Lovely

by Jez Strider

  Chapter 9

  Gavyn and I had lunch at a café after class the next day. I tried not to go overboard, but I had dolled up a little more than I usually would to go to school. I was sure he hadn’t noticed until we sat down at one of the patio tables outside the restaurant.

  “You’re absolutely gorgeous,” He said, reaching across the table to rest his hand on top of mine and hold it lightly.

  I smiled. “Thank you. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever grown comfortable with someone so quickly before.”

  He released my hand and nodded. “Let me know if I come on too strong. Honestly, I’m not like that. Don’t want to be that guy.”

  “I know and I will.” I placed a paper napkin in my lap when the waitress brought out my club sandwich. I started the meal by crunching into the pickle that came with it.

  “Want my pickle?” Gavyn asked.

  God, yes. I tried not to laugh at my thoughts since my mind was in the gutter and sucked some of the sour juice down the wrong pipe. I started coughing. After regaining control, I nodded. “If you don’t want it.”

  He glanced around. “Well, at least we don’t have anyone dining beside us for you to throw it at.”

  “Hey now, that was a freak accident.”

  “I wish someone had caught that on camera. Maybe a security camera did.” He bit into his sandwich, chewing while he stared at me.

  “You better not ask the owners. The last thing I want is for that spectacle to end up on YouTube.” I pointed the pickle at him threateningly.

  Gavyn gave his lips a brief lick. “I won’t. I promise. I’m not sure I want to share you with the world.” He smirked when I started blushing.

  “Good. So… when are we going on our second date?”

  “This doesn’t count?” He asked.

  I thought for a moment as I picked up a French fry. “I guess it does.”

  “We can go out Thursday like we did this week, but I took an extra shift for a guy at work whose wife has been having some health issues so I won’t be able to stay out too late.”

  “That works for me. Nice of you to do that for him.”

  He shrugged. “He’d do the same for me. The extra hours on my paycheck don’t hurt either.”

  Before I could respond, a scowling woman walked by practically dragging her crying child down the sidewalk. The mother’s screams were as grating as the kid’s persistent wailing. My annoyance must have shown on my face.

  “Don’t like kids?” Gavyn asked, obviously not as irritated by the sound as I was.

  “I like them… in small amounts and only if they’re well-behaved. I almost think stupid people should be sterilized so they can’t procreate.” I gave him a little grin and he smiled.

  “Really?”

  “No, not really. Maybe just give them a nice kick in the ass or something.”

  He shook his head, gesturing to my plate that only had fries remaining. “Are you going to finish your chips?”

  I slid the plate across the table. “All you.”

  “It’s going to be a long week until our next date.”

  “I dread the wait.” I dotted at the corners of my mouth with the napkin from my lap. Then I pulled out my wallet and placed a twenty on the table. “My turn to pay.”

  “I didn’t agree to that.”

  “Please. It’s important to me. I don’t want you to do everything,” I said, standing up and pushing my chair away from me with the back of my legs.

  He frowned and sighed, but agreed. “If it’s important to you.”

  Grinning, I moved around the table to where he was sitting. “One of my art teachers told me I could use the room today between classes for a project. Hear from you soon?”

  “Of course.” He started to stand, but I kissed his cheek gently and headed toward campus before he could.

  After I crossed the street, I glanced back to see him still watching me. He lifted his hand and waved. In return, I blew a kiss.

  Chapter 10

  That evening, I was relaxing on the sofa reading a book, when there was a knock at my door. I jumped up, hoping it was Gavyn surprising me with a visit. When I peered through the peephole and saw Brody, my heart sank.

  “Go away unless you’re here to take the ring back,” I yelled.

  “Open the door so we can talk like adults. You were raised better than this.”

  His scolding tone lit a fury within me and I jerked open the door. In his arms, he held a vase with the biggest bouquet of red roses I had ever seen. At a glance, I could tell there were more than two dozen flowers. It was so beautiful that I started to reach out for the gift before catching myself and forcing my arms down to my side.

  “Roses aren’t going to fix this. Nothing will. It’s over between us forever.”

  “I understand why you’re angry with me, but it wasn’t completely my fault. Franklin made his decisions, too.”

  “I’ll warn you one time. Do not speak to me about my brother. Someday I might find it in my heart to forgive you, but that is not today, and I will never forget what you did.” I crossed my arms and scowled. It was the only way I knew to hold back tears. The side effect was looking like a spoiled brat who didn’t get her way.

  “You’re right. I’ll wait. I just want you to know how sorry I am and that I will always love you.” He brushed by me and placed the flowers on the counter before heading back to the door. “I have some things to take care of back home at the firm, but I’ll be back to see you soon. I know I said I wouldn’t leave without you, but this is unavoidable. Please… please give us another chance.”

  “Brody….”

  He cut me off before I could answer. “Think of all the good times we had before I screwed up. Please.”

  “Fine. Just go.”

  “Thank you.” He said, leaving as I asked. I should have forced him to take the engagement ring with him.

  Despite my reluctance to admit it and the need to bury them, I still had feelings for my former fiancé. He was right. We’d had wonderful years together that were supposed to lead to big dreams instead of nightmares. I picked up my book to read again, but all I could think of was everything I had lost in recent months.

  Eight years earlier—

  “Do you remember that time I kissed you when we were kids?” Brody asked, slipping his arm around my shoulders as we sat on the balcony of his parent’s mansion. We’d escaped the party that was full of stuffy rich folks, just like our families.

  “The same day you told me if I kissed a frog it would turn into a prince?” I laughed softly, scooting closer to him.

  We had been friends for as long as I could remember, but that was the night everything changed. Our parents had tried to push us together for years and we had rebelled, promising that we’d never be a couple.

  “I want to do it again. For real this time.”

  I saw his blonde hair blowing lightly in the wind when I turned to look at him. His father was furious about Brody’s irresponsible antics, but his mother assured everyone it was a phase. I didn’t believe it. I knew Brody was his own person with his own plans for the future. In his eyes, I saw a sparkle of excitement. He always had it when he was about to do something risky or stupid.

  “It’s what they want, you know?” I whispered.

  “We won’t tell them we’re together. Not for a while. Maybe they’re right about me following in father’s footsteps. We all have to grow up sometimes.”

  Shocked as I was, I found myself nodding. “Okay.”

  Brody touched his lips to mine for only a fraction of a second before pulling back. We stared into each other’s eyes and then he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. The next ten minutes were spent kissing underneath the stars. My face was flushed and I was sure I’d faint when we parted to catch our breath and refrain from tearing our clothing off.

  “That was….”

  “Awesome.” I finished his sentence and he went in for another kiss.

  Beneath the night s
ky, I had my first real kiss with my first boyfriend. We were two teenagers in love and we’d be together for a long time after that.

  My hand was on my chest, clenching my shirt over my heart. Tears wet my cheeks. It was so easy to bury the memories when I didn’t have to see Brody or hear his voice. I glanced over at the flowers. The entire room had already filled with their heady scent.

  “Is it possible to forgive you? Does one terrible deed undo all the wonderful memories?” I asked aloud as I tugged a blanket up to my chin. The cover enveloped me like the dark sadness weighing me down.

  Chapter 11

  After a few days, I felt better and decided to forget about Brody once and for all. I even bought an envelope to mail the ring back to him. If it got lost, at least he wouldn’t be able to give it to me again. I hadn’t actually sent it yet, though.

  Unfortunately, Gavyn had been right about the week dragging on. It was one longest of my entire lifetime. When date night finally arrived, he picked me up and we went to the movie theater to see the latest superhero action flick. He walked me to the door when we returned and we both hesitated.

  “It’s probably getting pointless for me to say, but as always, I had a wonderful time,” I said, leaning against the closed door to my apartment with a half full bag of popcorn in my hand. I hadn’t wanted to pig out and eat the entire thing during the movie, but I sure as heck was keeping the popcorn for a midnight snack.

  He moved closer, looking into my eyes. His fingers moved up to caress my lips with the tips before sliding his hand behind my neck and into my hair. My breath quickened and I kept my eyes locked with his. He leaned down and kissed me with a needy passion. The kisses he’d given me before were amazing, but never had he done so with such aggression and lust.

  My arms went around his neck and I returned the affection with equal, if not greater, intensity. His other hand slid down my side and he cupped my right butt cheek through my jeans. When I let out a soft groan of approval, he picked me up and pressed against me, pinning me between him and the door. The bag fell from my hand and popcorn scattered across the gray carpet. At any moment, someone could return to their apartment and catch us making out in the hallway.

  His hand tugged my hair gently, urging me to lean my head to the side. Then his hot breath was against my neck as he leaned down and inhaled my scent. If this was the way vampires shared the dark embrace, I was in. But Gavyn was all human and all man. I had known that even before I felt his bulge pressing into me through my clothing.

  “I need to go,” he moaned with his lips still on my skin. He returned to suckling and nibbling on my neck.

  “I need you to stay,” I whispered and he returned his mouth to mine, kissing me deeply for a long moment. His tongue forced its way between my lips with no resistance from me.

  He pulled back a little and, as he lowered me, I let my legs fall from around his waist to support my weight. They weren’t doing a great job. I was weak in the knees.

  “I wish I could. You have no idea how bad I wish I could.” He cleared his throat. “We should probably slow down… I don’t want to mess things up.” The obvious hard-on in his pants begged to differ.

  “You’re right.” I agreed, surprised at my own words even though I knew they were true. “I like what we have going and I don’t think it would be good if I caused you to lose your job.”

  He glanced down at the floor, still not moving from his position close to me. “You spilled your popcorn.” He smirked.

  I ran my hands up his chest and grabbed a handful of t-shirt in each hand. “Oops.” I pulled him into another long kiss before releasing him and turning around to unlock my door.

  “You’re one of those girls that’s secretly bad, aren’t you?” He asked as I pushed open the door.

  Turning back to him, I smiled. “Don’t they always say to watch out for the good girls? They’re a myth.” I touched his chest again and then gave him a little playful shove. “Go to work.”

  “You really push my buttons, Farrah. All the right ones.” His feet crunched the popcorn as he headed toward the elevator with his hands in his pocket. This time it was my turn to watch him walk away and the amazing view made me shiver with anticipation.

  Chapter 12

  Conflicting schedules prevented us from getting together for a date the following week. The next time Gavyn and I saw each other was at school. He jogged up to me in the hallway and immediately pulled me into a hug and kissed me in greeting.

  “Finally. We’re going to have to work something out so we see each other more often,” He said.

  I laughed. “I missed you, too.” We headed into class holding hands and sat side by side.

  As the professor droned on, I barely heard what he was saying. Gavyn was turned away from me at an angle, scribbling something onto a piece of paper. I tried to inconspicuously catch a glimpse of what he was writing, but I couldn’t see. When he finished, he folded the piece of paper and handed it to me underneath the table.

  I quirked a brow as I slid my chair back a little so I could unfold it out of view of everyone.

  It read:

  “Want to go steady?”

  There were two boxes. I almost laughed out loud, but covered my mouth. Beside both of the boxes the word “yes” was written. “No” was not an option. He was grinning at me as I turned my back to him and hid the paper from his view. I made it look like I was writing a response instead of checking a box. I glanced back at him and his expression changed to a worried frown. In reality, I’d only been pretending to write and checked both boxes.

  After I folded up the paper, he extended his hand for me to give it to him. I shook my head and mouthed the words “after school.” Then, I turned my attention to the instructor at the head of the class.

  Inside, I was bouncing off the walls with emotion. His tactic had been adorable and he knew it, but I was doing a pretty darn good job hiding that I thought so.

  When class was dismissed he reached for the book that I had slipped the paper into, but I grabbed the textbook and held it to my chest.

  “Are you sure you want the answer?” I asked seriously in a convincing tone.

  “I’m not sure now, but I need to know.”

  “Fine.” I flipped open the book. The paper was on page ninety-five. It fell to the floor and landed at Gavyn’s feet.

  He bent over in a hurry, took a deep breath, and then unfolded it. His grin returned when he looked down at it. “You’re such a brat.” He slipped his arm around my waist, kissed my cheek, and led me out of the classroom.

  Chapter 13

  “Want to spend the weekend with me?” Gavyn asked in between kisses to my cleavage. He’d tugged my low cut blouse down toward my belly button.

  “I thought you were busy on Friday nights,” I said, disappointed when he stopped and helped me to sit up on my futon.

  He wouldn’t meet my gaze and a feeling of dread knotted my stomach. When he finally looked into my eyes, the anxiety stupidly eased. I should have trusted my first instinct.

  Gavyn shrugged. “Kind of, but I figure you can be a part of it. You’re part of my life now.”

  “Alright. I’ll pack an overnight bag.” I stood, pulled my shirt back up over my breasts, and retrieved my small suitcase from the closet.

  He wandered around the room, looking at my newest paintings as he waited for me to pack. “Is this one me?”

  I grinned as I placed the folded clothing in my bag. “That is you… as a spy.”

  “Getting a real kink for that, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe you’ll find out this weekend.” I shut my overnight bag. He walked over to carry it for me.

  He still seemed a bit uneasy. There was something I couldn’t pin down, but I didn’t press.

  We arrived at his apartment a short time later and he pushed open the door to let me in. The first thing I noticed was the painting I’d given him as payment for taking me to the dentist hanging on the wall in the living room.

&nbs
p; In contrast to my place, his walls were pure white. The décor was conservative, not like the bachelor pad I imagined a college guy would have at all. As he had at my apartment, I slipped off my shoes before stepping further inside. Gavyn set my bag down beside the door.

  “Can I look around?” I asked.

  “Sure. Make yourself at home.” He went into the kitchen and turned on the stove. A teapot was already sitting on top with water inside.

  He had a small dining area with a table and four chairs. Beside it was the living room. There was a black sofa, a widescreen television in front of it, and a computer desk in the corner. A bar separated the kitchen from the other two rooms. It wasn’t large, but clean and homely. A magnet held a drawing securely to the fridge, but I couldn’t see what it was from where I was standing.

  I headed down a nearby hallway. On my left was a room with a closed door. I didn’t open it. On my right was a bathroom, and at the end of the hall the master bedroom. I returned to the living room and sat down on the couch when Gavyn brought me a cup of tea.

  “Thanks,” I said, not much of a hot tea drinker, but accepting the cup. Tea was supposed to be iced and loaded with sugar. I sipped it cautiously and was pleasantly surprised at the fragrance and taste. “This place is nice.” I braved another sip then placed the cup on a coaster to let the beverage cool.

  Gavyn sat down beside me. “Farrah, you’re important to me. I know it has only been like a month, but I think we have something special. We’re compatible.”

  “I think so, too.”

  I picked up a framed photo off the table and smiled. Gavyn was in the picture with a boy of about five or six. I figured it was a nephew. They looked similar. I sat it back down, glancing at my boyfriend as he tapped his foot anxiously.

  “What’s going on? You’re acting strange.”

  He sighed. “I’m not sure how to begin. There’s a minor detail I left out about myself. I wanted to make sure we were serious and you weren’t psycho or anything.”

  “Psycho or anything?” I repeated. “Nice choice on how to begin.”