She pushed her thick black-rimmed glasses back, prickly as she wearily glanced towards Blair and Vivienne hovering behind me. “I’m kind obligated to drop by since you’re, like, the only friend I have in school.” She awkwardly grinned. “Sorry I didn’t come dressed as something or someone. It’s hard to dress a two-hundred-pound beluga and pass it off as something non-humiliating.”
My face contorted at the sound of her criticizing herself. She did this, quite often, too. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling yourself that, Ginny? Berating yourself won’t make you feel any better. As for dressing up, don’t worry about it. It’s Blair’s idea,notmine.”
Vivienne and Blair came over to greet Ginny. They’ve met a few days ago at the coffee shop where Ginny works right outside the school. Ginny was still hesitant to warm to the girls she categorized as “superficial Barbie’s.” She cataloged me in the same category up until two weeks ago when she and I became research partners. She’d had to live with bullying from the likes of us, and I couldn’t truly blame her for it. Blair sure did give off the vibe, so it was truly understandable. Hopefully, the more she and I got to know one another, the more she’d see that not all privileged kids were a hateful bunch. My friends and I most of the time took things for granted, but we weren’t unkind. True, Blair had the tendency to go off screeching like a banshee, but she was good where it countedthemost.
At first, Ginny appeared critical as she eyed my friends, but the more Vivienne cajoled her to try little sips of different alcoholic beverages, the more they bonded. We knew that if one of us befriended someone, we automatically welcome them with open arms. So, after an hour of her arrival, Ginny began to loosen up and warm to them. Her smiles became genuine, and she even laughed at one of Blair’s usual flair of sarcastic puns. Therefore, when Wyatt and Ethan came round to join us at one of the cozy sectional outdoor settees, we were all enjoying the party. Wyatt sat on the sofa’s armrest right next to me. He kept his distance but remained close to me for the rest of theevening.
Blair, drunk as she was, even had the audacity to get on top of a table and scream her heart out, halting the entire party before ordering everyone to sing a happy birthdaytome.
It was heartwarming to feel loved by the people closest to me. After all, they were all I had. With father’s passing, everything had been a blur. However, my friends had kept me grounded, always reminding me that I wasn’t alone. That no matter what happened in the future, I could always count on them for love and support. Little did they realize, but I sort of teared up a bit. It wasn’t a major ugly cry moment or anything, but my eyes glassed with moisture, beyond appreciative to have them at the most delicate time in my life, when I was in dire need of warmth andaffection.
Right around one in the morning, after seeing Ginny off, Wyatt quietly followed behind, ready to take me back to myhouse.
“Let’s go for a walk.” It had been ages since I felt bubbly, and I wanted to savor it with each passingsecond.
Wyatt cocked his head before pasting an amused smile on. “It’s your birthday, so your wish is mycommand.”
Three inches of heels didn’t deter me from walking a long stretch since most of the homes around here were estates. The air was crisp, the world asleep, and the comfortable silence of the night assuaged my troubled mind. Tall and willowy trees ensconced our well-lit path. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but all of a sudden, I overwhelmingly began to brazenly strut as if I were on a runway before pivoting on my heels and sashaying back towards Wyatt while he applauded, hooting hisapproval.
We were laughing when he suddenly pulled me into his arms, stopping us both, as we stared into each other’s eyes. My throat ran dry seeing what I found in his depths. I barely managed to take a sharp breath before his lips dove tocapturemine.
It was possibly the idea of being wanted after enduring the lectures tonight, the mere fact that I was inebriated, or also how I felt quite happy after weeks of mourning. Whatever my reason was, I kissed Wyatt back with the same hungry, debilitating force. In the back of my mind, Jared’s words echoed deafeningly, but I couldn’t resist Wyatt’s kiss. He was here. He wasn’t fighting his desire for me. Surely, that counted for something,right?
As our kiss deepened, we forgot we were in the middle of the road in the wee hours of the morning.I can learn to love him, my mind jolted me awake, shocking me with its unconsciousthoughts.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” Wyatt paused, our lips barely touching as he cradled my cheek. His body possessively held me. His desire heavily pressed against mystomach.
“I don’t know…Will you be able to behave?” I promised Jared no more men…and yet, I’m beyond tempted to say yes. The thought of going back home to an empty house, a dark bedroom, and a cold bed felt anti-climactic for such a lovelyevening.
A teasing smile stretched his lips. “I can try, but nopromises.”
“Maybe next time, then,” I saidhesitantly.
The wicked smile merely deepened. “Let’s get you home first and decide fromthere.”
My mind ran all sorts of scenarios as I complacently let him lead the way back to my home. His arm was secured around my hips as we trotted along the road. While he happily whistled, I weighed my options. Although sleeping with Wyatt was absolutely out of the question, indulging in a night filled with cuddling wasn’t a crime, either. Had Jared not emotionally pushed me away, confusion wouldn’t rule my brain. But alas, the man crisply stated he was keeping his distance, even though he acted rather jealous about Wyatt having his wicked waywithme.
Minutes passed until we finally reached the gate. I had to use the intercom on the access control pad to connect me to the security station, which was hidden behind the tall quaking aspen trees close to the gate’sentrance.
“Hello?” I croaked out. “It’s me, Gisele. Buzz me in, please.Thankyou.”
“Right away, Miss Weber.” Mike’s voice echoed out of the control pad’sspeakers.
“Thankyou,Mike.”
“Have a good night and a happy birthday as well,” he thoughtfully added before wide expansive dual wrought iron and wood gates began toautomatedlyopen.
“Good night to you,too,Mike.”
Wyatt’s arm hadn’t lessened its grip around my hip as we casually strode towards the long driveway leading to thehouse.
“Can I sleep over, or are you still contemplating?” Wyatt asked the second we stepped into the foyer. The dimmed surroundings made his voice rather too intimate as he placed his other arm around my hip, fully encircling me with his body. Dark eyes gleamed withanticipation.
Trepidation seized me as I pondered my present predicament—Wyatt and my promise of disengaging from this massive flirt. And yet, it was this man who was here, ensuring that I was home safe. The same guy who had done his best to take my mind off my father’s demise. Jared had been absent for the past month, only resurfacing back into my life when it suited him, and he retreated whenever he got the inclination to do so. So why must I put Jared first when I was at the very bottom of his? Was I so heartless that I could begrudge Wyatt this tiny innocuousrequest?
One look at Wyatt’s familiar face cemented a decision for me. “Tonight. That’s it. No more sleepovers after this, got it?” I reluctantly said, “And we’re not going to do anything sexual, so if you’re thinking otherwise, you can shove it somewhere else,thankyou.”
“I’ll be the perfect gentleman,” he swore as we began to stroll towardsthelift.
While Wyatt was pleased with the outcome, my guilt gnawed at me. My promise to Jared couldn’t even survive a full twenty-four hours. Frankly, I felt horrid about it. But the mere thought of being alone tonight simplydauntedme.
This whole sleeping dependency only surfaced the moment Jared had shared my bed every night for a straight month. His warmth and the absolute sense of security and protection he provided during those nights had left a mark on me. Hence, my reluctancetonight.