Forever and Almost Always (6 page)

“And does this question have to do with a certain blonde girl that we both know?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared me down.

“You’re gonna be a tough one to win over, huh?”

“A little bit.” She giggled.

“I’m just curious, ya know you’re friend over there is a hard one to read? I guess I’m just wondering if I have a chance with her?”

“That depends, if you just want to sleep with her, then the answer is no. But, if you actually want to get to know her, then I would say yes. Just a little heads up though, she doesn’t trust very easily and after her last relationship, well let’s just say, you have your work cut out for you.”

“Great.” I muttered.

“What was that?”

Before I could answer, I heard Charlee’s voice echoing through the vast open space. She was wondering what her friend was doing, so I decided to mess with her a bit. I stuck my head up over the wall and smiled. Charlee instantly went quiet, and I knew that I would have to save that trick for later.

Now I was standing in front of my closet, like a girl trying to decide what to wear tonight. I knew it wasn’t a date by any means, but it was still a night that I was going to get to spend with her, oh and her best friend. Lucky me. I let out an audible sigh and ripped one of my shirts from the hanger. I pulled it over my head and then pulled on a pair of jeans. It wasn’t quite time for us to leave yet, or at least from what Charlee had told me it wasn’t, but I for some reason couldn’t wait to see her beautiful face. I glanced at the clock in the kitchen and was suddenly thankful it was seven thirty. Only thirty minutes until I got to hang out with her.

I was starting to get a bit nervous, so I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and downed it before I could think twice about it. Just as I was finishing off the small swig that was left, Wilton came strutting into the kitchen behind me.

“Hey, so apparently everybody is going out to a club tonight. What are you up to?”

I pulled myself up onto the counter and ran my hands back through my short hair. “I’m supposed to be going out to the lake with Charlee and her friend. What are you gonna do now?”

“Well that sounds like fun. Do you think they’ll care if I tag along?”

I wasn’t sure what tonight was supposed to be, but it definitely calmed my nerves thinking about Wilton coming with us. “I’m sure they won’t care. Aaron was supposed to come along, but he has to go to his sister’s for something or another. Charlee should be coming by to get me in about twenty minutes. Can you be ready to go?”

“Yep. I’ll go change.”

I jumped down from the counter and began pacing back and forth across the tile floor. I had never found myself being so nervous before, especially about a girl. This was ridiculous. I silently gave myself a small pep talk about how she was just a girl, and that it was just like hanging out with any other girl. I didn’t hear Wilton come back into the kitchen and practically jumped out of my skin, when his hand came down on my shoulder.

“Bro, you should calm down.” He laughed out loud. “She’s just a girl.”

“I know. Trust me, I know.” I muttered as I walked back to the bathroom to check my hair one last time. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll grab it.” I yelled as I made my way to the door that Wilton had already answered.

“Hey pretty lady, how are ya?” Wilton oozed the confidence I usually did, and it drove me insane.

“Hi hun. Is Dax here?”

I turned the corner just as she walked inside. Her waist length blonde hair swung to the side as she turned to look at me. When her piercing blue eyes caught mine, the breath was pushed from my lungs. She looked absolutely amazing. She was wearing a tight white tank top that showed off her chest perfectly. As my eyes roamed farther south, I noticed the tight, short pair of jean shorts that covered a tiny bit of her tan toned legs. To top it all off, she was wearing a pair of black and white Chuck Taylors, and I swear I fell for her in that very instance.

My eyes made their way back up her tight body and eventually back to her face. She barely wore any makeup and she was more beautiful than any other girl I had ever seen. She had a huge smile splayed across her face, and my heart literally felt as though it would burst right out of my chest.

“Hey you. You ready to go?” Her voice was so soft and angelic, and almost like music to my ears.

“Yeah. Hey do you mind if Wilton comes along? Aaron was busy tonight.”

“Yeah that’s fine.” She smiled at Wilton and gave him a quick hug as she answered. As much as I didn’t want to be, I was extremely jealous.

“Okay, let’s get going then.” I muttered.

Wilton walked out with Charlee, and I rolled my eyes at their playful banter. “I guess I’ll get the door then.” I whispered as I locked up behind myself. This was definitely going to be a long night.

Chapter Ten

Charlee

As we all piled into Taylor’s step dad’s van, I couldn’t stop thinking about the look of disappointment on Dax’s face, when I walked through his door. I wasn’t sure if it was me he was disappointed in, or if it was the fact that I was a little bit more comfortable with his roommate at the moment. Taylor gave me a confused look when I hopped up into the passenger seat, but I just shrugged my shoulders and buckled up. Wilton and Dax were talking about something in the back, so I took that as an okay to try and talk to Taylor. I knew she was expecting Aaron to show up, but unfortunately he was busy.

“Hey?” I whispered in her direction. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Where is Aaron?” She whispered back.

I tried to be as quiet as I could be, given the fact that they were both just a few feet behind us. “He had plans. Wilton wanted to come along, and I didn’t want to be mean. Ya know?”

“No, I know. It just sucks. I was totally looking forward to seeing Aaron tonight.”

“I know hun, but don’t worry, I’m sure we will see him soon. At least you didn’t have to see a look of disappointment, when
you
walked through the door.”

“Are you serious?”

“Serious about what?” Wilton was now leaning forward with both arms on both of our seats, trying to be part of the conversation.

“Nothing, we were just talking about something that happened the other day.”

“Cool. Well sorry to crash tonight, I hope you guys don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” I answered for the both of us. “So what happened to the party?”

“Ah, everybody wanted to go to a club instead. I don’t really do the whole club scene, neither does Dax.” He laughed as he sat back.

I turned in my seat, enough that I could see Dax. He was sitting behind Taylor, so I didn’t have to turn much and when I did, the look on his face threw me off guard. He was just sitting there, with his hands folded in his lap, staring at me. The look on his face was one of indifference and I couldn’t tell what it was that he was thinking. For a brief second, I just wished I could get into his head and know exactly what he was thinking.

“So what are your guys’ plans for the rest of the weekend?” I was thankful that Taylor cut in when she did. I don’t know how much longer I could take Dax staring at me without saying a word. Although, he wasn’t the one who answered.

“Not sure. I kinda go day by day with my plans. You never know when a hot girl will call ya up and wanna hang, ya know?” Wilton started laughing and I couldn’t help but laugh right along with him. I had to admit, Wilton was definitely funny. “Hey can you pull into this gas station real quick, I’m gonna grab some beer. Anybody else want anything?”

Taylor and I exchanged glances before I replied, “We’re good with beer.”

“Cool. Dax, you wanna come inside with me and grab some snacks for these ladies?”

I glanced back at Dax as he moved to get out of the van. “Sure.” He muttered under his breath.

When the door closed behind them, I took that as my chance to unleash my thoughts on Taylor. “What the fuck is his deal? I mean, seriously! From the minute I walked in their door, I have gotten absolutely nothing from him. He seems pissed off, but who knows why. This is bullshit. If I wanted to deal with this shit, I would go back to Michael.” I stopped and took a deep breath, when I heard Taylor giggling next to me. “What is so damn funny, whore?”

“You. Did you just hear yourself? Honestly, I think he’s jealous of you and Wilton.”

“Me and Wilton? There is no,
me
and Wilton.”

“Look,
I
know that, but I have a feeling
Dax
is having a hard time knowing that. All he sees, is the way you act towards him and then how you act towards Wilton. You seem more at ease with Wilton,
and
I think
that’s
what is bothering him. He’s very much into you. You just need to show him that
you,
are just as into him.”

“Okay.” I adjusted myself in the seat and faced the windshield. I knew I was being ridiculous, but if he really wanted to get to know me, then he was going to have to learn to not be so god damned jealous. And until then, I was going to ignore him.

The guys came back a few minutes later, and Dax seemed to be a little less assholish as he climbed into the back seat. He once again chose the seat behind Taylor, and a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder if it was really
her
that he was in to. But that thought, got blown out the window the second I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. His eyes were fixated on me and nothing else. He was in the middle of a conversation with Wilton, but his stare never wavered.

A small smile started to creep across my face, as I thought about the look he was giving me without him
knowing
I was looking. I had never had a guy look at me the way he was looking at me right this very second, and it felt amazing. The more he looked at me, the more aroused I became. His smoldering stare and the way he licked his lips when he caught me glancing back, was enough to send me over the edge. Before this got too out of hand, I reached forward and changed the radio station. There wasn’t much on, and the closer we got to the lake, the more the signal went in and out, so I decided to put on one of the many CD’s I had brought with.

As soon as the first song came on, Dax leaned forward right next to my ear, “Whose CD is this?”

I turned slightly, so I was now merely inches away from his inviting lips. “It’s mine.” I whispered.

“This is one of my favorite bands.”

“Mine too.” And as quickly as he had appeared, he sat back and I was left gasping for air.

If he would’ve just leaned in a tiny bit more, his lips would have touched mine. Since the first time I had seen him, all I had wanted to do was feel those soft lips against mine. I wanted to feel him take mine, as if they had only ever belonged to him. I wanted him something fierce, and if I didn’t get him soon, I’m pretty sure I was going to have to take matters into my own hands, literally.

I sat back in my seat as
Kottonmouth Kings
continued to play through the speakers. Nobody said another word, until we got to the dock on the other side of the marina at the lake. Taylor and I had been here at least a thousand times, but we had yet to bring any guys with us. This was a first, and I was secretly hoping this wouldn’t be the last.

Taylor put the van in park and I was the first to climb out. I didn’t wait for anyone else. Instead, I made my way to the edge of the dock. I needed to clear my head and thoughts of everything Dax, before I came face to face with him. I leaned forward against the railing and just stared out over the water. The entire lake was deserted and completely serene. You couldn’t hear a single bird, insect or person for miles. This was the place I felt the safest. I leaned my head back a little bit, and slowly closed my eyes as I took in the calming feeling of being here. I could hear footsteps far off on the dock, but paid no mind to them as I took in a deep cleansing breath.

“It’s beautiful out here at night. I see why you guys come here.”

His voice broke through my fleeting thoughts, making me almost open my eyes with a bit of irritation. “It is, and it never disappoints, unlike people.” Dax had leaned next to me, mirroring the way I was standing there looking out over the water.

“You don’t like me much, do you?” He asked playfully.

“Just the opposite, but you frighten me.” I smiled as I leaned into him, and then stood straight up.

“You know, you have a way of intimidating me that I’m not used to.”

“I can see that.” I replied.

“I have to say, I’m a little jealous of how you act towards Wilton. If I didn’t know any better, I would think it was him you were into.”

“If you didn’t know any better, huh?”

“Well at least that’s what your best friend tells me.”

“Oh is that so? Let’s just say that Wilton, isn’t really my type.” I looked straight into his deep blue eyes as I said the last part, hoping he would realize that my
type,
was staring me right in the face.

“Interesting.” He started to walk away and I looked at him with a confused look. “I’m just grabbing a beer, you want one?”

I nodded my head in his direction, and then turned my attention back to the water. Once again, my thoughts went to hoping and praying that before we left tonight, he would make a move to kiss me.

Chapter Eleven

Dax

I didn’t want to leave her to go get a beer, but if I stayed any longer, I would’ve tried to kiss her and then that would’ve led to more. I could barely keep myself in control around her, and I didn’t want to lay all my cards out on the table so soon. I couldn’t stop staring at her, as I made my way back out on the dock where she stood. Something about her in this place, well let’s just say, it was a completely different side of her. A slight breeze passed and caught her hair, blowing it across her lower back. Of course, this had my eyes lowering their gaze to other parts of her body. I stopped mid stride and quickly adjusted my pants, before I walked up to her.

“Here you go.”