Convenience and Compatibility (25 page)

“I love you.”

Dean pulls away and puts his arm under my
neck. “I love you too.”

He pulls the blankets out from under us and
we snuggle under the covers, wrapped in each other as we fall
asleep.

Chapter 17

My alarm wakes me and Dean is missing but I
hear music playing downstairs. I put on my scrubs and throw a bit
of makeup on before joining him. Dean is listening to some sort of
techno dance music and making breakfast. He looks happy. I walk
into the kitchen and he pulls me into his arms and dips me low,
kissing me. Wow, that was unexpected.

“Good morning, how did you sleep?” Dean
asks.

“I slept great, and you?”

“Really deep, I feel rested.”

Dean kisses me on the top of the head and
pulls out a chair for me. “Sit. I made you breakfast.”

Dean brings me toast and eggs with a cup of
tea.

“Thank you.”

Dean turns down the music and joins me We sit
eating and smiling at each other – like two love sick teenagers. I
look at the clock and jump to my feet; I’m going to be late.

“I need to go. I’m picking up Tara this
morning.”

Dean grabs my arm as I walk by. “How do you
make scrubs look so sexy?”

I give Dean a sideways glance and grab my
purse from the counter. Dean gets up and grabs me by the arms.

“What panties are you wearing?”

“Dean, I need to go.”

“It will just take a moment. Show me.”

I turn around and pull down the top of my
pants, revealing my black lacy panties. Dean groans and stands up,
rubbing his erection on me.

“See what you do to me?” He breathes into my
hair. I respond by pushing my ass harder against him. Something
about his voice turns me on and I want him. Really want him.

Dean pulls my pants down and pushes me over
the dining table. He tests my pussy by putting a finger inside,
spreading the wetness on my outer lips. I hear him rustle with
fabric, then he enters me with a groan. Dean puts his hands on my
hips – pushing deeper into me. Each thrust into me is a grunt,
pushing me across the table slightly until he pulls me towards him
on the return and we start it over. Dean pumps into me less than a
minute before it is over. He pulls away and I lie on the table a
moment; stunned. I slowly stand up and turn around. I stare at him,
my mouth agape, I can’t believe he just did that.

I watch him as he sits down at the table and
takes a bite of toast.

“Aren’t you going to be late?” Dean is
smirking at me.

I pull up my pants, realizing that I don’t
have time to properly clean up, as I brush some crumbs from my
shirt.

“Now you have a constant reminder of me
today.”

I slowly smile and kiss him. “Bastard.”

I walk toward the garage, dazed and late to
pick up Tara.

By the time I have
driven to the
apartment, my panties have cemented themselves to my
nether-regions. Tara is outside waiting for me and I know that I
will need to drive like a crazy person to get us to work on time.
She gets in and slams the car door – she does not look pleased.

“Why are you so late?”

“I’m sorry, Tara. I was accosted on my way
out the door. Believe me, I will be paying for it all day.”

Tara looks at me, confused. “What? How?”

“Let’s just say it’s a sticky situation.”

“Eww, gross Mallory.”

I shrug. Tara can be such a prude
sometimes.

I drive like a mad woman to Good Samaritan
and park in the garage across the street. We both run to the unit
and surprisingly get to work on time. The day doesn’t look too bad
and I’m especially chippy as I walk around to do my morning rounds.
I feel good about my decision to stay with Dean, regardless of the
DNA outcome. Of course part of me is saddened that we will always
have a connection with Amanda, but this morning I am surprisingly
optimistic about our future.

After work I drive Tara and I back to the
apartment to get ready. I’m so excited for the eveing; Dean and I
are good, I’m going out with my friends, my birthday is tomorrow. I
straighten my hair, freshen my makeup, and put on my usual jeans
and a T-shirt. Uncharacteristically I put on a pair of stilettos,
my only pair, and throw on my jean jacket. I knock on Tara’s door
and Adam opens it.

“Oh, hi Adam.”

“Hi Mallory, happy birthday.”

“Thank you. Are you coming out with us
tonight?”

“Yes, if that is okay?”

“Of course! I’m all ready Tara, anytime you
are.”

“All set, let’s go.”

Adam drives us downtown where we are going to
meet some other friends from school and work. I text Dean on our
way there. “Miss you. Excited to see you tomorrow.”

He replies right away. “Miss you too. Have
fun tonight.”

I smile, thinking of him, almost wanting to
ditch my friends this evening in order to see him. Before long I
will be an old married wife who never sees her friends – I try to
put Dean out of my mind and enjoy my night.

Adam drives to the parking lot across the
street from the dance club we went to a couple weeks ago with Dean.
So much for not thinking about him tonight.

We walk into the club and Tara grabs my hand,
leading me to a table in the back room that isn’t so loud. We get
there and my friends start clapping and someone hands me a jello
shot. I throw it back and scan the table. There’s Allison and
Jasmine from work, Chris and Heather, a guy that I don’t know that
must be Jasmine’s boyfriend, and to my surprise there is Greg,
sitting on the end with a grin reaching ear to ear. I sit in the
only seat available – next to Greg and he talks into my ear because
the music is so loud.

“Happy birthday. You look amazing.” His
breath smells like whiskey and lemons. That familiar smell of his
cologne reminds me of us.

I turn to him and smile. “Thank you.”

“I hope it’s okay. I asked if I could
come.”

“Of course.”

“Do you want to dance?”

I shake my head, and hold up the drink that
someone has placed in my hand. Greg nods without looking
disappointed. I notice how attractive he is tonight and also that
he has changed. His usual bulky self is bigger – he’s been working
out more. The sleeves on his shirt are tight over the muscles on
his biceps. Greg catches me looking at him and I blush. I figure I
need to say something or he will think I’m attracted to him –
again. Part of me thinks I am.

I lean into his ear. “You’re muscles are
huge, are you on the juice?”

Greg laughs and shakes his head.

I turn as Tara grabs my arm and starts
pulling me towards her. I almost fall and Greg grabs me by the arm
before I make a fool of myself. I look back at him as I’m being
dragged off to the dance floor.

Tara and I dance with Jasmine and her
boyfriend, Simon, until my feet tell me I need a break.

We return to the table and I notice another
round of jello shots laid out and Greg talking to Allison from
work. Greg and I lock eyes momentarily as I sit down and turn away,
trying to ignore him – is that jealousy I feel?

I take three jello shots in succession and
talk to Jasmine, of course about work. She is asking me if I would
consider being charge nurse, but I can’t really concentrate. I’m
trying to listen to Allison and Greg, but all I hear is mumbling
and the thumping of loud music. I excuse myself and go to the
bathroom.

I look in the mirror and realize that I am
fucked up already. Maybe I should have eaten something before going
out. I resolve to have nothing more to drink – just water and food
for the rest of the night. Why do I always do this to myself?

I walk out of the bathroom and almost run
into Greg leaning up against the wall outside of the bathroom door.
“Sorry.” I walk past him and he grabs my arm pulling me down the
adjacent hallway until I find myself out one of the doors of the
club. Greg walks down the sidewalk with me behind him until the
sounds of the club are more subdued. He stops and steps in front of
me so I back up against the building.

I’m too tipsy to resist, as he stands there
looking at me. He stares at me intently and I see hunger in his
eyes, but it’s not really registering. This is all just too
surreal, but because we have been intimate before, it seems
natural. Greg puts his hands on the wall on either side of my head
and looks down at my lips. I know that I should do something, but I
stand there frozen, not knowing what.

“Mallory…” I hear far off somewhere and we
both ignore it.

Greg puts his forehead against mine and
breathes me in. “Mallory… I miss you.” Greg pulls away and looks
back into my eyes.

“Mallory!” The voice bellows again and this
time it is louder.

We both look to see Tara running towards us.
She grabs my hand and drags me back inside and onto the dance
floor. I let myself go and dance with her and our friends until my
feet are killing me. Why oh why did she let me wear the stilettos?
We head back to the table, laughing, and I notice Greg is talking
with Allison again. I sit next to him and he hands me a water. I
guzzle it and pull my feet out to rub them a little. A round of
jello shots are placed before me again and Greg stops talking with
Allison briefly in order to put his hand over the one in front of
me. I push his hand away and take the shot, watching the expression
on his face. Greg’s eyes follow my hand and I look down, realizing
that he is looking at my engagement ring. I move my hand to my lap
and he looks at my face. I search his eyes, watchful for any kind
of emotion, but he remains stoic. Maybe I should have told him
about the engagement sooner, but didn’t Tara say that he had moved
on? The way Allison and him are talking I can tell she wants to go
home with him. Her body language of lust and need is almost sad. I
don’t blame her, he is a hot piece of ass, but it sort of pisses me
off. Friends aren’t supposed to make a move on ex-boyfriends.
Surely she must know our history.

We’ve only been here a couple of hours, but
I’m ready to go. I grab Tara by the shoulder and shout in her ear
that I need to eat. She nods and motions to Adam that we’re
leaving.

Tara rounds everyone up and we all go
outside. They all want to go to dinner but I’m very close to being
wasted – I just want to go home. Instead, I hug everyone goodbye.
Everyone except for Greg. I sway a bit and Adam steadies me, as we
walk to his car. Greg is walking with us and I try to avoid him,
walking on the other side of Adam – not too far, in case I fall
into the pavement. I wonder if he is parked near Adam’s car until
he gets into the backseat of Adam’s car with me. I furrow my brows
at Greg.

Greg shrugs, “I drank too much.”

Part of me is thankful as I didn’t want to
see him go home with Allison. That would have sucked.

“Don’t either one of you dare puke in my
car.”

We both giggle in the backseat like we’re
being chastised by a parent.

“I won’t Adam. At least I think I won’t.” I
say.

“I’ll take you home and make you some
eggs.”

“Thank you Tara.”

I listen to the surreal conversation between
Adam and Greg on the ride back to the apartment. The moment is so
similar to other evenings when Greg and I were together. We get to
the apartment and the boys turn on sports highlights while Tara
makes eggs. I sit next to them and Greg gets up and hands me a
glass of water. I drink it right away. He brings me another and
sits down next to me on the sofa. We say nothing to each other as
we watch basketball highlights. I could care less. Tara brings my
eggs and I eat them dutifully.

I finish my food and take the plate to the
kitchen. I glance over at Greg and he is watching me – I look away,
embarrassed, knowing my face is turning red. Why is he still
here?

“Sorry guys, I need to go to bed. Thank you
for a wonderful birthday. Goodnight.”

Everyone says their goodbyes and I walk into
my bedroom – glad to be away from Greg. I hope he didn’t expect to
share my bed with me tonight.

I don’t even bother brushing my teeth, I take
off my clothes and crawl into bed. Despite the talking in the
living room, I’m asleep within minutes.

Chapter 18

I open my eyes as brightness fills the room
and I have a splitting headache. I hear talking in the other room
and am confused – surely they haven’t been up all night. I grab my
phone from the nightstand and see it’s almost ten. Shit. I need to
get ready for Dean.

I hear Tara talking loudly outside my door
and I sit up on my elbows. Is that Dean’s voice? The door opens and
Dean is standing there with a multi-colored bouquet of flowers in
his hand. I smile at him sleepily as the smile on his face drops
and his jaw hardens.

“Dean?”

Dean looks past me to the other side of the
bed. I follow his gaze to see Greg in bed with me, still sleeping.
I can hear the sound of his soft snores and I stare at him with my
mouth agape. What the fuck? I whip my head back to Dean and he is
gone from the doorway.

Ignoring my throbbing head, I scramble out of
bed and throw on my robe. I race past Tara in the hall and out the
already front door. I run down the hallway and the steps as quickly
as I can and shove myself through the front door. Fear grips me as
I look around frantically for Dean, seeing no sign of him. Where
the fuck is he? My head whips to the right as I hear tires squeal
and catch a blurry glimpse of Dean staring straight ahead as his
car whizzes by.

I clutch the door, catching my breath for a
moment, then walk inside slowly. What the fuck just happened? Near
the door the beautiful flowers Dean has brought me are upside down
in the metal basket. I stare at them for a moment, then pick them
up and walk back to the apartment.