by Lisa Sommers
“Fuck. Baby, I want you so bad.” He groans against my skin.
I see lights flash through the house as if someone is driving up the driveway. Maybe it’s just the neighbor’s house. I close my eyes, waiting for Cal enter me.
My breathing is ragged as the anticipation is getting to me. Suddenly, there’s pounding on the front door. “Cal. Cal are you home?” The familiar voice rings through the thick walls. “Cal, I need to talk to you.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cal growls. “Baby, stay right here. I’ll get rid of him,” Cal says as he stands up, buttoning his jeans as he makes his way to the front door.
“What’s wrong, man? What do you need? Wait, why are you here? Why aren’t you at the restaurant?”
I can hear Cal ask Shane half a dozen questions. I am unseen, as there is a wall separating the entryway from the living room. I take this moment to fully dress. Luckily, when Cal tossed my tank top, it landed close enough to the living room entrance that I am able to grab it without anyone seeing me.
“It’s my sister. Did you talk to Alli?” Shane asks. Did he put Cal up to it?
“Yeah, man. I did. She’s on board. Why? I thought you weren’t leaving until next week? Why the rush?” Cal sounds perturbed.
“Okay, cool. I mean, that’s great, but unfortunately things got moved up sooner.”
“What do you mean?”
“Her doctors are changing her chemo, and they want to start the second round tomorrow. Something just doesn’t seem right. Apparently, they need to do a third dose later this week, too. Something to do with it being an aggressive form of tumor. I need to go. I need to be with her.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” I step out into the open entryway and walk until I’m standing between both men. Cal’s gaze moves quickly up and down my body. Clearly he’s disappointed that I’m fully dressed.
Shane eyes me briefly, before answering, “Yes, tomorrow. I’m sorry. Will you still be able to come with me?” He seems anxious to ask.
“I’m not sure what I can do, Shane. I mean . . .”
Cal reaches for my hand. “Baby, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
Shane pulls out all the stops when he says, “I just don’t think I can deal with this one on my own. Not after losing my dad. I just need someone who has gone through this before. Please,” he begs. “Please, will you go with me?”
“Yes,” I blurt out. “I’ll go with you.”
I hear Shane release a full breath of air, as if comforted by the fact that I am going to join him while he deals with his sister’s horrible situation.
Chapter 10
Shane
It appears my arrival on Cal’s doorstep is just in time. He’s half naked, but Alli is fully clothed. Thank God. “Thank you,” I say to her.
“You’re welcome. What time do we need to leave?” she asks.
“Umm . . .” Think, damn it. Think. Once again, I haven’t quite planned out my charade. I don’t really need to leave until tomorrow night, but this was the only thing I could think of to keep Cal away from Alli. “How does eight a.m. sound?”
“I’ll be ready.”
I try to hide the grin that is dying to escape.
“I’ll meet you . . .”
“I’ll pick you up,” I interject.
Cal pulls her chin so that she has to face him, leaving my arms to stiffen and my fists to ball up at my side. “Honey, you can stay the night here and leave in the morning,” Cal says.
“I need to pack, Cal,” Alli tells him.
Take that, asshole. She needs to go home and pack. I feel like a total douche for doing this to Cal, but when it comes to Alli, I will pull out all the stops. “Great, I’ll get your address from Derek and meet you . . .”
“Oh wait, my car. I don’t have it with me,” she says.
“I’ll drive you home,” I quickly add.
“It’s okay, Shane. I’ll take her back home in a bit,” Cal says.
“Cal”—she puts her hand on his chest— “you’re already home. Shane can take me.” Makes sense to me, coach. Take that. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she assures him.
Cal audibly groans, not liking the idea of her leaving him blue-balled.
“It’s okay with me, coach. I’ll get her home safe,” I say. He doesn’t answer either of us though. He reluctantly agrees to let me drive her home.
“Shane, can I have a minute with Cal?”
Sure thing, babe. You’ve got two minutes, I want to say. But I don’t. Alli is not the type of person to take orders. Besides, after this next week, he’ll never have his hands on her again. “Sure. I’ll wait in my car. Come down when you’re ready.”
I turn around and make my way down his steps when I overhear Alli say, “I’m sorry. But, you’re right. He needs me.”
You’re damn right I need you. Finally, the pent-up smirk displays proudly on my face. In due time, Alli. In due time.
I fiddle with the music when I notice Alli walk in front of my car, my high beams making the sequins on her tank top reflect rays of light back at me. I reach over, pull the handle on the door, and push it open for her. She hastily throws herself down on the seat and pulls her door shut with a loud bang. I smile at her, taking her in as I turn the ignition and slowly pull out of Cal’s driveway.
“Make a left at the next intersection and follow that down a few miles until you can hop on 5 south, please,” Alli says, all the while never taking her eyes off the scenery outside the passenger window.
I nod, and we sit in uncomfortable silence. Now that I have her full attention, I’m not exactly sure what to say to her. I know what I want to do to her, but now’s not the time to go there.
“Thank you for taking me home,” she says barely above a whisper, never removing her gaze from the road.
“You’re welcome.” I briefly take my eyes off the road to look at her. “You know, it’s kinda funny.”
“What’s that?” she asks.
“You. Me.”
“I suppose.” She is trying to act like there is nothing between us, but I can tell she is nervous about being here with me. And rightfully so. I know she feels it every time we touch. I’m not sure why she’s fighting it. This whole thing with Cal is new and I can see it in her body language that she’s not into him. At least not the way she was with me in the airport. “Why are you staring at me?”
“No reason.” I try to act just as cool as she’s trying to act, but the smartass side of me doesn’t hide for too long. “Would you like to stop for a quick drink before I drop you off? Maybe a Dos Equis or a shot of whiskey?”
She whips her head around to face me and chastises me. “Shane!” Her glare penetrates me as I try to keep my eyes on the road. “I knew you were going to throw that in my face.”
“Hey, calm down. I’m not throwing anything in your face.” Although, getting her back in my lap hasn’t escaped my mind for a single minute. “I was just simply asking if you want a quick drink.”
“Don’t you dare tell Cal about that night.”
“Like you said, there is nothing to tell. Nothing happened between us. Right?”
“Just take the Balboa Avenue exit, make a right, and take me home. Please,” she huffs. It’s clear she doesn’t want to talk about that night, but I’ve never been one to give up easily.
“So . . .”
“Shane, please. Please just take me home. I don’t want to talk about this.”
I want nothing more than to pull her over to me and hold tight. I am such a dick sometimes. “I’m sorry. I’ll drop it.” For now, anyway.
“Balboa will turn into Grand, then you can just make a right on Ingram,” she continues, and I say no more.
Alli points to a set of condos, but she didn’t have to. Huntington’s truck is parked right out front.
“Crap,” she mumbles under her breath.
I guess she expected to be alone tonight, and not having to listen to Derek and Chelsea
fuck like dogs. “Do you need me to come up with you?”
“No,” she hollers as she hastily opens her doors and steps out.
I also open my door and stand next to my car, peering over the roof at her. I hold my hands up in defeat. “Okay. Just thought I’d help.”
“You’ve helped enough,” she spits out.
I simply smile and nod my head. She is so beautiful when she’s mad. Is there anything this girl can’t do to make me run. I’m drawn in closer at everything she says and does.
Alli catches my gaze and hers lingers on mine, while not leaving her side of the car. We both stand in comfortable silence for a few moments, when she says, “Thanks again for the ride home.” The tone of her voice has finally calmed down some.
“Anytime,” I mouth back.
Alli stays rooted in her spot, making it clear to me that she feels the attraction between us.
Say the word, Alli. Say it and I will hop over this fucking car and remind you what it can be like. Say the word and I will take you upstairs right now and strip every shred of clothing off your sweet body. Tell me and I will run my tongue over every inch of your soft, silky skin, savoring every last bit of it. Tell me and I will make you want me so bad that you can hardly stand it. Tell me and I will promise to ruin you for all other men. Because you have completely ruined me for all other women. Please. Just. Say. The. Word.
“Good night, Shane,” she says, then she turns on her heels and heads home.
Shot down. Fuck me. I need to come up with a better game plan. Alli’s not like the other women. Good looks and money can’t buy her. She needs more. And I can give her that, if she will just let me.
One week. I have one week to win her over. Game on.
Chapter 11
Alli
It takes everything in me to not turn around and run into Shane’s arms, but I dredge on. I don’t look back. If I did . . . I would stop dead in my tracks and wait for him to take me. And I know he would. I can see the lust in his eyes. I just have to remember what he did to me. He lied to me. He left me. No word. He just lied and left, I remind myself. It doesn’t matter what I feel for him. I refuse to put myself in the same position I was in with Jack. I can’t. I can’t survive another heartbreak like that. Especially, not with Shane. Every time I get near him my body betrays me. I think I was using Cal tonight to prove to myself that I could move on. I’m trying. I really am.
I get my keys out and unlock the front door, never looking back. After closing the door and locking it, I lean my back against it. “How the hell am I supposed to spend another car ride with Shane? Let alone a whole week,” I say to myself.
“Is that you, honey?”
I open my eyes to see Chelsea peering around the doorframe of her bedroom.
“Yeah, it’s me.” I exhale the words.
Chelsea ducks back in her bedroom and says something to Derek. Moments later, she returns wearing a fluffy white robe.
“Something happened,” she says, her eyes quickly trailing up and down my body as if something were wrong.
What? Is she a mind reader now?
“What’s wrong, babe? You left with Cal, right?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“So, you were gone for quite a while. Did he just bring you back?”
I shake my head, not divulging any further information. But since Chelsea knows me better than anyone, she knows I am not in my happy place.
“What the fuck do you mean he didn’t bring you back? Did you just screw him and he kicked you out? Did he make you take a cab home?” Chelsea is on fire, and if I don’t correct her, I have no doubt she will leave this instant, bathrobe and all, and show up on Cal’s doorstep.
“No.” I chuckle. “No, nothing like that.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Shane brought me home.” It’s not very often that I can stun my best friend speechless. “Can I grab my phone really quick and take a picture of your face? It’s priceless,” I joke.
“Don’t you even change the subject. I can tell that you are visibly shaken up. What happened? Did Cal do something to hurt you and you had to call Shane to come get you? I could have gotten you. Damn it, Alli! Talk to me!”
I start pouring myself a glass of wine, and another for Chelsea. “I would if I could get a word in edgewise.” Her rambling hasn’t let up since she walked into the room.
“Did I hear Cal hurt you?” Derek takes long strides into the kitchen, wearing loose blue shorts and a t-shirt, and pulls me into his side. “I’ll kill him.”
“Stop it! Both of you. Cal did nothing wrong. He has been a perfect gentleman,” I try to explain.
“Then why are you here, and why do you look so . . . on edge?” Chelsea asks.
“I’m fine. It’s just that Cal asked me go on a weeklong trip with Shane . . .”
“He what?” Wow, I’ve managed to stun Chelsea twice in one night. I’m on a roll.
“It’s not what you think. Shane’s sister is starting chemo tomorrow instead of next week, and he wants someone to accompany him who can talk him through it.”
Derek and Chelsea both nod their heads, but their eyes tell a different story.
I continue on, “Anyway, since I dealt with Michael . . .”
“Wait. Who is Michael?” Derek asks.
“My little brother. When we were younger, Michael passed away from cancer.”
“Oh wow, I’m sorry,” he says, but he still looks confused. “Kaitlyn’s not in that much danger, is she?”
“Well, she has the best doctors, but sometimes even the best doctors can’t help. At the moment, her doctors are all optimistic, and with the proper regimen, she will fully recover. But it will be a long fight. Everyone is different, and you never know what’s around the corner when it comes to cancer. I think Shane just needs to be with someone who has gone through this before. He needs someone to turn to who understands.” I don’t know if I’ve said too much, because Chelsea does not look convinced.
“So let me get this straight. You went home with Cal, Shane brings you back here, and now you are so visibly on edge after only a twenty-minute car ride with a man who you got busy with . . .”
Derek throws his arms up. “Whoa, wait. What?” He is so confused right now.
Chelsea was talking so fast that I didn’t have a chance to stop her.
“Back it up. You and Shane?”
I give my best friend the stink eye as I respond to Derek. “It’s not what you think.”
His eyebrows shoot up in disbelief over everything said tonight.
“Listen, I don’t really have time to explain tonight. I need to pack for the week and get some rest before Shane picks me up at eight in the morning.”
Chelsea turns to her man of the hour. “I’ll fill you in. Go back to my room and I’ll be in shortly. Just give me a second with Alli, okay?”
He does what she says, but not before reaching for her glass of wine and downing it. “I think I’m gonna need this.”
I take a big gulp of my wine as Chelsea reaches for the bottle to refill hers. “So, tell me.”
Here she goes.
“You are going to ride in a car for two hours, spend a week in a hotel with a guy that revs your engine louder than his GTO, and you think you are going to survive this week in one piece? HA! Honey, if this were me, then it would be no big deal. But this is you, babe. What about Cal? Did you seal the deal with him?”
“Chelsea, that is none of your business.” Christ, she has no limits.
“You didn’t, did you? And that, my dear, is why you are nervous. You are free to fuck whoever you want, and you are so scared that you will accidentally slip and fall on Shane’s cock.”
“You know, sometimes I wish you had a filter. Why must you always analyze me?” Tears are threatening to fall from my eyes.
“Me? Honey, you do this to yourself.” Chelsea takes our wine glasses and sets them on the counter. She then reaches out and wraps me in her arms. “Honey, don’t c
ry. I’m not scolding you. I’m simply alerting you to what is about to happen. You told me yourself that you cannot trust yourself around him, and he was a hard limit for you. Now you tell me you’re going to spend the week with him? Platonically?”
“You know what? You aren’t always right. This is different. He needs someone, and maybe I’m that someone that can help him.”
“Keep believing that, honey. Go on this trip. Stick to your guns. You know yourself better than anyone else. If you say you won’t give him what he so obviously wants, then don’t. I, more than anyone, want to believe you. I only want to see you happy.”
“Thank you.” I swipe away the few tears that trickle down my cheek. “Okay, well, maybe I should go pack now. You can go back to Derek. Sorry I interrupted you guys.”
“Nonsense. I will always be here for you first. Just do me a favor and call me whenever you need some of my brutal awesomeness.”
I chuckle at her comment, because if nothing else, Chelsea can beat her words into me to make me see what I don’t. And I love her for it.
Before I enter my room, I turn back to my best friend and ask, “How do you do it?”
“Do what, honey?”
“Juggle more than one.” I point to her bedroom where Derek is waiting for her.
Chelsea turns her gaze to the floor as if pondering my question. “That’s just me.” Her voice is soft and low. “I’m not wired like you, babe. I’m just not made for that type of life.”
I shake my head. I have always looked up to Chelsea for her brazen, free-spirited attitude, but at this very moment I feel sorry for her. I simply nod my head, and then she disappears into her own bedroom. I know there must be more to the story, but now is not the time to discuss it. I’ll have to ask her when I return next week.