Page 25 of Enough Isn’t Everything (Everything Trilogy #1)

Chapter Seventeen

COMPLICATIONS

After college, Will drove me back to his place to run through one of the pieces and for me to collect my car. I had slept on his couch last night. Actually, I didn’t sleep. Instead, I lay trying to block out the noisy lovemaking going on in Will’s bedroom.

Coming out of his room in boxers to get some OJ, Will looked all cute with his bed hair, and with a shiny ‘I’ve-fucked-her-senseless’ look in his eyes. Seeing I was awake, he gave me a sheepish grin of embarrassment. I blushed at the sight of him.

Looking over in my direction, he smiled, and I covered my face with my hands, signaling that I had seen and heard too much already. He made a wicked ‘muwahaha’ noise at me, ran over, and planted a kiss on my forehead. Grinning, I swatted him away, before he disappeared back into the bedroom again.

I was mortified, and it was awkward getting ready for college together, blushing each time we made eye contact. We didn’t mention it all day during our rehearsal time, but as we were driving back, he obviously got a pang of guilt about it.

Traveling along in silence, he suddenly mumbled, “Sorry about last night.” I decided to tease him to get my own back, like I would have done with my best friend Jack.

“Huh? Oh… you mean the loud grunting and fucking, or not including me in it?”

Will’s mouth dropped open, his jaw hanging. I wanted to squeal at his reaction, it was so funny. His head snapped around to look at me. “Wh… what?”

Deadpan, I fought to keep my face straight, determined not to laugh. “Well, I heard everything, but it was like being invited to a party and being told not to eat, drink, or dance.” Will was dumbstruck, and I could see that he was freaking out, but trying to act cool at the same time.

It was too funny, but I struggled and kept my face passive, and Will cleared his throat. “Um, Lily, Saffy’s your best friend,” he mumbled awkwardly and almost inaudibly. I pinched myself to stop from bursting out laughing, it was hysterical.

“Yeah, and your point being?”

Will was really struggling by then, and I looked intensely, but still deadpan at him, saying, “You know, Will, we do usually share everything.”

His head swung around again. “You do?” His eyes went wide, and he was openly freaking out now.

Shocked eyes ticked over my face. “Watch the road, Will,” I prompted, and his head snapped back to face the front.

“You know, Lily, I’ve never had a, a… ménage. I don’t think…” I burst out laughing. Will’s jaw dropped. “You were shitting me? Lily! Oh, thank God!” His hand shot up to his chest and slapped his sternum. “I hate you… that was so mean, girl.” He chuckled.

Slapping his hand against his chest again. “God, you were so serious.” I giggled hysterically at how gullible he’d been. “I truly shit myself there about how to deal with you.”

Will swiped his hand at me, but I think he could have backhanded me hard, and it wouldn’t have registered. I was too busy curling up on the seat, screaming with laughter.

“I get it, Lily. I’ll get you back one day. Just because you don’t get involved with anyone, doesn’t mean I can’t get my own back one day.” If only he knew. We were both still chuckling as we passed a poster advertising our gig.

A bald guy in flip-flops and baggy shorts was wearing a sandwich board, which said, ‘Live Music’ at the corner of an intersection. It had the bar we were going to play at and had our names on it.

I noticed another hobo-type guy on another corner of the same intersection with a billboard advertising the name of the bar with a gigantic yellow arrow pointing in the direction of the venue.

We both looked at each other and screamed, “That’s us!” We screamed again, and I stamped my feet on the car floor with excitement.

By the time we arrived at Will’s we were both feeling relaxed after laughing so much. We spent an hour together on the arrangement for one of the pieces we were doing tonight. Afterwards I went home to get ready for the performance.

As soon as I got home, I filled the bathtub with bubbles and laid back. I pulled the bubbles through my fingers, watching them disperse with the movements.

My mind drifted again to how much better things were going for me and I hoped that wouldn’t change now that Alfie had reappeared on the scene.

Seeing him today unnerved me. I didn’t outwardly react to him at all in front of Will, but the feelings I thought I had dealt with involving him still came rushing back.

The sight of him had taken my breath, and I had wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around his neck and pull his mouth down to mine. Saffy interrupted my thoughts by knocking on my bathroom door, asking softly, “Hey, Lily, are you decent?”

“I’m in the bath, come in.”

Saffy hesitated, “Um… do you have bubbles in there?”

I giggled. “Why? You’re not thinking of joining me, are you?” She chuckled at the other side of the door.

“Well, what I want to know is… are your naked bits on show? I mean you’re not going to show anything you wouldn’t want your dad to see, are you?” I was laughing heartily now.

“He’s not outside the door, is he?”

“Just answer me!” she snapped.

Gasping for breath, and still laughing I squeezed out, “Okay, I’ll bite… my boobs are covered in bubbles is that good enough for you?” The door cracked open and her head popped around before she pushed the door wide and Max, Saffy’s twin brother, was standing in the doorway.

“Surprise. Hey, baby girl, pity about the bubbles, they ought to be illegal.” He grinned.

The sight of Max, my crush for about three years when I was a teenager, shocked the hell out of me, and I dove under the bubbles. He closed the door again, and I re-emerged, with a silent scream on my face, and my mind running at ninety miles per hour.

I had butterflies and felt an excitement that equaled first dates and lots of other firsts. I quickly finished my bath and began to get dressed, suddenly desperate to check that he was here.

Dressing in a purple mid-thigh length tube dress, I inspected myself in the mirror. It clung to my slender frame, accentuating my curves. The low-cut scoop of the neckline made my breasts seem fuller and gave me the perfect cleavage.

I liked the way the dress gave me to more curves. Accessorizing to complete the outfit, I added a few long, beaded necklaces as well as the platinum and diamond tennis bangle my parents had given me when I turned twenty-one.

Reaching up into my closet, I pulled down a black box. I smiled when I saw my favorite red stilettos and matching purse. My hair hung in long unruly curls down my back. I had preferred a wilder look for my public appearance tonight.

Checking my final appearance in the mirror, the girl I was the last time Max saw me, and the woman I had become were very different. I wondered what he would think looking at me now.

Spraying on some Coco Chanel as I straightened my dress, I headed for the sitting room.

Max’s reaction took me back a little. His jaw dropped, and he was speechless. Shaking his head, he seemed to recover from the initial impact I appeared to have had on him. “Wow,” he whispered, staring at me in disbelief. “Oh. My. God, angel, you look perfect.”

He closed the distance between us and took hold of my hand. Stepping back, his eyes trailed from my head to my toes. “Look at you.” He gave a slow whistle. His eyes darkened with each second that passed. I felt very self-conscious as he scrutinized me.

His head dipped toward my face, as his lips brushed featherlight against my cheek. His hot lips softly paused on my skin. He inhaled deeply before he pulled my body flush with the side of his hip.

Saffy wasn’t paying attention when he did this, as she was running around, getting her stuff ready to go out.

His lips brushed my ear, and he whispered gruffly, “You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, Lily.” Saffy was sitting on the far side of the room and had turned just in time to see me blush with the effect he was having on me.

“What did he say to you, Lily? Don’t be mean, Max,” she scolded.

“I wasn’t mean, and if I’d wanted you to hear what I was saying, I would have said it out loud,” he told her as he led me over to a chair. I sat down and he stood in front of me, still looking at me. He began shaking his head.

“What?” Saffy asked. “You haven’t seen a hot woman before, Max?”

Max’s mouth slowly curled into a smile. “Y’all know that I’ve watched my lil’ Lily grow over the years, and dang if she hasn’t gone and blossomed on me.” Saffy laughed and Max chuckled at his own comment. I blushed again as my heart fluttered with his appreciation.

Luckily for me, Holly arrived home and the attention steered toward her while I gathered my thoughts. Max’s gaze kept landing on me until he was outright staring at me.

His stare was full of intent, his pupils dilated. I’d seen that look in Alfie’s eyes, and Max kept me close from the moment we left the apartment until we arrived at the venue where we were playing.

Will was already there, setting up. When he saw us he grabbed me excitedly, hugging me tightly to him. I noticed Max puffed out his chest and smirked. Turning to Will, I pointed at Max. “This is Saffy’s twin brother, Max.”

“Max… this is Will, the other half of my duo,” Saffy chipped in. “I’m seeing Will, Max.” He puffed his chest out again, as if to say don’t-you-dare-fuck-my-sister.

Will looked uncomfortable, but tried to act naturally, offering his hand for Max to shake. He did this reluctantly with a primal stare that spoke volumes in terms of treating Saffy right.

Max seemed fine with Will touching me from that point onward, knowing that he had no designs on me. Will, on the other hand, had been watching Max.

He was still staring at me, and Will picked up on it. “Oh, maybe I’ll come and sleep on your couch tonight. Looks like you’ll be having noisy, monkey sex if Max has his way. The poor guy’s been eye fucking you since you arrived.” My jaw dropped open at Will’s comment.

Everyone settled in the seats, and when we started to play people were chatting as if we didn’t exist. We were only a few bars into the song when people seemed to stop and listen. The first song we played was “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed, and the arrangement for it was a little different.

We were nervous to switch it up because it was a classic, but it went down well, and we held the audience’s attention after that. Will smirked and winked at me, and we started to relax after that. I was more than happy, because I had sung, and it sounded okay.

The rest of the set went down just as well. I performed and sang one piece of my own, an acoustic version of “Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton. Will performed Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street”, and all I could hear in the room was the haunting sound of his beautiful saxophone tones in the air.

We finished the set with some duets again. The reaction from people in the bar was excellent. We were on a high. A few people wanted to chat with us, and there were more contacts asking for our diary dates.

Saffy told me that Max was sleeping in her bed tonight, and she was going to Will’s with Mandy and Neil. I was a bit fed-up that she couldn’t take the time to see her brother. Holly had disappeared halfway thought the set, and I wondered if she’d taken Brett to our place as well.

When I asked Saffy if she knew where Holly was, she just shrugged. I checked my cell to see if she had left a message for me. I had three texts that had come in when I’d been performing.

SEXPERT: Missed you baby. Oh! That dress, those legs! I need to stroke them desperately.

I looked around. I didn’t know Alfie was here tonight. He had cheek, really, I hadn’t heard from him in five weeks.

Then again, I supposed that he didn’t need me when he was off touring as there would be plenty of groupies. I was definitely struggling with the concept of the no-strings thing we had going on.

Pink Lady: Swat! Need you to keep your hands to yourself I’m working.

SEXPERT: Can’t you’re too irresistible and it’s been weeks.

Pink Lady: So… you should be over your withdrawal by now.

SEXPERT: Meet me at mine?

Pink Lady: Nope, I have company tonight.

SEXPERT: Bring your company, she can have a spare room. Need to see you.

Pink Lady: Sorry, HE wouldn’t go for that.

SEXPERT: HE???

Pink Lady: Yeah, it’s a boy, and we’re almost ready to leave for my place.

SEXPERT: PITY. I guess I’ll just have to entertain myself some other way.

Pink Lady: You’ve managed this long without me, I’m sure you’re resourceful.

Alfie didn’t reply after that and I checked the other two texts.

Holly: gone to Brett’s, mwah!

Unknown: This is Max. Saffy punched your number in my phone in case we all got lost. Do you want to get a late dinner?

I smiled and texted back: Please, I’m starving, give me ten minutes.

I packed up and said my goodbyes. Max and I took a cab back to the condo. “I’m starving, do you know somewhere to eat, or do you want to order in?”

I nodded. “There’s a place near here that’s open late. We can walk to it,” I informed him while searching in my purse for the keys to my apartment to make sure I had them.

Max and I chatted about old times and our years apart melted away. He stared at me a few times, and there were a couple of intense moments where I was the one to look away, but after a while we were completely comfortable with each other.

When Max was talking about our past, a stray lock of hair fell across his forehead. I instantly leaned over and brushed it away. Max caught my hand, drew in a breath, and smiled. He held my gaze with his, let my hand go, and looked away.