by Piper Shelly
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and parked myself on the armrest of the couch, placing my feet on the seat. “I think I’d love my boyfriend to have a nipple piercing.”
A smirk slipped onto Ryan’s face then. “Baby—”
“No, Hunter!” Liza cut him off. Then she came in and massaged his shoulders from behind him. “I like your nipples the way they are. Clean and without bars in them.”
Ryan snagged her wrist and pulled her over his shoulder, down onto his lap, making her giggle. He wrapped his arms around her, whispering something into her ear that made her blush and smile. She bit his earlobe next, and Ryan gave a playful growl. They were surely the sweetest couple I knew.
Everyone found a seat on the couch, except Alex and Simone, who made themselves comfortable on the angora carpet in front of the coffee table.
“What’s your plan for the rest of the evening, book lover?” Ryan asked Susan then, squinting around Liza’s head.
“I know,” Tony suggested, “we could play strip poker…and remove your sexy socks, Summers.” He hooked his index finger in my left sock and pulled gently as he smirked at me.
I slapped his hand away, but the sensation of his finger skimming over the sensitive skin of my ankle stayed even after he’d removed his hand.
“It’s supposed to be a film night,” Susan informed the guys. “Any wishes for what to watch next?”
Allie’s suggestion was Twilight.
The boys immediately turned their thumbs down and made sick faces.
“Okay, then maybe Titanic?” Susan said.
“Oh come on, you don’t expect us to watch sob stuff,” Alex complained, and the other guys backed him up.
“Excuse me, but it’s not your night,” Simone declared, looking at her boyfriend with a teasing look. “You’re lucky we let you hang out with us and don’t kick you out.”
Alex rolled his eyes, holding on tighter to his girl. “So can’t we just find a compromise? Kissing and action?”
We all deliberated. It wasn’t actually that bad an idea.
“Which film?” Liza asked.
“Avatar?” Tony and I said simultaneously. I looked down at him and he smiled back.
Eventually, everyone was happy with that film, and we agreed to stay downstairs, because there was more room for all of us. Liza jogged upstairs to get the DVD. I slid down from the armrest and made myself comfortable next to Tony in the only free space left on the couch.
“God-awful taste in socks, but good taste in films, Summers,” he told me in a low voice.
The fact that he wouldn’t leave my socks alone made my cheeks grow warm. “I can’t help it,” I replied honestly then. “I’m still cold in this unfamiliar climate.”
“I can see that. You’re sporting goose-bumps.” With the back of his knuckles, he rubbed my upper arm up and down once…and totally startled me out of my mind with it. Tony must have noticed my surprise and it obviously made him uncomfortable, because he pulled his hand away and cleared his throat, looking down at his fingers quickly and changing subject. “So, how’s the catching up for AVE going?”
“Not too bad. I’ve done four and started with the last today.”
His gaze caught mine again, impressed. “You’re fast. Which one’s left?”
“Speed. I want to draw a racing horse.” As I remembered the troubles I had with it in the afternoon, my forehead creased.
He caught my frown and demanded, “So?”
“So…it’s hard for me to draw without live models. I guess I’ll need a few more days to finish this one.”
Tony seemed to deliberate my answer for a moment, but he said nothing more when Liza put the DVD into the player, turned off the light, and the film started.
I scooted lower in the couch, stacking my feet like everyone else on the coffee table, and watched two blue guys getting personal while a cloud of the enticing scent of Tony’s shower gel enveloped me. I took a few deep breaths, utterly relaxed, and soon realized that I should have taken that darn nap in the afternoon.
My eyes started to close for longer than just blinks. I had to fight to keep them open. Damn, the room was full of classmates. I couldn’t just fall asleep next to them and be the weakest link. How embarrassing would that be? Especially with Tony sitting right next to me. What if I talked in my sleep?
What if I snored?
I had to stay awake and battle through the film.
But the lack of sleep last night haunted me, and eventually I lost the fight.
*
There was a gentle tug at my hair. “Sam. It’s time to wake up.”
Tony’s soft murmur dragged me sluggishly out of a dream about me turning blue and the president of the United States trying to catch me for a new freak zoo. I snapped my head up and bumped against something…hard. Pain spread through my skull.
Leaning back and opening my eyes for the first time, I rubbed the sore spot, trying to focus. I half-lay, half-knelt on the couch, my top had ridden up at my back, and the corner of my mouth was wet.
Everyone was getting up and girls were saying goodbye to their boyfriends. Only Tony had remained on the couch next to me, feet still on the coffee table. He whined and clamped a hand over his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut.
I had no idea what was going on.
Eventually, Tony looked at me, stuck a finger into his mouth, and pulled it out. There was blood on the tip. “Thanks for the head bump. You just made me bite my tongue. And after I let you sleep away half of the film on my shoulder and drool on my shirt.”
My gaze dropped to a wet spot on the green fabric. Still dazed from sleep, I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. Heat of shame crept to my cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” I croaked.
Tony grunted, scowling at me. I couldn’t blame him for it. He rose from the couch and hurried after the others. “Guys, wait, I’m coming with you.”
I waved at all the others when they said goodnight to me, then they slipped out the door. Only Tony didn’t turn around. I heard him say goodbye to Liza, and then he was gone, too.
It quickly grew quiet in the house. I was ready to walk upstairs and curl up in my sleeping bag. But suddenly I found myself the focal point of intrigued stares.
“What?” I asked the girls as they cornered me, slumping down on the couch around me.
“We haven’t really had a chance to talk since last night,” Simone jeered.
“Have too,” I countered. “We talked when Susan and I got here.”
Allie Silverman flashed a wide grin. “We talked about your leg. But not about the obvious stuff.”
“And that would be what?”
“You and Tony.” Susan copied Allie’s smile. “Things seem to have changed a lot between him and you since the camping.”
A queasy feeling ate at me. “Umm…maybe they have changed a little. No big deal, though.”
“No big deal?” Liza lifted her brows. “I only know of one other girl he ever let sleep on his chest.”
Chest? I thought it was his shoulder. “He probably had no other choice when I tipped over.”
“Believe me, if he wanted to, he would have had another choice.”
Maybe Liza was right. I was glad, though, that he hadn’t shoved me away like a nasty old dog. That would have been even more embarrassing.
“Was it nice to sleep on his chest?” Susan demanded.
“I was asleep. How would I know?” Oh, for heaven’s sake, could they stop pestering me now? Why did I feel like I was in the crossfire?
“You know,” Allie said in a low voice to Simone, “I think she’s falling for him.”
“You know,” Simone replied, “I think you’re right.”
“Shove off, girls. I’m not falling for anybody. And it’s really not fair to squeeze information out of someone who just woke up.” I rose from the couch, waiting, with an exasperated expression, for them to follow me upstairs. It was half two in the morning. I yearned for sleep.
Fortunately, the girls too
k pity on me and we all went up to sleep in Liza’s bedroom. But two minutes after the light was turned off and everything was quiet, Liza whispered, “Know what, Sam? I really think he likes you, too.”
CHAPTER 12
I couldn’t fall asleep after Liza’s last words. Did she really think Tony liked me? If the rumors were to be believed, she was the one who knew him best, and if she said so, chances were she was right. But the other and far more important question was: Did I want him to like me?
I didn’t answer that question immediately, which made me a little nervous. What if the answer was yes? That meant I was falling for Tony. Seriously, with no going back. It would complicate everything.
I refused to think about this through the entire night. At some point, I just started to sing a silly song in my mind to silence my thoughts. Awkwardly enough, it was the dwarfs’ “Heigh-Ho” I came up with. Brilliant, Sam. But it finally did the job, and I drifted off.
*
The morning with the girls was one of leisure with a breakfast that dragged on until lunch. At least there was no more talking about Anthony Mitchell. This time we had a blast as we cornered Allie Silverman because of her cuddling up to Sasha during the film last night. Susan suggested we download a questionnaire from YourDatingServices.com to give to Sasha at school on Monday and see if he was a suitable match for Allie anyway.
When I got my things together and Susan drove me home, it was already early afternoon. Jack greeted me in the hallway as I walked through the door. He seemed in a hurry, trying to slip into his shoes, put on his jacket, and fetch money from his wallet all at the same time.
He handed me two hundred-dollar notes that looked like they had come fresh from the press. “Can you give this to your aunt when she gets home?” he asked me, shoving his wallet back into the inside pocket of his jacket. “I was called to an emergency meeting and won’t be home until later tonight. The money is for Jab Jenkins.”
“The gardener?”
“Yes. For extra hours. He’ll come pick it up today. Pamela should be home by then.”
He was almost out the door when I shouted after him, “Where’s Pam?”
“Out for lunch with Jessie Hunter.”
The door slammed shut behind him, and I was alone in a silent house. Well, almost. Cloey banged on my door only a little later and demanded I turn down my music while I was practicing some dancing because she couldn’t sleep out her hangover with noise like this.
I still couldn’t get used to her raven-black hair, but I respected her wish. It was her home, not mine. Finding a more quiet distraction with drawing, I tried to finish that speed picture. But it frustrated me more than yesterday and finally I decided to give it a rest and make myself a sandwich instead.
Pam was already home and in the living room when I went downstairs. And look at that, the princess had risen from her beauty sleep, too. Cloey was watching TV while Pamela tried to fit new curtains to the wide windows. I pulled the two hundred dollars out of my pocket and gave the notes to my aunt, passing on the message from Uncle Jack.
“Oh.” My aunt pulled a face. “Jabbadiah called five minutes ago. His wife is ill and he won’t make it today.” She walked into the hall to find her purse and put the money away. “I’ll give it to him later this week.”
I shrugged, not really caring, and went to the fridge, loading food into my arms and carrying it to the counter. After I had eaten my turkey sandwich in the kitchen, I headed back to my room, but halted in front of the stairs that led down to my uncle’s gym. I had never done a workout down there, but in the past Cloey and I had often played in the spacious room, pretending the fitness equipment was a pirate ship or a princess carriage. The walls were soundproof. And that gave me an idea.
“Pam?” I shouted back over my shoulder. When she stuck her head out, I asked, “Do you think Jack would mind if I practiced dancing in the gym?”
“Of course not, dear. Just go ahead.” She smiled and disappeared into the living room once more.
I ran upstairs, changed into black cotton shorts, a violet top with spaghetti straps and tennis shoes, grabbed my iPod, and rushed back down into the gym. On the way, I nicked a water bottle from the kitchen.
The gym was located just half a story beneath the ground floor, and since the land was on a slight gradient, they’d built in a window-wall overlooking the garden. Warm light flooded the room. I connected my music to the sound system lined up at one wall and moved some of the lighter equipment out of the way. With my hands placed on my hips, I glanced around the room.
Perfect. My very own dancing studio. A delighted smile sneaked to my lips.
I did some easy ballet warm-up, then skipped forward to a playlist of mostly Latin American songs with a strong, jumpy beat we had used in my former Zumba class. Ely-T was my favorite singer from that list, and I chose a mix of aerobic and salsa dance elements. Sweat was beading everywhere on my body after only ten minutes. I loved it. This was one amazing way to lose myself. Music, if it was the right rhythm, moved me without my thinking about it. For a little while, it was only me and the beat.
I danced facing the window-wall and enjoyed the afternoon sun wrapping me up in light and warmth, my pulse jumping from the workout. Crossing my legs, I spun on the spot.
And jumped back with a shriek, my hands clasped to my chest. “What the hell—”
Tony was leaning on the doorjamb, arms folded leisurely over his chest, his eyes dark with interest. For a crazy, long moment, I didn’t move and music was all I heard.
How long had he been watching me? An uncomfortable warmth of embarrassment surged through my body. But given that my face was thoroughly wet and red from training, Tony probably didn’t even catch my blush.
Eventually able to break eye contact, I walked over to the sound system and cut off the music. With a towel from the stack on the shelf, I wiped my face and cleavage, reining in my ragged breathing. “Who let you in?” I finally managed.
Tony didn’t move away from the doorjamb, and neither did his composure change. Only his gaze followed me. “Cloey’s mom.”
“And that was how long ago?”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. “You should turn around more often when you dance.”
Yeah, right. He wouldn’t tell me how long I’d been the object of his spying. Jerk.
I drank from my mineral water, wandering to the other side of the room where I sat on one of Jack’s weight benches, never taking my gaze off Tony. I growled, “So…?”
He adjusted the collar of his short-sleeved white shirt, then shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “So what?”
“So, is there a deeper meaning to your visit?”
At my harsh tone, his smirk disappeared and a frown pulled his eyebrows together. “Yeah well, I actually didn’t come to watch telly with you.”
“Oh, really?” I drawled in a sarcastic tone. What a shame. I might have enjoyed nestling against his shoulder again. If I wasn’t still in shock over seeing him in the studio, of course. “Then what was your plan?”
With a casual walk, Tony crossed the room and hooked one arm through the metal bars of Jack’s gym machine opposite me. “Can you shower and then come with me for a while?”
“Why? Do I have another appointment with the vet?”
That made him smile. “No. I want to show you something.”
“Something?” I lifted one brow.
“Something cool. You’ll like it.”
“How would you know what I’d like or not?”
“Ah, I think I have an idea. Would you trust me now and get ready to go out, please?”
“Cryptic and pushy.” I took another swig from my drink. “Tell you what, I’ll come if you tell me where we’re going.”
“Nah, I’m not saying. It’s a surprise.”
I didn’t like how he grinned and stressed the last word. But he’d got me curious as hell, and frankly, the longer I stared at his bulging biceps as he slung his arm around the metal,
the more I wanted to go. But it felt awkward to go with Tony, just as it felt awkward to know he’d been watching me dancing. “I don’t like surprises,” I told him flatly.
Tony sauntered over to me. “Every girl loves surprises.”
“I’m not every girl.”
“True, you’re not.” He said it so softly as he squatted down before me that the small hairs on my arms prickled. “We had a shitty start,” he continued. “I hurt you. Now I’m trying to make that up to you. Would you let me?”
“Um, I don’t know.” There was this cynical undertone in my voice, but the truth was, I really didn’t know. Being with him yesterday morning had been like being with any of my other new friends. But looking at Tony now caused my heart to squeeze in a few extra beats. Things had changed so much over the past couple days that I didn’t know what I wanted any longer.
As if he could read my mind, he cocked his head and quirked his brows. “What are you scared of?”
“Nothing,” I answered. Way too fast.
“Then come with me. And if it helps,” he said wryly and straightened, holding one palm up and pressing the other to his chest, “I solemnly swear that I don’t have any shit in mind.”
I strangled a laugh by biting the inside of my bottom lip and heaved an overly exasperated sigh instead. “All right.” Rising from the bench, I pointed a finger at his face. “But this better be worth it.”
Without warning, Tony grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the door. “You can tell me later if it was. Now come. We’re running late.”
“Late for what?”
“You’ll see.” Then he added, “Bring your drawing stuff.”
What? Why? Gah! This boy must be the bastard son of Frustration. I pulled my hand free to close the door as we left the gym, then ascended the few steps to the ground level of the house.
As we reached the landing, Cloey was just coming out of the living room. She stopped dead, her face suddenly ashen. I didn’t know if it was appropriate to say something or just ignore her and walk upstairs into my room.
It was Tony who cut the silence, even if only with a murmur in my direction. “I’ll wait outside.”
