Pieces of Rhys (8 page)

Just passed you at Smith St. Date over already?

I smirked, practically hearing
Rhys
's sarcasm. My dating other people didn't stop him from popping over from time to time, making my knees turn to mush with his kisses and touch.

How'd you guess? I'm going home to some beer and junk food.

I sent the message and put my phone in my lap when the light changed. The next message came quickly. I stole a few glances at my phone until I got the entire message.

Do you ever eat real food?? Leave the chips alone. I'm going to come cook you dinner. Give me about an hour. No chips!

Cook me dinner? I smiled broadly. No guy has ever cooked me dinner
, unless you counted the steaks Rhys and I grilled together.
Maybe I could skip the cigarette, too.

As I neared my house, my heart fell into my stomach. Gary's car was parked out front. Fuck.

I could have just rolled on by, and wait for him to give up and leave, but this was
my
house. I put the down payment on it when I was only twenty-one years old, and I paid the mortgage and decorated it and made it my own. My house.

As I coasted past his car, I noted that it was empty. The windows were tinted, but the driver's side was down a few inches. Where the hell was he? He couldn't be in the house, thanks to
Rhys
and his lock changing skills. Was he going to jump out from behind a tree? Did he go for a walk?

As I climbed the steps and put my key in the door, I glanced around nervously. I was worried that I couldn't see him anywhere. I pushed open the door and realized with horror that he was in the house. I could hear his heavy footsteps in the kitchen, and as I stood paralyzed in the little foyer, he appeared in the kitchen entranceway.

"How did you get in here?" I whispered. I wasn't sure if he heard me. His face changed from just mean to demonic as his eyes traveled down my body.

"You didn't lock a kitchen window," he said, his voice dark.

"You're insane! You can't just go into someone else's home through an unlocked window. It's illegal!"

"Where were you?"

"Out, like it's any of your business. What are you doing here?"

"To get more of my stuff. You look like a slut."

"Thanks, Gar. I was going for the whole slut look," I snorted and boldly marched into the living room to kick off my heels.

I didn't think I looked slutty. My jeans were skin tight, but my shirt didn't show any cleavage and my makeup was light. I turned around and Gary was towering over me, looking mad as hell. The look was too familiar. I took a few steps back.

Rhys
arrived a little more than an hour later, even after I texted him to cancel. I heard the front door open
and
I
rolled my eyes. Doesn't anyone listen to me?

I sat at the kitchen table with a bag of frozen broccoli on my cheek, and a cigarette in my other hand. I heard his steps falter in the living room, probably assessing the curious mess, before stepping into the kitchen, into my view. He was carrying a couple of grocery bags, but when he saw me, he immediately dropped them on the floor.

"I hope there weren't eggs in there," I said as he took the frozen vegetables from me.

"Lindsey," he sighed and touched the newly formed bruise on my left cheek.

"I had a fight with Gary and the coffee table. I lost in the match with the coffee table, but I think I taught Gary and his balls a lesson."

"What happened?"
Rhys
demanded, as he took ice out of the freezer.

"Long story short, Gary came in through an open window while I was gone, accused me of being a slut and started a fight."

"You should have called the police," he said, handing me a proper icepack.

"Been there done that. He'd be out by morning and restraining orders may as well be marshmallows. I told you not to come."

"I knew something was wrong."

"Spidey senses?"

"Something like that," he couldn't find a smile.

"Look, I know I don't know how to install a door knob or change a light bulb, but I'm not a damsel in distress."

"I know you're not," he said quietly.

"I don't like people thinking I'm weak and need rescuing."

He opened a beer and put it before me. "I don't think that you're weak."

I looked up at him. "But you think I need rescuing."

"Not in the way that you think."

I inhaled the last bit of my cigarette and snubbed it out while
Rhys
started unpacking the grocery bags.

"In what way then?" I couldn't hide my curiosity.

He didn't answer right away, but threw me thoughtful looks as he moved through my kitchen, prepping for the dinner he was about to make me.

"
Rhys
!" I whined after a few minutes.

He managed a small smile before speaking softly. "I think you need to be loved unconditionally, and to be treated with respect, dignity, and...awe."

Awe? What?

I stared at him for a moment, a little in shock, before finding my will to move. I stood up and went to the kitchen sink. My cigs were hidden in a vase on the windowsill. I put the icepack down and fished out another cigarette.

"Well, after the past few dates I had, that's looking bleak," I said, lighting up. "Unless I want to share my panties with Harold or carry a science book around to keep up with Adrian."

Rhys
moved in close to me, plucked the cigarette from my fingers and tossed it in the sink. He looked at me sternly before putting the icepack into my hand.

"Keep the ice on for a little while longer," he said, his breath on my face. Minty.

I wordlessly put the icepack back on my face. He just made me all weak-kneed and didn't even really do anything. I sat back down before I could fall.

"Why are you letting Kit  set you up with these guys?"

"Well, that one guy Luke wasn't so bad," I argued.

"Oh no? Where is he?"

My face contorted at his sarcasm.

"Well, the plenty of fish in the sea thing is bullshit," I said. "The other fish are weird, smell funny, or hooked on someone else's fishing line."

"Maybe you need to narrow down your fishing waters,"
Rhys
said from the stove.

"To what? A pond? That's equal to me sleeping with my brother. Lots of inbreeding in ponds."

"How about a lake?"

"Like a great lake? Or like a swimming hole kind of lake."

"Maybe a little smaller than a great lake. You deserve to be picky about what you want. Don't settle for someone just because they're marginally better than your ex. Know what you want and go find it."

"What I want is moot if he doesn't want me back," I murmured.

Silence fell upon us. He knew I was referring to him. Since the night of my party, over two months ago, my feelings grew exponentially. What was lust and infatuation blossomed into something deeper as our "friendship" also grew. I hid it well, though, and never asked for more than I got, and I also made sure not to sleep with him again. I wasn't exactly sure how I would feel afterward, but I was leaning toward pain.

Sometimes I thought he felt something for me, too. Sometimes after kissing me, he'd look at me with such a powerful expression, it made me want to cry. But then his face would cloud over and he would stop touching me for the rest of the day.

"Do you think Gary will come back?" He asked, shattering the silence several minutes later.

"Oh. I don't know. Probably not."

"He's probably pretty mad about his balls."

"Yeah," I frowned. "I'll just make sure the windows are locked."

"I'll stay tonight. I'll feel better knowing you're not at his mercy."

"That's very valiant of you, kind sir. Hey, my face is numb."

"You can take the ice off," he chuckled.

I threw the icepack in the sink with my wasted cigarette and joined
Rhys
at the stove. He was making some kind of sauce with white wine, and on the back burner, boneless chicken breast cooked in a big pan.

"What are you making me?"

"Chicken in a white wine sauce, and fresh asparagus."

"Yum."

"No more smoking, okay?" He looked at me seriously.

I nodded, mesmerized. It was that look in his eyes again. What the hell.

The moment passed and the conversation changed, but my heart never left my throat.

Chapter Fourteen

"It doesn't make sense,"
Rhys
was saying early the next morning.

"It makes perfect sense."

"You have had my dick in your mouth, but you don't want to share your toothbrush?"

"Yeah, and you using my toothbrush would be equivalent to you putting your own dick in your mouth
," I said pointedly.

"If that's the case then I often have my own dick in my mouth, because I often have my tongue in your mouth."

"Oh," I said, realizing his words rang true. Silently, reluctantly, I handed over my personal toothbrush.

He took it with a triumphant grin. I raised an eyebrow and openly stared at his bare chest and the line of hair that led down to glory. He looked back at me, checking out my bare legs, as I was only wearing a t-shirt.

We slept in my bed after a night of kissing and sensual touching, but no sex. He must have understood my thoughts and feelings on it even though I never verbalized it, because when things started to get hot and heavy, he was the one that pulled away first.

"What's your obsession with using my toothbrush anyway?" I asked.

"It's in your mouth at least twice a day, every day," he said around my brush. "I really like your mouth."

I felt my face redden and my vagina twitch. I turned away and left him in the bathroom. A couple of minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, looking sexy as hell in his lounge pants and no shirt. I couldn't peel my eyes away.

"See something you like?" He asked.

"I may have to take a cold shower," I said huskily.

"That won't help you, baby," he said, closing the space between us. Maybe it was a bad idea to sit on my bed.

"Why is that?" I squeaked out.

"You'll just be cold
and turned on."

"Nuh uh."

He sat down beside me and kissed my neck.

"Yeah, you will. And your nipples will get harder." His hand brushed lightly against my breasts and I almost fell off of the bed.

I jumped up, out of his
clutches.

"No sex!" I reminded him in a shrill voice.

"Using your toothbrush was a major turn on," he said and walked towards me.

"Seriously,
Rhys
," I said, backing away from him.

"You wanted me the night of your party, and I gave you what you wanted. How about returning the favor?" He said with a teasing smile.

I ran out of the room, but
Rhys
caught me around the waist at the end of the hallway. I squealed in horrifying delight as he lifted me and carried me back to my room and tossed me onto the bed. He climbed on me, straddling me and brought his lips to mine. The kiss was deep and passionate and desperate.