She fumbles the phone in her hands as the ringing startles her then answers, “Hello. Oh, hey babe. Where are you? I’ve been texting you.”
Her face gives off a look of confusion. “You’re at the mall? I thought you had practice. You should have told me you were going there. I still need a few more things for the prom.”
I hear the deep voice from the receiver mumble the response as she looks outside at the pouring rain.
“No, that’s fine. Hey, I’m kind of stuck at the bakery. It’s a long story, but can you come pick me up and then we’ll head to my house?”
“Okay, thanks Duke. See you in a couple of minutes. Love you.”
A beaming smile radiates off her face as she hangs up the call. I take the empty mugs and plates and place them in the sink to be washed. I turn around to find her cleaning up her crumbs with the napkin.
Walking toward her, I take the napkin. “I’ll do that. It’s my job.”
She offers me a smile and gathers her things. Realizing she’s still wearing the towel, she unravels it and her dried hair falls along her shoulder blades.
“Here you go. Tell your aunt I said thank you.”
Taking the towel, I toss it into the sink and watch as she waits for her boyfriend. I head behind the counter, making sure I look busy; I don’t want her to think I’m staring at her. After a few minutes of pretend cleaning, I hear the loud exhaust of an engine roll up outside as a car horn blares.
Melanie stands up, looks at me, and waves. “Well that’s my ride. See you around.”
After she exits, I stand next to the window, watching as she climbs inside the Mustang and it races off into the busy streets.
Melanie
YOU KNOW THE times when you tell yourself not to do something, but you do it anyway? Yup, this was it for me.
At first, I avoid Easton like the plague, to the point where I won’t even make eye contact. Then after about of week of avoidance, he finally corners me and tells me how it is.
As I walk out of the nurses’ lounge, my arm is grabbed and I’m pulled into the east stairwell. My eyes focus on Easton’s, noticing the simmering blue of his eyes. “Why are you avoiding me? I see what you’re doing.”
I shrug out of his grasp, looking anywhere but his face. “I’d like to be cordial and professional Easton. This is my place of work. I don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize my career, and if that means staying away from you, then so be it.”
His body presses against mine, pushing me further into the door behind me. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I can’t get you out of my mind.” His eyes focus on mine and then trail south, stopping at my lips. His finger lightly brushes my bottom lip, sending all sorts of sensations throughout my body.
His rugged voice bellows, “You’ve consumed my every thought. Even after all this time apart, I can still taste you on my lips. Picturing you naked has driven me mad and I can’t take it any longer.”
Trying to clear my head and not succumb to his temptation, I slip out of his grasp and turn for the door. As I grab the handle to pry it open, a soft whisper echoes in my ear, “Don’t resist. You know where to find me.”
A shiver runs down my skin as a soft moan escapes my lips. Easton senses my wanting and licks the side of my neck. I breathe deep, trying to compose myself. In an instant, we are face to face and his lips press onto mine. I have to admit, I missed his lips.
Our kiss grows deeper as we press harder into each other. A moan escapes me as he bites my lower lip. His hands glide all over my body, igniting a heated lust. A frenzy of emotions stir down below as his fingers trail under my scrubs.
A finger grazes across my nub as he inserts another finger inside of me. His fingers work in clockwork motion, knowing exactly what the goal is. In a matter of minutes, my body can no longer handle the blissful pleasure and I beg for my release. His fingers push deeper, sending me over the edge, thrashing against the door.
A satisfied smile curves his lips. “How was that?”
Out of breath, I maneuver out of his grasp as his fingers exit. I simply stare at him, at a loss for words. He acknowledges my silence and adjusts his own bulge. Placing a soft kiss on my cheek, he asks, “Your place tonight?”
I nod my head, accepting his invitation, and watch as he exits the stairwell. Boy, what have I gotten myself into?
******
The day shift has kicked my ass today. Back to back surgeries and numerous ER visits have really taken a toll on my body. I’m used to standing up for hours on end, but today, I am just not feeling it. It’s been two months since the night at Fusion, and Easton and I can’t keep our hands off each other. Whether it’s at my place, or his place, or even in his office at the hospital, it’s inevitable. With all that and work, I’m exhausted.
Sitting at the nurses station, I input the newest patient’s information into the database. My eyes squint at the blinding computer screen, trying to stay open as I type. Name. Date of Birth. Symptoms. Allergies. Insurance.
It’s the downside to working as a nurse: paperwork. It’s the worst part of my day. We usually have assistants to do all of this for us, but budget cuts have hit us hard. Now we’re all stuck doing our own paperwork.
As I type away, Gia sits at the desk adjacent to me and groans as she opens her folder. Turning on her computer monitor, she glances over. “So, any plans this weekend? Maybe with Easton again?”
“Actually I just kind of want to chill out this weekend. For the past two months, I’ve not been able to just relax and my body is really taking a hit. Besides, Easton doesn’t make plans. He just shows up at my place.”
“So what you’re saying is he’s your fuck buddy.”
I scoff at her, hitting her arm. “No he’s not. He’s…he’s a friend.”
Gia pouts her lips. “Get real Melanie. The man only wants one thing from you, and he’ll keep coming back because you give it to him.”
“That’s not true. We’ve done other things besides sex.”
“Oh yea? Name one moment without sex.”
Concentrating on our shared times, I have a hard time remembering a time when we didn’t have sex.
As the realization hits, a frown sneaks across my face. “I…I can’t think of anything.”
“You see what I mean! He’s using you. I mean, unless that’s what you want. A fuck buddy.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, you like him right?”
“Like him? I mean, yeah I do, or I wouldn’t be sleeping with him.”
“Trust me, you don’t need to like the people you sleep with.”
“I don’t know about you, but I certainly do.”
“That’s not the point. Where do you see this going? You guys dating? Has he given any hints about that?”
“We haven’t really talked about it. It’s fun right now. I don’t want to mess it up by opening my mouth.”
“Well, what do you think’s gonna happen when he finds a new piece of ass?”
“I haven’t thought that far.”
“Well, you’d better figure it out.”
“I will, just not right now. I’ll talk him about it later. Who knows, maybe he’ll want to explore the relationship?”
“Or he’ll explore other women.”
“That’s not exactly the boost of confidence I need right now.”
She swivels to face me, wrapping her arms around my body. “Sorry. I’m just trying to prepare you for the worst, that’s all.”
“I know, and I really do appreciate it.”
After we finish up at the station, we make our way to the lounge, ready to call it a night. My exhausted body has had enough for the day and I daydream about hitting the sack as soon as I get home. As we approach the lounge, I hear someone call out behind me.
“Melanie, is that you?”
Stopping dead in my tracks, I spin around to see the last person I’d ever thought I’d see again. The shock spews off my body as I take in the figure stand
ing in front of me.
I take a closer look at the male specimen and as I recognize him, my eyes grow wide.
“Taylor?”
Melanie
IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS since I’ve seen Taylor. The last time I saw him was right after an old friend of mine, Rob, graduated college and got into law school. Duke, Taylor, Rob, and I were in our own little circle of friends in high school, always hanging out with one another in and out of school. It wasn’t until Raya showed up in senior year that everything changed for us.
Taylor steps closer to me with a genuine smile on his face. “Surprised to see me huh? How you been?”
Taking in his tall, muscular body, I admire his new shape. Bulging bicep muscles peek out from his grey t-shirt. In high school Taylor’s shape wasn’t nearly as big as it is now. He had a lean build, enabling him to strengthen his agility. He was the co-captain of the lacrosse team while Duke was the captain.
As my eyes take in the new and improved Taylor, I notice colorful tattoos covering his forearms, some artistic designs, others phrases and sayings.
An overwhelming sense of joy flows through my body as I step toward him. He notices my eagerness and wraps his arms around me, engulfing me in a bear hug. We embrace in silence, making sure this moment is cherished and long lasting. As the shock stills, we let go of one another.
I can’t help but flash a huge smile. “Goodness, I can’t believe you’re here! Look at you! You’re solid. You have tattoos and facial hair!”
Taylor smirks and quickly flexes, showing off the goods. “You didn’t hear? I got into MMA a while back and I’ve been doing that ever since.”
The memory of Rob telling me about Taylor’s new adventures flashes into my mind. “Oh, that’s right. I completely forgot. So, what are you—”
I hear Gia clear her throat and realize I’d totally forgotten that she was there. Spinning around to face her, I’m hit with her expression of hello, introduce me!
I flash her a smile, silently apologizing for my rudeness. “Taylor this is Gia. Gia, Taylor is one of my oldest friends. We went to high school together.”
Gia and Taylor greet one another, shaking hands. “So, you’re friends with Raya and Duke, too?”
A grimacing look of frustration and anger vibes off of Taylor. In a matter of seconds, his demeanor changes from enjoyment to annoyance. I guess he’s still upset about it.
He responds in a deep tone, “No, we are not friends anymore. Not after what happened. I haven’t seen them since high school.”
Gia picks up on his frustration. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Giving her a reassuring smile, I say, “It’s okay. It’s a long story. It’s nothing really.”
Taylor bellows, “Wow, nothing? I can’t believe you still hang out with Duke after the way it all went down.”
Taylor’s response hits me right in the gut, sending volts of irritation all over my body. “Taylor, it’s been ten years. I’m not going to sulk in the corner. Besides, Duke is and will always be my best friend. Nothing will change that.”
“Yeah, obviously.”
Gia’s eyes scream in confusion. “I’m guessing something happened?”
Taylor speaks up and says, “Let me give you the footnotes. Melanie and Duke were a couple in high school throughout junior and senior year. Everything changed once Raya showed up. I remember meeting her for the first time at that Halloween party. Do you remember Mel?”
I nod my head, thinking back to that party. Duke and I went as Bella and Edward Cullen from Twilight. Raya dressed up as Cleopatra. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. It was my last year of high school and what better way to spend it than with your closest friends.
“I remember. You were dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow. That wig was atrocious!”
Taylor shakes his head, unable to hold back his smile. “That’s not the point. Anyway, Raya and I hit it off and we ended up dating for a couple months, but what Mel and I were too blind to see was that Duke and Raya were getting closer and closer.”
“That’s not how it happened and you know it! They were always just friends.”
“So then what about prom? You’re the one that left in tears.”
“Because I knew he loved her and I wanted him to be happy. Besides, you know for a fact that prom night was a horrific night for Raya. It certainly wasn’t her happily ever after. You know, after Raya disappeared, Duke really needed his friends. He needed you. You didn’t have to shut him out.”
As Gia listens to the story, her eyes light up. “Wow, I didn’t know about all of that.” She faces me. “You handled that very well. If that were me in high school and someone was closing in on my boyfriend, I would have gone bat shit crazy.”
Taylor chimes in, “Melanie was too nice for that. I guess it’s true what they say: nice guys finish last.”
“That’s it. I don’t want you talking about them like this. They are like family to me and if you have a problem with it, then keep your mouth shut. What happened in high school is over. Time to move on Taylor.”
Seeing the hurt on Taylor’s face, I brush my hand along his arm. “You know, they live in Long Island now. Maybe we can take a little trip out there and see them. It wouldn’t be so bad. You could meet little Layla. I know Duke would really love to see you again.”
“Not right now, Mel. I have too many other things going on. I’m flying out to Vegas for a fight in two days anyway. I still need to pack and get all my shit in order.”
“Oh, okay. So, what are you doing in the hospital anyway?”
“I was just visiting some family. My uncle’s really sick so I came down to see him before my flight.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. How’s he doing?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Not so good. It’s a bad case of pneumonia and I’m not sure if he’s going to make it.”
At that instant, the alarm sounds, signaling the arrival of an ambulance. Gia says her goodbye to Taylor and whisks off toward the ER. I rush to Taylor, wrapping my arm around his waist, trying to squeeze his strong build.
“Hey, before you leave we should hang out.”
“Can’t. I won’t have time. But I’ll come find you when I get back.”
“Okay cool. It was great seeing you again. Please don’t be a stranger again.”
Taylor bends to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Promise.”
I spin around and race toward the ER, bumping right into Easton. He winks just as the paramedic busts through the doors with the patient in tow.
******
The fragrance of baked ziti filters throughout my apartment. I open the oven, making sure the meal isn’t burnt, and as I inspect the dish, my stomach growls. Damn, that smells good. Gathering up the plates, I set the dining table with four sets of dishes, lay out the napkins and utensils, and get the wine ready.
Minutes later the apartment buzzer sounds. I press the button, allowing my guests to enter the building. I walk over to the door to unlock it and let Duke, Raya, and Layla in.
Giving each one of them a hug and a kiss, I welcome them to family dinner. “Hey, who’s ready to eat?”
I glance into the hallway, looking for a missing guest. “Where’s Rob?”
Raya puts Layla on the floor and she immediately runs off toward the play corner. “He’s running late. He should be here in about ten minutes.”
Shutting the door, I take their coats and hang them up in the coat closet. “Okay, that’s fine. We can wait. You guys want something to drink?”
Duke gets confortable on the sofa. “Yeah, I’ll have a Coke. Thanks Mel.”
“Raya, do you want anything?”
“No, I’m good for now.”
Raya follows me into the kitchen to grab Duke’s soda. “So, how are things at the hospital?”
I grab a can out of the fridge. “Busy. The past few weeks have been really hard. I think I might take a vacation soon.”
“You shouldn’t work too hard. You’ll end
up going crazy in that place. I think a vacation will be a nice treat. Maybe we can do something together, me, you, and Layla. I’m sure Duke will have to work.”
We walk back to the living room and I pass Duke his Coke. Taking a seat next to Layla on the floor, I touch her wavy hair. She flashes me a smile and hands me a toy, wanting me to play with her.
As I play with Layla, I glance over at Duke. “Any new cases you’re investigating?”
“You know I can’t discuss my cases. All I’ll say is that there’s always someone that needs our help.”
Raya holds Duke’s hands, looking at him with a keen admiration. “He’s actually thinking about opening his own private investigation firm.”
“Really! That’s awesome!”
Duke chuckles. “Yeah, it’s not set in stone yet, but I’m really hoping for it. Oh, by the way, how was that trip to the bakery?”
At that moment, Layla’s head pops up as she lets out a squeal. “Cookies!”
We all laugh at her enthusiasm as she runs into Duke’s arms. “Cookie daddy. Pwease.”
“We will go soon baby girl. Promise.”
As they snuggle together, I smile. “It was fantastic. It’s just like I remember. The pastries were amazing and those éclairs, to die for. So so good. Speaking of, I actually ran into someone at the bakery. It was strange. I know I’ve seen him somewhere but I can’t remember.”
Raya’s brow arches. “What do you mean strange? The encounter was strange?”
“Actually it was more embarrassing. I literally crashed into this guy and he was so tall. He towered over me. I ended up just staring at him, trying to figure out where I’ve seen him before. It wasn’t until Layla started talking that I snapped out of it.”
Duke sits Layla on the ground. “What did he look like?”
I give them the stranger’s physical description but we all just draw blanks and can’t figure out who he was.
Duke reassures me. “I could always try to find him for you, if it’s that important.”
“No it’s fine. I haven’t thought about him for a couple months actually. I’ve been a little preoccupied at work.” I can’t help but think about Easton as a smile beams across my face. Raya catches my moment of glee and I know she’ll want to talk later, in private.
Little Moments Page 7