Page 13 of Only Yours
I relax against my pillows again. I start telling him about the drawing of the fountain in the quad I started on today. I’m trying to build a portfolio, in the hopes that one day I’ll maybe have the nerve to show my stuff to someone.
“It sounds wonderful, sweetheart. I wish I could see it. Maybe be there to watch you draw it.” He sounds wistful and sad. My heart aches for him and well, myself. Is it possible to miss someone that you haven’t even spent real time with? If it is, I’m guilty of it.
“You’ll be here soon. It’s already been two months.” Two months and three days since I last saw him, but who’s counting? A little over a month of these phone calls where we talk about nothing and everything. Two months of letters full of who we are and what our hopes and dreams are. He’s never stopped sending the letters, no matter how many times we talk on the phone. These phone calls aren’t as frequent as I would want, but the sound of his voice stays with me long after we hang up.
“Yeah, I guess. Did you talk to your mom yet? Tell her anything about your art?”
I grimace. “No, I didn’t. Not yet. I mean, maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll just be like one of those docs who doesn’t see a lot of patients hands on. Like a dermatologist or something.”
He snorts. “Reina, have you watchedDr. Pimple Popper? That shit is disgusting, and it’s for sure very hands on.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Ewww. Okay, no. No dermatology. Maybe anesthesiologist. I can watch people sleep. No problem.”
He sighs heavily. “Sweetheart, if you don’t want to be a doctor, don’t be a doctor. You just have to tell her.”
This time it’s my chance to give a snort of derision. “So says the guy whose mother thinks he walks on water.”
Sophie has told me multiple times that their mother thinks he can do no wrong. She’s so proud of him she could burst with it, apparently. Totally the opposite of my mom.
“I can’t help it if she appreciates me for the totally awesome person I am,” he brags. “Maybe one day you will too.”
If he only knew…
He clears his throat. “Let’s get to the dirty talk portion of the evening. What are you wearing tonight, Reina?” he drawls in a low voice.
I smile and pull my blanket up. This is my favorite part of these conversations. “I’m wearing a pink snowsuit with footies and one of those hats with one fuzzy ball hanging from it.”
He blows out a long breath. “Tell me more, gorgeous girl,” he chuckles. “Tell me all about this snowsuit.”
So, I do. I make up the most ridiculous outfit ever dreamed up and he listens intently, adding on details for me. It’s a game we play. By the time we’re finished the suit has rainbows on it and I’m also carrying a bow and arrow across my back.
“One day you’re going to tell me what you actually have on,” he says wistfully.
I glance down at my shortie shorts and camisole under the covers. Nothing fancy, but definitely sexier than a snowsuit. “I don’t think so. You’re surrounded by like a million people there, so I don’t think we could do a proper dirty talk conversation.” I reply in a lilting voice.
“God, I wish you were here. I hate not being able to see you, and I hate that we can’t even be alone on the phone.” He always gets melancholy when we’re about to hang up.
“Um, sorry, but I wouldn’t want to be in the middle of wherever the hell they sent you,” I quip, trying to lighten the mood.
“You know what I mean,” he pauses, “I wish I could be in bed with you right now.”
The low growl in his voice sets my panties on fire as usual. “I wish you were here too,” I murmur, and then mentally slap myself. “Of course, we would barely fit on this bed of mine. You’re awfully tall.”
“I’m sure we could manage,” he laughs. “We could always spoon.”
“As long as you’re the little spoon,” I joke.
“Of course.”
We hang up a few minutes later, and I lay there for a long time, just looking at the ceiling. I imagine Brian doing the same thing wherever he is.Shit, I’ve got it bad.
Chapter 14
When I break my own rules, I don’t do it half-assed. -Reina
Reina
“So, what did you and my brother talk about last night?” Sophie sends me a curious look as she lays her backpack down on her bed the next afternoon. I turn around at my desk to continue my homework.
