by Sinden West
Emma didn’t mention the Oliver incident again; because this was overtaken by the fact that Rick was sharing my bed. However, she was careful about what she said because she was torn by her loyalty to Damien. She was wary but managed tact.
“So…you and Rick are like a thing now?” she asked, after watching me kiss him goodbye at the door. I still smiled at that door after it was closed.
“I guess.”
The reason that I had such confidence in that answer was that we had made plans for the next day. She nodded at me like she was choosing her next word with care.
“Okay…well, just look out for yourself.” And that was it. Nothing more was said.
We did become a ‘thing.’ It wasn’t like a declaration or anything occurred. There was no romantic movie moment. We just started spending all our free time together, and Rick seemed to have a lot of free time. He was flexible with what he did and when I pushed him to admit what his projects were, he said he was looking into setting up a bar with a friend. But he always seemed to have money, and I guessed that his parents had left it to him when they died just like mine had. Sometimes he would disappear at night, at that was okay because I always had study to do, and he could be such a distraction.
“You study more than any of my friends,” he said as he held my textbook out of my reach playfully. We were in his apartment, and I had known it was futile to attempt to do any study in his presence.
“I have to try harder than everyone else,” I told him then kissed him to distract him and get my book back. He made me keep kissing him though and I just knew that not much study would get done. But a phone rang, and he swore, pulling back.
It was the old phone he had, the one that belonged to his friend. He gave a few short answers before hanging up. He looked at me regretfully.
“Babe, I have to go out for a while. Will you be okay?”
“Sure.”
He leaned in a kissed me briefly. “We’ll continue this when I get back,” he said with a wicked grin.
I smiled back in return. “Where are you going?”
“Just to talk with my business partner. It’ll be boring.” He was grabbing his wallet and keys. “Make sure you’re naked by the time I get back.” He called out just before he went out the door. I collapsed back down on the bed and resisted the urge to squeal like a teenager. It had only been a few weeks, but I was so into him. I found it hard to believe that I actually had a boyfriend. I never thought that anyone would want to be with me.
I was still grinning when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Greta, how are you?” Oliver’s voice made me stiffen. He waited a few beats then continued. “I wanted to make sure that you were okay.” I still couldn’t speak. “I know that you’re probably confused, Greta, by what you did, but I want you to know that it’s okay. I know what you’re like, remember. You’re scared of everything, always scared of doing the wrong thing. But what we did wasn’t wrong, it was wonderful. You’re a very seductive young lady.” I could hear a smile in his voice.
All I had to do was shift my thumb and press the screen to end the call. But I didn’t, I just gripped the phone harder.
“Greta, sweetheart. I want to see you again. I think about you all the time. Let me take you out to dinner. Please?”
“Where’s Nathan,” I blurted out.
I heard him breathing, before saying. “Why do you want to know that?”
“Please just tell me if he’s okay.” I hated that begging tone in my voice.
“I’ll tell you what, Greta. Why don’t we meet up tomorrow like I suggested, and then we can discuss Nathan.” He voice was smooth like velvet as he cajoled.
“No. Can’t you just—“
“Greta. Why don’t you just be a good girl and come meet me? I still think about you naked and writhing in my living room—“
I ended the call and turned off my phone. My shaking hand let it drop onto the bed before I buried my face in my hands. God, he made me feel so dirty.
Chapter Thirteen
It was David who I ended up seeing the next day. He had called and invited, or more accurately, demanded that I have lunch with him. He was late again, and then made himself even later by flirting with the waitress on the way in.
When he finally got to our table and took a seat opposite me, he leaned in and whispered. “We’re going to have to find somewhere new to lunch from now on.”
“Why?” I whispered, leaning forward.
He winked at me. “Because the waitress is hot, and once I sleep with her it’ll be awkward if we keep coming back here.”
I leaned back and rolled my eyes. “Really? Is that appropriate?”
“No. It’s not. But I thought if I talk to you about my sex life, then you’ll talk to me about your sex life. We’ll bond. And you’ll tell me all about this new cretin you’ve invited into your life.”
“David! He’s not a cretin. He lovely and sweet…” I became aware that I had a goofy smile on my face as I described him by the look of disgust on David’s face.
“Let me make this clear. He is a guy. He is not ‘lovely and sweet’,” he mimicked. “All men are pigs and we’re only after one thing. I’ve just demonstrated this to you. I’m going to sleep with the hot waitress, and then never see her again. See? Pig.” He pointed to himself.
I laughed, nearly spluttering out my wine. “I’m too old for the sex talk, David.”
“I’m just looking out for you. Ready to order?”
The waitress had come over and was flashing a bright smile at him. He flashed an equally blinding smile back at her, and she nearly forgot to take my order. I watched David staring at her ass as she walked away.
“Do you have to sleep with everyone?” I admonished.
He grinned. “Yeah.” And I couldn’t blame him; since I’d discovered sex with Rick I couldn’t believe people weren’t doing this all the time. Then David straightened and looked serious. “Listen, Greta. I wanted to apologize about how I spoke to you when I found out about you and Oliver. I may have sounded a little harsh.”
I shrugged. “I’m used to it remember.”
He reached across the table and took my hand. “It doesn’t make it right. And it fuelled my blood when I heard about him.” He lowered his voice. “Are you sure he didn’t force you, or —“
“No.” I shook my head. “I had a couple of glasses of wine and he started talking about my mom, which upset me. Then he started being really nice to me. I’m pathetic. I know.”
His forehead crinkled. “You’re not—“
“Can we not talk about this, please?”
He leaned back. “Fine.”
That night, we met up with Emma, Damien, and some of their friends to see a band playing at a bar. It was noisy; that was good. It meant that I didn't have to make awkward conversation with Rick's friends. I was a little scared that if they thought I was weird, then so would Rick and it would all be over.
But I felt safe with Rick, his arm was slung over my shoulder, pulling me against him, and his hand tapped against my skin in time to the music. Every so often he would squeeze my arm so I looked at him, and then he would dive down and kiss my lips. We must have looked like one of those cute couples. Every so often, he'd excuse himself and go and see other people in the bar that he knew. He didn't invite me to come with him, or introduce me. That was okay, though. But he sure did seem to know an awful lot of people.
"Friend of yours?" I asked when he got back.
"Nah." He took a sip of his beer. "Just a guy I know." His fingers started tapping again, and I didn't push it. I didn't want to be one of those annoying girlfriends that needed to know everything, plus I didn't want piss him off in case he broke up with me. So instead of asking any more questions, I just sat there, content with his touch.
When I was on my third or fourth beer, I needed to pee. I got to my feet, giving him a hard kiss on the mouth that I hoped was sexy, and headed to the bath
room. After I used the toilet, I stared in the mirror. I wondered if I looked different now that I was having sex; now that someone wanted me. I smiled to myself, but that smile dropped when someone else came into the deserted bathroom.
Pamela looked beautiful as always, her mane of hair shining under the lights. Her clothes were more suited to the bar than mine. The neckline of her top scooped low to reveal the tanned tops of her breasts, while her skirt floated around her slim thighs. Not for the first time, I wondered why Rick was having sex with me and not her.
She stood in front of the door, blocking it, and I felt her gaze scan down me. I felt naked under her scrutiny and wondered what she saw. A nondescript girl with a personality devoid of anything interesting? Probably.
"Excuse me," I muttered, going to move past her, but she moved with me. She was so tall, and her long limbs blocked the area perfectly. I stopped short and we locked eyes. I waited nervously for what she was going to do.
"What does he see in you?" she asked me, and she wasn't saying it in a cruel way. It was like she genuinely wanted to know. But I couldn't answer, because truthfully, I didn't know. When I didn't respond, her mouth twisted a little. "You're so…" I steeled myself for the insult. "Different," she said, finally. "You don't seem like the partying type, you're not wild. You seem so well behaved, so nice." She gave a small laugh. "Why does he want you and not me?"
I still didn't answer, because that question was running through my mind as well without resolution.
"Do you think he'll get bored with you?" she asked.
My head seemed to move of its own accord. I was nodding in response to her question before I even realized it. And it was true. I was scared he would get bored with me.
"He's gets bored easily. You're right to be scared about losing him." She exhaled a breath. "I tell you what, why don't we…come to some kind of arrangement where we both get what we want? And by what we want, I mean Rick."
I frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
She looked almost nervous; this was something that seemed so wrong on this beautiful, confident girl. "I want Rick. I love him, and I know he doesn't feel the same way about me yet, but he will. I know he will eventually." She took a breath. "But until that time comes, he's with you. I get that. I accept it. But let's face it, you're not really competition for me."
I couldn't argue with that, even though I flushed in embarrassment. She saw and sighed.
"I'm sorry. That came out bitchy, I didn't mean it to, it's just the way I am sometimes. I'm not your enemy." She sounded genuine, but I was even more surprised when she took a step forward and lightly placed her hands on my waist, I looked at those perfectly manicured hands before I looked up at her. "I just want to be with him. I know he's yours, but I still want to sleep with him."
"What?" I choked out.
Her touch on my waist got firmer, as if she was scared that I'd run. "If you bring me into your bed, then I get to sleep with Rick, and it means that he won't get bored with you. Guys love girl on girl action. Trust me."
My mouth struggled to form words. "I—I've never," I started to splutter out. But she shut me up by pressing her lips down on mine. I froze, stunned. Her lips were unbelievable soft and I tasted lip gloss as she began to move her mouth against mine. I didn't kiss back; I couldn't even move.
When she decided that was enough, she broke away with her lips but kept her eyes boring into mine. Her hands still had a firm grip on my waist. "How was that?" she asked, softly.
"I, uh…omigod." I brought my shaking hands up to my face to hide, but she grabbed them, stopping me.
"Did you like it? I think you did, I can feel your heart racing." Her hand touched my chest where I knew my heart was thumping away. I couldn't look at her. "Just think about it," she whispered in my ear.
And then her hands were gone from me, and I heard the door banging shut behind her. I looked in the mirror, my eyes were wide and my cheeks were flushed. It took me a full fifteen minutes before I could get up the courage to leave the bathroom.
When I returned to where Rick was sitting, he had company. A sexy girl was in my seat, her breasts spilling out of what was a poor excuse for a top. Her hair was wild and long, she flicked it over her shoulder as she smiled up at Rick. He was smiling right back at her. I let my gaze scoot down my body, at my clothes that were long and loose, bought for comfort and coverage. Boring. I was so boring.
I felt a hand brush lightly over my back. "Think about it," Pamela told me as she passed by.
Chapter Fourteen
Pamela found me in my hidden spot in the library, as I sat at the same table as Tad, trying to match his studiousness. I knew something was up when I saw him actually lift his head at a small noise and then his eyes widened. I followed his gaze then looked away quickly as the sleek, beautiful Pamela made a beeline for me.
“There you are!”
I expected Tad to tell her to shut up and be quiet. But he didn’t. He looked down at his books, but his eyes kept darting quick looks at Pamela. He was obviously not immune to a pretty girl despite his robot like behaviors.
“Hi, Pamela.” I tried not to look at her as well, but she made it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere as she sat beside me.
“So, thought anymore about my idea?” she murmured in my ear.
I flushed. I had been thinking about her kiss… “Pamela, I can’t just go and have sex with someone, with you,” I told her a hushed tone.
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you can. I’m a person. I moan and cum like everyone else.” She didn’t bother to quieten her voice, and Tad’s eyes darted up in alarm.
“Keep your voice down!” I hissed.
“Is it the girl thing that’s bothering you? Does it make you nervous?”
She had no fucking idea. My palms were sweating even as she sat in such proximity to me. But she could read me like a book. “Hey,” she said softly. “The idea isn’t for you to be nervous or uncomfortable. You’re supposed to enjoy it. Enjoy me.” She gave a devious smile. “My body is awesome. You’d be missing out if you passed me up.”
Across from us, Tad shifted uncomfortably. I wondered if he had an erection. I had to laugh, both at how turned on he was, and at Pamela’s arrogance.
“It’s just that I’m not—“
“Gay?” she cut in. “That’s just a label. This is just supposed to be about sex. Two people, or in our case three, touching, licking, sucking…” Her hand touched my thigh. “It’s about feeling good.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I can make you feel good.”
“I can’t, Pamela,” I said, weakly. Although all I could really think about was her hand on my thigh.
“Of course you can. Kiss me,” she whispered in my ear. And there, in full view of Tad, she placed her hands on either side of my face and kissed me. I heard a noise that must have come from him, but it didn’t make me tear away, I just let her work on my mouth while I had my eyes wide open. I imagined what it must have looked like to Tad, this goddess like creature kissing someone like me…
I felt desire jerk within me, and I kissed back. I even reached up to tangle her hair in my hand as I yearned to be closer to her. She pulled away, giggling. “Easy there. I’m not going to screw you in the middle of a library.”
The brought me plunging back to reality and embarrassment. “S-sorry,” I stuttered out.
Pamela squeezed my hand. “It was fun, right? It could be even more fun with you, me and Rick together somewhere private.” She got to her feet. “Anyway, I’ve gotta run.” She scrawled her number on my notebook and then left. I watched her until she disappeared around a corner, and then I turned back to my work. Tad was staring at me, and all I could think to do was offer him a brief smile and shrug.
I didn’t tell Rick about Pamela. It was too confusing for me to get my head around. But as we lay in bed together after having sex, I traced my finger along the ‘Bella’ tattoo.
“Who’s Bella?” I asked, boldly.
He shrug
ged. “Just a girl.”
“She must have been special though, to do this.”
He trapped my hand in his, preventing me from touching that stained site on his skin. “She’s not special.”
Then why haven’t you gotten it removed? It’s what I was dying to ask, but didn’t. His phone buzzed with a text message; he flipped it open and scanned his eyes over the message.
“I gotta go.” He released my hands, and I tried not to let the disappointment show on my face. I’d left my books at home because he had wanted to spend time together with no distractions. I watched him start to get dressed before I started to gather up my own clothes.
He looked at me. “What are you doing? Don’t get dressed. I’ll only be an hour.”
“Where are you going?”
He pulled his t-shirt over his head. “Just my business partner. He’s a busy guy and can only meet at certain times. Wait for me? Please?"
I lowered my clothes onto the bed and took a breath. “Well, maybe I could come with you, then.”
He grabbed his keys off the dresser. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Because it would bore you. I also know how anxious social situations are for you.” He leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips. “Just stay here, okay? I’ll be back before you know it.” He left before I could say anything else.
I sighed and sat down on the bed.
He wasn’t gone just one hour; it was a whole bunch of hours and it ended up being the early hours of the morning when he slipped into bed beside me. He reeked of alcohol, but I reached for him anyway, anxious to kiss him and make love to him.
But he rejected me. He took my hands that were trying to touch him and bundled my wrists together in one of his hands. He lightly pushed me away from him. “I’m too tired,” he mumbled, eyes closed. It wasn’t long before he was asleep.
Not me though. I stared at his sleeping form in the dark, suddenly wide awake. The rejection was like a slap. What had he been doing? He’d been out partying without me? Had he been with other girls? Is that why he didn’t want to have sex? God, was he bored with me already?