by Pavan Kaur
“Trust me the three of them together are evil.” Pete tells Ocean.
“Pete, I thought you loved us.” I look over at him, shocked that he thinks we are so evil. I’m only messing with him. He is so used to us now.
"No, I love Amie. I'm stuck with you two. And if you and Ocean do work this out, shame on him, he’s stuck with these two," Pete looks back at the screen.
Ocean leans closer to me, “What does he mean if? I thought this was our second date," he stays close for a moment, and every time his breath hits my skin, it tickles. My skin is begging me to let his lips touch me.
Turning to face him, I remind him, “Like I said, my first date will never be with my friends around us.”
Ocean’s face is still very close to mine. My eyes are locked with his. I can feel my heart starting to race. The longer he looks at me, the more I can feel myself pulling in to him. How is he doing this to me? I need him to kiss me.
“Don’t worry buttercup. I promise you will know when it’s our first date.” His hand reaches over, “And in the meantime, looks like I’m sharing your popcorn,” and grabs a handful.
I keep my eyes on Ocean for a moment. “You want it just as much as he does,” Tanya whispers in my ear. I face her. “Ohhhhh you want him more,” she starts laughing.
“What are you two laughing about? Tell me.” Amie moves in closer to us, shaking my head at them both because I’m not going to hear the end of this now.
“Seems like our girl will be lucky to last until the end of the week,” Tanya looks over at Amie, who is giving me the biggest smile right now. “And…”
"The film is about to start," Pete looks at us all, and I think about what Tanya has just said to me. She's right. I won't last until the end of the week. I need to step away from him. This wedding is too important not to put all my focus on. This wedding might help me get closer to my own business. I need to focus.
***
I have no idea how this week has gone by so fast. Every day I have been running around making sure I have everything I need. I know I still have three weeks, but I like to have ninety per cent of the work ticked off my list in the first week. That way I can spend three weeks making sure everything is perfect.
Ocean hasn’t been around the last few days either. He said he had a mad rush at work and wasn’t able to help with anything. It didn’t stop him from sending me something every morning. I’ve had a cookies and cream flavored Oreo cake. Then he sent me a black panther cake with a note that said.
Buttercup,
You smelled so good, that all I wanted to do was kiss you, but our first kiss will be something that just thinking about it, will make you weak.
From Pretty Boy x
I got excited over that one. I believe he will make me feel that way. Just thinking about his lips so close to my skin at the cinema gives me goosebumps.
I still want to know what he does for a living. . He seems very secretive about it. I want to know more about him. I want to know what he likes, what he doesn't like. I mean he sends me gifts, every morning I get something. This morning he sent me a white chocolate latte, with a note, Remembering the smile on your lips when you took a sip is worth sending you this every morning. I want to send him something, maybe not as romantic as this, but something so that he knows I’m thinking about him too. My only hurdle is I don’t know where to send it. I don’t know his work address or his house address, so where would I send anything.
Tapping my pen on the table as I think of something, I look up at the door as it opens. “Betty, how can I help you?” I was happy I didn’t have to see her as much this week, something with her daughter was more important to deal with. Thank god.
"I wanted to know how the planning was going and wondered if you needed help with anything?" Betty sits on the chair in front of my desk.
"No, everything is going amazing. Until the wedding day, I think I'm good."
“Emma, I’ve had a few offers from other companies to join up with us, and I’ve spoken with the family. We are thinking of joining up with The Bell Planners. They have a good client base, but I know that you’re not…”
"Betty, I worked there before coming here, and everything I did over there was pointless. They didn't give me credit for the weddings I planned. They bad mouthed me to every company out there. I mean it took me months for you to give me a chance," I throw my pen on the table. I cannot work with them again, but I can't open my own place yet, not for at least year, year and a half.
“I know, but they are in the same boat as me, and I think…”
"Betty, please just give me some space at the moment. I'm not sure if I can work with them," I tell her as I grab my bag and leave the office. I head to Tanya's shop.
It took me two years to finally get couples to trust me to plan the best wedding for them, and now I’m finally at point in my career that couples ask for me, and it might all be taken from under me. Pippa, the owner of The Bell Planners hates me, hated that my weddings were loved so much, and because of that she put her name on them every time. I can already see tonight being a wine and ice cream night.
Walking into Tanya’s shop, I shout as I glance around, “Hey where are you?”
“Round back with a customer.”
I love coming here. The fresh flower smell always makes me happy. I round the corner and stop. Ocean is holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"I was just about to come to see you. I got you these," he walks over to me, and as shit as my day has been, the flowers make me smile. I know Tanya told him I love tulips.
"Thank you, they are beautiful," I give him a smile, then look back at Tanya giving her the sign that I would like to talk to her.
"Have you finished for the day?" Ocean asks. If I say yes, he’ll ask to do something, but if I say no, he’ll make up an excuse to talk about the party.
"I am finished for the day, but I would like to spend it with my friends and work on a plan to kick your ass tomorrow." He moves closer to me. "You might want to get ready to wear the loser badge."
Ocean’s eyes move around my face, studying me. “Did you like the cakes?”
“I did, thank you, and the latte this morning I needed it.” I look behind him to see Tanya walking out to the shop floor.
“Is there anything else I can help you with buttercup?” Now that sounded way more sexual than I think it was. This man makes me weak in the knees. “You seem a little different today. Your mind is somewhere else. I hope it’s thinking about me.”
“It is. I’m thinking about where I want to shoot you tomorrow.” I start to walk away from him but he grabs my arm and pulls me towards him. I fall against his chest.
Ocean brings his lips close to my face. I can't feel them touching my skin, but at the same time they are extremely close. His other hand moves to my lower back making sure I can't walk away from him again, and as much as my head is telling me to move away, my body seems very comfortable this close to him. "If we win you have to go on a date with me. You win and I won't mention it again until after the wedding. Now buttercup, I think that makes things a little more interesting, don't you?"
I open my mouth, but no words are coming out. I just stare at his lips, his beautiful sexy full lips that I want to kiss, that I want to kiss my body in a way that my body has never been kissed before.
"All you have to do is ask and I will kiss you right here." My eyes move up to his eyes, and I see the twinkle in them, I also see the cheekiness in them. He knows he's wearing me down and it's only a matter of time before I break.
Tiptoeing so that my mouth is closer to his, I slowly lick my lips. His eyes move to my lips and I feel his hand on my back going a little firm. "You're on," I whisper then quickly pull away from him. "Have a nice evening pretty boy." Tanya gives me a massive smile when I walk out to the front.
"I swear the way you two behave the sex is going to be mind-blowing." I jump on the counter as Ocean walks over to us.
“I will see you both tomo
rrow. Get ready to lose buttercup.” He winks as he leaves the shop and I start laughing.
“We are not losing tomorrow, you better have your A game on,” I turn to her. “We lose I have to go on a date with him. Ocean loses then he won’t ask me out again until after the wedding.”
"We won't lose, but good luck lasting until the end of the wedding," she says as she walks around the counter and starts pulling flowers out of the pot. "I mean it's been a week, and you two are holding on by a very thin thread."
"Shut up." I know she is right, but I'm not going to tell her she is. That is crazy and I won't hear the end of it. "The reason I came over," I start as I watch her making up a nice flower arrangement for someone.
I tell her about my conversation with Betty and how I won’t be able to work with them. Tanya agrees with me too, they know how hard it was for me.
"Ask your parents for money, just a small loan," Tanya looks at me when I start laughing.
"Mum doesn't have the money, and if I ask Dad, then it's a fight with her about why I never asked. You know what they are both like. I'm the one in the middle with them, and it's a fight I don't want with mum. If I have to struggle for a few months, I can. Just need to save my ass off.". My parents got divorced when I was sixteen, and whenever they are in the same room it's like a war. It always centers around me.
‘If Emma needed something, I could have given it to her’ was my dad's favorite line to throw at my mum. Or he will throw shade about her very annoying boyfriend. I don't hate him. I just think she can do better than him. Mum's fight is why do you just give her money and spoil her. She needs to learn to look after herself. Now I don't ask Dad for money, and I don't tell mum when I talk to him. That way everyone is happy.
“Best get saving then, but if you need anything tell me,” Tanya waves some flowers at me.
"I will, if I have planned this right, a year and a half. That's all I have to push myself to work there," I tell her.
I can work there a year and a half easy, keep my head down and work on building my own business and still do the work they want me to. Easy.
Chapter 12
Ocean
I’m meeting up with the guys at Blake’s place. I wanted to spend my week with Emma but work overtook and with the number of orders we had, I knew the staff wouldn't be able to handle it. I have a good staff, and I know they can do great things, but having five big orders come in last minute didn't help them. Not with still having to do everything for the day on top of that.
Walking into the apartment, I look for the guys. “Where are you both?” I shout out.
“Game room.” Walking over to the room, I see them both playing pool. “Where you been?” Marc looks up from his shot.
"Went to see Emma to see what time we are meeting up tomorrow." I planned to go to her office and find something so that she would have to spend time with me, but she had other plans.
“What time we going?”
"Well, I never spoke to her. I spoke to her friend Tanya. I got her to agree to meet us at twelve for paintball and then we can go for lunch." They both look at me. "I went to get some flowers for Emma, and while I was there I might have just got some information through conversation. Come on, a man has to do what a man has to do. They won't help me," I tell them both. I know what they are thinking. I need to stop with Emma and leave it. But in a crazy way, I'm enjoying this. It’s a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Who knew the teasing and flirting could be so hot.
“And what did you find out?” Blake lines up his shot. “It has to be something that can finally get you somewhere. I mean how have you not kissed her yet? Have you seen her lips?”
I look at Blake, and in my head I'm laughing at him. Yes, I've seen her lips, and they are so kissable. Every time she is talking I watch her lips, her full beautiful lips. I want to trace my finger along the line where her skin meets her lip.
“Nothing. Those three won’t say anything about each other. The only thing I got was her favorite flower is tulips and the only reason Tanya told me was because they weren’t the flowers I had chosen. In Tanya words, “they made me look stupid.” I’m shaking my head as I get to the small bar Blake has in here. “I picked roses.” I throw my hands in the air.
"Since when do roses make you look stupid?" Marc asks. It was the same question I asked Tanya.
"She said everyone does it. There is nothing special if everyone does it. Her tip was, buy the flowers you think she would like or a flower that reminds you of her." I sound like a fourteen-year-old girl at the moment.
"You need to find your balls. I think you lost them sometime last week," Blake tells me and Marc starts laughing behind him. I give him the middle finger. "Okay, serious now. We both know you like her, so did you find out anything?"
“Tanya told me the hotel they are staying at when they go skiing, so looks like it’s going to be a fun weekend.” I sip my beer feeling happy with myself. I thought it would be hard to bring up in conversation but Tanya never thought twice about it and just told me where they were going.
“Great, now that we know where they are staying, are we planning on going out tonight? My bed is lonely.”
Ignoring Blake, I take the cue from him and take the shot. These two are taking way too long finishing this game. I hear Blake and Marc talking about tonight's plans. Now that Marc is single and I have no interest in finding a girl, Blake has a new wingman. I think the two will make a better team than Blake and I did. I get to bet on both of them making a fool of themselves now.
“You in Ocean?”
“Sure, what time we going out?” I ask, hitting the last few balls. It’s not like I have any other plans for tonight. Might as well do something with them. I can watch them and work on a game plan to make sure we don’t lose tomorrow.
***
We’re getting our gear on and the girls aren't here yet. I sent Emma a message. She didn't know who it was at first and it made me laugh. I had forgotten I've never texted her before. I got her number from the card she left at the bar the first time I saw her. She texted back saying they are parking the car. I bought tickets for all of us and told her to come straight in to get their equipment.
I turn around as I hear giggling coming from behind us and I look at the three of them laughing about something. I never thought I would be so attached to a girl that wears the tomboy look and trainers like Emma. She makes me feel so good. She looks beautiful in a dress and just as hot in loose jeans and a tank top.
"Hey, pretty boy, Blake, Marc," Emma looks at us.
I lean down to give her a kiss on the cheek and stay there for a moment. “You look beautiful,” I whisper.
“When you three are ready to lose, your stuff is over there,” Marc tells them, and they all look over my shoulder at him.
"And you will be the first we kill," Emma gives him a wink and walks over to all the stuff, looks at it all then turns to look at ours. "We have the same guns. Let’s swap. We don’t trust you to not mess with our guns."
Shaking my head, I give her my gun. She knows how to play a game. It’s not me to risk winning by cheating. When I win a date, I want it to be fair and square.
"Once you're ready, we can get started," Blake walks out with Marc and I look back over to Emma. "If it’s okay with you, we thought last man/women standing."
“Works with us,” Emma looks at her friends, as they put their overalls on.
"After this, we thought we could go back to mine and we can get some Fish and Chips for lunch," I stop as Emma looks at me, and I see Tanya and Amie smiling.
“You have to give it to him, he’s trying.” Aime gives me a smile.
"Remember, I did say our first date won't be with our friends, so this isn't a date. This is us as a group going to eat after we win," I tell Emma. I think one of the two will give in and help me soon. If I just keep being myself, I’ll win her over.
“We will see after we win,” Emma gets back to getting all the gear on and I wait outside with th
e guys.
“Remember the game plan, we have no idea how good they are. I get a feeling they are good,” I look at them both. Last night we were putting a game plan together. We have come to this field a few times now and we have a good idea of where all the good spots are.
"Don't worry, we will help get you that date," Marc says with humor in his voice. "I can't believe you can't even get her to go on one simple date without a game of paintball involved. What is it about her?"
“She said she would punch me in the face. That’s all it took for me to want her,” I tell them.
"That's good to know pretty boy, I might have to punch you soon then," she smiles and gives me a wink. I can't help but laugh as she holds her gun up to her side ready for battle.
“Give each of us fifteen minutes, then start?”
"Ten, you need to know this is not our first time. We have played before," Emma and her friend walk past us and start whispering to each other. They all go their separate ways and it gives me and the guys a chance to get in position too.
"Can you guys hear me?" I ask, and they both answer telling me they are ready to start. I look at my watch and the ten minutes are up. The game has begun.
Getting my gun ready, I look over the tires to see if I can see them coming over but nothing. I hear Marc in my ear asking if we have seen them and we both say no to him.
Slowly moving to the other side of the field, I hear shots coming, and I jump behind the wall. “The action as started,” I tell the guys, as I pop out and shoot over to the trees where the shots came from and slide under the table.
Thirty minutes into the game and I can say the girls have lasted longer than some of the guys we face. They move a lot quieter and faster than we thought they would.