by Chloe Walsh
“My mom’s dead too,” Kyle said when I returned to the couch. “Oh I’m sorry.” My heart swelled for him. “How old were you when she passed away?” I was sorry for him. Losing your mother was the worst feeling in the world, for a child to be missing that crucial element, a mother’s love. “Three. I don’t remember her.” His face looked like the subject was a closed, and I briefly wondered why he had brought it up, if he was not going to discuss it further.
I was desperate to change the subject and keep him from leaving. “So are we going to try and be friends now?” I asked nervously outstretching my hand to him. I only wanted to know the answer if it was good news. I couldn’t take any more bad. Kyle shook his head, smiling softly, “Yeah princess, we can try…” he took my hand and shook it, before pulling me closer, “But if this goes wrong, remember I warned you. I tried to protect you.”
He released my hand, and my head was swimming. What did that mean? He tried to protect me? I asked him about something else that he had said that was still bugging me. “You said earlier I was different from other girls? How am I different?” I needed to know. It really bothered me that he didn’t think I was a normal girl. It was obvious he found it easy to ignore me, but I was most definitely still aware of his maleness. He sighed and turned to face me; he pulled one leg up on the couch and left the other hang on the floor. Smiling he chuckled, “Do we really need to have this conversation?” His smile was infectious and I felt myself mirroring him. I was so happy we were off the topic of dead mothers. “We most definitely do, my female pride is wounded” I replied, “Don’t try and dodge the question sir,” I joked. “Sir?” He laughed and sat up straighter, resting one arm over his bent knee. He eyes were a tranquil blue. “That’s what everyone at work calls you.” The girls in the restaurant called Kyle Carter worse names than sir, sexually predatory names that were too vulgar to contemplate saying out loud. “And since we’re on the subject of work what’s with you ordering strawberry milkshakes? What are you nine?” He gaped at me, and I sniggered. “Twenty-two, and I’ll have you know milkshakes are a great source of calcium, maybe you should try one sometime, short-ass” I leaned over and tugged at his sweater playfully. “Okay I think we both know by now that I’m vertically challenged so quit dodging and answer my question.”
He reached up and pulled my hand into his lap, and played with my fingers. I didn’t think he even realised he was doing it, but it felt right when he touched me. I always wanted to be touching him. “When I say you’re different princess, it’s because you are. You are plain and simple.”
“Gee thanks Kyle. So I’m plain, simple and a short-ass.” I pulled my hand back but he was too quick for me. “Hey, now don’t get cranky. I meant that as a complement.” He looked down at our joined hands and then back at me. He was smiling. “You’re not like any other woman I have ever met. You are honest and kind. You are probably the only girl in the whole damn world who I can say that about,” he sighed and puckered his brow, “Lee, what you represent for me is the opposite of everything I hate in a woman. Being around you is as easy as breathing, it’s addictive.” He exhaled deeply and smiled his half-moon smile, “Satisfied?” Was I satisfied with that? I wasn’t sure but I was confused. He never stayed around me long enough to test his theory. I nodded slowly, accepting his answer as the best explanation I was going to get. If I was the exact opposite of what he hated, then did that mean he…? No I wasn’t going to get my hopes up. I knew enough to know that Kyle Carter had an incredible talent for pulling the rug out from under my feet.
He squeezed my fingers and I lifted my eyes to his. “What?” I asked. “You looked lost in thought,” he said. I nodded, “I guess I’m trying to figure you out. You are a mystery Kyle Carter. Every time I think I’ve figured you out, you reveal another layer.” He snorted and laced our fingers together once again. “Well when you figure me out, could you tell me, because I’d love to know?” he asked quietly. I thought he was joking but his face was serious. I just smiled in response. I had no reply for that.
He frowned for a moment, “Since we’re sharing, you wanna tell me why you’re not in for college? You’re eighteen. You should be starting your freshman year not bussing tables and cleaning toilets for minimum wage.” Whoa, where did that come from? “There is no law against not going to school Kyle.”
I did not want to go into this. I felt inferior enough as it stood without Kyle, especially since I learned he was my boss as well as my landlord. I was so far down the ladder from him I was invisible. Sensing my mood, he changed the subject. “When’s your birthday?” I looked at his smiling face and reddened, “October second. When’s yours?” He grinned, the sexy dimple causing havoc to my insides. “March eleventh. Yours is closer. We should celebrate. Maybe we could do a few shots?” I stared at him open-mouthed, and he chuckled. I wasn’t used to this version of Kyle. I liked it this Kyle… a lot.
“Hey, I thought we were doing the friends thing, no flirting,” I teased, even though I enjoyed his flirting almost as much as his kissing. Well almost…
“You should be in college princess. You’re a smart girl.” I clammed up inside, my body tensed as I pulled away from him. I slipped away from him and moved towards the door. “I’m pretty beat, I’m gonna go to bed. Night Kyle,” I mumbled. I thought I heard Kyle groan as I closed the door behind me.
KYLE
Lee rushed out of the room so fast after I mentioned the college thing that I knew I must of touched a nerve. The kicked puppy look in her eyes made me want to kick myself in the balls. God I hated being the one to put that look in her eyes.
I wanted to know why she didn’t finish school, there was more to this than she was saying. I was like a dog with a bone. I didn’t know her mom had died when she was a baby. Damn Rachel and her razor tongue for bringing that up. I couldn’t believe I told her about my mother. I didn’t talk about my mom, ever. It was too fucking painful…
Touching her on the couch had been a bad idea, I was fucking riled up. I shifted off the couch in frustration, and went upstairs... I couldn’t believe I had agreed to this friend’s thing. The thoughts I had of her were far from ‘friendly’. I shook my head, fuck I was going to do this. I could be her friend. I needed to run, get out of this house for a while, or take a very cold shower. She was costing me sleep every night I slept in the room next to hers.
LEE
Since Cam and Derek were a couple, I found myself spending a lot of time with Kyle when we were at home. I think I secretly used the couple card as an excuse to allow myself to be around Kyle so much. He made me feel alive, and he was easy to be with. I had even gotten used to being around him without drooling…well almost. He was still the most beautiful man I had ever seen in real life, I didn’t think that could ever be changed or helped. We had even started hanging out outside the house, purely platonically of course.
He gave me a ride home from work most nights if he was free, and I tagged along with him to the library where he was a member. It was heaven in that library. I loved reading and hadn’t had the opportunity to join a library since I arrived. I had always loved reading; it was my thing. Besides, I had never been in a library so well stocked; the library in my highschool had been outdated, by about thirty years.
To be fair to him, Kyle had said no more on the subject of college and bravely faced the tufting of the elderly librarian on several occasions to check out romance novels for me, ‘girly porn’ he called them, I preferred the term romance novels. He helped me set up my own membership. He was great, and we had become friends, good friends. I spent most of my free time with Kyle and with every day that passed, I became more and more enthralled with him.
Most days it felt like I had no balance in life anymore. My plates had shifted, and focussed entirely on Kyle. I lived for our private talks, or when he sought me out at work, or when he touched me without realising he was doing it. The one thing I struggled to deal was Kyle’s women.
Every time I had a shift waitressi
ng, he was there. He had a different woman on at his table every single time. It drove me crazy. I tried to be rational about the whole thing, Kyle owned the hotel and many of his lady friends were business clients, but that didn’t stop my skin from crawling and the acid burning my throat every damn time he came in. I had already snapped four pencils taking his orders. Of course, we were friends now so he always sat in my section, but some days I wished he could read just my mind and see how he was hurting me, flaunting these girls in front of me. The worst days were the ones when he brought Rachel to the hotel. When she was with him, he sat in a different section and ignored me. Those days I cried in the bathroom, because being ignored by Kyle Carter was about the worst feeling in my world.
“You with me princess?” I jumped, startled from my reverie. We were sitting in his truck, and Kyle was looking at me curiously. He unbuckled his belt. “Are we at the library already? Sorry I was miles away.” I fiddled with the buckle on my belt but it didn’t budge. You would think, from the amount of time I spent in Kyle’s truck, I would have mastered unbuckling myself, but sadly no. “Yep, what were you thinking?” I pulled some more at my buckle, flustered and embarrassed. I was not telling him that he was all I ever thought about. I was obsessed. “I was thinking you should get a jeep with normal belts, not these baby harnesses.” Kyle burst out laughing at that. “Baby harnesses?” He leaned over and swiftly unbuckled me, “It’s an off road harness.” I snorted. “Off road? It’s a pretty jeep but why don’t you have a nice little car, something girl-friendly?” Kyle leaned over and clasped my chin gently in his hand. “Truck, it’s a truck princess. Besides, you’re the only girl who rides in my baby.” His eyes twinkled, his dimple deepening when he grinned. His closeness thrilled me and I had to tell my body to calm down. He released my chin and hopped out, it was so much easier for those not vertically challenged.
He walked over my door and opened it, “And please don’t call my truck pretty, you’ll hurt it’s feelings.” I giggled, heat swelling inside at his close proximity, “Oh I’m sorry sir. It is the prettiest, most manly truck I’ve ever seen.” He groaned in feigned frustration.
Opening my door, he clamped his hands around my waist and pulled me out of the truck, setting me down on the sidewalk in one swift movement. I held in the gasp was forcing its way up my throat. It did funny things to my insides when he did that. I should have been used to it by now; he always helped me in and out when of his truck. But every time was like the first for me. “Your sarcasm wounds me,” he joked, grabbing my hand. I looked twice at the casual gesture. ‘Be calm you idiot, this means nothing’ I chanted to myself as I followed Kyle up the steps to the entrance of the library. I couldn’t contain my excitement when we got inside. I loved this place. I loved that Kyle was the one who took me to this place.
KYLE
“Oh I love this place,” Lee squealed, the minute we walked through the door. She squeezed my hand tighter. Goddammit, I was jealous of the library now. I wanted to get that kind of reaction from her. It was a major blow to my ego when she reacted indifferent with me but squealed in pleasure over checking out some books. One of the first things I realised about her was that Lee loved books. She quietened in crowds, was absent for parties but the girl loved to read.
I silently thanked baby Jesus that I invited her to check out the library that first time. I had to run into the office to sign some paperwork one afternoon I was collecting her from her shift and had asked Lee if she wanted to check out the library down the street from the hotel, rather than sit in the truck for an hour. She had been so excited, skipping down the street into the library.
I had brought her half a dozen times since then and every time she was as excited as the first. I pulled on her hand, bringing her closer to me, “Calm down geek, you’ll get your word food soon enough”. She smiled up at me, her plush lips stretching, to reveal those straight white teeth of hers.
God bless the girl she was the poster girl for orthodontists worldwide. Her grey eyes sparkled as she beamed at me. My breath caught in my throat, she was stunning. “Well let’s hurry. I need to be filled right now.” Jesus Christ, my cock twitched the minute those words came out of her mouth. Lee, unaware of the suggestiveness of her words, let go of my hand and darted to the closest aisle, her ass swaying in those damn jeans, oblivious to my raging hard on.
“Kyle are you coming?” she called after me. Damn. “Yeah, I think I might.”
LEE
I had always dreaded Saturday mornings in Montgomery. After four months of living in Boulder, I could safely say I still did, for less painful but far more embarrassing reasons.
“You know Lee, this dress would be gorgeous on you.” We were in Deacon, Cam’s favourite department store, the very store she dragged me to on my first day off work every week. I hated shopping, but Cam coveted her customary Saturday splurges, dragging me with her. The boys had come with us today, but had gone off in the direction of the liquor store. There was a party tonight at Dixon’s and Derek and Kyle had decided that the case of beer at home wasn’t enough, and they were low on supplies, even though our refrigerator was crammed with beer. I partially guessed it was an excuse to evade Cam. I wish I had gone with them, but my arms were Cam’s shopping basket and were currently holding more bras and panties than I owned. I hoped the other shoppers didn’t think they were for me. I could never be as saucy as miss agent provocateur in front of me.
I held up a pair of the panties for closer inspection and blushed immediately. “Crotch-less panties Cam? Really?” She smirked, as her eyes glided over the rails of dresses. “What? Derek may get hungry.” Uh I thought I might vomit. I made a gagging noise. “Seriously babe, you would look fierce in this dress. Try it on for me?”
I paled when I saw the dress Cam was suggesting. “No way. Put it back.” Calling that scrap of material a dress, was pushing it. It looked more like underwear. It was a short sparkly little number, red in colour, with a deep plunge line. “Oh come on Lee, it’s fabulous and you’ll look smoking hot wearing it tonight.” That was never going to happen. “If my daddy thought I was wearing clothes like that, he’d whoop me from here back to Louisiana Camryn Frey.” Cam grinned wickedly, “It’s a good thing your daddy isn’t here then isn’t it.”
Cam walked towards the counter and I practically tackled her. “No Cam please put it back, besides I’m not going to the party, so buying me something to wear is pointless.” I tried to grab the dress from her hands, but the damn giant held it up out of my reach.
“Chill Lee, don’t be so square,” Cam laughed, as she handed the dress to the girl behind the counter. “Oh and FYI, you so are going to be at the party tonight. I am tired of watching you hide away from life. It’s high time you got off the side-lines and jumped into the game.” I reddened and huffed loudly. That was not going to happen. I liked the side-lines. “Hell will freeze over before I wear that Cam. Put it back. Please.”.
“Easy princess,” Kyle’s voice came from behind me. I automatically jumped. “Who rattled your cage?” Derek asked, glancing from me to Cam with an amused expression. Great the guys arrived to witness my shame. I winced. “Oh guys, maybe you can tell Lee to loosen up.” Cam handed her card over to the cashier, who swiped it through the machine, then bagged the dress. “She’s having a coronary over a little dress shopping for the party tonight.”
I glared at Cam, “Little being the operative word. And I told you I’m not going.” Kyle raised his brow in surprise. “Whatcha buy?” I could hear the humour in his tone. “Nothing, I didn’t buy anything and I won’t be wearing anything.” I grumbled. “Whoa, Lee it’s not that kind of party,” Derek joked, covering his eyes with one hand and pretending to bat me away with the other. I grabbed the bag from Cam before she could embarrass me any further by showing them. “I can’t believe you actually got the ice queen to buy something other than jeans. I’m shocked,” Derek joked as he slung his arm around Cam’s shoulder. They both burst out laughing. “Are you guys done?
” I growled, storming off in the direction of the exit. “Awh come on ice queen, we were joking. Come back.” I heard Derek call out, but I was too upset to stop. I walked out straight out of the store, and made my way to the entrance of the shopping mall.
“Hold up.” An arm swooped around my waist, and I stopped, my heart beat soaring from his familiar touch. Kyle pulled me closer, speaking into my ear, “They’re only trying to get a reaction out of you baby.” Baby… My heart jumped clean off the rector scale. “I’m not like that.” I shivered, and turned to face him. “I can’t wear things like that. Like what Cam wears.” Kyle knitted his brow, “Come on, I’m taking you out of here.” He clutched my hand and led me outside. “Wait. What about Cam and Derek?” We all drove here together in Kyle’s truck. We couldn’t leave Cam and Derek behind. Kyle pulled his phone out and fiddled with it for a few seconds before putting it back in his pocket. “They can get the bus, or walk, I don’t give a shit. I’m taking you for food.”
We got to his truck, and he opened the passenger door, “I texted Derek, so don’t worry about them.” He lifted me up without a second thought, and I sank into the passenger seat, my heart continuing to somersault around in my chest. He walked around the truck and climbed in beside me.