Exposed: An Anthology

by Brooke Cumberland

  Eric grabs my hand as we walk to his car. I don’t protest, because I like the feel of his hand in mine. My brain tells me to pull it away as fast as I can, but this time I’ve told my brain to shut the heck up.

  As we cruise on the Pike, he pops a CD in and Radiohead fills his speakers. I look at him in shock, as I’m surprised we have the same taste in music.

  “I love Radiohead!” I squeal, helping myself to turning the volume up. Eric smiles back at me, and I’m wondering if he’s thinking the same thing I am.

  We continue talking about music and our favorite songs until we reach the apartment building. He walks to my door, and kindly opens it for me. He grabs for my hand again, but locks it with his as we reach the elevator.

  “Thanks for a great night, Eric. I actually had fun.”

  “That sounds almost like a compliment, so I’ll take it.”

  The elevator chimes on the fifth floor and without a word, Eric grabs my hand again and leads me to my door. I mentally argue with myself as I beg him with my eyes to kiss me goodnight.

  He pulls my hand up to his mouth and slowly kisses it. My eyes reluctantly close as I enjoy his mouth on me.

  “Since this wasn’t a date,” he says as I open my eyes and watch him drop my hand. “Goodnight, Velaney.” He smiles widely and turns to walk back to the elevator, leaving me desperate and confused.

  Ugh, crap. How is he capable of doing this to me?

  Chapter Ten

  I hardly sleep as I continue to argue with myself over liking both Alex and Eric. This person isn’t me. It’s not like me to be hung up over guys, especially two guys at once.

  It’s obvious what chemistry and sexual tension Eric and I have between us. Heck, it’s probably obvious with every other girl he’s been with, too. That’s why I keep fighting it so dang hard. I don’t want to be just another girl…another conquest. I don’t think my heart could take it. Alex is…sweet. And that’s why I should give him the chance. Right?

  As my brain and heart swordfight against each other, the sound of my ring tone brings me back. I’m in my office as I frantically search for my phone.

  “Hey, babe,” I answer as I notice it’s Carissa.

  “Where are you?” she scolds through the phone.

  “What do you mean? I’m at work.” She sounds panicked, making me worry.

  “Get your ass home, right now.” Her tone is firm and serious. I tell her I’ll be right there and let Coach know I’m leaving early.

  I push my foot on the gas and race home. I’m not sure what her deal is, but it didn’t sound good. I open the door to the apartment and stop suddenly in my tracks.

  “What in the—” I stop before entering taking in the view of rose petals scattered on the floor. “What is this?” I ask Carissa noticing her stance on the couch.

  “That’s a good fucking question!”

  I continue looking around and notice a small note on the kitchen counter.

  There’s a rose petal for every minute I think of you.

  There’s no signature, but I immediately guess who they are from. But why?

  “Why would he do this?” I ask out loud to no one in particular. I look around the living room and see them placed perfectly on the floor.

  “This is super sweet and all, but damn, it’s starting to get creepy the way he just lets himself in. I mean, what’s his deal?” Carissa goes off, obviously not happy about this.

  “I have no idea, Riss. I have zero experience in this area. You are supposed to be the pro.”

  “No guy has ever done something like this for me. Either he has it bad, or this is what he does to get girls to sleep with him.”

  “This is weird. Why would he do this?” I look around, completely flustered. This is boarder-edge creepy. I decide I need to talk to him, and get this whole thing figured out.

  “Hello, gorgeous,” he answers in his sweet southern tone, making me forget the reason I called him in the first place.

  “Why are you so damn confusing?” I ask, getting right to the point.

  “I’m confusin’?” he asks, completely taken off guard.

  “Yes. Why would you spread rose petals over my apartment and leave that note. What does it mean exactly?”

  “Velaney, sweetheart, I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.” He sounds serious, making it suddenly hard to breath. “What’s wrong?” he asks, noticing my lack of communication.

  “You weren’t here?” I clarify.

  “Not since Saturday night.”

  “Oh my god…” I mumble, staring at my surroundings, spinning around the room as I take in exactly what this means.

  “Velaney, are you there? Hello? I’m comin’ over.” He ends the call, leaving me breathless once again.

  “Riss!” I call out, having no idea where she went.

  I find her in the kitchen staring at the note as she shoves chips into her mouth. She hadn’t heard my phone conversation.

  “Seriously, Eric is like over the top. Damn, I wish he would’ve rescued me.” She raises her eyebrows at me, but soon notices my serious expression. “What is it?”

  “It wasn’t him.”

  “Then who was it?” she asks, totally oblivious to my panicked expression. I know exactly who.

  “Aiden.”

  Twenty minutes later, an eager knock sounds at the door. I slowly open the door but as soon as I do, Eric lets himself in making me back up into the wall.

  “Are you alright?” His face is so close to mine I can feel his hot breath on my neck. His husky smell of cologne and aftershave captivate me and for a moment, I forget everything. He’s cornered me against the wall, holding my face in his hands.

  “I thought these were from you,” I whisper, looking behind him. He finally notices the petals on the floor and spins around.

  “Who the hell did this?” he asks looking around, obviously annoyed.

  “Don’t look at me,” Carissa pouts waving her hands in the air. “Guys I sleep with don’t do this stuff.” I smirk as the reality of her track record becomes apparent.

  “It’s true. Carissa doesn’t tame her men long enough for them to woe her.”

  “Ugh, ‘cuse me. I don’t need to be wooed,” she chimes in, sounding offended.

  “Then who?” Eric asks, looking back at me.

  I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say. Everything in my head says to push him away…far, far away, but he’s here, he’s always here.

  “Who?” he asks again, this time more stern than before.

  “You have to tell him, Lane,” Carissa chimes in, crossing her arms. I give her a scolding look as Eric turns to face her.

  “Well, someone needs to tell me whose ass needs to get kicked.” He stands tall with his arms crossed over his hard chest, not looking like the sweet, charming Eric I know.

  “This is exactly why I don’t tell people, Carissa!” I storm past both of them and lock myself in my room. Childish…perhaps, but I wasn’t ready to face those demons yet. I’ll never be ready.

  A few moments passed before I hear a quiet knock at my bedroom door.

  “Go away,” I order, leaning back on my bed.

  “Let me talk to her…”

  “No, let me…”

  I hear Carissa and Eric arguing back and forth at who was going to come and console me. No matter who it was, it wouldn’t work. It never did. It never will.

  Eventually, Eric wins and pushes through my door. He towers over me and gently places each palm next to my head against the mattress. He stares at me but doesn’t say anything. The intensity between us is eerily obvious. I don’t want to tell him how broken I am…how I let Aiden control me. I don’t want him to ask me, and I don’t want to break down.

  Without thinking, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him toward me. His arms break way as his lips crush down on mine. A moan escapes his throat as he lays his body over mine, giving into exactly what I need.

  I grasp my hands in his hair, pulling sligh
tly as the kiss intensifies. Weeks of sexual frustration and mindless confusion overcome me as I finally give in to the one person I want most.

  He wraps his arms around my waist pulling me in closer. He rolls me over to my side, placing us chest to chest. I wrap my leg around his hips, pulling him closer to me. Our hips began to grind against each other, moaning and feeling every bare skin that I could find.

  I don’t know what came over me. Perhaps it was the beast inside of me that Carissa was always nagging me about. My emotions overfill me and I can’t comprehend what the heck I’m doing.

  “God, Velaney…” He moans hard against my lips, grinding his hips harder against mine. “Fuck.” He tangles his hands deeper into my hair, deepening his tongue into my mouth. His southern tone is sweet, yet eager.

  “Please, don’t say that,” I mumble, breaking the kiss.

  He opens his eyes to look at me, his expression confused. I chew my lip, unable to explain myself.

  “Say what?” he finally whispers.

  “The F word. Just please don’t say it.”

  “I’m sorry.” He looks from my eyes to my mouth, licking his lower lip. “You just make me go insane, Velaney.” He leaned back in, grazing my lips with his. I can’t respond. I don’t know what just came over me.

  “Stop. I can’t do this.” I jump off the bed, wiping the bead of sweat off my face.

  I walk to the door, but before I can grab the handle, Eric grabs my wrist and pulls me back to his chest. My chest is heaving as my breathing increases.

  “Please, don’t run,” he mumbles against my ear, rubbing his hands through my hair sending shivers down my entire body.

  “I’m sorry. This isn’t right.”

  “You couldn’t be more wrong, Velaney.” He pushes a finger under my chin and tilts it up to match his eyes. His eyes are desperate, fearing the worst.

  “Eric, you don’t deserve this. I’m so messed up.” I close my eyes, and bow my head down.

  “Look at me.” I slowly look at him. “Tell me.” I shake my head. “Please, Velaney. Don’t push me away,” he begs, pleading for me to answer.

  “It’s better this way.” I pull away and walk toward the door. I pause a moment before turning around. “I can’t just be another girl.”

  Chapter Eleven

  By the time I was eighteen, Aiden was twenty-six and living on his own. He’d stop in for the occasional visit, but I could never look at him. I never wanted to. I tried to act casual when our parents were around, but I despised them as well.

  The night of my Senior Prom, Aiden had two dozen long stem roses delivered to the house. He sealed the note so my parents didn’t read it…There’s a rose for every month I had you.

  Sick.

  Twenty-four months…

  Two years…of pure damned torture.

  The moment I realized Eric wasn’t behind the rose petals, I immediately knew they were from Aiden. I didn’t know why…why he was back…or what he wanted. But I immediately tense up just from the thought of him.

  “He’s back,” I whisper to Carissa. I curl up next to her in her bed long after I left Eric in my room.

  “How do you know?” she whispers back.

  “I can just feel it. It’s like the roses he sent me before Prom. Why does he have to ruin everything?”

  “If he’s back, and that’s if he is…I promise to not let him anywhere near you.” She curls up to my side, wrapping her arms around me.

  “Thanks, Riss. I love you.” As we lie in her bed, we eventually fall asleep. As soon as Eric leaves, Carissa cleans up the rose petals and tosses them out. The way I leave Eric again is heartbreaking and depressing. I hate doing this to him. It has to stop before we both get hurt.

  “I could get use to this.” Eric’s voice resonates through Carissa’s bedroom. I startle from the sound of his sexy voice, and jolt up as I cover myself with the sheets. He’s leaning up against the doorframe, arms crossed, and smirking as if he just walked into every man’s fantasy.

  “What the hell?” Carissa mumbles, slowly rolling to her elbows.

  “My running partner never showed up.”

  “Oh, crap!” I yelp. “I’m so sorry.” I push the covers back and lean to get off the bed. Eric approaches me, holding me steady as I soon realize I’m light headed.

  “Easy,” he mutters. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I just got up too fast.” His arms are wrapped around my waist, but he doesn’t let go. I move my eyes up to his face. He’s looking at me with such passion, such desire…it hurts knowing I can’t be right for him. “You can let go of me now,” I whisper.

  “I don’t ever want to let go of you, Velaney,” he whispers in my ear. His lips brush against my neck as he brings his eyes back to mine.

  “Please, don’t, Eric. This is hard enough for me as it is,” I beg, hoping he hears the desperation in my voice. “I can’t run with you anymore.”

  He places his hands on my shoulder and pushes me slightly. “What do you mean you can’t run with me? Why not?”

  “Because it’s just not a good idea. I can’t focus with you right next to me, staring at me.”

  “What if I promise not to stare?” he smirks, making me laugh.

  I contemplate for a moment before responding. The ache my body feels for him is too much to control…too much to handle. I still don’t understand why he’s trying so hard with me when he could easily have so many other willing women.

  “Fine,” I finally blurt out. He lets me out of the tight grasp he held me in, and lets me walk to my room to change.

  This is a bad idea…this is a bad idea… I murmur to myself as I put on my running shorts and sports bra. I wash my face and throw my hair up in a high ponytail. I do a few stretches before leaving my room. Eric is sitting on the couch with one leg over the other as I walk to grab my running shoes.

  “Ready?” I ask, keeping the mood light.

  “You have no idea.” I roll my eyes as I turn to face away from him. This is a bad idea.

  We hit the pavement side by side in silence. We run two miles, and I finally feel good again. The tension between us is no longer there, and running has cleared my mind.

  “Working this week?” I ask, making light conversation as we slowed down to a walk.

  “Doing a 72 this week. Today thru Friday,” he answers, looking directly at me as we walk side by side. “What’s your schedule like?” he asks, looking out to the sidewalk again.

  “I work at the University thru Friday, but I have to go to the hockey game Friday night. But Saturday I have off.”

  “Maybe we can meet up for a drink or something Saturday night?” I turn to glare at him. “Just as friends,” he insists, holding his hands up in surrender.

  “I can’t.”

  “Come on. Why not?”

  I inhale before continuing. “I’m going out with Alex.” I chew my lip as I wait for his reaction.

  “What’s that guy have that I don’t?” he asks, grinning.

  “I’m not having this conversation with you.” I begin to sprint the rest of the way, hoping to dodge the question. The truth was, Alex didn’t even compare to Eric. Alex was sweet. He made me laugh, and it makes me smile every time I think of it. Eric on the other hand…he makes me feel. I want to rip my clothes off entirely when I’m with him, explore his mouth with mine, dig my nails into his muscular torso…things I’ve never wanted to do to any man before in my life. And that’s what scares the crap out of me.

  I bend over catching my breath as I place my palms on my knees. I hear Eric’s shoes run up behind me, but instead of slowing down, he speeds up and runs right past me. I can tell he’s frustrated with me. I hate that I keep turning him down, but I can’t get the image out of my head of being just another girl in his bed. Eric was gorgeous, and it was no secret. After seeing him with a couple girls already, I don’t think I could handle it if we didn’t work out and then I saw him with another girl after that. It’s just a recipe for disaster.
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br />   I walk back into my apartment sweating and exhausted. I assume Carissa is still asleep in her bed, so I quietly take a shower and get ready for work.

  “What in the…” I gasp, clenching my hand to my chest. I turn around from grasping the towel tighter against me and see Aiden in my bedroom doorway. “How did you get in here?”

  “That’s none of your concern, Princess.” He flashes a smug smile across his face that makes me shiver. I clench the clothes in my arms and back up as far as I possibly can before I hit the dresser. He closes the door, and leans against it, bringing his arms up across his chest. “I’ve missed you…I’ve been searching for you.”

  “I am not your Princess. You need to get out,” I demand, begging my voice to stay strong.

  “Oh, you’ve gotten feisty, haven’t you? That’s okay, I’ll enjoy this even more now.” He closes the gap between us and rubs his palm over my cheek.

  “Stop it, Aiden,” I plead, but even I can hear the weakness in my voice.

  “What are you going to do about it, Princess?” He presses his body against mine. I push him back, but he’s much more muscular than I remember. “Didn’t you like my flowers?”

  “No. Why would I?” I spit back in his face, pressing harder against him now than before.

  He brushes a hand up my side, brushing the towel against his fingertips. “You smell amazing after a shower,” he says, brushing his lips on my collarbone.

  “Get off me!” I yell, pushing him back as hard as I can. I hope the yelling wakes Carissa, but he muzzles my mouth with his hand.

  “Shh, Princess. I won’t hurt you,” he whispers, clenching his body tighter against mine.

  “You’ve already hurt me,” I mumble as his hand backs off me.

  He ignores me, and eyes me up and down. “Let’s take this off, shall we?” He grins, grabbing at the towel.

  “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I clench between my teeth, not willing to back down like the helpless child I once was. I had no idea what he was doing here. I haven’t been home in four years. The moment I left for college, I never looked back. My parents begged me to come home, and even after confronting them about not protecting me, all my mother could do was ask for forgiveness.