Heat

by Jessica Sorensen

  I really need to get some good sleep tonight, I think to myself.

  Maybe I’ll ask Micha to stay over tonight. I sleep better when he’s around. Plus, he’s like my own personal heater…

  “You falling asleep on me there?” Micha whispers in my ear.

  I blink, glancing around, and realize we’re in Ethan’s truck, but Ethan and Renee aren’t here anymore. And we’re parked in front of Jane’s house, who’s a friend of ours.

  “Holy crap, did I fall asleep?” I ask, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

  Micha nods, his eyes searching mine. “How much sleep did you get last night?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. I think I went to bed at like one and woke up at five.”

  He frowns. “Why’d you go to sleep so late?”

  I shrug. “Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep.”

  “You don’t when I spend the night.”

  “I know.”

  “You want me to spend the night tonight?” he asks.

  I shrug. I really want him to, though, but I’m not about to admit it.

  He smiles. “All right, I will.” Then he shifts me off his lap and slides over to climb out of the truck.

  Once he gets out, he reaches into the cab, grabs a bag from the dashboard, and a cup of coffee from the cupholder.

  “Is that my breakfast?” I ask as I slide to the edge of the seat.

  He nods and hands me the goodies. “Yep. You’re lucky Ethan didn’t eat it. I had to threaten him like ten times.”

  “He’s such a pig,” I remark, peering into the bag. “Wait. There’s more than just a hash brown in here.”

  “Because you need to eat more than just a hash brown.”

  “Micha.” I frown, glancing up at him. “We’ve gone over this. You don’t need to take care of me all the time.”

  “I know I don’t need to. But I like to.” He signals for me to climb out. “Now come on. Lets get inside. I’m freezing my ass off.”

  I don’t budge. “How much do I owe you for the food?”

  He gives me a tolerant look. “You know I’m not going to take your money.”

  “Then I’m going to stick some cash in your pocket when you’re not looking,” I threaten.

  Snowflakes land on the top of his hood as he shrugs. “Go ahead. I’ll just put it right back into your pocket.”

  I glare at him, but he only laughs and reaches in and places his hands onto my wait. “Come on. I’ll carry you inside.”

  I close the bag of food. “No thanks. I’d rather use these things I have called legs. They’re pretty cool. They can move and carry my body around.”

  He chuckles, pulling me closer until I’m sitting on the edge of the seat with my legs nestled between his. “I’ll carry you so you don’t have to get your boots wet.” He gives a glance down at my ankle-high boots, velvet boots. “I have no idea why you wore those today. The snow’s going to ruin them.”

  “I didn’t realize I was going to be wading through snow,” I point out, hitching my legs around his waist. “I thought we were just going to the school, which is usually plowed.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you have your very own carrying taxi,” he teases as I loop my arms around the back of his neck.

  Then he slips his arms around my waist and steps back from the truck with me holding onto him.

  “A taxi who gets me breakfast,” I add, clutching onto him.

  But as I press up against him, I’m reminded of what happened this morning while we were wrestling around. Or more like what I felt…

  “I have a question,” I say as he carries me across the front yard of Jane’s house.

  “What’s up?” he asks, shifting my weight in his arms.

  I chew on my bottom lip, unsure if I dare ask. But curiosity gets the best of me. “You don’t really think I’m hot, right?”

  He presses his lips together, his gaze shifting to me. “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

  I almost say lie, but find myself stupidly saying, “The truth?”

  He wavers, his eyes searching mine. “Okay, then yeah, I think you’re hot.” I’m about to freak out on him, even though it’s my own fault that he said it, when he adds, “Don’t freak out on me. I’m just stating a fact. And I’m not the only guy who thinks this either.”

  “Who else thinks this?” I ask, unsure if I’m annoyed or not that guys are talking about my hotness.

  He shrugs. “Guys say it all the time.” He pauses as we reach the front door, his eyes searching mine again. “Do you like that they do?”

  “No.” I’m not sure if that’s the truth or not.

  His lips sink into a frown, but then he quickly plasters on a smile. “You’re such a little liar. You love that guys think you’re hot.”

  “No, I don’t.” I pinch his chest.

  He flinches, then grins, his eyes darkening. “You know what? That little pinch just reminded me that you owe my sexy chest a kiss. And I think I’m going to collect when we get inside.”

  I scowl at him. “Not yet.”

  “Yep, right now.” Then holding me up with one arm, he pulls the door open and steps inside, leaving me to silently freak out.

  Fiery Red Lipstick

  Ella

  I’m trying to calm down as I hang out in the basement with Renee and Jane, but knowing what I’m going to have to do soon is sending panic through me. I try to distract myself the best that I can, though, and devour the breakfast sandwich, hash brown, and coffee Micha bought me.

  “You’re being super quiet right now,” Renee remarks as I finish off my hash brown.

  I shrug, wiping off my hands. “It’s not like I’m ever Miss Talkative.”

  “She has a point.” Jane, who’s a year older than me and has blonde hair and a lot of piercings picks up a bottle of vodka Renee brought over.

  Micha, Ethan, and Steve, Jane’s boyfriend, wandered off to the garage to check out Steve’s new ride. I wanted to go with them, but I was hungry and decided to sit down and eat. But I’m starting to regret my decision.

  “Why don’t you talk that much?” Jane asks me as she unscrews the cap on the vodka bottle. “Or well, I should say talk that much to us. You talk to Micha all the time.”

  I want to say that I like Micha, but manage to bite my tongue. “Because I think talking is overrated.”

  Jane nods her head then takes a swig of vodka. “I actually agree with you about that.” She passes the bottle to me. “Talking is overrated, especially when we can do so much more with our mouths, like drink or make out with a hot guy.

  Renee and her laugh while I mentally roll my eyes.

  I really should have gone with the guys.

  Sighing, I take the bottle and swallow a sip, mostly to calm my freaking nerves over having to kiss Micha’s chest. As the thought crosses my mind, I take another swallow then hand the bottle to Renee.

  “What was Micha talking about with you before he walked out of here with Ethan and Steve?” Renee asks me as she lifts the bottle of vodka toward her mouth. “I heard him say you owed him or something.”

  I sink back into the worn leather sofa. “Well, to make a long story short, I lost a challenge and now… I have to kiss his chest.”

  Renee blinks in surprise. “What the hell was the challenge about?”

  I shrug, picking at a loose thread hanging from a hole in my jeans. “Over whether or not he has a hairy, gross chest.”

  Renee gapes at me. “Please say you were arguing that he doesn’t.”

  “What would be the fun in that?” I question with a smirk.

  She shakes her head, still gaping at me. “Ella, you’re seriously the most crazy person I’ve ever met.”

  “I’ll second that,” Jane says as she snatches the bottle from Renee. “I mean, Micha’s not even my type but I’ll totally admit, he’s hot. And that includes his chest because I’ve seen that guy with his shirt off and…” She gets a lustful smile on her face. “All I can say is wow.”
<
br />   “Wow’s an understatement,” Renee says, stretching her legs out in front of her. “I saw him a couple of months ago walking around shirtless at the shop and holy hell, he’s gotten fine. One of these days I’m going to hook up with him.” She sneaks a glance in my direction.

  “Why’re you looking at me like that?” I ask. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

  The two of them trade a look then Jane sighs and looks at me.

  “Some of us have been wondering if maybe you and Micha… If you…” She hesitates, glancing at Renee.

  “Dude, why’re you so afraid of her?” Renee asks with an eye roll.

  “Um, hello, did you not see her punch Ava last weekend?” Jane sets the bottle down on the cracked coffee table then looks at me. “Seriously, Ella, you’re kind of ruthless.”

  “Ava deserved it,” I defend myself. “She tripped Lana for no reason and she nearly fell into the fire pit.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know that.” Jane pauses. “I’m kind of glad you did it then.”

  “Whatever. We’re getting off track,” Renee interrupts, twisting to face me. “It’s time to confess what’s going on with you and Micha, so the rest of us—and by rest of us, I mean me—know whether or not we’ll be breaking any rules if we decide to hook up with Micha.”

  “Aren’t you hooking up with Ethan?” I ask, aware I may be deflecting.

  Renee gives a half-shrug. “Yeah, so? We’re not dating.”

  “Dude, you two sound just like each other,” I say.

  “And you’re avoiding answering my question,” Renee replies. “And I’m starting to think you’re doing it on purpose.”

  I resist a frown, even though my lips really want to pull downward. But if I do then she’ll know the truth. And no one can know the truth. That sometimes it does bother me when Micha hooks up. But it’s not because I want him for myself. I just don’t want to lose him to anyone else. Which, yes, is selfish, but it’s how I feel.

  I’m not about to tell anyone that, though.

  “If you want to hook up with him, then do it.” I shrug, knowing the only reason I’m so chill about saying the words aloud is because I know Micha will never hook up with Renee—she’s not his type.

  “Who can hook up with who?” Micha asks, appearing in the doorway and making me cringe.

  “Um…” I glance at Renee, who shrugs and looks at Micha.

  “A friend of mine wants to hook up with you,” she tells him.

  Micha’s gaze flicks to me then back to her.

  His brow arches upward. “And why does she need Ella’s permission for that?”

  Renee shrugs again. “Because sometimes it seems like you two are dating.”

  A protest works up my throat, but Micha beats me to the punch.

  “You know, that remark is kind of insulting,” he says as he makes his way across the room and plops down on the sofa beside me. “Since you saw me hook up with Beth last weekend, which would mean I cheated on Ella.”

  “Oh my god, you did?” I give a mocking gasp, hoping to distract everyone from whether Micha and I are dating.

  A smile quirks at his lips as he shucks off his jacket. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to. Please forgive me.”

  I cross my arms. “Nope. We’re so breaking up. And I want my shirt back.”

  His head tilts to the side. “What shirt?”

  “That one I got at the concert last month that you stole from me.”

  “I didn’t steal it from you. I bought it for myself.”

  I fake a pout. “I thought you bought it for me. And now I find out you cheated on me and we’re breaking up… What a shitty morning.”

  He drums his finger against his lips. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you the shirt as an apology for cheating on you and making you break up with me. We have to stay friends, though.”

  “Deal,” I agree then grow serious. “Are you really going to give me the shirt?”

  He bobs his head up and down. “Yeah, it looks better on you anyway.”

  And there comes that stupid warmth again.

  “Oh my god,” Renee groans. “Not dating, my ass. You guys are disgusting. For reals. I’m not even going to bother competing with that.”

  Micha’s brows rise as he glances at me, but I simply shrug, my good mood deflating, and I really start questioning why I’m friends with Renee.

  “Hey, baby,” Steve says to Jane as he enters the room. He’s bundled up in a large coat and thick boots both of which he discards before he plops down onto the sofa. Then he leans in to kiss Jane and she giggles, kissing him back.

  I pull a disgusted face—PDA has never and will never be my thing—and look away only to find Micha observing me curiously.

  My brows pull together. “What’s that look for?”

  He gives a shrug then nudges me over so he can sit down between me and the armrest. “Nothing. I was just thinking.”

  I rotate toward him and rest my elbow on the back of the sofa. “About what?”

  He stretches his arm along the back of the sofa, the crook of his arm resting beside my elbow. “Just life.”

  “Always such a deep thinker,” I tease.

  He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “You want to talk about something?” I ask. “Because it kind of looks like you do.”

  He glances around at Steve and Jane who are making out on the sofa and then at Jane, who’s gotten up and is messing around with a dartboard on the wall.

  Pressing his lips together, he looks back at me. “I was just thinking about life and being with someone. I mean, in like an actual relationship.”

  A weird, churning sensation stirs in the pit of my stomach. “Are you saying you want to date someone?” I ask and he raises a shoulder. The churning sensation gets worse. “Who?”

  He stares at me with a puzzled, yet somehow intense look on his face. “I’m not sure yet.” He slants back, raking his fingers through his hair. “Honestly, I’m not even sure I could ever date anyone.”

  The churning sensation lets up a bit, but leaves me wondering why. “Why not?”

  “I don’t know...” He chews on his bottom lip, his face set in deep thought. “I’d probably suck at being in one since I know shit about them.”

  My heart aches for him a little bit. “You’re talking about your mom?”

  When Micha was six, his dad bailed on his family and he hasn’t seen him since. Micha’s mom has dated a few times, though, and a couple of those relationships were decent.

  He reclines back in the sofa, letting out a loud exhale. “Maybe… Honestly, I’m not sure what I’m even talking about. I’m just in a weird mood.”

  I can sense that, but what I can’t sense is the exact cause of his weird mood. I want to cheer him up, though, like he always tries to do with me.

  “What about your mom and Grady,” I tell him. “Their relationship was pretty good.” Which is true. And Micha and I still occasionally visit Grady.

  “Yeah, I know.” He meets my gaze, staring at me in a way that makes me squirm. Then he suddenly grins. “You know what would cheer me up.”

  “Oh God, here we go,” I groan, playing along, but part of me is worried what caused his sullen mood.

  Does he really want to be in a relationship? Or was it about something else?

  If he does want to date someone, what will that do to our relationship?

  “You should be worried.” A grin takes over his face as he leans toward me, the scent of cologne, cigarette smoke, and something that only belongs to Micha engulfing my nostrils. “I think it’s time for you to pay up.”

  I shake my head. “Later.”

  “Nope. It’s time.” Then he stands up and reaches for the hem of his shirt.

  My heart thunders in my chest, blood roaring in my eardrums. Is he seriously going to make me do this?

  “I’m not sure what’s going on, but keep going,” Renee encourages as she puts down the dart she’s holding a
nd fixes her attention on Micha.

  Grinning, he gradually lifts his shirt up, his intense gaze searing into mine. “What’s going on is Ella May owes me a kiss on the chest.”

  “Yeah, she told us about that.” Renee rounds the pool table and walks toward us. “I didn’t realize she was going to do it now. Not that I have a problem with that.” She seems pretty damn pleased as she ogles Micha.

  Any amount of like I may have had for Renee, which wasn’t a lot already, goes poof.

  Micha’s gaze remains fixed on me as he tugs his shirt over his head and drops it onto the floor. While my eyes want to stray across his chest, I refuse to give him the satisfaction. Plus, there’s no way in hell I’m going to openly check him out with everyone watching me.

  So, instead, I let out a yawn and recline back in the sofa.

  He chuckles, his eyes crinkling around the corners. “You can pretend to be bored all you want, but you’re still going to have to pay up.” His smug smirk is taunting me, just enough that a spark of fire ignites inside me and wipes away any amount of nervousness I was feeling.

  Squaring my shoulders, I stand up and step toward him. “You don’t scare me, Micha Scott.” That might not be true though. Sometimes he scares me because of how he makes me feel.

  “I guess this isn’t a big deal then, is it?” His eyes glint with a dare.

  “Nope. Not at all.” I dig up all the courage I have, pucker up, and lean forward.

  “Wait!” Jane calls out and I freeze.

  She jumps up from the sofa and holds up her finger. “Don’t move. I have an idea.” Then she hurries out of the room and into the bathroom.

  Ethan enters the room then, which let me tell you, makes this whole thing that much more awesome—insert sarcasm on my part.

  He takes one look at me, standing in front of a shirtless Micha, and his brow arches.

  “What’d I miss?” he asks.

  “Ella lost a challenge this morning,” Renee answers for me, tearing her eyes off of Micha’s chest and focusing on Ethan. “She has to kiss Micha’s chest. And may I add, a very unhairy, toned chest.” She flashes Micha a flirty smile, but his attention is still glued to me.