by Simone Elise
“Call him and tell him you are spending the day with me.”
“Yeah, cause me spending the day with the sergeant of arms for a mother charter doesn’t set off any warning bells.” She glanced up at me with a smile. “I have to go home.” She kissed my chest, right over my tattoo.
“Well, do you want to come back for family dinner?” Eve piped up. I liked that idea.
“Yeah, come back for tea,” I added.
She pushed herself away from me and sat up. “Isn’t a family dinner for, you know, family?” She looked between us.
“You are Tyson’s girlfriend. I would class you as family. Hell, you are the only girl that got him to open his room to them.” Eve started jumping to conclusions. Layla and I weren’t a couple. Only because I knew she didn’t want to be.
She said she didn’t do relationships or strings. I looked at her. I was going to let her correct Eve, because I sure as fuck didn’t want to. I wanted her to be my girlfriend. I’d never had a girlfriend before. Women, sure. I had women. Maybe even regulars but I never put a label on them.
“I don’t do relationships,” Layla shrugged. “You know that, Eve. Tatz is always bugging me about it.”
My head snapped at her. “Did you just say Tatz?”
She turned to look back at me, nodding her head. “Yeah, he is the reason I don’t do them.”
“So one guy fucks you over and wipes off the rest of us?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Sounds like that.” She didn’t do relationships because one man had treated her badly. Tatz was a dick of a person. No wonder she thought all blokes weren’t worth her time.
“I’ve never been hurt by Tatz. He just wants to be in a relationship with me. But as I told him, and you, I don’t do relationships.”
“Why?” Eve asked a very fucking good question. One I was going to ask. “Tyson isn’t like any other guy.” Thank you, Eve, for pointing that out.
“I don’t do relationships, I don’t do love and I don’t do strings. So far, no man has hurt me. So why would I risk that now?” Layla looked at Eve. “I’m around men every day that remind me what men are really like. Cheaters, wife beaters and alcoholics. Men are good for sex and that’s it.”
The saddest part of what she all said was I used to see women as only good for sex. Till I met her.
“Tyson is zero of those things.” Eve gave her a reassuring smile. “If you are going to take a risk, take a risk on him. Now, I’m going to get breakfast.” Eve glanced at me. “I’ll tell Mum you’re busy.”
After what Layla had just said, I was going to be busy. Busy proving to her and reminding her I wasn’t any of those things.
Eve closed the door after her.
“You really think I’ll hurt you?” I asked, my eyes on her back.
She looked over her shoulder. “I’m not going to give you the opportunity to.”
That was a punch to my guts. What did I have to say to prove to her she needed to take a risk on me?
“I won’t hurt you, Layla.” My hand ran up her back and I didn’t know why but what I had just said made her go stiff.
“Dad used to say the same thing.” She ripped her eyes off me and threw the blankets back, getting up.
“Cyrus hurt you?”
She shook her head, keeping her mouth clamped shut.
Why did I have a strong feeling her whole ‘no relationship’ thing came directly from her father. Suddenly I hated Cyrus for a new reason.
I got up, just before she ripped my top off her. “Can you at least stay?” I put my hands on her hips and pulled her in. “Just one day out of your life, spend it with me?” I wanted her to feel comfortable with me. Relaxed. That was only going to happen if she was around me and learned to trust me. “Watch bad movies with me and stay in bed?”
“You want to stay in bed all day?”
“With you, yes.”
She was thinking about it.
“Come on, it’s the weather for it.” I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to me. I saw her glance out the window. It was one of those rare summer days where it was raining. Most likely it was still hanging around from the storm last night. “Come on, Layla. One day. Just with me.”
She sighed, debating. I kissed her cheek, then the corner of her mouth, and then, when I wanted her lips, she pulled away.
“You sure your parents won’t mind?”
I grinned. She was totally going to agree. “Believe it or not, I’m allowed to have girls over.”
“Then if that is the case, why don’t you?” She tilted her head back, looking up at me.
I couldn’t really answer that without freaking her out. I couldn’t tell her the truth that she was the first female I’d trusted and liked enough to bring home. I trusted her to be near Hannah and Eve. I knew she wasn’t going to freak out with my parents being who they were. And most of all, I liked her. Really liked her.
I always knew whatever girl I brought home I would have to be serious about.
“You’re just special.” And that was summing up what she meant to me lightly. There was something about her. I didn’t know what but maybe it was because she was the whole package. Anyway, I was addicted to her. I had been since I first laid eyes on her.
It wasn’t just her body; it was all sides to her. Her friendship with Hannah, her loyalty to her club, her love for her family. And I knew she had given me one shot and I blew it. So now I had to prove to her I was worth a second shot.
I ran my hands down to her sides and, as if she knew how much it pleased me when she came to me, she slowly curved into me.
If she was staying, that meant I could repeat last night. I dipped my head. Yeah we were repeating last night. I wanted to see that expression on her face again and I wanted to hear her again.
Then my door flung open and I groaned.
“Why the fuck don’t you knock?!” I yelled, and Layla jumped at my sudden outburst.
Mum frowned. “You’ve got someone with you.”
“Yes. Didn’t Eve tell you that?”
“Eve said you weren’t hungry.” Mum crossed her arms. “I was coming to give you a lecture about how alcohol is not a food group.” Mum walked into the room and Layla turned, backing into me as Mum approached.
Meeting the parents was usually a big step, right? Well, in this case, I wanted her to meet Mum. I planted my hands on her hips.
“Mum, this is Layla and Layla this is my Mum, Abby.”
“I believe Hannah has relocated to your house, right?” Mum smiled at her and was her normal carefree self. Mum would know exactly what to say to make sure Layla didn’t bolt. Mum always read people well. She was the best judge of character.
“Yes, her and I have an unhealthy relationship for Netflix.” Layla smiled and didn’t seem nervous. “Total polar opposites with everything else, though, especially when it comes to exercise. Your daughter hates exercise.”
“Hannah is allergic to anything involving exercise.”
“I know. I made her walk the block and I regretted it by the time we got to the corner. But I will have her running by the end of the month.” Layla’s hands went over mine. “I’m forcing exercise and eating on her right now.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed she’s lost weight.” Mum’s concern for Hannah was coming out. Something was wrong with Hannah, just no one knew what. “Has she explained to you why she isn’t eating?”
If anyone was going to have an idea what was wrong with Hannah, it would be Layla. Layla and her were glued together at school and after school and every weekend. In fact, it was a rare occurrence that they’d been apart last night.
I felt Layla go slightly stiff. Like she was keeping something to herself.
“She’s under a lot of pressure at school with being captain and taking on those extra units. I think it’s just stress. But don’t worry, Mrs. Wilson. I’m making sure she does look after herself.”
&n
bsp; “Call me Abby. When I hear Mrs. Wilson, I think of the dragon known as my mother-in-law.” Mum glanced at my hands on Layla. She knew I was making a claim in front of her. Layla was important. Important to me.
Mum also wasn’t used to me having anyone at the house, let alone having someone here that was a girl.
“Well, do you two want to come down for breakfast?” Mum took her eyes off my hands and looked at us. “If you’ve been here since last night, then I know for a fact you didn’t get tea because Tyson is allergic to the kitchen.”
I scoffed. Of course Mum would bring that up.
“Up to Tyson.” Layla turned. “Are you hungry?”
I would rather spend my time with her in bed. But we did need food.
“Yeah, we will come down.” I made the decision. If I forced her to eat now it meant she could be locked in my room for longer.
“I’ll, um, get dressed,” Layla said, taking my hands off her.
“Don’t bother. No one is going to be home. I’m about to head out. Reaper is at the clubhouse and Eve’s already left to go shopping with friends. And I don’t know where Hannah is.”
House alone with Layla. Fucking perfect.
“Thanks, Mum.” I couldn’t be more thankful. No one was going to be home. Which meant I could do whatever I wanted with Layla.
“Breakfast is on the kitchen bench. Make sure you get him to eat, Layla. He’s been drinking his weight in liquor.” Mum’s hand fell on the door handle. “If you are still around, Layla, we do family dinner on Sundays and you’re welcome to join us.”
I grinned. I was really going to have to thank Mum later. Now, thanks to her, I was going to make sure Layla stayed for tea. Which meant she would be here all day. Mum closed the door.
Layla and I were by ourselves again.
“So, you’re staying then?” I kept my hands on her as she turned around, looking up at me.
“You know how I wasn’t going to let you get to know me?” Layla spoke up to me.
I nodded my head. Was she going to let me get to know her?
“Well, I was given this advice and I sort of live by it: it is to judge a person’s actions and not their image. For once, when it came to you, your actions and image said the same thing. That being ‘fuck off’.”
Great, I really knew how to make an impression.
“So, what’s stopping you from taking that advice now?” I took my hands off her. I had a feeling she didn’t want me touching her, especially if she thought I thought I wanted her to fuck off.
“You gave me a new set of actions to judge.” She crossed her arms. “Don’t make me regret giving you a second shot.”
I couldn’t stop the grin on my face. I had a strong feeling she never gave anyone a second shot.
She went to pick up her phone. “I have to check in with Dad and then I’m all yours.”
I liked the sound of that. My phone buzzed next to hers. I saw her frown. Then I heard her sigh.
“What is it?” I asked, my hands going to her hips and pulling her back.
“I think someone is waiting for you.”
I reached around her and picked up my phone. My expression dropped immediately when I saw the picture and text.
“Layla, that isn’t what it looks like it.” I needed to quickly start explaining myself. Of course Carrie would pick this moment to send a naked photo and a message saying she was waiting for me. We had a regular thing on Sunday. But I had forgotten about that as soon as I woke up with Layla this morning.
“Looks like a naked girl waiting for you.” Layla turned around with an understanding smile on her face. “You should go.”
“No.”
Her hand went to the hem of the t-shirt and she pulled it off, handing it to me. She wasn’t mad at me; if anything, she was calm.
“You shouldn’t cancel plans for me.”
“I’m not canceling anything.” I took the top but my eyes were running up and down her body as she stood there in her underwear.
“Tyson, you have a girl who is naked and waiting for you. You should go.” Layla smiled at me again. She wasn’t mad. And I didn’t get it. Any other girl would be cursing, yelling and screaming at me that I was using her. Instead, Layla just had a smile on her face and then it hit me. This wasn’t the first time she had been put in this position.
“So, who was he?” I couldn’t stop myself from snapping at her.
“Who was who?” she frowned. “And what’s with the attitude?”
“The guy whose shit you normally put up with. That makes you think that me leaving you is acceptable.”
Her expression hardened. “I don’t do relationships and I don’t do strings. So I have no problem with you blowing me off to go get laid.”
“Can you hear yourself?!”
“What? You’ve made no promises to me.” Layla picked up her dress from the floor and gave me another polite smile. It frustrated me so much to see it! “I’ll get going.”
“Fucking stop it, Layla!”
“Don’t yell at me!”
“Well, stop being so fucking…” Was there a word to describe what she was being? “Understanding? Just because other men blew you off doesn’t mean I will.”
“Tyson.” She looked at me, annoyed. “You’ve made no promises to me. We were hanging out if you didn’t have plans. You have plans. That girl just reminded you of them. So I’m going to do the mature thing and leave.”
“Carrie can fuck off. I want to spend the day with you! And I’m pissed off with you that you think I’d just blow you off to have sex with some woman!”
She looked me in the eye, her expression guarded. She didn’t say anything. Instead, she kept holding her dress and it was killing me not to take in her body which was on display in her underwear. Instead I kept my eyes locked with hers.
“I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ll cancel Carrie,” I said. What else should I say? I didn’t care about canceling on Carrie. I’d rather spend the day with Layla and get to know her. If she just gave me a little, I could get a lot and then, when I knew her well enough, I’d know how to get around the whole ‘no relationship’ thing.
Then she frowned. “Why would you do that?”
Because you are more important. “I want to spend time with you.”
Her expression went blank. I saw her swallow sharply. Why did she look like what I’d said was causing her to panic?
I needed to add something to what I’d said that would stop her panicking. What could I say to put her at ease? I was trying to find the words. She looked frightened. But the more I thought about it, the harder it was to think of something to say. Then it occurred to me.
“You said your own advice is to judge the actions, not the image, right?” I repeated the one fact she had told me about herself.
She nodded her head, still with a guarded expression.
“Well, my action is canceling Carrie. My image might be telling you I’d put sex before you, but you’re wrong. Just because you are used to that doesn’t mean I’ll treat you like that.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it, just staring at me. How could she be that surprised that I wanted to spend time with her?
“I, um…” She paused and her expression hardened. “You shouldn’t cancel your plans for me. We can hang out another time.”
Was she going to come up with excuse after excuse on why she should leave? I looked at her harder. Yeah, she was going to come up with an excuse about why she shouldn’t stay.
So what should I say? I needed to come up with another angle to try on her. I didn’t want her leaving and thinking I was the type of guy that would blow her off for sex. I valued her friendship more than that. I knew we weren’t technically friends. And I didn’t look at her as a friend—I wanted something more with her.
She sighed and then stepped into her dress, pulling it up. I wanted to groan; that was a sign she was leaving and she hadn’t listened to
a word I had said. She said she judged actions; well, weren’t my actions telling her what type of man I was and what type of friend I would be?
“You asked who it was,” she said while pulling her zipper up. “You asked who was the guy I was used to being blown off by.”
I frowned. She had remembered my question. I knew there had to be a reason why she thought it was acceptable I’d blew her off. So there was a guy whose fault it was she was like this.
I nodded my head.
“Well, I’ve learned that men have needs and if you don’t meet their needs, they find it elsewhere. I don’t get hurt by it. I don’t get mad by it. Because I don’t do strings. I don’t give any man more than sex.” She pulled her hair up into a bun. “In your case, I’m not even giving you that. So you should really go and fulfill a need.”
She tightened the bun and then looked at me with the most accepting smile on her face. Once again she was proving to me how she wasn’t like the normal women I was used to. She was proving to me just how mature she was, and how she might be eighteen but she sounded like she was in her twenties with a load of experience behind her.
I crossed my arms, not sure what to say. I could see by her guarded expression she was really letting me off the hook.
Her phone vibrated on the bedside table and she didn’t turn to check it; instead, her chocolate brown eyes were locked with mine and I could see the acceptance in them.
“So, I’ll, um, see you tomorrow at school?” she said, I think that was her way of saying goodbye.
Her phone vibrated again, but again she ignored it. Whether she left or not, I wasn’t going to have sex with Carrie. But I didn’t know how to tell her that—or better yet, get her to believe me.
“Layla, will you stay? Please?” I asked and I reached out for her but she took a step back. I wanted to groan; I thought we had passed this.
“Last night was fun, Tyson, but I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me. I’m sorry, but I’m not capable of more.” She looked at me, torn, like if she could give me more she would. “I think it’s best if I treat you like any other guy. If I start to make exceptions for you then I’ll end up getting attached.”