You’re the one he’s interested in, how do you feel about him?” she asks.
***
(Mikey)
As De and I drive home from the gallery, we discuss the night. I can’t help feeling guilty for leaving Luke at home, knowing it was a special night for her and he would have liked to have been a part of it.
“I feel bad , too, but I think it was the right thing to do,” De says.
“I know . Besides, you’re gonna tell her tomorrow that Luke is back, right?”
“Yes. I’m nervous. We made plans to grab something to eat before your game. I’ll talk to her then.”
I open the door for her as she steps into our condo. I’m finding it hard to peel my eyes away as she bends over in her clingy, red, satin dress to take off her heels.
“God, I can’t wait to get out of this dress ,” she says as she turns her back to me, holding up her silky smooth dark brown hair, waiting for me to unzip her.
I’d like to be the one helping her out of the dress completely. I fight the urge to touch the base of her neck with my mouth as my fingers slowly glide down her back, unzipping her dress. I take pleasure at the sight of goose bumps forming in the area my fingers trace. My hand lingers on the small of her back and she doesn’t move. I debate on whether to turn her towards me, but I end up backing down and stepping back. I’m rarely afraid of anything. This thing between us scares me. Does she feel it? I need to know more about this other guy before I make any type of move to acknowledge the feelings I’m starting to finally realize that I have for her. She’s been with him for a while now and the last thing that I want is to ruin something for her if it’s what she really wants.
As she heads into my room to change, she notices that Luke’s bedroom door is open.
“Mikey, Luke’s not here,” she calls out with concern.
“He’s not? He said he might meet a couple of the guys to grab something to eat ,” I answer casually. “Do you want a drink?” I call from the kitchen.
“Yeah, if you have one.”
I pour a glass of wine for her and grab a beer for myself as she comes from the bedroom, looking just as sexy in her comfortable clothes.
“Let’s sit on the patio ,” she says.
I hand her the drinks and tell her I’ll be out in a second after I change into shorts and a t-shirt. When I return, she is sitting on the lounge chair, rubbing her ankle.
“What’s wrong?”
“My shoes were new, they hurt my ankles,” she says, scrunching her perfect face.
I sit on the end of her chair and lift her feet into my lap. I massage her feet and ankles, reveling in how good I feel when she is near me.
“Oh my God, that is awesome,” she says, smiling.
“See, if you moved to Florida, I’d do this for you all the time ,” I say, teasing her.
“You’re going to be sorry. I’ll be taking you up on it because now it’s official ,” she says enthusiastically.
“Get out ! Really? When?”
“I swear, ask JJ. I don’t like it there. I broke down last week, laid it on extra thick to my dad and you know them, they felt horrible that I was so unhappy, so they agreed to let me transfer to USF next semester.”
“You’re a baby ,” I tease. She pushes me. “I’m kiddin’, that’s awesome. It’ll be great, you gonna stay with us?”
“No. I wouldn’t want to crowd y ou.” She laughs. “I’m moving in with JJ.”
“C ool. Wait a minute… what does Jerk off, I mean Jeffrey, have to say about it?”
She roll s her eyes and shoves me again. “Basically, he gave me an ultimatum.”
“Are you serious? Please tell me you dumped his ass.”
“I’m still moving, aren’t I?”
“Good. I thought he was an asshole anyway.”
“What is your deal? You say that about every one I go out with.”
“I know. You have shitty taste in guys.”
“Look who’s talking. Who’s got worse taste than you?”
“Totally different. I don’t fall in love with everyone I date.”
“That’s because you don’t love
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