by Jenna Reed
“Okay, let’s get you some fresh air. Maybe we can stop for a drink somewhere. One with the little umbrellas you like?” I know the words that will get her moving, no matter how she feels.
“It’s two o’clock in the afternoon,” Nina announces and then looks startled by her own voice.
“Yeah, but a cocktail and a cock will make me feel better,” Sydney says, once again causing me to cringe. “We can find a shitty bathroom, and you can push my skirt up, rip my tights and fuck me like you always do,” she says, grabbing onto my arm, giving me doe eyes.
Fucking Christ. Somehow this has gotten even worse.
“I don’t think so,” I reply and tug her toward the door. Once we’re outside, I pull my arm from her embrace. “Jesus, you’d think you don’t know how to act around people.”
“What do you mean? I’m acting like I always do. I can’t help it if I want you on top of me or under me. It’s what we do,” her brows furrow as if she’s confused.
“Come on, let’s go to a bar for real,” I say, steering her toward my car. “It will make you feel better.”
“Okay,” she says as she starts to cry all over again. I turn around to see Nina watching us out of the front window as we leave. Well, shit, that was definitely the worst thing that could have happened. I manage to get Sydney into the car before she starts wailing again, and I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life.
Grady is going to be pissed that she threatened him. I realize this situation is the reason I have to stop seeing her. I have to get my life together and find a woman who isn’t this much of a hot mess. Someone like Nina.
8
Nina
I stand in the living room as Travis and Sydney drive away. After that display of horniness, my feelings are all over the place. That girl was sexy, with fuck me eyes, long blonde hair, and legs for miles. She was the definition of sex. The way she was all over Travis has me feeling things I shouldn’t. Not to mention their chemistry… ugh.
It would have turned me on, had I not been so jealous. I find myself picturing them together and shake my head violently to get that image out of my head.
Why is this bothering me so much?
She also seemed a little insane. I felt like maybe if she thought something was going on between us, she’d stab me in the throat. I was stupidly thinking Travis and I were moving toward something. Now I know that was just me projecting. He obviously was being nice, so I’d let him stay here. It worked; I’d agreed to another month. Now I’m going to have to endure crazy-pants coming over for a quickie, who knows how many times.
I don’t have a choice, he’s going to stay, but I need to rein in my hormones. He’s got a woman or a fuck buddy at the very least. I’m just his roommate. A girl he had a one-time fuck with ages ago. Doing my best not to dwell on something I have no control over, I switch gears.
There’s always Sam, but I don’t see myself coming onto him like that. I can’t picture sex with him, but I can picture sweet kisses at sunset and holding hands while watching movies. Do I want that, or do I want crazy unbridled passion? Obviously, unbridled passion would win every time, but I do like a good movie watching partner. I can keep the passion in my dreams.
After an hour, I decide to go to IKEA. Getting out of the apartment will help me get the idea of those two together out of my head. I hadn’t had any luck finding furniture anywhere else. I need a shelf and table, at least because the apartment is currently ridiculously bare. We eat everything standing or sitting on the floor, which has to stop.
I grab a coffee on the way to the store. As soon as I get inside, I’m overwhelmed. There is so much stuff, food, lights, candles, and baskets for all kinds of things. I don’t have the money to buy everything I need for the apartment, but at least I can get started.
I spend far too long looking at the tables and bookshelves, having a hard time deciding which I want to get. When I get home a short while later with several boxes, I struggle to get them into the house, damn near killing myself in the process.
Sam is on my mind because I’m trying not to think of Sydney bent over the back of Travis’s car somewhere along their way to the bar. He’s pounding into her, his ass tightening while he fucks her brains out. No. Sam. Picture Sam smiling and bringing you coffee. I get out my phone and text him.
Come over and help me put together IKEA furniture, please.
As soon as I hit send, I second guess my message. What if he thinks this is code for sex? Will he think I mean come over and help me get off? The return text comes in quickly.
Should I bring wine?
I wonder if I should even consider drinking tonight. Then, I think about Sydney needing a shot and a fuck, and tell him yes, bring all the wine. I go into the bathroom and start to make myself look presentable.
A shower is needed as well as a brand new outfit, but there isn’t time for both. I’ll just put on something hot that I don’t wear to work. That way, he’s not seen it before. After digging through my closet, I end up going with a cold-shoulder yellow dress and tall boots.
By the time Sam knocks on the door, I’ve worked myself into a nervous fizzy. I jump a mile into the air and run directly toward the door at the first knock. I seriously need to get my shit together. I’m a grown-ass woman, not some clumsy heroine in a romance novel or some annoying chick from a romantic comedy.
Sam looks gorgeous and so well put together when I open the door. He’s wearing a crisp green polo and khakis, and I’m so glad I put on a dress, although it’s casual.
“You look amazing,” he compliments, holding out a bottle of white and a bottle of red wine. “I didn’t know which one you would want, so I got both.”
“I’m easy,” I smile and then rush to add, “when it comes to wine.” Ignoring my flaming cheeks, I continue, “Come in, please. All the boxes are in the living room. I’m afraid we have our work cut out for us.”
“Good thing I came prepared to let you work me however you want.” My gaze widens, and heat creeps up my spine. Is he coming onto me already? I must stare a little longer than needed because he adds, “You know, for putting the furniture together.”
Man, we are an awkward pair. At work, everything is easy between us because we can chat over our various tasks. This seems a lot more difficult. One on one communication, come on, Nina, you can do it.
“If you’ll open the wine. I’ll find some music. The wine glasses are on the counter near the fridge” Scrolling through the music on my phone, I’m not sure what to pick. Is there really a good music playlist for building IKEA furniture? Shaking my head at the thought, I go with old school alternative, which seems chill but not sexy, that is until Sex and Candy starts to blare through the blue tooth speaker. I skip the song quickly, knowing he heard it.
He brings the wine over, and I take a large gulp. Then I ask myself, do you really need alcohol to interact with men, and is this a healthy habit? We make a slow start on opening the boxes, and I nearly punch myself in the face three times, trying to pull the cardboard pieces back to open them. After the second glass, Sam has taken off his shoes and is wiping his brow.
“Who knew putting together furniture could be such a workout?” I’ve been holding the same two pieces, sitting on the floor next to him while he puts a lot of it together.
“I know, I’m tired too,” I joke.
“You haven’t done anything,” he says as he throws a Styrofoam piece at my head. It hits me in the temple, and I feign a serious injury, lying on my back and throwing my hand over my head. Being the gentleman he is, he’s crawls over to see if I’m okay.
“You’re going to die, I’m afraid,” he says, placing his hand against my head, “that’s a very serious wound.”
“I know, you killed me,” I shake my head and then freeze with my tongue hanging out of my mouth.
“You’re adorable,” he smiles, showing off his dimples.
“No, just silly,” I correct him. “We need more wine.” He’s the first to move, and wh
en I extend my hand out to him, he pulls me off the floor and onto my feet. Coming to stand, I realize we’re a lot closer than I thought. Even though I shouldn’t, I look up at him. He’s leaning into me, and I know he wants to kiss me, but I chicken out at the last second, and instead, hug him like a weirdo. He hugs me back and chuckles into my hair. Why do I always have to make things so awkward?
“I’ll grab the wine,” I exclaim and rush into the kitchen to grab the bottle. Just as I enter the kitchen, I slip and fall to the floor. “Maybe I should get some water instead?”
He comes down to the floor with me again. He crawls over me, and this time, he does kiss me. His lips press gently against mine, and it’s sweet just as I pictured it would be. But there is no passion, no zing, no heat, or anything that screams I need more of this.
And since God hates me, that’s the exact moment the door opens, and Travis walks in. I break the kiss and turn my head to glance at Travis, who takes in the scene with a frown on his face.
I look down at the way we’re positioned. Sam is between my legs, and I have my arms circling his neck, holding him close to my body. It looks a lot more scandalous than it is, but part of me wants to laugh a bit. I’m not doing anything wrong. In fact, I’m just giving him a taste of his own medicine. Not that he cares, he has hot to trot Sydney. Nonetheless, I scramble away from Sam and let him help me up so we can face Travis together.
9
Travis
I blink a few times after walking in on Nina rolling around with some guy on the floor. It was a shock considering she was alone when I left. A quick survey of the floor showed furniture being put together, with pieces of Styrofoam and cardboard littering the living room floor.
Briefly, I wonder why she needed to call someone to come help her. Then I remembered that I left her here all alone for Sydney. That crazy girl ruins everything. I ran her off and felt guilty as hell leaving Nina here, but as it turns out, I was still too late. Leaving with Sydney all but pushed Nina into some other man’s arms.
Stepping around them and all the furniture pieces on the floor, I head to my room.
“Just gotta change my shirt, and then I’ll be out of your way,” I call, trying to keep my voice monotone, even though I feel like yelling. As soon as I enter my bedroom and close the door, I sigh.
My nose wrinkles when I catch a whiff of Sydney’s perfume on it. I all but rip the stupid shirt off and tug on a clean one.
Part of me wants to leave right away, get out of here as fast as I can. I don’t need to be here while they’re flirting... or worse. I can’t even think of Nina doing that without wanting to smash that guy’s head in.
The other part wants to stay and make sure they don’t do anything. I already know he’s not good enough for her, not even if he does wear polos and khakis. Who wants a guy that dresses like that to come and build furniture with you?
Taking my phone out, I go with my first choice and leave. Dialing Grady’s number, he answers on the second ring.
“Hey, buddy, Nina driving you crazy yet?”
“Um,” I pause, “well, she has company over, and I don’t want to intrude on them. Do you maybe want to go grab a drink together?”
“Yeah, man,” Grady exclaims, “I’ll come and pick you up.” That’s my man, always willing to help a brother out.
Hanging up, I listen through the bedroom door. God help me if I see them on the floor again… without thought, I clench my hand into a fist.
Nina’s sweet voice filters in through the closed door, “I’m going to make us a snack.”
Thank fuck. I take that opportunity to rush from my room and outside, waving at them without even looking. Luckily, I don’t catch a glimpse of the lovebirds, though I do hear them banging pots and pans around the kitchen. Sighing in relief, I head outside to wait for Grady. When he pulls up ten minutes later, I climb into his car like there is a hoard of zombies after me.
“Where to, big guy?” he asks.
“I don’t know, man, just head to the bar.”
“Lush on this fine Saturday.”
“It’s six o’clock, or after now, man, give me a break.”
“So, Sydney’s here, huh?” He says with a little smirk.
“Yeah, I’m really sorry she just showed up at your house.”
“It’s okay, I know she’s unhinged. She seemed a little manic to me though.”
“Yeah, she was in one of her states. She tried to molest me in front of Nina,” I tell him, just as he pulls in front of a bar called Lily’s.
“I bet Nina loved that,” he lets out a chuckle. We walk into the bar and find a seat. It’s a small place, and there aren’t many people inside since it’s still early. It’s a cozy place, with wooden walls and bear heads mounted to them. It’s set up like a mountain cabin, which is out of place here, but it works. One wall has license plates from every state decorating it from floor to ceiling.
“Yeah, she did not,” I say, remembering the look on her face as we left. “She had a guy over when you picked me up. It was weird because she didn’t mention she was seeing someone.”
“That’s interesting,” Grady ponders “she doesn’t really date. Someone messed her up pretty bad. She never told me about it, but she was ecstatically happy one month, and the month after that, she wouldn’t get out of bed. It was actually right around the time you left. She stayed in bed for days crying.”
“Really? She was that bummed out?” My brain is spinning, what is he talking about?
“Yeah, maybe she was sad you left,” Grady says, jabbing me with an elbow. He’s joking, but it hits me hard as my mind goes into overdrive. She missed me? Did I mishear her that night? No way, the words rattled around in my brain for weeks. There is no way she didn’t say them. There must have been someone else.
“What gives, man? It seems like something is on your mind,” Grady says, jarring me back to reality.
“No, it’s just Sydney, man. I feel kind of bad,” I say. “I wanted to get rid of her, so I accused her of coming to see me because she was jealous that I was living with a girl.”
I know she will stay mad for a while, but then she’ll try to come back. Sydney loves the drama, which should be a red flag for most people. Of course, I saw past it because of the sex. I really need to stop thinking with my dick.
“Dude, you are totally not with it, that bartender came over here to talk to you,” Grady says. I look up and see a cute brunette smiling at me while she pours a beer.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, a lot going on.”
“How’s the big project going?”
“I mean, it’s okay, my dad’s changed the plans a hundred times. That means one small part of the structure was built and torn down twice.”
We talk about the greenhouses for a bit, and then we talk about the girl Grady is seeing. I’m happy to change the subject and direct the spotlight on him. He says it’s nothing serious. Grady doesn’t really date girls for longer than a week or two, so I wonder a little about this one. Selfishly, I can’t keep my attention on his life for too long. I can’t help but bring Nina up again after I get a couple beers in me.
“Do you think Nina got over her heartbreak?” I ask as casually as I can.
Grady raises an eyebrow and then shakes his head. “It’s hard to say, man. I think maybe she did, but she’s not really been serious with anyone, so maybe not.”
“Yeah,” I swallow down the rest of my beer.
“But, you said she had company tonight. Maybe she’s finally going to move on from whatever happened.” Grady tells me. Suddenly, I feel like I’m about to puke, and it’s not because of the alcohol that’s weighing heavily in my stomach. It’s the fact that he could be right. What if she is moving on… right now? And I’m here drinking and drowning in my feelings.
“I gotta go,” I blurt out, grabbing a wad of cash from my wallet, I throw it on the bar.
“Okay, you sure? We can share a cab?” Grady yells after me, but I’m already out the door. I can’t
waste any more time, who knows, I might already be too late.
Even before I open the apartment door, I can hear Nina’s giggles. The sound instantly puts a frown on my face and a sour taste on my tongue. Not because she is giggling, but because khaki pants is the one making her laugh.
Turning the key, I push the door open and walk in. Nina and jerk face are sitting at the now put together kitchen table. Both have a glass of wine in their hands, and they’re smiling at each other like one of them just told a funny joke.
“Oh, hey, guys,” I greet them as if I wasn’t expecting them to be here. I’m sure everyone knows that that’s a crock of shit.
“Hey,” Nina replies, while khaki pants give me a subtle nod. Closing the door behind me, I head for the fridge to grab a beer. Not that I think I need any more liquid courage, but it’s whatever. They’re drinking, and I don’t want to be the odd man out.
“Hey, man, want a beer?” I ask from the fridge.
“Uhh, no thanks. I’m good with the wine.” Pussy.
I close the fridge and waltz right up to the table, taking the seat next to Nina. “Sorry, I thought wine was more of a drink for the ladies,” I wink at her. Nina’s eyebrows furrow together, and she sits up a little straighter. Yeah, I’m probably being a dick, but I don’t like this guy being here. I don’t like how he makes Nina laugh or the way he looks into her eyes.
“Men can drink wine too,” Nina states all matter of factly.
“Real men drink beer, not wine.” This time I pin khakis with a look. He looks baffled and slightly insulted, which makes me feel a little bit better. “So, what’s up? What were you two giggling about?” I look between the two of them, ignoring the glare that mcdouche gives me.
“Just something that happened at work. You wouldn’t get it… it’s the kind of thing you had to be there for, you know?”
I nod and take a sip of my beer. For a long moment, we all just sit in an uncomfortable, awkward silence. Good, that’s exactly what I was going for. On the inside, I’m smiling like a kid in a candy store.