Chapter 24
Nash
The weekend goes by in a blur. All I could think about was the girl in the window and the one who has my brother tied up in knots. But for the life of me, I can’t explain why either of them takes up space in my mind.
I’ve tried to dig out bits and pieces about River from Holden, but I think he’s holding back from telling me everything. He still hasn’t even seen a picture of her. Hasn’t even asked her what she looks like. It’s as if he doesn’t care. I don’t get it.
Then, as soon as I get her off my mind, the mysterious girl in the window resurfaces.
I only saw a portion of her face, but she was beautiful.
Something in her eyes was so haunting that I yearned to take care of her.
To cradle her in my arms and promise her that everything will be okay.
Roman was there yesterday and today, dropping off the supplies and mapping out the area.
But tomorrow, after school, Holden and I are going to help him. I hope to catch a glimpse of her again.
I trudge up the stairs. We’ve been at the gym for a few hours.
Roman wanted to practice before the upcoming match this weekend.
Why he accepted the challenge is beyond me.
He already wiped the floor with that asshole, but I guess if he wants a replay of the events, then Roman will be glad to knock him on his ass again.
“Going to bed?” Holden asks, opening the door to his room.
“Not sure.”
I keep moving down the hallway, opening the door to my room before heading inside. I need a shower. Something to clear my mind. I step over to my dresser, pulling out pajama pants and a shirt, then heading across the hall to the bathroom that Holden and I share.
I don’t waste any time removing my sweaty gym clothes and tossing them into the very full laundry basket. A gentle reminder that it’s time to start a load in the washing machine when I’m done.
I turn the knob all the way over to hot. While the water warms, I step over to the sink and brush my teeth, taking note of my right cheek which is already turning a gnarly shade of red. A lucky punch from Roman. It’s my own fault that I let my mind wander and didn’t react quickly enough.
Stepping inside the shower, the steam curls around me, clinging to my skin as I step under the spray, letting the hot water beat down on my shoulders and back.
The only sound in the room is the steady rhythm of the water, which frees my mind, allowing it to wander.
The goddess from the work site comes rushing back.
Images of the beauty standing in the window, her golden hair, framing a half seen face, as she lingers there just long enough for me to see her, before she disappears.
Who was she? Why did she look so broken? It makes me feel unsettled. She shouldn’t have affected me that way. And yet, she did. Here I am still thinking about her.
My hands move on instinct, dragging the soap slowly over my chest, down the hard lines of my muscles. Each touch feels electric, alive, as if I could feel her gaze burning against my skin. The heat wasn’t just from the water anymore, it was from somewhere deeper, a burning desire within me.
My hands move lower, gliding across my stomach, as my thoughts drift to someone else. This one has a name but no face. River. I think of what Holden’s told me about her. The woman who has him tied up in knots, and me obsessing over her, and we haven’t had one conversation.
Two women, and both of them have me turning into a man I never thought I’d be, unless it was my omega. I’m craving to know more about each of them.
The water runs hotter, my heartbeat heavier as my hand moves lower, my palm grasping my cock and squeezing lightly.
I reach out, pressing my other hand against the wall, bracing myself as my head drops forward.
My hand strokes from the base to the tip of my shaft as a low moan escapes my throat.
Closing my eyes, I imagine the two women, except in my vision, they’ve merged into one woman.
My strokes become faster as I envision her calling my name, as she lays down on the bed, naked, baring her soul to me. Her fingers slipping through her wet folds as her back arches off the bed as she comes.
The vision is all I need to reach my own climax, my cum coating the tile floor of the shower before being washed down the drain. My breathing turns ragged as I try to catch my breath.
I just jacked off to a fucked up merged image of two women I don’t even know, and it was amazing. I stand there under the flow of the water until it runs cold before finally shutting it off and getting out of the shower.
My obsession has gone too far. I know what I need to do, and I just hope Holden doesn’t get pissed off when he finds out.
I quickly dry off and dress then head back to my room. Closing the door, I pick up my laptop from my dresser and head straight for my bed. I need to be comfortable to try and talk to River. Hopefully, it doesn’t scare her off.
It takes a minute for my laptop to power on, and I try to think of all the different ways I can enter into a conversation with her. Nothing seems right. But I’m a fun guy. Who wouldn’t want to talk to me?
Once I have the school messaging system up, I freeze.
“Come on, Nash, you’re just messaging her. That’s it. You talk to women all the time; this isn’t any different. Let her see your winning personality,” I mutter, pepping myself up to do this.
My fingers start typing before I have a chance to chicken out.
To River: Hey what’s up?
Shit, that sounded dumb. She doesn’t even know me. I’d ignore the message if I was her.
But something miraculous happens. She replies.
To Nash: Not much. LOL. Umm, why are you messaging me?
To River: My brother Holden is your English partner. He talks about you a lot. I just thought I’d get to know you too. Is that okay?
Holden probably doesn’t want her knowing that he talks about her, but if someone has to be a casualty to the cause, then it’s better him than me.
To Nash: I know you’re his brother. He told me about you, and well, the last name gives it away.
Okay. She has some sass. I love it. Not to mention, she knows who I am.
To River: Want to hear a joke?
To Nash: Sure. But is it going to be funny?
To River: Do you think I’d tell a joke that wasn’t?
Now I’m worried. The only jokes I’m good at are dad jokes, and that’s only because that’s all my father told.
To River: What did the bison say to his son when he left the ranch?
I wait for her to guess. And to find out that corny jokes are all I have in my arsenal.
To Nash: See you later? I have no clue.
To River: Bi-son. Get it.
Crickets.
To River: I have another one for you. What’s the best way to save your dad’s jokes?
I wait for her answer. Nothing.
To River: In a dadda-base. Come on now. Those were funny.
To Nash: That’s not exactly the word I’d use to describe them, but you are making me laugh.
She responded. I can breathe. Even though she didn’t get the humor in my jokes.
To River: I have more of them if you ever need another laugh. So what made you decide to take online classes? Do you have any classes on campus? Have I bumped into you before by chance?
There’s a pause in our conversation, and I scoot up in bed, adjusting how I’m holding the laptop on my lap. Suddenly I wish I would’ve grabbed something to drink before coming upstairs.
I wonder if she’s messaging Holden, telling him that I’m talking to her. If she has, I expect him to come busting through my door at any minute.
To Nash: It was just easier for me to do online. I did go to campus once, when I enrolled, but haven’t been back since, so I doubt that I’ve bumped into you. I think that’s something I’d probably remember.
I can’t help but laugh.
To River: Yeah, you would. Do you plan to ever go to school on campus?
To Nash: As of right now? No, but who knows what the future holds. You ask a lot of questions. Your brother does too.
To River: It’s how I plan to get to know you. That’s how it normally happens. Are you talking to him now?
To Nash: You want to get to know me? And yes, we are. We’re actually going over our project. Figuring out all the details.
To River: I’m sorry to bother you then. Don’t want to keep you from your schoolwork. But I can’t lie, I'm enjoying talking to you.
It’s not a lie. I am. In my mind, I’m trying to picture her sitting at her computer, moving between chatting with me and Holden.
To Nash: I’m enjoying talking with you too, bad jokes and all.
We continue like that for the next hour.
Asking her questions about herself. Nothing too invasive, just finding out what she likes.
Her favorite food, movies, her fears. Though on that one she never really answered.
I told her mine was spiders. I even told her about the time I woke up with one crawling on my forehead and the girlish scream that erupted from me.
But finally I let her go, knowing that I need to get some sleep and she and my brother need to get some sleep.
Tomorrow I plan to talk to her more. And to hopefully catch a glimpse of the mystery girl.