by E. L. Todd
“Then why were you driving?”
“I borrowed my dad’s truck in the middle of the night.”
“Did you get grounded for that?”
He laughed. “Baby, I never get caught for anything.”
I rolled my eyes.
Mom came to the closed door and knocked. “Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.” Her feet sounded heavy as she walked away.
“Home cooked meal?” he asked. “I’m already liking it here.”
“I’ll move my stuff into the spare bedroom. You can have the private bathroom.”
“What?” he asked. “Let’s just stay together. What’s the harm?”
“I already told you. I don’t want my parents to think this is something when it’s not.”
“But they already think it. Even if you move into another room, they’re still going to think it. So how about you stop fighting it and just let it go?”
***
After dinner and a game of Scrabble, we went to bed. I washed my face and brushed my teeth in the bathroom, and Volt shared the sink with me and did his nighttime ritual. He brushed his teeth and shaved before he pulled off his shirt and his jeans.
I had my own pajamas to wear even though I preferred his clothes instead. They were baggy and smelled nice. They reminded me of him throughout the night.
Volt got into bed first, his bare chest uncovered. He rested one hand behind his head while the other rested on his stomach. His eyes were glued to my face as he watched me get into bed.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He redirected his gaze to the ceiling.
I rubbed lotion into my hands before I turned off the lamp. I got into bed and hugged my pillow, immediately thinking about Sage and how he would feel about this. Maybe he was right. He had every right to be mad. But even if that were the case, I still couldn’t cut Volt out of my life. He was my crutch, my best friend, my everything. I couldn’t picture my life without him—and I never wanted to.
But I was still sad.
Volt stayed on his side of the bed for a few minutes before he turned over and spooned me from behind. “So…are you ready to talk about it?”
I was hoping he’d forgotten what I said on the plane. Thinking about Sage made me sad. I wasn’t sure if it was the loss of him that bummed me out or the fact my relationship with Volt really was a problem. Would any guy ever be okay with it? “Sage and I broke up.”
His body remained still as he was wrapped around me. But his heart started to beat fast in his chest. I could feel it thump against me, kicking hard. His breathing accelerated as well. The breaths landed on the back of my neck, accompanying his frantically beating heart. “What happened?”
I didn’t know if I should tell him the truth. It would probably make him feel bad. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. Tell me.”
I kept my mouth shut and stared at the wall of my bedroom. My white dresser was just as pristine as the day my father built it. He used the finest wood and wax to construct it.
“It was me, wasn’t it?” His voice carried his defeat, along with his sadness.
“No.”
“Yes, it was,” he said with a sigh. “What happened?”
“He didn’t like the idea of you coming to Washington with me.”
“Then you should have left me behind. I would have understood.”
“But I didn’t want to leave you behind. That’s the problem.”
He tightened his hold on me.
“Then he said I had to pick between you guys. Him or you.”
“For Thanksgiving?”
“Forever.”
“What?” He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” I turned on my back so I could look up at him.
“He actually made you choose?”
I nodded.
“And you chose me?” Surprise filled his eyes, lasting long after he finished speaking.
“Boyfriends come and go. Friends are forever.”
“But…” He fell silent, his lips no longer moving. He looked around my room before he turned back to me. He remained speechless. There wasn’t much he could say, so I didn’t blame him for being mute.
“I’m just sad it had to end that way. I can’t seem to hold a man.”
“That’s not the problem, Taylor. You don’t put up with bullshit, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“He said some other stuff too…about me disobeying him.”
“Oh damn. I bet the shit hit the ceiling then.”
He knew me all too well. “I didn’t want to pick him. I’ll just put it that way.”
He snuggled into my side and pulled me against his chest. Our faces were close to one another, and concern was written on his face. “Are you okay?”
Not really. I really liked Sage. When we met in that restaurant, I felt a tingle, the kind of sensation that overcame the body when something important just happened. It felt like the beginning of something beautiful. But it never progressed and never had a chance to grow. Invisible ropes held me back, and I was unable to pursue it head-on. But I had no idea what those ropes were. “Yeah, I’ll make it through.”
Chapter Thirteen
Volt
She was single.
Totally available.
And I was sharing a bed with her.
Spending the weekend with her family over the holidays was the perfect opportunity to make something happen. I could make her parents fall in love with me, and I could make her fall in love with me too.
Finally, the odds were working in my favor.
I wanted to blurt all the feelings deep inside my chest, but I knew I couldn’t go straight for the kill. She just broke up with Sage, and she didn’t exactly seem happy about it. If I went for it right away, I would look insensitive.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t flirt with her.
Work my magic.
Make her swoon.
I got this.
We had breakfast the following morning at the dining table. Her parents asked about work and life in the city, and Taylor answered every question without showing her irritation. I knew she didn’t like being bombarded with questions, and that’s exactly what her parents were doing. But she was too nice to say anything.
“How did you sleep?” her father asked me.
It was strange to look him in the eye when I was obsessed with his daughter. I’d kissed her up against a wall and gotten a mini hand job from her. Awkward was an understatement. “Great. Thank you.”
“Taylor has had that bed since she was a teenager,” her mother said. “Who knew she would sleep in it with her… Never mind.” She looked down at her porridge and took a few bites.
A storm was brewing behind Taylor’s eyes.
Her parents assumed our relationship was on the marriage track. I could see them already making plans for it. But at least that meant they liked me.
“Do you guys have plans today?” her mother asked. “Are you going to show Volt Mt. Rainier?”
“If he’s up for it.” She turned to me, asking the question with her eyes.
“I’m up for anything, Mario.”
“Alright, Bowser,” she answered. “We’ll see what you got.”
“Mario?” her father asked. “Bowser?”
“They are Mario Kart characters,” Taylor explained. “We play that game sometimes.”
Her parents exchanged a look.
“Who won?” her father asked.
I groaned at the question.
“I kicked his ass,” Taylor said. “He nearly cried.”
“I let her win.” That was a lie, but I had to save face.
“Oh, whatever,” Taylor said. “You’re such a sore loser.”
“And you’re a pompous winner,” I argued.
“I’ve had enough of this.” Taylor left the table, most of her food untouched. “Get your hiking boots.”
“I didn’t pack any,” I answere
d.
“You can borrow mine,” her father offered.
“Thanks,” I said. “Now I’m going to humble your daughter.”
“We leave in fifteen minutes.” Taylor disappeared from the kitchen and walked down the hall. When her bedroom door shut, I knew she was getting ready.
“You guys are so cute together,” her mother said, giving me puppy dog eyes.
“Thanks,” I said. “But I think she’s the one making it cute.”
“Aww,” her mother whispered.
“Want a tip?” her father asked. “For hiking?”
“Sure,” I said. “I can’t let my lady beat me too hard.”
“Go at an angle,” he said. “Less steep and you can move quicker that way.”
“Thanks for the suggestion.” I gave him a thumbs up before I left the table.
“And one more thing,” her mother said.
“What’s that?” I placed my plate in the sink.
“Could you take a picture together while you’re up there? I want to show all my friends that my little girl has such a handsome man.”
I grinned from ear-to-ear. “Why, thank you. I’ll make that happen.”
“Thanks so much. If I try to take a picture of you guys, she’ll just throw a hissy fit,” she said.
“I know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I’m the target of those hissy fits pretty often.”
***
It was hard to keep up with her because I didn’t care about the hike. Winning meant nothing to me when I was surrounded by such glorious beauty. When I looked up into the treetops, I could see the sun poking through. Drops of mist constantly sprinkled down, landing on my nose and cheeks. It was lighter than a butterfly kiss.
“What are you doing?” Taylor turned around from her spot down the mountain. She put both hands on her hips and her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths. “You’re even slower than I thought you would be.”
I held up my palms so I could feel the moisture coat my skin. “Does it do this often?”
“What?” She climbed back up the hill until she was close to me.
“The mist. It’s not rain, and it’s not snow. It’s so soft.”
She looked up into the sky, her hair poking out from underneath her beanie. “Yeah, it mists a lot here. People say it rains here all the time, but that’s not totally accurate. Most of the time, it just does this.”
“It’s cool. Never seen anything like it.” The mountain was lush and green with pine trees. In the background was the tallest mountain I’d ever seen, and it was covered with snow. Only bits of black rock could be seen underneath. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve seen.”
“It’s pretty great, huh?” She looked around, admiring the same view. “There’s usually snow up here all year round.”
“Wow.”
“And it’s not like the snow we get in the city. This is clean and fluffy.”
“The city has nothing in common with this place.”
“Let’s keep going.” She turned around and continued her trek down the hill.
I pulled my gaze away from the surrounding beauty and paid attention to something equally hypnotizing.
That beautiful behind.
I glanced at it from time to time as we made our way down the hill. Now that I knew she was available, I thought about her in sexual ways more than I did before. Right then, I kept picturing that ass right in my face. I’d lick her wet pussy and inhale her scent. Then I would shove myself deep inside her.
Whoa. I needed to take it down a notch.
When we reached the bottom of the trail, we encountered the river. It moved underneath the bridge swiftly, heading for the waterfall just up ahead. Snow was on either side of the bank, but it wasn’t the fluffy kind on the mountain. It was covered in footprints and sludge. “Should we head back? It’s getting late.”
“Maybe,” she said. “I’m starving.”
“What’s new?” I teased.
She looked back up the mountain. “I love hiking downhill. Uphill, not so much.”
“I can carry you.” I’d get to touch that sweet behind with my bare hands.
“I can carry myself.” She walked past me and started up the trail. It was seriously steep, and it would take us a while to get to the top.
“How far is it?”
“A mile.”
Damn, this was going to take a while.
She looked at me over her shoulder. “You think you can handle it?”
I stared at her ass and made it bluntly obvious what I was doing. “With a view like this, I can handle anything.”
She rolled her eyes and started up the trail.
***
“Watch out,” I called up ahead. “It gets muddy right here. I think it’s on the left. I mean, the right.”
“I don’t see…shit!” Taylor slipped on the muddy bank and slid down the mountain. She tried to stop herself by grabbing a root or a bush, but she couldn’t latch on to anything.
If I didn’t stop her, she’d fall over the edge and plummet to her death. “I’ve got you. Don’t worry.”
She kept trying to grab a hold of the vegetation but everything slipped through her fingertips.
I hunched down and steadied my feet for the collision. Her momentum and speed were difficult to stop, but I managed to stop her with my weight. I collected her with both arms and kept her still. “See? You’re fine.”
“Shit, that was terrifying.”
“Like I’d let anything happen to you.” I stood up and grabbed her hand to help her to her feet. “It can get tricky up here. Good thing I was behind you. Otherwise, I’d have to slide down and follow you.”
“Agh.” She flinched and grabbed her ankle, cringing as she touched it. “My ankle… It really hurts.”
My heart started to pound even though I knew she was okay. “Where?”
“I don’t know… On the side.”
“You might have sprained it.”
“Yeah…maybe.” She put her foot down but cringed again. “Stupid mud.”
I eyed the trail then turned back to her. “I’ll carry you.”
“Are you insane?” she blurted. “Not only is it uphill, but it’s a mile to the top. And the incline is about ninety percent.”
“Hey, I work out.”
“Thank you, Volt. But I think I can manage.” She put down her foot again and tried to walk. She took one step then clenched her teeth together. She didn’t make a sound, but her expression gave everything away.
“You’ll make it worse if you walk on it.”
“Really. I’m fine.”
Damn, she was stubborn. I scooped her up into my arms and began the hike. “We can’t take too long. Otherwise, we’ll be here after dark. And something tells me we don’t want to be here when the sun is gone.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “I don’t want you to fall and get hurt.”
“Baby, you don’t weigh anything. Don’t even worry about it.” I marched up the hill and avoided the mud she previously slipped on. Carrying her was more difficult, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I’d get her to the top, safe and sound.
Besides, this was earning me some serious brownie points.
She rested her head against my chest. “Thanks for carrying me…”
“No problem.”
“I should have been paying better attention. That mud was right there, and I didn’t even notice.”
“It could happen to anyone.”
“Good thing I wasn’t alone. That would have been bad.”
“Let’s not worry about something that never came to pass. We’ll get there in one piece then take you to urgent care.”
“Urgent care?” she asked in surprise.
“Yeah. We should get that ankle checked out.”
“It’s just a sprain. It’ll go away on its own.”
“Better to be safe than sorry, right?”
“But I hate going to the doctor.”
“Why?” I asked.
“People are always sick. It’s gross.”
I chuckled. “Good to know you’re so compassionate.”
“I don’t mean they’re gross. I just don’t want to get sick.”
“You’ll be fine. I’ll take the germs before they can get to you.”
“How sweet…”
Chapter Fourteen
Taylor
After an x-ray, the doctor confirmed it was a minor sprain. It would be back to normal in a few days.
A waste of a doctor’s visit.
Volt drove back to the house and kept glancing at me.
“I’m fine.”
“You want a painkiller?”
“It’s not that bad.” The swelling had already gone down, and by morning, it would be non-existent.
“There’s no shame in taking some medication.”
“Maybe before I go to sleep. But right now, I’m okay.”
“Thanks for taking me up the mountain.” He drove down the dirt road until he pulled up to the house. “It was amazing.”
“Thanks for carrying me up that mountain. I hope you aren’t sore tomorrow.”
He put the car in park and killed the engine. “Sore? You weigh a hundred pounds. I dead-lift twice that weight every day.”
I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. I tried to put weight on my bad foot, but it couldn’t handle it. It throbbed in pain and made me wince.
“I’ve got you.” He scooped me into his arms and carried me to the house.
“I can make it there on my own. I have crutches.”
“Why use crutches when you have a strong man like me?” He walked into the house where my parents were sitting at the kitchen table. They were both in their pajamas and were only awake to make sure we got home okay.
“Is everything alright?” Mom stood up and eyed the clock on the coffee maker. “It’s late. We tried calling, but it went straight to voicemail.”
“I tripped on the hike,” I explained. “Rolled my ankle.”
“Are you okay, honey?” Dad asked.
“She’s fine,” Volt said. “We stopped by urgent care just in case, but it’ll be back to normal in a few days.”
Mom clutched her chest. “Oh, thank goodness.”
“I’m going to get her ready for bed,” Volt said. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” I said with a wave as he carried me away.