Chapter 6 #2
“Oh! Brooks lives close to the hotel! Brooks, could you…?” Thea asks.
“Sorry, bro,” he says as he pulls his glass of whiskey to his lips, “brought the bike tonight.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Thea look to Ripley, then he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath like he’s readying himself for something. “I can give you a ride,” he says, sounding dejected.
Being stuck in a car with Ripley sounds like the worst possible idea right now.
“Oh, perfect!” Thea chirps.
At the same time, I say, “Oh, no, I can walk, it’s not far.”
Thea throws a look in Ripley’s direction. I’m sure it’s more obvious to him what it means, but to me it just looks like she made her eyes as wide as possible.
After about ten seconds of a stare down between them, Ripley stands. “Come on, let’s go.”
Once we’re outside and away from Thea, I take the opportunity to try again. “Really, I can just walk.”
He’s ahead of me, walking in the opposite direction of the parking lot. Without turning around, he says, “Yeah, no. I’d rather stay off Thea’s shitlist. I already fucked up with her once tonight.”
Confused about the direction we’re heading in, I stop. “Where are you going?”
He finally halts, leaning his head back without actually turning around to look at me.
“Well, I offered to drive you, but I walked because I live across the street. I need to get my car.” He pauses, waiting on me to respond, but this whole day has been overwhelming, I think I’m at a loss.
“Are you coming?” he asks, finally looking over his shoulder enough to meet my eyes.
Taking a deep breath, I catch up with him. “I didn’t know you live so close.”
He snickers. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Seth.” My name falls off his lips like poison. I hate it.
“Could you stop saying my name like that?”
“Like what?” he asks, acting oblivious.
“Like you hate the sound of it.”
“Would you rather I call you West? If I remember correctly, you liked it best when I moaned it.”
Grabbing his arm, I turn him so he’s facing me. “Look, I get this was a shock to you, but I’m in the same boat here.”
He huffs, rolling his eyes. “No, we aren’t even in the same fucking ocean, Seth.” He lowers his voice, bringing his face close to mine like in the distillery earlier. “You left me, remember? You don’t get to act like I’m the villain here.”
He starts walking again, crossing the street to a blue house. It’s small but quaint and somehow looks exactly how I’d picture Ripley’s home.
Jogging to catch up, I remind him, “I didn’t start this.
You came on to me in that bar. You called me West Coast. I just played along.
” Partial lie. Had he given me his real name the first time we met, I probably would have told him mine.
By the second time, I already knew I was playing with fire by being in his orbit again.
I knew if I gave him too much of me, I wouldn’t be able to reel myself back in.
He pulls his keys from his pocket, unlocking his car and opening the driver’s door. I do the same on my side, neither of us getting in yet. “So all of this is my fault?” he asks.
When I don’t answer, he shakes his head and dips into the seat.
Running my hand through my hair, I take two seconds before I get in.
Being in his car with him is bound to be torture.
I’m assaulted by his intoxicating smell.
Layers of vanilla, whiskey, and a slight maltiness invade my senses.
It’s so strong, my dick perks up a little as a flood of memories of us together washes over me.
Like I said, this is the worst idea ever.
We’re pulling out of his driveway and turning at the end of the street before I speak again. “I never said it was your fault. But you’re acting like I should know how to handle this, and I don’t.”
I’ve got an elbow on the side of the door, my head leaning into my hand. I feel his stare burning holes into my skin. We’re stopped at a red light, the glow of it filling the cab of the Jeep. I wish I had more to say, I wish I could give him more.
The intersection is deserted, and the light still won’t turn. This must be the longest red light on the fucking east coast.
He doesn’t respond, and the light finally turns green. I’m suffocating in the silence, but I don’t know what else to say to him. I don’t know how to make this better without making myself uncomfortable.
Luckily, the hotel is close, so the drive only lasts a few minutes thanks to the empty roads. It’s weird in comparison to Seattle where the city is still bustling at this time.
As he pulls up to the door, he puts the gear into park, and I take the chance to look over at him. I hate how well I can read him—how much I still want him. I hate everything about this.
After holding his green gaze for a few moments too long, I unbuckle my seat belt and pull the door handle to let myself out. With my briefcase in hand, I walk around the car, not expecting any more from Ripley, but then I hear his window roll down.
“Seth,” he says, and I allow myself to turn around and look at him again.
“Despite it all, it’s good to see you.” He pairs the words with a smirk and a casual perusal of my person that sends a shiver down my spine.
Then he drives off, not letting me respond.
And all I can think is it’s such an East thing to do, always needing the last word.