Be My Forever

Chapter 17

There was a loud knock on the door, so loud it actually made me jump on the couch. My laptop fell from my knees, landing on the floor with a sad thud. My best friend snickered at my clumsiness. I gave her a middle finger that she gave back without a thought. Jasmine stretched before getting up to open the door.

“Oh, hi Danté. Come in.”

My head shot up, only to find our neighbour heading straight to me. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to see him. I always was. The thing that unsettled me was that he had ended up in my place without me dragging him here.

A mischievous smirk played on his lips. “I’ve come to claim my prize.”

I snorted at the corny line before I could even comprehend what he meant. Seeing how determined he looked, I knew something bad was about to fall in my lap.

“What do you mean?”

His grin grew wider. Danté somehow made me think of the Cheshire Cat, always a step ahead and enjoying every minute of it.

“You said you’d do anything I ask as a thank you for getting you out of trouble. Remember?”

Jasmine choked on a laugh while the ground under my feet seemed to disappear. For a second, I found myself back a few days earlier, enveloped in Danté’s embrace. I had known it would come back to bite me in the ass. If only his embrace hadn’t felt so right. Maybe I would have thought twice before selling my soul to such a handsome devil. Jasmine raised an inquisitive eyebrow as if to say “you forgot to mention something big”. I found myself swallowing loudly, which only made Danté laugh. All evil playfulness vanished from his expression.

“Don’t worry, Squirrel. I’m not claiming your firstborn.”

Part of me wanted to retort that he couldn’t claim his own firstborn, just for funsies, but that would probably take the joke too far. I squared my shoulders. Better get this over with.

“What do you need?”

“I need your body,” he said in a calm tone.

Oh, fuck me. My face grew hotter than a grill. This wasn’t what I had envisioned when he walked in. My best friend was straight out cackling, sprawled on the couch like a queen watching an entertainment. Danté was enjoying my reactions way too much as well. I cleared my throat, then put my hands in the pockets of my hoodie.

“I need foreplay first.” I smirked.

Danté hummed, voice low. “I’ll keep that in mind for the future.”

I did my best to keep my cool. It wasn’t a secret to anyone how much I liked him, except for him. But our flirtatious humour wasn’t something I liked to broadcast in front of others. Given the way my best friend’s eyes widened, she wasn’t used to it happening in front of her either. I put away the flirting.

“So, what do you need my body for if it’s not for pleasure?”

The fact that he kept standing, straight as a rod, was proof enough that Danté was here to talk business.

“Next week I’ll go to a high school to explain my job. I need a body to show some techniques, like cracking a back and trigger point therapy.”

That made more sense than what I had hoped for. It didn’t matter. I owed him big time for helping me with Chad, who had finally taken the hint and stopped drooling after me.

“When is it?”

“Next Tuesday afternoon. I know you usually go to the gym at that time, but I hope you can spare me an hour or two.”

My eyebrows shot up. How did he even know? Danté noticed my surprise; it made him uncomfortable.

“How do you know my schedule?” I asked.

He had always been more observant than what he gave away. For some reason, Danté didn’t want people to see how aware and thoughtful he was. That only made me appreciate him more.

“You told me so during one of your shifts.”

I whistled at that. “And you remember that?”

The tips of his ears turned a bit red, but he nodded, his head held high. I bit back a smile.

“Alright. I’ll come.”

“I didn’t tell you the details yet.”

The way his eyes still twinkled, I knew I was royally fucked.

“Oh, fuck me,” I muttered.

A smug smile tugged at his mouth. That will teach me to accept anything without reading the small print.

“You’ll need to wear a spandex bodysuit.”

A what ?

“You’re joking, right?”

Danté seemed to pity me. His expression softened. “It’s a skin-coloured bodysuit so I can draw on it when necessary. You can still say no.”

“Are you going to wear one too?”

The idea alone threatened to make me cry from laughing. I could see us, standing in front of a whole room of bored teenagers, dressed in our bodysuits.

“No, I need the students to take me seriously.”

So basically, I’d be the only one ridiculed. That was a sight worth looking forward to.

“Great,” I whispered.

“I can find someone else if it makes you too uncomfortable.”

It was nice that he insisted on the fact that I could back out if I wanted to. I was pretty sure that Danté wouldn’t even be mad if I refused. I shook my head. If he could put himself in awkward situations to help me out, the least I could do was to help him out when he needed someone. Sure, I would look like a dweeb, but that was alright. I could try to make dweebish look cool. Or at least believe it, for the sake of my sanity.

“I said I’d help you. You can count on me.”

Something that oddly looked like esteem shined in his eyes. “You sure?”

“Don’t let me change my mind, Alighieri.”

Danté raked a hand through his blonde locks as if amused by the whole situation. “Then I am thankful. Meet me at my office on Tuesday, and we’ll go from there.”

“It’s a date, then.”

I walked him back to the door. Danté hesitated as if he was going to add something. A kiss would have been a rather nice way to seal the deal. A girl can dream, right?

“Thank you, Evy.”

“Anytime.”

He gave me a wave before disappearing down the hall, probably going back to his workplace. Once the door was locked again, Jasmine sauntered over to me, patting my shoulder.

“You are a smooth one.”

I wiggled my brows, making Jasmine cringe. She already knew what was coming.

“Smooth like a smoothie.”

“I hate it when you say that.

“I’ll stay cringey until the day I die, baby.”

Jasmine gave me a hug, then went back to her place at the kitchen table to continue her class preparations. “Go get him, tiger.”

It hadn’t been the reason why I had accepted to help Danté out. There was just no reason for me to not help him out when he was always the first one to jump to my rescue. It was a nice bonus if I could spend more time with him. Spending an extra day with Danté was always something to look forward to.

“I’m trying.”

***

The medical practice smelled like rubbing alcohol and soap for cleaning floors. The walls were all white, just like I imagined they would be. I didn’t feel bad per se when coming inside a hospital or a doctor’s practice. It was just always so bare and cold. A sweet receptionist with a messy blonde bun and purple glasses smiled at me.

“Hello, do you have an appointment?”

If you could call the catastrophe that my charisma would undergo an appointment, then sure. I shook my head.

“I’m here for Danté. He asked me to come at two.”

“Oh, you are Evelyn! You can go to his office. It’s the second door on the right.”

I thanked her before knocking on his door. A quiet answer made me enter my head into the room.

Danté looked up from his computer, his face lighting up with a smile. “Hey Squirrel, come in.”

Once the door was closed, I scowled at him. “You better not call me that in front of your students, because if you do, I swear you’ll never have kids.”

He clicked his fingers, pointing at me. “Noted. Just give me a minute.”

Danté was typing away on his keyboard, so I took the opportunity to look around. Unlike the hallway, his office smelled nice. Homey. There was still a hint of rubbing alcohol and soap, and the cocooning vibe of a baby powder scented Yankee candle. Some magnet souvenirs from Spain, Greece, Egypt, and many other places hung on the metal parts of his desk. Had he gotten them when he travelled, or were those presents from his patients? Even the walls had more of a cream colour than the cold white of the halls and the entrance. He took a sip from a coffee cup that had the pun it’s going tibia okay on it, and I found myself smiling. Danté looked up from his screen, questioning me silently.

“I like your office. It feels very you.”

If I had to go to a physiotherapist, then I’d go here. It didn’t feel that much like a medical practice room. It had the same warm and calm vibe that Danté had.

Danté got up and grabbed a small bag from his cupboard. “Here is the bodysuit. Do you want to change here or at the school?”

High school bathrooms weren’t known for their hygiene, or large space. A shiver ran down my spine.

“I’d rather do it here.”

Danté pointed to the light blue folding screen at the back of the room. The object made me think of a beach house with its white stripes. The body suit was the perfect size, which made me wonder how many of those Danté had in his stash. I stuffed my clothes in the bag, and put on my black boots and long black coat. Yeah, style wasn’t on my side today. No good girl faith and no tight little skirt. As soon as he saw me, Danté did his best to stifle a laugh, and failed miserably. So for the sake of it, I did a little twirl on myself. The bodysuit was ridiculous, and so tight. All I needed was a dark pair of shorts, and to walk on my hands and knees, and I’d look like a modern version of Gollum.

In the car, I turned on the radio. It wasn’t a surprise that Danté loved Bad Omens, I just wasn’t prepared for the song and the volume that would hit me. I yelped and hit the back of my head against the window when “Artificial Suicide” blasted through the vehicle. I could hear Danté cackling next to me while he turned the volume down.

“Sorry.”

The smirk on his face told me he wasn’t sorry at all.

“Your car is your own little concert hall, huh?”

“Yep. If I blast the music this loud at home, I get annoyed neighbours at my door.”

Alright, that little jab was deserved. I shrugged. “Just invite me to the party, and I’ll let you blast it as loud as you want.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I grabbed his phone to go through the album. Maybe “The Death of Peace of Mind” wasn’t the best choice for now, not that I looked very sexy in my new outfit. So I put “Miracle” on. It quickly became clear that that song could also have a place of honour on a sex playlist. Had Danté put it in there?

“Well, damn. The whole album is sexy. Is this one also on your playlist?”

“I removed all Bad Omens songs from that playlist since you like to listen to them.”

Oh right. Danté didn’t want to bang me. No wonder the songs that I loved would get him out of the mood.

“Are they your favourite band?”

“They’re all right.”

Right, men. Why was it so hard for them to accept that they were also fans of bands?

I huffed. “They are more than all right if you listen to them weekly.”

“Fine. I like them.”

“I like the singer. He’s very easy on the eyes.”

Noah was too charismatic not to be liked. And I wasn’t even talking about his voice.

Danté frowned at that. “I didn’t know that’s the kind of guy you’re into.”

“I’m not.”

It didn’t matter how awesome that guy was, he was out of my league. And well, he wasn’t blonde. Okay, that detail didn’t matter really.

“Didn’t you just say he’s your type?”

It almost sounded as if Danté didn’t like that. If only he knew how many celebrity crushes I had. It was ridiculous. The only thing that I knew for sure was that it didn’t matter how many celebrity crushes I had, none of them made my stomach flutter the way Danté did.

“I find him attractive, yes. That doesn’t mean he’s my type.”

“So what is your type then?”

I rolled my eyes as we drove into the parking lot of the school. “The fact that you need to ask this really proves how blind you are.”

In the way I could hear him breathe in, there was no denying that he wasn’t on the same page as I was.

“I beg your pardon?”

I grabbed my handbag and opened the door. “Danté, look in a mirror. Until then, I’m heading out.”

He jumped out of the car to follow me inside the school hallway. “You can’t say stuff like that then disappear as if nothing happened.”

Damn, I truly was glad that high school was over and I’d never have to go back to it. I could practically smell the awkwardness of being a teenager again. Or was it just sweat?

“Of course I can. Look at me going.”

“You don’t know where we’re supposed to go.”

I stopped in my tracks. When I turned back at him, Danté smirked at me, his arms crossed. There went my dramatic exit.

“Fine! Lead the way, o master of us all.”

He gave me a little curtsy before looking back at a piece of paper. The part of the building we would have to be in, probably. I followed him in silence until we stood in front of a closed door.

“Thank you again for doing this, Evelyn.”

“Glad I can help.”

When we entered the classroom, thirty-something pairs of bored eyes landed on us. The teacher presented Danté briefly, who then explained his job and the studies he had done. He hung posters of the human skeleton and the muscles on the blackboard while I stood on the side of the class. I remembered people who came to our school to explain their studies and jobs when I was sixteen so that we could ask them questions to see if what they did was something that could resonate with us. Most people who came were either scientists or teachers. There had been one girl who had brought healthy cupcakes; obviously, she had been the one that had caught my attention. After spending an hour with her, it had become clear that I also wanted to be a dietician.

As I watched the class, I noticed how the girls looked at Danté like he was a model. A part of me wanted to give them a tissue to dab away the drool. The problem was that if I could, I would’ve sat next to them to admire him too. Danté gave very basic explanations in such a calm but enthusiastic way. It was hard to miss how most of the students were hanging on every word he said.

“This is my lovely assistant, Evelyn,” Danté said, pointing at me. “I will show you how to crack some parts without injuring, and how to do trigger point therapy.”

He gave me a little sign to get closer. I took off my coat and threw it on an empty desk with my handbag. Now that the bodysuit was visible, some students snickered. I couldn’t blame them. I would’ve laughed at myself too if I didn’t need to be professional. Danté motioned me to sit on a stool.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m good.”

Danté walked around me, testing the flexibility of my neck.

“Most students have some tension in their shoulders, neck, and back. This is something due to the position in which you study.”

“So you’re telling us that studying is bad for us?” a student asked, hopeful.

My friend let out a breathy laugh. “Don’t tell your parents I said that.”

His hands went around my neck. His touch was soft, his skin warm against mine. For some reason, my body tensed. It wasn’t the first time Danté would crack my spine, and yet it still felt as intimidating.

“Relax, babe. I need you to breathe.”

Babe? I did what he told me and controlled my breathing. Danté tapped my neck and shoulders, then hummed.

“Good. Let your head rest against my hand.”

This time, he didn’t try to take my attention away by talking. Danté pushed down on my shoulder, and I felt the crack resonate in my whole spine. A girl yelled at the sudden sound.

“Holy shit!” I squeaked.

Danté put his arms under my armpits and lifted me up. My body continued cracking, without ever hurting. Some students watched us with fascination, others with disgust. When he was done, Danté levelled his head to mine. His eyes searched mine, making sure I was alright.

“Is everything alright, love?”

The students ooh’ed and aah’ed, and I did my best to not blush at the sudden attention. Or the pet name. It would have been unprofessional to call me Squirrel in front of a whole class and its teacher. But love? I nodded, keeping silent. If Danté hadn’t realized the way his words had affected me, I wouldn’t react upon it.

“What do you feel?”

“I feel like Jell-O. A pressure I didn’t know I had was lifted from my shoulders.”

“Perfect.”

His hand lingered on my neck while he explained a few techniques. It took everything in me to not lean into the touch. The next hour went by in a blur, one where I just let Danté order me around, and quietly enjoyed the physical contact between us.

Danté grabbed a marker from his bag and started drawing some trigger points on my shoulder. He was so close I could see the small beauty mark under his right eye. His breath fanned over my cheeks, and I did my best to keep from shivering. Danté noticed my stare.

“You’re blushing, love,” he whispered.

Fucking hell. I sucked in air and pretended to look outside. But when I looked back at my friend, there was also a bit of pink tinting his cheeks.

The trigger points were awful. It had taken all my strength to not push Danté away when he squeezed. And even then, Danté kept checking on me.

As we walked back to the car, I was skipping. Maybe I could bribe my lovely neighbour into being my private physiotherapist with cake.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, fishing for his car keys.

“Great. It almost feels as good as sex.”

Danté chuckled, the low sound of it warming my tummy. I put my hand in the crook of his elbow. Maybe it was in my head, but he seemed to enjoy the touch.

“I didn’t know you were such a flirt around an audience.”

Not that I would complain about it. I couldn’t help but feel special when he looked at me the way he did in that classroom. Like he would’ve undressed me hadn’t there been anyone else in the room. And I would probably have let him do anything he wanted if he asked for it.

“Generally, I am not.”

“Then why were you now?”

“Because the boys were looking at you hungrily.”

I squeezed his bicep playfully. “Oh, please, don’t tell me you felt threatened by a bunch of kids?”

“I didn’t.”

I raised an eyebrow, not convinced. Danté approached, getting so close to me until I was pressed against his car. There was a smug smile playing on his lips. One I would’ve loved to kiss away, leaving him breathless instead. His hot breath fanned over my cheek, and goosebumps erupted on my skin under the Spandex.

“The bodysuit you are wearing leaves little to the imagination of your anatomy. I’ve been like them, so I know exactly what some of them were thinking about when looking at you. What some of them would’ve said out loud without any shame. No one would’ve made a comment about your body because they thought you were with me.”

I swallowed but tried my best to not look too flustered. It was a failure, if Danté’s smug expression was any indication. His eyes followed the bob of my throat.

I smirked back. “Next time, just grab my ass. It will be just as effective, and a lot quicker.”

He touched my nose ever so lightly. His smile turned toothy, and his dimples appeared. “Trust me, I wanted to. Not just for the show.”

I just stood there, unable to say something smart back. Danté leaned even closer, and the rhythm of my heart picked up its speed. Was he finally going to kiss me? There was a click, then he opened the door to the passenger seat for me. I did my best to not let the disappointment show. Before he stepped back, Danté brushed a soft kiss on my temple.

“Maybe I should wear this bodysuit more often,” I whispered.

He put a strand of curls behind my ear. “Maybe you should.”

I climbed in the car, unable to keep the idiotic smile in check. When I looked at Danté, his grin was just as big as mine. This outfit was so going home with me.