Are you with me? Page 2

  For some reason, he had crawled his way under my skin. Leaving me feeling anxious and super excited at the thought of seeing him again.

  I didn’t feel threatened or uneasy when he was around. If anything, I felt the most at ease that I’d ever felt in the presence of a guy. Well, besides my brothers. But that was different. They were my protective barriers, my plastic bubble.

  That stupid plastic bubble was taking away my oxygen and choking me. It used to be okay. I used to be able to handle the pressure that my entire family put on me. But they kept pushing. They pushed, and pushed, and pushed. If they kept pushing, sooner or later I was going to fall. I was feeling empty, growing tired of the same cut and dry routines day after day.

  “Come on, Little Bird.” Fox said, as he slipped a carefree arm across my shoulders.

  Something was off. I had a half a mind to smell his breath, just to see if he’d already been drinking. It wasn’t like him to be so relaxed. Don’t get me wrong. He still had something tight shoved up his ass, as usual, but he was being way too lenient with me. It was creeping me out, but there was no way I was going to question it though. I was riding this train all the way to the station. I had to enjoy myself before he realized his mistake, and snatched it all away from me.

  With my arm tucked around his waist, I smiled. “Let’s go, Big Brother.”

  Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepared myself for the set of dimples that were likely waiting inside.

  Lord, help me.

  3

  Josh

  “You’re acting funny,” Lee said from the barstool next to me. Being my best friend, obviously gave her the right to say whatever the hell she felt, whenever the hell she felt like it.

  Why put a muzzle on her now? It wouldn’t help. She was going to call me out, regardless. I was an open book around her, which came from years of being my best friend. But man could she be annoying. How could someone so pretty, be so painstakingly frustrating?

  Good thing I loved her.

  I eyed her over the rim of my beer as I took another sip. The alcohol wasn’t doing anything to ease my mind. If anything, it made me even more fidgety. My leg bounced swiftly underneath the high bar table to the uneven rhythm of my heart.

  “Leave it alone.” I pleaded with my eyes, so that she’d understand. It wasn’t the time or the place to be having some drawn out lengthy ass conversation about “Her”. Just mentioning her name felt wrong. At least, it did with this crowd. Too many people, too many prying eyes and ears. It was better that I left the subject off the table with our other friends around.

  She nodded. Her hand brushed my shoulder as she stood up. “I’m here if you need me.” Her soft, sweet voice was exactly what I needed to hear. Over the years, she’d been not only my best friend, but also my safety net. I’d never completely fall, so long as she was in my life.

  Sounds pathetic, I know. To rely on someone else for comfort and security, is ridiculous, especially someone that I’m not in love with. I mean I do love her, just in a purely platonic and friends only kind of way. No matter what though, I could always find comfort in her words when I needed it.

  I smiled at her as she walked towards the other end of the table and left me sitting there by myself. The place was busy with the college nightlife crowd. It was elbow to asshole, barely an empty seat in the whole place. I sat facing the door waiting for Gwen Taylor to waltz inside. The moment I got the text from Obi, telling me that they had to stop and get Gwen, but they were on their way, I’d completely come undone.

  One girl had that kind of power over me.

  She made me a messy fool of a man.

  Just thinking about her was toxic. My hands were sweaty. My heart was beating at an uneven pace. My leg shook like I had a nervous tick. It took me exactly thirty seconds to go from cool, calm, and collected, to a hormone-raged, obsessed teenager. It wasn’t like seeing a silhouette through a window. It was going to be the real thing this time.

  I barely knew the girl, and to make matters worse, she was the little sister of Fox Taylor. You may as well have put a flashing red bulls eye on my back and issued a death warrant. Yes, it was that bad. I didn’t realize it at first, but the security that surrounded this girl was locked tight. She was like a rare jewel, with soundless, deadly alarms surrounding her. If you got too close, or didn’t maneuver just right, then you’d likely catch a silent bullet straight to the heart.

  I swear I’m not exaggerating. After asking around campus, I learned that Gwen Taylor was off limits. Not just to me. There wasn’t a single guy on campus that would dare go near her.

  Until me, that is.

  I was a complete idiot, and I couldn’t stop myself.

  The first moment I laid eyes on her, she took my breath away. She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever met. One look, and you’d forget how to breathe. She had these dark blue-gray piercing eyes, and extra-long eyelashes. And man… Those lips. Sheesh.

  Call me cynical, but her looks were what first attracted me to her. I was a red-blooded male after all, so I’d be lying if I said that the physical attraction didn’t come first. But, when she opened her mouth… God Damn!

  I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. Just the thought of her made me grow tight against my jeans.

  “Another beer?” The waitress asked, as she stopped next to me. She was pretty girl, and no doubt flirting with me. Batting her lashes, and flipping her long red hair, but I was far from interested.

  “Sure,” I replied, dismissing her as fast as I could.

  She turned around quickly, and marched back towards the bar. Her ego was likely bruised, but she’d have to get over it.

  Not today, Sweetheart. Not today.

  You know how in the movies when a gorgeous girl walks into the room and everything slows down. The music slows, her walk slows, and everyone is anticipating her next move as her hair magically blows in the wind, even though she’s indoors.

  Yes?

  No?

  Well, it’s exactly what happened when Gwen Taylor strolled inside the building. The whole room stood still. Okay, so maybe not the whole room, but it sure felt like it. I know my heart stopped.

  She walked in with both of her brothers. Fox had his arm around her shoulder, and Obi stood close enough behind her that he looked like her own personal bodyguard. She may as well have been encased by Fort Knox.

  There was some big mystery surrounding that girl that I wish I’d known. I understood the need to be a little overprotective. She was young and beautiful. But, there was clearly something else going on, some big secret that the rest of the world was clueless of.

  The students at school talked about Fox like he was ten foot tall and bulletproof. They kept their distance from him, never pissed him off. And no one, I meant no one, ever crossed him when it came to Gwen.

  I didn’t want to be the one in a million that did, but it all seemed shady to me. It wasn’t like I was scared of him. He wasn’t some psycho that chopped people’s heads off for fun. He was just Fox, the guy with a badass attitude, who didn’t mind knocking around anyone who got in his way. What scared me was the look that Gwen gave me that night at the school carnival. The one that made me think that she was worried, upset, or maybe even a little scared. I didn’t know her well enough to have all the answers, but I wanted to.

  Thankfully, that night at the carnival it was crowded. It gave us a whole “two minutes” together. In that short amount of time, she must’ve looked over her shoulder twenty times. I asked her a couple of times if everything was okay, and she kept saying yes. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t shake the truth out of her. But the feeling I’d had in the pit of my stomach was real. Something was going on. When she started to rush off, I asked if I could see her again. She told me that she couldn’t, and offered no explanation. Little did she know, I was persistent when there was something I wanted. I reached for her hand, and it stunned us both. Her sweet voice whispered quickly, “text me” and she rushed away from me like her fe
et were on fire.

  That night was on repeat in my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I couldn’t help wondering why she ran off, and why those brothers of hers watched her like a hawk. If only I could get her alone for more than five minutes at a time.

  When they walked up to our table everyone said hey, and I watched those blue-grey eyes make their way to me. She smiled, but swiftly looked away. For days I’d been waiting for her to text me back, and not very patiently I might add. It was like waiting for rain in a drought. I must’ve sent her ten text messages, and she hadn’t replied to even one. For all I knew, she could’ve given me the wrong number. Maybe she was playing me for the fool, but she didn’t seem like the type of girl that would do that.

  “Hey, Man. How’s it going?” Obi asked me, as he sat down on the stool next to mine. Gwen sat in the seat next to his at the end of the table, and Fox sat down on her other side. The three of them had me on the edge of my seat.

  “I’m good.” I told him, trying my best not to stare at his sister. It was hard to do with her so close.

  “You seen Garrett?” He questioned, as he waved over the waitress.

  I pointed to the dance floor. He was already half lit, and making a complete fool out of himself. Lately, Sober Garrett was nowhere to be found.

  “What is he doing?” Gwen asked. The sudden sound of her voice sent chills down my spine.

  I had to clear my throat before I could even answer her. “Looks like maybe, the Cupid Shuffle.” I grinned. “Although, I think he left out the cupid, or maybe the shuffle.”

  She giggled, and dammit I had to look away.

  Get it together, Man.

  “He looks ridiculous,” Fox said.

  “I think he was half drunk when he got here,” I admitted. “He said something about wanting to drop a course, but his counselor wouldn’t let him. He has to keep the credits to stay in the dorms. He’s been pissed off about it ever since.”

  “It doesn’t matter if he’s pissed off or fucking peachy. He’ll use any excuse to get wasted. I’m going to go say something to him.” Obi slapped his hand down on the table before heading for the crowded dance floor, leaving an empty chair between Gwen and me.

  Under normal circumstances, I would’ve already been twirling my girl around the dance floor. But these weren’t normal circumstances, and she wasn’t my girl. I may as well have been thirteen all over again. I was stealing glances at her, and trying not to be obvious about it.

  The waitress from earlier walked up to the table to bring my beer and to take Fox’s order. Once she set eyes on Fox, I was forgotten. He ordered a drink and then stood up from his stool.

  “I’ve got to run to the bathroom. Scoot over next to Josh,” he told Gwen. It was surprising. Outside of our card games, we hardly said anything to one another. It wasn’t like we were best buddies or anything. “Can you keep an eye on her for a minute? I won’t be gone long.”

  Oh shit.

  I noticed the way Gwen dropped her head. Clearly, she was embarrassed that Fox seemed to think she needed a sitter. Fact of the matter was that she was eighteen. It’s pretty messed up that she couldn’t be left alone at a table for a few minutes. The whole gang was here. Well, besides Jude.

  Whatever the hell was going on with this girl, I wanted to know about it.

  “Sure thing,” I agreed.

  Glancing around the table I locked eyes with Lee. She had this cheesy grin on her face, and I wished I had something within arm’s reach to toss at her head.

  Fox walked off towards the bathrooms, and I silently prayed for a long line. He pegged me for the wrong guy the moment he trusted me with his sister. Not that I’d take advantage, or let something happen to her because I wouldn’t. I had good intentions. Mostly. I just wasn’t the little piggy he thought I was, who fled at the sight of danger. I was the wolf. I’d use his trust to my advantage, if that’s what it took to get closer to her.

  Was it likely for the Wolf and the Fox to be friends?

  Maybe in this story…

  “I was beginning to think I dreamt you up, and that you weren’t real,” I whispered to Gwen.

  4

  Gwen

  Oh dear.

  Something about his smile made my insides flutter. His lips were full, and he had the tiniest gap between his front teeth. It was hot. Just looking at him made me a mess. I couldn’t even answer his question.

  “Did you give me the wrong number?” He asked.

  “No,” I answered breathlessly. My hands fidgeted in my lap.

  He looked over his shoulder, and then glanced back at me. He’d figured out already that we shouldn’t be talking like this in front of my brothers. I didn’t know whether to be shocked or humiliated. “I was hoping you’d text me back.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ve,” I hesitated. “I’ve been really busy.”

  His smile widened. “Busy huh? Washing your hair?”

  I laughed. “Okay. I deserved that.” I shifted in my seat so that I was turned more in his direction. It felt like we were secret spies, trying not to get caught. “It’s just really complicated.”

  He ran his fingers through his dark hair, brushing it away from his face. “I’m starting to see that.”

  Was he frustrated? He had every right to be honestly. I’d told him to text me. I guess maybe I thought that once he found out who I was that he would run for the hills. The same way that everyone else did. Friendship was the only thing that I had to offer, and frankly I could barely give that.

  I reached in my bag and retrieved my phone. Opening my messages, I quickly typed a reply to the numerous messages he’d sent me.

  Peeking over at him, he smiled. I’m not sure what for. I only wrote –Hey. I watched as he typed a response, and waited for my phone to vibrate.

  You look beautiful.

  And there went my stomach again. Good thing I hadn’t eaten yet, because the flighty feeling in my stomach was making me nauseous.

  Keeping my head down, and my eyes on my lap, I whispered loud enough for him to hear me, but no one else. “I’m a lost cause.”

  “Not to me.”

  Sweet Jesus. “You’re wasting your time.”

  “Says who?”

  The guy had a response for everything. He was exasperatingly sexy.

  “Do you want me to stop texting you?” He asked me.

  Slowly, I shook my head no.

  “I won’t stop. You know that don’t you.”

  “I don’t want you to.”

  Fox stopped at the other end of our table to say something to the girls before he made his way back to us. Once again, my conversation with Josh was cut short, but somehow this time was magically enough.

  Just weeks ago, I would’ve never believed it was possible to feel this way about a guy. It would’ve been completely absurd to me. I barely knew Josh, and already I was crushing hard for him. The feelings were real. Granted, they were based only on the feelings he stirred inside me, but something about him made me feel alive.

  Or…

  Maybe I was just desperately horny. Talk about a foreign feeling for me, considering the past few years I’d had.

  Whatever it was, the chances are it wasn’t going away anytime soon. My body was practically buzzing just sitting next to him, and my phone apparently.

  Josh: It’s going to be a long night sitting next to you without speaking.

  Me: Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.

  Josh: Is it bad that I hope your brothers get so wasted, that they forget the two of us are sitting here.

  I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at his text.

  Me: Not at all.

  “Come dance with me, Little Bird.” Fox said as he took my hand.

  I groaned, but I was faking it. Truth was, I was like a kid in a toy store. Normally Fox would be the last person you’d see on the dance floor, especially when it involved being seen with his sister. He was always the brooding, stiff, and in-charge guy. Not this time. He w
as more carefree than I’d seen him in years. It was one hundred percent out of character for him. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t freak me out a little.

  The song playing through the loud speakers was a soft one, and Fox gave me a little twirl before pulling me close. He even grinned, and for a split second I remembered what it was like to be a kid again. It made my head spin.

  “Who are you and what did you do with my brother?” I was only half joking.

  “What?” He gave me a funny look. The smell of alcohol on his breath was strong, and I moved my head a little to keep it from wafting in my face.

  “I know something is up. I’m not a complete idiot. You’ve barely said two words to me all week, and now you’re acting all weird. You haven’t danced with me since I was like ten. I just want to know what’s going on.”

  “I’m in a good mood for once,” he countered. His tone was clipped this time, like I had said the wrong thing.

  I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. I had to go and open my fat mouth. This was supposed to be the moment when I nodded and smiled, and pretended he wasn’t being a complete nut. I was supposed to close my lips.

  But I didn’t.

  “Tell me,” I pushed.

  “Drop it. We can talk about this later.” He glared at me. “It’s not the time or the place. You should just be happy that we’re out having a good time tonight.”

  I huffed. “I knew it. I knew something was up the moment you let me out of prison.” That’s what I called my house, just not usually out loud and in front of Fox.

  “The fuck.” He stopped moving, and I wished for the life of me that those words had never left my mouth. “Why would you say that? You’re safe there.”