by Dee Bridle
“You take sugar?” he asked with a yawn, plainly making me one even though I hadn’t answered him.
He glanced over, with a teaspoon midair, waiting for my answer.
I shook my head and said, “No sugar.”
I watched him prepare the coffee and forced myself to relax. He wasn’t going to take advantage or hurt me. He was one of Noah’s best friends. These guys were different from the ones I had been around all my life. Maybe I had time for a coffee.
“So, how’s the wrist going?” he asked, spooning in three heaped teaspoons of sugar into his own cup.
“Okay,” I said, watching him warily. “He told you about that?”
He put a hot coffee down on the bench and motioned for me to have it.
“Yeah, we’ve all got your back. You’ve got nothing to worry about anymore,” he said taking a sip of his own coffee.
I couldn’t comprehend the openness between them all, their friendship and the lengths they would go to help me. I padded over to the kitchen and took the coffee from the table, sipping it in silence. The hot liquid burned but fed my veins.
He paused mid-sip and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
“You seem surprised?”
“Guess I’m not used to anyone having my back.”
“Get used to it,” he said with a smirk as he sipped his coffee. “I wouldn’t want to ever get on Noah’s bad side. I’d hate to think of the damage he’ll cause when he finds anyone else who hurt you.”
He had found Rick and hurt him for me. He was such a skilled fighter that Rick didn’t even have a chance to try and fight back. Rick had been hurting me for the last two years and now someone had hurt him back. I sipped the delicious coffee again.
“Thanks, this is…nice.”
He grinned and said, “So you’re staying here for a while?”
“No. I mean…I don’t know.”
He nodded and pulled a packet of cigarettes out, offering the packet to me. I took one and said, “Thanks.”
He searched through his jeans to find a lighter.
“Man, she took my favorite lighter,” he mumbled to himself as he started to search through a drawer behind him for another lighter.
He had obviously gone to see a girl after he had dropped us off last night. I looked up on the shelf behind me to see a box of matches and grabbed them. He turned as I threw them to him and he caught it one-handed.
“Thanks,” he said eyeing me over.
I suddenly pulled the hem down of Noah’s T-shirt, feeling too exposed.
He watched my hand and then lit up his cigarette, using the same flame to light mine.
“Chill. I don’t go after my best friend’s girls,” he said next.
I felt my heart steady at his words as I took a drag of the cigarette.
He chuckled softly and shook his head, saying, “I mean, you’re a hundred shades of hotness, but you’re Noah’s. I have done some shady stuff before but never with a girl he was really interested in.”
I was Noah’s? I swallowed and looked down at my coffee. I shouldn’t be here right now. I should have left as soon as the sun came up. Now I was having a coffee and cigarette and trying to ignore the warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest. I needed to be angry. I belonged to no one, but the warmth in my chest refused to disappear. I was so dead and ugly inside that I had to know that he was talking shit. He wasn’t really interested in me. No one survived my life and looked ‘hot’ while doing it.
He grinned, watching my face closely, and said, “Trust me.”
“Never trust Will when he says trust me,” said Noah walking out in a pair of shorts and nothing else.
I squeezed the hot coffee cup and let it burn my fingers as I looked over his sculpted chest and at all the tattoos covering him. He had one large one that covered his entire shoulder and travelled up to his neck. His arms were covered but thankfully his perfect abs were bare. Was it possible to have eight abs? I’m sure he had that many but I stopped myself from counting them again. I tried to ignore the sudden desire that seemed to make my head fuzzy. He was so fit and strong and I had to look away. I couldn’t believe I was thinking like this.
“How’d you sleep afterwards?” he asked coming up beside me and leaning against the kitchen bench. He took my coffee from my hand and sipped it as he looked at me.
The action was intimate. Damn, there went that warm feeling again. “Better,” I replied, putting my cigarette out.
“It’s any wonder you did, that bed in there would be a science experiment under the UV light,” chuckled Will going back to the fridge.
“I changed the sheets dick head,” said Noah with a shake of his head. “You’ll get used to Will eventually.”
“Hey, she’s cool with me already,” he said with a wink at me.
He closed the fridge with his shoulder while he carried an egg carton and a packet of bacon.
“Hungry?”
“I’m starving. You?” asked Noah leaning into me.
I nodded, soaking up the instant comfort of his body being so close to me. I had gone from keeping my distance to wanting to be near him and was obviously going slightly crazy. My escape plans had all but disappeared. Now I was going to have breakfast.
Will got the frying pan out of a cupboard with a grin and asked, “So, Ivy, what’s the meaning behind the tatts all over your thighs?”
I sipped my coffee and didn’t miss the glare that Noah gave to Will.
Will only chuckled as he opened the bacon and added, “And what other tatts have you got going on under your T-shirt?”
“Don’t answer him,” said Noah glaring at him. “It’s none of his business what’s under my T-shirt.”
I didn’t miss the possessive tone or words, and I instinctively leaned in closer to him. Then I pulled back, remembering who and what I was.
Will laughed and said, “What? I love girls with tattoos! A guy can ask, can’t he?”
“I have poison ivy around my legs,” I said looking down at my thighs.
“Interesting,” said Will concentrating on the bacon.
It obviously said a lot about me to them and I continued.
“A group of butterflies down the side of my ribs and a trail of ivy down my back. Some scripts in other places, a few symbols around my pelvis.”
I sipped my coffee in the sudden silence and looked at the two of them now staring at me.
“Ask to see them, and I will shove that frying pan up your ass,” said Noah calmly, not moving his eyes from mine.
Will burst out laughing and said, “I’m loving this new possessive Noah. Oh, the fun we can have!” he said continuing to cook breakfast.
Noah and I stood close, not wanting to move from each other. So he wasn’t usually possessive? Interesting. He turned into me and looked down at my neck.
“How are the injuries?”
“Okay,” I said looking up at him.
He was so tall and delicious that I couldn’t help but instinctively wet my lips. His eyes followed the motion, turning to a molten brown and I stepped away. What the hell was I doing?
“How do you like your eggs, Ivy?” interrupted Will.
“Um…however you make them,” I replied, trying to remember to breathe.
I put my coffee down and moved away from them.
“I need to go and get changed.”
“No rush,” said Will cheekily under his breath.
I turned away and heard a clatter behind me, knowing Noah had thrown something at him as I headed to the bedroom. I closed the door and took a deep breath. However much I denied it, there was an explosive attraction between us, and I had no idea what I was going to do about it.
Noah
I was secretly happy that she had decided to continue to wear my T-shirt over her jeans for the day. It made me remember to ask Ava to buy some clothes before she arrived later for the party.
Will left after breakfast and reappeared that afternoon with a new laptop for her. She refused to take it un
til Will lied to her and told her it was stolen.
It wasn’t long before she sat next to me on the couch and we set it all up together. She now had email, access to her saved class files and was ready for college again.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“Enjoy,” I said passing it to her.
I watched her take it and smooth her fingers over it as if she were still in disbelief.
“So you’re staying here a bit longer?” I asked.
“I guess. If it’s okay.”
“Of course,” I said, hiding my pleased smile.
“So it’s sorted then? You’re moving in?” asked Will coming over and sitting on his couch across from us.
“Staying for a little while,” corrected Ivy.
“Sweet,” said Will taking the remote and flicking channels.
“Word of advice. Never use that couch. That’s Will’s and his alone,” I said to her as I put my feet up on the coffee table in front of me. “That’s what you would call a science experiment.”
“She can use my couch anytime,” smiled Will sticking his middle finger up at me.
“I’ll be okay, thanks,” said Ivy with a smile.
“Don’t know what you’re missing,” said Will focusing on a football game.
“Oh, she knows, and she’ll be totally fine,” I returned.
“Don’t be so sure. Girl’s lives have been changed forever on this couch,” he said wiggling his eyebrows.
“With unwanted pregnancies?” asked Ivy.
I laughed heartily and said, “And STD’s.”
“You’re both fucking hilarious,” said Will with a shake of his head.
I glanced at Ivy next to me to see her smiling at Will and already fitting in. She moved a little on the couch that ended up putting her closer to me and I hid my smile. She put her toes up on the edge of the coffee table next to me and got more comfortable.
“I should be stocking the fridge ready for tonight, but I just can’t be fucked,” said Will watching the game. “What do you drink, Ivy?”
“Beer and tequila,” she said.
“Ah, a girl after my own heart,” said Will.
The front door opened and Zac and Ava walked in, carrying bags.
“Please tell me that’s drugs for the party tonight,” said Will.
“It’s better than drugs,” said Ava walking over to Zac’s room. “It’s the best looking stuff I could get on such short notice,” she said pausing and taking in my warning glare. “That I could get from my ever expanding wardrobe I mean,” she continued cleverly. “Ivy, your new wardrobe awaits you.”
I sensed her discomfort, but felt her resolve as she put on a smile and followed Ava into the bedroom.
“No, boys,” said Ava as she moved to close the door.
“Are you trying on lingerie?” asked Will.
“Yep, I have a beautiful pair of black lace cups with matching panties that Ivy will be trying on. Come on in,” said Ava slamming the door closed on us.
I gritted my teeth in the following silence.
“Remove the image out of your head right now before I hurt you.”
Zac and Will burst out laughing and started to open beers.
Ivy
“He bought these things, didn’t he?”
Ava didn’t meet my eyes as she pulled more clothes out of the bags.
“Some of it is mine, the other is new. I got you a new bag as well for college.”
“I can’t do this,” I said to myself.
She sat next to me on the bed, with lingerie in her hands.
“Just let him do this for you.”
“Why?”
“Because he obviously cares and it’s nice when someone cares,” she returned with a smile.
I sat there in silence. I had entered a different universe, where everything I was used to had gone and in its place a world of…friendship and care.
“Now let’s choose something for tonight’s party and knock his socks off,” she said getting up and going through more bags. “I got you make up, too.”
“Why would I want to knock his socks off?” I asked trying to find any excuse to forget about this and run away.
“Cause he’s one of the hottest guys I know, who is into you,” she said with a wink as she threw some silk underwear at my face. “Now let’s get you ready.”
Her smile and the familiarity she already seemed to have with me, brought a feeling of that same warmth to my chest. It made me get up and go through the clothes with her.
“Will his other girls be here tonight?” I suddenly asked.
She shrugged and said, “Maybe, but don’t let that put you off. He’s smitten with you anyway. So it won’t matter.”
I rubbed my face with my hands and said, “I can’t even see why. None of this makes sense. I’m just full of darkness, Ava. He doesn’t deserve that. He needs some beautiful girl who acts properly and doesn’t have a…crazy life.”
“You’re wrong,” said Ava. “All Noah needs is a beautiful girl who can make him happy, even if she is full of darkness.”
“Do you hear how ridiculous that sounds? My darkness will not make him happy. It will only make him crazy.”
“Noah has a darkness in him too, even if he hides it most of the time,” she said quietly. “Maybe he sees something in you that you can’t see. Maybe his crazy, likes your crazy.”
“There is so much more he doesn’t know about me.”
“Then it’s up to you to tell him when you’re ready.”
“And if it’s so dark that it changes his mind?”
“I doubt he will change his mind. All of the guys are pretty experienced with darkness, Ivy. Having some crazy in your life is almost a prerequisite to being part of this group. We’re all a bunch of misfits who love each other and look out for each other. There’s no reason as to why you can’t be part of it, too.”
“I’ve never been any good at friendships.”
“They can be relatively painless, I promise,” she said with a smile.
Chapter Eight
Noah
I sipped my beer and looked around at the party as heavy music blared from the speakers. There were at least fifty friends here already, but I only wanted to see one of them and she was standing with Ava, doing a tequila shot.
Friends had already sniffed out the new talent in the room and I wanted to show them all that she was mine.
“So what happens when I want to put my drunk ass to sleep tonight?” asked Zac with a smirk. “She might have to sleep in your bed.”
“Who’s sleeping in your bed?” asked Will joining the conversation.
“The girl you were drooling over this morning at breakfast,” I said darkly.
Will let out a loud laugh and said, “Sure thing, Mr. Possessive, we were just talking…harmless stuff really.”
“When have you ever been harmless?” laughed Zac. “What were you talking about, anyway?”
“Her tattoos,” said Will with a wink. “That are all over her freaking body.”
Zac raised an eyebrow in interest.
Will continued and said, “Legs and all. But he’s possessive with this one. I’ve never seen him like it.”
“I wasn’t the one making her breakfast this morning,” I said.
Zac laughed and shoved Will.
“What the fuck? You moving in on something that doesn’t belong to you, or what?”
“I like her man. She seems cool. And she was ten seconds from running out the door this morning. So I thought I would distract her with my culinary skills,” said Will.
I clinked my beer with Will’s in silent thanks.
“So why the hell didn’t you call me last night?” asked Zac. “You could have been going into a shit storm together.”
“Our boy here was not thinking straight,” said Will.
I hadn’t been thinking straight. I had liked that she had called me for help and I had needed to hurt the person who had hurt her. End of story.
“So, you’re just friends?” asked Zac, putting his fingers up into a devil sign to someone coming in.
I nodded and said, “For the moment, anyway. I can’t come on strong. She’ll run. The situation will drive me fucking insane, but that’s just the way it is.”
Zac laughed and said, “You’ll just have to work for it for the first time in your life, that’s all.”
Ivy
I downed my second tequila shot and felt the warmth slide down my throat. I hadn’t had a social drink in a long time and it somehow just felt nice. Ava had been by my side throughout the party so far and had introduced me to some of their friends. I really liked her and I knew if there was one girl I could keep as a friend, it would be her.
The concept of having a social drink with Ava was a little different from what I was used to. In the past, I had gone through a stage where I always drank myself to the point of numbness, so I could survive everyone around me. This was especially the case when it came to guys who wanted more than just talk from me. I had to numb myself to just get through it and I never enjoyed it.
One former boyfriend of mine partied most nights and knew if I was drunk enough he could hopefully get what he wanted from me. Choosing guys who didn’t care enough about me, or my desire to be numb, was my way to control a shit situation. I never told them my past or my darkest secrets, and they never cared enough to find out.
Guys wanted one thing and it was sex, without any complications. I went through the motions, but I hated it. It only dredged up buried memories that made me violently ill.
My eyelashes felt heavy with a fake set glued onto my eyelids, and I had dark makeup surrounding my eyes. My hair was down and left in its natural state, while a strapless top highlighted my tattoos. I liked to show my tattoos, because I felt they were a deterrent for guys not to fuck with me.
I could feel Noah’s eyes on me wherever I went, burning into me. He had been keeping a safe distance from me tonight, and I was secretly missing the closeness we had discovered earlier on in the day. I had taught myself to never need comfort from somebody else, but Noah just gave it to me, without even trying. For the first time in my life, it felt right and I wanted more. Every time I glanced his way, there was always a girl beside him, trying to talk to him. I secretly took pleasure in the fact that he was watching me. Maybe even a little too much.