Winning Back Ryan (19 page)

Taking my hand, he led me out of the community center and down the street.

             
I said goodnight to him at my front door, and he asked me what was on the schedule for tomorrow. I laughed and told him laundry. He asked me if I was going to the laundromat on Eleventh Street, and I nodded.  Watching him walk away, I shouted out if he wanted, he should join me for dinner. I knew it would be awkward if Ryan was there, but I just…didn’t want him to go.

             
“Sure,” he said, turning around and walking up to me. He caught me off guard because I hadn’t expected that answer.

             
“Okay,” I replied awkwardly. “Come in.”

As I turned to walk up the stairs, Chuck, my homeless spy, waggled his brows suggestively towards Brian. I tried to fight the blush.

I never knew what to expect when I walked in my front door anymore. I certainly didn’t expect to find Ryan doing a mundane thing like cooking eggs. Did the man suddenly have an aversion to wearing a shirt?

             
“Hello,” I greeted, trying to remain cordial.

             
“Hey, Annie,” Ryan replied in such a warm voice, that it was like a stab to the heart. His eyes looked past me. “Brian,” he said coolly before turning back to his eggs.

Brian didn’t respond just gave a nod in his direction.  I turned towards Brian.

              “Since he’s cooking, do you mind if I shower, then cook?” I asked.

             
“Nope,” he replied, “I’ll join you.” I blinked. Surely, he didn’t mean? As I glanced sideways, I saw that Ryan’s head tilted in our direction. Brian’s comment grabbed his attention. When I glanced back at Brian his smile told me that I was missing something.

             
“Alright.”

I made my way to the bedroom to grab clothes, and Brian followed me in.

              “Do you trust me?” he whispered in my ear, staring at me intently, and I didn’t understand his strange behavior. I nodded and he walked over to the dresser. He pulled out the first drawer, and I watched him rummage through. He picked up the pink silk camisole I bought with a matching color underwear and bra. It was a little strange seeing my underwear in Brian’s hand.

             
“Wear this when you get out and cook,” he said to me.

             
“Are you serious?” I whispered back.

             
He nodded. “If you want to screw with his head, this is the way to do it. Wear this while I’m here. He’ll go crazy. Trust me.”

             
“I think you just want to see a woman strut around in lingerie,” I whispered back accusingly.

             
He smirked, his eyes glistening. “Fringe benefit.”

I had no idea what made me agree to the idea, but the thought of hurting Ryan was too delicious that I never even looked at possible consequences.

              I walked in to take my shower, and Brian followed me, sitting on the covered toilet talking to me while I stripped off my clothes behind the shower curtain. He told me about the ad he was making, that he contacted the band and everything had been agreed upon. His boss loved the concept of the commercial. I said encouraging things as the warm water sprayed down on my achy body. It felt incredible on my sore muscles and I groaned at the relief.

             
“You okay in there?” Brian asked; I heard the smile in his voice.

             
“I’m fine. Muscles just hurt. Try not to get too turned on,” I replied, and Brian went right back into his story from before.

             
“Annie, is everything alright?” I heard Ryan’s voice say from behind the curtain.

             
“What are you doing in here?” Brian’s voice shouted.

             
“I heard Annie groan as I walked by the bathroom and heard Brian ask if you were alright. I thought he was hurting you,” Ryan said.

             
“Brian, hurt me?  Never. He’s not you, Ryan. I am fine. And if you think a groan that sounds like that means I’m in pain, then you’re a moron. Now get the hell out!” I shouted. The door slammed shut.  “What an asshole,” I muttered under my breath.

             
When the shower was done, I asked him to hand me my towel and slipped it through the bathroom curtain. I dried off and told him to hand me the lingerie and he did piece by piece.  First the pink silk boy short underwear, next the black bra with pink flowers stitched across. Then the last piece- a pink silk camisole that barely reached the end of my rear. When I was finally dressed, my hair wrapped up in the towel, I pulled back the curtain.
              “What do you think?” I asked. “Do you think he’ll be pissed?”

Brian stared at me for a while, his eyes moving up and down my body, before finally nodding his head.
              “He’ll be pissed alright.”

             
“Good,” I said, hopping out of the shower to realize Brian had already placed my clothes in my hamper for me.

             
I walked out, passing the dining room table to walk into the kitchen and heard Ryan coughing and sputtering. I paid no attention as I took the salmon out of the fridge. I dressed it up accordingly, placing it in the pre-heated oven. I’m thankful that my hands were so busy, because they were shaking like a leaf. I had never done something quite as crazy as this, nor as revengeful, and part of my mind wondered if I had finally lost it.

As I boiled the water for the rice and started steaming the vegetables, Brian walked in, putting a hand on my waist.

              I inhaled sharply at the contact and he leaned down, brushing my hair away from ear, whispering, “He’s watching. Follow my lead. Just relax. You look beautiful.” I couldn’t turn and look; it’d be too obvious, so I just giggled- part in nervousness, part because it seemed like it would be a good response. His hand was still on my waist, his body close to mine. “Mmm. Smells delicious,” he said in a husky voice. Wow was the kitchen getting hot.

             
“Behave,” I said in a clear voice. “Or there’ll be no dessert tonight.” 

             
I heard him softly chuckle. “I can’t help myself, though.” He sighed wistfully. “But, I do want dessert.”

             
He placed a soft kiss on my neck, and without thought, I wrapped my arm around his neck as the food cooked. It was a feeling of absolute comfort. And for that moment it was just Brian and me. Just a quiet moment we had carved out of the day just for the two of us.  My fingers played with the soft hair on the nape of his neck and I heard him murmur into my ear in appreciation.

             
We stood there for a while as I lost track of time, his arm now wrapped around me, and every so often he placed a gentle kiss on my neck or shoulder.  Brian had told me to pretend, to go along with the moment to make Ryan jealous, but I realized that I didn’t need to pretend. I was madly, head-over-heels in love with my best friend.

             
“If you don’t pay attention, you’re going to burn dinner,” he murmured in my ear, before nipping my ear lobe.

             
“Then you need to not stand so close, because you are seriously distracting me,” I chided, gently smacking his arm.

             
He broke away, grabbing something from the fridge. When I glanced in his direction, he held a water bottle in hand, drinking, but I caught Ryan glaring. Jealousy- it was shockingly written across his face as clear as day. As I turned back towards the stove, I couldn’t believe Brian was right about this. Cooking in lingerie. How cliché and yet working like a charm. His eyes bore into me watching my every movement as I made my way around the kitchen. He wasn’t even trying to pretend he wasn’t staring at me. When the timer went off, and I bent over to take the fish out of the oven, things got a little intense there for a moment.

             
We sat down when dinner was ready, and Ryan curiously hovered on the couch. He flipped through the channels, not watching anything. Brian started playing footsie under the table, and I giggled at his silliness and wide grin.  Every laugh that came from me, however, had Ryan looking in my direction. I couldn’t help but think that Brian was a genius and it was nice not being by myself- sitting at home, eating dinner alone by myself, staring at the wall. Anything was better than that.

             
After dinner was done, I picked up the plates, sticking them in the dishwasher before cleaning up the two pots. Brian took the sponge from me.

             
“What are you doing?” I asked, as he started scrubbing the pot, his chin resting on my shoulder.

             
“Sexy girls wearing sexy things shouldn’t have to clean,” he said loud enough that even Ryan could hear. I giggled in disbelief that Brian laid it on so thick. After we finished, all pots, pans, and dishes washed, dried, and put away, I turned off the lights in the kitchen and hall. I walked over to Ryan who was still channel surfing.

             
“Excuse me,” I said.  He glanced up at me angrily, and I continued, “Brian and I are turning in early tonight.”

The look on Ryan’s face was priceless as he realized what I meant. He stood up abruptly, turning the television off, nearly throwing the remote.

              “This is my T.V. so you can’t watch it.”

             
I crossed my arms, jutting my hip out in annoyance. “Actually it’s still ours since you haven’t paid me the seven hundred fifty dollars yet.”

             
“Well, then I’ll go to the ATM now,” he spat.

             
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Suit yourself.”

He ran into the bedroom, and when he returned he wore a shirt and sneakers as he strode past us down the hall, slamming the apartment door closed.

I looked at Brian who smiled broadly.

             
“You’re a genius,” I mouthed and he bowed theatrically. I took the pillow cushions off, pulling out the mattress. “Do you want to go home now?” I asked. There was really nothing to do in my apartment now. Brian helped me set up the bed, shaking his head. “The bed is really uncomfortable,” I explained.

We both lay down and turned our heads towards the other.

              “You’re right. It is really uncomfortable. You’re going to sleep on this for five more months?”

             
“I have no other choice. I’m not going to buy another bed and hope that Ryan doesn’t have sex with a woman on it.”

             
“Annie, this is nuts. You can’t sleep on this bed for five more months. You need to find a way to get out of your lease,” he said.

             
“I’m working on that,” I whispered as if the walls had ears. He glanced at me curiously, his eyes questioning. “Ben’s father has my apartment contract. He is looking for a loophole.”

             
“Good. He’ll find you a way out,” he said confidently.

             
“And then what?” I asked. “Then where do I go?”

             
“We’ll figure it out,” he murmured into my forehead as he kissed me.

             
“Are you staying the night?” I asked.

He sat there for a moment with his hands behind his head, contemplating.

              “If I do, you can’t be upset with me if I…wake up with a reaction.”

             
“I don’t understand.” His words honestly hadn’t clicked in my head.

             
“Annie, I’m a man, you’re scantily dressed, and are
very
beautiful. If you lay against me all night long, I’m going to have a reaction. There’s no way around it, and I don’t want you getting upset,” he explained.
Oh. That’s what he means.

             
“We’ll be fine,” I replied nonchalantly, not wanting him to leave.  I did not want to be alone tossing and turning all night long. “I think our friendship is strong enough to survive one erection.”

             
He chuckled, shaking his head. He kicked his shoes off and slid out of his pants. He took his polo shirt off, his white cotton undershirt riding up his stomach slightly. I glanced the other way as he undressed and sighed long and hard. I thought about leaning over and helping him undress, but what if he didn’t want me to? Would I make him feel uncomfortable? He was already helping me by making Ryan jealous. I felt so nervous that I was paralyzed to make a decision. As the thoughts still bounced around in my head, he was already getting into bed.

             
Brian slid beneath the covers. “Is this the new blanket we just bought?” he asked. I nodded. “We have great taste.” He smiled affectionately. I was disappointed that I hadn’t made my decision sooner- it felt like a lost opportunity to be closer to him.

             
“Brian,” I said, touching his cheek. “I won’t be upset if you wake up wanting me,” I bit my lower lip, forcing myself to squash down the nervousness and continue on, “because I want you too. I just…need to take care of some stuff first.”