugh. “Is Reagan the longest relationship you’ve been in?”
He gives me this look like, Whoa, where did that come from? but I’m clearly on topic. So I wait for him to answer.
“Reagan hasn’t told you all this already?”
“No.”
He raises his eyebrows, and I almost reach out to shove him, but I’m not sure I can do that without fumbling it. “I find that hard to believe,” he says, turning his gaze back on the road.
“Why?”
“Because Reagan talks about everything to everybody.”
Oh, an edge to his voice there. Maybe Wesley is right about there being some holes in this relationship.
I should correct him, say, Yeah, she hasn’t told me about your past girls or sexual history or anything like that. But instead I say, “I’d rather hear it all from you. You know how she can exaggerate.” Then something heavy and sticky slides down my throat into the pit of my stomach, making me feel like absolute shit. And I should not be feeling like this when I’m with Talon. So I quickly excuse the guilt away by repeating what’s become my mantra: We’ll all be happier in the end.
