One Week Girlfriend (18 page)

“I grieve and it’s full of guilt. It’s
my
fault my baby sister got inside the pool area and drowned. I was supposed to stay outside and watch her but I—I didn’t. I thought the gate was closed.” He thrusts both hands through his hair, clutching at the dark strands as he stares unseeingly at me. “It’s my fault
and
her fault.”

“Her fault? Do you mean Vanessa?” She was practically a baby! How could he say that?

“No, fuck of course not.
Her
fault. God.” His voice catches on a sob and I realize tears are streaming down his cheeks. Seeing them, seeing him so distressed makes my heart ache, but I’m afraid to go to him. Afraid he’ll only push me away and I can’t stand the thought of that. Him grieving alone, thinking this is somehow all his fault and whoever else’s.

I’m so confused. And honestly?

I’m afraid to ask.

“Tell me what happened,” I demand, deciding to be brave and face this head on. “How did your sister die?”

Drew wipes furiously at his face, banishing the tears as we head back toward Vanessa’s gravesite. I give him a moment, sitting on a bench nearby. The tree branches above my head wave with the wind, and I shiver beneath my too-thin coat, watching him as he begins to pace directly in front of me.

“I was outside. Hanging out with my dad and enjoying the sun. That Thanksgiving break, it was warmer than usual, and I was riding high after doing so well during my first year on the team.” His voice trails off and he looks lost in thought. “Adele had been gone most of the day, shopping for Christmas presents. She asked my dad to watch Vanessa and we were playing with her. She’d run back and forth across the back patio, giggling nonstop. It took her awhile to warm up to me, you know? Because I wasn’t home much, but I always got her to come around.”

I say nothing, letting him take his time to tell this story. He needs to get it out, no matter how painful it must be for him to relive the day. I’d rather comfort him and tell him we’ll talk about it another time, but when?

“My dad got a phone call. He’d been working on a big merger that had taken him months to put together and he had to take the call. He told me I needed to watch Vanessa, never let her out of my sight and of course, I said I would.” He released a shuddering sigh and closed his eyes. “She played hide and go seek with me and we were laughing, I was teasing her. I knew my dad wasn’t too far off, I could hear him talking on the phone.

Adele was suddenly at the door and she asked me…she asked me to come inside with her. I told her I couldn’t, that I had to watch Vanessa and she convinced me Vanessa would be fine. My dad was right there. And he was, I swear he was. So I went in and…and Vanessa somehow got inside the gated area that surrounds the pool and she fell in. Turns out my dad had walked to the front of the house but I didn’t know it then. He didn’t realize I left Vanessa alone. I thought he had her and he thought I had her…”

Drew fell apart. Literally crumpled to the ground on his knees in front of his sister’s grave, his shoulders heaving as he hunched over the gravestone as if in prayer. “I’m sorry. I fucked up and I’m so goddamned sorry.”

I went to him. Got down on my knees and wrapped my arms around him as best I could. He turned into me, slinging his arms around my neck and pressing his face against my chest. I could feel the dampness of his tears against my skin and I stroked his head, my fingers tangling in his hair as I tried my best to soothe him.

We sat like that for long, silent minutes. His body trembling with emotion as he quietly cried against me. I let him, felt the tears and the sadness well up inside of me too, and I cried with him. Silent tears that purged me, connected me to Drew as I felt his raw, all encompassing grief and pain.

This isn’t all that plagues him, I know. I can sense there’s more, much more and he’s holding back for fear I might freak out. Or worse, think less of him.

It has to do with Adele. And I think I know what it is.

I’m just not ready to face it yet.

~* Chapter Twelve *~

Day 6 (Black Friday), 11:00 p.m.

It’s the people who know you the best that can hurt you the most.
 
– Drew Callahan
 

Drew

I’m desperate to lose myself in her so I can forget.

After the cemetery, we grabbed some fast food for lunch, then headed back home. There wasn’t much talking between us, and I couldn’t have held a conversation if I tried. I’m exhausted, both emotionally and physically, and she knows it. Fable doesn’t push, doesn’t ask for any explanations unless she deems it necessary.

Like her asking what happened the day Vanessa drowned. Hard to believe, but it felt good getting everything off of my chest. I’ve never talked about my sister’s death with anyone. Not my parents, no one. I’ve held that inside me for two years and once I started talking, it was like a dam broke.

I cried. I mourned. I told my story and was so damn thankful when she didn’t flinch, didn’t condemn, didn’t judge. She just held me and let me cry, like I’m some sort of big baby.

Damn it. I refuse to judge myself, get down on myself for having fucking emotions. I lost my baby sister on my watch. I have every right to cry and rage if I want.

We slept the
rest of the
afternoon away. Together. Curled up in the middle of my bed, our arms slung around each other, a blanket drawn up over us. The afternoon through most of the evening we remained like this, and I knew we both needed it. Neither of us has slept much this week while in Carmel.

We leave tomorrow, the day my family is acknowledging as the two-year anniversary of my sister’s death. I’m glad to get out of here, but unsure what life’s going to bring Fable and me when we get back home.

I’m afraid what I might do. What she might do. What we both might do together to screw everything up.

My cell pings and I know without looking who it is. My dad or Adele, the very last two people I want to talk to. I scoot over and sit up, reaching for my phone. The lamp on the dresser across the room is still on, casting out its dim glow. Glancing at my cell, I see that yep, it’s my dad who sent the text and just as I’m about to read it, the phone starts to ring. Again, it’s my dad.

“Sorry I haven’t returned your calls,” I immediately say, feeling bad. He’s having a tough time of it too, and I shouldn’t shut him out, no matter how easy he makes it.

“Don’t you dare hang up on me.” Fuck, it’s Adele.

“What do you want?” I keep my voice low, trying my best not to disturb Fable but she rustles under the blanket, turning away so her back is to me.

I have no idea if she’s awake or not, but I have no plans in saying anything to Adele that Fable might question later. It’s bad enough I confessed what happened with Vanessa today. No way can I dump any more on her.

“You’re coming with us tomorrow, right? To Vanessa’s grave?”

“I went already today.”

Dead silence answers me and I say nothing in return. I’m not going to be the one who says something first. I’m tired of being at this woman’s bidding. It’s gone on far too long.

“Did you go with her?”

“I did.”

A hiss escapes her. “How dare you bring her to my little girl’s grave.”

“She’s my sister, damn it. I can bring my
girlfriend
to her grave.”

“She’s not your…
God.
” Adele seems to choke on her words. “You’re coming with us tomorrow. I need you there.”

“We leave tomorrow. I can’t. That’s why I went today.” Not exactly true, but the explanation works.

“You’ll disappoint your father.” She lowers her voice, until it sounds like she’s almost crooning to me. “You don’t want to disappoint him, do you? You’re always such a good boy, Andrew. You always do what I say. What I ask from you.”

My skin is literally crawling at how she’s talking to me and I close my eyes, take a deep breath and pray I don’t fall apart. Yet again. I’ve been on a nonstop emotional bender since I came back here. I knew it would be bad. I didn’t expect all this, though. “I’m not going with you, Adele. It’s time to cut the ties for good.” I hang up on her before she can say anything else.

I look at Fable to find that she’s rolled back over so she’s facing me again, those intense green eyes watching my every move. My stomach bottoms out and I wonder how much she heard.

“She giving you a hard time?” she asks softly.

I nod. Don’t say a word.

Pushing the blanket off her body, she gets up on her knees and comes to me, resting her hands on my shoulders, her face in mine. Her lids lower and she stares at my mouth, I can see the rapid rise and fall of her chest, feel the comforting warmth of her touch. This girl, she just…

Does it for me.

But I don’t know how to put it in words and tell her.

“Thank you for everything today,” she says, surprising me.

I frown as I reach out and tuck a strand of silky hair behind her ear. “I should be thanking you for all that you did for me.”

“Yes, you should.” A tremulous smile curves her lips. “But I wanted to thank you for being so honest. For telling me about your sister and sharing that part of your life with me. I know it wasn’t easy.”

My fingers linger on her soft cheek and I stroke my thumb back and forth. “Thank you for being there for me. Listening to me.”
And holding me in your arms and letting me cry.

She crawls on top of me, her legs on either side of my thighs and I automatically grab her, splaying my hands across her perfect ass and hauling her in close. God, she feels amazing like this, nestled up so close against me you couldn’t fit a slice of paper between us. “Drew.” Her voice is whisper soft as she leans in and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. “This is our last night here. Together.”

My body hurts at the realization. This is it. We go back to our regular lives come tomorrow evening. I can’t wait for this torture to end, yet knowing that I won’t have Fable pretending to be my fake girlfriend any longer…

That stings. More than I care to admit.

Sliding one hand up her back, I slip it beneath her sweater so I’m caressing bare, smooth skin. She trembles beneath my touch as she leans in, her hair falling all around our faces, her lips hovering just above mine. I know what she wants.

I want the same thing.

Tilting my head back against the headboard, I cup her nape and pull her in, our mouths meeting in a soft, lingering kiss. I sneak my tongue out and lick her upper lip, trace the edge of her lower lip, savoring her sweet, decadent taste. A little moan escapes her and I take the kiss deeper, clutch the back of her head harder as I plunder her mouth with my tongue.

I’m overcome with my need for her. I’ve never felt this way before and memories flood me of our night together. When she so selflessly brought me to orgasm and never asked for anything in return. I want to do the same for her. Give her whatever she wants, whatever she needs from me. I want to be with her, our naked bodies entwined all night long.

We slept all afternoon until late into the night. I also need to make sure she wants this. Wants me…

“Are you hungry? I mean, we only just woke up.” I say this after I break apart from her kiss, my lips tingling and already eager to be back on hers. I think I’m trying to give her an out, I don’t know. Which is so stupid, but I don’t want us to get in too deep only for her to back off.

I know I’m ready. But is she? Really?

Pulling away from me, she reaches for the hem of her sweater and tugs it up and over her head, tossing it onto the floor. She has on a simple white bra, trimmed with lace and the tiniest white satin bow in the center. So innocent and sweet looking, though my thoughts are far from that as I stare at her, contemplating how I can get her out of that damn bra without looking like I’m moving too fast.

“I’m hungry for you,” she whispers, her eyes glowing, her swollen mouth glistening from our kiss. “Take off your shirt, Drew.”

Without hesitation I reach for the bottom of my shirt and tear it off, leaving it beside me on the bed. Her gaze never leaves mine as she wraps herself around me, her legging-covered legs curving around my waist, her arms going around my neck. She buries her hands in my hair and I close my eyes, absorbing her scent, the feel of her warm body so close to mine. Our upper bodies are skin on skin, her bra the only barrier, and the satiny smooth fabric arouses me further as she brushes her chest against mine.

As our mouths find each other, I’m overwhelmed with emotion for this girl. I’ve craved this connection with her for days. Hell, I’ve craved this sort of connection with someone for years, always too afraid to believe in it.

But I’m a believer now. Thanks to my one week girlfriend.

Thanks to Fable.

Fable

Drew Callahan truly has the most beautiful male body I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve laid eyes on more than my fair share of masculine bodies.

I’m so distracted by his ever-persistent mouth locked with mine that I finally break away from his kiss, happier to soak up all of this exposed muscle and sinew first. Last time we were together, we were shrouded in darkness. Too scared to look at each other for fear of what we really might see.