Finding My Way (28 page)

The opening credits
of the movie begin.  I’d forgotten how gruesome this movie is.  I
turn to
Em
expecting to see her cringing but instead
I see her grinning as she taps her foot to Metallica.  Yep, full of
surprises.

I don’t know how to
respond to that, so I don’t say anything at all, and turn my attentions towards
the TV instead.  I feel slightly offended, to be honest.  “Not like
most girls.”  Not like the girls he dates, I’m sure!  He likes to
keep things casual.  He probably hooks up with random girls all the
time.  Picks up beautiful women for one-night-stands,
really
hot
one-night-stands.  After all, he admitted
that his longest relationship was three weeks!  He already knows about
Josh and me, and the fact that we were anything but casual.  I wonder if
he’s actually interested in sleeping with me at all.  I don’t know him
that well, but I sure as hell could imagine sleeping with him!  It makes
me blush just thinking about it.

Though
I doubt that he’s interested in me in
that
way.
  “Like
hanging out with the blokes” he said.  That and the fact that he keeps
weaving the word friend into our conversations…  Suddenly it becomes
painfully obvious…  Friday night when he said how I would realise what he
was like as I got to know him, maybe that’s all he meant, as a friend.  I
think maybe I read too much into that comment at the time.  He didn’t kiss
me good night and he only does casual.  Earlier I thought he was giving me
a suggestive look, but now… I have a feeling I know where this is heading.

Nick sees me as a
friend.  It’s disappointing when I’m so attracted to him.  But then I
am attracted to Seth too.  It’s not as if I can have them both.  It
wouldn’t be so bad to have Nick as a friend, I guess.  As much as he
irritates me, with his constant embarrassment and flirting (scrap that, I
kinda
like the flirting) he does seem like a genuine nice
guy.  Argh I need to stop over-analysing things and just enjoy the movie
and his company.

About twenty minutes
into ‘
Zombieland
’ I hear Pink playing ‘Get
The
Party Started’ from my bedroom.  That’s the
ringtone I have programmed for Kat.  I run to my room to answer it.

“Hey
Kat.”
  I say as I walk back over to sit on the couch.

“So?  How was
your date with Seth?  I thought you would have called me last night to
give me all the details.” 
Shit. 
I should have just stayed in
my room to talk.  I can’t answer her with Nick beside me.

“It was good. 
Can I call you back later?”

“Why?  Is he
still there?”  She asks excitedly.  “Did he stay the night?” 
She laughs.

“No,” I answer her
more abruptly than I meant to.

“Oh
Em
, I’m only teasing!  I know you wouldn’t do that on
a first date.”  Her comment slightly offends me.  How does she know I
wouldn’t do that,
I
don’t know if I would do that or not.  If
Tahlia
didn’t wake up, would it have gotten that far? 
And I was just contemplating getting physical with Nick, wasn’t I?  It’s
not like I’m a prude!  I don’t have much experience with dating, to know
if I would actually go through with it or not.  I glance nervously at Nick
hoping that he cannot hear the phone conversation at all, and so glad that he
cannot read my mind.

“Kat I’ll call you
later.”

“What are you up to
today?  Do you want to come over for a bit?”

“Ah…” I am at a loss
here.  I don’t know how long Nick is intending to stick around, I look
over at him as he grabs the remote and pauses the movie.  Maybe he is
about to go home already, maybe he’s changed his mind about staying.  “I’m
not sure if I can… I…”  What to say to Kat without embarrassing myself? -
Sorry
Kat can’t talk or come over because I’m watching movies in my pyjamas with a
hunk of a guy that I just met.
  I haven’t mentioned Nick to her at
all, and I know she will have a lot of questions about him if I say that I
can’t come over because he’s here.

“Do you mind if I
grab another?”  Nick asks shaking his empty Coke can at me. 
Good,
he’s not leaving.

“Sure, help
yourself.”  I smile at him as he stands and heads towards the
kitchen.  Then I cringe realising that I have just let Kat know that I’m
not alone.

“
Oh he is there!
”
Kat practically screams down the phone. 
Shit.
  “Seth stayed
the night!  Ooh it must have been a
great
date.”  Without the
noise from the TV, I know Nick will probably be able to hear our phone
conversation and I definitely don’t want to re-hash my date with Seth while
Nick listens.  

“No!  He
didn’t!”  I quickly argue back.

“Bullshit!  You
dirty little slut!” she teases.

Nick pulls the funny
zombie face again as he comes back to the lounge.  I can’t help but let
out a little giggle.  He puts his can on the table and proceeds to drag
his body around the room.  His head is drooping and his eyes are bulging
as his limbs uselessly and limply flail about.

“Stop it!” I
whisper to him with my hand covering the phone, unsuccessfully trying to stifle
a laugh.  He starts to moan loudly.

“
Em
,
are you telling me fibs?” Kat asks.  “It sure sounds like you’re
getting busy with someone over there.” 
Shit, I guess moaning and
giggling would sound like that.

“No Seth’s not here,”
I whisper to her.  Luckily I don’t think Nick hears as he is too busy
stuffing around on the other side of the room when I say that bit.

“Why are you
whispering?  You don’t have to be ashamed, I’m glad you got some!” 
Kat replies.

“I didn’t…” I whisper
again, glancing at Nick.  “
He’s
not…”

“Wait…” I can almost
hear the thoughts ticking over in Kat’s brain. 
“Is.
Seth. There?” she asks slowly.

“No,” I state
firmly.  Nick turns back in my direction and this time he winks and gives
me his million-dollar smile.  I can tell he’s mulling over
something.  Then he suddenly lunges towards me.  He ducks towards the
floor and grabs hold of my ankle and starts to playfully pull on my leg. 
I laugh and try to pull away.

“Argh!
 
No!” I manage to get out amongst a fit of giggles. 
“Stop!”
 
He looks up at me, zombie face still in place and I start laughing
harder.  I lightly tap him in the stomach with my other foot but his firm
grip doesn’t budge.  I hear Kat talking as Nick pretends to nibble on my
ankle, I try hard to listen to her but I am not making out her words.  I’m
too distracted by the feel on Nick’s hands on my bare skin as his pretend
chewing moves up my calf.  When Nick’s stubble gently rubs just below my
knee I jolt from the sensation.

“Tell me!” Kat
demands, bringing me back to the conversation.

“Sorry,
what?”
I murmur breathlessly and blink my eyes to focus.

“I knew you weren’t
listening to me.  I
said
if Seth’s not there, who is?”

“Nick,” I say simply,
while I gave him a shove on his back so he would think I was addressing him,
while secretly I was answering Kat’s question.  I don’t want Nick to know
I’m talking about him.

“Nick?”  Kat
asked.

“Yes,” I answer her
as Nick finally lets go of my leg and sits up on his knees, effectively
kneeling at my feet,
somewhere I really like him to be
.  I try to
avert my eyes from Nick’s sexy dimples as he chuckles at me.  I must be
blushing again.

“Who’s Nick? 
Em
, what’s going on?”

“Kat
please,
can I call you back later?” I plead.

“Okay, okay, I can
take a hint.  But you
better
call me back.  You’ve been
holding out on me!  Who is this Nick guy?”

“I’ll speak to you
later!”  I say in a rush as I squirm in my seat with Nick’s gorgeous eyes
on me.

“Alright!”

“Bye Kat.”  I
say and promptly hang up.

“That was Kat,” I
inform Nick as I place my phone on the table.  He looks at me
questioningly.  “She’s my best friend.”

Zombie
attack
now over, Nick positions himself back on the couch next to
me.  Seconds later I get a text from Kat, I honestly don’t know how she
can type them out so fast.

I send her a quick
reply and I can’t help my smug smile, knowing how she will have to stew on that
for a while.  As soon as my phone hits the table, Nick picks it up. 
I try to get it off him, but he’s too quick for me.

When the corners of
his mouth lift widening into a big satisfied grin, it can only mean one thing,
it’s too late,
he’s
already read the text
messages.  I am mortified!

Not far into the
movie
Em
gets a phone call.  I try not to
eavesdrop on her conversation but I do wonder who she’s talking to. 
Whoever it is, it seems like she’s trying to get rid of them.  When I hear
the name Kat I figure it must be a girlfriend, I mean who would give a guy a
nickname like that?  It seems that this girlfriend doesn’t seem to be able
to take a hint though so I
pause
the DVD and grab
another can from the fridge.

When I get back from
the kitchen I notice
Em
seems to be getting irritated
with this Kat person.  As much as I like
Em’s
irritated look I much prefer her smiling.  So I pull a face at her. 
She lets out a giggle and that is all the encouragement I need to act like an
idiot zombie again.

“Stop it!” she
says when I get closer to her.  I move to the other side of the room with
my arms in front of me, my head to the side and I start moaning, which makes
her laugh.

When I clearly hear
her say ‘no’ to her friend on the phone, almost like an expletive, I turn on
her.  I hesitate for a moment, thinking of my hands off policy, and then
decide to go for it anyway.  I throw myself down to her feet, her petite
and sexy feet with hot pink nail polish on her toes.  Grabbing hold of her
leg, I try to pull her from the couch, but she’s stronger than I thought.

“Argh!
 
No!  Stop!” she squeals through her laughter.  She gives me a
playful kick in the stomach with her only free leg.  I don’t let go of her
ankle though.  I pretend to bite her leg.  That makes her laugh
harder.  When my face connects with her soft skin however, I realise I may
have taken it too far.  I
want
her and if I don’t stop now I may
not be able to.  I want to kiss her leg from little pink toe to high on
her thigh.  I want to stop at her centre.  I want to taste her.

“Sorry,
what?”
 
Em
says down the phone. 
Looking up at her through hooded eyes, I think maybe she wants me too. 
“Nick,” she says pushing me in the back.  I let go of her leg.  I sit
back on my heels staring at her beautiful face.  When her eyes focus on my
mouth, I wonder if she is thinking the same dirty thoughts that I am.

She says goodbye to
her friend and puts her phone on the coffee table behind me.  When she
leans forward I get another good view of her breasts making my breath hitch.

“That was Kat. 
She’s my best friend.”

I take a gulp of
fresh air trying to clear my head.  Sitting at her feet, my head so close
to her knees is probably not the best position to be thinking clearly, so I get
back on the couch beside her, trying to subdue my semi.

Before I even get a
chance to get comfortable, her phone goes off again.  This time it’s a
text message.  Her eyes light up when she reads it.  She types out a
quick reply and the sexy smirk on her face has me curious.  She’s not
texting a guy is she?  She puts her phone back on the table and I only
hesitate for a moment before curiosity gets the better of me.  I grab
it.  As
Em
tries to get the phone from me I hold
it out of her reach.  Looking at the last two texts I read:

Kat:  Just
one more thing & I promise to leave you alone…  This Nick you have
captive in your apartment & have told me absolutely nothing about – Is he
sexy?

Em
: 
Very ;-)

“You think I’m
sexy!”  He hollers excitedly,
then
bites his
bottom lip to stop from laughing.

I feel the blood rush
to my face and just know that I am as red as humanly possible.  I continue
to grab at his arms, trying to take back my phone.

“Give it back!” 
I yell getting angry at him and at my own humiliation.

“No need to be
embarrassed,
Em
.  I know I’m
irresistible,” he jokes as he immediately lifts his arms as protection
from my incoming attack.  I manage to get a good slap on his forearm.

“You really have
tickets on yourself, don’t
ya
?”  I say as I slap
him for a second time.

“No I’m just good with
facts.  Everybody knows how sexy I am.”  Argh!  He makes me so
flustered!  How can someone be so full of themselves? 
Yet be so
damn sexy doing it?

He reaches for the
remote, silently pressing the play button to resume the movie, but he still
doesn’t give me back my phone.

“Can I please have my
phone back?”  I smack him again on his arm.

“Stop beating me
woman and watch the damn movie!” he teases as he grabs hold of my
wrist.  To hide the fact that his firm grip is actually turning me on, I
do as he requests.  I am so aroused by him right now that it is best that
I look away.

It’s so hard to
concentrate on the movie though.  Instead I watch Nick from the corner of
my eye and I can see that he’s still playing with my phone.  I sure hope I
haven’t got any more embarrassing things on there.