by J. L. Beck
Once I'm sitting, Wyatt takes my hand in his, "Will you please do me a favor?"
"What favor?" I ask warily, not sure at all where he's going with this.
He takes a deep breath before saying quickly, "Stay here during Spring Break. Please."
Huh? Where did this come from? Oh yeah, it came from our conversation earlier. He's still worried about me being alone. "You must be joking. I'm not staying here. What about your roommates?"
Wyatt shakes his head, "Clay and Max are both going home like Kat. Emmett and Olivia are going to Gatlinburg, and I know Scarlett and Annabelle are both heading home too." I start to shut him down again, but he interrupts me, "No Peyton. Either you stay here, or I'm staying in the dorm. I'm not trying to fuck you; I'm trying to make sure you're safe, so you have two choices. You can either sleep here, and I'll sleep on the couch, or I'll sleep in Kat's bed in your dorm room."
Forceful Wyatt is something new. He's normally pretty laid-back and easy-going. As much as I like him being bossy and caring about my safety, there's no way I'm staying here. It's just asking for trouble. I don't hesitate to tell him that either. "You're not sleeping in my dorm room Wyatt, and I'm sure as hell not sleeping in your room. I told you before; I'm a big girl. I don't need you to babysit me." By the end of my little tirade, my eyes are narrowed, and my arms are crossed over my chest, which pushes my boobs up and together. When his eyes drop to the cleavage now showing out of my v-neck top, I hurriedly drop my arms.
Wyatt leans forward to grip the arms of his desk chair, pulling me closer until his legs are on either side of the chair. With his hands still holding the arms of the chair, I'm effectively trapped. With a determined and serious look in his eyes, he states, "It's not about baby-sitting you Pey. You live in a co-ed dorm, and the majority of people are going to be gone for an entire week. You're also kind of a bitch, and I know how you are. You'll smart off at someone and end up getting yourself in trouble. I'd just feel more comfortable if you were here. I swear, I don't have any ulterior motives." He stops talking, obviously trying to think of a way to convince me when he suddenly brightens, "And, we can spend the week studying your math. By the time Spring Break is over, you'll be all caught up. Hell, maybe you'll be ahead, and you won't even want a tutor anymore."
That is a good point. Wyatt's been tutoring me in Math for the past month, but I'm still struggling. At least if I'm here for the week, we'll get some solid tutoring in. In addition to basketball practice and games, he also has a job, so he doesn't have a lot of spare time for tutoring. But, that brings up another issue. "What about work? Won't you have to bartend this week?"
Wyatt nods, "Yeah, I'll have a few nights I'll have to work next week, just Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm off Saturday and Sunday though, so we'll have plenty of study time before you'll have to go back to the dorm. Just promise me you'll think about it, okay? Please?"
I don't know why I'm even considering it, but finally, I concede, "I'll think about it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to do it." Wyatt just grins, confident that he'll be able to talk me into it before everyone leaves this weekend.
After I agree to think about staying with him, we head back out to the party. Wyatt and I have spent entirely too much time alone in his room, and I shudder to think what everyone will assume we've been doing. Sure enough, when Wyatt opens the door so I can walk out first, Clay, Emmett, Max, Scarlett, Annabelle and Kat are all standing in the living room. As soon as Wyatt closes the door, they all turn to look at us. I stop immediately, causing Wyatt to bump into me, pushing me forward. His hand lands on my hip to steady me making things worse. The girls all have questions in their eyes that I don't want to answer, and of course Emmett lets out a "Woot" and fist pumps the air. Wyatt laughs softly, and I quickly elbow him cutting him off with a gasp.
"Ass," I mutter.
Leaning over, he whispers in my ear, "Damn girl you have bony elbows. Maybe I should fatten you up while you're here next week."
Shaking my head, I say nothing else. I couldn't even if I wanted to. By the time he's finished speaking, the group has made it over to us, and Clay makes a smart-ass remark. "Hey Wyatt, did you get a piece? Maybe a good pounding is just what Super Bitch needed."
Whirling around, I open my mouth to show him just how "Super Bitch" I am when Wyatt steps up. Shoving Clay, he snarls, "Shut the fuck up Clay. Say something like that about her again and I'll kick your stupid ass." Clay starts to say something back, but shuts his mouth when Wyatt advances on him. Based on the look in Wyatt's eyes, shutting up is a smart move. I've seen Wyatt irritated, but this is something totally different. He's defending me, and that's something no one has ever done before. I can practically feel the walls I use to keep people from getting too close shatter.
Emmett's quick to get between them, putting a hand on each of their chests and pushing them apart. "Both of you need to back the fuck up. I don't know what the problem is here, but Clay, that shit was uncalled for." Then, to Wyatt he says, "And you, man, y'all are friends. Don't let some girl come between that."
Wyatt's head snaps up to stare at him in disbelief. "Seriously? You're not seriously going to tell me that if some guy said that shit about Olivia you'd be okay with it!"
"Hell no, I wouldn't! But, Livvie's my girlfriend. Peyton's just a girl you're tutoring." Emmett looks at me in apology, but he's right. It is a different situation, but I'm glad Wyatt stood up for me.
Shaking his head, Wyatt says, "Whatever Emmett. That's bullshit and you know it."
After studying Wyatt, Clay nods, agreeing, "Wyatt's right." Then, he gives me an apologetic look, "Sorry Peyton, I was out of line."
Before I can say a word, Clay claps Wyatt on the shoulder and leaves the room. Wyatt's still pissed, and after glaring at Emmett again, he goes back into his room without another word. Emmett looks at all of us before shaking his head and walking away. Kat's standing off to the side with Scarlett, biting her lip and looking worried. Once Clay leaves, she and Scarlett walk over to me and she asks, "Are you okay?" When I nod, she continues, "What were you and Wyatt doing in his room anyway?"
Blowing out a breath, I tell her, "We were just talking. He's worried about me staying in the dorm over spring break by myself, so he wants me to come stay here."
Scarlett's eyes widen, "He wants you to stay here?!? In his apartment? I thought Emmett and Clay were leaving for the week."
"They are. It would just be the two of us. He said we could work on Math when he isn't working."
Kat and Scarlett exchange a look that says things I don't even want to think about before Scarlett says, "Are you going to do it? I thought you didn't really like him..." She trails off, studying me closely.
Groaning, I bring my fingers up to massage the headache that's starting to throb at my temple. "I haven't decided. He says if I don't stay here, he's going to sleep in Kat's bed -"
Kat's eyes widen and she's quick to interrupt with "I didn't say he could stay in our room Pey! Please believe me."
"I know you didn't Kat," I sigh. "If you had, I'd kick your ass from here all the way back to the dorms." When she looks at me in alarm, I grin at her. She looks like she really believes I would, but while I may be a bitch, I'm not the girl who fights with her fists. Words I can find, strength? Not so much.
Scarlett shakes her head before snorting, "Don't worry Kat, Peyton talks a good game, but that's it. She's all talk, no action." Then, linking arms with both Kat and I, she heads for the kitchen, "Come on, we haven't had near enough alcohol tonight." Kat giggles, and I realize that I'm actually glad she's my roommate. I haven't felt bitter about having a roomie for a while now, and I'm beginning to regret the way I treated her that first day. Deciding not to dwell on thoughts like that, I let Scarlett lead me, choosing to just have fun for the rest of the night. I can worry about Wyatt and his offer tomorrow.
It's been three days since Wyatt asked me to stay with him during Spring Break. After discussing it with both Scarlett and Kat, I decided to take him up
on it, if only to avoid having him try to stay in my dorm room. I'm trying to keep him at arms length, and having him spend a week in the same bedroom will absolutely not help with that. Staying in his apartment for the week, in separate sleeping areas will. At least, I hope so.
Wyatt told me to text him when I got to his complex, but when I pull into one of the parking spots he said I could use he's standing outside, pacing back and forth in front of the steps. Huh. Maybe he's as nervous as I am about staying in the same living space for a week without a buffer. Hell, I want to knee him in the balls at least as often as I want to kiss him, so this could end in a seriously bad way.
I don't make any move to get out of my car, content to watch him pace in front of me, although it doesn't take long for him to look up and notice me. When he does, a wide grin spreads across his handsome face. He looks so happy that I can't help but smile back. Mine is nowhere near as bright as his is, but it's there nonetheless. By the time I take my keys out of the ignition and grab my purse, he's opening my car door and his smile has been replaced by a frown.
"You should keep your door locked Peyton," he starts to scold me.
Working to keep the smile on my face, when I really want to scowl at him I reply, "It locks automatically when I start it Wyatt. It also unlocks when I take the key out." I'd really like to know who told him about Annabelle, because it's obviously affecting him. He's being seriously overprotective, and it's unnecessary. He has been tutoring me for the better part of a month, so we've spent quite a bit of time together, but I don't need a protector. I feel like an ass for feeling that way too, because I also really like the fact that he wants to protect me because it's not something I've had from other people in my life. I come off as uber-independent, and it tends to make people think I don't ever need help. I know it's my own fault, but it's still nice to have someone care enough to want to protect me.
Wyatt snaps me out of my thoughts when he says, "Did you bring a bag?" Before I can respond, he says with a smug grin, "Not that I'm opposed to you not bringing one."
"Jerk," I snap before hitting the button that opens my trunk. Just when I was thinking he's this sweet guy, he reminds me that just like every other 21-year-old man, he's a horn dog.
He chuckles, and reaches in to grab my bag before I can and starts up the stairs to his apartment. He leaves me to follow behind him. When we walk in, I'm struck by how clean the place is. The other night it was a wreck. Even though they were having a party, I figured that a house with three guys wouldn't be very clean on a non-party day, but everything is picked up. There isn't even any porn lying out in plain sight. Having spent time around Clay, I figured there would be, just to mess with me.
Wyatt takes my bag straight to his room, ignoring my immediate protest. "Hey! What are you doing?"
"I told you that if you stayed here you'd be sleeping in my room," he says from the other side of the door. I stop at the threshold and my jaw drops. Like the rest of the apartment, Wyatt's obviously cleaned his room. No uniform on the floor, the Lego pieces for what he's been building are no longer all over the desk, the bed is fully made and it smells like a flower shop. Oh no. We haven't been in the room for thirty seconds and my nose is already itching. Then, my eyes start watering and I begin sneezing.
Wyatt looks at me in alarm and I shake my head before covering my mouth and nose with my hand and walking quickly out of his room. He follows behind me before disappearing briefly behind another door. When he returns carrying a box of tissues, I realize the room he went into must've been the bathroom. We didn't really get that far into a tour the first time I was here, so I have no idea where the bathroom is. Handing me the box of tissues, he gestures towards the couch that's now back in the middle of the living room instead of up against the wall. We both sit and I find that trying to wipe watery eyes and a runny nose in front of a hot guy is one of the most embarrassing things ever.
Once I've gotten everything back under control Wyatt clears his throat, "Um, what just happened? You weren't allergic to my room the other night."
"Yeah, well the other night your room didn't smell like a flower shop. I can't handle really strong perfume smells, and whatever you've got going on in there is really strong." I come off once again as an ungrateful hag, and when Wyatt's face falls, I immediately feel bad. I don't get the chance to apologize because he speaks first.
"Shit! I got a bunch of different air fresheners to make sure it didn't smell bad for you." He looks like I've kicked his puppy, and once again, the walls I keep around me crack. He really had no way of knowing that I have an allergy, and I just made him feel like shit. I really am awful.
I can't help but grab his hand, and as soon as I do his eyes fly up to meet mine. Smiling shyly, I tell him, "That was really sweet Wyatt. If I'd known you were going to do that, I'd have warned you. It's not all scents; it's just really strong ones. I appreciate you trying to make sure I'm comfortable, but we probably need to air the room out somehow or I'm never going to be able to go back in."
Wyatt rubs the back of his neck before grinning sheepishly at me. He really is adorable, especially right now because he's embarrassed and blushing. He shoots up off the couch and sprints into his room. When he comes back a few minutes later he tells me, "I opened the windows and turned on my fan. I hope that helps." After I assure him that it will, he suggests we go grab something to eat while we're waiting and we head out to a local burger place for an early dinner.
He takes me to Ruby's, a cute little place decked out like an old 50's diner. It has Formica tables and red vinyl booths. There are so many different groups of people here, families, couples, groups of friends, and a few are here alone. The place is busy, but Wyatt quickly finds a small two-seater table for us. A waitress in a red shirt that says "Ruby's" comes over almost instantly to grab our drink orders, and after looking over the menu I end up getting the same thing as Wyatt, a cheeseburger with tater tots. Unlike him though, I get mine with ketchup only, instead of the really gross combo of mustard and chili he orders on his.
Grinning when he sees the look on my face, Wyatt remarks, "You never know, you might like it if you try it."
"No, I'm good." I tell him, shaking my head.
We don't have to wait long for our food, and when the waitress sets our plates down, my stomach rumbles. I didn't realize how hungry I was until just now. While we eat, Wyatt tells me about his sister and how she wants to be a famous singer. He tells me that she has a really good voice, and just auditioned for the lead in her school play. She's much younger than he is, only fifteen and a sophomore. When I look at him quizzically, he tells me that she started early because of her birthday, so she'll only be seventeen when she graduates. He's confident she'll get the solo, and I can tell he's both a proud big brother, and extremely close to her. Wyatt explains that growing up he always felt more like her father than her brother. Neither of them ever met their fathers, and he admits that he never met Willow's dad either.
"My mom never brought guys around because she said she didn't want me to get attached to someone who was going to turn around and leave. Why she was okay with sleeping with them is something I'll never understand." When he lifts his head, his smile is rueful.
Instead of responding right away, I take another bite of food, thinking about how I want to phrase it. "Maybe she was hoping that if she slept with them, they'd decide to stick around. Like, if she slept with them, they'd care more."
He stares at me, and I fidget. Hopefully he doesn't realize that like his mom, I slept with a guy in the hopes that he'd stick around. I've only slept with one guy, my high school boyfriend Brad. I wasn't ready to take that step, but I was afraid that if I didn't, he'd break up with me. It wasn't much of a stretch since he'd threatened it more than once, but I didn't want to be the prude, the girl who wouldn't put out, even for her boyfriend, so, I did. And it was awful! Even now, I wish I'd waited for someone I really cared about. I knew that if we broke up, my mom would never let me hear the end of it. Brad's par
ents were influential, his family full of city councilmen, a state representative and a congressman. Mom was convinced Brad had a bright political future, and that he was the type of guy I should be with. I finally broke up with him after graduation, and it was the worst summer of my life. She was pissed, he didn't understand the word no, I just wanted to get away from him.
My emotions must show on my face, because Wyatt studies me silently before tipping the corners of his mouth up in a small grin. "Let's not talk about my mom and her sex life anymore. That shit's just gross." He shudders violently, making me laugh and we continue our dinner but staying away from any heavy topics.
We got back to his apartment around two hours later, because after we ate Wyatt insisted on checking out a sporting goods store and then grabbing a movie for us to watch when we got back. That was an interesting argument. He was all for watching a chick flick, but I shot that idea down quick. I already have a hard time resisting him, so adding a romantic love story to that? Yeah, it would be over. I wouldn't be "sleeping" alone in his bed. He suggested horror, which I declined for close to the same reason. Scary movies in a new place means nightmares, and is almost as big a guarantee that I won't be alone in his bed as the chick flick - even if it's for a different reason. Once we decide on an action movie, he finally lets me drive back to the apartment and he checks the bedroom first thing.
"I think we're good now, it definitely doesn't smell as strong in there now." He's very proud of himself and I have to smile at him.
Once we get comfortable on the couch and start watching the movie, I start to think about where he's going to sleep. "Hey Wyatt?"
