I was definitely missing something important. I startled when Robbie pushed back from the table.
“Where you going?” I demanded.
“Sorry Elle, first the guy punches me, then I get almost attacked by the other one and now you’re hanging out with Aaron Jonson? I just want a quiet life, yours is too complicated.” And with those unbelievably perceptive words, Robbie left. I sat dumbfounded staring after him. I turned to a chuckling Jay who had reached over and was eating Robbie’s cheesecake with his hands.
“Where did you find him?” he chortled as he licked his fingers.
“Coffee shop,” I muttered, still a little bewildered. Jay laughed at me again and then reached over for my cake.
I stabbed his hand with my fork. He howled but I knew I hadn’t hurt him.
“I may be confused but I am not stupid. I don’t share cheesecake or my pie,” Mortification immediately followed the sentence as he howled his laughter.
It took Jay a good few minutes to settle down. I ate my cheesecake, studiously ignoring him while he calmed down.
When he pulled himself back together, I looked at him. He was still grinning at me. I flushed and soldiered on.
“What’s the big deal about your brother?”
He leaned back cockily again in his chair. I narrowed my eyes at him. His grin got bigger.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about darling,” he answered.
“I’m not worried. I’m curious.” I heard myself snap at him. It didn’t deter him at all, the grin, if anything, grew wider.
“Curiosity killed the cat,” he mocked. I threw my paper napkin at him.
“Good thing I’m not a cat,” I retorted. His grin turned downright dirty. I held up my hand to stop him before he made one joke of the feline persuasion. “Don’t.” I warned.
He laughed at me again and then jumped to his feet. “C’mon, time to go. All the cake’s gone.” I sighed in resignation, it was true, we had eaten all the cheesecake. Good things never lasted I lamented.
He pulled me out of the chair and dropped another kiss on my lips when I was standing. Matt was right, he was too free with his kisses. However, I couldn’t say I minded.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I stooped to pick up my bookbag. He deftly removed it from my arm and slung it over his shoulder.
“Movies,” he answered as he strolled off. I hurried to catch up, when I did, he slung his arm over my shoulder again and pulled me into him. I knew instantly that this was different than the way Matt or Theo walked with me. I mean it was still an arm over the shoulder, but Jay tucked me into him easily. There was no gaping, not a spare inch between the two of us.
“What if I don’t want to go the movies?” I asked as I looked up at him. He paused and looked down at me, his eyes ran over my face, lingering on my lips. I felt the heat creep up my cheeks.
“Well what do you want to do?” He asked me, pulling me closer. My breath caught, his eyes hadn’t left my lips and without thought, I licked them. He groaned as he shifted and pulled me flush against his front. He was staring down at me and I knew he must be feeling my racing heart. I shrugged slightly, I couldn’t think of a word to say.
“Jesus darling, you are gonna straight up kill me,” he moved away much to my disappointment and resumed walking. “Movies,” he declared and hooked me under his arm again.
It took the walk to the movie theatre before my pulse calmed down to normal. My reaction to Jay always confused me. Colton didn’t confuse me. I knewexactlywhat I wanted from Cole and that washim.All of him. Every single bit of him. Jay? I didn’t know if I wanted to be his friend or tear his clothes off.
I was pretty sure that was considered extreme and if I had a girlfriend, she would probably tell me to go with the latter. I was free and single and that wasn’t changing anytime soon. Since the girlfriend’s advice was actually my own, I wasn’t completely sure why I wasn’t following it.
Saturday morning, I woke up smiling. Jay and I had gone to the movies and then he had taken me for a burger. He had walked me all the way home and then ended the night with a very sweet, very soft kiss at the foot of the stairwell. I had gone on a proper date with Jay Jonson. No drama, no nonsense, just me and him and…no pressure.
Ok so I knew it wasn’t perfect. He was free with his kisses but not information. He was as tight lipped about his brother and his activities as the guys were. Jay was just more charming with it. He deflected with such suave confidence that I forgot what I had been asking until I was home or alone again.
Matt and the others, meanwhile, just tended to bite my head off and immediately started lecturing me, whilst still telling me nothing, which made me angry and caused the tension.
The reality was therefore that neither side was talking and in the middle of it all was me, none the wiser. I should just ask Tattoo Neck directly I mused. Though my stomach immediately clenched at the thought. He did scare me a little, but that could be nothing! All the cloak and dagger stuff that was going on, he was probably a lovely guy and my imagination had painted him to be a monster.
He makes Colton fightmy mind whispered. HemakesColton fight. I got the distinct impression Colton wasn’t happy about the situation. Someone who had the power to make Colton Dawson do something he didn’t want to was probably best avoided. I got up out of bed. Yeah, so I wouldn’t be asking Tattoo Neck anytime soon. I didn’t care if that did make me a chicken.
I padded to my kitchen to set the coffee pot on. As my French roast brewed, I made some toast. I needed those slices stone cold before the butter was going anywhere near them. Once breakfast was prepared to my satisfaction, I wandered back to my bedroom and out onto the balcony to enjoy the early morning sunshine.