“I swear to you that I didn’t do what they said. I’ve been completely consumed by you. All I ever do is think about you.”
“I know. I’ve been completely consumed by you too.”
His smile returned. “I can’t believe how lucky I am. Now, about that predicament. I think I can probably assist you with that.” He lifted off his t-shirt and dropped it onto the kitchen floor.
I’d never get tired of seeing him like this. He wasn’t the lucky one; I was. I ran my fingers down the crevices in his abs. I still felt that spark of electricity run through me every time we touched. I thought it might go away once we didn’t have to hide our relationship anymore. The sneaking around, the excitement, the forbidden dynamic. But it was still there. And I wasn’t sure that I wanted it to ever disappear.
He leaned forward and kissed me. Softly at first and then more passionately, sending shivers of desire down my spine. I clasped my hands behind his neck as he pulled my ass to the edge of the counter.
I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I unwound my hands from his neck and grabbed my cell.
“Don’t answer it.” His lips drifted to my neck.
“But it’s probably Melissa.” I turned my head away from him so I could see my screen. “She’s here.”
“Maybe you should tell her to come back.”
“James, she walked here.” I put my hand on his chest.
He sighed. “Her timing is impeccable.” He leaned down and grabbed his shirt as I slid off the counter.
My phone buzzed again. “She’s at the front desk. They told her we weren’t here.”
James laughed. “Oh, right.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called down to the front desk. “Is there a Melissa down there asking to come up?” James put his hand over the receiver. “Is her last name Monroe?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, please let Melissa Monroe up. Thanks, Ben.” James put his cell phone back in his pocket. “So, what can I expect today?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,” he said as he wrapped his arms around me, “every time she’s seen me, she’s been mad at me.”
“No she hasn’t.”
“Yes, she has. She hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She doesn’t even know you. Maybe tonight she can finally get to know you better. I want you two to be friends too.”
“I’ll try to be super charming.” He flashed me a smile.
“Yeah, I don’t think you need to try to be charming. It comes quite naturally to you.”
A dinging noise sounded through the apartment. James nodded his head toward the elevator doors and released me from his embrace. “I’m probably going to need another shot.” He grabbed the bottle off the counter and poured vodka into his glass.”
I laughed and went to go let Melissa in.
As soon as the doors open, she ran out of the elevator and gave me a big hug. “Where the hell have you been? How are you feeling? How’s your head? I can’t believe everything that’s been going on…” her voice trailed off as she released me from her hug. “Oh my God. This place is amazing.” She walked past me and toward the windows all along the back of the apartment. I had never really seen her awe struck before. She folded her arms across her chest as she looked out at Main Street below.
“It’s pretty awesome, right?” I asked as I walked up next to her.
“I didn’t even know Main Street could look this pretty.” She turned toward me. “No wonder you’re never at our dorm any more. This place is amaze-balls. I might never leave either.”
“Amaze-balls, huh?” James said as he walked up behind us. “Hi, Melissa, how are you?”
Melissa openly rolled her eyes as she turned around. “I’ve been better, James.”
“Oh. I’m sorry…”
“You’re sorry? Yeah, you should be. You know what? You and I need to talk.”
James’ eyebrows lowered slightly. “About what?”
“You know what.”
“Hey, Melissa.” I put my hand on her arm. “Maybe you and I can talk real quick? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Yeah, which is another thing I want to talk about. But first I need to talk to your boyfriend.”
Geez. I just wanted to have a fun night.
James looked over at me. But all I could do was shrug. I had no idea what Melissa was upset with him about.
“If something is bothering you…” James started.
“Bothering me? Of course something is bothering me. Don’t you remember our conversation the first time we met?”
“I remember that it was rather one sided.”
“Very funny. But you promised me that you wouldn’t hurt her. And do you know what you did that very night? You broke up with her. So yeah, you could say that’s been bothering me. You lied to me.”
“I don’t think you understand the circumstances.”
“Oh, no, I do. Penny told me that she didn’t tell you she was a sophomore. Which doesn’t seem nearly as bad as having a secret wife.”
“I know I messed up. But Penny has forgiven me for that. For both things. And I was just…”
“Right,” Melissa said, cutting him off again. “You were trying to protect her or some crap like that? Well I don’t buy it. Because this whole thing,” she said pointing down to the news trucks. “That doesn’t protect her at all.”
“Penny and I both want this. The way people are reacting is not my fault.”
“Yes it is. Of course it’s your fault. You can’t cheat on your crazy ex wife with a student and not expect things to blow up. You’re like a celebrity.”
“I’m not a celebrity.”
I started laughing. I started laughing and couldn’t stop. And then James started laughing at me laughing.
“What is wrong with you guys?”
We both continued to laugh.
“Oh my God. You’re drunk, aren’t you? That’s your drunk laugh.” Melissa turned toward the kitchen. The bottle of vodka was still open on the counter. “Is that what you’ve been doing holed up in here?”
I couldn’t seem to stop laughing.
“Stop laughing at me,” Melissa said.
“I’m not laughing at you. I’m sorry,” I said, still giggling.
“Whatever, I can’t even judge you for this whole underage drinking mess you have going on. Josh gets me alcohol all the time. One of the many perks of dating an older man. Or super old,” she said and looked at James.
“I’m not super old. I’m only 27.”