by Gia Riley
“Aren’t you coming?”
With a cocky smirk on his face and a renewed hunger, he says, “Not until you do.”
“You have a dirty mind.”
“Room, beautiful.”
“Right.” I take every ounce of pain Blaine caused me, and replace it with love from Kipton. His love has the potential to heal every crack, and replace every bit of hatred with hope. He heals me from the inside out. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“Sophie, you don’t have to thank me for making you feel good.”
“It’s not just that.” I don’t even know what I’m trying to say other than I’m thankful he’s in my life. There’s no telling where I’d be right now if I didn’t have him. I crave control, even needing it to survive, but when it comes to Kipton, he’s the only one I can surrender to. “Just, thank you.”
“You’re just, welcome, silly girl.”
I scrunch my nose at him as he slowly stands up. Grabbing a towel off the rack, he wraps me up. “You were hot as fuck in this towel when I met you, and you still are. Promise me we can have pink towels in our house someday.”
I’m not sure if it’s the idea of having a home with Kipton, or the realization that we won’t be separated forever, but I smile, confident that we will definitely have pink towels someday. In fact, I need pink towels forever.
I DON’T EVEN HAVE TO glance at the clock on the bedside table to know it’s time to take more pain medication. But I’m so blissed out from sex with Kipton, I have no desire to move. “Can you help me sit up.” I overdid it—exactly like I wasn’t supposed to.
“You’re hurting aren’t you?” Kipton asks with concern. His head is resting on the pillow next to mine with the sheet barely covering his waist.
“I’m okay.” I shouldn’t lie, but he won’t touch me anymore if I tell him how bad my body is screaming right now.
“Sophie, I told you to tell me. Were you in pain the entire time?”
I turn my head, not wanting him to see the hidden truth behind my eyes. “No.”
He sits up far enough to see my face. “Don’t lie to me, beautiful,” he warns. His tone isn’t threatening, only concerned.
“I wasn’t in pain the whole time.”
“But you were some of the time?”
I nod my head. “A little, but everything you were doing felt too good to stop.”
He flops back on the pillow, unable to argue with how important it was for the two of us to reconnect. “I need you to be honest with me. You feel so good, and when I’m inside of you, it’s so easy to get carried away.”
My medicine can wait a little longer. I snuggle next to him, getting cozy under the blankets. “Can you stop talking for a second, and roll this way?”
He laughs, rolling onto his side and propping himself up on his elbow. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. I needed to shut you up before you talked yourself out of how good it was.”
He runs his hand up my leg, across my thigh, and up to my hip bone before stopping. Tickling me slowly back and forth, I rock my hips ever so slightly. “Oh, I definitely remember, but you weren’t telling me to shut up a few minutes ago when I was whispering dirty things in your ear. In fact, you compared me to a God. That’s some serious shit.”
“Kipton!” He rolls onto his back, clutching his chest while laughing at my shocked expression. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I wasn’t thinking in full coherent sentences either.
“It’s not my fault you turned into a dirty little girl while I’ve been away.”
“And it’s not my fault you get me all hot and bothered.”
“No, you’re right. That’s entirely my fault.” He groans, and I’m afraid to ask what he’s thinking about now. Not that I have to wait long to find out. “The phone sex. It’s so fuckin hot.”
I cover my face with my hands. “I’ve created a monster.” My cheeks heat as I slowly remember all the dirty things I said to him late at night during several of our phone conversations—none of it was PG.
“I like when you get bold.” He pries my fingers away from my face, one by one. “Don’t hide this gorgeous face. I won’t get to see it for a while.”
Like a cold bucket of water tossed over my head, I’m brought back to a sobering reality. Our time is limited, and he has to go back home. “When are you coming back?” I swallow the lump in my throat as I wait for his answer. No matter what he says, it won’t be soon enough.
“I’ll be back next weekend. I have a clinic before the holiday picnic tomorrow. Then it’s back to school on Tuesday. Are you sure you don’t want to come to the picnic? I’ll drive you there and back.”
“No. I should stay here. My school assignments are piling up. Plus, I would have to notify the station since they’re watching the house. I know they aren’t following me around, but it feels like they are.” The shaky words barely leave my lips before the damn inside threatens to break. Having put it into words, it hits me like a ton of bricks. Even life on campus has become completely insane.
Kipton switches from playful to serious at the drop of a hat. “What’s wrong? If you want a guard with you on campus, I’ll make it happen.”
I can’t let him know how scared I am or he won’t go back home. He’ll put me first and lose the job of his dreams. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if that happened. “Nothing. I’m bummed we’ll be apart again, that’s all.”
I pray he buys it.
“You’re positive that’s all it is?”
“Yes. I’ll be fine. I have help here. And I can spend my free time helping my dad at practice until I’m cleared to participate.” I don’t mention the comfort the gym brings me. It’s the only place on campus I’m not surrounded by a bunch of complete strangers. Strangers that Blaine could be trying to blend in with.
“I already talked to Drew. He’s going to take you to class as much as he can. You only have a couple that overlap.”
“He doesn’t have to do that.”
“No, he doesn’t, but I asked him to. I don’t want you to be alone. And if you spot Jake, I want you to call 911 immediately. I don’t care if you have to get up in the middle of a lecture. You do it.”
I hold onto my blanket a little tighter. “You’re starting to freak me out.”
He cuddles me in his arms the best he can without putting pressure on my side. “I’m not trying to scare you, beautiful. I’m trying to find ways to keep you safe because I can’t be here to do it myself.”
I duck my head, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I wish you were.”
“Hey.” Kipton reaches out for my hand. I let him take it, but I can’t look at him. “Look at me, Sophie.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ll cry.”
“Come here, baby.” He pulls me on top of his body, being extra gentle. As I rest on top of his chest, I can hear the thumping of his heart. Strong and steady—just like his personality. “What if I come back Wednesday instead of waiting until the weekend?”
I lift my head off his chest. “Really? You would do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
What am I missing? “But you have school and practice.”
“I’ll skip a day. You come first.”
“I don’t know, Kipton. Don’t get in trouble.”
My body shakes along with his as he laughs. “I promise they won’t send me to detention.”
“Don’t laugh at me!” I turn my head and playfully sink my teeth into his bicep.
He swats me away from his arm. “Ouch!”
“Oh please, you like it rough.”
He raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t disagree. “Do that to me next time when you’re calling me God, and I’ll let you know.”
“Kipton! If you make me feel stupid we’ll end up having boring sex. Then neither of us will have any fun.”
Gently, he rolls me onto my back. I’m sure he’s about to kiss me, but he pause
s, his gaze full of reverence. “Nothing about what we do is boring. Trust me.”
“I have to agree with that.” I’ve never experienced anything like it in my life. Which is why it makes it ten times harder when he slides out of bed in search of his clothing. I’m pretty sure it’s still in a wet heap on the floor.
“Uh, babe. I’m gonna need you to do me a favor.”
I giggle, knowing exactly what he needs. “I’m pretty busy.” He gives me the look from across the room. The one where I have two seconds to pick another answer or I’ll be in serious trouble in the best way possible.
“Do you really want me to run around your apartment naked looking for something to wear?”
“I wouldn’t mind,” I tell him as I get out of bed to slide my robe on. Kipton sits on the edge of my bed still naked as the day he was born. “Is your overnight bag in your trunk?”
He reaches out and pulls me in between his legs. “Yeah, but it’s outside. And you don’t have any clothes on.”
“I have this robe on. Good enough.”
“Sophie, you’re not going outside naked.”
I smile brazenly. “It’s a risk worth taking.” There’s no way I would go outside in this, especially when an officer is sitting outside the apartment, but it’s fun to see him lose his mind a little.
The first step I take to my closet to find something to put on, a sharp pain radiates all the way from my hip to my neck. It’s the side I fell on. “Shit.” Reaching out for the dresser, I steady myself.
“What is it?”
I told him at the hospital I need to start doing for myself since I’ll be on my own. I’m positive it’s killing him not to rush to my side, but it’s important I can do something as simple as dressing myself without a production. “I’m okay,” I tell him as I continue putting on my yoga pants.
Sensing him watching me, I fight to get my other leg in, but it hurts too much to bend over. I need help. I blow my hair out of my face and peer up at him through my eyelashes. “It’s killing you isn’t it?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I’m waiting for you to ask for help.”
It’s not an easy thing for me to do considering I’ve taken care of myself my entire life. So I suck up my pride, and get it over with. “Can you help me?”
With only a small nod of acceptance, Kipton kneels down in front of me. His face is eye level with my stomach. He leans forward and presses a light kiss below my belly button. “Lift your leg a little.” Expecting him to toss in a comment or two, I’m thankful when he doesn’t scold me for overdoing it despite having to dress me like a child.
“I’ll be back to normal by the time Wednesday rolls around.”
This time he peers up at me, and his crystal blue eyes are more forgiving than ever. “Sophie, I have no room to talk. We should have been more careful in bed, but I can’t regret what we did.”
I smile with relief. “Good. I don’t want you to regret it.”
“But I’m done wearing you out. I don’t want you to overdo it anymore, okay?”
“Okay. I’ll behave, Chief.” I salute him which earns me an eye roll. I know better than to think he’s actually annoyed despite him taking a second too long to stand back up. I don’t think he wants to leave any more than I want him to.
I grab his keys off my desk. “I’ll be right back.” It’s a shame I have to find him clothes, but I don’t think the cop outside will appreciate him driving home naked.
I press the button to unlock his car, but manage to hit the panic button instead. His car alarm sounds the horn while his headlights flash on and off. I press the button over and over to make it stop, but nothing happens.
Turning back toward the house, Kipton’s already flying out the front door in a panic. “Are you okay?”
I push him back inside the house before he can get off the porch. “Get back inside. You’re naked!”
“I don’t care how naked I am. I thought you were in trouble. You just scared the shit out of me.”
The officer gets out of his police cruiser, and walks to the door. “Everything okay?” he questions with half a smirk on his face.
Kipton hides behind me, covering his junk with my body. “Everything’s fine, Officer.”
He nods his head before turning to walk back to his car. “You might want to find some clothes before you come outside next time.”
“No kidding,” he mumbles. Kipton takes the keys out of my hands and the trunk pops open. “There you go, beautiful.”
“This went well.” I grab his bag out of the trunk, but he’s still standing there watching me. “Will you get back inside!”
“Does it bother you?”
“I don’t want to get arrested—and I don’t want anyone else seeing my boyfriend naked.”
He takes the bag out of my hand before following me back to my bedroom. “That was fun,” he says as he slides his pants on.
I giggle at the crazy situation, but when he pulls his shirt over his head, my laughter disappears. I don’t want him to go.
He stands in front of me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “I’ll see you soon. Call me the second you need me—even if I’m teaching.”
He’s been by my side every minute for almost three days. Now I have to get used to him leaving all over again. “I will. Now go be awesome.”
“Bye, beautiful.”
“Bye.”
Normally, I’d walk him to the door to watch him drive away. Today, I need to let him go here in my room. There’s too much anxiety and fear jumbled up in knots inside me. The small bit of confidence I have clung to since coming home is slowly disappearing.
So instead of crumbling on the porch, I watch from my window as Kipton gets into his car. He pauses before turning the key in the ignition. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s debating coming back inside. “I’ll be okay,” I say to him even though he can’t hear a word I’m saying. If he comes back I really will break down—and it won’t be pretty.
Finally, the engine in his Camaro revs to life before he slowly backs out of the parking space. Now that he’s gone, the only thing keeping Blaine from getting to me is the officer outside. One small line of defense against my past is all I have left.
“Did he leave?” Cara asks, as she catches me staring out the window.
“Yup.”
She flops down on my disheveled bed. “Asshole didn’t even say bye to me.”
“He’s coming back Wednesday.”
Cara raises her eyebrows, seemingly as surprised as I was a few minutes ago when he told me. “What about his job?”
I shrug my shoulders. “He said not to worry about it, but I don’t want him losing his job because of me.”
“My brother is going to worry about you. He does on a normal day.”
“I’m not denying that, but I can’t handle him losing everything he’s worked so hard for.”
“That won’t happen. Kippy knows what he’s doing.”
“This might be the longest you’ve gone without tossing a dig at him.”
She rolls her eyes, but laughs because she knows it’s the truth. “I do love him. He just drives me bat shit crazy most of the time.”
Laughing at her, I hear my phone ringing. “I must have left my phone in the bathroom with my clothes.”
“Sit, I’ll get it. It’s probably Kipton calling to tell you he loves you for millionth time.” She makes a gagging sound and hurries into the hallway.
She’s only gone a few seconds, but the ringing stops before she gets back to me. “Sorry, I wasn’t fast enough. He hung up.”
“I’ll call back.” Before I even bring up my contact list, the phone rings again. “You miss me already, babe?”
“I thought he’d never leave.”
Blaine.
I run to my window, looking in every direction for signs of him. “Where are you?”
“You really expect me to tell you that? How stupid do you think I am?”
Slithering down the wall next
to the window, I end up on the floor in my robe. His voice alone has the power to send me spiraling into a panic attack. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“You know why I’m calling, Sophie.”
Tears fall from my eyes. I knew he wasn’t finished torturing me. “No. I don’t.”
“What did you tell the police?”
“You put me in the hospital,” I remind him. “I didn’t have to tell them anything.”
“I’m getting the officer,” Cara says, before running out of the room.
“Cara, no. Don’t go outside!” My ribs are screaming, and I can’t get up fast enough to stop her. “Cara!”
“She’s a sweet little thing,” he says.
“Stay away from her, Blaine. Please. Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with any of this.”
“Don’t be jealous, Sophie. You know you’re my girl.”
“Why?” I ask him as tears stream down my face. “We’re over. Can’t we move on?”
“This is far from over, baby,” Blaine threatens through the receiver.
Before I have a chance to reply, the line goes dead the same time Cara barrels through the front door. “I told him. He’s calling the station right now.”
My hands are still shaky when I tell her, “He hung up. It’s over.”
She stares at me in confusion. “Why aren’t you freaking out?”
“I am freaking the fuck out, Cara, but there’s nothing I can do about it!”
“Okay. I’m sorry,” she says in her own defense. “I was really worried.”
“Then don’t run outside next time.” I don’t let her know he saw her. It might be a terrible thing to keep from her, but Blaine doesn’t want Cara. He wants to torture me.
“Okay. I won’t.” She reaches for the phone, but I grab her arm to stop her.
“Who are you calling?”
“My brother. He said to let him know if anything happened.”
I yank the phone out of her hands. “He can’t know about this. Please, Cara.” She tries to snatch the phone back, but I’m able to dodge her.
“He’s going to find out, Sophie. You can’t hide it forever.”
“I’m not asking for forever. Just a little while. I can’t call him every time something happens.”