***
She accepted the bottle of water Mickey offered and gulped down half. “Are you trying to kill me, you idiot?” She gushed. “I’m not doing anything to that man’s penis so leave me alone.”
“Penis. How cute.” Mickey laughed.
“Mickey…” Tanesha groaned. “Shut up before I pour this juice over your head. Listen, I can’t eat all this steak. Take one please.”
Without hesitation, Mickey reached out and picked up a steak. “Your wish is my command, my queen.” He drawled as he bit into the steak, drawing a chuckle from Tanesha.
“Hmm… it’s good.”
“U-huh. It is.” Tanesha said around a mouthful. The food was so good she finished in a short time, drinking half of her pineapple juice with a smile. “That was good food.” She moaned.
“Ever heard the saying, good food, good alcohol, good sex?” Mickey asked, getting to his feet.
“Nope.” Tanesha laughed. “But I’m definitely sticking to just one. The other two, I don’t care for.”
“Sure about that?” Mickey drawled. “The juice can pass for the alcohol. As for the good sex… don’t think you’re fooling me, Tanesha.”
“What?” She gasped, “but I’m not…”
“You’re attracted to him. Admit it.” Mickey taunted.
“I won’t admit any such thing.” She couldn’t meet Mickey’s eye. “I’m not attracted to that beast.”
“Yeah right. You should see yourself whenever he’s around.” Mickey picked up the plate. “The sexual tension is so thick it can be cut with a knife. You two should fuck already if you haven’t.” With that parting shot, Mickey left the room.
“Oh my God,” Tanesha muttered. Was it that obvious? Did everyone know just how much she wanted Skull? “Fuck my life.” She groaned, laying her head on the table. That wasn’t good. She had to make an effort to mask how she felt about Skull. “Oh fuck.” She swore.
After a while, she stood up to go and lie on the bed but froze when she got to it. The magazine that Skull had terrorized her over the night before was lying on the bed…obviously left there for her. Tanesha couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face as she sat on the bed and picked up the magazine. She felt like a kid on Christmas. For a law student, not getting anything to read all that while was killing her. And to get none other than TIME Magazine was a great treat. She read from cover to cover and started all over again.
When Ty entered the room that evening, it was to find Tanesha lying in bed, totally engrossed in the magazine. She looked up and gave him a brilliant smile that caused his knees to go weak. Fuck! That was the first-ever real smile he’d gotten from Tanesha and Ty knew he was in deep shit. Not lingering in the room for even a second, he went right through to the bathroom and closed the door. Hell, just the sight of the girl was driving him to the brink of control.
By the time Ty came out of the bathroom, Tanesha was standing in front of the bed with her arms folded beneath her breasts and an apprehensive look on her face.
“It was on the bed when I came in.” She began in a defensive tone. “I didn’t…”
“I left it there for you. Relax.” Ty said as he headed for his backpack. He pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs and as usual, pulled it on beneath the towel he had around his waist. He didn’t plan on wearing anything else as the weather was rather warm. He’d been told that on the Island, such warm weather was called the ‘warmth before the storm’. They were to expect a storm in the coming days. Well, till that storm hit, he planned on sleeping in as little clothing as he could. When Ty turned around, Tanesha was still standing there, looking agitated. “What?” He asked with a raised brow.
“If you left it there yourself, then why are you angry?” She asked looking up at him, and then quickly looking down again. All that sexy male body was making her confused, Tanesha thought shuddering.
“What makes you think I’m angry?” Ty drawled, walking past her to the bathroom to hang his towel. When he came back, he flopped into the couch and then stretched out. “Oh shit, I forgot the pillow. Could you be a darling and give me one pillow please?” He asked.
Tanesha went to the bed, picked up a pillow, and went to give it to Skull, keeping her eyes off him the whole time. When she felt Skull’s hand close around her wrist, she gasped.
“Thanks,” Ty said. “But you didn’t answer my question. What makes you think…”
“Well, you frowned when you saw me.” She snapped, cutting him off.
Ty raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I see. Would you rather I’d laughed when I saw you?” Ty couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice.
“No, but… you didn’t have to frown.” She said reproachfully.
“I’ll try and remember that next time,” Ty answered smoothly. “Now tell me about what you read,” Ty said pulling Tanesha to sit beside him on the couch, making her gasp.
“But I thought you’d already read it.” She tried to stand.
“Not everything,” Ty said, removing one leg to enable him push Tanesha further onto the couch. Then he placed his leg back down…this time across her thigh, locking her in place. “Tell me.”
Tanesha turned and watched as Skull pushed the pillow beneath his head. Then mumbling something under her breath, that Ty didn’t catch, she leaned down and pulled the pillow from under his head and placed it over his boxer-clad groin.
“Better.” She muttered. “Now, which story do you want to know?”
Ty erupted into irrepressible laughter. He laughed so hard, Tanesha found herself getting irritated. “Oh God, you’re funny,” Ty said with laughter.
“Yeah, I’m Chris Rock,” Tanesha grumbled, pushing Ty’s leg off her and getting to her feet.
“Hey come back…” Ty tried to but just couldn’t stop laughing. “Come on, I…” But he trailed off when he saw Tanesha pick up another pillow and the magazine. She turned on the bedside lamp and went to switch off the main light. Then she went back to him.