have represented either fun, or a means to an end, with little to no emotional connection on my part. Like we both have roles to play and if we stay in character we'll do just fine. With Tanning there is no, just fine , there are no roles. I want so much more with him and to be honest it scares me. Scares me that he doesn't feel the same way, and could leave any second. The more I open my heart, the more scared I am. Cam's feelings for Bailey make sense to me now. The hurt and pain he must have experienced would have been torture.
Tanning kisses the top of my head and relaxes his arms, I don't let go of him. I don't want to. Then I realize how pathetic I must seem and drag my arms away so there's space between us.
“About that coffee,” he says and smiles at me.
He must be tired. He hasn't had much sleep. “Um ... of course, I'll make you some.”
“You haven’t yet?”
“Ah. No. I was planning too, but when everyone disappeared, and I saw the washcloth covered in blood, I kind of panicked.”
He scratches his head and rubs at his temple. “Sorry about that. We kind of left in a hurry when Bailey cut her foot and I realized it'd need stitches. She's a bit of a baby when it comes to blood.”
I give a small smile. I've never been squeamish. My dad is a diabetic, so I’ve watched him test his blood sugar levels millions of times.
“Some people are. I better make sure to check the floor again.”
Tanning grabs my hand. “No. You make the coffee and I'll do that. I don't want you to get hurt.”
I look at him and smile wider. He is so kind and nice and gorgeous. How did I never notice him in High School. I was such an idiot. Chasing after some superficial ideal of what I was supposed to do, and who I was supposed to date. Suddenly I want to apologize to him for all that.
“Tanning.” He turns to me again. I bite my lip before saying, “I um ... I just want to say sorry.”
He furrows his brow. “For what?”
“For being a bitch to you in High School.”
He chuckles lightly, but there's still some bitterness there. “Okay.”
I hold his hand firmer. “I mean it. I want you to know I'm not like that anymore.”
“Yeah. I'm beginning to see that. And by the way, thank god.” He chuckles again, but this time there's relief and humor in that laugh.
I pull him forward toward the kitchen. “Come on. I'll make you that coffee. And if you're really lucky, I'll bake some more of those cookies you like so much.”
“Well for those cookies, I'd forgive anything, Sweet Cheeks. “
I literally beam at him. I am so loving my new nickname.
Well, I am now it's coming from Tanning's beautiful lips.
NiNe
_________________________
We've been sitting chatting for the past two hours. Tanning has devoured a whole plate of my cookies, not sure where he puts them, his stomach is flat and rock hard. Must be all that work out he gets from his job. He's told me about his family and what it's been like living in Chicago. His uncle owns the construction company that offered him the apprenticeship. Tanning said he really loves it and is looking forward to leaving and starting his degree. Which irritates the hell out of me, though I choose to ignore that for now. His dad retired from the military a few years ago, and his mother is some kind of computer wiz. That explains the geeky vibe he had going on in High School. He has twin sisters who are much younger and from the way he smiles when he talks about them, sounds like he idolises them. He'd be the best big brother. I wish I'd had a big brother like that when I was growing up. Someone to look out for me. I always looked out for myself. I didn't have brothers and sisters. It was just me, mom and dad.
Tanning's tried to ask about me a few times, but I've managed to divert the conversation back to him. I'm not that comfortable talking about my past. It's not that pretty, and I'm not that proud of the person I was. Well, not now I'm talking to Tanning.
He pushes
Tanning kisses the top of my head and relaxes his arms, I don't let go of him. I don't want to. Then I realize how pathetic I must seem and drag my arms away so there's space between us.
“About that coffee,” he says and smiles at me.
He must be tired. He hasn't had much sleep. “Um ... of course, I'll make you some.”
“You haven’t yet?”
“Ah. No. I was planning too, but when everyone disappeared, and I saw the washcloth covered in blood, I kind of panicked.”
He scratches his head and rubs at his temple. “Sorry about that. We kind of left in a hurry when Bailey cut her foot and I realized it'd need stitches. She's a bit of a baby when it comes to blood.”
I give a small smile. I've never been squeamish. My dad is a diabetic, so I’ve watched him test his blood sugar levels millions of times.
“Some people are. I better make sure to check the floor again.”
Tanning grabs my hand. “No. You make the coffee and I'll do that. I don't want you to get hurt.”
I look at him and smile wider. He is so kind and nice and gorgeous. How did I never notice him in High School. I was such an idiot. Chasing after some superficial ideal of what I was supposed to do, and who I was supposed to date. Suddenly I want to apologize to him for all that.
“Tanning.” He turns to me again. I bite my lip before saying, “I um ... I just want to say sorry.”
He furrows his brow. “For what?”
“For being a bitch to you in High School.”
He chuckles lightly, but there's still some bitterness there. “Okay.”
I hold his hand firmer. “I mean it. I want you to know I'm not like that anymore.”
“Yeah. I'm beginning to see that. And by the way, thank god.” He chuckles again, but this time there's relief and humor in that laugh.
I pull him forward toward the kitchen. “Come on. I'll make you that coffee. And if you're really lucky, I'll bake some more of those cookies you like so much.”
“Well for those cookies, I'd forgive anything, Sweet Cheeks. “
I literally beam at him. I am so loving my new nickname.
Well, I am now it's coming from Tanning's beautiful lips.
NiNe
_________________________
We've been sitting chatting for the past two hours. Tanning has devoured a whole plate of my cookies, not sure where he puts them, his stomach is flat and rock hard. Must be all that work out he gets from his job. He's told me about his family and what it's been like living in Chicago. His uncle owns the construction company that offered him the apprenticeship. Tanning said he really loves it and is looking forward to leaving and starting his degree. Which irritates the hell out of me, though I choose to ignore that for now. His dad retired from the military a few years ago, and his mother is some kind of computer wiz. That explains the geeky vibe he had going on in High School. He has twin sisters who are much younger and from the way he smiles when he talks about them, sounds like he idolises them. He'd be the best big brother. I wish I'd had a big brother like that when I was growing up. Someone to look out for me. I always looked out for myself. I didn't have brothers and sisters. It was just me, mom and dad.
Tanning's tried to ask about me a few times, but I've managed to divert the conversation back to him. I'm not that comfortable talking about my past. It's not that pretty, and I'm not that proud of the person I was. Well, not now I'm talking to Tanning.
He pushes
Similar Books
