Off Limits (19 page)

"Oh, hi Nate! I didn't see you there!" squeaked Trisha. If this was her way of playing it cool then it sure wasn't working.

"Hi Trisha. Jeff. No, you definitely didn't see me," I said. Jeff gave me a look.

"And you definitely didn't see us, right buddy? No one needs to know?" he said, which roughly translated to 'don't tell Ruby!'

I could have just agreed and walked away from the situation, but I was feeling slightly devious. I wanted to play with them just a bit. I only wished that Ruby was around to help me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, "I said to Jeff, before turning to Trisha, "So how long have you two been banging each other?"

Trisha looked like she might burst into floods of tears at any moment, but I really didn't give a fuck. Jeff just looked sleazy as ever. I couldn't understand how he had managed to get any woman ever.

"Nate, please please don't tell Ruby! Jeff and I didn't mean to fall in love, it just happened lately.

Everything's so messy right now and you know poor Ruby's been through so much. I really don't want to upset her!" pleaded Trisha. I pretended to think about what she was saying.

"Ruby won't be upset, because she has me," I said, and I could see Trisha's eyes narrowing. She obviously didn't approve of my relationship with her cousin but I didn't care. I knew that Ruby still did a little bit though, even though she was trying her best not to care.

"And you don't have a problem with her being with me, do you Trisha?"

Trisha paused thoughtfully before shaking her head.

"No, not at all. I'm sure you'll make her very happy."

"Good. So I won't tell her that you're sleeping with this jack off," I turned to Jeff," No offense buddy. I won't tell her if you keep your nose out of our business and don't make her feel bad for being with me. Is that a deal?"

Trisha and Jeff both nodded. The guy was so pathetic that he didn't even challenge me for calling him a jack off. I said goodbye to the two of them and went to pay for my pasta, feeling proud of myself. If I had to be a little bit devious to protect Ruby's honor sometimes then so be it. I couldn't say that I didn't enjoy it.

Ruby

Nate told me all about Trisha's romance with Jeff. I was so over him by this stage that it didn't matter to me at all. The two of us laughed and laughed at how silly they were to be so secretive but I promised Nate that I wouldn't tell Trisha that I knew. I kept my word of course, but it didn't matter anyway. Trisha's own blabbermouth got the best of her when I came to visit her at her new place.

"Your curtains are really nice, where did you get them?" I asked. Trisha began to vibrate as if she was having a seizure, before she finally exploded.

"I'm sleeping with Jeff!" she yelled, tears spurting down her cheeks, "I'm so sorry Ruby! You have to forgive me!"

I didn't care one bit, but that didn't mean that I couldn't let her beg and plead just a little bit. It was fun being the one with the power for once. I managed to make her promise that she would loan me

her rose gold bracelet, bake me a chocolate fudge cake, clear her schedule so she was completely open for cat-sitting as well as promise to never ever bother me about Nate again.

Nate and I talked on the phone a lot during the week after my interview. He even took me to the drive-in again, though this time it was on their rom-com night so I didn't have to hind behind any seats. We still ended up having sex through both of the movies, but that was inevitable. We still had fun.

Every time I spoke to him about the job he was weirdly cagey, assuring me that he would let me know as soon as he received any news on the matter.

"But you're the boss," I whined at the drive-in, "Aren't you in charge?" He smirked at me.

"You're right, I am the boss. That means you have to do what I say so I demand that you take your panties off right now and show me that pretty pussy of yours," he said. It wasn't unlike talking to a brick wall, but the sex was so good that it didn't matter. The after sex was even better. There was no tears or drama on my part. Just some cuddling before we started the second or third round of crazy sex. What could I say, it worked for us somehow.

Trisha kept to her word. The fudge cake was delicious and my mom wasn't informed about my new relationship. I would tell her someday, someday soon. It was just important that she heard it from me and not from Trisha or anyone else. I even finished a few commissions and made some money for once. Life was good.

I was still in bed at eight O' clock on a Monday morning when a rock hit my bedroom window. At first I thought it was a fluke but then there was a second, and a third. Who on earth could that be? I ran over to the window, ready to shout every obscenity I knew at whatever fucker thought it was funny to try and smash my windows in. I shouldn't have been so surprised to see Nate grinning up at me, his motorcycle parked right at the front of the building.

"Get down here!" he yelled, a huge smile on his face, "We have somewhere to be!"

I wasn't sure what he was talking about but I thought it would be better to argue with him when I got downstairs than from a few stories up. I got dressed into something pretty but smart and hurtled down the stairs. I guess I was slightly nervous that Nate wouldn't be there when I got outside. He was still there when I stepped out, sitting on his bike with that smile still on his face.

"Wow, you look great. You're gonna make a good first impression anyways," he said, looking me up and down, "Very sexy, but it's a kind of 'don't fuck with me' sexy. I like it."

"Thanks," I said, giving him a little twirl, "So what's all the fuss about? Where are we going that I need to make a first impression?"

I had a vague notion but I needed him to confirm it before I could let myself get too excited.

"Where are we going?" He asked, handing me his second helmet, "Work of course!"

I gave a small shriek and did a victory dance that made Nate laugh before hoping on to the back of the bike.

"Let's go!" I said, and we did.