Fifteen
January Twenty-Third
Whitney
Whitney: It’s happening! We’re getting a new roommate in Emma’s old room today.
Fade: Okay.
Whitney: I’m going to stay home since I have the day off and see what she’s about, I would enjoy someone who wasn’t raised here. Someone refreshing.
Fade: Okay.
Whitney: Shianne is already talking about going to Community Day tomorrow.
Fade: Oh, really? Is there anything I can do to prevent you from going?
Whitney: I don’t know. She just pulled up. Whitney: Her name is Juniper, she is quiet as hell.
Whitney: I am so happy she’s older than eighteen.
Whitney: She’s from California.
Whitney: Are you going to spend the night tomorrow?
Fade: No, you’re coming over. My roommate will be gone, not like that mattered last time.
January Twenty-Fourth
Fade
Fade didn’t know what he wanted anymore when it came to attending these community events. What he liked had turned into whatever Whitney wanted, and she kept their routine fresh enough. He loved her enough to show up, and when he walked into the building and spotted her, he couldn’t help but smile. She sat next to three girls, and he slid up behind her. “Hey, baby.”
He kissed her cheek and sat down. He caught Juniper’s gaze and offered a warm smile. “Hello.”
Whitney introduced them, and Juniper looked terrified. Fade felt bad for her. Halfway through dinner, his hand found its way to Whitney’s lap. She looked stunning in blue, and as she was tucked under the tablecloth enough, his fingers slid under the hem of her dress and slowly trailed up toward her hips.
“Don’t.”
Whitney scowled and pushed his hand away. He blinked at her in confusion, but she shook her head as if trying to dismiss whatever was bothering her. Fade stood and went to grab them some drinks, worried she was getting tired of him.
After standing in a shorter line than usual, he asked the attendant for five glasses and a bottle. He was used to the glances by now, older folks on the island curious about his appearance, his tattoos still a rarity here. But the younger generation was catching up. When he returned to the table and poured the drinks evenly, Whitney’s face lit up when he handed her the first glass. Now he was really confused.
When the song changed, he pulled Whitney to the dance floor. He held her close, swaying gently. “Are you okay?”
he asked right away.
“Yes,”
she said, but then she swallowed and found his eyes. “I just really want you. Now.”
He blinked. “What?”
“I’ve been thinking about you bending me over every surface in your apartment all day,”
she whispered with a smirk. “The last thing I need is you touching me in public.”
“What surfaces were you defiling in your mind?”
he teased, his voice low. Her dark makeup made her eyes pop, and he was grateful she hadn’t worn red lipstick tonight—it always looked hot, but he hated having it all over his face.
“The usual. The couch, the counter… I might have also wandered into your roommate’s room.”
“You naughty girl.”
He kissed her, slow and deep, until her mouth opened to him.
“Hey.”
Brittanya’s voice cut through their moment. “We’re going to go.”
“Oh, okay. I’m going home with Fade. Don’t wait up for me.”
Whitney grinned at her friend before turning back to him.
“I’m not taking you in my roommate’s room, though,”
he warned. “That’s weird.”
She raised a brow. “But touching me in a room full of people isn’t?”
“Fair.”
She leaned up to his ear. “Too bad I’m in underwear. We could fix this in the car.”
His brow shot up. “Let’s go. I’ll grab your purse, head out to the car.”
He found her waiting next to his car, and when he handed her the bag, she grabbed his belt loop and yanked him close.
“Thank you.”
She slipped something into his hand, something soft and lacy. Then she flashed him as she got into the car.
He groaned, his pants suddenly feeling too tight, and started the car without bothering to buckle up. He hit the gas, heading straight for his apartment.
January Twenty-Seventh
Whitney
“Guess what I learned.”
She bit into her salad.
Fade responded sitting next to her in the break room. “What?”
Whitney cheeked her food. “That new girl has a date this weekend, you’ll never guess with who.”
“Who?”
He snapped closed his food container.
“Wolfgang.”
“Oh really? Did she get Shianne’s approval?”
She raised her hand over her mouth. “She doesn’t know.”
Fade draped his arm around her chair. “Sounds like trouble, but it’s good that someone caught his eye. I was getting worried that he was at the gym a little too much.”
Swallowing her food, She replied, “I have no idea how this is going to turn out, you know her obsession with him.”
He watched her scrape her container and finish her food. “Oh, I am aware.”
“It’s not going to be pretty if she finds out.”
“Is this going to affect you coming over since it is the weekend?”
Whitney placed both containers in her tote. “No, it shouldn’t. Thank you for joining me for lunch.”
She stood.
He followed her lead, “Thank you for making me lunch.”
Fade planted a kiss on her lips.
“No problem, I love you.”
“Love you too.”
He turned the opposite way as she walked back to her office.
January Twenty-Eighth
Whitney: I’m not coming over, this is getting good.
Fade: What do you mean?
Whitney: Shianne found out that Wolfgang took June on a date and she is cleaning out her room, Brittanya and I are watching it all happen live, on the front porch.
Fade: I meant, are you not coming over at all?
Whitney: Depends on when this ends, if it's still early, yes. You will pick me up, right?
Fade: Even if I don’t have the car, I will walk with you on my back.
Whitney: I love you. They just got back!
Fade: When was the last time you were this excited?
Whitney: It’s been a while, Juniper just yelled at Shianne.
Fade: Wow, I thought you would say a few days, because mine was definitely a few days ago.
Whitney: Love you.
Whitney: Holy shit, Wolfgang came back after Shianne left!
Fade: wow.
Whitney: They kissed!
Whitney: Alright come get me, I’m yours all weekend.
February Fourth
Whitney
“I’m excited to be doing a double date, this should be fun.”
Whitney promised as he parked the car outside the diner.
Whitney hadn’t told Fade that she let Juniper borrow his favorite dress of his.
She had sent her a picture of herself tonight and she looked better in it than Whitney did.
It might have had to do with her height, Whitney was at least three inches taller than Juniper so it covered a hell of a lot less, that being a good reason for Fade to love it.
They got a booth and waited for the other two to join them after their movie. A few minutes passed of her watching Fade play on his phone before she spotted Wolfie in the entry and Juniper looking tiny next to him. “Hey guys!”
She smiled at the two approaching the table.
“Hey.”
Juniper returned a smile.
“This is fun!”
Whitney looked at her menu.
Fade leaned into her and grumbled, “Please tell me that’s not your dress.”
“I know, it’s just a dress.”
Whitney found his leg under the table to caress it back and forth, comforting him. She smiled back across the table.
Fade
He stopped her at her car door after getting ice cream. “I love how you tell people how we met.”
She laughed at him as he mocked her, “we kept running into each other, him being an electrician and my job in the office. Although that’s true, you’re not telling people we really just wanted to bang.”
He hung on her hips.
“I don’t like that story as much.”
He stepped closer to her and gently grabbed her jaw, “Also, be careful touching my thigh that high in public, next time it could get you in trouble.”
“Now you know how it feels,”
She breathed.
“I love you.”
He dragged her lips to his.
February Twenty-Second
Fade
Fade was comfortable talking to Wolfgang at the gym about workouts and diet. He didn't really have anybody else to talk to about personal stuff besides Whitney and decided to ask him his opinion at their current session.
He stood near the rack he was occupying. “Hey man, so I have a question. Well not so much a question, just some clarification on something.”
“What's up?”
He rested the weights and turned to him in a sitting position.
Fade’s cheek rose. “I'm thinking about proposing to Whitney.”
“Really? That sounds great.”
Wolfgang brushed his hair back. “I'm gonna tell you right now, if you're one hundred percent committed, do it. Or even eighty percent, I've been here my whole life and I'm still waiting for ‘Mrs. Right’.”
“What about Juniper, how is that going?”
“I mean, I like her a lot. We have a date this weekend and I plan on asking her to be exclusive.”
He took a drink from his water bottle.
“That’s great, I hope it goes as planned.”
“Thanks, but like I said, if you think things between you two have great potential, I would say go for it. She seems to make you really happy and I don't see you finding anyone better.”
“Cool, can you keep this quiet? I'm not sure when I would do it, and I don't want Juniper saying anything to Whitney, it sounds like they’re becoming quite the friends.”
Wolfgang leaned back and gripped the bar to continue. “You got it.”