Just Between Us: A Friend's to Lover's Romance

by Bri Stone

  “What are you reading? We’re in a bar.” I bellowed. I grabbed her phone before she could stop me.

  “Hey!”

  “What book is so important?” Sure, she was always reading but not like this.

  “It’s ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events.’” I laughed.

  “No, I mean the book you’re reading, not me taking your phone.” And then she laughed, right from her gut until she couldn’t breathe. Was there something on my face?

  “Dillon, that’s the name of the book—well it’s a series.” Wow. I mentally kicked myself. Please believe me, I’m a smart guy. You were confused too, right? Right?

  “Oh.” She giggled again.

  “The series is coming to Netflix next month so I’m trying to read it again.”

  “How many books are there?” I nearly shouted.

  “Thirteen.” She shrugged like it was nothing.

  “And you’re on…”

  “Book seven.” I nodded.

  Seconds later, the bartender placed a cosmopolitan in front of Lori.

  “I didn’t order this.” She pushed it back across the table.”

  “He ordered it for you.” He pointed behind her and walked off.

  I turned at the same time as her. Sure enough, a douche looking man smiled and waved. I gagged, she blushed.

  “Go talk to him.” I had to check myself again. Why would I encourage her, you’re probably thinking? Like I said, I have to be her best friend first.

  “What? No.” She shook her head and turned sideways.

  “Lori, you can’t drink it and not talk to him. It’s rude.”

  Her eyes widened and she chewed her lip nervously.

  “Come on, drink it for liquid courage and go over there. He’s still staring at you.” She looked at me in shock, slowly she turned and saw him in fact, staring right at her. She blushed scarlet and turned back to the bar. She downed the Cosmo, hopped off the bar top and walked away. Remember how hard it is to watch her walk away?

  It sucked I couldn’t drink. I had no choice but to watch, completely lucid as they talked. I could tell he was trying to make her laugh, well, it worked. She was laughing. I couldn’t hear her because the bar was too loud but I played the sound in my head as I remembered it—memorized it.

  Every muscle in my body clenched when he would touch her, even look at her. From here, I could tell he was trying to see through her shirt. I’m a guy, I know the signs. He was trying to get her naked. My blood boiled with jealousy, I wanted to go over there and rip her from his attentions, but that would raise too many questions leaving me no choice but to blurt, ‘I love you’ out loud.

  “You don’t look like you’re having fun.” I didn’t notice the voice was talking to me until I felt a hand on my thigh, dangerously close to my crotch.

  I flinched and turned, staring for a minute. The woman was hot, I won’t lie. She had stark blonde hair, full red lips and her body was squeezed inside of a tight black dress, complete with ‘fuck me’ heels.

  “Guess I’m not having fun.” I answered. She smiled and leaned closer until her boobs pressed against my arm. Her hand moved closer up on my thigh until it was completely obvious that she had one intention.

  “How about now?” She was so close I smelled the mint and vodka on her breath and her strong perfume—lilac I think.

  I glanced over at Lori, she looked like she was having a good time. I couldn’t be a sulking mess, and I didn’t want to ruin her time either…I have needs, nothing wrong with that, right? Whether I was right or not, I made a choice.

  “A little better.” I laid on the charm, drawing my voice out and smirking.

  She drew her bottom lip between her teeth and exaggerated drawing it out.

  “Let me buy you a drink.” She nodded.

  She wanted a bloody Mary and I stuck with my water. She gave me a funny look between her sultry pout.

  “You’re not an alcoholic, are you?” I laughed a bit.

  “No, I have to drive home. I came with a friend.” She nodded and sipped her drink, purposefully making her lips linger on the cup. Her plays were working, she’s hot, I can’t lie. She just isn’t Lori.

  “What’s your name?” I asked her.

  “Lisa.”

  I mouthed her name and held out my hand.

  “Dillon.” The corner of her mouth turned up in a smile.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  She asked me a lot of questions. Eventually she found out where I went to school, that I played football, that I was graduating soon. I also found out she was a dancer, it explained her rocking body. But she was visiting in between tours. I didn’t ask much after that.

  She was on her second drink when Lori appeared.

  “You can…can you drive my car home?” She giggled like she told a joke.

  She dangled her car keys in front of my face. I noticed Lisa staring as I talked to her.

  “Where are you going?’ She pointed to the door, where asshole number two stood. Tommy is asshole number one.

  “With Jared.” I looked from her and back to him. I felt uneasy, letting her go with him.

  “I don’t know if I should let you go with him.” She scowled.

  “Aren’t I supposed to be celebrating? I can take care of myself.”

  “Yeah Dillon, she can take care of herself.” Lisa snaked her hand around my bicep and squeezed gently. It didn’t move much; it was hard muscle.

  “Please, just drive it back.” She shoved her keys in my pocket, hugged me quickly and then danced off with Jared. I stared after her in shock. No way she was going home with him, no fucking way…

  “Is that your friend?” Lisa drawled. She was already pretty wasted too.

  “Yeah.”

  “Let’s get out of here too.” She stood up. I paid the tab and left with her.

  Yeah, before you say anything, I was letting her distract me—I’ll admit it. If I went back to Lori’s, I would be up wondering where she was and probably ruin her good time. I couldn’t control her life, no matter how I feel about her. Part of me was hella mad, but another part—the rational part, knew the guy looked like a professional type, he was clean shaven, put together and not too wasted. I chose to believe he was of the few decent guys in the world. And if he wasn’t…I had to be the shoulder she cried on, not the one that pushed her any way I wanted.

  Five:

  I sighed in frustration. I hoped she would be here. It may sound crazy, but this isn’t how I imagined her losing it, if that’s what was going on. I hopped in the shower for a quick one. I threw on my sweats and laid on her bed—she wouldn’t mind. I kept checking my phone, over and over until it fell against my chest and I fell asleep.

  Course, I didn’t know I fell asleep until my buzzing phone snapped me out of it. It was Lori.

  “Hey, you okay?” I heard her breathing but didn’t hear anything. That wasn’t a good sign.

  “Dillon…” I shot up, her voice was laced with fear and uneasiness.

  “Lori, I’m here. What’s wrong?” I rushed.

  “I…can you pick me up?” I rushed to find the keys.

  “Yeah, where are you?” She coughed.

  “I don’t know…Jared lived like, a couple minutes from the bar. I really don’t know.” Her voice cracked.

  “That’s okay, just stay wherever you are and I’ll find you, okay? I’ll find you.” I was already out the door.

  “Okay.” She hung up. I wanted to stay on the phone with her but I was driving too fast to try and call her back. Shit, it’s cold. I glanced down. Good hell, I didn’t put on a shirt.

  I went to the bar and then drove down the street, right on to the apartments. Nothing. I circled back and went the other way but still nothing. There was a neighborhood with smaller houses a few more miles down but she didn’t say it was that far. But was her perception of time that good?

  I stalled the car and called her back, it rang so long I didn’t think she would pick up.

  “Lor
i, I can’t…just, do you know your way back to the bar?”

  “Uh, I…I don’t know.” Damnit.

  “Just try okay? I’m going to circle around again.”

  “Okay.”

  “Don’t hang up this time.”

  She didn’t reply but she didn’t hang up either. I went back the first way, most people lived here if they weren’t in Woodmont, he had to live here. And where was the prick anyway? She would have to explain it to me because this is a dick move.

  My eyes searched in the darkness over and over. I saw something moving, finally. I drove slower and slower.

  “Is that you? Turn around.” I said to Lori. She turned around. I sighed with relief.

  She ran towards the car and got in quickly. I drove off.

  “Where’s your shirt?” It was barely a whisper.

  “I was rushing. What happened?” She shook her head and looked out the window. She didn’t want to talk about it yet.

  I got back to the house and helped her out. She wouldn’t let me get any closer to her than inches apart. I didn’t like how she looked. Her eyeliner was smudged, she had obviously been crying and her eyes were red—from alcohol and from the crying. Once we got back into her bedroom, I shut the door behind us. She was consciously avoiding my gaze.

  “I’m going to run you a bath, then we can talk.” She didn’t reply, she was still hugging herself pretty tight. Shivering. My blood boiled with anger…if I ever see that guy again…

  I searched under her sink for a bath bomb, she always had them somewhere. I ran the water and plugged the drain. It filled up, I dropped it in.

  “It’s ready.”

  She nodded once and brushed past me. I touched her arm lightly as she stood in the doorway, she looked up at me, her blue eyes touched with a world of pain.

  “Are you okay, Lorraine?” She nodded, I didn’t believe her. But I couldn’t argue with her before she shut the door.

  I sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard as I waited for her. I was tired before but I’m wide awake now. I was worried about her. I didn’t have any other way to say it, but she’s just…fragile. But also strong. Lori holds her own, she really does. She has great street smarts, good judge of character; her dad taught her that. But when it comes to guys, she gets a little dopey eyed. Thinking it can happen just like it does in her books she reads, and writes. But it doesn’t. She hasn’t had a good relationship that could teach her that.

  She had been in there for maybe ten minutes so I knocked on the door.

  “Are there enough bubbles for me to come in?” I called through the door. It wasn’t the first time she took a soothing bath while I sat on her toilet seat.

  “Yeah.”

  I came in. She rested her head on a towel and had her eyes closed. I sat on the toilet seat next to the tub where her feet were.

  “Lori, look at me.” She didn’t. I took a deep breath. I hate when she closes up like this—one day she’ll get an ulcer from holding her emotions in.

  “Lorraine.” I said again. Finally, she looked at me.

  The bubbles were still up to her neck and she slunk further into the tub. I fought my gaze from sticking on her bare skin. Her collarbone rose as she breathed. She took a deep breath, the center of her chest hollowing. I wanted so badly to just reach out and kiss her right there.

  “You want to tell me what happened?”

  She shook her head, glaring up at the ceiling.

  “Nothing. I just…I just needed a ride home.” I scoffed.

  “No, you were crying. Just…” it made me sick to even think about it, but I had to ask. She stared right into my eyes now.

  I really didn’t want to ask. “Did he…did he force you to--”

  “No!” She cut me off, “no. Nothing like that.” I nodded and relaxed a bit, my fists came unclenched.

  “Okay. Good. Then why…”

  “Can I finish first? I swear I’ll tell you everything when I get out.” Her eyes pleaded with me. I nodded and stood up. I kissed the top of her head before leaving her alone.

  I waited for her on the bed. Still feeling like shit.

  Six:

  “Eyes.” She spoke quietly.

  I closed my eyes, covered them with my forearm until she gave me the go ahead.

  “Come here.” She sat next to me on the bed.

  I prompted her to lay down on my lap. She stared at the ceiling and I stared at her. I crossed my arms so I wouldn’t touch her, if I did I would get carried away.

  “Why did…just start from the beginning.”

  Her shoulders tensed up.

  “I can’t.”

  “What?” I sniped.

  She turned to look at me, her head moving farther down my leg. Good.

  “I mean…it’s a really long story.”

  “I want to know why he left you walking around in the dark. Something could have happened to you.”

  “It’s Florence, nothing happens in Florence.” Her brow arched as she pursed her lips at me. I shook my head, smiling a little.

  “Doesn’t make him any less of an asshole.”

  “He wasn’t I swear. I told him I had a friend waiting and I left.”

  “He believed you?” I snapped.

  “Dillon, how much attention do you show your one-night stands?” I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. My mouth formed a hard line.

  “I guess that’s…fair.” She nodded.

  “Just tell me everything, Lori. No judgement, it’s me. Why did you leave with him, were you going to…”? I couldn’t bring myself to ask her.

  Her cheeks flushed, her whole face was red.

  “Lori…” she swallowed, keeping her lips in a hard, pressed line.

  “Okay, I have no choice but to tickle you into submission.”

  “No!” Too bad I was stronger than her.

  I tickled her abdomen until she was writhing beneath me, trying to get away from me. I held her down with one arm, her breasts pillowed against my forearm but I had a mission, I couldn’t get distracted.

  “Okay, okay!” She shrieked. I let her go.

  She pulled her tank top back down, but she was wearing pants this time so I wasn’t too messed up.

  “Alright,” I exhaled, “lay it on me, Cheesecake.”

  She sat up and looked at me. My eyes drifted down to the exposed skin of her breasts, lingering for a bit before I looked at her face. Her soft, angelic face framed by her wavy black hair.

  “I hadn’t decided in the beginning, but after he bought me that drink I just started thinking…” her eyes found mine and she stopped.

  “You can’t laugh.” She said.

  “I won’t laugh.” I made the sign for scout’s honor and she nodded. She took in a shaky breath before continuing.

  “I thought ‘this is it’ that it could be the moment I finally…you know.” I couldn’t help it.

  “Lori, please don’t have sex until you stop calling it ‘you know.’” She smacked my chest and I deserved it. And I noticed her eyes linger on my abs before finding my eyes again.

  “Noted.” She glared. “Anyways, that’s what I was thinking. I got to his house and we were making out…”

  “Making out? Is this the seventh grade?” Man, I’m an asshole.

  “Dillon. Stop it.” I looked at her, she was really upset about this. I took a deep breath, feeling like an ass. I took her hand for a second.

  “Okay, I’m sorry.” She nodded and continued.

  “After we were making out he started talking to me, and I didn’t mind. He’s actually a pretty nice guy. But I just couldn’t do it. He wasn’t an ass about it or anything, but I didn’t want him driving me home or anything because I didn’t want to really talk about it. I left and then called you.”

  “But…you sounded really upset. I was really worried about you.” I held her gaze.

  “I know. Because I felt stupid. Really stupid. And I was…embarrassed.” She muttered.

  I held her should
er softly. Before I knew it, I was caressing her face with the back of my knuckles. I felt butterflies in my stomach; I ran my thumb across the swell of her cheek. She leaned into my touch but when our eyes met, I tore my hand away.

  “You should never be embarrassed to talk to me. I’m your best friend.” She smiled a bit and nodded.

  “I know. It was probably all the alcohol.” I laughed a bit.

  “You know you’re a light weight, Cheesecake. You can’t do stuff like that. And I was scared to even let you go with him.” She nodded and sighed before laying back on my lap.

  “I don’t even know why it bothers me so much.”

  “What? Being a virgin?” She nodded.

  “Lori,” I sat her up again. This time I was serious, I didn’t want her upset about this anymore.

  “You almost made a huge mistake tonight. And that scares me, it should scare you.” I took a deep breath. “There is nothing wrong with being a 22-year-old prude—I mean virgin.” She giggled, “it just means that whatever lucky guy gets to break you in will be the first to touch you, make you feel good. And there is nothing wrong with that. It should be special, and not the first night you meet a guy at a bar. Don’t let it bother you anymore.”

  I locked eyes with her. She nodded slowly. I grabbed her hair and parted it in two—it looked cute that way. I ran my hands down her head until I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me.

  “I just think sometimes…that something is—I don’t know, this girl told me I look too much like…a girl.” I made a confused face.

  “What kind of twat would say that?”

  “My old roommate.”

  “Well, she is a 'c-u-next Tuesday' and that’s stupid. Not everyone has a crazy libido, and I’m pretty sure there is some kind of club for people like you. What a cretin.” She giggled and it made me relax.

  “You think so? You don’t think I... that I’m not womanly enough.”

  “What? No.” She chewed on her lip nervously and averted my gaze. I used two fingers to lift her chin up. Might as well go down all at once.

  “Lori, you’re beautiful. And sexy.” Her eyes widened, “you have an awesome rack and quite the ass on you. Seriously, you gave me my first hard on.” She gasped.