by Lex Martin
“Uh, whatever, I guess. I’ll just crash on the couch until Viola wakes up.”
My chest relaxes as I walk behind him to the living room. He drops his bag again and kicks his shoes off. “To be honest, I’m surprised you’re still here.” He chuckles, undoing his jeans and pulling them down. “I figured Vi would’ve kicked you out on your ass by now.”
I laugh lightly, relieved. “She’s tried, trust me.”
He laughs again with me, sprawling himself out on the couch with a throw pillow. “She’ll come around, I’m sure. Either that or I’ll have to separate you two with a switchblade.”
I pinch my lips together, hoping he can’t see the evidence on my smug face.
“Well, get some sleep. I gotta be up in a few,” I say, turning away to hide my smile.
“See you later.”
I walk back down the hall with a rush of urgency, needing to get a plan together stat. Viola needs to get back into Drew’s room without waking him up.
Except when I get back into my room, Viola is passed out cold with the sheet wrapped around her torso. She’s all twisted in my bed, and as much as I want to pull her body to mine, I have to somehow wake her up.
“Viola,” I whisper next to her ear. Her breath is steady and relaxed. “Viola,” I whisper again, louder. “You have to get up.”
“Hmm?” She moans, barely flinching. I start to uncover her slowly, knowing she’s naked and I’m going to have to restrain myself.
“Travis…” Her voice comes out in a plea.
“Your brother is here,” I explain. “You need to get up and go into his room before he realizes you aren’t there.”
Her eyes shoot open, and I see the horror on her face. “What?”
I cover her mouth with my hand and shush her. “He got into a fight with Mia, and she sent him packing.”
She groans, digging her head deeper into the pillow. “I can’t stand her,” she mumbles and rolls over.
“Come on, you have to get up.”
“I don’t think I can feel my limbs,” she says with a hint of humor.
I smile, knowing damn well I worked her body good. “Well, you’re going to have to try anyway. The last thing I need is him catching you in here and busting my balls for days.”
She finally starts to rise, pulling the sheet back up over her chest. “Because you’re embarrassed to admit you slept with his nerdy sister?” Her voice is condescending, and I can’t tell if she’s being her typical smartass self, or if she’s truly offended I asked her to leave.
“What? No. I just don’t want his fist in my face.”
She stands up and wraps the sheet around her body, searching for any remaining clothes on the floor. “Whatever, Travis. I’ll gladly leave your sex lair. Wouldn’t want to taint your name or anything.”
She reaches for the door before I can stop her. Viola turns and looks at me and smiles. As much as I want to, I can’t run after her with Drew in the living room. We both know why Drew can’t find out, at least not right now. He’s going through whatever it is he’s going through with Mia, but he’s also made it very clear he’d never approve of me being with his sister. Although up until a week ago, that was never even a possibility.
I look back at the clock and realize my alarm will be going off in less than three hours. I brush my hands down my face, beyond exhausted. In fact, this has been the most exhausting and draining week of my life.
But I can’t say I’d change being with Viola for anything.
I hear rattling coming from outside my door, startling me awake from my dreams. Remembering them being about Travis. Of course. I roll my eyes, sounding like such a cliché. Dreaming about a guy and even wishing he was still lying in bed with me.
“Viola, you awake?” I hear more pounding and realize Drew’s knocking. It takes me a second to remember that he came back home early this morning, so now he’ll probably want his space back.
“Yeah, just a minute,” I call out, needing to find some clothes first. I rush through my bags and slip on a pair of old pajama bottoms and one of Drew’s old basketball shirts. “Okay.”
He opens the door and wrinkles his nose, looking around. “Smells girly in here.”
“You mean it smells clean in here? You’re just used to it smelling like sweaty balls and old shoes.”
“Please, Viola,” he says sarcastically, pressing a hand to his chest. “I prefer the term athletic scent.”
I snort. “You can prefer it all you want, but your room reeks like old man dick.”
He laughs and wraps his arms around me. “I knew I missed you.”
“Of course, you did.” I smile. “I missed you, too.”
“Sorry to come home early and ruin your sleeping arrangements,” he says, shuffling his things around. I freeze, wondering if he’s talking about Travis.
“My sleeping arrangements?” I ask. Does he know I snuck back into his room last night?
“Yeah, I mean, sleeping here. I can dig up my old air mattress out of the basement if you want. Sleeps better than that damn couch,” he says, rubbing a kink out of his neck.
“Oh,” I remark. “Whatever, I’ll be fine.”
I bite my lip to keep the grin off my face. Hell, if only he knew.
No. He can never know.
“So, did things smooth out between you two? Last I heard, Travis was pissed you stayed out all night and brought home some random guy from the bar?”
I face him and scowl. “Don’t get all big brother on me. I’m allowed to go out, you know.”
“Perhaps,” he says, his shoulders rising and falling. “But to me, you’re still my nine-year-old little sister who peed in the Millers’ pool.”
I gasp, laughing and lunging toward him. “You’re such an ass!”
He laughs and shifts his body just in time so only our shoulders collide. “What about you? You’re the one who peed on an electric fence!”
His head falls back as he lets out a roar of laughter. “Shit, I forgot about that.” His hand instinctively covers his crotch. “That fucking hurt.”
As I gather my stuff, I grab my phone off the nightstand and see an unread message from Travis. I tell Drew I’m going to get into the shower and walk out before he sees the guilt written all over my face.
Once I’m in the bathroom, I lock the door behind me and swipe the screen on my phone.
Travis: I couldn’t fall back asleep without you next to me. I’m so fucking tired. But it was so damn worth it.
My face flushes, and I know I’m blushing like an idiot.
Viola: Sorry, Casanova. If it makes you feel any better, looks like I’m out on the air mattress from now on.
It takes less than a few seconds for his response to come through.
Travis: He’s making you sleep on the air mattress? What the hell! You can take my bed. I’ll take the couch.
Viola: No, that’ll look suspicious! We can’t act any different than we normally do, or he’ll know something’s up.
Travis: Oh, so now you’re the one embarrassed by me?
Okay, I deserved that.
Viola: No, actually. I was super tired this morning. I didn’t mean to overreact.
Travis: Wait a minute. Did hell just freeze over?
Viola: What?!
Travis: Did you just admit to overreacting to a situation? Viola, is this really you?
I bite my lip and chuckle. A sense of contentment floods over me. Travis knows me inside and out. He knows all my quirks, my habits, my body language. He’s taking over my heart again, and the thought of that scares me.
Viola: Yes, it’s me, you idiot!
Travis: Okay, that sounds more like you.
Viola: Ha-Ha. I’m getting in the shower now.
Travis: Don’t forget your vibrator this time.
I laugh and set my phone back down. Damn him.
He really has shown me a different side of him, but that doesn’t mean I trust him. In fact, the whole thing with Alyssa still doesn’t sit
well with me.
Once I’m showered and dressed, I meet Drew out in the living room. He’s pacing, and I know something’s on his mind.
“You all right?” I ask, softly, knowing it’s probably a stupid question to ask. “I mean, considering…”
“You mean, considering my girlfriend threw all my shit out, tossed me out in the middle of the night, and now won’t answer my texts or calls?”
I pinch my lips together, holding back what I really want to say. “Yeah, that.”
He shrugs, his face tense. The stubble over his jaw lets me know he hasn’t shaved in a couple of days. Things must not have been getting better like he said. I see the wrinkles forming in his forehead and the black circles under his eyes. He hasn’t slept.
“Want to go get some breakfast?” I ask, changing the subject. He looks like he needs a distraction. Hell, I could use a distraction, too.
“Sure, let’s go, little sis.”
After we pick up my car from Good Times, we end up at IHOP where we both order the big breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, ham, hash browns, toast, and of course, a little fruit bowl. Our table looks like two people who haven’t eaten in a week.
In fact, it’s probably more than I have eaten all week.
But food is comforting, and we both indulge. He doesn’t bring up Mia, so I find a way to slip her into the conversation.
“I suppose we’re going to be making different plans this weekend?” Not my smoothest way of asking about it, but whatever. I’m pumped up with carbs.
Basically, I need to figure out how I’m going to spend the rest of spring break in a house with my brother and the guy I’ve been hate-fucking all week without my brother finding out.
Or without my heart being shattered in the process.
“Probably,” he mumbles, shuffling his food around with his fork. He’s been stuffing his face since the moment the food arrived, and now, he looks like he’s in a coma.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask softly. “I’ll just listen if you want.”
“Not really.” He shoves another mouthful of pancakes in his mouth.
“Come on, Drew. Maybe I can help. Give you some insight or something.”
“Insight to what? Why girls are moody for no reason? Why they go from hot to cold in five seconds? Or how they can go from I love you to You’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me? Have any insight for that?” He ends the question with a sarcastic remark. Obviously, bringing up Mia was a bad idea.
“Okay, sorry, never mind,” I draw out slowly, only partly sorry for bringing it up. Perhaps this means he’ll be too distracted to notice anything going on between Travis and me. Knowing I have to act like nothing has changed makes me anxious for when the three of us are all together.
“Sorry, I just don’t know why she won’t at least message me back. I think it may be over this time.”
This isn’t the first time Drew and Mia have fought like this. They’ve even broken up once before but only for a day or two. I don’t remember ever seeing him this down before. Mia is a bit high maintenance, and if she didn’t make him so happy when things are good between the two of them, I’d be really annoyed at him for always going back to her. However, this time I just might shake some sense into him.
“Maybe that’s a good thing,” I say with a shrug, trying to sound sincere. “You guys are constantly going back and forth. Maybe a break would be good for you two.”
“We’re constantly on a break.” He’s exaggerating, but I know exactly what he means. Their relationship is more toxic than it is healthy.
“Well, then play hard to get. You’re always so quick to take her right back. She knows she can just push you around until she feels like having a boyfriend again.”
He pinches his lips, and I know a smartass comment is coming.
“And you’re the expert?” He raises a brow. Even though I know he’s teasing, he’s not wrong.
I sigh, giving up. “Fair enough.”
We continue eating in silence until my phone beeps with a new text message. I glance at it and see it’s from Courtney.
Courtney: Is it safe to assume since you haven’t called to chew my ass out yet because you and Travis ended up making up naked-style?
I smile weakly, sending her a message back.
Viola: As your punishment, I’m withholding all the details.
Courtney: NOOOOOO! I have nothing else to live for!!
I chuckle at her dramatics, glancing up at Drew’s sad face and getting the best idea.
Viola: Fine. Make it up to me and come over tonight and keep Drew company. He and Mia broke up.
Courtney: How are you just telling me NOW?! OMG. OMG. OMG.
I smile as I read her message because I can hear her high-pitched squealing in my head. Although she’s with Toby, she’d drop anything to hang out with Drew, even in a platonic kind of way.
Viola: I take it that’s a yes. Come around seven?
“What’s that about?” Drew asks, grabbing my attention back to him. “You’re sure smiling a lot.”
“So? I always smile.” Even I don’t believe the words the moment they come out of my mouth. “It’s Courtney. I invited her over tonight. Is that okay?”
“Depends. Will you be in your nighties having pillow fights and gossiping about NFL players?”
I nearly spit my juice out.
“You’re such a moron sometimes,” I say as we both laugh. The first time I’ve seen a smile on his face all morning.
Chapter 22
Travis
Even though I’m exhausted, I go to the gym bright and early. Before I leave, I wipe Alyssa’s message off the back of my car. Lipstick is a bitch to clean off, by the way. I work out for an hour to clear my mind. It’s an outlet I need, and I’ve missed the past few days, so it feels good to lift again.
Every time I blink, my eyes scream out in protest. By the time I get to work, I’m amped up on caffeine and adrenaline, and it’s the only thing that gets me through the morning. Well, that and the thought of Viola crumpling under my touch.
I click through countless folders on my computer and open my shared drive. It’s obvious Alyssa hasn’t contributed to our project because the last change was made yesterday by me. I suck in a few deep breaths and try to regain control and come up with a solid plan of execution. For hours, I rush around with hopes to finish the report by the end of the day because it’s due in less than twenty-four hours. I sort through previous project requisitions, contracts, and even research competitors because if my name is going to be put on something, it needs to be top-notch.
Fuck. I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Just like every other day since I received this blessing of a project, today is shit.
I run my fingers through my hair, then glance down at my phone and see it’s nearly lunchtime, but there’s no time to eat actual food, so I grab an emergency protein bar from my desk drawer and wolf it down.
Alyssa sashays outside of my office, pulling me back to the situation at hand, and I’m half tempted to follow her and tell her exactly what I think. Between the pictures, my tires, and her not pulling her weight, she deserves it. Just the thought of everything she’s put me through makes my blood boil. I’ve had enough of her shit. Just as I begin to stand, she turns around, steps in, and closes my door. She’s smiling, sweetly, which I know is a big fucking act. She’s the devil in designer clothes and lipstick.
I clench my jaw, the sight of her bringing the worst out in me.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this little visit, Alyssa?” Sarcasm drips from each word as I sit back down in my chair.
“How’s our project going?” she casually asks, sitting down on the edge of my desk. She looks entirely too comfortable as her skirt rides up her thighs and then has the audacity to look me up and down, like she used to, but I know better. She uses her body to get anything she wants. Too bad her looks are trumped by her bitchy attitude.
“My project is going fucking wond
erful. It’s due in the morning, and since you’ve done less than your part, I’m scrambling to finish it. I should’ve expected that from you anyway.” I cross my arms over my chest and lock eye contact with her. “If only you took your job as seriously as you took sucking my dick,” I say dryly.
She laughs as if I told her a fucking joke. She stands and smiles. “Oh, Travis.” Her voice is thick with pity. “I turned in the project yesterday.” She taps her fake nails along the top of my desk.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I dig my nails into my palm.
Her face lights up like a Christmas tree. “Daddy was so impressed by it.” Her face contorts. “But it’s a pity you weren’t able to contribute anything useful. He couldn’t believe you wouldn’t put in the effort for something so important. If I remember correctly, I believe he said, ‘Travis King is a disappointment,’ and I agreed with him.”
“What the fuck did you do, Alyssa?” With nostrils flaring, I push my chair back and stand.
Her evil grin doesn’t falter. “Some lessons are learned the hard way, Travis. This one you should’ve learned a long time ago.”
Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable. My mind is reeling, and I’m so pissed I can barely control myself. Alyssa takes a step toward me. She’s standing so close that I can smell the stench of her overpriced perfume. She slides her hand down my chest until my dick is cupped in her hand. I’m trying to control my anger, but it’s beginning to spill over.
I grab her wrists and force them tight to her side. My thumbs dig into her skin, and she squirms before relaxing. It takes everything I have not to drag her from my office and throw her into the hallway. I release her arms, needing to control my temper before it gets out of hand.
