Page 42 of Talk Nerdy To Me
“Motherfucking saint,” he says just barely loud enough for me to hear.
I turn my head to ask him what that means, and suck in a breath when my lips brush his on accident, because he’s still leaned over and his face is significantly closer to mine than I was anticipating.
Just that barely-there ghost of a touch has my entire body responding. Even the slightest feel of the warm steel on his lip ring has me wondering what it’d be like to kiss him with it in.
His eyes flick over mine, lips still barely just parted, and his hand comes up, gently cupping the side of my face. I’m certain he’s going to kiss me, until Randy suddenly bumps into us.
Base drops his hand on my cheek to steady me, and turns a glare on Randy, who is laughing really loud if I can hear him that easily over the steadily blaring music.
“We’re ready to get out of here. Girls all around!” he shouts, and I bristle.
I forgot all about the girls who were here to gather with them. Which is weird, because I can’t actually forget things. Maybe the memories just get suspended when Base’s body is frustrating mine, and pushing all other thoughts to the back of my mind.
“I thought this was just a night out to have some fun,” Base says, not sounding overly enthused.
“It is! Now that we’re finished with the night-out portion of the evening, we’re ready to have some fun!”
The girls crow with him, cheering and sloshing their drinks when they thrust them into the air in a toasting gesture. However, they seem pleasant enough.
Base mutters something as we start heading toward the front, but I remember it took exactly sixty-four minutes to come here, and that was without stopping for gas.
“I need to—” I pause, wondering if I should mention urinating again or if that would make me appear redundant. “—discharge urine,” I decide to say.
His lips lift in a grin on one corner, and he goes with me to the bathrooms this time, for some reason.
“I’ll wait right here,” he says, pointing to his spot before pocketing his hands. “Just in case your song plays again.”
I’m not sure why I grin, but I do. Idly, I notice him flick a definite smirk toward Tommy’s table. I wave at Tommy, smiling at him, and he gives me a tight smile before returning his gaze to Base and clutching his beer bottle tighter.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, seeing a text from Rain.
RAIN: I might have heard you have a certain shirtless Masters invading your house. Before I ask a favor, I need to know if he’s in any way unwelcome. I can have him easily extracted without ever letting your brother know there was a problem.
I wish he was unwelcome. It would make this thickening layer of confusion much less of an issue.
ME: I don’t want him to leave. I don’t know why he’s staying. He rejected my proposal.
I leave it at that.
RAIN: He’s staying there, calling you his muse, and playing music shirtless?
ME: Harley told you, didn’t she?
RAIN: WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME????????
RAIN: Don’t worry. I won’t tell your brother.
What does my brother have to do with anything? I told her Base rejected me, so that’s not what she’s referring to.
RAIN: We’ll discuss this later, since I’m assuming you’re out with him. Since…you’re not at home. Tria and I were going to drop off some nice new clothes we bought you, maybe peek inside the house for a second…
ME: I’m confused. Is the favor me coming home so you can give me clothes and peek inside?
RAIN: No. The favor is we want you to bring Base to karaoke night. Don’t worry, we’re all happily married or in love. But Base Masters at karaoke night…
Why does inviting Base to karaoke night feel like another rejection coming on?
Or worse, he’ll go out of obligation, and I certainly can’t tell obligatory expressions from constipation.
