Lasting Lyric (8 page)

Read Lasting Lyric Online

Authors: T.J. West

Tags: #Downtown Series Book 4

We walk upstairs, hands still intact and quietly enter Lyric’s bedroom. I throw my bag over on a blue velvet chair, by her vanity table, then sit on the edge of her bed.

Lyric sits herself beside me, crossing those arms of hers again. Wish she wouldn’t do that. I want to see her chest. “Just so you know, this is the last time we are doing this. Tomorrow you’re going to help me find a furry companion.”

“What, I’m not furry enough for you? Should I grow a shaggier beard, perhaps?” I ask, rubbing the shag on my face.

“Stop,” she huffs. “I’m serious. This is not working for me. I need sleep, Slim.”

“That’s why I’m here. To wash all the demons away,” I smirk. Lyric tilts her head to the side and frowns.
Shit. Okay.
I better get more serious. I sling an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to my side. “Okay, sorry. We’ll go fur hunting tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” she sighs, and places her head on my shoulder.

I’m able to see a little of her cleavage. Not a bad view. “By the way, nice jammies.”

She pops her head up. “Huh?”

“Your jammies.”

She makes that frowning face again. “You’re making fun of them.”

“No I’m not,” I chuckle. “They look cute on you.”

“They have cats on them.”

“Yes, I can see that. Cute.”

“You think the cats on my pajamas are cute?”

“I didn’t say the cats are cute, I said they look cute on you,” I wink.

She blinks in surprise. “Oh. Well, thanks…I guess,” she mumbles out.

I see a hint of pink appearing upon her cheeks, which makes her even more cute. “Are you blushing?”

She flinches away from me. “No.”

“You are.” I graze my thumb across her right cheek. “Your cheeks turned all rosy red.”

She suddenly stands up from the bed and growls out, “God, can you be more annoying? I wasn’t blushing. Now shut up and get in bed.” She stomps over on the left side of the bed, yanks down the covers and slides in.

“Bed. Now you’re talking dirty, sweetheart,” I seductively say - joking, of course, but my cock may think otherwise.

She shouts, “Shut up!” I laugh out loud from her reaction. It’s not very hard to get her riled up. It’s a continuous game I’ll never get tired of playing.

However, the second I climb into bed, the air shifts and things become much more serious. Just like last night, she’s on her back, I’m on my side, facing her. “How do you want this to play out? Me holding you or…” my question lingers.

“Uh -”

“I’ll hold you. It seemed to work last night.”

Lyric nods and turns out the lights. She scoots herself closer to me, rolls onto her right side and plants her back against my front. I have no idea what to do with my hand, though. I know last night I put it on her stomach, but that’s when she wasn’t wearing a slinky, sexy cami top where her skin was exposed. I’ll just put it a little above her skin. There. Okay. Safe zone.

Lyric has her bedroom window open, so we can hear the ocean. It’s really calming, relaxing and makes me all kinds of horny being next to her. Damn, her body feels so good and warm next to mine.

“Why are you so good to me,” she quietly asks.

My lips twitch from her question. She has no idea my feelings for her are deeper than friendship, now. I’d do anything to make her feel safe. “Because you’re my best friend, and I don’t like knowing you’re dealing with this shit. Doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I don’t like it either, so thank you…again for doing this.”

“Whatever helps you get a good night’s rest.” I kiss the top of her head. Yeah, I know a little too intimate, but what’s not intimate about this setting? I know we should get some sleep, but I want to get my mind off the intimate stuff. “So, you must like cats?”

“Yeah.”

“I assume cat hunting is the fur companion?”

“I guess,” she shrugs. “They’re easy to take care of. Leaving town so often, I won’t have to worry about it as much.”

“Makes sense.”

“You like cats?”

“Sure. Never had one, but…ya know…I like fur.”

She chokes out a laugh. “You’re so weird.”

“Takes one to get to know one.”

She giggles again. “Night, Hot Stuff.”

“G’night, Charlie.” I may have said goodnight, but my body is not ready for it. My fingers itch to get a feel of her belly, her skin. It’s all so fucking wrong, though. Why hadn’t I ever felt this way for her before? Why now? Why are my eyes suddenly wide open for the very first time? How did I not
see
her before the accident? I want things to go back to the way they were. I don’t want to have these feelings for her…I just can’t help it, though.
I need to feel her.
A need that is so wrong, yet feels so right. Very slowly, I inch the tips of my fingers to the edge of her cami. I pause. I don’t want her getting the wrong idea, even though it is the wrong idea. One finger. Two fingers, then three. The rest follow suit and trickle their way a little up her cami. Lyric flinches and her body stiffens. I stop. “Sorry,” I mumble. “My fingers cold?”

“No,” she whispers out. “Why are you touching me there?”

Crap, she hates it. She doesn’t want this. I give her my best answer, anyways. “You’re soft.”

“Can’t sleep if you keep tickling me.”

Tickling.
I bite back a laugh and proceed gliding my fingers across her belly. Holy fuck, her body is soft as hell. I fucking love it. “Tickles, huh?”

“Yes.” I can tell she is trying hard not to laugh. She’s very squirmy and it’s making my cock hard. Hope she can’t feel it. “Stop it.”

“Okay,” I chuckle. “Night again.”

She sighs, “Night.”

“Is it okay if I just keep it there? I promise, no tickling.”

“Fine,” she groans, and I bet she has a smile on her face, along with an eye roll.

I can’t stop skimming her belly and flirting with her. “It’s, like, really soft.”

She snaps, “Slim!”

My body shakes with silent laughter. “Yeah, I’m done. Go to sleep.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Sorry,” I chuckle.

My hand stays planted on her belly, and I hope that tomorrow night we’ll be able to do this again, and maybe…just maybe, I’ll inch further up her cami and hit my jackpot. My flirtation is going to test our relationship, but will Lyric decide she’ll want to flirt back and possibly take our friendship to the next level? Only one way to find out.

 

The blaring of Lyric’s phone wake us both up at the crack of fucking dawn. I was sleeping so soundly with her in my arms, with my hand still plastered to her soft belly. I slept like a damn baby.

She moves away from me, instantly making me pout and feeling cold. “Indie?” She answers groggily. I cover my eyes while Lyric’s sister talks her ear off. Wish we could go back to cuddling, but that wouldn’t go so well. It’s morning now. Cuddle time is over. “Can’t you call Ralphie or grab a cab?” She pauses to listen. “I’m in San Diego, hon, it’s going to take me awhile.” She flicks the light from her nightstand on and blinds the crap out of me. “Okay…yeah, okay. See ya then,” she sighs, then lays her phone back down and groans.

Seems like another day of hanging out is a no go. I prop myself up on my elbow and ask, “Guess, fur hunting is out?”

“Yep. My sister needs me to pick her up at the airport, in L.A..”

“She can’t catch a cab?”

“Apparently not.” She scoots herself up and sits against her pillows. “Our parents’ driver, Ralphie is not available and she hates cabs.”

“Pretty high maintenance.”

“Complete opposite. I forgot she has a phobia with cabs.” I was about to ask why she has a phobia with cabs, but Lyric holds her hand up to stop me. “Don’t ask. Long story.”

“You want me to go with?”

“Huh?”

“You want me to go with you to pick her up?”

She shakes her head, “No. No. You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t have to, I want to.” I don’t want to spend a day without her.
God I sound so pathetic.

“Well,” she thinks for a second, “..if you don’t have anything to do today, okay.”

“You forget. We’re on break. We won’t be working until Wayne gets back next week. So I am all yours, Sunshine,” I wink.

“Okay, cool,” she smiles. A smile that jump starts my dick fuel.

She scrambles out of bed and gives me a nice view of her sweet ass, then turns around to find me staring and devilishly smirking. “What?”

I clear my throat and remove any hint of my attraction. “Nothing.”

“Okay, well, go home and I’ll come pick you up in an hour.”

Back to acting cool. I get out of bed and use the bathroom. After doing my business I come back into her room and ask, “How about we grab breakfast on the way up?”

“Sure. Sounds good.”

I grab my bag off the blue velvet chair and sit next to Lyric on the end of her bed. “How’d you sleep last night?”

She nudges my shoulder with a smile. “Perfect.”

“Guess I’ll be your furry companion for another night,” I playfully nudge her back.

“Guess so,” she mumbles, looking down at her hands with another smile to follow. “You better leave before we don’t have time to grab food.”

“On it.” Before I exit her bedroom I bring on my first flirtation for the day. “By the way…you look extra cute this morning with those cat jammies and bed-head.”

She falls backwards onto her bed and groans out, “Get out! Be on your way!”

I leave her room laughing and consider my first flirtation of the day a success.

 

WE DECIDED ON BAGELS AND
coffee for the drive up to LA. I wasn’t sure if we were staying the night or not, but just in case, we both packed a small bag. I love being home so any chance I can get I always prepare myself to spend some time there.

Slim and I had our usual banter on the drive up. We also blasted the radio and both sang - no matter how crappy I sounded - to our hearts contents. Being with Slim is the most easygoing, comfortable relationship I have ever had. I don’t know what’s going on with us, but things are changing. I really believed he only wanted to be friends. Overhearing him talking to his dad about me made me think nothing would ever happen. However, last night got me thinking again; the way his fingers took control on my skin. They skimmed along my belly and gave me chills. My reaction to his gifted skimming was playful and I pretended to hate it, yet I wanted more - so much more - that I freaked myself out. I’ve wanted him for so long I am now afraid it’s going to ruin what we have. His continuous flirting is consuming and confusing all at the same time. What is he thinking when he is touching me? Why would he tell his dad he sees me as one of the guys, yet I felt his penis enlarge up above my butt, as he was fluttering with my ribs? Neither one of us brought up the intimate petting last night. It’s like it never happened and night times are only when things get serious. I wonder what’s going to happen tonight? If things escalate, will I push him away because I’m getting scared, or will I take control and have my way with him? Ugh, I hate how I am overthinking this all the time. And I most certainly hate how my body is reacting to his touch, more so than ever, since I walked through his front door the other night.

I wish my lady parts would calm the crap down.

After two hours of driving, we make it to LAX. We meet Indie at the pickup line outside. Both Slim and I get out to greet her. We give one another a big hug. It’s been months since I’ve seen my baby sister. Even traveling from North Carolina, Indie still looks beautiful. Jeans, t-shirt and a simple sweater look great on her. Last time I saw her she had brownish hair, now it’s getting blonder. Must have been how the actress in the movie had her hair.

I introduce my sister to Slim. “Indie this is Slim. Slim, Indie.”

She flicks her long hair behind her shoulder and holds out her hand. “So you’re Slim! Finally nice to meet you.”

Slim grasps onto it. “Nice to meet you, too,” he smirks. I’m not a jealous person, but it’s not hard to notice that Indie is gorgeous and sexy…voluptuous…curvy. Yeah, she’s a true catch. With Slim wearing his sunglasses, I couldn’t tell if he looked her up and down. Ugh, my insecurities are not behaving!

Slim takes hold of Indie’s luggage and places them in the back of my black SUV. “You mind if I have shotgun? I get carsick,” Indie asks Slim.

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