by E. L. Todd
***
The next morning, I woke up to her facing me. Her arm was around my waist and she was hugging me like a teddy bear. Her lips were relaxed and her skin was rejuvenated after a night of rest. Her cheeks were soft and pale. The skin of her neck was flawless. One button at the top of her shirt was broken, revealing the line of her cleavage but I never looked. I knew Skye hated it when men gawked at her chest.
Just for a moment, I pretended this meant something. She and I weren’t just platonic friends. We were soul mates, holding each other all night because we couldn’t stand to be apart. I was her hero, her everything.
I stared at her face, memorizing it. She and I slept together before, but it was nothing like this. I liked feeling her arm around my waist, anchoring me to her. I liked feeling needed, wanted.
Unable to control myself, my hand moved up and touched a strand of her soft hair. It was smooth like silk, sliding through my fingers easily. Then I leaned in and pressed my lips to her forehead. Her skin was soft, and my lips burned the moment I touched her. It was something I longed to do, something I almost did countless times when she made me smile or laugh. Then I pulled away, suddenly feeling cold the moment my touch ceased.
I settled my head back onto the armrest and stared at her, wondering what the hell she saw in Zack. He was a typical jerk. They fought more often than they enjoyed each other. I’ll admit he was good-looking but that was all he had going for him. Skye was deep and selfless. There was so much behind her pretty face. She had a heart of gold and soul of priceless fortune. She was the most beautiful person I knew, on the inside as well as the outside.
Skye took a deep breath and a quiet sigh escaped her lips. Then her eyes fluttered open, taking me in. Morning light filtered through the curtains, making the room slightly lit. When she came around, she pulled her arm slightly but kept it around my waist. “Looks like I fell asleep…”
“Me too.”
“Do I owe you another twenty bucks?”
I smirked. “No. I’ll let it go because I’m a gentleman.”
She pulled her hand away then ran it through her hair. “You’re the best masseur in the world. You put me to sleep.”
“Well, putting you to sleep doesn’t take much work. As long as it’s nine o’ clock, you’re out.”
She smirked. “Stop teasing me.”
“Never.”
She adjusted her head on the armrest and closed her eyes. “I don’t want to go back to the conference.”
“They have free food.” Food was the fastest way to her heart.
“But then I have to wear heels…ugh.”
“We could get room service then catch an early flight.”
She opened her eyes and they lit up. “Oooh…I like it.”
Damn, she was adorable. “Get in the shower and I’ll call it in.”
“Make sure you get me French—”
“French Toast. I know.”
“And—”
“Oatmeal. I know. You’re very predictable.”
She blushed. “I am, aren’t I?”
“A little. But that’s okay.” It took all my strength to stand up and leave her embrace. I could lay in her arms all day, letting her warmth surround me.
She sat up then adjusted her top. She didn’t bother with the top button, which meant she was comfortable around me. Then she walked into her bedroom and shut the door.
With a heavy sigh, I called room service and placed the order.
***
“I love room service.” She inhaled her French toast like it might disappear if she didn’t eat it quick enough.
“Nothing else can compare.” I cut into my pancakes then sipped my coffee.
She drenched her breakfast in syrup, saturating it before scarfing it down. “So damn good.”
I glanced at her every few seconds, loving the fact we were having breakfast together in a private room. There’s no one else I’d rather be secluded with. It was hard for me to connect to other women. I always found something wrong with them. They were either boring or annoying. There was no place in between. Only Skye seemed to catch my attention in an unshakeable way. Her beauty was unparalleled, her down-to-earth personality just made her irresistible.
I couldn’t recall the exact moment when the feelings started. In high school, she suddenly caught my attention. Perhaps it was for a shallow reason, like her breasts started to come in. Maybe it was because she was the only girl I had feelings for and I didn’t just want to sleep with her. I didn’t know. But as soon as the feelings started, they never went away. I had a few girlfriends on and off, and I had sex as often as I could when I was younger but nothing ever satisfied me. Skye was the prize I had my eye on.
But she didn’t even notice me. She slept with me all night and it meant nothing to her. I was practically her brother, a blood relative. She admitted I was a catch and any girl would be lucky to have me, but that didn’t apply to her.
I didn’t understand. I was a far better guy than Zack. First of all, I was better looking than him. It was a cocky thing to think, but it was the truth. After football ended in high school, I continued to lift weights, making my body filled out and toned. I had fair skin and blue eyes that usually attracted women. And I was funny, down-to-earth, smart, and trustworthy. What more did she want?
“Cayson, is there something on your mind?”
Damn, I was brooding right across the table from her. “I’m not looking forward to the flight.”
“I thought you weren’t scared?”
“I’m not. I just don’t enjoy being in a small enclosure with two hundred people. Not much legroom for a tall guy like me.”
“It’s one of the times I’m happy to be short.”
I finished my breakfast then stacked the plates on the cart. “Are you finished?”
“What do you think?” Her plate was as empty as if it was clean.
I smirked. “Do I need to order more food?”
“I could squeeze in a few more bites, but no. We should go.”
I cleared the table and placed the cart against the wall.
Skye’s phone lit up. “Guess who it is?”
Probably Zack. “You tell me.”
“My dad.” She rolled her eyes and read the message. “He wants me to text him the moment I’m in Boston.”
“My dad called and asked me to do the same thing.”
“Are we five?” she asked. “We don’t need to check in with them every hour.”
I shrugged. “They just care, Skye. I try not to fight it. Believe me, you’ll always lose.”
She laughed. “Amen to that.”
***
The second we got to the car after the plane touched down, both of our phones went off.
Skye grinned at me. “It’s my dad. I’m guessing yours is calling you?”
I glanced at the screen. “Yep.”
“So much for letting us call them when we had a chance.” She rolled her eyes and took the call.
I answered mine. “Yes, I’m in Boston.”
“I just wanted to check. Your plane landed half an hour ago.”
“Sorry. I guess getting off the plane, taking a piss, and grabbing my luggage took too long.”
He chuckled. “I’ll talk to you later.”
I hung up without saying goodbye.
Skye looked at me. “They are freaks.”
“Of nature.”
We drove home and finally arrived outside her apartment. I grabbed her luggage and carried it up the stairs. Like a gargoyle, Zack was leaning against the wall next to her door, his arms across his chest.
I fucking hated this guy.
I dropped her luggage and looked at her. “Thanks for inviting me. I had a great time.”
“Me too. Thanks for putting up with my dad.”
I smirked. “He’s a good guy.”
She stepped toward me and gave me a big hug.
I was pleased she showed affection with me despite the presence of her boyfr
iend. I felt like I always had the upper hand, that he could never compete with me in a twisted way. I hugged her back and smelled her hair.
“I’ll see you later.” She ended the embrace and pulled her keys out.
“Yeah.” I turned away and spotted Zack scowling at me. His jaw was tense like it was chiseled from stone. Hatred burned in his eyes like a spreading wildfire. This guy loathed me, wanted me dead.
But the feeling was mutual.
I wasn’t going to leave until I got the last word. “Thanks for letting me stay in your room.” I caught the look that spread across Zack’s face. He wasn’t happy.
With a smirk, I walked away, a skip in my step.
***
Slade sat across from me in the student lounge. His books were laid out in front of him but he wasn’t studying. A fire burned to our left, and the windows started to frost as the fall deepened. The leaves were starting to turn blood red before they detached and fell to the ground. I wished I was curled up with Skye in bed, staying warm despite the chill.
“What are you going to be for Halloween?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I haven’t given it much thought.”
“Well, you’re running out of time.”
“What are you going to be?”
“A tattoo artist.” He grinned.
I cocked an eyebrow. “And how will you dress up for that?”
He shrugged. “Jeans and a t-shirt.”
“So…you’ll look the same?”
“No. I’ll be a tattoo artist.”
I couldn’t argue with this stupidity. “Whatever.”
“What are you going to be?”
“I just told you I don’t know.”
“Be a clown.”
What? “Why the hell would I be a clown?”
He shrugged. “It’s better than being nothing.”
“Like you?” I jabbed.
“No, I’m going to be a tattoo artist.”
“Why don’t you just be a moron? You’re already dressed for that.”
“You’re a moron,” he countered.
“What a good comeback,” I said sarcastically.
“Be a baby beluga whale,” he blurted.
I gave him an incredulous look. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What? No one else will have that costume. And you’re paler than the sun.”
“You’re just as white.”
“But my sleeves bring out some color.”
I shook my head slightly. “I’ll never figure out how you got into Harvard.”
He glared at me. “Hey. I’m smart.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“Well, I’m sure Uncle Sean had something to do with that.”
“He had everything to do with it.”
“Not everyone can be a genius like you. Hey, be a dinosaur!”
I couldn’t follow his thought process. “How did you get from genius to dinosaur?”
“Be a pterodactyl.” He spread his arms and acted like he was flying. “Roar! Roar!”
My head was about to explode. “When they roar, they don’t say roar. They just roar.”
“Roar! Roar!” He continued to flap his arms.
I covered my face with my hands and sighed. “Okay, I’m not going to be that.”
“You’re going with the whale, then?”
I dropped my hands and glared at him. “No.”
He rubbed his chin. “I got it! Be Batman.”
“I’m not a twelve-year-old.”
“That’s arguable…”
Sometimes I wasn’t sure why Slade was my best friend. “How about you be Batman?”
He nodded. “I’ll be Batman and you’ll be Robin.”
“Are we going to a Halloween party or coming out of the closet?”
“That’s not gay!”
“That’s the gayest thing I’ve ever heard.” I gave him a serious look.
“Whatever. It’s not like you have any ideas.”
“In this case, no idea is better than a stupid idea.”
“You’re no fun.” He rolled his eyes. “So, how was the weekend getaway with that annoying thing?”
“Annoying thing?”
“My cousin.”
“She’s not an annoying thing.”
“Let’s cut the crap. She’s annoying as hell.” He rested his elbow on the table, showing the tattoos of his arm.
“It was fine. And she wasn’t annoying.”
“The only reason why she isn’t annoying is because you like her rack.”
“Dude…she’s your cousin.”
“What? I’m not totally oblivious to why men find her attractive.”
“And I like her for more reasons than the size of her chest.”
He smirked. “Sure, man.”
I glared at him. “There’s a lot more to her than a pretty face.”
“Well, I don’t see it.”
“Anyway…we had a good time.”
“Didn’t you go to a business conference?” he asked incredulously. “It must have been extremely boring.”
“It wasn’t. Skye did a great job on her presentation. She killed, actually.”
He started to snore. “Talk about a snooze fest.”
Slade could never take anything seriously.
“Did Uncle Sean show up like Batman lurking in the shadows?”
“In fact, he did.”
“Cool.”
“He got us the presidential suite, which Skye wasn’t too thrilled about.”
“Us? Did you guys stay in the same room?”
“Yeah.”
His eyes widened. “Did you sleep with her?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been alone with Skye thousands of times and I’ve never slept with her. A guy and a girl can be alone and not want to immediately bang.”
“I’ve never experienced that.” He said it with a straight face.
“You have ten STDs, don’t you?”
He glared at me. “No. It’s called a rubber.”
“Anyway…all the other rooms were taken so I just stayed with her.”
“Did anything happen?”
“No. Nothing ever happens. We did sleep together on the couch though.”
“Like, you cuddled and shit?”
“Something foreign to you…yes, we cuddled.” It was much more satisfying than sex, if you ask me.
“So, she had her arm around you and junk like that?”
“Yes.”
He rubbed his temples and sighed. “I’m sorry. Am I the only one who finds that weird?”
“It’s not weird.”
“Friends don’t just cuddle together.”
“Yeah, they do,” I argued.
“When have you and I ever cuddled?” he demanded. “We’re friends.”
“But we’re both dudes—straight dudes.”
“How is it any different?” he asked. “I would never cuddle with a girl who was just a friend. Shit, I don’t even cuddle with the girls I tap.”
“Well, we’ve been friends for a long time.”
“What does that matter? Plus, she has a boyfriend. I’m finding it hard to believe that she just sees you as a friend.”
Hope burned in my heart but I tried to hide it. “Well, she does.”
“I don’t believe that anymore. Maybe she doesn’t realize it or something. Maybe it’s a subconscious thing. But she totally feels different toward you than she does to everyone else. She and Theo are friends but they never cuddle.”
“They aren’t as close.”
“She still wouldn’t cuddle with him,” he argued. “You really think there’s nothing else there?”
My heart and mind were at war with each other. Sometimes I couldn’t believe we clicked so well and she didn’t see me as something more. Sometimes she looked at me like I wasn’t even there. My mind told me our relationship was strictly platonic, but my heart told me she was in love with me, in a very complicated way. “Sometimes I think there is…som
etimes I don’t.”
“And I don’t know about Zack…every time I’m around them all they do is bitch at each other.”
“Does every other word out of your mouth have to be a curse word?”
“I wear sleeves of tattoos for a reason,” he countered.
“Do you have to be a stereotype?”
“Yes.” He looked at the tattoos on his forearm. A tentacle from an octopus reached down his arm and wrapped around his wrist. His body was a fresco of various images. He kept getting more but was running out of room.
“Your dad does all your artwork?”
“Yep. He’s the best in the business.”
“I’m sure your mom is happy about that,” I said sarcastically.
“Hey, she has a tattoo.”
“Of her wedding band. That’s pretty tame. And she’s a partner at the biggest publishing house in the world. I doubt she’s dropping F bombs left and right.”
He smirked. “You should listen to my parents fight. My mom is psycho. She rips into my dad and puts him to shame.”
“How romantic,” I said sarcastically.
“Then they screw like rabbits.” He cringed. “Their room is on the other side of the house and Silke and I can still hear them.”
“My parents are the same.”
He flipped through his textbook. “I hate school. It’s not for me.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I already told you why. My dad said he would get me my own tattoo parlor if I graduated from college—so fucking stupid.”
“I think he wants to make sure you keep your options open.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. The only good thing about being in school is all the girls. They think I’m smart and wild. Apparently, that makes me irresistible.”
“Or they’re just stupid.”
He ignored the jab. “Have you talked to Jasmine?”
“No.” I didn’t plan on it.
“She seemed really cool. Why don’t you hook up with her again?”
“Because I don’t see me committing to her. I’d rather not waste her time.”
“She didn’t exactly seem like a girl who cares about commitment.” He winked at me.
“I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Who cares? You were honest with her. It’s her own grave she’s digging.”
“That’s what makes me different from you. I’m not a complete asshole.”