Living With Him

by J. L. Ostle

  “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He kisses my forehead and walks away.

  “Now look what we’ve done. He’s upset now.” I start to head after him when Kendra stops me.

  “Why is that? Because he heard you say that you don’t see him as anything more.”

  “Kendra, you are looking too much into this. We are friends, end of discussion.”

  She holds up her hands in surrender. “Okay, but I look forward to telling you I told you so.”

  We head back to the table where there is a redhead with pouty lips flirting with Jackson and the way he is looking at her, he is flirting back and I stop for a second as a feeling I’m not used to washes over me. I have seen him at the beginning of the night be surrounded with women but why is it bothering me now?

  “Oh, shit,” Kendra says and I look at her as she watches Jackson and the girl. “That’s Jackson’s fuck buddy Hilary.” The way the girl is leaning her body into his, I can see that they are familiar towards one another. Kendra takes my hand and when we get to the table Jackson gives me a quick look and looks back at Hilary.

  “So, are the rumors true? You settled down?” Her voice is so soft and alluring that I can’t help but listen to every word she says. Jackson finishes his drink and puts it on the table, before grabbing her hand.

  “Nope, you know you shouldn’t always listen to rumors.” He guides her to the dance floor and they start dancing seductively, grinding against one another as his face is in her neck.

  “You look a little pale.” Devon comes over and sits next to me.

  “I’m fine.” I look back at the dance floor and Devon looks as well.

  “Those two are always on and off.” Devon shakes his head. “I don’t know why as she is one angry girl, but he tells me the sex is out of this world and that’s why he goes back.”

  “Thanks for sharing that.” I scrunch up my face.

  “Anytime, gorgeous. Do you want to go and dance?”

  I shake my head and take a sip of my drink. “I think I just want to sit for a bit.”

  A waitress who has been serving the guys appears.

  “Have you ever tried tequila?” I shake my head and his smile gets bigger. “You are going to like this.” He pays for a few and lines them up. “Okay, lick your hand.”

  I shake my head. “Why do I need to lick my hand?”

  “So I can sprinkle some salt on. Stop being a baby and lick your hand.” I do and I watch him put some salt on my hand and he passes me a wedge of lime. “You need to lick the salt, down the tequila, and suck the lime right away. You need to do it fast. Lick, drink, suck.”

  “Lick, drink, suck. Got it.” I lift the shot. I watch him get his ready.

  “On three.” I nod. “One, two, three.” We both lick our hand, downing the tequila and I feel the burn go down my throat and I quickly suck on my lime but after I can’t help but cough.

  “That wasn’t so bad, right?”

  “That was disgusting.” It really was.

  “It’s not so bad. Want to try another?” I stick my tongue out, which makes him laugh. “You are so cute.”

  “Thanks.” I take a sip of my drink to help get rid of the aftertaste.

  “So, tell me, gorgeous, what made you live with my guitar player?” I look down at my lap. “You don’t have to tell me, I was just curious.”

  “I know. I just had problems back at home and needed to get away.”

  He nods in understanding. “I get that. I couldn’t wait to leave my family. I love them to bits but they wanted me to become a doctor or a lawyer and when I told them I wanted to play professionally, they started saying I was throwing my life away every chance they got, so I got out of there as soon as I could.”

  “I can’t picture you as a doctor or a lawyer,” I giggle.

  “Why is that?”

  “They are serious jobs and I can’t picture you seriously.”

  He nudges me with his shoulder. “Thanks.” We both laugh. “I feel a little hurt now, though.” He bows his head, trying to look sad.

  “Aww, I’m mean. Do you want a hug to feel better?” He nods and opens his arms out wide so I lean in and hug him as he squeezes me in tight. When I pull back, his eyes go to my lips and before I have a chance to pull away even further, I hear my name being called from behind me. I turn to see Jackson glaring at us both.

  “You okay, kitten?”

  “She is doing great. How is that fuck buddy of yours? She getting some tonight?” Devon waggles his eyebrows.

  “None of your business, Dev. Think I’m going to take Riley home.”

  “I don’t want to go home yet.” I don’t. I am having fun. I hate seeing Jackson dance with that girl but apart from that tonight has been great.

  “See? She doesn’t want to go yet.” Devon smiles and pulls me into his side. “She is happy with me.” Jackson looks pissed off so I quickly move away from Devon.

  “I think it’s best that I go,” I say sadly.

  “You don’t need to go because this idiot is making you.”

  I look from Devon to Jackson. “I know, it’s okay. Thank you for inviting me. I really did have fun.”

  “Anytime, girl.” He winks at me.

  Jackson takes my hand and guides me to the dance floor, telling Kendra and Jayce we are leaving and they decide to come with us. When we get outside, a cab just pulls up so we all climb in and Jackson and I are silent for the entire ride as Kendra goes on and on about how much fun tonight was and that we have to do it again.

  Once we get home, I head upstairs and grab a hot shower, taking a little longer than I normally would but a part of me is upset that we had to leave early. I wonder what made Jackson angry like that. I bet it was that Hilary girl.

  I put the towel around me and when I step outside, Jackson is leaning against the wall looking at the floor but when he sees me, he looks up.

  “I’m sorry we had to go so soon.”

  I nod, holding the towel harder. “I wasn’t ready to go yet.”

  He looks back at the floor. “Because you wanted to be with Devon?”

  My eyes go wide and I shake my head. “No. He was being nice but I was having fun in general.”

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers and I walk up to him and give him a hug and I tuck my head into his chest.

  “It’s okay. I gather that Hilary girl upset you and that’s why you were a bit angry.”

  He pulls back and looks at me. “That’s why you think I was angry?”

  I nod. “What else would it be?” I ask confusedly.

  “Nothing.”

  I head to my door when I hear groaning and moaning, and I walk backwards and turn, then I run to Jackson’s room, knocking as if I’m being chased by zombies.

  He opens it up quickly. “Are you okay?” I shake my head and he holds onto my shoulders. “What is it?”

  I point down the hall. “They are making love on my bed.” I cringe and Jackson looks down the hall and bursts out laughing. “It’s not funny. I will have to burn the sheets tomorrow.”

  He continues to laugh. “I’m sorry, but it’s a little funny.”

  “No, it’s not.” I shiver.

  “Do you want to sleep in my bed and I will take the couch?”

  I shake my head. “I can’t do that.”

  “Course you can.” He grabs a few things and starts to walk down the stairs when I call after him.

  “Can I borrow one of your shirts? I have nothing to wear.”

  His eyes roam my legs and the towel wrapped around me when he nods. “Help yourself.” He smiles and continues walking down the stairs and I go into his room, looking around. I feel weird that I am going to be sleeping here. I go to his chest of drawers and grab a T-shirt. Lying in his bed, I can’t help but smell; everything smells like him. Once my head hits the pillow I am out like a light.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I wake up to an alarm blaring next to me and my eyes hurt when I see the sunlight beam into the ro
om. I quickly turn off the alarm and sit up, and my head feels like someone is hitting it with a drumstick and my mouth is dry. If this is what you feel like after drinking, how do so many people keep doing it every weekend?

  I head downstairs and I see Jackson sleeping soundly on the couch, only half covered by a blanket. He isn’t wearing a shirt and I see his smooth, toned skin. I quickly look at the floor and back at him. I walk up to him and bend down, whispering his name but he doesn’t stir. I place my hand on his naked chest and I feel this electric current run through my arm.

  “Jackson,” I say his name a little louder.

  “Kitten,” he says softly but his eyes don’t open. I shake him a little but he doesn’t stir and I realize he is still sleeping but he said my name and I can’t help but smile knowing he is dreaming of me.

  “Jackson,” I say again but nothing. I look at my hand on his chest and I slowly glide it down to his stomach and then back up to his chest and when I look at his face his eyes are open, watching me and I try to stand but I fumble over myself and fall back, landing on my ass. “I am so sorry. I was trying to wake you.”

  His eyes stay on mine. “Did you sleep okay?”

  I nod, looking at the floor as I feel my face heat up. I quickly stand and head to the kitchen when I feel my hand being pulled and I turn to see Jackson standing there in nothing but his black boxers.

  “You look good in my clothes.” He kisses the top of my head and leaves, heading upstairs and I lean against the counter feeling embarrassed

  What he must think of me.

  Why on earth did I touch him like that?

  I am making myself and Jackson a cuppa when I hear groans coming down the stairs and see Kendra and Jayce walk in and sit on the couch.

  “I feel like I’m dying,” Kendra complains. I walk in standing in front of them with my hands on my hips.

  “It is going to get worse,” I say sternly. “Kendra, I love you, you are my best friend and, Jayce, we are good friends too and I am grateful you asked Jackson for me to stay here but what you two did last night was unforgivable.”

  “What did we do?” Kendra looks up at me.

  “You slept with your boyfriend in my bed. That’s my bed, Kendra, and you tarnished it. That’s not cool.”

  Kendra groans, holding her head in her hands. “Holy shit, Riley we are so sorry. We didn’t think.”

  “Yeah, you didn’t as I would never do that to you. So, I want that bed made with fresh sheets before tonight.” I go back to the kitchen, grabbing Jackson’s and my drinks and head back up the stairs when I hear Kendra and Jayce apologizing behind me. I knock on Jackson’s door and he asks for me to wait a moment and after a few minutes he opens up.

  “Everything okay?” I lift up his cup and he smiles. “You didn’t have to do that.” He opens the door wider so I can come in.

  “I know. But I wanted to thank you for letting me have your bed. It was really sweet of you.” I kiss his cheek and I sit on the middle of the bed. “I just gave the lovebirds a telling off for marking my bed. It’s going to be weird sleeping in that bed now, knowing what those two did.” I shiver at the thought.

  He laughs again. “I still find it funny. If you want, you can share this bed with me and let Jayce and Kendra have that bed.”

  I look at him in shock. “You want me to sleep in this bed with you?”

  He nods. “We are friends, right?”

  I nod.

  “You know I’m not going to take advantage of you. At least then Jayce will stop complaining about the couch, and once they both leave, I will burn that mattress and get you a new one.”

  I laugh. “Well that is a little extreme, we could just flip it over.”

  “So, what do you say? Want to be bed buddies?”

  I look at the bed I’m going to be sleeping on and wonder how many women have actually been in this bed.

  “I don’t know.” I bite my lip. “How many women have you slept with on this bed?”

  “Honestly?”

  I nod.

  “None.”

  “None?” I shake my head. “I have seen two girls here and know you slept with them.”

  “They bend over the bed but they don’t sleep in it. Before you moved in we used to have sex downstairs, but we fucked on the floor and then they passed out, not caring but I never let a woman sleep in my bed as it's personal.”

  I look at him. That’s a little weird but he must have his reasons to think like that. “Too much information but you let the girls sleep on the floor?”

  “I may sleep next to them but never once has a girl complained about it.”

  I put up my hand, stopping him from continuing. “Okay, no more please.” We chuckle.

  “I will be the perfect gentleman. I promise.”

  I did enjoy sleeping in his bed and it was so comfortable and I love smelling him, even though that’s a touch on the creepy side. “Fine, we can be bed buddies. I can’t wait to see Kendra’s face when I tell her,” I say with glee.

  “Why do you look so chipper?”

  “Because this is going to hurt her head even more to process this and after what she did to my bed, I am going to enjoy every second.”

  “You are evil.”

  “I know.” I do an evil laugh and he bursts out laughing.

  “You are so cute.”

  I beam. “I know, I’ve been told that a few times now.”

  He sits opposite me. “Who else has told you that?”

  “Devon and Kendra.”

  Jackson's smile goes for a moment before it’s back again. “Well, at least you know it. Go get ready and I will drive us all to school. I don’t think those two downstairs are in a good state to drive.”

  I head to my room and I look at the messed up sheets on the bed and I’m glad I won’t be sleeping in it.

  I grab another shower as I still feel like I can smell alcohol over me and get dressed. When I come downstairs everyone is ready and Kendra still looks like death.

  When we head to school I decide then to tell Kendra my news.

  “What news?” Kendra asks.

  “Well, Jayce can share the bed with you now.”

  She looks at me, confused. “You are not going to sleep on that couch,” she warns me.

  “I’m not. I’m sleeping somewhere else.” She looks at me and I can’t help but smile brightly. I know when it clicks in when her eyes bug out of her head.

  “You are going to sleep with Jackson?”

  “I am going to be sleeping next to him,” I correct her.

  “You two are going to sleep next to one another?”

  I nod. “Until you both leave. Then I will get my room back.”

  She is shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Why not?” Jackson joins in.

  “I just think it wouldn’t work.”

  “Well, I do. Jackson and I are two grown-ups and we are able to sleep next to one another as friends.”

  Kendra looks at Jackson and then back to me and sits back, groaning. “My head hurts,” she moans and I look at the front mirror and see Jackson smiling, so I return it.

  In class, Billie whispers in my ear every now and then when she notices Dante looking over at me. I try to tell her to shush but soon we end up like giggling girls when our eyes connect with his.

  “He is so into you,” she whispers.

  “I think he is finding this funny that we keep staring and that’s it.”

  She pushes my shoulder. “You are dreaming if you think he doesn’t like you.” She looks over at him again that I have to nudge her to stop.

  “Stop looking at him.” I smile.

  “He knows we keep looking yet he still stares over.” I look over at him and when our eyes connect he smiles at me and I return the smile and get back to my notes. “Think you both had a moment.” She squeezes my arm and my body tenses up but she doesn’t notice but she does let go.

  We start listening to the professor w
hen I feel eyes on me so I turn to Billie. “Is he looking at me?” I murmur.

  She looks and giggles. “Yup, just now.”

  The class flies by and when I pack all my stuff away and head to the exit, Dante calls my name and walks towards me.

  “You coming to the movie party this weekend?”

  “Yup, Kendra and I are looking forward to it,” I try to say casually but the stupid smile on my face won’t stop.

  “Great.” He smiles and walks away.

  When I walk across campus to the cafeteria, I bang into Kendra and tell her what happened in class and from the way she is shaking my arm and smiling she is feeling much better.

  “I told you he liked you. I can’t believe he kept staring at you throughout class.”

  “Who kept staring at her?” Jayce asks as Kendra and I take our seats and Jackson hands me a can of Coke and a package of chips.

  “Dante. He kept looking over at our girl here.” She smiles at me and when I look at Jackson, he is looking away from me as he talks to the guys.

  “He just looked in my direction every now and then. I think it didn’t help that Billie kept looking over as well.”

  “He wouldn’t have kept looking if he wasn’t interested,” she squeals.

  I look at Jackson and hold his arm to get his attention. “Are you okay?” I ask him.

  “Yeah, why?” he says calmly.

  “Just making sure.” I smile but he doesn’t return it but he starts talking to the guys in front of him again.

  For the rest of lunch, Jackson hardly talks to me and after he finishes eating he says he has to go and then just leaves.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After classes, Kendra, Jayce, and I have to get a cab home because when we got to the parking lot, Jackson's car was gone. We each tried calling him but he never answered. When we get home he isn’t there either. I assume he’s gone to rehearse so I make dinner for the three of us and we watch a few episodes of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air until it gets late. I try calling Jackson again but still, he doesn’t answer and I start to worry.

  This isn’t like him.