Chapter 17- Bad Boys Were Everywhere

I woke to the shrill ringing of my cell phone and the bright morning light shining in between the curtains of my room, interrupting my perfect sleep. I winced and groaned in annoyance, closing my eyes shut tight. I blindly felt around on my nightstand for the annoying little device when it finally quit ringing. I sighed in relief and pulled my pillow over my head to better block out the world around me.

Just when I was settled back into my bed again the stupid phone went off again screaming its loud ringtone. I let out a frustrated cry and threw the pillow off me head and across the room. Without even looking at the number I answered with perfect annoyance.

“What?”

“Well, someone sounds cheery this morning,” Grace said. He voice was barely recognizable.

I sat straight up on my bed. “Uh oh. What’s wrong? You don’t sound good.”

She coughed rather loudly into the phone and sniffled. “That’s because I’m not. I have a cold.”

I grimaced. “I’m sorry. What can I do to help? Hot soup and trashy celeb magazines?”

We both had the same remedy for sicknesses and I’d be willing to swear it shortened the life of anything that ailed you.

She laughed but it could tell it was difficult for her to do so. “No. I’m okay. Surprisingly Deacon’s been playing doctor. He may be my annoying brother sometimes but he sure pulls through when I need him.”

I smiled. “He really does.” I still owed him for caring for me after the not so graceful aftermath of my first and last drinking binge.

 “So…tell me everything that happened last night? I saw you talking to Thomas and he definitely seemed to be smiling around you. Are you two talking? Did he end things with Sara? You two seem to be spending a lot of time together. The beach, school, outside of school….” She trailed of waiting for me to explain.

I shook my head and tried not to laugh. “Nothing happened, Grace. We talked and that’s all. You know his rep. Nothing besides talking will ever happen between us.”

Okay. So that obviously a lie. I totally wanted much more with him and I hated myself for it. Deep down I don’t know how that separated me from the usual sluts he goes for.

That’s because it didn’t. I frowned at myself.

“Oh,” she said sounding a bit disappointed. “Well, crap. I’m supposed to be living vicariously through you.”

“Trust me, Grace. There is nothing particularly exciting about my life at all. I’m sure your life is much more interesting than mine.”

She coughed again. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. I know you’ve had to have seen tons of interesting things at Deacon’s parties.”

“Ugh. Don’t even get me started on that. I mean they’re fun and all, but yuck. I’ve seen some pretty disgusting things too. Nothing worth mentioning other than the hot guys and you’ve seen those.” She was quite for a second before starting back in. “Although, it would be fun to attend another one, wouldn’t it? I think Thomas is planning something right before Christmas break. Think you’ll come?”

“That’s a month and a half away. I have no clue what I’ll be doing then,” I told her.

“But you’ll come if you can?” She sounded very hopeful and I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint her while she was sick.

“Sure. I’ll try,” I relented.

“Good. And who knows, you might meet a guy.”

“I’ve met guys, and so far they’re all toads.”

She blew her nose into the phone and I had to hold it from my ear until she stopped.

“Grace, you sound terrible. You should be in bed resting instead of talking to me,” I said when I placed the phone back to my ear.

“I am and I’m going crazy! Deacon won’t let me out of my room and mom is sanitizing the entire downstairs. She freaks out about germs. You’ve met her.” It was funny how annoyed she sounded. She never had much patience while sick. It’s the only time Grace ever snaps.

She had good reason though. Her mom was a germ freak. If you so much as sneezed in her direction she’d disinfect herself then you. It was ridiculous.

“And where’s your dad? Avoiding the whole mess?” I guessed with a smile.

“Yep. You got it. He’s locked up in his study reading his worn out copy of some Jules Verne book. At least he had the decency to stick his head in the doorway check on me before admitting he planned to avoid me until I was better.”

I giggled at her annoyance. It was hard not to. Grace frustrated was very entertaining.

“I’m sick of the mindless TV shows and the movies in my room. I need a distraction,” she complained.

“You do know that if you actually slept you’d feel much better when you woke up.”

“Thanks Deacon. I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with heavy sarcasm. “Liv, I’ve heard that same thing all morning. You, Deacon, my mom! When will it ever end?”

“When you actually do it!” I stated. I let my eyes drift lazily to my alarm clock next to me and they nearly bugged out of my head. I was off  my bed in seconds. “Crap! It’s almost twelve.”

“Yep. Late night?” she teased as if I’d neglected to tell her something that happened between Thomas and me.

“I left shortly after you did,” told her. “Nothing happened.”

In a muffled voice I heard Grace speaking to someone else in the background and she sound upset. When she came back on the line she huffed out a short rant about her mom and groaned again when someone else entered her room.

“I’ll let you deal with that,” I said. “Call me later to let me know you haven’t killed anyone?”

“Yeah, sure,” she sighed. “Have fun being healthy without me.”

“Sure thing. Get better, Grace.” I giggled hanging up my phone. 

By the time I shuffled into the bathroom, got a shower and dressed, mom decided to come find me. She stood in my bedroom doorway with her pocketbook thrown over her shoulder and a bad of luggage.

“Are we going somewhere?” I asked with the raise of my eyebrow.

“I’m taking your brother and sister to Grandma’s for the rest of the weekend. She hasn’t been doing too well and I thought the company might cheer her up. Do you want to come with us?”

And sleep on the foldout sofa that grandpa likes to sit on every morning to watch the six A.M news? No thank you. I don’t like be woken up at the crack of dawn just so he can curse at the news broadcasters.

“No. I think I’ll hang out around here this weekend. “I’ve tons of homework and to do and I thought I might clean out my closet and get rid of some old clothes.”

Yep. My life was exciting like that.

“And isn’t Dad coming back Sunday?” I reminded her.

She nodded. “He’ll be back before us. We’re coming back Monday. I’m letting the kids have an extra day off from school. You sure you don’t want to come?”

I raised my eyebrows at her. Was she bribing me? Nope sorry. Staying with Grandma and Grandpa wasn’t even worth missing school for.

“I’m sure. You go and have fun. You need to get away from here for a while anyway. It’ll be a nice vacation for you.”

And it would be. Her parents were loaded and the lived right next to the beach. Their house was beautiful and definitely hand everything you could ever want in it. Except for enough bedrooms. That was the only inconvenience.

She nodded and forced a smile. “Okay.” She started to turn away from my room but stopped herself to give me firm warning. “You have the house to yourself, but I have eyes everywhere. We have the neighbors that talk and Ms. Sheppard has agreed to keep on things while I’m away.”

Good ol’ Mrs. Sheppard. I’m sure she and her thirty cats will do everything in their power to keep up safe. Thanks mom.

“Fine,” I said. “I promise no shenanigans while you’re away.”

What could I really do with no life? Read too many books?

When I’d convinced her that I would survive being on my own for a couple of days she finally relented and left. The house was peacefully quiet the moment the door shut behind my family. I smiled to myself. Finally the house was mine.

No brother or sister to drive me crazy. And no nagging from my mom about cleaning my room. Nothing. I think I was going to enjoy this break from them.

Three hours later I was cleaning up the rest of my room anyway, out of sheer boredom, and plopped down on my bed looking through a box of stuff my aunt Anita sent for my birthday last month. I hand’t looked at them since the day they arrived.

I pulled out two lacey matching sets of bras and underwear from a shipping box and laughed. It was exactly the kind of thing Anita would buy. She was definitely the most inappropriate one out of our family.

She’d been married five times and assumed everyone else was as crazy as she was. I loved her though. She was the only one remotely interested in my love life. Though her advice about obtaining a guy was not something I was willing to do. I was nowhere near as confident as her.

My mom always joked that Anita was thirty-two going on twenty-one.  Mainly because she didn’t act or look her age at all. She could easily pass for someone in their mid twenties. She was gorgeous too. Too bad I didn’t inherit any gene of hers.

I tossed the undergarments aside on my bed and got up to dispose of the box. When I returned to my room, I picked up my phone and tried to call Farrah to see how she doing after seeing Blake last night, but received no answer. I also didn’t receive a reply to the text I had sent her after she left the party.

I frowned again. It seemed everyone was busy today except me.

Deciding to go out with what time I actually had left; I threw on my jacket and headed to my car with my keys and bag in hand. I had to find something to do before I went crazy.

I stopped by the handy mart where Ink worked and was surprised to see him there during the day. I thought he was a vampire. Well, not the literal kind, but the kind of person that preferred to live in the night

“Patriot,” he greeted as soon as I entered the place. “I haven’t seen your ass in a while. Where you been?”

Thankfully no one else was in the store and could see me blush. I shrugged as I came to a stop next to him in the chip isle where he was stocking the shelves. “I’ve been around,” I answered him with a smile. “How’s the tattoo parlor coming along?”

I wide grin spread across his face with his reply. “It’s open now. A friend of mine is running it today while I work in this shithole. I still have to keep come up with money to keep thing running until business picks up.”

He was definitely taking advantage of no customers being inside the store. He didn’t mind his language as much when he was alone. I had to hold in my laughter.

“I’ll have to stop by soon.” I couldn’t remember if he gave me directions already and he happily offered them up again.

“…it’s in the same shopping center as Spencer’s. You can’t miss it,” he finished.

“Got it. I can’t wait to see it. And who knows, I just might break down and get that tattoo I’ve always wanted. And I’m sorry I missed the behind the scenes tour before you opened. It totally slipped my mind.”

He placed a few more bags of chips on the shelves and carried the empty box behind the counter. I followed him to the front of the store grabbing a Smart Water on the way to meet him again.

“It’s cool. Just stop by whenever you want and I’ll still show you around.”

I nodded. “I’ll do that.”

After Theo rang me up we chatted for a little while longer until some customers started coming in and then I decided to go.

I made it back home around five and plopped down on my couch in front of the blank TV. I think I was the only person in the world that didn’t have anything to do on the weekend when their parents were out of town. I was truly pathetic.

I jumped in surprise when my phone buzzed in my back pocket. I stared at the screen for a moment while my heart slowed and then answered it. It was Farrah.

“It’s about time you called me back. I was starting to think something happened to you!” I said before I even greeted her.

She giggled. “It hasn’t yet.”

I frowned. Yet?

“What does that mean? “ I asked her.

“Well…long story short, Sara and I trashed Brody’s car.”

I mix torn between utter horror and shock for her came over me. Brody couldn’t have taken that well. Though, I would have loved to have seen his face when he discovered the damage.

“You trashed his car? He’ll kill you,” I told her.

“Well, more like decorated it,” she paused for a second then continued. “…in Bieber and hello kitty.”

“What?” I burst out in laughter. Hello Kitty? That had to be good. The girl was a genius!

She rambled on about how angry Brody was and the pictures they had posted of the car on Facebook. I laughed with her until the amusement finally died down then I subtly emphasized just how bored I was while today.

Maybe Grace and I should be living vicariously though her instead of each other. Her life seemed to be much more entertaining than ours. I suppose that had a lot to do with Brody though. She seemed different, almost happier with him. It was strange.

“Why don’t you come over to Sarah’s so we can give you all the details of today? We’re not really doing anything except watching movies anyway.”

I immediately brightened up at her invitation. Though, I was also a little wary about hanging out with Sarah. She was Thomas’s ex…sort of...I guess. She was cool at the party, but that was a social gathering, this was her house. And I was kind of intimidated by her undefined relationship with the guy I couldn’t seem to get out of my head.

“But I don’t even know where she lives,” I argued. Was that a good enough reason not to go? I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to or not. But maybe it could be fun since Farrah was there.

“Oak Street, the street right beside yours. It’s the sixth house on the right.”

Wow. She’s that close to me?

Well I suppose I didn’t have anything better to do. I might as well go and try to enjoy myself.

“Okay,” I agreed. “I’ll be there in ten.”

We quickly said our goodbyes and I grabbed my keys from the table and left for Sarah’s.

As I got closer to her house I was starting to feel a little nervous. I silently prayed this night would go well and I could keep my jealousy under control. I really hoped they didn’t still have anything going on between them. It was hard to tell with Thomas. He was always so unexpected and unpredictable. I doubt he thought about many things before he did them.

As soon as that thought entered my mind I shook it away. I didn’t want pictures of countless girls hooking up with Thomas in my mind. It did something to my stomach I didn’t like.

I counted the houses after I turned onto Oak Street until I reached the sixth one on the right. It was a medium sized white house with black shutters and a little flower bed around the front of it. It looked very cozy.

 I was relived to turn into Sarah’s driveway to get a break from the person who had been riding my bumper for the last five minutes.  With the night starting to settle in a little earlier every day I was bright lighted the entire time they followed me. It was annoying.

When I made my way up to the door I couldn’t shake the feeling someone was watching me, but I played it off on my nerves. It was ridiculous to even think it. I was just nervous about being there.

I was relieved when Sarah greeted me with a smile at the door and let me inside.

“Thanks for inviting me,” I told her.

“Sure,” she grinned motioning to the couch. “Take a seat. We just started another movie.”

I plopped down next to Farrah on the couch and grabbed a handful of popcorn beside her and popped it in my mouth. My stomach was growling. I was hungry and neglected to eat lunch earlier. It had been a few hours since my last meal.

“What are we watching?” I asked to no one in particular.

“Wrong Turn four,” Sarah said taking her seat with the popcorn bowl in her lap.

My stomach dropped. Uh oh. I’m pretty sure I’d heard of that movie somewhere before and I don’t recall anything good about it.

“Um t-that’s a scary movie, isn’t it?”

I swallowed nervously. I hated scary movies with a passion. Why watch something that’s guaranteed to give you nightmares or make you pee your pants?

At just the thought of it I suddenly had the urge to go pee myself. There is no way I’d ever make it through the movie.

Sarah pressed play on the remote and nodded as the movie continued to play from its left off spot. “I love these movies,” She said as Farrah answered her phone to talk to someone. “I think it’s the intensity of the moment and the stupid characters.”

I giggled at her. That part was true. The characters were often stupid.

Only five minutes into the movie and I was already starting to silently freak out. Maybe coming here was a bad idea after all. Please don’t let some girl get kidnapped and drug through the woods and massacred, I prayed. I did not want to see that.

Both Sarah and I looked up at Farrah in confusion when suddenly jumped up from the couch like and crazy person and ran to the door to make sure it was locked. I thought Farrah enjoyed movies like this.

Sarah’s confusion soon turned to amusement as she stared back at my best friend. “Um…what are you doing? The movie just started and you’re already freaking out?”

“They’re here,” Farrah said in palpable fear.

Sarah rose to her feet in panic setting aside the popcorn bowl. “How do you know?”

I was still thoroughly confused. I had no idea what they were talking out. At first I thought they might have been putting on some kind of skit just to scare me since Farrah new about my fear of scary movies, but then Sarah ran to her and glanced outside.

Okayyy.

I stood up and Followed after Sarah and stopped next to Farrah who seemed to be in utter horror at whatever was displayed on her phone.

I read carefully read over the text saying it aloud after Sarah grabbed the phone from her. “I bet you can’t find me.”

“I don’t get it,” I admitted feeling none the wiser.

“Shit. Brody’s good,” Sarah said. “He’s totally seeking retribution for his car.”

I took a slow step back when everything finally started to sink in. So Brody was here looking for revenge?

“He’s going to kill us!” I started to panic. He’s going to come here and find us all and then we’ll be dead. Well this is just great. What have I gotten mixed up in?

Then realization hit me. I pulled my face from my hands and looked up at Sarah and Farrah with relief. Not for them, but for me. “Wait a minute. I didn’t do anything wrong. He’s coming for you.”

I smiled to myself and casually strolled to the door. Well, that was easy enough. At least I can take myself out of this equation.

I placed my hand on the door handle ready to open it. No way was I getting into their mess. I wasn’t stupid. Brody kind of intimidated me a little to be honest. 

“Well, good luck!” I called to them over my shoulder. “Call me if you make it through this alive.”

Just as I twisted the knob of the door Sarah’s hand flew out and screamed, “No” but it was too late. The door was already open and to my surprise a smirking Thomas was leaning in the doorway as casual as could be in dark jeans, a fitted white shirt, leather jacket and combat boots. Holy hotness!

But what the hell was going here? Why was he here?

“Hello ladies.” His eyes met Sarah and Farrah’s then came to a rest on me. He seemed to be amused with the bewildered expression on my face.

I thought Brody the one looking for them? Why is Thomas here? Sarah screamed for us to run at the top of her giving me a start. And if Thomas hadn’t had a mischievous gleam in his eyes I probably wouldn’t have listened. But I did. He was definitely up to something and I could tell it wasn’t good for any us.

We all ran through the house like crazy people on crack trying to escape a psycho and was stopped in every direction we went. At the kitchen door we were greeted by Kyle. Upstairs in one of the bedrooms we met Jake. And then in yet another room we found Brody. There wasn’t a safe place in the house to run. Bad boys were everywhere.

Right before we could turn and take off in another direction Brody called out to his friends to come and get us. They had herded us like sheep!

They quickly filled the room surrounding us like vultures looking for their next meal.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t the pranksters,” Brody taunted taking slow calculating steps toward Farrah. She back up against the wall cornered by him. When he lifted her over his shoulder she started screaming. “Pay back is gonna be a bitch.”

When he started shouting out orders for the others to get us and something about a hose I desperately tried to get away. Tried being the keyword. I didn’t make it far. Neither did Sarah. She was trapped my Kyle and I was trapped by Thomas.

“But I didn’t even do anything,” I shouted as Thomas grabbed at me.

Thomas shrugged and smirked. “I know. But this is just for fun.”

I was picked up easily cradled to smug looking Thomas. I didn’t even thrash as he hauled me down the stairs with him and out the front door. I was still in shock of being in his arms. He was carrying me. And it was definitely doing something to my insides. His strong muscles held me securely in place and wrapped around me like a restraint. I didn’t even know how to react.

I didn’t have time to think about that for long though. I was suddenly set down on my feet without any warning and barely had any time to catch my balance before being hit with ice cold water that soaked my shirt, pants and hair. I felt like a drowned rat by the time it was all over.

I screamed at the coldness that began to cut through me like a knife. I stood in utter shock. I didn’t even understand what just happened. Why was I sprayed with the hose? I’m the innocent victim here!

A cold breeze came through the moment I turned around to face the evil being that soaked us and we all shivered like crazy. Impeccable freaking timing!

Sarah was the first one of us to attack Jake. She faced him with a livid expression and stomped over to him in a huff of rage. Uh oh. He saw her coming at him and made it a point to run as fast as he could to get away from her. She was cursing like a sailor at him.

“If I get sick I’m going to kill you,” Farrah threatened. Brody didn’t even look worried.

With everything going on I was having a hard time only concentrating on my anger. Everyone was too distracting.

Thomas quickly blocked my view of the amusing scene before me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

He turned me to lead me inside the house and I started in on him immediately. “Haven’t you ever heard of Hypothermia? I could die!”

He shook his head and chuckled at me when we got inside followed by everyone else. “You wouldn’t have died. You were only out there for five minutes. You’ll live. Trust me.”

I huffed in exasperation. “Trust you? That’s one hell of a tall order coming from someone that just soaked me with ice cold water just for the fun of it!”

He wasn’t bothered by my accusation and laughed seeing as it was true. He had admitted it to me earlier. My hands tightened into fist ready to knock him out witch surprised me because I normally wasn’t a violent person.

“Here,” Sarah said handing me a set of her clothes when she returned from upstairs. “You can wear these. They’ll warm you up soon.” She turned from me and handed Farrah some as well and she took them as gratefully as I did.

I didn’t even bother speaking to Thomas before I made my way to one of the empty rooms upstairs to change. I was surprised to find that Sarah’s clothes fit me so well when I was in them. They were snug, but in an ‘it’s supposed to be’ way. The jeans and the top looked good on me and I wondered if Sarah would just let me keep the loaned clothes.

I returned to the living room with everyone else where Farrah and Sarah seemed to be dressed and dry as well. Thomas met me as soon as I stepped off the last step and onto the floor. This time he looked apologetic and I felt smug. It was about time he showed some remorse.

“I’m sorry Liv. I guess we all got a little carried away.” He leaned on the banister beside me.

“Your freaking right you did,” I said.

Thomas’s regretful look began to change into a dark smirk when he reached out and twisted a strand of my blond hair between his fingers. “I just couldn’t resist the urge to get you all wet.”

My mouth almost hit the floor in shock from his words. Did he really just say that out loud?

“You are inappropriate and obscene.” I wanted so much to be mad at him for that remark but I just couldn’t be. He was Thomas Cavanaugh. You had to just accept him for who he was. I fought the urge to laugh and failed. “You can’t go two seconds without something stupid coming out of your mouth, can you?”

“Hey, I apologized,” he said in fake defensiveness.

“Yeah and then followed it up with a crude comment. For everything nice you say you have to say something awful to cancel it out. It’s actually amusing how incapable you are of carrying out a normal conversation.” I smiled at him and he returned it with one of his own. It was genuine and real. Not like the smirk I was used to.

“Actually I’m capable of a lot of things you don’t know about. Maybe if you were around a little bit more you might catch a glimpse of them.”

I threw my head back and laughed at him unsure if that was another line or not. You could never tell with Thomas.

“You have some serious groveling to do if you still want that date you’ve been bugging me about for the past week.”

He shook his head at me crossed his arms over his tight, toned chest. I tried not to drool over him even though he was totally worthy of it. “That was a bet and I’ll win tomorrow. No take backs. Sorry.”

I could he wasn’t a bit sorry about that at all.

“But,” he added, slipping off his leather jacket. “That was sort of a dick move to drown you and I do owe you now, so here.” He slipped the heavy material of the jacket over my shoulders and pulled it together in the front to surround me in its warmth. “This will keep you warm until I get you home.”

A large grin took over my face at his offer. “You’re taking me home? Wow. I guess you do have some manners after all.”

“Damn strait,” he said and then grinned back. “Like I said, there’s still a lot you don’t even know about me.”

I nodded in agreement. “True. I don’t.”

“Now come on, let’s get you home. I’ll drive.” He threw his arm around me and spun me to the open door smirking at everyone as we passed them by. I didn’t even want to know what they were thinking about us at that very moment. If I did I was sure to blush.

Thomas and I rode to my house with the heat on full blast the entire way. He offered to drive me home in my car since he rode with Brody to Sarah’s and said he’d get Brody to pick him up at mine later. When we pulled up to my empty, dark house Thomas stared up at it in curiosity.

“No one home?”

I shook my head. “Nope. My mom’s at my grandmas with the hellions also known as my brother and sister and my dad is still on his business trip.”

I felt my eyes widen as soon as I told him the news, surprised I did it. Then, almost instantly, I started to panic. Oh crap. What if he thinks that was an invitation to come inside and hook up? God, I had such a big mouth sometimes.

“So Brody’s coming by?” I asked trying to change the subject.

He nodded. “When he gets Farrah home. Or I could just call my brother to come by. He won’t mind if he’s out on patrol.”

I looked back at my empty house and sighed. I couldn’t just let him stay out here all night waiting on his brother and the truth was I didn’t exactly want to be alone right now. It was dark and I was still freaked out thinking about all the scary movies I’d ever watched were people who stayed home alone died in horrible ways.

I shook those thoughts from my head immediately. “You could come in if you want. You know, just to hang out until you leave.”

A slow smile began to creep up on his face and I felt the instant need to clarify.

“And that’s not an invitation for sex, just so you know.”

He still grinned anyway. “Okay. Whatever you say.”

I hoped he took me seriously and not think I was just those girls who like to play hard to get. Unlike them I actually had some self respect to hold on to. Taking a step like that with Thomas would change everything between us and I just wasn’t that easy.

“Come on,” I told him opening my car door and taking the keys from the ignition. I fumbled with them as we made our way up the front walk and found the one I was looking for to open the door.

I turned the lock and allowed Thomas to follow me inside. Even though I made my intentions perfectly clear in the car, I was exceedingly nervous about having him in my house. I pulled his coat off my shoulders and handed it back to him when we made our way in to the darkened kitchen.

After I flicked the lights on I headed to the cabinet grab us a couple of glasses and started to ask Thomas what he wanted to when he gave a low whistle at the sight before him. I looked up at what held his attention, not at all surprised by what he found. He was staring at the half filled bottles of whiskey and tequila my dad kept in his liquor cabinet with the same mischief gleam in his eye earlier tonight.

“Oh no,” I warned him. “My mom would flip if she came back from her trip and that stuff was missing. Trust me, she notices everything. I’d be grounded for a month.”

He ignored me and pulled out a bottle from the shelf anyway. I groaned. “Thomas, I’m serious.”

“Relax. I’ve done this a ton of times. We’ll just replace what we drink with water and your dad will think he got a bad batch. That always works. Besides this bottle has barely anything out of it, he won’t remember if it was bad or not. When was the last time he drank it?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “A couple of weeks ago I guess.”

“See. It will be fine.” He pulled the bottle from the cabinet and a couple of my dad’s shot glasses along with it.

“I’m not drinking that,” I told him as filled the glasses to the rim. “I swore to myself after my last drive on the porcelain highway I’d never drink again.”

He sat the bottle down and looked at me in unmistakable surprise. “When have you ever been wasted?”

“Grace’s brother threw a party and I might have enjoyed it a little too much,” I laughed holding my fingers up in measurement. When I brought my hand back down Thomas didn’t look as amused about my answer as I thought he would. Instead he looked annoyed.

He lifted up one of the shots and knocked it back effortlessly. He made it seem so easy to drink the strong stuff but I knew better. I’d smelled it before and I knew exactly how strong it was without even tasting it. And I’d heard stories about it.

“Is that how you ended up in his bed?” he asked downing a second shot. The one he poured for me remained untouched.

I frowned at him with barely contained anger. “Excuse me?”

He filled the class yet a third time and I was getting the feeling that maybe I should be stopping him. He was putting the shots away way too quickly. At this rate he’d drink himself into an oblivion in under thirty minutes

“Grace said it herself that you spent the night in his bed. Wasn’t that how your earring got in there? I’m not an idiot, Olivia.”

I winced remembering the day in the hallway she said that and shook my head.“Well, apparently you are. I didn’t sleep with him, but I’m happy to know you think low of me.”

“Whatever, Liv,” he said after drink number four went down.

“Don’t you ‘whatever, Liv’ me, Thomas Cavanaugh! I’m not about to jump into bed with the first guy that comes along whether I’m drunk or not. He felt bad for me because of how sick I was, and he offered me his bed to sleep it off. That’s all. He stayed on the couch the entire night.”

His anger slowly vanished from my confession and his face turned into one of amusement.

“What?” I snapped at him.

He grinned. “Nothing. I’m just curious why you’re defending yourself to me. Why should what I think matter to you?”

“Because you’re the one insinuating I’m easy!”

“Whoa,” he said giving me a throaty laugh and holding up his hands in surrender. “I never said you were easy. You said that yourself.”

He lowered his hands and drink number five went down just a smoothly as the rest. I shook my head and reached for the bottle. He was heading for an instant hangover. “Okay. I’m cutting you off now. You’ll be passed out on my couch in five minutes if I don’t.”

He grabbed the bottle before I could grab it and poured himself another one. He sat the bottle down just out of my reach and pushed the shot glass intended for me in front of where I was standing. “Not until you finish a shot with me.”

 “No,” I said flatly. “I told you I’m not drinking again.”

He tossed back the sixth drink and smirked. “It’s all about moderation, Liv. Learn that and you won’t have a repeat of last time.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “This coming from a guy who takes shots like they’re M&Ms.”

He raised the seventh glass to me as a toast before it was gone too just like all the rest. “I have a higher tolerance level than you.”

He chuckled rather drunkenly and I rolled my eyes at him. He was barely sitting on the bar stool and he was telling me he had a higher tolerance. “Uh huh. I can see that.” This time I reached for the bottle that he tried to keep from me and placed the cap on. “Okay. That’s enough.”

He reached for my shot but I saw him before he could get it and downed it myself. Instant dizziness in a glass. It burned all the way down and I coughed in hard spurts until the burn eased off. That did not feel good.

Well, there’s one more thing I can mark off my bucket list.

I shook my head when I felt like I could see strait again and saw Thomas wobbling up the stairs. I jumped up in a hurry and followed after him in panic. “What are you doing?”

“You know, I’ve always wondered what your room looks like. Is it as pink and girly as I think it is?”

“Oh no,” I said as he reached the top floor. But he was already wandering around opening random doors in my house before I could stop him.

“The one on the end!” I shouted at him as he neared my parent’s room. Don’t need him wondering around in there. They’ll notice if anything is out of its place and I’ll get blamed for it.

He smirked and followed my directions, opening the last door at the end of the hall. Then he waltzed in like he owned the place. Hot Jerk.

“Ha! Purple,” he shouted. “I was so close.”

I covered my ears as I pushed past him into my room. “Jeeze, Thomas. You don’t have to yell, I’m right here.”

“This room is hot, Liv,” he grinned.

I glanced around at my purple comforter, purple curtains and rug and frowned. “It’s to girly for you, I get it. You don’t have to be an ass.”

He chuckled and shook his head plopping down on made bed. “No. I’m dead serious. It’s hot. I mean, check it out.”

I watched him in horror as he reached down next to him and pulled up a red lacey bra and matching underwear. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Oh no.

“Give me that!” I jumped at the undergarments, eager to get them away from him, but he chuckled and pulled them away.

“And where were you planning on wearing these?” I wanted to smack the smirk right off his face.

“To church! Where else?” I grabbed for them again and missed. I groaned in irritation. “Thomas, give it to me right now.”

“You know, begging is hot too,” he laughed.

“Three legged chair would be hot to you.”

I was standing in front of him with my hands firmly on my hips impatiently waiting for my things back. I glared at him when he held the bra to my chest and his wiggled his brows suggestively. “I could picture it now.”

I reached out and grabbed the undergarments while he was momentarily distracted and gave him a shove. Unfortunately it only made him fall on his back onto my bed. He was still laughing and he didn’t make an effort to get up.

Hot or not he was annoying the crap out of me tonight.

I angrily threw the underwear in my drawers when Thomas sang for me to come join him in bed because apparently it was just oh so comfortable.

“Thomas, did you call your brother or Brody yet?” I asked him coming to a stop at the opposite side of the bed beside him.

“Oops. I guess I forgot.”

How convenient. I’ve never had to take care of a drunken person before tonight.

I yelped when his hand shot out and pulled me down on to the bed next to him. When my body crashed down on the pillows his arm wrapped snuggly around me in a tight embrace. He sighed in contentment right into my ear. I hadn’t even realized how close our heads were until his breath was on my neck.

“Thomas,” I said trying my best to wiggle out of his grip. “Thomas,” I said again when he didn’t move. “I know you’re doing this on purpose.”

“Go to sleep, Liv. I’m tired,” he mumbled tiredly into my ear.

I grumbled when I realized he wasn’t going to let me get up and I crossed my arms over my chest. If I was ever going to sleep with Thomas I never imagined it would be anything like this.

His soft snores echoed in my ears and his features smoothed out. He almost looked innocent laying there beside me. But I knew better.

I stared at him for a bit longer and all my anger and irritation directed at him seemed to slowly fade and in its place came something I hadn’t realized I was feeling through all off this babysitting. Butterflies.

Yep. Thomas had given me the butterflies and couldn’t get rid of them. Nor did I want to. Us being here together in my bed…this close. It was knee weakening.

“Liv,” he mumbled into my ear through his snoring. His arms tightened on me even more, bringing me to his chest. “My, Liv.”

My heart picked up in pace at his words. I couldn’t have heard that right, could I? No. No way.

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

Was I supposed to answer him?

“Liv?” he mumbled again squeezing me.

Maybe I was.

“Shh,” I told him. “I’m right here. I’m not leaving.”

Even as I said the words I didn’t know what I meant by them. I wasn’t sure if I was saying I wouldn’t leave him tonight or I wouldn’t leave him ever. I was so confused by his words and my answer. And then again, maybe I was over thinking it. Maybe he was just dreaming and it didn’t mean anything by them.

I sighed and turned away from him despite his death grip on me. It left little room to move, but I did it. This was decision for another time. It was way too soon in whatever kind of relationship we had to be thinking about staying when I wasn’t sure I was there yet to stay.

I yawned and closed my eyes and the last thought that drifted to my mind before I sunk into the darkness was that Hopefully Mrs. Sheppard didn’t see Thomas coming into my house tonight and tell my mom. I’d be grounded until I was thirty if she knew what was happening in my room tonight.

Thomas Cavanaugh was spending the night.

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Wow. What a long update, huh? What can I say? Inspiration hit me and I just went with it. It’s the best time to write. This better be at least eight pages.

Anyway, I’ve had my nose stuck in a book again which has hindered my updates ha ha. Has anyone read Beautiful Disaster? Travis is so…well he’s so Travis and all that that entails. I just love him.

I’m also looking to add more books to my Kindle app for future reading. Anyone have any published book recommendations for me? Please share them!