"Of course it's okay, it's your house. Do you mind if I shower and get ready first?"
"I'll lead the way." I grab her hand and push the big white french doors open to the Master bedroom and turn her into the bathroom. She flicks on the light and slings her backpack down on the floor.
"I am going to run to the store. You be okay by yourself for a few?" I look at her, she nods, and I pull the door closed. The pipes whine as I hear her turn on the water.
I walk back through the kitchen and grab my phone, wallet, and keys. Suddenly thankful I'm a dude and don't have to have a bag full of things to leave. I fling the door open to the garage and jump in my truck. The engine purrs, and by the time I blink, I'm at the grocery store a couple of miles away.
I buzz down every aisle slinging things in the buggy. I decide to get a little more than we probably need and find myself grabbing things I think Blake will like. I laugh at myself. I am so fucked, I'm pretty sure I would do anything this girl said. I have never been a wrapped around the finger type, but I guess there is a first time for everything. Rounding every aisle in the grocery store, my mind is spacey. I think about Jay, what he will think about Blakely. I haven't ever brought a girl home, so I'm not sure what I'm doing exactly. I'm hoping that he won't freak out.
I pull back into the driveway and bust through the door, grocery bags in hand. I'm a pile in all on in one trip kind of guy. I lay the bags on the Island with a thud, rubbing the red marks that appear on my wrists. I walk back through the house, looking for Blakely. The door to the back patio is cracked, and there she is. She is facing out toward the back yard, her feet crossed up on the table with her pretty purple painted toes. Her long, perfectly curled hair hangs over the back of the chair, and her sun-kissed skin is practically begging to be touched. Realizing I've stood here way too long staring, I push the door open. Her head snaps in my direction with a grin.
"It's about time. I thought maybe you left me here for dead." She laughs.
"No, I bought out nearly the whole grocery store, though. I got a little carried away."
Her eyes widen as she takes in the piles of bags on the counter.
"I hope we aren't cooking all of that tonight." She glides into my personal space and wraps her arms around my neck. I kiss her, almost so greedy I don't want to stop. She pulls away, noticing the time on the stove clock.
"Better get started. It'll be dinnertime soon!" She starts pulling food from the bags.
"You don't have to cook anything. I can take care of it," I offer, and her green eyes cut straight through me.
"Nonsense. I can cook." She says as she makes herself familiar with my kitchen, her bare feet gliding across the floor.
"What's on the menu?" She asks.
"I was gonna make Chicken Parmesan, but there's enough stuff here to make anything you want." I laugh.
"Chicken Parm is good!" She smiles as she gets started. She puts dinner in the oven and starts washing dishes as she goes. Something about her in this kitchen has me mesmerized. The door bursts open, Jay comes in, dragging his newest conquest by the hand. It gets Blake's attention as she turns from the sink, turning it off and drying her hands on a towel. Jay doesn't even make it into the kitchen. He stops in his tracks staring at her like he just witnessed a bigfoot, his girl slamming into his back.
Please don't say anything stupid. Please don't say anything stupid.
"Am I in the right house?" He looks around, confused. "I know she isn't here with your ass." He laughs.
"Jay, this is my wife, Blakely." She bursts into laughter.
"In your dreams, baby." She pats my shoulder and sticks her hand out to shake his.
"I'm Jameson," He replies before turning to his side. "This is Hanna." She is a couple inches taller than Blake and not as petite. The first thing I can't help but notice is how different she is. This is not the type of girl Jameson usually bones. She is reserved, tomboyish, but still very pretty. Her strawberry-blonde hair is straight, and she seems a little shy, unlike the social butterflies he usually brings around. We sit around the table, and everyone makes small talk. The girls are going on about Vampire Diaries, and Jay keeps giving me looks.
"Blakely, this is really good. I can't believe Jud brought a girl in this house." Jay stabs at me. I give him a "shut the hell up" look. Blakely turns her eyes to me like she can't believe there hasn't ever been another woman in this house.
"Thanks, Jameson." She smiles at him and shoves another bite into her mouth.
After several minutes dinner is over, and Blake starts the "clean up crew." Hanna stands to help her load the dishes into the dishwasher. Jay opens the cabinet and searches for the liquor stash. He rolls his eyes at me, and he opens another two finding nothing.
"Judson, can't we just have a little fun? I haven't seen you in weeks. Quit being such an old man." As much as I don't want to babysit his ass tonight with Blake here, I still have a weak spot for him. I nod to the bottom cabinet. He opens it and yanks several bottles out.
"Jackpot." I know his game. He thinks he can get the girls drunk, and they will spill all their secrets. This isn't his first rodeo. He knows exactly what he's doing. The truth comes out at the bottom of 100 proof, and he's going to interrogate Blakely for information. He glances at Blake, then at me.
"Pick your poison, princess." He winks at her, and I feel the fire coming out of my head.
"Blake, he is a dumb kid. You don't have to drink with him."
"Tequila." She pushes the shot glass at him.
"You sure about that?" He asks her, surprised. I am instantly turned on, Jay thinks he is a big shot when it comes to drinking, and something tells me Blake has a past of drowning her sorrows with alcohol. So she can probably keep up. I don't condone drinking for my underage brother, but he will be doing it somewhere else if he isn't doing it here. Everyone downs their first shots, and Jay opens his big mouth.