Cloud Walking (A Find You in the Dark novella) (5 page)

     Yep, that did it.  My burgeoning erection was now limp in my pants.  Thank god.  Last thing I needed was for Rachel to see me at half-mast as I ran from her house. 

     I got to my feet, confident I wouldn't reveal a tent under my zipper and headed for her front door.  I just had to leave.  I had to put some distance between me and the girl who had somehow morphed into a sex siren in the span of forty-five minutes.

     “Daniel.  Are you okay?  I mean...you're being stranger than usual.”  Rachel sounded worried.  Upset even.  I knew that in her mind this was just me blowing her off again.  But I knew, without a doubt, that if I sat in her living room, just the two of us, for a moment longer, I would make a complete and total fool of myself.  I would touch her and kiss her and hold her in a way that would ruin everything we were.

     Because Rachel Bradfield was my best friend.  And she deserved a hell of a lot more than an asshole like me.  She deserved a guy who could be her prince charming.  Not a douchebag who didn't know his ass from his elbow.  A guy who had spent his entire life screwing up everything he touched.

     Rachel was better than me.  She could
do
better than me.  And damned if I didn't want more for her than my sorry ass. 

     I stopped at her front door and hefted my book bag up on my shoulder, steeling myself to turn around and face her.  I swiveled on my heel, a smile firmly in place.  Rachel would never know the out of control thoughts running through my brain. 

     I would take it to the grave.

     I would not ruin the best relationship in my life over crazy hormonally driven lust.  But even I could recognize that what I felt for the girl in front of me went way beyond lust. 

     But I couldn't go there.  Not now.  Not ever.

     So I ignored the way her mouth turned down in that cute way of hers.   The way her eyes crinkled up at the corners when she was irritated.  The hot flush on her chest that spread up the sides of her neck,  a sure giveaway that she was not happy.  Okay, now my eyes were focusing a little too long on her chest.

     Get it together, man!

     “I'm fine.  I just really have to go.  Thanks for offering to help.  Sorry if I screwed up your evening,” I told her sincerely.  Because I really did hate the fact that she more than likely put aside her own stuff to help me.  Maybe I really did take her for granted.  Because Rachel never thought twice about helping me. 

     See, that was why she deserved better.

     Rachel's brown eyes softened a fraction, though her pretty mouth was still set in a firm line.  “Yeah.  Well, maybe you need to start keeping a schedule.  You know, since you're so busy,” she bit out and I blinked at her in surprise. 

     Wow.  I was not used to the biting responses from her.  This new no-nonsense side of Rachel was a surprise. 

     And freaking hot. 

     I had to leave!  Now!

     “Yeah.  Good idea.  Later, Rach,” I said quickly, pulling open the front door and dashing outside.  Yep, I ran away.  Like a little bitch.

     Things were not going well.  Ever since our almost kiss three days ago, Rachel and I have been at each other's throats.  Her patience for all things Daniel Lowe seemed to be at an end.  I could practically taste her annoyance as we sat together during lunch. 

     Maggie hadn't shown up yet, so it was just Rachel and me.  Together.  Being agonizingly silent as we ate our lunch and tried not to choke on the tension that seemed to have blossomed between us. 

     It seriously sucked.

     “Rach...” I started to say.  I wasn't exactly sure what was about to come out of my mouth.  It could have been a plea for her forgiveness.  An apology for all of my assy behavior over the years. 

     It could have been a verbal attack toward her icy chill. 

     Or it could have been a confession.  One that seemed harder to keep from bursting out.  The truth of why I ran out on her three days ago.  The reason I was finding it hard to sit so close to her and not touch her.  And the fact that I could barely look at Kylie without imaging my best friend instead.  How the only lips I wanted to taste and touch were Rachel Marie Bradfield's. 

     I had it bad.

     Rachel looked up at me as I said her name.  Her brown eyes cool in a way that I hated.  I needed to put an end to this rift between us.  I needed to man up and share how screwed up I was over her. 

     Or I could suck it all back down into the dark pit inside of me and pretend it didn't exist. 

     Obviously, the latter was the most appropriate form of action.

     “Can I have the rest of your fries?” I asked her, inching my fingers toward her lunch tray.  Rachel rolled her eyes but pushed her food toward me.  I plucked a few of the fried pieces of my denial off her plate and stuffed them into my mouth. 

     “What the heck is up with our girl?” Rachel asked in amusement, looking up from her phone and over my shoulder.  I turned around and started laughing as Maggie limped her way across the cafeteria.  She held her legs rigid, her face in a grimace as she finally reached our table.

     “What?” Maggie asked, her tone making it very clear she didn't want to hear whatever we had to say.  She was not a happy camper.

     “Nothing.”  Rachel said diplomatically as she shoved her hamburger into her mouth.  Rachel didn't deal well with confrontation of any sort.  Well, unfortunately for Maggie May, I had no such qualms.

    “Why are you moving like an old lady, Mags?  You look ridiculous.”  I chuckled, watching my other best friend shoot daggers at me with her eyes.  Oh if looks could kills.  She pulled a chip from her bag and chucked it at me.  I dodged it easily and laughed.  She really did look pathetic.

     Maggie proceeded to tell us that she had cut cross-country practice.  Not once, not twice, but three times.  I tried not to gape at her in surprise.  If there was one thing about Mags, it was that she was unwaveringly consistent.  She had her routine, her schedule.  She understood that responsibility was not to be taken lightly.  She was a rock of predictability. 

      But now, I looked at the brown-haired girl sitting across from me as though I didn't even know her.  And then I realized why she was skipping practice.  Or more specifically for
who.

     And the
who
showed up right then, looking like a James Dean reject.  Clayton Reed stood at Maggie's elbow and I watched her instant transformation.

     I shot Rachel a look and noticed she had seen it as well.  Her eyes found mine and for a moment, our bullshit was forgotten as we focused on our friend and the guy who seemed to have taken her over.

    To say lunch didn't go well was an understatement.  This Clay dude was a complete freak.  I just did not get what Maggie saw in him.  He was anti-social and could barely hold a conversation.  Plus he gave off angry vibes like crazy. 

    I didn't like him. 

    Not at all. 

     And I could tell Rachel was worried about what was unfolding in front of us as well. 

     When Clay left the lunch table abruptly, I couldn't help myself.  “What the fuck was that?”  I knew I sounded like a dick.  And I could tell by the way Maggie's jaw clenched that I had said the wrong thing.  But that guy was a weirdo.  And I didn't like the way Mags seemed to be twisting herself into knots over him. 

      Rachel's hand squeezed my knee under the table in silent warning.  But I couldn't help but wish she'd keep her hand there.  It felt nice.  Even under the circumstances.

     “Maybe he's just shy.”  I knew Rachel was trying to placate the situation.  Her fingers squeezed into my skin, obviously trying to communicate the message that I should shut the hell up and let her handle it.  I wanted to do whatever Rachel asked of me if it meant keeping her hand on my leg.  Too bad I was always bad at listening.

      The problem was Mags and I were too much alike.  Most of the time, it was a source of mutual respect and camaraderie.  Right now, it meant we were about to have an explosion.

     “Or a whack job.  He has that whole school shooter thing going on, you know?” I said trying not to flinch as Rachel pinched the side of my knee with her fingers.  So much for biting my tongue.  Now I would have both of the girls pissed at me. 

     To say Maggie got kind of mad would be like me saying that hell is kind of hot.  She went off.  Really.  She let me have it.  And I couldn't do much more than stare at her in shock.  Maggie never lost her shit with me.  Even when I deserved it.  Sure, she could  be cutting and to the point.  It's what I loved about her.  But she had never gone full on postal before. 

     And it made me angry.  Like, really, really angry.  Because this was happening now over some guy who wasn't worth the gunk on the bottom of her shoe.  My protective instincts were going into overdrive and I wanted to go smack the shit out of the punk for getting my friend wound up like that.

     No one messed with my girls. 

     Ever.

     But Rachel instantly jumped into her role as mediator.  She succeeded in calming Maggie down.  But only enough so she could go track Clay “Unabomber” Reed down. 

     Rachel sat down heavily beside me after Maggie had left.  “Sorry if I was out of line,” I mumbled, feeling a little crappy for my part in the drama.  Rachel sighed, her shoulders sagging a bit.

     I wanted to put my arm around her.  Any other time I would have.  Now I wasn't sure that was a smart thing to do.  “Well, you need to tell Mags, not me,” she said succinctly.  Rachel was right.  I did owe Maggie an apology.  I hated fighting with my girls.  But it seemed like that was all that happened anymore.

     Before going to find Maggie, I turned to Rachel, ignoring the stirring in my gut as I watched her tuck a curl behind her ear.  “What do you think of that guy?  Really,” I asked her. 

     Rachel met my eyes and I knew in that instant, that for whatever our issues, we were on the same page where Clayton Reed was concerned.  “I don't know, Danny.  But I've never seen Mags like this.  It worries me.  It's not like her to obsess over some boy.  And to blow off cross-country?  All she talks about is Clayton Reed.  When have you ever known her to talk about a guy like this?  I mean, I'd be happy for her if there wasn't something else going, you know?  The way Clay acted today was really weird and then Maggie jumping all over us to defend his crappy attitude.  I didn't like it.  Not a bit,” Rachel let out in a rush.

     Without allowing myself time to think any more about it, I reached out and took her hand.  Our fingers weaved together effortlessly.  Her palm, pressed against mine perfectly.  “We'll take care of her.  We always take care of each other.  And no one will ever mess with my girls while I'm around,” I said with confidence.  Because I fucking meant it. 

     Rachel smiled and my heart sputtered a bit.  When did I become such a damn pansy?  “I guess I'd better go find her.  You know, so I can grovel.” I grinned, even though I was absolutely sure groveling was in my immediate future.