by L. L. Ash
Gauge and I both looked up and stared at Hunter, who was smirking.
“And you left them in there?” I asked.
When I’d checked to make sure the drawers were cleaned out, I hadn’t been able to get the bottom one open. Now I knew why.
“I haven’t been in this room since he left,” Hunter said with a shrug. “Why would I move it?”
I looked around again and frowned.
“Did you clean it after he left?”
“I vacuumed and shit. Why?”
“I’m just wondering what kind of sanitizing I need to do before I can sleep on this mattress.”
He laughed while reaching into the drawer to get the blocks out.
“I’ll totally use these, too,” he mumbled to himself as he ambled out of the room with the concrete blocks.
Gauge just shook his head and maneuvered the dresser by himself while I pointed.
“Thanks,” I offered, and he just shrugged like it was no big deal.
I started putting some stuff in the drawers from my suitcase and a box while he stood there, arms folded and shifting on his feet like he was uncomfortable. I watched his mouth open a couple times like he wanted to say something, but something was stopping him from speaking his mind.
“Out with it,” I told him, dropping a sweater back into the box so I could turn to him and give him my attention.
He shifted again, then dropped his arms and sighed.
“Are you going to be ok here? I know you guys have a rough history and—”
“We have a long history,” I corrected. “Some of it rough, some of it not. Besides, this was his idea to begin with. If he starts acting like an asshole, I’ll find another place to live.”
His eyes narrowed just a little.
“And what about him?” he asked, voice quieter. “What happens if you start acting like an asshole again?”
I blinked, surprised.
“When have I ever acted like an asshole?” I demanded.
Gauge’s eyebrows shot up in mirroring surprise, but we were interrupted by Hunter swinging into the room again.
“Pizza’s on the way. I’m buying a movie rental. If you want a say in it, better hurry your asses out here, or I’m picking it on my own.”
He disappeared just as quickly as he came, and Gauge followed him with his eyes, arms crossing over his chest again.
“I’m not watching Matrix again!” he called after his friend, then turned those narrowed eyes back to me.
Our conversation wasn’t done. Not even close, but now wasn’t the time.
“C’mon,” Gauge said, nudging his chin toward the living room. “At least I have someone on my side when he tries to pick his stupid 90’s action movies.”
I just gave an evil grin.
“Matrix is one of my favorite movies.”
Gauge sighed one more time in exasperation while I laughed at him.
“Goddammit.”
- 38 -
Ivory
I was under the impression that once we moved in together, we’d be fucking like hormonal, teenaged bunnies.
I was very wrong.
The tension in that apartment was so thick, you could saw through it with a butter knife, and it didn’t seem to be getting better with time.
For the most part, Hunter stayed in his room or watched movies in the living room if he wasn’t working, and I was just a homebody every second I wasn’t with Hillary.
Gauge stopped by two or three times a week in the evening when Hunter wasn’t working, but I hadn’t invited Hillary yet, even though she’d begged me to properly introduce her to Hunter.
Something about it was just too volatile, and honestly, I wanted to keep him to myself for as long as I could manage.
School started on Monday, and I had one last weekend to enjoy my time off until it did.
Hunter came strolling in from work, his coveralls tied around his waist and grease staining the rough calluses on his fingers.
“I’m going out tonight,” he said, heading straight to the kitchen for a water bottle. “Wanna come?”
He was inviting me?
“Where are you going?” I asked casually, not wanting him to know how eager I was to go out with him again.
“We’re going to Callum’s Pub,” he said, downing the entire water bottle in several long pulls. “Getting dinner and having some drinks.”
That sounded kind of...quaint.
“Not doing anything crazier the last weekend before school starts? Aren’t you and your dudes expected to throw the party of the century?”
Hunter just rolled his eyes at me.
“First of all, they’re not my ‘dudes’, and second of all, I haven’t talked to most of them since summer started. Tonight is just me and Gauge. You’re welcome to come, and bring Hillary too, if you want. If not, I don’t care. I’m just trying to be nice here.”
Well, that took all the wind out of my sails.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I told him, then switched the TV off before quietly storming to my bedroom.
God, it still smelled like stale beer and Doritos in there, and no matter how much Febreeze I used, the smell wouldn’t go away.
“Ivyyyyy,” Hunter drawled. “Seriously, woman. Don’t take it so personally. I’m trying to include you in my plans, seeing as we live together and all—”
“You know, Hunt, don’t do me any favors,” I cut him off. “I don’t need your pity or your half-assed invitations. If you want me there, then say so. If you don’t, then say so. I’m not desperate to hang out with you, or to be welcomed into your little frat group. Hillary and I will go do our own thing, and you don’t have to worry about boring ol’ me getting in the way, ok?”
He frowned.
“Ivy—”
“And FYI,” I said, interrupting him again, “just ‘cause we fucked a couple times, doesn’t mean that you have to try and be my friend. You’re letting me live here, and I appreciate that, but don’t pretend to be something you’re not—”
It was his turn to butt in on my stream of words.
Hunter sat beside me on the bed, grabbed my cheeks between his palms and kissed me until I was quiet.
“You’re right,” he whispered, breath brushing against my lips. “I shouldn’t half-ass my invitation. Let me try again.”
He flicked his tongue against my bottom lip, which made my lungs hitch on an inhale, and that made him smile.
“I’d love for you to come with us, Ivy. I want to hear your laugh and I want to watch you get really fucking drunk and funny and trip all over your feet, just like you did on your birthday. I want to spend the weekend before vacation with my two favorite people, and Hillary, I guess, if you want her to come, too.”
Aww, damn! The man knew how to melt my heart like crayons left out in the desert sun.
“Ok,” I breathed quietly, his lips still close to mine.
His mouth stretched into a smile at my words.
“Good. I’m going to go shower and clean up. We’re meeting Gauge at Callum’s in an hour.”
I just nodded as he got off my bed and started wandering toward the door.
“Oh, and FYI,” he said, repeating my words back to me, “just ‘cause we fucked doesn’t mean I feel any sort of obligation toward you. You should know that by now. I do what I do because I want to. You’re here because I want you here. You’re my friend, Ivy, whether we’re fucking or not.”
With that, he disappeared around the frame and closed his own bedroom door behind him with a hollow thud.
I wasn’t sure what to think of that, to be honest. But even though I was lost and confused, it didn’t stop my heart from being really excited and hopeful about some sort of future, even though things between us had been pretty domestic and platonic lately.
My phone vibrated, pulling me out of my own spiraling thoughts.
Jamie: Hello beautiful. Do me a favor?
I stared at the screen, a little surprised to see the text.
Me: Sure, what do you need?
I waited a full three minutes before his replay came.
Jamie: I need your address. Special package heading your way.
What?
Me: Special package? Should I be worried?
Jamie: LOL! No, it’s just a surprise. I think you’re going to like it.
Jamie: I hope you like it, anyway.
A grin passed over my face as I typed in my new address, wondering briefly if maybe, he was sending me flowers.
I didn’t even know what to think about that guy. He fucked my boobs on top of his massage table, then told me he was thinking about me. On the other hand, we would go a week, two, three without a single word. I was afraid of texting him first, for fear that I would look like the desperate girl he met on a fling. That was the last thing I wanted. I mean, his conversations were so easy and warm, but they were few and far between, and that made me confused as hell.
Shaking all thoughts of Jamie from my mind just to protect my sanity, I switched my message app over to Hillary and sent her a text to invite her along.
Me: Going out with Hunter and Gauge tonight. Save me.
Hil: Tell me when and where.
Of course she had my back. She always did. Especially when it came to Hunter and his cronies.
I sent her the details and faced the closet.
What did I want to wear? Was I trying to seduce Hunter, or was I trying to keep it platonic? I really didn’t know. Not like I needed to complicate my living situation by throwing sex into the mix, but then again, it was already pretty complicated.
To hell with it.
I shoved aside all my jeans and shirts and went straight for my dresses. Skipping over the more wholesome sundresses and a-lined skirts, I went with a form fitted LBD and my best pair of silver fuck-me heels before sitting to do my makeup.
Thinking better of it, I shimmied back out of my dress and sat on my bed to do my makeup in just my underwear so I wouldn’t get powder on the black fabric.
I was just getting ready to put my last touches on, opening my mouth to assist with my mascara application, when knuckles tapped on the door.
I mumbled, “just a second,” with my mouth open in the 'mascara face', a moment before the door swung open.
I yelped, dotting the bridge of my nose with mascara before I turned to see a shocked, but pleased Hunter with his hands still on the knob.
“I said just a second!”
“I heard ‘come in’,” Hunter told me with a grin.
I whipped my hand around and waved him out of my room, but he just made himself comfortable against my door frame.
“Not ready yet?” he asked, lounging so leisurely I wanted to kick him.
“As you can readily tell, no, I’m not. If you could give me my privacy, I’d appreciate it.”
He pouted.
“Do I have to? It’s so much fun to watch you put paint all over your face.. You got a little something right here, though.”
He pointed to the bridge of his nose and I grabbed the nearest thing to me, my pillow, and lobbed it his way.
Hunter just laughed and left me in peace, though not bothering to close the door.
It took me a full five minutes to fix the mascara on my nose, and another to fix up the foundation I’d smeared in the process of cleaning up that. But quick enough, I was done and slipping back into my dress.
While I was struggling to zip up the mid portion of my dress, Hunter came back in and stepped up to me, taking over without my having to ask.
“You look incredible,” he said, no tone of humor in his voice this time.
His fingers finished the zipper, then followed the line back down slowly before his hands wrapped around my waist. My back pressed against his chest and I found my breath catching all over again. God, just his touch did that to me.
Lips lowering to my neck, he pressed a kiss gently against the curve of my throat and whispered, breath tickling my skin.
“I think it’s only fair now, that I get to take it off when we get home.”
I licked my red-painted lips, already able to taste the flavor of his mouth against mine.
“That a promise?” I asked, practically choking on my own tongue from how excited I was just from his simple touch.
He hummed, lips back on my neck as his fingers followed the curve of my hips to brush ever so lightly against my lace covered mound.
“Cross my heart,” he agreed, cupping me so suddenly that I gasped all over again.
Hunter let go immediately, leaving me with just a ghost of his touch.
“Until then, consider tonight foreplay.”
A smirk tipped his lips as he left the room.
And I totally watched his ass swagger out, hugged by jeans that were just tight enough to cup each ass cheek with every step.
I’d have my heels sunk into that perfect butt in a matter of hours, and I was looking forward to it.
A knock on the front door had me stumbling around and grabbing my bag.
Was it the surprise Jamie told me about?
I came up behind Hunter just as he opened the door.
“What’re you doing here?” Hunter asked Gauge, who stood on our doorstep.
He shrugged.
“I plan on getting smashed, so this way we only need one designated driver.”
Dammit.
“On that note, mind if I crash tonight?”
Hunter just blinked at him.
“Actually, I do,” he told his best friend, reaching his hand around to grab my butt, which made me squeak. “We’ve got plans tonight.”
Gauge frowned, but I could see the way his eyes crinkled with humor.
“So getting laid is more important than me?” he asked, and Hunter just nodded.
I actually blushed, and the boys both laughed at me.
“I need a drink,” I mumbled.
“I can make that happen,” Hunter said, putting his arm around my waist as he led me out the door, crowding Gauge out of the doorway.
“Let’s go!” Gauge hollered, leading the way.
As it turned out, both guys only had their motorcycles, so we had to squeeze into Baby.
“No fucking way are you driving,” I told Hunter, who was squeezed into the middle seat. “This is my car, so I’m driving!”
“I changed my mind,” Gauge said while he got shoved into the other door. “I’ll just sleep in a gutter and drive my bike home in the morning.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Hunter grumbled, trying to buckle up his seatbelt that was hidden under my ass.
I shoved my key in the ignition and listened to the boys bitch at each other while I took us to Callum’s.
I wanted to strangle both of them by the time I pulled into the parking lot, and damn, I really needed that drink.
When I turned off the car, I stumbled out and shut the door behind me before heading into the bar alone. Hillary was already there, sitting at the bar with a glass of wine when I got inside.
“Girl, I’m-a kill ‘em,” I told her, sliding into a stool beside her.
Hillary leaned over and we hugged hard before arms wrapped around us with a long, pleased, masculine sigh.
We both tore away and slapped at the dude around us just to see a laughing Gauge.
“You’re an asshole!” I told him, but that just made him wink at me and turn his attention to Hillary.
Hunter watched on, arms crossed over his chest while he shook his head at the ridiculousness of it.
Gauge took the seat beside Hillary at the bar, introducing himself to my friend as if she didn’t know who he was.
Hunter sat beside me, rolling his eyes at Gauge and his instant flirtation while the bartender came over to take our orders.
“What do you want?” Hunter asked while Gauge asked for a beer.
�
�Just get me what you get,” I told him.
“I’m not drinking.”
That surprised me.
“I’m the D-D,” he added, snatching the keys from out of my purse.
“Hey!”
“Nope. You have fun, and I’ll nurse a beer. Besides, I wanna remember you dancing on the table a little clearer this time. Plus, you’re not getting anything with a whiskey dick, so it’s better this way.”
“You’d give up drinking tonight so you don’t get whiskey dick?” I asked in a reverent whisper.
He snorted a laugh, then deadpanned. “Yes.”
“Really?”
He finally gave the deadpan look up for a smirk before leaning in to whisper in my ear. “That pussy is worth a thousand drinks. It should be respected as such.”
Dammit with my melting heart.
I couldn’t help it. I moved my head so my lips brushed his when he moved away from my ear. He took it as an invitation and gave me back an incredible, deep kiss that was far too short for my liking.
“Now,” he said, his grin back in place again. “Let’s get fucked up!”
Gauge and Hillary both hollered in agreement and downed some shots.
“You going to take care of me?” I asked Hunter, gripping my first shot.
“Don’t I always? I’m seriously the best D-D you’ll ever meet.”
Yeah, he really, really wasn’t.
- 39 -
Ivory
FiveYears Ago
He was staring at me again.
I could swear that he hated me, but still, he stared.
“I think even I’m melting under his glare,” Hillary whispered, folding her arms over her chest.
Gauge walked up to Hunter and sat beside him at their normal table in the cafeteria, distracting him from giving me the evil eye.
“You think maybe he just went crazy? Like, just one day lost his mind?”
It was absolutely possible.
“Probably,” I agreed, tearing my eyes away from Hunter and shoving my fork into the soggy corn kernels on my tray.
“Oh God. Heads up, Spitty Spinelli is on her way over.”
Lovely.
“Hi weed!” Heidi Spinelli said, a big, fake smile on her botoxed lips.