Page 14 of Drawn to You
She nods again. “Sure. What time should I start?”
“You’ll start at ten and finish at seven. I’ll start at six, the gym’s opening time.”
“Are you sure?” she asks. “That’s like, so early.”
“Yep. I’ve done that before. It’s actually nice to start the day early. There’s hardly any traffic at all on Hollywood Blvd. You know?”
“Wow, I can’t imagine.”
She falls silent after that, and the rest of the drive feels awkward. I rack my brain for a conversation topic but end up turning up the volume of the car stereo instead.
Chapter 7
Brittney
Today is Labor Day. The gym was supposed to remain open until two in the afternoon, but many clients cancelled their reservations in the morning and some instructors also requested a day off. So we ended up closing at noon and coming home early.
I’m sitting on the lounge chair on the patio, facing the gorgeous lawn. Andrew is starting the griller, and smoke soon fills the air. I want to offer him help, but he doesn’t need any. He marinated the pork ribs and chicken drumsticks last night, using the same ingredients his mom used with lots of onions. I’m reminded of the many BBQ gatherings at Andrew and Dana’s house. Their parents are a hospitable couple who love to invite neighbors and friends to dinners and parties. Andrew inherited the trait and his mom’s cooking skills.
I watch Andrew as he spreads the meat on the griller. He’s wearing a tank top over shorts, exposing enough muscles for me to drool over.
Ever since our kiss two weeks ago, I haven’t been able to look at him without dirty thoughts. Every time I’m near him, I want to run my hands over the curves of his biceps. I keep recalling how good his lips feel and marvel at their softness. I miss the particularly thick lump of muscle between his legs—how good it must be to let it press against my belly again like it did that day in his office! The thought sends a tingle all over my body, and I can’t help but also wonder how it tastes. I don’t have the experience, but I read about it a lot. They say it’s salty and sweet, like the most delicious Popsicle, except it isn’t cold, but hot, so hot that it melts... Mmm.
At least I understand now why so many girls were crazy about Andrew back home. I had a crush on him, but I didn’t lose my head over him. I didn’t think I had a chance because of our age difference — Andrew is six years old than I. Besides, the girls he was with, especially those he knew from college, were so gorgeous I couldn’t hold a candle to them. Even now, he’s not only off-limits but also out of my league, and I really should stop pining for him. But it’s easier said than done.
It took me a few days to make sense of what Andrew did to me in his office the other day. Was he interested in me, or was he just mad at me for disobeying him? I probably drove him nuts, and he needed to assert his male dominance. Kissing me was his way to show me who the boss was. Either way, I was over the moon for days after that, although I was also a tad disappointed because it seemed to be a casual kiss to him. I wish he would do it again, and if being disobedient would earn me another kiss, I should probably keep being bad…
I must be ogling Andrew, and my lust must be written all over my face because when he glances at me by chance, he does a double-take and his eyes darken before turning away.
Damn. I’ve got to get a grip. Like Andrew says, there can’t be anything between us. He hasn’t done anything out of line after that. As he decided that day, we work different schedules now. He works from six in the morning to three in the afternoon, and my shift is from ten to seven. We still have a few hours of overlap, but it feels a lot more distant without the ridesharing. We don’t even eat meals together anymore. He’s eaten dinner by the time I get home, although he saves my portion for me. He isn’t even home most of the evenings. I don’t know where he goes. It drives me nuts if I start wondering, and I have to remind myself it isn’t my business what he does. Even so, I still can’t get to bed until I hear the garage door opens and closes, meaning he’s home. Contrary to what I told Andrew, I’m so not okay with the new arrangement. I hate that we live in the same house and work together but barely see each other.
Andrew’s phone rings, interrupting my brooding. “Hey, where are you? On your way? Great. Take your time. No problem. It’ll be ready when you get here.”
“Who’s that? Dana?” I ask. I convinced her to come when I last spoke to her.
“No. Connor and his girlfriend. They’re stopping by at a friend’s house first,” he says while going back into the house.
I nod, although I don’t like what I hear. I was hoping Connor wouldn’t be here with a woman because Dana hasn’t gotten over him. She says she has, but she still has Connor’s photos on her phone.
Just as my mind wonders, my phone vibrates, and it’s Dana calling me. “Hi Dana, are you on your way?”
“I’m sorry, Britt,” she says. “I was on the freeway when Mrs. Peterson called because her cat was sick. I thought I would take a quick look, but it turned out the poor thing swallowed a string of yarn. I had to induce vomiting, and it took longer than I thought. It’s over now, but I don’t think I should go to LA. It’s late.”
“Not that late!” I say, desperate. “You could ask for a day off or something tomorrow and stay the night here, couldn’t you?
“I can’t. Mike is out of town and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. I’m in charge of the clinic until then.”
“Oh, okay,” I say with disappointment. “But that’s too bad because Connor will be here soon.”
Dana falls silent. “Probably with his cougar.”
“What?” I take a second to understand what she means. She’s referring to the ongoing rumor about Connor and his agent, who’s much older than him. Is that why she doesn’t want to be here? I chuckle. “Are you talking about his agent? I don’t think there’s anything serious between them. It’s just gossip.”
“It is not just gossip, Britt,” she says, her voice sounding funny. “They’ve been together for a while already.”
“Oh Dana, I’m sorry,” I say, feeling her pain. I don’t know how she’s so sure about the fact, but I don’t want to ask her for details over the phone. Besides, Connor is indeed coming with his girlfriend, and whoever she is, I don’t want everyone to feel awkward. “Come to LA when you get a chance, okay?”
“Kay,” she says. “Bye. Have fun.”
