ChapterFive
Weston
I watchas Wynter stomps back to her office, the annoyance of my prank eating at her. I’d gotten up from my desk to go grab some food, but waited around long enough to see if she would really come looking for that damn turtle. One of these days, she’s going to murder me.
My stomach growls, signaling the need for food. I run up the road quickly to grab a sandwich from the deli. Something easy.
Not soon after my return, I’m called to the principal's office and promptly bitched out for my asinine behavior and reminded me that stealing people’s shit is juvenile and quote “unacceptable.”
I don’t think anyone could hate me more, but you know what they say about love and hate. It’s a very fine line. Now, I’m not saying that I’m in love with Wynter or anything close to it, but I’ve never wanted to storm the castle and pick away the ice sculptures one by one before her. She’s the first woman who’s made me feel in months.
Yeah, I’ve dated throughout the years, but my last long-term relationship had ended on bad terms. She’d told me I should party and enjoy life because of my padded bank account, that I needed to have more fun with her, instead of working. But I was ready to settle down and give up my partying ways. So when I finally told her what I wanted, she left. Right afterward I’d found out she’d been cheating on me with someone else.
I had family money. She was right about that part. If I didn’t want to, I really didn’t have to work a day in my life. But something about coming into the office every day made me feel like I had a purpose. Like an integral part of becoming an adult.
Plus, I didn’t enjoy the thought of dicking women like other party boys did, because they were also the ones who ended up in tabloids for STDs or unplanned pregnancies. I did, however, flirt.
The highlight of my day is making the delightfully frigid Wynter Carlisle melt open a little further. One of these days, I’ll seep into her veins and heat up that icy outer shell. I’m dying to know what lies inside. Is there even a heart in there? Maybe she’s like the lion fromThe Wizard of Oz, wanting a heart.
For the next week, we move like ships in the night. Passing each other, but barely interacting. I don’t miss the stolen glances or the way her skin flutters to life when I pass by her too closely. Nor do I miss the light flush of her cheeks when I wink at her. Or the glares she launches like cannons every time I whisper to her she wants me in passing.
“Weston!”Reece shouts from a low-slung booth in the back of Billy’s, our favorite hole in the wall place to visit. He’d talked me into a drink after the hellish day I’d had. So, I’m taking tonight to kick back, drink some excellent tap beer, and flirt with a sexy woman or two.
A small band sets up on stage reminding me it's live band night. Dancing girls grinding on you… perfection. Despite trying to rub Wynter out of my mind like a pubescent teenager, I’ve been unsuccessful, so hopefully, there’s a chance to let loose with someone else and just enjoy the company.
Reece has procured a drink for himself already, and I turn to flag down a passing waitress. She takes my order and scurries away. “How was work, man?” He reaches out to fist bump me - some real bro love.
“Same shit, different day. Wynter was her typically charming self.”
He looks around me for the waitress. “You grab a beer yet? Sounds like you need one.”
“Oh yeah, she left to get one.”
The waitress comes back with my beer rather quickly, and I raise it to clink with his. “Cheers.”
Reece and I became quick friends about a year into my schooling at Yale. Like me, he’s a trust fund baby. Unlike me, he doesn’t feel the need to work. He very much enjoys his uncomplicated life, where the toughest thing he has to decide for the day is which shirt to put on or which video game to start with first.
“So, I’ve been thinking about this animosity between you and Wynter. I think I know exactly how you two should handle it.”
This should be good.
“Oh yeah, and what do you suggest?”
“You guys should sleep together. Get all that angry lust, mixed with the pent up frustration and take it out on each other, naked. The sexual tension when you two are in the room together...man, I gotta be honest, it’s strangling. I thought this would be a phase, but it’s still the same, if not worse.” The mock-stern expression on his face gives me a chuckle. We are at each other’s throats every time she comes over to go out with Addison.
“Although I think it’s a superb idea, I doubt the Ice Queen would go for it. She’s too uptight to let loose and have a casual hookup relationship. Who knows if she could even have a genuine one? She’s just so…. cold.” I shake my head.
“Judging by every time you guys are together, I’d honestly say she secretly enjoys hating you. It’s like her thing.”
His eyes catch on someone or something by the door and I turn to see who’s attracted his attention. “Adds, back here.” He waves his hand as the leggy blonde makes her way through other patrons to get to us.
“Hey, Weston. I hope you don’t mind me crashing guy’s night out. I really need a cocktail after this day. Rough doesn’t even come close to explaining it.” She leans down and I watch as my best friend reaches up to press his lips to hers in an unnecessarily long smooch. I didn’t realize we’d reached the suck your face off kissing style in public after one week, but who knows what happens after I go to bed.
Not my monkeys, not my circus. I’m happy for the love at first sight thing they have going on. I can’t help but wonder what lies ahead in their relationship.
She smiles over at me, an almost apologetic look crossing her face as Reece kisses her cheek again. “So, I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a friend along too.” My eyes immediately scale the bar, looking for a potential enemy because, in war, you always have to be aware of where the enemy camp lies. She bites her lip nervously and I try tracking her eyes. I assume she’s searching for a friend, but I don’t see anyone familiar.
My heart pounds at the thought she’s brought along the one woman that infuriates and turns me on the most in the world. A vision in black assaults me. She doesn’t wave when she sees me looking.