Love Me Like You Do: Books That Keep You In Bed

by Fields, MJ

  “Everything. Start at the beginning.”

  Our dinner arrives quickly, and he spends the next hour filling me in on all things Jake Mason as we enjoy our food. He is twenty-four years old, and he works full-time for his dad’s production company. He has lived in or around Los Angeles all his life. His dad is a television producer, and his mom was a stay-at-home mom. He has two siblings, both girls. Aspiring actresses slash waitresses. He shares a house near LA with two roommates. One is a college buddy, and the other is a guy who answered a Roommate Wanted ad. He is a stoner, but he pays his rent on time, so they don’t really care.

  “I’m also very much single in case you were wondering.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “Ouch. You sure know how to hurt a guy’s ego.”

  “Oh, I have no doubt your ego is just fine, Mr. Mason.”

  “I like the way you call me Mr. Mason.”

  I look up at him, and he has a sexy gleam in his eyes. He thinks I am a challenge, and he is very much up for the chase. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. Although I will admit, Julie was right about one thing. It sure is nice to bask in his attention.

  “Stop looking at me that way.”

  “What way is that exactly?”

  “Like I’m a puzzle you want to solve.”

  “You are a puzzle I want to solve.”

  “Nothing to solve here, Jake. I am just a girl working her ass off to pay her way through school. No mystery. I’m the least interesting person on the planet.”

  “Funny thing, you keep telling me that, and yet I don’t buy it. Why is that?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrug. “Maybe you’re just pigheaded.”

  “Perhaps, or maybe I can see right through your charade.”

  God, I hope not. A sliver of fear runs through me. If he could, he would not like what he saw. I might look all clean and put together on the outside, but my insides are a mangled mess. I’m not the girl he wants to get involved with. Trouble will eventually come looking for me. I can’t outrun it forever.

  “There is nothing to see through.”

  “Evasion will get you nowhere, Brie. I’m on the line now. Hook. Line. Sinker.”

  “Then, don’t blame me when I toss you back out to sea. I warned you. I’m not playing a game of hard to get. I am just not interested. It’s not you. I’m not interested in any relationships outside of friendship right now.”

  “Then, we will be friends.”

  I look him dead in the eye. “Are you capable of that?”

  He stares right back at me. “Baby, I can be the best damn friend you have ever had.”

  That’s what I’m afraid of.

  Fourteen

  Gabby - Past

  Cross just stands there, across the patio from me. Not touching me. Not responding to my question. I feel so stupid for asking it. Of course he didn’t miss me. If he had, he would have called or texted me or sent me a damn telegram. Something. A brief pang of pain hits me, and then I straighten my spine and remember that I am not the same girl who left New York.

  “Never mind. Don’t answer that. It was nice to see you again, Christoff, but I have to go find Adi before she runs off with a bartender or something.”

  I move to go around him, and he blocks my path. He is still just looking at me. What is his deal?

  “Let me by.”

  He just shakes his head and stands there.

  “I’m serious. I need to go.”

  He looks off over my shoulder for a moment, like he is trying to find his words, and then he meets my eyes again. He reaches out to touch me, and I brace myself as his hand glides down my bare back. Goose bumps crawl up my flesh. I forgot how scantily I was dressed. Damn it, Adriana.

  “I like your dress—what there is of it, that is.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Your dress, Gabby. Where is the rest of it?”

  He must be drunk.

  “This is all there is to it. Are you about to go all brother on me now? Is that what all this is about? Because I’m not a little girl anymore. Whether you or Nicco or Tony or any of my brothers wants to see it or not”—I raise my arms and slowly turn around, so he can see all of me—“I have grown up.”

  He incredulously shakes his head. “You think I haven’t noticed? I see you, Gabby. I have always seen you. That doesn’t mean I like you putting yourself on display, so every other fucking guy in here sees you, too. You don’t have to act like Adriana to get attention.”

  “Go to hell!”

  “Right back at you, baby girl.”

  “You know what? I’m done. I thought we could … I thought …” I trail off, trying to remember what exactly I did think Cross and I would be when I came home. Friends? Faux siblings?

  “You thought we could what?” he roars, and it catches me off guard. I blanch at his tone. “You left. For twenty-seven months, you fucking left.”

  “Yeah, I left.”

  “And you want to know if I missed you?”

  “No, I don’t. I don’t know why I even bothered to ask.”

  “Right.”

  He looks away again, and I seize the opportunity to slip past him. He swings his arm out to catch me around the middle and stop my progress.

  “Please let me go,” I demand, so only he can hear.

  “Why? So you can run away again? You are awfully fucking good at that.”

  Anger hits me like a ton of bricks. What did he expect me to do? Stay and suffer through him treating me like I was a kid? Stand by and watch him with his parade of women? Is he really so cruel that he would wish that on me?

  “Go to hell,” I spit out again because my mind won’t let me think of anything else to say.

  I jerk free of his hold and try once again to escape his presence. He is on my heels, and his arm goes above me and rests against the door as I try to pull it open.

  “Why did you leave?”

  “I had to.”

  “Why, Gabby?”

  “Because I needed to fall out of love with you, and I could not do that here,” I confess as tears fill my vision. I had no intention of ever telling him that.

  “Did it work?”

  I stand there, caged in by him, surrounded by his scent with his hot breath on my neck, and I know that, if I don’t get away from him soon, I am going to cave and confess all of my true feelings.

  “Yes. It took a while, but I finally managed to step back and see that you were right all along. My feelings were just the foolish crush of a little girl.”

  About that time, through the small window in the door, I see Angelica approaching from inside.

  “Time’s up. Here comes your girlfriend.”

  He sighs and moves back just a fraction. Then, he turns me around, backs me up against the door, and leans in.

  “Don’t put words in my mouth, Gabby. And do not pretend to have the high ground here. You left without so much as a word to me. For twenty-seven months, not a word. You want to twist what you think I did or did not say in that pretty little head of yours? Fine. But this conversation is not over. Not by a long shot.”

  He releases his grip and backs away just as a thud sounds, and I feel a push against the door at my back. I move aside in stunned silence, and two seconds later, Angelica is there.

  “Hey, babe. I have been looking for you for fifteen minutes. Didn’t you get my text that I was here?” She heads straight to him and wraps her arms around his waist. She doesn’t even notice that she shoved right past me.

  His eyes don’t leave mine. His stare is intense, and the dimple in his cheek is jumping with fury. I don’t understand why he is so angry. He got what he wanted. I left him alone. I fell out of love with him—kind of. Now, we can be the brother-sister-whatever relationship he wanted from the beginning. Shouldn’t he be happy?

  “Oh, hi, Gabby. I was wondering when we’d see you. Marianna told me you were back in town. She also told me all about your new French boyfriend. What is his name?” Angelica
expectantly looks at me.

  “Antoine.”

  “That’s right, Antoine. Cool name. Is he going to be joining you here?”

  “He’ll be here on the fifteenth, and he plans to stay a couple of weeks, but after that, we aren’t sure on what the plan will be for us,” I answer her but keep eye contact with Cross.

  “Great. We can’t wait to meet him. Right, babe?”

  She looks up at Cross, realizing just then that he hasn’t said a word or moved a muscle since she walked outside.

  “Right?” she demands.

  That’s when he finally decides to acknowledge her. He looks down at her and smiles his brilliant smile. He says, “Right.”

  Then, he places a kiss on her lips, and she sways into him. I have to look away. I might be over my infatuation, but that doesn’t mean I like Angelica any more than I used to, and the last thing I want to do is stand here and watch them make out. I turn and flee through the door in search of Adi without so much as a glance back at them. What was I thinking, coming here? They can have each other.

  I tear through the club, looking for Adi, and I spot her in the corner with the bouncer who let us in earlier.

  “I think I’m going to call an Uber and head home,” I tell her as I approach the two of them.

  She looks up, and her eyes start scanning the room behind me as she tells her friend, “Come find me at closing.” She pulls me back into the club behind her. “Where is he?”

  I stop. “Where is who?”

  She spins on me and narrows her eyes. “Don’t even try that bullshit with me. You know exactly who. Cross. Where is he?”

  “He is out on the patio with Angelica. So?”

  “So, you are not taking off because of him!” Exasperated, she throws her hands in the air and yells above the music, “You have been gone for years because of him. I lost you for years because of him. You can deny it all you want, but you aren’t fooling anyone. I know it was him. Now, you are back, and you are two inches taller and ten pounds lighter. Your hair has grown down to your ass, and you look like a fucking runway model. Now, you are going to stay right here in that hot-as-hell dress and dance with every single guy here and Cross fucking Scutari is going to watch the whole damn thing and eat his heart out because he fucking deserves it.”

  “He doesn’t care what I do or who I do it with, Adi.”

  “Oh my God, you cannot be that blind. Why do you think I brought you here? I was there when Nicco told him you were coming home. I swear, he got a boner as soon as your name was mentioned.”

  “Ugh, he did not.”

  “Yes, he did. He has been nothing but a hot, brooding mess since you left, and he’s not fooling anyone, especially me. I have got his number and yours, too.”

  “I’m just tired, Adi. It’s been a long day, and I need a hot bath and some sleep.”

  “Liar. You are still running. Time to be the badass bitch that you are and stand your ground.”

  “I don’t know if I can. I’m not feeling very badass at the moment.”

  “Please, for me. It’s not even midnight yet. Drink with me, dance with me, have a little fun.”

  “One more hour,” I concede because I really did miss her, and I have to build up a thicker skin when it comes to him. He is not going anywhere.

  “Deal!” She bounces on her heels. Then, she pulls me onto the dance floor.

  About an hour later, I am tipsy and chatting with a guy from Tennessee who is in New York on business. He lives in Nashville, and I’m picking his brain. I might be a Yankee, but I love country music. It’s all love songs or breaking-up songs or down-home songs. Luke Bryan is my favorite, and this guy lives about five miles from him.

  “So, what you are saying is that, if I were to come visit you, we could possibly run into Luke and his family in the local coffee shop or, say, the grocery store or pharmacy?”

  He grins and brings his beer to his lips. “Darl’n, anything is possible. I have been known to bump into him a time or two.”

  “Well then, you might have just convinced me that I need to come to Nashville soon.”

  He puts his beer down and puts his hand on mine. “You are welcome anytime, sweetheart.”

  I probably blush from head to toe. Good thing the lights are so low in here.

  “Do you want to get out of here?”

  “Out of here? And go where?”

  “There is a quieter café around the corner, or my hotel is a few blocks away.”

  “We just met twenty minutes ago, and you want me to come to your hotel room?”

  “Of course I do. What red-blooded male wouldn’t want a beautiful woman to come back to his hotel room?”

  “Sorry, cowboy, but you see that girl right there in the white halter top?” I point to Adi on the dance floor. “She is the only one I will be cuddling up to tonight.”

  “Uggghhh,” he groans. “You really had to put that picture in my head before sending me off on my own? You are a mean one.”

  I throw my head back and laugh while he just shakes his head and grins at me. I take my glass, empty it in one last swallow, and stand up. “Well, if you will excuse me, I have to go powder my nose.”

  “I’ll keep your seat warm and order you another drink.”

  “Thanks, but I think I’m done. It was very nice meeting you, and I will be sure to look you up when I finally make it to Tennessee.”

  He gives me a nod, and I walk back toward the restrooms. I dart in and do my business. Then, I wash my hands and check my lipstick in the mirror. I’m glistening from the dancing, but other than that, it’s not too bad. I head back out to find Adi. I promised her an hour, and it’s been almost two.

  When I make it to the hall, Cross is standing there. Just great. Time to let him know who he is dealing with now.

  “Enjoying yourself?”

  “I sure am.”

  “Be careful, Tesoro. Lots of predators out there.”

  I laugh. “Maybe I want to be hunted.”

  He looks me up and down and then smiles. “You couldn’t have made that more obvious if you had worn a neon sign around your neck.”

  That is it. How dare he.

  I advance on him and raise my hand to slap him across his stupid face, but I’m too slow, and he catches my wrist inches from his cheek, stopping the blow.

  “Uh-huh. You want to dress and act the part. Don’t get pissed when you get cast in the role.”

  I snap my wrist out of his hold and stomp off to gather Adi. I am so done with him. I thought we could be friends, but that’s not going to happen. He can fuck right the hell off.

  Fifteen

  Brie - Present

  “Don’t forget, it’s Taco Tuesday, so get your ass home right after class today, biotch,” Dawn yells out her bedroom window as I run down the staircase to the parking lot.

  “Nowhere else I’d rather be,” I yell back before hopping in my car and racing across town.

  I have my first fall exam today, and I have been pulling some all-nighters. I haven’t been able to spend much time with my girls, and I can’t wait to unwind with a few too many margaritas tonight. Taco Tuesday has become my favorite night of the week. Each week, they get a little bit weirder than before. Last Tuesday, I arrived home to find Dawn with a bedsheet belted around her, wearing Birkenstock sandals with her hair in an elaborate Roman goddess braid and gold leaf jewelry, topped with a sombrero. Kelsey served up soft shell tacos filled with marinated grilled chicken, red pepper hummus, and smothered with green goddess dressing and feta cheese. It was so strange and so delicious. They called it a Mexican Toga Party. I honestly can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

  * * *

  After class, I’m light as a feather as I head to Melanie and Rick’s for a celebratory baby squeeze. I’m pretty sure I aced my Accounting exam. My brain hurts from all the numbers rattling around, and all I want is to hold that little bundle close and breathe in his baby-powder scent. It always calms me.

  Mel
anie greets me at the door with a sleepy Cassian in her arms.

  “Gimme, gimme, gimme,” I demand as I skip up to them.

  She relinquishes the baby, and I follow her inside.

  “Hey there. How is BB’s favorite boy in the whole wide world?” I ask as I cuddle him in my arms.

  He reaches his hand up and grabs at my nose, and I pretend to gobble his hand as he cackles with glee.

  “How did it go today?”

  “I think I did pretty well. For all that concern, it was a simple and straightforward test.”

  “I figured you were overthinking it.”

  “How did he do today? Is he acting any better?” I ask.

  He was running a fever the night before, and worrying was half the reason I was up all night.

  “Better. The pediatrician saw him this morning and said it was an ear infection. He told me to give him infant Tylenol every four hours and to keep a check on his temperature.”

  “Do you want me to stay in case he is fussy again tonight?” I offer.

  “No, ma’am. You are a zombie. You need to go home and rest tonight, or we are going to have two sick babies on our hands.”

  “Are you sure?” I worry my lip with my teeth as I try to decide if I want to stay or go home for tacos with my friends and sleep.

  “I promise to call you if there is any change at all. I got this. You go home to your friends and celebrate surviving the past week.”

  “Okay, but I’ll come by in the morning to check on him, if that’s all right with you?”

  I give him one last kiss on his perfect little nose and hand him back to his mother.

  “Of course it is.”

  * * *

  Confetti assaults me as I walk through the apartment door. Daniel is standing there in jeans and a T-shirt that reads Voodoo King, and he has on a purple-, green-, and gold–jeweled king’s crown. Purple, green, and gold beads are strung around his neck.