Shane and Trey[ Enemies to Lovers 01 ]

by Anyta Sunday

  “Wow, he’s really good,” I said, impressed with Lucas’s smooth vocal transitions.

  “Yup he is.” Syd grinned. “He sure is.” My drink and fatty café food came, and I offered Syd to help me eat it. Which he did. But after a minute munching, I felt I needed to mention something about the song. Needed to apologize. Avoiding his eye, I blurted, “I’m sorry about last night.”

  Syd wiped his hands on a serviette and lightly rested one on my arm. “Don’t be. We’re good. Now two things, tell me what happened to your face, and why you’re smiling brighter than a hundred watt light bulb.”

  I touched my forehead. I’d forgotten about that. Was I smiling, really? Hehe, I hadn’t a clue. “Nothing. Small fall. As for the good mood, well, that just might have something to do with my super-hot roomie.”

  He raised a brow, and in return I told him what I should have shared weeks ago. My feelings and confusions about Trey, and my worries about June. He listened carefully and sensitively to the complications. I loved him for the fact he didn’t judge me, for the way he accepted how I’d been feeling. No advising or counseling, just hearing me out. Only when I asked for his opinion on why Trey avoided telling me what happened to his aunt, did he say something.

  “I understand you want to know, and I get your, ah, insecurity that he’s not told you already. But keep in mind, the more you mean to him, the harder it may be to open up. Your reaction will mean so much more, and he may fear how it changes your feelings toward him. There’s just more to risk by telling you some truths.” He finished his milkshake and looked at me, his green eyes understanding. “Just give him time. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

  I spooned the cream off my third hot chocolate, but couldn’t bring myself to eat it. A big lump lodged in my throat made that difficult. “I can’t believe how good it feels to talk about this. To get it off my chest.” I dropped the spoon, not caring I splattered cream over my t-shirt in the process, and stole a hug. (Also not caring people were around—I was just so overwhelmed and happy). “Jeez, man. I love you. I’m so glad I knocked you over that day, and annexed you into my life.”

  Syd laughed and squeezed back. “Right back at you, Shane. Right back at you.” Someone cleared their throat behind me—one that said excuse me?—and I let go of Syd, to see Lucas standing next to us, a scowl on his face. For a second I thought he was mad or something, but it quickly transformed into a smirk. How had I not noticed the music had stopped? Guess I’d gotten carried away. I sidled off the bench, giving Lucas access to Syd.

  “You read my mind, exactly,” he said, flashing me a quick smile.

  I sat on the chair opposite. “You were really great up there. How long have you been a band?” “Thanks. A few years.” He took Syd’s water. “Mind if I drink this darlin’?”

  Was Syd blushing? It was hard to tell by the reddish lighting in the room, but my friend looked something shy. He nodded and kept blinking.

  “You going up for another round of songs?” Syd asked and bit his bottom lip.

  “We’re done. The rest of the night’s ours.” I chuckled, and the kiss they next shared, was so my cue to leave. I said my good-byes and got a wink from Syd in response. Man he made me laugh. Light and in fine spirits, I headed back to my dorm room, to a studious Trey.

  In a flash, his math books and pen were on the floor, and I was in his arms. “How’d it go? You’re home sooner than I expected.”

  I frowned—hmmm all that hot chocolate seemed to make me a bit slow. “O ^d into a h. It didn’t happen. June cancelled and I went out with Syd. I’m going to talk to her on Monday.”

  He kissed me briefly on the lips. “Okay.” Not in the slightest did he seem bothered by that. With a sudden swift movement, Trey lifted me off the ground, guiding my legs around his waist.

  For the first time, I kicked off my shoes and left them lying on the floor. I locked my legs together and pushed myself up higher so I looked down on his face somewhat. “You look different from this angle.”

  “You, too.” He led me to his bed where we fell onto the pillows. I gave him a deep kiss, which had him rolling his eyes back, and tightening his grip on me. When I let him breathe again, he laughed. “Um, Shane, that wasreallygood.”

  “I believe there’s plenty more where that came from.” I tried to kiss him again, but he was chuckling too hard to reciprocate.

  “What?” “It’s just funny.” “What is?”

  “Well, last night when I said I was happy to go at your pace?” He peeked at me through the corner of his eyes. “Maybe I should have saidmypace.” I frowned, but before I could say anything, Trey motioned to my hand. What? Ohhhh.I yanked it off him—yeah, looked like it had a mind of its own.

  “Must have got carried away.” Oops. I flashed him a sheepish grin.

  He brought me closer to him and in my neck said, “No, it was nice. I just—well I probably give you the wrong impression by how I can’t keep my hands off you, but,” he breathed in, and the air sweeping around my neck sent shivers everywhere, “Let me start again. I’ll flirt with you like hell, and believe me when I say I think about…going all the way with you all the time. But, babe, at the risk of sounding a little ol’ fashioned: you wanna go on some dates with me first? After you’ve talked with your sis, of course.”

  “Chivalry. Me likes.” I pushed myself up so I could look into his eyes. I wanted to tell him how much I’d like that, but my phone buzzed in my pocket. Could that be June? Did she suddenly have time? I whipped it out and flicked it open without looking at screen. Which I should’ve done. I’d have ignored the call then.

  “Hey, Shane.” I froze at the voice, its hard, blunt familiarity. I swallowed, climbing off Trey, wishing I were miles from him, from anyone. “Hi, Dad.”

  Chapter Thirteen I CLAPPED THE phone shut, Dad’s first words still ringing in my ears.How’s my son? Living up Saturday night, drunk and partying? And then his laugh.Raucous. Like a freaking bad omen. I shivered—couldn’t help it, and sat on the end of my bed where I’d wandered during the two minutes and twenty-nine seconds we’d spoken.

  Trey stared at me, brows furrowed together, his mouth a straight line. Was he waiting for me to say something? And what?Yeah, that was my dad, we don’t get on, but you probably heard that in my tone, anyway, let’s not talk about it.I reached over and slammed the cell on my bedside table. Stupid phone. Stupid me for not having looked at the caller ID. Damn, what a way to ruin the mood.

  Trey sighed and propped himself on one elbow on his side. “You can’t choose ’em. Eh?” I mirrored his sigh, but just the way he’d said that—that touch of humor to lighten things up—it was like he knew exactly how to calm me down. The corner of my lips twitched. “If only.”

  His eyes softened before his lips corresponded in a smile. “But you know who youcanchoose.” He beckoned me over. (Which was hardly necessary, as soon as the words had slipped from his tongue, I was on my way).

  Like I’d wanted to do for soooolong, I pounced onto the mass of pillows next to Trey. He looked startled a moment before cracking ^ you />Likup. “Fuck, for a second I thought you were doing some type of wrestling move.”

  I grinned. “I was, but to the pillows. Be pretty stupid of me to do it to you. I may not be great at math, but I know my chances at survival.”

  That had him laughing louder. How wonderful it was to hear: boisterous, unrestrained, hearty. Quite fulfilling—quite? No, more than that,incredibly.And just like that Dad drowned from my mind. Everything, except for Trey simply vanished. Didn’t matter.

  Lightly, I touched his chest and felt his laugh as it bubbled underneath my hand. It spread through me, highly infectious, until I was laughing too. We didn’t stop, even when we’d forgotten what was funny and stomach muscles hurt and limbs convulsed. It just felt sogood.Every bout seemed to reflect our excitement and nervousness, and cracked through any awkwardness we had being together. So. Fucking. Fine.

  Only when someone banged on the wall next to us, d
id we try—yes, emphasis on try—to calm down. It took us a bit, and we used the pillows to quell the sounds. By the time the last chuckles left us, we were drained of energy.

  Trey pulled at the blankets until he’d ripped them from under us. “Get those jeans off, babe. I wanna sleep, but I want you right where you are.”

  *** I woke up early the next morning. Well, early for a Sunday. (It was seven). I stretched, carefully moving so as not to wake Trey. Almost the entire night he’d spooned me—a cocoon of warmth. Until a half an hour before, when he’d mumbled something and switched sides. Maybe the loss was what had woken me.

  I stared at a cobweb in the corner of the ceiling, and couldn’t help but thinksticky.Sticky in a good sense—like being entangled in Trey’s arms and not wanting the chance to escape, like being so high on thoughts I couldn’t make beginning or ends of them, and—yeah—sticky like how I felt after thinking of him and jacking off.

  Then there was the other sticky—I had to tell June, and I didn’t want to hurt her.

  Lifting the corner of the blanket, I shimmied out of bed, and crept out of the room to the bathroom. After I’d relieved myself and began to head back, a sudden thought halted me. Today wasSunday.No classes. No plans. Just a whole day, me and Trey. What would we do? Should we plan something together? Or should I surprise him somehow? Was this like the first official date? What were we meant to do together? And shit, whatever it was, let it start now!

  I paced the hall a few times, coming up with a ‘to do’ list. It might not have been necessary to have the day planned out. But it sure made me feel less nervous knowing what would happen next.

  Inside the room, Trey sat in his bed, a bit put-out, if I read his expression correctly.

  “You alright?” I asked. Trey swept a hand across the side of the bed I’d slept in. “It’s not the way I wanted to wake up. I was sort of hoping for a repeat of yesterday.” He cocked his head. “Thatwas fun.”

  “Well,” I said, pulling out some running shorts and a t-shirt. “I’ve got plenty of other fun things we could do. But first, get outta bed and get ready to go for a run.”

  “Ohhh, that does sound good, especially the part where we shower together after.”

  I threw the t-shirt I was about to put on at him. “Like to see you handle that temptation. ’Cause remember, no touching.” Yet. Not until after I spoke with June. Tomorrow.

  “So long as we can make out, I’ll be fine.” Ha-ha, yeah right.After the run, we attempted to shower together, but twenty seconds in, it was obvious the plan was flawed. Like seriously. “Okay, Shane, you win.” With a tight jaw and tight something else, he moved into the next cubicle.

  Finally I got out of the shower (I was warm-water hog, given the chance, I’d stay in one until I was wrinkly.) With towels wrappe fad bd around our waists we headed back to the room, me walking slightly behind Trey. I mean, help the view washot.

  Trey—on purpose, I was positive—stopped suddenly. I banged into him. The impact pleasant, the tease agonizing, but—ahhhh—my towel was slipping. And in the middle of the freaking hall, thank God most people still slept at this hour. Trey chuckled as I fumbled for a grip.

  Once inside our room, I ripped it off completely, and whipped Trey’s way-too-hot-to-be-real-ass.

  “Oh, so that’s your form of punishment? I just might have to be naughty more often!” Naughty? Too cute! We both dressed quickly, grinning something stupid. I loved it. Once we were done, I grabbed my car keys and tugged Trey out the door.

  We drove for about ten minutes, before arriving at an abandoned warehouse parking lot. Trey had tried to get me to tell him where we were going, but—ha!—this was my surprise. I stopped the car in the middle of the huge concrete expanse, got out and opened Trey’s door. His face was hilarious, a combination ofWhat the fuck are we doing here?andIs it gonna be kinky?

  I shook my head, biting back a laugh. “Get out.” He did, and I jailed him—as much as I could (obviously he could get away)—one arm either side clutching the car roof. Then on the tip of my toes I leaned into him until he gasped. A hairs breadth of kissing him, I ran a tongue over my bottom lip, ever-so-slightly touching his at the same time.

  I reached into my pocket jammed between us, knowing what the pressure was doing to him, and loving it. “Oh, fuck me,” he groaned. “Not today.” I withdrew the keys, and pressed them into his chest. “First date—driving lesson.”

  Once we were both in the car I explained—although theoretically he knew—the mechanics of a stick.Easy on the clutch, slow release, light pressure on the gas.He stalled the first couple of tries at starting. “Wish you had an automatic about now,” Trey muttered, trying (and succeeding) again.

  “Yeah, well, when I bought my car, Dad only chipped in on the condition I got a manual. Said if I can drive this, I can drive anything.”

  Trey, nervous to look from the barren lot we were crawling across, glanced in my direction. “Did he teach you?” “Yup, but don’t worry. I’m not going to use his methods.” I cringed, remembering… What? Are you a complete idiot? Do it again. We’re not leaving here, till you do.Hours it took me to get it right, hours of holding back my tears, knowing they’d only make it worse.

  The clucking of Trey’s tongue zapped me back to the moment. I placed a hand atop of his on the stick. More for my own comfort than the demonstration. “Now, when you press the clutch again, you’re going to pull this into second. Smoothly does it, yeah. Good. Now just take your time coming off.”

  The transition was pretty good, and before long Trey seemed pretty comfortable rolling around the parking lot in large circles.

  “Wish I’d gone to your high school. Might have had more reason to learn this earlier if it wasn’t a two minute walk from my house.”

  His face had been flushed most of the drive now, and I sensed his embarrassment. Ignoring it (because I thought that nicest) I urged him to try third gear. The parking lot adjoined two others, so we had enough space to move at street speed. After an hour, I had Trey using the gears to brake, and certain landmarks we used as traffic lights, where he’d come to a complete stop before starting again.

  “You’re a quick learner,” I said, impressed at Trey’s growing confidence.

  “Huh! Here it’s okay. But out there,” he shook a finger toward the street, “that’s going to be another story.” “Well, I wish I could help you out there, but it’d be against the law. First you need to get your learner’s permit—” “Already got one. I’ve done the theoretical test. I just haven’t had any practical lessons,” he grinned, “until now that is.”

  “What stopped you from doing it earlier?” Trey slowed down, changing gears smoothly. “James left for Europe. Only one willing, and over twenty-one that wanted to do it. As I said, I should have learned as soon as I turned seventeen.”

  I wanted to know why his parents hadn’t taught him, but the edge in his voice warned me not to. Instead I studied his profile, wondering if I closed my eyes I could recreate it. Abruptly, Trey stopped the car, the belts tightened against us. Bit of a rough one, definitely need more practice there. Trey swiveled in the chair, unbuckling his belt.

  “Had enough?” I asked. Certainly wasn’t going to push him. Not like… Anyway, we’d been at it long enough. “Not exactly,” he said, expertly moving his giant limbs over to my side. “But if I don’t kiss you right now, I think I might, I dunno, implode or something.” Wow! That’d been unexpected and my-oh-my could he surprise me like this any time! “I enjoyed that,” he said, in-between kisses, “really enjoyed that. It”kiss“ah…means”another kiss“a lot to me” deeper kiss “that you brought me here,”soft kiss, and leaning back“and showed me this.”

  You are welcome, oh-so-so welcome.

  He opened the passenger door and clambered out awkwardly.

  “Now let’s head back. I want to get us some lunch.”

  After a wonderful lunch of chicken burgers, onion rings, and salad—yeah, Trey insisted on that last one—we sp
ent a lazy afternoon playing video games and watching, much to my delight, the Princess Bride! With a very promising French kiss, I even bribed him into letting me read his review.It’s a swash-buckler. Go Westley! Go Buttercup! Cheeky and fun, this romance, action, fantasy is a must see. Five stars.

  Once it was over we rhymed silly sentences until dinner (the rest of the salad from lunch). The remainder of the evening we blobbed out watching star wars, of which we managed four, before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

  Monday morning met me with a bit more than a seed of anticipation. The weekend had been a dream, but today was back to reality. We both had classes to attend, study to do, and—I drew a deep breath—there was June to talk to.

  I was dressed and ready to leave for my first class when Trey’s alarm went off. He slapped a palm over it. I chuckled that sound waking him more effectively it seemed. “Hey, you off already?”

  “Yup. Linguistics. Have a busy day.” He yawned. “Me too. When will I see you again, babe?” “I finish at four. I promised to meet June at six.” “Blah, I have classes until then.” I walked over to him. “Well, tonight, I guess.”

  He stayed quiet a moment, then, almost as if he didn’t want me to hear it, said under his breath, “hopefully.”

  I didn’t like how that sounded, the way I felt cold inside. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Yanking off the covers, he got up, searching for clothes to put on. “Look. We’ve avoided talking about the issue all weekend, but I’m sure it’s been on both our minds.” He met my gaze for a brief moment before pulling on a t-shirt. “I know I come second—ah—well,afterJune. So if it comes to her asking you to make a choice, I know—and it should be her. But, man, just thinking about that sucks. Bad.” Hurriedly, he yanked down his boxer-briefs and stepped into fresh ones. “I can’t say I’m going to accept that so well.” He came up to me, digging fingers into my arms. “It sort of makes me want to keep you from seeing her,” he said in my ear. Then sighed, and moved to put on his jeans. “I—I just like this bubble we have right now.”