Eden

 

“It was the single most intimate thing that has ever happened to me and he didn’t even kiss me.” My knees were still weak two days later.

“Wow.” Allie shook her head, a faraway look in her eyes. Just a second later, her eyes focused on me. “And you haven’t seen him since?”

I shook my head, falling back against the headboard of Allie’s bed. “Not once. I guess he’s been going to physical therapy and when my mom asked about him, his mom said he’s been sleeping a lot.”

Allie eyed me speculatively. “You love him, don’t you?”

I sat up. “No. Of course not. What makes you say that?”

Allie shrugged a little as she rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, maybe it was the dreamy look in your eyes when you told me about snuggling with him for a few hours on my front porch. I still can’t believe you didn’t wake me up to tell me.”

Allie had been both excited for me and angry that I waited two days to tell her about sneaking out of her house to meet with Dylan on her front porch. I felt bad for keeping it from her but had needed the time to process my own feelings before talking about them. I wasn’t sure I’d accomplished that, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I had to talk to someone.

“I don’t love him.” I couldn’t. I was attracted. Honestly, who wouldn’t be. But love? No. Nothing had changed. My heart would never survive the fall out if Dylan changed his mind again. What had happened the other night was a one-time deal, not the start of something. “I can’t love him.”

Allie didn’t look convinced.

And maybe I wasn’t, either.

 

The next weekend was exhausting. Prom season had started and while ours was still a couple of weeks away, other schools in the area were already having theirs. I spent Friday afternoon and all day Saturday at the salon. I didn’t even take a break either day. My feet were killing me and all I wanted on Saturday night was a bowl of brownie batter and a chick flick.

I’d just snuggled into my favorite corner of the couch when I heard a thump, thump on the stairs.

“You down here, Ed,” Dylan’s voice echoed from the stairwell.

“Are you sure you should come down here,” I called out jumping from the couch to see if he needed any help.

“I can make it down the stairs. My room is in the basement, remember?”

As if I could forget.

He’d made it about halfway down the stairs. I stood helplessly at the bottom as he thumped the rest of the way down.

“What are you doing here?”

Once he made it to the bottom, he bypassed me, heading for the couch.

“I had to get out of there. My mom is driving me crazy. I’ve got to find an apartment,” he sighed as he sunk into the cushions. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Yes.

“Of course not. I was just going to watch a movie.” Skirting around his outstretched legs, I made my way back to my corner. Plopping down, I picked up my blanket, preparing to get all situated. “Hey!”

Dylan just smiled as he yanked the blanket from my hand and spread it over the two of us. “It’s called sharing, Ed.”

“It’s called my blanket, Dill,” I retorted.

He ignored me and picked up the remote. “What are we watching?”

“The Other Woman. Have you ever seen it?”

Dylan made a face. “No.”

Giggling, I reassured him. “You will love this movie. It is so funny.”

He grunted his disbelief but pressed the button to start the movie. “What have you got to eat?”

“I don’t have any snacks,” I lied.

“Liar.” He paused the movie. “Come on, Ed. I know you have snacks. You always have snacks.”

“Nope. Not this time,” I told him thinking of the bag of chips and container filled with homemade cookies stowed under the end table in the corner beside the couch (we were out of brownie mix).

Dylan’s eyes narrowed as he spied my diet soda on the table. “You have a soda,” he stated.

“Wow, Captain Obvious, great deduction.” I picked up the soda and took a sip as casually as I could muster. “Are you going to start the movie or not?”

“If there’s a soda there’s something salty to go with it. That’s your M.O.” He glanced around, looking for my snacks.

“Why don’t you bring your own snacks?” Why did he always have to steal mine?

“Because you always have some.” As if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“For me!” I slapped my chest for emphasis.

“Where are they,” he all but shouted.

Folding my arms across my chest, I was determined to outlast him. Ugh. But that would mean watching a movie without them. Dang Dylan!

Dylan scooted closer on the couch cushion, a predatory gleam in his eye. With his arms and his one good leg, he moved until I was wedged between his body and the arm of the couch.

“What are you doing,” I breathed, unsettled by his closeness.

“Finding some snacks,” he answered, his breath hot on my ear as he leaned across my body, searching the floor by my feet and the cracks between the cushions on either side of me.

“I told you, I don’t have any.” Holy smokes. It was a repeat of the other night. With just a simple nuzzle of my neck, he’d reduced me to a hot mess.

Dylan continued his attack, enveloping me with his arms and his chest as he searched for my hidden treats. “I’m hungry. Won’t you share,” he asked, his lips teasing my ear.

Oh. My. Hell.

What was he doing to me? Couldn’t we just watch the movie? Why was he making this so difficult for me?

I should just tell him to leave. I should make him go. I shouldn’t let him do this to me.

Dylan moved from my ear to the soft skin below, his lips blazing a warm trail to the hollow of my throat, all while his hands searched.

My breathing shallowed, coming in quick gasps.

With a growl, Dylan scooped me into his arms and moved into the spot where I’d been sitting. He set me in his lap. “I’m going to find them.”

I didn’t care anymore as long as he didn’t let me go. I wrapped my arms around his waist when he sat forward to investigate the space under the table... for balance.

“Jackpot!” He sat back, his hands filled with the bag of chips and container of cookies. He’d even found an unopened bottle of water. “Chocolate chip. My favorite.”

Dylan sat back, still holding me on his lap. He picked up the blanket and spread it over us again. Once settled, he absently kissed my cheek and pressed the button to get the movie going again.

As for me, I sunk back against his chest and wondered what the heck I was going to do now.