The Beginning of Us (237 page)

“This is fantastic!” She starts to clap her hands, but I stop her.

“No, no. I’m not saying it was a good one.”
Although, all I can think about is how my body felt when he held me outside the bar.

I take a drink of my tea, wishing I would have said yes to the wine. I look over to Holly as she speaks.

She shrugs. “He likes you.”

“So? I’m pretty sure he likes every one of the female gender.”

Vivian laughs.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sleeping around. If that is what one wants to do, then that’s their choice. It’s just not something that I do. Although, having sex with Slade is
all
my body has wanted since I first saw him in the bathroom. Can everyone tell how bad my body is craving him? God, I hope not.

“He likes you,” Holly repeats.

“You said that.”

“That’s a good thing.” She smiles as she pops a grape into her mouth and gives me a closed lipped smile.

“Anyway…” I change the subject. “How was Mark’s birthday party?”

“It was great,” Vivian says happily. “Wish you would have been able to make it.” She frowns.

“Me too.” I had wanted to go, but Jax hadn’t. He said that even though I knew them a little, he didn’t know them at all. He was right at the time, so I nicely declined Vivian’s invitation. I don’t know if it was a good thing or not that I didn’t come. That would have been my first time meeting Slade, instead in the bathroom at Larry’s.

“Well you didn’t miss much. Slade was on the phone most of time, and Micah and Holly didn’t stay very long,” Vivian says sadly.

“Yeah, I don’t know what was wrong with him,” Holly says. “He kept telling me he was just tired.”

“He seemed fine when he showed up to Larry’s later that evening,” I point out.

“He did,” she agrees. “They have been working a lot though, that could have been it.”

“Probably,” I say before I finish off my tea. “I’m going to get out of here. I need to run a few errands, then get to the bank before they close.”

“Okay, hon. Glad you came over today.” Vivian walks around the island to give me a hug.

“You filling in for Joey tonight?” Holly asks.

“Yes. I don’t have to go in until nine.” I stand up from my chair.

“Okay, I’ll see you there.” She leans over, giving me a big squeeze.

“I didn’t think you worked tonight.”

“I’m not scheduled, but I’m filling in for Becky. Her daughter is sick.”

They both start to walk me towards the door and I wave goodbye as they close the door behind me.

*****

I walk into my house after running by the bank and grabbing something to eat. I just set my Wendy’s sack down on the kitchen counter when my cell phone rings. I pull it out of my back pocket to see Kitty light up my screen.

I have called Courtney
kitty
since we were kids. She has an obsession for Hello Kitty.

“Hello, pretty kitty,” I say cheerfully.

She laughs. “What are you up to, Sis?”

“I just got home from running a couple of errands. I’m about to eat my lunch then take a nap before I have to get up and get ready for work.” I dig around in my Wendy’s sack to find my straw for my drink.

“Sounds like fun,” she says sarcastically.

“What are you doing?”
Where did I put that straw?

“Nothing, just calling to check on you.” The way she said it made me quit digging around in my Wendy’s sack.

“Why? Is there something you know that I don’t?”

“I’m just checking if you’ve seen sex on a stick since Sunday?”

My shoulders slump and I let out a breath. There is no escaping a Slade conversation today. I think it was a mistake that I told her all about the night I ran into Slade, and then almost kissing him outside the bar. I told her I was pretty sure that was part of a dream, and now she thinks I dream about him every night.

I’ve only dreamed of him a few times. Okay, if I’m being honest with myself, I’ve dreamed of him more than a few times.

“No, I haven’t. And I don’t want to.” I smile in victory as I finally find my straw smashed at the bottom of the sack.

“Yes, you do. You like him. You have never talked about a guy like you talk about Slade.” She laughs.

“That’s because he drives me insane.” I’m getting annoyed with all of these Slade conversations.

“You mean insanely hot and bothered.”

“Court! I don’t want to talk about Slade.” I take a drink of my pop.

“You should just sleep with him,” she says carelessly.

I spit out all the pop that was in my mouth. “What?” I squeal through a fit of coughing while trying to cover my mouth as it dribbles down my chin.

“What was that noise? Are you okay?”

“That was me spitting out all my pop I was about to swallow before you mentioned that absurd idea.” I grab a paper towel and start cleaning up my mess on the counter.

“You
know
you want to,” she argues. “You waited until you were a senior in college before you got physical with someone. And trust me, from everything you’ve told me about your sex life with Jax, it sucked! They are not all like that. I think you should hook up with Slade.”

She cannot be serious.

“So, now that I’m single, I should just start sleeping around with anyone?” I ask sarcastically.

“You want him. Believe me, if all that stuff wasn’t a dream and it really happened, then he wants you just as bad. And guys like him don’t give up. Just give in and have fun.” This is coming from my friend who used to sneak boys in and out of her bedroom window all the time in high school.

“So, you’re saying what? I just go up to him and tell him I want him? Trust me, he will laugh in my face and walk away.” I pull out my sandwich and fries.

“Don’t think so much about it. Just make it happen.” She makes it sound like it’s life or death important that I sleep with Slade.

“Enough about Slade. How are you and Jimmy?” Court and Jimmy have been together for a few months now, and when I talked to her last week, it sounded like it was getting serious.

“Oh, we broke up,” she says happily.

I roll my eyes. “Why?” I shove a few fries in my mouth.

“Because I just wasn’t feeling it anymore. The guy acted like a girl. You know how I like my space. He was too clingy.”

Just as I go to take another drink, Cortney starts screaming in my ear.

“You son of a bitch!” It’s so loud that I drop my drink on to the counter, causing it to turn over and spill.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I laugh as I grab a towel. “You just scared the crap out of me and caused me to drop my drink.” I continue laughing while cleaning up the mess.

“This jackass in front of me just slammed on his brakes for no reason. You fucking idiot!” she screams again. I hear her honking her horn. “Get out of my way!”

“Maybe you should call me back later, and pay more attention to driving.” I throw the dirty paper towels in the trash.

“Okay. I love you, Sissy, and I’ll talk to you later.”

“Love you too, Kitty.”

Chapter Seven

Slade

I’m sitting in my office at my house, trying to get some work done, when I hear my brother’s voice in the hallway.

“Slade?” Micah yells.

“Do you just enter everyone’s house like you do mine?” I ask, not looking up from the documents in front of me.

“Oh, there you are,” he says, sounding relieved. “I was afraid you were in bed with some girl.” He comes to stand before my desk.

You would think after he walked in on me fucking a woman, he would knock. No such luck. He once walked in on me fucking some nameless girl when I first moved into this house two years ago. We were going at it on the couch when Micah walked in on us, scaring the shit out of the poor girl. It was a good thing I didn’t care to see her after that because I doubt she would have returned.

I lean back into my chair, linking my fingers together and placing them in my lap. I haven’t fucked anyone since I met Angel. I know that it hasn’t been that long, but that’s a long time for me. I don’t want to fuck anyone but her, and I have a feeling deep down in my stomach that just sleeping with her once isn’t going to tame the want I have for her.

“Well, it’s your lucky day because I’m here alone.”

“I see that.” He looks around like he’s trying to come up with something to say.

“What do you want, Micah?” I ask rather annoyed.

He looks back to me. “You want to go out tonight?” He places his hands in his pocket. He’s nervous about something.

“No,” I shake my head sitting up. “I’m not in the mood to go out.” Micah is still standing there, but he isn’t say anything.

“Do you have another question?” I ask nicely, although he’s starting to get on my nerves. I’m trying to work.

“I’m going out tonight,” he says happily.

I nod.
Good for him.

“To Larry’s.” He smiles rather smugly.

I sit back in my seat again. He has my attention now. “And?”

“And Holly is going to be working.”

“And?” I press for more information.

“Holly texted me a while ago...She said Sam is working tonight as well.”

I feel a smile on my face. “Well, I guess I can join you for a beer or two.” I feel rather happy about the thought of seeing my beautiful Angel tonight.

“Thought so.” Micah turns to walk out of my office, but stops at the door and turns around. “Hey, Slade?”

“Yeah?”

“Just so you know, I didn’t come tell you that so you could sleep with her. I know you like her, and I told you that so you could get to know her. I have a feeling you’re going to have to work hard just for that much from her.” He pats the door then walks out.

My brother and I have always been close. Really close. We are only two years apart, and always getting in trouble together. He was never the partier like I was, I had Josh for that, but Micah was always doing stuff to get us in trouble. It just didn’t involve alcohol. I would drag him around from party to party with Josh and myself, so we could fuck around with the girls we wanted, and Micah could be our designated driver.

Then we grew up, he met Holly, and everything changed. I’m happy he met Holly. He loves her, and she makes him very happy. I just never thought that kind of life was for me. Settling down and falling in love? It’s overrated. Who wants to put up with all of that relationship bullshit? Not me.

He knows I want her, but the way he just said it made it sound like I wanted more from her than just a fuck. Do I? It’s physical, yes, and it was also really hard leaving her in her bed the other night. I wanted to crawl in next to her and just hold her. Show her that I was there for her and that she wasn’t alone. What does that say?

*****

I’m anxious, and somewhat nervous about tonight. As I park, I look over to see Angel’s car a few spots down from me. I smile, knowing I’m going to get to see her again.

“Slade!” Josh shouts from a table when I walk in the door.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were coming.” I pull out a seat and sit down.

Josh shrugs. “It was a last minute decision.” He picks up a water bottle and takes a drink.

“Water?”
That’s surprising.

He nods his head. “Thought I would take one night off.”