Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Kyle
I’m not sure what wakes me up, but when I open my eyes, I feel so much better than earlier when I was running on two hours of sleep and no caffeine. With that said, I am extremely happy with how the morning went.
There were multiple things that went in my favor.
First, the way Zara kissed me. She was sweet with just a hint of a promise that she would be wild once I finally got her in my bed.
And there is no doubt that will happen sooner rather than later.
I have a radar for that, and it’s never failed me.
She wants me, but she is more selective than the women I usually bring home. That’s okay, though, I can be patient.
Second, I didn’t just drive her to work. I walked her in. I laugh out loud as I remember the way everyone who was present in the lobby froze at the sight of us.
“Hey, everyone,” I greeted them.
Zara latched onto my arm and refused to let go. In fact, I’m pretty sure she was trying to hide behind me.
“I’m Kyle.” I gave them a happy wave. “I’m just dropping Zara off.”
An older gentleman stepped forward, a puzzled look on his face.
“Zara, are you okay?”
She cleared her throat behind me. “Yes, sir.”
He brought his eyes to me, moving them up and down and side to side, trying to decide if I was a danger not only to Zara, but to him and the rest of the people now gathered around us.
“And this is a friend of yours?” he pointed at me.
“Yes, sir.” Her voice shook when she spoke. “Kyle is m-my…”
“Boyfriend,” I chimed in helpfully. “I am Zara’s boyfriend.”
The gasp of shock coming from everyone was hysterical. I wish I’d had my phone ready to record. They were all staring at us, well, mostly me, with their mouths agape.
I started talking like this was a common occurrence.
“I’m sorry she’s late this morning. It’s actually my fault.”
One of the ladies takes a few steps closer, the curiosity obvious on her face. I figured she had to be the office gossip chief.
“Zara has never been late before,” she informed me. Taking a look around me, she shook a finger at Zara. “Young lady, you gave us a scare this morning.”
“I-I…”
“It was all me,” I told the lady when Zara couldn’t spit the words out.
“She’d told me how important it was to get to work on time.
But I’m not a morning person, never have been.
When the alarm went off, I talked her into a quick nap.
And now…” I pulled Zara from behind me, then hooked my elbow around her neck, bringing her into my body. “Here we are.”
Everyone continued staring at us. I could tell that Zara wanted me to disappear, after which she’d work on erasing her coworkers’ short-term memory.
“Praise the lord!” The one lady grabbed us both in a hug. “The girl is not a robot!” She then turned to face the others. “I will collect my money at lunchtime.”
“We need more proof,” the older gentleman argued. “Just because he said he is the boyfriend…”
“What else do you need as proof, Bobbie?” the lady challenged him. “A blood stained sheet to show us her virtue?”
“Mitzi,” Zara gasped in shock next to me.
Apparently, that did not affect Mitzi one bit. She turned shrewd eyes our way.
“Unless you’re actually a virgin, honey. I can start a new pool…”
Zara could snap in half from how tense she was. Feeling responsible somehow for the entire conversation, I tried to save it.
“Gambling is against the law in some states, Mitzi. You could get arrested for that.”
She busted out laughing. “Oh honey, I got arrested for much less than that.”
“Mitzi!” The older guy looked like he was about to fall over dead. “This is highly inappropriate. Please control yourself.”
“I will control myself as soon as I get paid for this.” She pointed at me and Zara. “I told you the girl was not the hermit you all thought she was. All the quiet ones are wild in their personal life.”
“God, kill me now,” Zara murmured with her face buried in my shoulder.
I cupped the back of her head and forced her face up. Leaning down, I kissed her softly on the lips, maybe putting on more of a show than the situation warranted.
“What time are you off?”
Zara immediately let go of me. “Five.” She walked backward, running straight into the receptionist’s desk.
“I’ll be here at five. Not a minute over,” I promised.
She stared at me like I hung the moon, then she caught herself. Putting her head down, she blushed. But just as quickly, she looked up and pulled her shoulders back. It’s like she was challenging me to say or do something that would embarrass her more.
So, I did. I pressed myself closer and pulled her into a kiss that got everyone around us either gasping in shock or sighing in jealousy. I shoved my tongue so deep into her mouth, I didn’t know where I started and where she began. That’s until I got tapped on the shoulder.
“Young man, this is very inappropriate. Please refrain from this type of behavior in such a public setting.”
“Bobby, we need to work on your vocabulary, honey,” Mitzi chastised him.
“What are you talking about?” he snapped at her.
“Well,” she shrugged, “no offense, but you’re using the word inappropriate too much. Once would suffice, but no, you have to say it again.”
Bobby about had a conniption fit. “Mitzi, I don’t know what’s gotten into you today, but…”
I am so caught in my thoughts as I reminisce about earlier this morning that I jump like I’ve been burned when I hear a loud thud against my front door.
Hopping out of bed, I grab the baseball bat I keep by the nightstand, then rush out of the bedroom. I am about a foot away from the door when someone bangs against it again.
“Okay, dude, this is it,” I mumble to myself. “If you die, you die.”
I wrap my hand around the knob before slowly undoing the lock. With what I hope is an element of surprise, I yank the door open, holding the bat up, ready to strike.
“What the actual fuck!” My friend, Alex, stares at me in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind?”
“It was you banging on my door like you were about to bust through it,” I yell back.
He gives me a look of disgust as his eyes scan me up and down. I suddenly realize that I am completely naked. I don’t have a problem with it, but apparently, he does.
“Put some damn clothes on, man. Show some respect.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I take a couple of steps back so that he can come in, and I close the door.
“You woke me up,” I explain, not bothering to say that I was daydreaming about Zara.
“It’s three o’clock in the afternoon,” he snaps at me. “I don’t pay you to sleep all day.”
Technically, I am a contractor to his company.
He has the necessary network to market the games that I create.
Since marketing is the part I hate the most, I welcome his assistance even though I have to split the profits with him.
But I make more than enough money even after that, so it’s not an issue.
“I’m gonna go put some pants on,” I tell him. “I don’t want to offend your sensibilities.”
“Too late, you already have,” he deadpans.
I flip him off as I walk away. As soon as I enter my bedroom, I drop the bat and pull a pair of athletic shorts on. The T-shirt laying on the chair close to the bed doesn’t look too fresh, so I grab a clean one from the dresser.
There’s a lady in town who picks up my laundry every couple of days, then brings it back, clean and folded. But she’s been sick and missed the last two times. At this rate, I might need to buy clean T-shirts since I don’t know where the laundromat is located.
“I came by earlier, too,” Alex snaps at me as soon as I am back in the living room. “You’ve been sleeping all this time?”
“What time were you here?”
I walk to the fridge and grab a bottle of water, knowing it will annoy him if I take my time with it.
“A quarter to nine,” comes his gruff response.
I take a long sip, drinking until I feel like I could choke.
“Was out.” I wipe at my mouth with the back of my hand.
Alex’s eyebrow goes up in skepticism. “You worked all night, but you were out at a quarter to nine, and asleep just now?”
I take a moment to process what he just said and make sure he got the order of the events right.
“Correct.”
“Are you drunk? High?”
That is a valid question, especially given my history. I do like to get a good buzz once in a while, from booze only, no drugs. But I am not offended that he threw that in there as well.
“No. I had a date.”
The way his mouth drops open is comical to say the least. But that’s because he is so damn serious all the time. He is angry at the world, and he hates it when the rest of us have a good time.
“You had a date early this morning.” He doesn’t ask, just repeats what he’s not sure that he heard.
“Yes,” I confirm. “I had a breakfast date. And I was late for it. The girl is very punctual. She didn’t appreciate that. And then, we ran into her brother. Not on purpose,” I make sure to add. “She ran, literally ran. I followed, then I took her to work. And I have to pick her up at five.”
Alex continues staring at me like I have completely lost my mind.
“Is this a joke?” He looks around, expecting to see people jumping from behind the couch, laughing at how gullible he is.
“No joke,” I assure him. “It was a wild morning.” I stretch and run my hands through my messy hair. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”
Alex doesn’t say anything for the longest time. I give him time to process everything. He is the type of person and friend who will judge you for your actions, and who doesn’t have any problem saying it to your face.
“The thing that shocks me the most is that you fucked a girl who has a nine-to-five job,” he finally says.
I would be offended if that wasn’t the truth. With the exception of me not having fucked her. Yet. That’s coming, too, pun intended.
“I didn’t know strip clubs opened that early,” he continues.
Okay, now I’m mad.
“She is not a stripper, fucker.” I flip him off for good measure. “She is a respectable girl with a respectable job.”
To his credit, Alex tries his hardest to hold back the laughter that’s obviously bubbling in his chest. When he finally lets it go, it echoes all around my house.
I cross my arms over my chest and look away, not wanting to laugh with him, because I know he has a point.
But I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.
“I’m serious,” I tell him once he’s calmed down. “Zara is a good girl.”
Alex wipes at his eyes, shaking his head at me, laughter still marring his features.
I guess I should be grateful that he’s laughing.
The last couple of months have been brutal.
He’s been an ass not just to us guys, but to the girls, too.
That hasn’t been going over too well with any of the couples.
“She has a name.” He sounds surprised by that. But again, with my record, I should understand why.
“Fair enough,” I shrug. “You’ll get to meet her. I’m bringing her to Ray’s wedding.”
He frowns. “Who’s going to be my wingman at the wedding if you bring a date?”
“You’re supposed to bring a date, too,” I remind him. “That’s why Hayden told me to bring a nice girl. I found one, and I’m bringing her.”
I don’t share with him that I am hoping to spend a bit more time with her before our time is up.
Hopefully I won’t be obsessing with her as much once I got her out of my system.
She might have a really crappy personality when in an enclosed space.
Worse yet, she might be terrible in bed.
That would definitely not make me want to go back for more.
“Where did you find her?”
“ Holidates app.” I respond with no hesitation.
“What the fuck.” Alex starts pacing around my living room. “Didn’t you and I decide that was a stupid app? And that Cal and Ray are idiots for using it?”
“Yeah…” My shoulders go up to my ears when I throw my arms in front of me. “But where else was I going to find a decent date at such short notice?”
“You didn’t have to find a date at all,” he yells back. “Hayden didn’t even think you could.”
“I know that.” My head bobs up and down. “But it felt like a challenge. I wanted to see if I could.”
He stares at me for a few long moments. “So now I’m gonna be the only one there without a date?”
“What about Mona?” I ask, referring to his ex that’s not as ex as he makes it sound.
His face gets red, and the vein at the side of his forehead is pulsing.
“She won’t talk to me. I’m pretty sure she blocked me.”
“About time,” I chuckle.
For a split second, I wonder if I went too far. Alex looks like he is about to beat me to a pulp. Since he is taller and wider, I have no doubt that he could do it. I jump in place when he moves, but instead of lunging at me, he turns around and walks out the door, slamming it behind him.
“Huh,” I say to the empty room. “I wonder what he wanted.”
I don’t have time to think about it, though, because it’s getting close to the time when I have to leave to go pick up Zara from work. And this time, I will not be late.