Waiting for Romeo (11 page)

“Of course, as long as I get a job in L.A.”

She leans forward and gives me a quick hug. “Don’t worry. You will.”

“What about Josh?” I ask.

“He’s hoping to move nearby.” She says and then quickly changes the subject. “So, what’s the latest with you and Logan?”

“Not so fast, missy. Nearby? How nearby?” I grab my glass of wine and take another sip.

“Okay. So, he might be a roommate too…depends on how the rest of the year goes and his job situation. But I promise you the place is huge…there’s plenty of room so we can all have our own space.”

“It isn’t the space I’m worried about…it’s the walls…are they thick?” I tease.

She laughs. “I’m sure they are thicker than the walls in this old house and his place. It’s a newer building so the walls are probably a bit more soundproof.” She takes a bite of a spring roll. “Now, will you tell me?”

“Tell you?” She pulls the throw blanket off the sofa and wraps it around her. “It’s freezing.”

“I know…this house has thin walls and no insulation.” She moves towards the fire and tosses another log on it, causing the flames to rise. “Better?” She asks and plops down on the sofa.

I nod as I crawl up on the couch, facing her.

Bryn continues. “I’m talking about Logan. What’s going on? You two were awfully quiet when we walked home with you last weekend.”

“Well…I’m definitely a believer in second chances.” I say, nervously chewing on my lower lip.

“Tell me something I don’t already know. Hey, hang on a minute. Did you two already get back together? You know I’m seriously going to be pissed at you if you did and you didn’t tell me as soon as it happened.” She pouts and pokes me in the arm.

“Ow!” I rub my arm, where she poked me. “No. We didn’t get back together…yet. But I did decide to just go for it. I still have feelings for him and it seems like they are mutual. Otherwise, I don’t think he’d be stalking me, trying to get me to take him back. Right? Are you pissed?”

She grabs the bottle of wine from the coffee table and refills our glasses. Leaning back on the couch, she sips her wine, lost in her thoughts for a short time and then she speaks, “You know, I wanted to kill him that night. Really. And, I felt that way for a few weeks. But now I see how sorry he is and how much he wants you back…he sincerely wants you back.”

I stare at her. “I think so too.”

“And then, when I see you two together, you have this connection. It’s so obvious. A person would be blind not to notice it. That being said, I will tell you this, as your best friend, I will be watching him like a hawk. And, if I even catch a whisper of him reverting back to his old ways, you have to promise me you’ll get out before it’s too late.”

I reflect on her words. “Absolutely. You know, before that night, I had my suspicions.”

Her mouth drops open. “Shit, Emilia. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It was just leading up to that night. I knew he was spending time with Sebastian and that worried me. It was during finals so I was distracted, otherwise I definitely would have talked to you about it.”

“Promise me this. If you suspect anything…I mean you get any sort of inkling…you need to tell me. I don’t want you going through this alone. I’m here for you.” She gives me a reassuring smile. “Yes?”

“Yes. I promise.”

“So, now that you’ve reached this decision, when are you going to let him know?” She asks while she sips her wine.

“I have a plan.” I smile, mischievously.

“Oooh. Do tell, girlfriend.” She giggles.

Bryn stares at me in silence, as I reveal my plans to tell Logan that I made my mind up. I explain his text about offering to do anything to get me back, the different ideas that I came up with, and finally the one I settled on. She leans forward, excitedly when I tell her my final conclusion. Then her face drops as she falls back on the arm of the sofa.

“Well, what do you think?” I ask.

“Sounds somewhat romantic, but mostly insane. Are you sure about this? What’s wrong with just going to coffee? Starbucks can be romantic. Remember the first time you went out with him?”

I laugh at the memory. “Yes. But I’ve always wanted to try it and when he said he’d do
anything
it really got me thinking.”

Bryn laughs and shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s what he has in mind. Besides when did you become such an adrenaline junkie? First surfing, now this, what’s next auto racing?”

I smile at her. “I think it’s always been in me…that’s why I’m so obsessed with running and I love competing…not that there’s any danger in that but I love the feeling I get from it. I suppose Logan has brought it out in me. My dad said it at Thanksgiving when I finally went surfing with him after he had been bugging me for years to try it.”

“What did he say? Logan is making you insane?” She bites her lip, stifling a laugh.

“Ha. Ha. He said Logan was having a positive effect on me. My dad thinks Logan makes me more confident and willing to try things I would never have tried.” I shrug. “I don’t know. I told my dad he was giving him too much credit, but maybe he’s on to something.”

“Well, I’m sure your dad didn’t have this in mind either. How about you just stick to surfing?”

“No. I’ve made my mind up; now I just have to tell him and wait for the weather to clear.” I smile and grab a fortune cookie.

“Did you ever consider that he might not agree to it?”

“He said
anything
. If he wants me back…he will have to bite the bullet.”

Bryn breaks open her fortune cookie. “Interesting.” She says, quietly while she reads it to herself.

“What is it?” I stare at her.

“My fortune…look before you leap. How appropriate.” She says, seriously.

My mouth drops. “Give me that.” I grab the tiny strip of paper from her hand and read it to myself. “Very funny. That’s not what it says. It says: time is of the essence. Nice try. I think your real fortune is more appropriate.”

Bryn bites her cookie. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I do. It’ll be fun.” I smile.

“Well then, I hope he talks you out of it.”

“Won’t happen.” I say, definitely.

“Wow. I said take
baby steps
not
giant steps
…me and my big mouth.” She frowns.

“You said it…not me.” I kick her with my foot, playfully and laugh.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

IT’S STILL RAINING on Saturday morning when I head out for my run; the water on my face feels refreshingly cool. Bryn is still irritated with my plan, but some of her immediate worry is alleviated because the abundance of rain has closed several roads, including the one to my desired destination. My indecent proposal, or as Bryn likes to call it, my death wish, will have to be temporarily put on hold. I know Logan is anxious to get back together, and now that I’ve reached my decision, I am too, but what’s one more week? I looked at the ten-day forecast and thankfully, the rain is supposed to end today. A warming trend is expected which means by next Saturday it’s all systems go.

The streets are empty. No doubt the dark, gloomy morning is keeping everyone indoors. Sloshing in the puddles, while lost in my thoughts, I don’t even hear the words to the music that plays in my ears. I also fail to hear the footsteps behind me so when I feel someone grab my elbow, I am completely caught off guard. The blood pounds in my ears as a wave of nausea runs through me. My first thought is Sebastian, but before I can make a move to defend myself, I stumble as I turn.

The slippery leaves, from all the rain, underneath me don’t help matters. Grabbing the arm of the stranger, an automatic reflex, causes both of us to lose our footing as we slam to the wet, muddy ground. My fall lessened, because as I come crashing down, I land front first on top of my intruder.

I jerk my head up, my hair, wet and plastered to my face, making it hard to see. My heart still pounding against my chest, I scramble and try to leverage my hands against the ground to make my escape.

“Leave me the fuck alone.” My voice quivers.

“Emilia. It’s me.” His tone was soft, careful as he wipes back the drenched hair from my face. We are eye to eye.

I breathe. “Oh my God. Why didn’t you say so?” I say, shaky.

“Sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was running right behind you. I kept calling you, but obviously you didn’t hear me.”

He holds my face between his hands, allowing me to look into his worried, but passionate eyes. I can resist him no longer. I kiss him, passionately and he immediately kisses me back. His tongue pushes into my mouth, caressing it in its entirety. My body pushes down on his as he pulls me tight. Desire sweeps through my body, undeniably increased by the sensation we are skin to skin because of our drenched clothes.

Logan slides his hands around my back, then leans, gently and rolls so I’m now underneath him. His passion equals mine as his hardness pushes against me. Pouring all my heartbreak and pain into our kiss, I push my hands into his hair, drawing him closer. He moans into my mouth as his hand moves down my body. His mouth continues a slow, delicious torture along my jaw and neck. I lie beneath him, panting, when he stops, abruptly kissing me. My hands grasp his hard biceps as he leans above me, his eyes staring into mine.

“I love you, Emilia. I’ve missed you more than you’ll ever know.” He looks, determined.

“I love you too.” I whisper. “I cried so much.” I say, blinking.

“God. I’m sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt you.” He caresses my cheek as the rain continues to fall.

“I know I don’t deserve you, but you are in my every thought. I want you and I think you want me so please tell me you’ll take me back so we can move on.”

“Okay.” I smile, sweetly.

“Okay?” He smiles and leans forward, kissing me passionately again.

I push my hands into his wet hair as his heart beats with mine. “Are you still up for doing
anything
to get me back?” I breathe between kisses.

I feel his mouth curl up into a smile against me as his kisses drift along my jaw, along my neck and up beneath my ear.

“
Anything, baby.
” He whispers in my ear, sending tantalizing shivers all over my skin.

“We have to wait until it stops raining.” I say, anticipating his bewilderment.

He breaks off his kissing and raises his head to look into my eyes. “So, when you agreed to take me back, it had a condition that went with it?” He asks, then smiles.

“Yes.” I smile back.

“And, somehow it’s weather-related?” His eyes sparkle with curiosity.

“Hm-hm.” I bite my lower lip, trying not to laugh.

“Are you going to tell me what this one condition is or do I need to wait for it to stop raining?” He says, amused.

“You’ll have to wait.” I say, smugly.

“I have you trapped beneath me. I could just tickle you until you tell me.” His mouth moves, softly against my skin to that ticklish spot on my neck, just beneath my ear.

I giggle. “Stop.”

He sighs. “Okay.” He says. “As much as I am enjoying laying here on top of you. It’s cold and now that you’ve agreed I don’t want you getting sick, delaying your rather intriguing proposition.”

As he stands up, he scoops me up with him just as the rain comes to a stop. His hands wrap around the small of my waist. “You are thoroughly soaked.” He smiles down at me.

“You too.” I gaze into his eyes.

Suddenly, the sun pushes through the puffy grey clouds, slowly brightening the sky around us.

“It’s stopped raining and here’s the sun. I’m ready if you are.” He kisses my forehead and the tip of my nose.

“Next Saturday.” I say, cryptically.

He laughs. Then taking my hand in his, we start to walk together.

By the time, Logan walks me home it’s almost ten, the same time I’m scheduled to work. He insists on waiting for me, treating me like a disobedient child, because he thinks I will skip a warm shower and hurry to work in my soaked to the bones running attire.

“Take a hot shower. The Suttons will understand if you’re a few minutes late.” He pleads.

“I don’t have time. I can just change my clothes and go. I’ll shower later.” I say as I struggle to pull my Lulu leggings off that are so wet they are seriously glued to my legs.

He lets out an annoyed breath. “Emilia, you’ll get sick. Trust me. Take a hot shower. I’m not going anywhere until you do. I told you already I don’t want you sick.”

I finally succeed in getting my leggings off. I stand, directly facing him, and roll my eyes.

“So. Bossy.” I say under my breath, but loud enough for him to hear.

“I’m bossy because I care about you.” His lips turn up into a slight smile.

“You know you can’t be a bossy boyfriend when you aren’t my boyfriend
yet.
” I tease, strongly emphasizing the last word.

He saunters over to me, his eyes never wavering from mine. My wet shirt, stuck to my skin, is pushed up slightly exposing my stomach. He wraps his hands around my waist. A heavenly tremor moves through me when his unexpected hands are against my bare skin.

“Is that how you want to play?” He asks, his voice oozing with desire.

I swallow. “Actually, even when you are my boyfriend again I’d prefer you not to be so bossy.”

“Would you now?” He caresses my still damp cheek. Then leaning towards me he lifts my chin, gently, to his warm, soft lips. His tongue dips into my expectant mouth way too briefly, when he draws back and stares down at me.

I breathe. “Yes.”

“Okay. Would you
please
take a warm shower for me?” He smiles, kindly.

I grin back at him. “Well, when you put it like that.”

He tries, but fails to not laugh.

I HATE TO ADMIT IT, but he’s right. A hot shower is exactly what I need. The memory of our rain-drenched kiss, as I move the washcloth over my body, sends a delicious shiver through me. My lips still tingle from his hard, firm mouth, his tender onslaught. His declaration of love and mine to him is a bit nerve-wracking, but equally comforting.

I’m struck by the fact that he has gone out of his way to win me back. Traveling across the country on New Year’s, the countless emails, texts, and calls, the iPad with the thoughtful and meaningful playlist, and finally his coercion into my Shakespeare class. In addition to all of this, he kicked Sebastian and Seraphina out of his life. My stomach sinks at the thought of Sebastian, but I shake it off. These reasons all give me, no doubt, that instead of going in circles with Logan, it’s clearly time to move forward.

As I climb out of the shower, a knowing smile, at the thought of next Saturday’s plan, reflects back at me from the mirror. I wrap a fluffy white towel around me and hurry out of the bathroom to grab a change of clothes.

Logan sits on the edge of my bed; towel drying his perfectly tousled hair. How is it possible he looks so hot after being pelted by the rain when I know I looked more like a drowned rat? The smile still on my face, I feel his eyes on me as I grab a sweater and a pair of jeans from my closet.

“The shower agreed with you, I see?” He asks. I’m sure in reference to my smile.

“Yes. You were right.” I say as I pull on my jeans.

“I was thinking…” I start to say but he chimes in before I can finish my sentence.

“Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good. When someone starts a sentence with either ‘I was thinking’ or ‘we need to talk’ it’s always bad.”

I shake my head. “Not always.” I wait a beat before I continue. “As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was thinking…what were you doing out there today? I find it hard to believe that you were just out for a relaxing run.”

He laughs. “Okay. I suppose ‘I was thinking’ is not always bad…now it’s your turn to be right.” He pauses a second. “I saw you run by, okay I admit it. Maybe I was looking for you.”

“Maybe?” I ask, teasing.

“Okay, it was dark, foggy and raining. What was I supposed to do? You shouldn’t be out running by yourself. I knew the weather wasn’t going to stop you so I was looking for you. Honestly, I was hoping I wouldn’t see you and that you were going to wait until this afternoon and run. But I know how you like your routine.”

“You were hoping you wouldn’t see me?” I ask, deliberately.

He smiles, amused. “You know what I mean. When you ran by, a little earlier than I expected, I quickly put my running shoes on, but by then you were already pretty far ahead of me. I kept calling you, but you were in your own world. Now, I can honestly say I would have happily spent the whole day, week even, in the pouring rain chasing after you, since once I caught you it was
so
worth it. You can fall on top of me anytime and I will happily catch you.”

His words make my heart skip a beat. I walk towards him, towel still wrapped around me with my jeans on, and lean down, kissing him, tenderly on the lips.

“If I wasn’t already late, I’d really show you my appreciation. I’m glad you feel it was so merited.”

He pulls me towards him, scooping me onto his lap. “You can always take the day off and show me?” He whispers as his lips graze beside my ear.

“Logan, stop. I have to go.” I plead.

“I could always call the Suttons myself, I’m sure they’d understand.”

“Don’t even go there.” I know he’s referring to the time he convinced them to give me the day off so we could spend the day together in Montecito.

“I kid. Well, sort of.” He releases me and I stand to finish dressing. “Incidentally, I’m thrilled I caught you, but I am sorry I startled you.”

“Hm.” I say, hurriedly, while I wiggle into a cozy sweater. Grabbing a brush, I quickly run it through my hair. I’m just about ready when Bryn walks through the hallway, as she heads to her room. She rushes by, but quickly does a double take, when she sees me.

She grabs the doorway and leans back, glancing in my direction.

“Hey, I thought you were at work.” She says. Then when it looks like she notices Logan out of the corner of her eye, on my bed, she looks at him. “Oh.” She looks surprised. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“You’re not. I’m headed to work now.” I smile.

She glances back from me to Logan, trying to assess the situation.

“I hope you talked her out of her insane idea.” She says to Logan, ignoring me, while I shake my head at her.

Logan just listens. His look is one of amusement and curiosity. I shrug at him, like Bryn doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

Bryn turns her attention back to me. “You haven’t told him yet. Have you?”

“Bryn, stop being such a worry wart. It’ll be fine.” I smile at her while I fasten the locket necklace around my neck.

“Fine? I really don’t want to see my best friend’s life end tragically, like something out of
Romeo and Juliet
.”

“You know I love your concern, Bryn. But you are being quite the drama queen.” I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Could you maybe fill me in on this impending doom?” Logan breaks into our discussion.

“Don’t listen to her.” I say to Logan.

“Yes. Listen to me.” Bryn says.

“Just leaving.” I say as I signal to Logan that I’m ready to go.

Bryn rolls her eyes as Logan and I walk by her. I see her out of the corner of my eye point with both her middle and index fingers at Logan and then back at her own eyes and back to Logan, signaling him that she’s got her eyes on him.

He nods back at her, like he’s accepting her challenge.

“Bye, Bryn. I’ll see you after work.”

“See you.” She lets out a breath. “I’ll have a cocktail ready for you.” She says, slightly apologetically.

“Perfect.” I smile as we head out the front door and into the now, clear blue sky.

“You know you intrigued me from the moment I first laid my eyes on you, but this mysterious plan of yours has increased my intrigue, exponentially.” He says, his hand moves around my waist as we walk, dodging the many puddles that line the street.

I change the subject. “You know how you said you saw me, run by this morning?”

“Sure.”

“So, do you live around here? I know you told me you got a new place, but I don’t think you mentioned where it is.”

“It’s right there.” He points to the new condos on the corner, just a block down from my place.

I laugh. “You didn’t tell me we’re neighbors.”

“You didn’t ask.” A devious smile crosses his face. “Honestly, it didn’t come up and I did tell you I only wanted one roommate. You could have asked me then if you were interested, right?”