Brant
I put my palette down when I hear Abby moving around in the apartment. I take care to be very quiet as I slip into my bed for the first time since I left her room. I want to know if she got my note or not and what her reaction was but to pull off this next move, she can’t see anything before it’s time.
I lay in bed as I wait for her to leave and look at what I’ve done so far. I’m halfway done but I’m going to need a trip to the hardware store and some help to pull it all together. I reach for my phone and shoot Alex a text with instructions on where to meet me. I add that it’s a top secret mission, just so he’ll agree.
Finally, when the sound of the front door closing signals Abby’s leaving, I jump out of bed and get ready for the day. As I shower and get dressed I shoot up a quick prayer to whoever is listening that I can pull this off. And that she doesn’t freak the fuck out. I head out of the door whistling like a lunatic, and even give grumpy old Mrs. Vivier from next door a hug on my way out.
“Tell me again why we couldn’t just get one of the previous three we looked at?” Alex is holding a red dress in his hands looking extremely annoyed.
“Because,” I explain again. “It clearly says a red dress with a silver buckle on the shoulder.” I hold out my phone to him so he can read for himself.
“And where exactly are we supposed to find something that specific?”
“Here, dude. I googled it and this store has them. We just have to find… FOUND IT!” I shout in triumph as I spot the dress we’re looking for. I grab it and make my way to the cashiers. On my way there I grab a red tie with silver detail, just like in the book.
“And we’re buying a dress becauuuseee..” Alex asks as I hand over my credit card to the sales lady.
“I told you, it’s part of the plan.”
“Right. The Plan.” He says this and makes finger quotes in the air. “The plan I know nothing about.”
I don’t answer him as I grab the bag and head out of the store. I don’t have time to convince Alex of my plan, there is too much to be done. “Did you get everything on the list?” I ask instead.
“Yes, caviar, oysters, lobster… Champagne, strawberries dipped in chocolate.” I nod at him as we get into the truck. I would have liked to prepare all the food myself but it would take too long so I had Alex pick them up from a restaurant next to the hardware store instead.
Alex is still grumbling about being left out of the loop and having to carry all the heavy shit when we enter the apartment.
I dump everything on the kitchen counter and go back into the living room. “Here, help me move this.” I place my hands on the couch getting to move it but Alex is just standing there staring at me.
“No, na ah,” He says and folds his arms across his chest. “Not until you tell me what the fuck we’re doing this for.”
I sigh and straighten myself. “I fucked up, OK? And I need to apologize. In a big way. So… can you just help me move this?”
“I don’t know, man. Wouldn’t it just be easier to write a note and say you’re sorry?” When I just stare at him expectantly Alex throws his hands up in exasperation and helps me move the couch out of the way. In no time everything is ready and in place, the food plated and the champagne on ice on the floor next to the blanket.
I look at the time on my phone. “Ok, you have to leave now.”
“What the fuck? I worked my ass off today and now you’re just kicking me out? No beer, no food?”
“Yeah, thanks for the help man.” I’m shoving him out of the door as I speak. “Appreciate it. Beers on me next time.” And I close the door in his face.
I take a quick shower and then put on my suit with the red tie I bought today. I check that the makeshift curtain I made from old tarp is hiding everything and then I place the bag and the dress outside the door for her to find.
I go to my room and pace the floor waiting for her to get home. I hope she follows my instructions. I check the list I made this morning to make sure I didn’t forget anything and then start pacing the floor again.
“Brant?” I still when I hear Abby call. “What is this?” Her mumbled question isn’t directed at me and when I hear her soft giggling I know she must have found the note with her instructions. The living room is quiet again and I quickly move out to remove the tarp curtain. I make sure everything is still in place and nervously fidget with the pillows scattered across the blanket on the floor. “Brant?” I hear that soft, unsure voice behind me and spin around.
Jesus. She’s beautiful. Her long curls cascade down her shoulders, her lips are painted red and the dress fits her like a glove.
“Wh... what is all this?” I realize I must be staring at her like an idiot when she clears her throat and looks at me in question.
“I... surprise.” I say feeling suddenly ridiculous and unsure of myself.
“This is all for me?” She takes a step forward, her eyes moving from the fairy lights I’ve strung up above the suspended paintings. All scenes from London.
“Yes,” I take her hand and lead her to the blanket. “Sit.”
She’s still too distracted by all the paintings and food to argue with me and sits down, her legs pulled up beside her. I sit down next to her and light the candles in the center. I reach behind one of the pillows and pull out the single white lily I hid there earlier. I clear my throat and begin my speech.
“I have never seen such purity and beauty in all my life. God has created many a splendid thing, but this flower must have been his proudest moment. Perfect in its fragility but beautiful in its strength. Tonight, you have put this flower to shame. I may be an arrogant man, some would even call me rude, but I…” My recital is interrupted by Abby’s burst of laughter. I feel sheepish but the warmth in her eyes tell me that maybe I’m onto something.
“Your british accent is terrible. And you got the words wrong.” She continues her giggling but I’m captivated by the slight blush creeping up her neck. She covers her face with her hands. “I can’t believe you read The Billionaire’s Seduction.” She shakes her head at me again and then looks down at her dress. “Where did you even find this dress?”
“I have my ways.” I shrug.
“And these paintings… Oh, Brant.”
My face heats up and if I didn’t know better I would think I was blushing myself. “I said I wanted to make it up to you.” The expression on her face causes my heart to constrict. I shake my head and clear my throat to bring myself out of my stupor. “What better way than to bring your dream place to you? And I got dinner. I wanted to make it myself but I didn’t have time so I hope it all tastes ok. I got everything that was in the book except for the...” My rambling is stopped by her hand touching mine.
“Brant, it’s perfect.” Her soft smile slays me but I look down before it drowns me too. I pick one of the crackers with caviar and hand it to her. She tries to take it from me but I grab her hand and place it in front of her mouth.
“He feeds her in the book.” I say. She considers it for a moment and then opens her mouth. I slip it inside her mouth but the feel of her lips closing around my fingers sends a jolt of electricity through my arm. I pull back too quickly and some of the caviar slips out of her mouth and falls onto her dress. She giggles and my big seductive moment is ruined. Good going, asshole.
“Maybe I can feed myself?” She says and smiles around her next bite. I’m staring at her mouth remembering how she tasted and wondering if she still tastes the same today. No, Brant. Not tonight. Tonight is not about kissing her. We are not fucking our roommate. It’s about apologizing and making up for being a dick.
“So, you and Aria seemed to have gotten along in class?” I slip an oyster into my mouth and wait for her reply. When I look at her again her eyes are trained to my throat as I swallow. Her pink tongue shoots out to lick her lips and I curse my errant dick. Little fucker is ready to stand up and salute her. If she keeps looking at me like that there is now way I’m not going to have her under me within the next hour.
“Yeah,” she eventually says and shrugs a shoulder. “She’s a clever little girl. Seems lonely though.”
“Were you?” She shakes her head and looks at me in confusion. “Were you a lonely child?”
“I had some friends. They never stuck around for long though. I suppose they were never really friends. Just my own wishful thinking.”
“What do you mean?” I don’t want to keep pushing her but I need an answer. I need to understand everything about her.
“Well, I was smart. And they were only ever friendly when it came near exam times. The rest of the time they would make fun of me.” Her expression turns sad and I don’t like it. And even though I want to know more I change the subject.
“And what made you want to become a doctor?” I stare at her as she begins talking about what drove her to study medicine. About the magic of the human body and the intricate secrets she wants to uncover. All the questions medicine still needs to find answers for. I feed her champagne so her lips are looser and I ask about her love for London and billionaires. I listen as she explains the things she only allows herself to feel in the safety of books. How she could always escape there.
We talk for hours. About her life and mine. My passions and hers. She laughs about my and Alex’s misadventures. She asks about my parents. I tell her more about Nan. I learn that her eyes are violet because of some anatomic fault. I tell her they’re beautiful and she blushes. I learn that she likes blue the most and that her taste in books doesn’t only involve billionaires. She also likes bad boys. I tell her that I’m perfect then because I’m both.
Our food has been finished for a while and I clear the plates to the side. I slip off my tie and inch closer to her.
“Now, dessert. Close your eyes.” I tie the tie around her eyes and fasten it at the back. “This is how the billionaire did it, right?” She giggles but doesn’t move. “Now let’s see...” I pick up one of the chocolate strawberries. “I think this is how he did it.” I trace the strawberry up her arm, over her cleavage and smile at the little shiver her body gives in reaction. I slip it up her neck and then trace a line over her bottom lip. And then the top. I lean in closer, so close that I can smell the chocolate and strawberry under my nose. “Open your mouth, Abby.” I whisper and swallow as her mouth opens slightly. I slip the tip of it inside her mouth and then pull it back causing her to suck it back into her mouth. “Greedy girl.” I rub the juice from the bitten strawberry over her lips and then slip it back inside her mouth. This time when her mouth closes around my fingers I don’t pull back. I watch her chew and follow the line down her throat as she swallows. I move my hand across her cheek to the back of her head, pulling her head toward me. Her breath hitches and I almost give in and kiss her.
Instead I softly place my lips on hers and whisper against her lips. “We need to go to bed. We have to get up early in the morning.” I pull back and loosen the tie around her head. “I’ll clean up here. Go to bed before I change my mind.”