Not Even Close (A New Generation)

by Elizabeth Reyes

  She got up and headed to the kitchen where she’d left her purse with her phone in it. As soon as she reached the kitchen, she realized it wasn’t her phone. Glancing down at the screen on the counter, it rang one last time, but she caught the name, Irma.

  As her stomach began to tighten, she reminded herself that A. This could be anyone. It could be a client or family member or even just a friend. And B. She and Byron had only technically been going out a week and he hadn’t made it clear until today how he wanted this fun arrangement to work.

  “Did you not get it on time?” Byron asked as he walked into the kitchen.

  Glancing down at his phone, she picked it up just in time to see the text preview that popped up now from Irma.

  I’m outside are you still. . .

  “It was your phone ringing, not mine. Irma?” She made sure he knew she’d seen who’d called him back-to-back and apparently was now outside.

  Before he could read the text or respond to her question, a buzzer rang downstairs. His jaw going taut wasn’t missed as he slipped the phone in his pocket. He opened his mouth about to say something when the buzzer rang again.

  Frowning, he lifted a finger up at her. “Let me take care of this and I’ll explain as soon as I’m back.”

  Vannah nodded as he rushed off. In his haste to rush out he left the door cracked open. At first, she wasn’t going to be nosey, but curiosity got the best of her and she started toward it. This could still be nothing. Maybe it was a client or associate or even family member who needed something from him.

  “Wouldn’t be unheard of, right?” she whispered as she reached the cracked open door and peeked out.

  Byron reached the door downstairs and opened it for Irma who stood outside. Pushing the door open a little wider, Vannah took in the tall thin girl with the oddly pale red hair. She watched as a scantily dressed Irma instantly tried to hug him. To Vannah’s relief, Byron backed away shaking his head, making it obvious he wanted no part of it. There was no missing the awkward disappointment on Irma’s face as the rejection seemed to set in. Then her eyes glanced up at the door and met with Vannah’s.

  Vannah stood there frozen as the understanding of why Irma was being rejected seemed to sink in for the girl now too. Clearly upset, she turned back to Byron and pointed at Vannah. At first Byron didn’t turn, instead continued to speak adamantly, until Irma said something loudly that Vannah couldn’t make out and lifted her hand to point at her again. This time Byron did turn, his expression said it all as their eyes locked. Despite his claim that any and all his downtime this week was spent on Vannah. Judging by the girl’s reaction to seeing Vannah there now, this had to be someone he’d made time for very recently.

  Eighteen

  Strike One

  Byron

  Damn it all to fucking hell!

  Rushing down the stairs, Byron did his best to remind himself he’d never been in a place in his life where he felt the need to set boundaries for chicks. So, he never had. There’d been times he’d even appreciated unannounced booty calls.

  Not tonight.

  This was the last thing he wanted tonight. Especially not after just having dinner with Savannah’s family, but especially not after being explicitly threatened that his ass would be grass if he did her wrong.

  One look at Irma and he knew without a doubt she was here to finish what they hadn’t last night. Tonight. On the night he’d just gotten shit straight with Savannah and thankfully so. Because after the scene at the gym today he’d wanted to make sure she knew he would not be okay with her doing anything that might set him off again and have him losing his shit. It’s why he’d been so quick to make sure he got that straight. Now this!

  “Fuck my life,” he muttered as he opened the door.

  “Hey!” Irma said smiling broadly as she reached out to hug him.

  Feeling like a dick, but having no other choice, he held her at bay and shook his head. “Can’t do this, Irma.”

  Her face jerked back. “What do you mean? The game got boring, so we left, me and my cousin, that is. I figured I’d come back here, and you and I could go back to where we left off last—”

  Byron closed his eyes when she looked up behind him and went silent suddenly. Her face turned back to him. “You have company? Is that it?”

  “Yeah, I’m busy right now. I can’t—”

  “Are you kidding me?” She got louder. “Does she know your bed is still warm from my naked ass?”

  “Lower your fucking voice,” he said hushing his own words, even as he felt his heart spike. “You and I have never—”

  “What is she sixteen? You fucking little girls now, Byron?”

  “Shut the—"

  “Look at her!” She pointed up again.

  Taking a deep breath, Byron reluctantly turned up to look at the cracked open door of his apartment as his eyes locked with Savannah’s. He was only locked in her eyes for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity before she closed the door.

  He turned back to Irma feeling a fire inside him. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t mess with minors.”

  “She sure as hell looks like one.”

  “I don’t give a shit what she looks like to you,” Byron spat back feeling his insides flare with every inference she made regarding Savannah. “All you need to know about her is she’s the only one who belongs up there now.”

  Her eyes went wide as she jerked her face back. “Is that right? So, just this morning it was okay for me to be lying naked in your bed, and suddenly you’re in a committed relationship?”

  “Something like that.” He squeezed the door he was still holding open. “So, now that you know, I need to get back to her.”

  “You’re a fucking asshole!”

  “You can feel however you want, Irma.” He lifted and dropped an indifferent shoulder. “Just go do it somewhere else.”

  “Yeah?” She leaned into the doorway getting loud. “Did you tell her about—”

  “Look!” He startled her as he stepped out suddenly, slammed the door closed behind him and spoke through his teeth. “I’m sorry shit changed so fast I didn’t get a chance to give you a heads up, but it did. But now you know and I sure as fuck am not gonna stand here and allow you to do or say anything to upset her. I know you’re still on probation. So, unless you want me calling the cops on your ass, I suggest you get the hell out of here.”

  If a glare could kill, he’d be six feet under already. “Go fuck yourself.”

  Byron watched as she stalked away. “I know how bad a restraining order can be for someone on probation. Don’t make me have to get one. You hear me?” He called out loudly. “I won’t put up with any bullshit, Irma.”

  No, he sure as fuck wasn’t. Not when it came to Savannah. He was done trying to understand it, but in as short a time as he’d known her, he felt as protective over her as he did his own nieces. Just hearing this bitch say anything about her, had him ready to roar. Waiting until he was sure she’d driven away; he took a deep breath opening the door to the shop. He was about to walk back in ready to face the music, when the dimly lit parking lot brightened as another car drove in.

  “Now what?” he muttered.

  He turned back inside when he heard the door to his apartment open and Savannah walked out and started down the stairs. Turning back to the car in the parking lot, he saw it was a dude in the car.

  Pummeled with the urge to roar again, he failed miserably at trying not to sound too demanding. “Where you going?”

  “I’m leaving.” Before he could demand to know who the fuck with, she added. “I called an Uber.”

  Instantly panicked, he rushed to her. “Wait, wait, wait.” He met her at the bottom of the stairs, putting a hand at either of her shoulders and searched her hurt eyes. “I’ll explain. Give me at least that much. If you still wanna leave, I’ll take you home myself. I promise. J-just wait right here. Please.”

  She stopped where she was at, and he spun around
practically sprinting outside. Pulling out his wallet he replayed the conversation he’d had with Irma. She’d tried but he hadn’t let her finish, so he knew Savannah couldn’t possibly know everything. This might still be salvageable.

  “Hey man, sorry we don’t need a ride after all.” He handed him a twenty. “But take this for your time.”

  The guy glanced down at the twenty and looked up at him wide eyed. “This wouldn’t even have been an eight-dollar ride, man. It—”

  “Just take it.” Byron shoved it at him and rushed back to the shop.

  Savannah was still standing at the bottom of the stairs where he’d left her. “You don’t have to explain—”

  “Yes, I do.” He hurried to her but didn’t dare touch her because she flinched back. “She is someone I’ve gone out with, okay? I told you. I haven’t had a girlfriend since I was fifteen, Savannah. So, it’s nothing like that. But I won’t lie, I’ve had plenty of meaningless relationships. All physical, nothing else. She’s just one of them, only after today,” he added quickly needing her to believe this. “After what we discussed, I’m cutting them all off. I just didn’t expect her to show up and get all bat-shit crazy like that.”

  She stared at him silently looking understandably unsure. “If your relationship with her is meaningless, why was she so mad?”

  “I don’t know,” he said feeling a tinge of guilt. “But you’re the first girl in forever that I’ve had any desire to get to know on a deeper level. And that’s the God’s honest truth. So, I have no idea why she’d snap like that. I’ve never promised her anything.”

  Except to tell her he’d make up for what he couldn’t finish last night. But he hadn’t promised, and she’d cancelled on him, damn it.

  “But I will promise you this,” he added with conviction unbelievably ready to fall to his knees if need be. “She won’t be back. She’s on probation and I told her I’d call the cops if she showed up here again.”

  He braced himself as she went silent for a moment. Then to his surprise and utter relief, Savannah wrapped her arms around his neck, and he picked her up, groaning when she wrapped her legs around him. As petite as she was, he easily carried her up the stairs, mindful to watch his step as they kissed deeply the whole way.

  As they walked in, his first instinct was to head to the bedroom, but the reminder of Irma’s naked ass being there just that morning made him hesitate. Instead, he headed back to the sofa. He sat back with her still wrapped around him, so she straddled him as they continued to kiss. Sweet moans escaped her, and his guttural moans got deeper.

  Normally if things got this hot and he already had them back at his place he knew exactly how this would be ending. But it’d been long established now, his instincts had been screaming it even before he’d met her. Despite his not understanding it, there was just something so different about Savannah. Not just what she did to him but the more he got to know her, the more he knew she was nothing like the girls he usually dated. Sure, she’d shown zero resistance to anything physical even the first time he’d kissed her.

  His thudding heart knew it was partly the unwavering voice of reason in his head, but now her father’s words had added to it tenfold. Savannah was without question someone he’d have to handle far more delicately when it came to things of this nature. This wouldn’t be something he’d just jump into like he would with any other girl.

  Moving slowly even as their frantic kissing continued, Byron maneuvered them both so that they were lying down on the sofa with her on top. Though it was a little awkward, it worked at first. Until she tried moving her leg and she nearly fell off him. She gasped then giggled when he caught her in time. But after the second close call, she licked her lips smiling.

  “Maybe we should go somewhere more comfortable?”

  Glancing down at his hardwood floor he cursed himself for not having carpeted the place yet, like he kept saying he wanted to. No way could he suggest they move things to the floor. Even if he did go grab blankets and pillows. It’d still be too damn hard.

  Once again, Irma’s words about his bed still being warm from her naked ass assaulted him as he considered moving things to the bedroom. He was sure it’s what Vannah had been suggesting but was too timid to say it outright. Kissing her a few more times before he sat up, he thought quick.

  “Come on.” He stood holding out his hand to her as his heart raced for more than one reason.

  Were they really going to go there tonight? If he felt this crazed about her now, there’d be no turning back once they went there. Or did she just want somewhere more comfortable to make out? Either way, Byron wouldn’t even bother to hide the massive bulge in his pants. No way she hadn’t felt it already. It’d been at attention the moment she’d jumped into his arms downstairs.

  He slowed as they reached the linen closet just outside his bedroom to address the other reason his heart was racing. As casually as he could, he pulled out clean sheets and pillowcases and prayed she wouldn’t question his wanting to refresh his bed.

  They walked into his bedroom. He’d made his bed in a hurry that morning and he’d done a half assed job, but it was still made.

  “You’re gonna undo your bed to change the sheets?”

  “Yeah, haven’t changed them in a while,” he said as casually as he could. “Kind of rude for you to have to smell my stank ass sheets.”

  To his relief she laughed. “Stank ass? They look fine to me. I don’t change mine very often and they never stink.”

  “Yeah, well I’m a grown ass man with male sweat glands and you’re delicate little thing who probably never even perspires. I’m sure there’s a huge difference in the smell of our hampers.”

  Once again, Byron was grateful for her jovial demeanor because she laughed at that too. He’d already dodged one bullet. Last thing he needed was to have her detect the smell of Irma’s perfume or anything else on his sheets. He wasn’t taking any chances.

  Pulling the comforter and blanket off he threw them on the floor. Savannah walked around the bed while he began to pull on the sheet, as if to help him take it off on the other side. He tugged the sheet, and something flew off and bounced by Savannah’s feet.

  Nearly freezing in place, he watched as she looked around to see where it ended up. Because it was solid enough to bounce and clink on the floor, Byron was hopeful it was some kind of coin or button. Anything was better than women’s undergarments.

  Continuing to pull the fitted sheet off trying not to look as nervous as this made him, he worked on getting the clean one on before he glanced up as she bent over to pick up whatever it was. The moment he saw it in between her fingers his breath caught.

  She examined it silently for a second before glancing up at him, her delicate little brow arching ever so slightly.

  “Woman’s earring.”

  Standing there like an idiot he stared at it avoiding looking her in the eyes for as long as he could. Because try as he might, even as his panicking head raced for a proper response, nothing, he had nothing.

  Nineteen

  Strike Two

  Vannah

  If it’d been a simple diamond stud, Vannah might be able to give him the benefit of the doubt that it was his. Even if he’d never mentioned wearing an earring, she’d never seen one on him, nor had she noticed either of his ears being pierced. There could still be a reason why he had one. But even if he had a piercing somewhere else, this was clearly a woman’s teardrop earring. An expensive one if it was real. Not that it mattered, but as far as Vannah could tell it looked absolutely real.

  Reminding herself of how steadfast he’d been about being completely honest and explaining about the girl who showed up, Vannah did her best to not overreact to this.

  “You said it’s been a while,” she said as he stared at her blankly, shaking his head ever so slightly. Clearly, he didn’t pick up on the out her pathetic ass was giving him, so she clarified. “A while since you’ve changed your sheets.”

  “I have. It
has. I-I mean yeah.” He shook his head adamantly then shrugged dropping the sheet he’d been clutching. “I don’t even remember how long it’s been, actually. It’s why I wanted to change them.”

  Not sure how to respond to that, or how she felt about it, Vannah took in the earring again. Byron had already been adamant, that while he didn’t have time for a serious relationship and he was perfectly okay with her wanting to focus on school, he was not okay with an open, whatever-kind-of-relationship, this was. She’d seen the genuine dread in his eyes when he thought she might leave angry and hurt tonight and she was seeing it again now. What kind of guy agrees to having dinner with the family of a girl he’s known just a week and only dated one time, unless his interest in her was sincere, right? Obviously, the man had a past and that was to be expected. They’d only officially known each other just over a week, and the subject of exclusivity hadn’t even been brought up until now. But he’d promised her more than once now, without her ever asking for it, that he’d be seeing just her as long as she returned the favor. So, she wouldn’t—shouldn’t hold something like this against him. It just wouldn’t be fair.

  “Looks and feels expensive.” She glanced away from him as she set it down on his nightstand and closed her eyes hoping to God, her delusional and hopeful ass wasn’t being taken by this guy. The possibility that she was—for a second time in one night—was just too real. “Might wanna give it back if you know—”

  Feeling his arms around her suddenly from behind startled her and she gasped. “I’m a fucking idiot.” He kissed her temple as his strong arms embraced her around the waist and he went on sounding almost desperate. “I wasn’t expecting this, Savannah. Wasn’t expecting you to barrel into my life so unexpectedly and change the way I feel about so much this insanely fast.” His embrace tightened when she noticeably tensed, and she felt the warmth of his mouth against her ear. “But I swear to you I’m all in uh . . . just like we agreed, that is. I’ve just never done this, okay? I wasn’t prepared and never cared enough to be. I’ll work harder at making sure you never feel disrespected again and I promise you this much, I sure as fuck won’t hurt you. You have to believe that.”