I was wearing nothing else, except for the pink socks.
Phoenix blinked, and his gaze slowly dropped down. His breathing grew more labored.
“Are you going to invite me in?” I asked softly.
He cleared his throat. “Are you sure about this?”
“Without a doubt.”
He picked me up before I even finished speaking. As I wrapped my legs around his hips, he crushed his lips to mine and pushed the door closed behind us.
Chapter 10
Phoenix
I watched her sleep as beams of sunlight filtered into my bedroom. Finally, finally . . . she was mine.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Last night had been amazing and beyond anything I had dreamed for the past twelve years. Our bodies had melded in a way that surprised even me. At night, I had woken up several times, unable to get enough of her. And each time, she had accepted me without hesitation.
I still couldn’t believe she was here, in my bedroom.
Sleeping beside me.
My hand reached under the blanket and began roaming over her body. Her skin was so soft, so smooth –
“Phoenix.” Sam blinked up at me.
Undeterred, I continued my exploration. “Yes, baby.”
“I need to tell you something.”
“So tell me.” I leaned down, nibbling on her bare shoulder.
“My dad wants me to live with him.”
I chuckled, my hand going lower. “What, in Australia?”
She stilled my hand. “Yes.” After a pause, she whispered, “I leave tomorrow.”
She had my attention now. I bolted up and glared at her.
“What are you saying?”
Tears sprang in her eyes. “My plane leaves in the morning.”
I’d heard enough. Flipping the blankets off me, I stood up and wandered to the bathroom. I didn’t care that I was stark naked. Take a good look at my ass, I thought viciously. Because it’s the last thing you’ll ever see of me.
***
Sam
Don’t cry, I told myself. Please, don’t cry.
I burst into tears. Once again, he’d left me in bed and given me the brush-off. And I would have to walk out of the room. In humiliation.
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. I knew he was hurt. But we couldn’t part like this. We had to talk, had to figure out a way to sustain a long-distance relationship. We couldn’t end things before they even had a chance to begin.
I wrapped the blanket around me and padded to the bathroom.
“Phoenix?” I rapped on the door. “Let me in.”
He turned on the shower and drowned me out.
Numb, I tightened the blanket on my body and stepped out of the room. I had no recollection of having walked down the stairs. On the way to the guestroom, I bumped into Sean, who was already dressed for work.
He raised his brows but didn’t say anything about my makeshift attire and disheveled hair. Instead, he gave me a hug.
“Been a while,” he said. “Now, why are your eyes red?”
I wiped my eyes with my free hand. “I leave for Australia tomorrow. I’ll be living with Dad now.”
“Did Phoenix flip out?”
I nodded miserably.
“Give him time. You are the love of his life, after all.” He checked his watch and grimaced. “I have to go. I’m late for work.” He chucked me under the chin. “Take care of yourself, kid. I may even come and visit you sometime.”
“I’d love that.” I walked him to the door and hugged him one last time before he left.
As I walked back to the guestroom, I pondered what Sean had said.
I was the love of Phoenix’s life?
That only increased my misery, because it meant I had hurt Phoenix that much more.
I entered the guestroom, dressed in jeans and a sweater, and then began packing my meager belongings. I decided to spend the last day at a hotel and give Phoenix some space. Hopefully, he would forgive me, and we could start again. On a piece of paper, I wrote how much I loved him and left it on the nightstand where he would find it. I prayed he wouldn’t throw it away.
Once that was done, I left the mansion.
Chapter 11
Five months later
Sam
“That’s $59.95.” I smiled at the customer and handed her the change, along with her purchase. The lady peeked into the bag.
“If my friend doesn’t like it, can I get an exchange?”
“Of course. Just be sure to bring the purchased item and the receipt within a week.”
She smiled at me and went on her merry way.
I’d been working part time at this clothing store for the past five months. It turned out that I’d sent my college applications too late, and my particular course didn’t accept mid-year applications, anyway. So I’d had no choice but to defer my studies.
But all that was fine. My studies would resume March of next year, and I was living with Dad. I loved it, and so did he. We were having the best time. We were a family once again. A real family. My life was almost perfect.
If only Phoenix would answer my text messages and calls.
Not once did he answer me. I couldn’t believe it. I’d sent over a hundred messages, to the point where I was stepping into stalker territory. His silence rattled me. Was he back with Wanda again? Had they read my messages together, laughing about how pathetic I was? Did he tell her that I was terrible in bed, and was nothing like her at all?
I grew physically sick just thinking about it.
In the evening, I left with my new friend who was also a sales assistant at the store. Emma was a second-year university student majoring in government. To make things even better, she was attending the same university that I would be attending next year. Life was good.
If only Phoenix would answer my calls.
We headed to a small corner café, a favorite hangout of ours. Emma went to our usual table as I went to order coffee and cheesecake. When I returned, she was holding a stuffed toy in her arms.
“What’s that?” I asked, putting the change in my purse.
She looked puzzled. “It was sitting on the table. Some kid must have left it here.” She pressed the toy, releasing a pre-recorded series of melodious oinks.
I froze.
“Let me see,” I said quietly, reaching for the toy. With a shrug, Emma gave it to me.
I recognized the stuffed pig. Phoenix had given it to me when we were twelve, and it had been in my bedroom since then. So what was it doing here?
“Aren’t you going to say hello?”
My heart skipped a beat, and I slowly turned around. Phoenix was standing before me. Confused, I rubbed my eyes. Then stared again.
His hair was longer and he’d lost a bit of weight, which made him look even taller if that was possible. He looked so good that tears welled up in my eyes. Behind me, I heard Emma make an appreciative noise deep in her throat.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered.
“I spoke to your dad earlier. He said you might be here.”
I shook my head. “No, I mean what are you doing in Sydney?”
He cocked his head to the side, considering my question. “I live here now.”
“Since when?”
“Since a week ago.”
“Where?”
Emma cleared her throat and picked up her bag. “Sweetie, I think I should leave. Seems you two have a lot to catch up on.” She shot Phoenix a friendly grin and then winked at me. Call me later, she mouthed. When she was behind him, she leaned back and mouthed again, He’s hot, and fanned herself as she stepped outside.
Phoenix and I were alone.
I sat down and gestured that he do the same. “I’ve order coffee and cheesecake,” I said, my voice quivering. “Sit down and tell me everything.”
His eyes were cool. “How could you leave without saying goodbye?”
“You didn’t want to see me.”
&nb
sp; “I was angry at you. Could you blame me?”
I shook my head. “You have no idea how sorry I was. But why didn’t you read my messages?”
“I did read them. Every. Single. One.”
“Then why didn’t you reply?”
His eyes blazed with anger. “Because I would have begged you to come back. And I knew you were happy here.”
Silence fell between us. My fingers itched to touch his.
“Was Sean telling the truth?” I asked softly. When he raised a questioning brow, I explained, “He said I was the love of your life.”
His laugh was sarcastic. “Was there ever any doubt? It seemed everyone knew but you.”
The barista brought our coffee and cheesecake, but they remained untouched on the table. Phoenix and I were too busy staring at each other.
“Where are you staying?” I was brimming with questions. “What about college? What about –?”
“I’m renting a flat. As for college, I’ve enrolled at your university of choice.” A faint smile appeared on his lips. “I start next March.”
This couldn’t be happening. It was surreal.
His expression turned serious again. “Do you have any idea what I’m doing to you in my head at this moment?”
My heart quickened when I saw the desire in his eyes. His gaze had become a bit unfocused.
I grabbed my bag and the stuffed pig. “Take me to your flat.”
“Now?”
I stood up. “Right now.”
He stood up as well. “You do realize, once you cross that threshold, that you’re not leaving for at least three days?”
“I’m planning on it,” I huffed.
“What about work?”
“I’ll call in sick,” I snapped, and grabbed his hand. If we didn’t leave soon, I would be ravishing him on the floor of this small café any second now.
Finally, he smiled. As we stepped outside, he suddenly pressed my hand against his lips.
“Don’t run away from me ever again.”
For a split second, he looked so vulnerable that my heart ached painfully. I pulled him closer.
“You’re stuck with me now,” I said in agreement.
We hailed a taxi and stumbled in, unable to stop touching each other. We still had so much to talk about, so much to catch up on. But first things first. After all, we had the rest of our lives to talk.
Now, I could say life was absolutely perfect.
My Friend, Phoenix Page 5
