Odis
The next morning, Gemma’s just as weird as she was last night.
I spent some time with Denver after we got home, wondering what we’re supposed to do about her. I’ve never met anybody so determined to push me away. People don’t push us away. They know how lucky they are to even be in our presence.
Not her.
We decided to offer to help her with her car. If she’s desperate for work, it means she needs the money for some reason. She obviously wouldn’t have extra to get her car fixed before she even starts working. If she had come out of her room once we got home, we would’ve said something to her about it then. Maybe it would’ve helped her sleep a little better, knowing she doesn’t have to go through this alone.
Instead, I spent the night staring at the ceiling, wishing I could go down the hall to her room. Wishing I could get into bed with her. Not even for anything sexual—though it wouldn’t have hurt, especially with my dick throbbing at the thought of her. I would’ve told her she’s not alone. I would’ve held her so she’d know she doesn’t have to do everything on her own.
I guess getting bullied like she did, left her feeling like an outsider no matter where she goes. She must’ve learned to get by on her own after not being able to trust anybody at school. Knowing we played a part in that makes me hate that version of myself—the one that didn’t have the balls to admit how she made me feel. Even reminding myself, it was a way to avoid causing shit with Denver—since he wanted her, too—doesn’t help.
That’s why I’m more determined today to get through to her. I don’t know what it’s going to take, but she’s worth it.
Linda knocks at her bedroom door, offering breakfast, but comes downstairs alone. “I’m worried about her,” she murmurs to Richard, who looks up from his paper with a frown.
“You know how girls are,” he replies before going back to whatever he’s reading. I want to ask what that’s supposed to mean but decide it’s not worth the argument.
Linda glances between Denver and me. We’re eating the pancakes she just made. “Did something happen yesterday when we weren’t here?”
I’m careful not to look at my brother. That’ll make us look guilty. “Not really. I thought it was cool when she came outside to hang out with us,” I offer with a shrug.
“Yeah, it seemed like she was starting to loosen up,” Denver adds.
“What about when you ran into her and went to dinner?” Linda sits down with us, and I can’t help feeling sorry for her. Not only because she’s so worried, but because she believes we magically ran into her daughter last night. I wouldn’t call her stupid. Gullible, maybe.
“It went fine. Maybe she’s upset about the car,” Denver suggests. Gemma couldn’t lie about that, not when the car’s missing from in front of the garage. I can tell Linda wants to believe that’s the reason, even if it doesn’t seem to match the way her daughter’s acting.
“We’ll bring her around. Don’t worry about it.” Dad shoots me a grateful look, and it reminds me how much he cares about Linda. It only makes sense that he would care about her daughter, too, even if he’s always been sort of hands-off.
After breakfast, I go upstairs. I can always unlock her door if I have to, but when I try the knob, it turns easily. “Gemma?” I poke my head in, half-hoping she’ll be naked or halfway there.
She’s not in the room. The sound of her shower running tells me why. The door between the bedroom and bathroom is only open a crack, and I doubt she could hear me over the water anyway. It leaves me feeling free to wander her room a little. She’s a puzzle I’m trying to put together, and I’ll take all the help I can get.
Her closet door is open, and I notice her suitcases are on the floor outside it. What are they doing out? I reach out and run my hand over the things hanging inside. They are all so dark, except for a few random pieces. She deserves to wear clothes that’ll show her off and draw eyes her way—then again, no. I don’t want any other guys getting the idea they’re entitled to look at her.
Her top dresser drawer is open. I can’t help myself. With one eye on the bathroom, I go over to it and take a look inside. Fuck me, her panties are strewn around, all silky and lacy. I can’t help reaching inside and picking up a pale pink thong, holding it to my nose. Even clean, there’s a hint of her pussy clinging to the crotch, and I breathe in deep, closing my eyes.
The shower goes silent, and my eyes open again. Shit. Rather than tossing the panties back in the drawer, though, I cram them in my back pocket a second before the door opens and steam billows into the room.
She jumps with a gasp when she sees me standing in the middle of the room. “What are you doing in here? Do I need to get a padlock?”
“It wasn’t locked, to begin with.” I’m having a tough time not staring at her in the towel she wrapped around her dripping body. Her hair is hanging loose, water dripping down her chest and arms. Now I know what I’ll be thinking about when I jerk off later with her panties wrapped around my cock.
“What are you doing in here? Spying on me?” She crosses her arms over her chest like it matters. Like I couldn’t peel that towel off her if I wanted to. I might even try if Dad and Linda weren’t downstairs.
“No. I wanted to come in and ask how you’re doing.” When her head tips to the side and her eyes narrow, I spread my arms in a shrug. “Whatever. Don’t believe me.”
“I’m fine. Why are you hovering over me like this?”
“Because you don’t seem fine.” I jam my hands into my pockets. “We were thinking, if you want a ride back to the mall, we could call a tow truck from the dealership we usually do business with and follow them over. The guys over there could take a look at what’s up.”
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. What is it with her? I’m being as sincere as I can, and that still isn’t enough. “It’s not weakness to accept help when somebody’s offering it, you know.”
“Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Rogers.” She rolls her eyes. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll figure it out.”
I pin her in place with an angry stare. “Here’s another lesson—refuse help enough times, and people stop giving a shit about you after a while.” I wish I could be really angry, but there’s still too much heat running through me when I imagine all the things I could do to her without the parents around.