Poseidon (The God Chronicles) (14 page)

“Back here,” Sy called from my room.

I turned and found him in the doorway, my pajamas in hand.

“Here, put these on,” he said, handing them to me as I got closer.

I sighed and went into the room, laying the shorts and t-shirt on the bed. There was a new wave of tears threatening to show themselves as I struggled with the buttons on my
blouse. I’d only made it about halfway when I felt gentle hands on my shoulders, turning me around.

Sy gently undid the rest of the buttons for me and slid the fabric off my shoulders. Once I’d slid my arms out, he took the shirt and folded it, laying it on top of my dresser. I kicked my shoes off,
they landed under the bed, and slid my slacks off, handing them to Sy as well. For a moment he stopped, staring at me in my cami and boxer shorts before handing me the clothes he’d picked out before.

“Just the shorts will do,” I said quietly. “I’ll wear this shirt to bed.”

He handed me the bottoms and I slid them on, the tears slipping through again.

“Oh,
Audrey. I’m so sorry,” he soothed, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my forehead.

He turned to the bed then, folding down the covers and
gesturing for me to get in. I did as he asked, allowing him to cover me up like I was in grade school again. He walked around the side of the bed then and climbed in next to me, pulling our bodies close together, my back to his front under the covers.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do,” he said, running his fingers through my hair. “You get to make your own decisions. That’s what’s so wonderful about life.”

“Matthew hates me,” I cried softly.

“He doesn’t hate you. He just doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know why you choose to do the things you do.”

“I’ve never seen him like that before.”

“He’s hurting because he misses his friend. Give him time, he’ll come around.”

“I’m sorry I brought that onto you,” I apologized, rolling over to look at him.

“That’s not your fault either,” he said, smiling.

“I’m so—”

“Stop apologizing for things that aren’t your fault,
Audrey,” he said sternly. “Matthew was in the wrong tonight, not you.”

“Will you stay here tonight?” I asked, exhaustion finally taking over.

“I’d planned on it,” he confessed. “You rest and I’ll be here in the morning.”

“Okay,” I said, yawning.

We laid that way in silence for a few moments before I spoke again.

“Sy, would you be mad if I started wearing my ring again?”

“Not if it was because you wanted to,” he said after thinking about it. “I don’t think you do though. I think you’re afraid of more people reacting the way Matthew did tonight.”

“So,” I said
defensively. “What’s wrong with me not wanting to hurt people?”

“Honestly
, Audrey,” he sighed. “It’s me being with you that’s hurt Matthew, not the ring. If you’re going to use that logic, then you’re going to have to get rid of me. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not!”

“Okay then. If you want to wear your ring for you and no one else, then I won’t be mad if you put it back on.”

“What if I want to wear it so my friends will be happy?”

“Then it’s for your friends and not for you. Didn’t I just say that?”

I sighed and rolled back over, snuggling up against him.

“I haven’t had anyone in bed with me since John,” I said softly, changing the subject.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” I said, looking at the picture on my nightstand. “It’s nice to not feel alone.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Good morning, beautiful.”

I snuggled furthe
r into Sy’s arms before opening my eyes, relishing in the warmth that I was feeling.

“Good morning to you, too,” I
smiled.

He kissed my lips easily, slipping his tongue in for a second.

“I could get used to this view every morning.”

“Sure you could,” I teased. “Messy hair, morning breath, runny makeup. That’s every man’s dream.”

“Why shouldn’t it be?” he laughed. “Is there something wrong with wanting to spend every moment with someone?”

“No,” I said, smiling softly.

I stared at him for a few minutes, taking everything in. He was still wearing his now wrinkled jeans and shirt from the night before and his hair stuck up in every direction like he’d been electrocuted.

“What are you thinking?” He reached up and
brushed my hair back, intertwining it with his fingers.

“Not much,” I
laughed. “Why?”

“Just wondering,” he said nonchalantly. “Do you have plans for today?”

“Actually, no,” I said. “Isn’t that a surprise?”

“Good.”

He tugged me even closer and pressed our lips together, his hand sliding from my hair to my back.

“I think we should get out of bed,” I
suggested, pushing away and smiling at him.

“Why?”

“Because we’re easily carried away,” I laughed, sitting up and placing my feet on the cool floor. 

“Do you want to go for a run this morning?”

I looked over my shoulder, watching as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair.

“Honestly? Not really,” I
sighed. “I still feel kinda blah, you know?”

“Don’t let him bother you any more,
Audrey. I mean it.”

“I know,” I said
quietly.

“He’ll get what he deserves,” Sy mumbled, scooting to the edge of the bed and standing up.

“What does that mean?”

“Huh?” He turned to look at me, an innocent puzzlement plastered on his face.

“He’ll get what he deserves?” I stood as well and walked to my dresser to rifle through its contents, looking for something to wear the rest of the day.

“Uh
. . . karma, I guess.”

He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Do we have to leave the room and get ready for the day?” he whined.

“Yes,” I
snickered, leaning my head against his and setting my hands on top of his.

“Then I’m going to get my good morning kiss,” he growled, picking me up and tossing me back on the bed.

“Hey!” I laughed, as he climbed on top of me, pinning my arms down and sitting on my hips.

“I have a rule,” he
informed me quietly, his voice dripping with seduction. “If I wake up next to you, you have to be thoroughly kissed before we part ways.”

My breath caught in my chest as his face came closer to mine. Every cell in my body went on high
alert, ready to experience anything he had to offer.

His eyes burned brightly as he brushed his lips over mine, holding off the kiss for longer than I wanted. Goose
bumps rolled over my skin and I shuttered in anticipation, arching my back in an effort to be closer to him.

“I don’t think so,” he teased, tightening his hold on my wrists and stretching my arms out further so I’d have to lay down flat.

He leaned in again, our lips colliding roughly. The fire I felt every time he kissed me leapt to life, bringing out the side of me I normally didn’t let loose. Before I knew what was happening, my hands were free from his, fisted in the front of his shirt.

His mouth broke away from mine as his hands pushed my cami up off of my stomach and slid it over my head, tossing the shirt onto the floor. I purred with contentment as lips
caressed my shoulder, moving down my arm and then jumping onto my bare abdomen.

I became
vaguely aware that I’d undone the buttons on his shirt, each side hanging down around me as he lifted himself to look at me again.

“I
. . .” He stopped for a minute, uncertainty present in his eyes. “I love you, Audrey.”

He
lay back down, our bare skin gripping to each other as he softly kissed me. I could feel the nervousness in it, his hands shaking as they rose and wound into my hair.

“I mean it,” he
affirmed, suddenly pulling back again. “I’ve never felt like this before—even when I thought I was in love. How do you do this to me?”

“Do what?” I breathed, knowing he was telling the truth. He’d more or less said the same thing before, but not as clearly.

“How do you make me forget everything important? What is it about you that makes me what to drop everything and run to your side?”

“Who knows?” I said, smiling.

“Tell me you love me, Audrey,” he said, laying back down on top of me and nestling his face into my hair.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of my wedding day John, his eyes as bright as the sun.

“I can’t,” I said softly. 

“Then I’ll wait.”

“
Audrey, I’m so sorry,” Amy sobbed. “I don’t know what got into him.”

She sat her purse down
on the counter of the faculty restroom, pulling several tissues out as she did so.

My delightful day with Sy had come to an end after we spent the day on the couch, watching old movies and eating popcorn. He’d gone home late
that night, to my secret disappointment. I’d hoped he would ask to stay over again, but was also relieved I wouldn’t have to try and control myself any more. Every time we were together it seemed like we pushed the boundaries further and further. 

“He was so angry about everything. Even after you left he just kept yelling. I’ve never seen him that way.” Amy blew her nose loudly and used another tissue to pat her eyes.

“It’s not your fault,” I assured softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

“But it is!” she cried. “When I first brought it up, he didn’t want to do it. I talked him into it and I shouldn’t have. Please don’t hate us,
Audrey!”

“I would never hate you,” I laughed. “You’re one of my best friends. Now calm down before you hurt that baby,” I ordered sternly
, but with a smile.

“Does Sy hate us?” she asked tearfully.

“Of course not,” I said, handing her another wipe. “He understands. I think he might have been expecting it to be honest.”

“How terrible,” she moaned. “I hope he didn’t. I would hate to go out knowing I was probably going to be yelled at.”

“He’s strong,” I assured her. “He’s not upset. Matthew needs more time, that’s all.”

“I hope so.” She cried harder still, alarming a teacher who happened to walk in right at that moment.

“Pregnancy stuff,” I claimed nonchalantly. She gave me a knowing nod and walked right back out into the hall.

“I’m so relieved you don’t hate me,” Amy finally said, getting herself under control.

“You shouldn’t have even worried that I did,” I said, hugging her again.

“And on top of it all,” she said, new tears spilling over. “Our basement flooded this morning, out of nowhere. Apparently, there was a flash flood just around our house. All of our neighbors are fine.”

“Oh no!” I said sadly. “You don’t have flood insurance either, do you?”

“No,” she
hiccupped. “We didn’t think it was important since we don’t live by a normal flood area. It’s so weird. There hasn’t been any rain or anything for months. Where did it come from?”

“I have no idea,” I said, handing her another tissue.

“Thankfully, we didn’t lose too much,” she said, wiping her face as she looked in the mirror. “Everything for the baby was upstairs.”

“That’s good,” I agreed. 

We walked back to the front office together, talking about her latest doctor’s visit and how everything was coming along. I would never admit it to her, but baby talk was one of the hardest things for me to handle. All I could think of was how I was supposed to go through everything she was experiencing. I was happy for her though, and enjoyed hearing her joy over the matter. I would be a mother someday, I was sure of it.

“Anyway,” she continued as we sat down. “In a couple of weeks we get to have another ultrasound and hopefully find out what the sex of the baby is! Isn’t that so exciting?”

“It is,” I nodded in agreement. “Do you have any names picked out yet?”

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that,” she said, scooting forward. “Matthew and I talked about it a
few months ago and I’m sure he would still like to do it.” She paused for a moment, hopeful anticipation on her face. “We were wondering—if it was okay with you—if the baby. . . Well, what I’m trying to say is, if the baby’s a boy we would like to name him John.”

“I think that would be wonderful
,” I exclaimed. “Of course, that’s okay with me. What a wonderful thing for the two of you.”