Chapter 16 #2
I chuckled. “It was dark, but from what I did see—and felt—he’s everything you would imagine he is. I mean, I humped the man into oblivion, Del. It’s kind of mortifying.”
She leaned forward and hugged me. “He’s just scared because he and Travis are so close. And I guess I get it. You’re not staying, and it’s not like you’re someone he could have just a fling with.”
“Why?” I asked.
“You’re not that girl, Lila. And you have a history with him. It could fuck up everything.” She looked away, and I followed her gaze to Sloane standing in the doorway with her hands up in the air, annoyed that we hadn’t come inside.
“Shit. We’ll talk more later.”
“Del, no one can know anything ever happened, okay?”
“Girl, you know I will take it to the grave. But I want all the details this weekend when you go to that wedding. And you’re sharing a room?” She fanned her face before turning off the car.
“Well, between him avoiding me like the plague, and my vagina being set on fire, I think it’s safe to say nothing is going to happen. Just another boring day in the life of Lila James.”
“You got to grind up against a naked Hugh Reynolds in the cove. You’re the horniest virgin I’ve ever met,” she said over her laughter. “You never get to call yourself boring again.”
I pushed the door open, still laughing, and looked up to see Sloane with her brows raised.
“Are you talking shit about Veronica?” she hissed.
“Nope. We’re talking shit about you,” Del said over a fit of laughter.
And just like that, we had dinner, got questioned by Mrs. Runither, and laughed our asses off, just like we always did.
I’d gone to Del’s after we’d eaten to borrow a black backless gown for the wedding as it was a black-tie event, and I didn’t have anything to wear.
Her sister loaned me some strappy black heels, and I’d been relieved that the dress fit perfectly, minus the fact that my boobs were a bit smaller than Del’s.
But the low dip in the front was fine with or without tatas falling out of it.
When I made it home, I forced myself to shower, and I cringed when I saw how red and irritated it was between my legs. I reapplied the salve that Veronica had given me, and to say I was uncomfortable would be an understatement.
I barely slept a wink because Hugh hadn’t come in until well after midnight, and my mind kept wandering to Karmy and wondering if he was with her.
Or someone else.
I had no right to be jealous. We weren’t… anything. Yet I tossed and turned all night and got angrier with each passing hour.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Hugh said, as we merged onto the freeway to head toward the city.
“Am I?”
He chuckled. “Are you mad at me?”
“No. I have no right to be mad at you, do I?” I looked out the window.
“I mean, you’re the one who called me a coward. I think I should be mad.”
“But you aren’t mad, are you? Because you know it’s true.”
“I don’t believe that me thinking with my head for once in my life makes me a coward.
You’re leaving, Lila. So what happens if we cross the line for the next, what—two months?
That’s only eight fucking weeks. And then what?
There’s this weirdness every time we see one another?
Your brother fucking hates me forever? Why even go there? ”
Wow. He’d really put a lot of thought into the timeline. The man rarely had relationships that lasted longer than a weekend, and now he was concerned eight weeks wasn’t enough time? This was definitely interesting, and it supported my coward theory even more.
“Wow. You act like I’m asking you to marry me. Do you put this much thought into the other women you like?”
“No. Because they aren’t you. You’re different, and you know it.”
“And so are you. That’s why it makes sense to me,” I said, watching the trees fly by as we moved down the highway.
“What makes sense to you?”
“I’ve known you most of my life, Bear. I know what a good man you are.
I’m obviously very attracted to you, and I think you’re attracted to me.
So, why fight it? We both know I’m leaving; there’s no secret there.
I’m not looking for forever. For the first time in my life, I want to just have some fun.
Why not allow ourselves to act on it? And I like the idea of you being my first.”
He stared straight ahead at the highway. “And Travis? You think he’ll just be fine with it?”
“I don’t really care what he thinks. I’m a grown-up, and it’s none of his business,” I hissed. “I mean, did he ask you permission before he hooked up with Shay?”
“Well, that would be weird. Shay’s not my fucking sister. It makes a difference, Snow.”
“It doesn’t have to. This isn’t for him or for anyone else.
We’re already friends. This could be something that is just for us.
He doesn’t need to know. I’m certainly not going to tell him.
Nor did I call and inform him any time I hooked up with someone when I was away at school. Because it’s. None. Of. His. Business.”
He was quiet, and I let that sit there between us. I was feeling more confident lately, and I was done just going along with whatever Travis wanted, just for the sake of keeping the peace. I loved my brother very much, but that had nothing to do with my personal life.
“Brax said the car sold, and the guy picked it up? You haven’t filled me in on that,” he said, completely changing the subject.
“Well, you haven’t exactly been around. God knows what you’ve been doing. But yes, the car deal went through.”
He looked over at me, his lips turning up just the slightest bit in the corners. “You jealous, Snow?”
“Yeah, I guess I am. I’m not the one pretending I don’t care.”
“I’m not either. If I didn’t care, this would be easy.
” He cleared his throat. “And Finn was in town last night, so he came to Reynolds’, and we stayed up late, talking and drinking beers.
I wish I could tell you I’ve been hooking up with random women because that would have you running for the hills.
But for whatever fucking reason, that hasn’t happened since you’ve come home. ”
I tucked my lips beneath my teeth to keep from blatantly smiling, because that was a relief.
“Good to know.”
He chuckled. “So, did you call Havenwood? What’s the plan?”
“Yep. She sent over a bunch of paperwork, which Dad and I filled out together two nights ago, and I emailed it all back to her. We should be getting a call next week. He’s ready to go.
We’ve talked about it. He said he’s sick of being a slave to his addiction.
So, giving him this chance is the best we can do, right? ”
“I agree. And you did it. You came home with a plan, and you made it happen.”
“Well, the real work starts now. That’s why I asked for the amount of time off that I did before starting the new job.
It’s already July in a few days. I’m guessing he’s going to need at least thirty days in a program, probably longer.
I’d like to be here the first few days that he gets out, if possible.
So, that’s where the whole timeline came from, but that was all pending he’d agree to go, that we found a place that would take him, that the car would sell, and everything would fall into place.
Now he just has to do the work.” I sighed. It was all happening.
“That’s great. Did you tell Travis?”
“Yep. I asked him if he’d drive us there next week to check him in. I told him my car was in the shop because I don’t need to deal with his wrath or have him tell Dad that I sold my car and make him feel guilty.”
“What did he say?”
“He said that he was busy, and he wouldn’t be going out there.” I shrugged. I’d ask Del if I could borrow her car. Travis could do what he wanted to get in the way of this happening, but it wouldn’t stop anything.
“I’ll take you, all right?”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“My mom said you guys met this week.”
“Yeah. She’s the best. The first meeting was just talking about me coming home and getting Dad into a program. Apparently, next week we’re diving into the juicy stuff,” I said with a laugh and then winced when I shifted, and the discomfort between my legs reminded me not to move.
“What’s wrong? You okay?”
“I’m fine.” This was not something I was about to share with him.
He nodded, but when he gazed over at me, I didn’t miss the concern I saw there. “All right. If you need anything, just say the word.”
Would asking him to blow on my vajazzle be too much?
Because my pretty kitty was on fire.