“If you change your mind I would be more than happy to cover the charges for you.”
“I appreciate it but we’re good.”
“So the games at seven tonight, it will be late when I get back but Pam has lunched planned for us tomorrow at one. What time are you planning to head back to school?”
“Not sure yet, but sometime tomorrow night.”
“Well again I’m really glad that you came and I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Tell your friends I said hello. You have the address right.”
“Yeah it’s in my GPS so we should be good.”
“Well call me if you need any help, I’ll make sure I keep my phone on me and I look forward to seeing you and your friends.”
“Same.”
“Xavier?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really glad to have the chance to finally meet you.” He sounded sincere but I still didn’t know how I felt about that so I simply said, “Yeah, me too.”
We ended the call and then I rejoined my friends in the living room. I could tell that Kya was searching my face attempting to read my mood.
“Everything straight?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah, he just wanted to work out the plans for tomorrow.” I said and then sat down next to Kya. I pulled her close to me and rested my chin on her shoulder and she folded her body into mine.
“How about you handle your womanly duties and find somewhere for us to order pizza from.” Ethan said and then playfully slapped Toni’s thigh.
“You better be glad I’m hunger.” Toni said before she stood up and adjusted her pants around her waist.
Kya stood up and joined her as the two of them searched the contents of the oversized cherry desk looking for menus. “How about this.” Toni said and held up a menu.
“It’s all the same to me just hurry up and order before I starve.” Ethan said.
So the girls got on the phone and began the process of ordering our food and an hour later we were all happy and full.
“Well that’s a wrap for me.” I placed my hands on my stomach and leaned back. I was currently sitting on the floor with my back against the sofa. Ethan was across from me but he was sitting in the oversized leather chair that he had pulled from up under the desk balancing one of the empty pizza boxes on his legs, while Kya and Toni were sitting next to each other on the sofa adjacent to the one that I was leaning against. They both had called it quits after two slices while Ethan and I darn near finished a pizza and a half between the two of us.
“Well it’s about time.” Toni said “I swear the two of you act like you have never eaten before in your life.”
“Grown men need nourishment.” I said.
“Don’t hate on us because you two are light weights.” Ethan added.
“I’m not a lightweight, I just have control.” Kya said and then looked at me.
“We’ll see about that later.” I winked at Ky.
“And that’s our cue to leave.” Toni said. She stood up and grabbed the empty box that Ethan was holding which prompted him to follow.
“Well we’ve got some business to tend to anyway so we’ll see you guys in about hour or two or three.” Ethan walked up behind Toni and placed his hands on her hips.
“The only business that I’m about to tend to is a long overdue nap.” Toni said.
“No doubt because I’m about to put you to bed.” Ethan said and used is body to move Toni towards the door.
“Wow, I just can’t with you.” Toni waved her hand in the air.
“Let me go handle her. We’re out people.” Ethan said and then opened the door. Toni looked back at us and shook her head as the two of them left our room.
Chapter 18
Kya Renee
After Toni and Ethan left I decided to clean up the plates and pizza boxes so that our room wouldn’t smell like food. Xavier helped me pile everything up and held the door open for me while I went to go find a trash can. When I reached the end of our hall I found an area in the corner that had two vending machines, an ice machine and a trash can. I balanced everting on top of it, dumped the cups and plates before I folded the boxes enough to shove them in before I headed back to or room. Xavier had left the door propped open so I pushed it open walked in. He was stretched out of the sofa watching sports center as always.
I pulled off my sweater and tossed it on top of my bags that were still sitting near the door where Xavier had left them when we first arrived, leaving me in just a tank top and my leggings before I laid down on top of him.
“Are you testing my control again?” He asked and then kissed my shoulder.
I laughed, “For what, we have already established that you don’t have any.”
“That’s what you think.” He slide his hand under my tank top and rested it on my back.
“That’s what I know.”
“Well let’s test all this control you have then.” He grabbed me around my waist, turned us over so that he positioned on top of me. He pressed his body against mine and then looked down at me with a grin on his face. He leaned in and kissed my shoulder first and then my neck.
“You still got everything under control.” I could feel his lips touch my ear as he spoke.
“I’m good.” I lied.
“How about now.” He kissed my collar bone and kept moving down.
“Now who’s using excessive force?” I asked.
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.” He said and then moved his hand under my tank top.
I knew it was over so I stopped fighting it. He won!
About two hours later we had both showered, changed and were watching TV in the living room. It made me think about what life would be life if we actually did survive long enough to get married but honestly I didn’t even know if Xavier wanted that life. We had never really talked about it and since the only reference he had when it came to marriage was so toxic, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he decided to skip that part all together. It really made me think about my future because I wanted that, maybe not now but someday and I as long as I could remember the man that I would marry was going to be Xavier. Marriage to me was a reflection of my parents, they weren’t perfect but they were happy and I wanted that so if Xavier decided that he didn’t would that be the end of us. I felt a wave of sadness and then anger when I realized that his past might affect our future.
“You look real intense over there, what are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.” I lied.
“It’s definitely something, you look like you’re about to cry or hit someone, I can’t really tell which one.”
“I’m good.” I hadn’t realized that my thoughts were showing all over my face and he was right, I felt tears forming. Typical crybaby.
“Come on Ky, what’s wrong.” We were laying on opposite ends of the sofa so he sat up grabbed both of my hands to lift my arms and pull me towards him. I gave in and adjusted my body on top of him until we were both comfortable again.
“So do you want to tell my why you sitting over there about to cry.” He closed his arms around me.
“I wasn’t about to cry.”
“Well you look like it so what did I do this time.” He said and then laughed.
“Do you think you’ll ever want to get married?”
“That was random?” He said and then looked down at me.
“I know, I was just thinking about it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, I just thought about it.”
“Honestly I don’t really think about stuff like that, I guess it’s sort of a girl thing.”
“It’s not a girl thing.” I said defensively and tried to pull away but he tightened his hold on me so that I couldn’t move.
“Chill, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just I don’t really think about stuff like that. Most guys don’t but yeah, I guess I do see us getting married one day. Why? You already got the wedding planned.” He said and kissed the side of my face.
“N
o smart ass, I don’t.” I felt better about the fact that he said he can see us getting married on day.
Before he could say anything someone knocked on the door. “Saved by the bell.” I said and rolled off him onto the floor and stood up.
I pulled the door open and Ethan was standing in front of me shirtless with basketball shorts on. Damn, I see why Toni was addicted.
“We’re heading to the pool, you guys coming?
Xavier sat up and looked at Ethan. “It’s too damn cold to be in a swimming pool.”
Ethan stepped past me and walked over to Xavier. “Its indoor and they have Jacuzzi down there too.”
“I’m down.” I said, let me get my suit.
“I guess we’re coming.” Xavier said, stood up and stretched.
“Toni’s changing now, so like fifteen?” Ethan asked.
“That works.” Xavier said and then Ethan left the room.
“Do I even want to know why you have a swimming suite?” I was sitting on the floor digging through my bag.
“I told you, you can never be too prepared.” I pulled out a navy and pink stripped bikini bottom, dropped it in my lap and keep digging for the top. When I found it I pulled it out, stood up and tossed it on the bed.
“What’s this?” he picked up the top by the strings and held it in the air.
“You know what that is.” I said sarcastically.
“You must be about to play dress up with a barbie doll or something because I know you don’t think you’re leaving here in this.”
“Yes, father. I am.” I rolled my eyes at him and snatched the top from him.
“No hell.”
“Seriously?” I grabbed the bottom and moved past him ignoring his protective moment.
“Ky I’m not playing.” He followed me to the bathroom.
“It’s just Toni and Ethan and neither one of them is worried about me, trust me.”
“It’s not Toni that I’m worried about.”
“Really? Ethan is not worried about me.”
“He’s a guy and trust me, if it’s out there he’ll look.”
“So I guess that goes for you too?”
Hell yeah, I have eyes, don’t play dumb but the difference is the only person I’m checking for is you. I know what I’m thinking.”
“And you know what Ethan’s thinking.”
“No hell I don’t. I’m not in that man’s head.”
“Move please.” I said and then shut the door and changed into my suite. When I was done and had all the straps tied tight and securely in place I admired my image in the mirror, turning to each side to check out my entire body which was barely covered by the tiny navy and pink stripped bikini that I was wearing. I was actually still pretty fit even though I barely ever worked out and hadn’t danced consistently in almost two years but my body was still pretty toned thanks to thirteen years of dance classes.
Dance was the actually the reason that Toni and I were so tight. It’s where we meet years ago and we were still going strong. She and I both danced from grade school until we graduated but she still took classes in college since she had a minor in dance while I hadn’t been in a studio in forever. Ballet, tap, jazz, toe, modern, hip hop. You name it we did it. Toni was always better at it than I was but we were both pretty decent and aside from my barley average sized breast which I attributed to the physical stress of dance, my body was pretty tight because of it so I had no complaints.
The second I opened the door Xavier looked at me and shook his head. He was sitting on the bed and hadn’t changed since he was already in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. “Hell no, that’s dead.”
I laughed even though I knew that he was not really joking. I walked over to my bag and bent over to find a pair of shorts and when I hands on a pair of gray Nike running shorts I stepped into them.
“Okay father, now I’m dressed.” I said sarcastically but smiled at him.
“You better hope Ethan keeps his eyes where they belong or you’re going to be the cause of a friendship ending.” He said and then looked at me with the most serious look on his face.
“Shut up and let’s go.”
We both left the room, stepped into the hall and Xavier hung back while I knocked on Ethan and Toni’s door. She opened it wearing an equally small bikini that was almost identical to the one that I was wearing without shorts to cover it.
“Did your father approve of your suit?” I asked and then glanced at Xavier who was standing behind me.
“Oh my god, him too.”
“Him too what?” Ethan said as he stepped out of their room and closed the door.
“Nothing.” Toni said.
We made our way down stairs and walked through the lobby towards the swimming pool. There was an older couple having coffee at one of the tables so I smiled and nodded as we passed by. The front desk clerk looked up and smiled but continued flipping through the papers that she was holding.
As soon as we reached the door that lead to the pool Ethan slid his room key into the slot and then pulled the door open. We all stepped in and dropped out things on one of the tables while Xavier removed his shirt and cleared his pockets placing our room key his wallet and phone on top of his shirt.
It was warm and the smell of chlorine hung in the air which made me frown because it was so strong. I pulled a hair tie from around my wrist and pulled my hair into a pony tail on top of my head before I stepped out of my shorts. I could feel Xavier watching me but I didn’t care, I wasn’t about to get in the pool with my shorts on so he would just have to get over it and besides from the way Ethan was glued to Toni I was sure that I was the last thing on his mind.
“I hope this water is heated.” Toni walked towards the shallow end of the pool and stuck her foot in.
“It is.” She looked over her shoulder and smiled before she stepped down into the pool until she was waist deep followed by Ethan.
“Can you swim?” he asked when he reached Toni and was standing behind her.
“A little. Can you?”
“I was on a swim team at the Y until I turned thirteen. Those damn speedos weren’t working for me anymore so I quit.”
Toni laughed, “I defiantly need to see pictures of that.”
“Not happening.” I’m pretty sure I burned all of them.
“I’ll just ask your mom.”
“Not happening I’m telling you.”
I walked towards the pool and stuck my foot in even though Toni had already told us that it was heated but I needed to see for myself. Once I was satisfied I stepped in and walked down the stairs. The water was warm but the smell of chlorine was ruining it for me.
“Why are you frowning like that?” Xavier asked and stepped in front of me. He locked his arms behind my back.
“That smell.”
“I know, its strong right?” Toni said.
“That just means the water is disease free.” Xavier said.
“That’s gross.” I said and then frowned again.
“It’s true though.” Ethan said and laughed.
We spent another forty five minutes in the pool and decided to skip the hot tub since Toni and Ethan were putting it to good use. As soon as we stepped into our room my phone rang so I dropped my towel on the floor next to the bed and grabbed it off the nightstand while Xavier headed straight for the bathroom to change.
“What’s up hoop star?” It was Leigh calling me.
“Are you with my brother?”
“Yeah why?”
“Is he near you now?”
“Do you need him not to be?” She sounded happy so I figured that nothing was wrong so I walked into the living room and sat down on the floor since my suit was still a little wet.
“I kissed a boy?” Leigh said cheerfully.
“You did?” I smiled remembering the excitement of my first kiss.
“Well he kissed me but it was a real kiss.”
“And who is the boy?” I asked wondering if it was the crush that we had d
iscussed during our last conversation.
“It was Brandon!” She almost yelled.
“So how did this happen?”
“He came to my game today and waited for me after it was over, walked me outside and then he just kissed me.”
“Just randomly kissed you?”
“Who's that?” Xavier asked standing over me.
“Leigh.”
“It better not be. Didn't you just say something about a kiss?”
“Please don’t tell him Ky.” Leigh pleaded after hearing her brother in the background
“I won't.”
Xavier stared at me trying to piece together my conversation.
“Give me a minute.” I said and then stood up to move away from him but he followed right behind me.
“Zay.”
“What?”
“Oh my god, you're doing the most.”
“Leigh, I'll call you back okay.”
“Is he mad?”
“No don't worry about that.”
“He's mad isn't he?”
“Don't worry about him. I got you but I'll call you back okay.”
“Okay.”
“Really Zay?”
“Hell yeah, she just turned fourteen and why is she calling you about that anyway?”
“Who else is she going to talk to, you?”
“Damn straight. That's a short conversation. Stay away from boys!”
“Exactly. That's why she called me. It's just a kiss.”
“And that's too much, a kiss is the gateway drug to sex.”
“Oh my good really? She is nowhere near that. Trust me so calm your nerves.”
“If a boy is kissing a girl then he's thinking past the kiss to what’s next. Trust me, I know.”
“I bet you do.” I said sarcastically.
“I know where my head was at when I was fourteen and that’s a no go when it came to Leigh.”
“Not every fourteen year old boy is a manwhore like you were and do you even know your sister? She is nothing like those tricks you were messing with at fourteen?”
“What know is that I don’t have time to be going to jail over some punk kid trying to get with my sister.”
“Well he likes her, she likes him and there's nothing you can do about it so get over it. Now I'm going to call her back and give her whatever advice she needs so that she doesn't go listening to any of her very inexperienced friends who have no clue about boys or life.”
Kya & Xavier: It's Always Been You (Life As We Know It Book 1) Page 22
