Page 87 of That First Night

“Beg.”

“Kali,” I snap. “I get it. I get it.”

“I just wanted to add to the dramatics,” Kali laughs.

“So dramatic,” I mock her the way she echoed Avery's words before.

Avery and Kali both laugh and pull their phones from their purses. Typing away as I continue to stare at them. “This good?” Kali asks Avery. “Yeah, that’s the one. How’s this?” Avery adds. They are having a conversation with themselves. Showing each other things on their phones and scheming away.

“Hello.” I wave my hands in their faces. “I’m still sitting here.”

“Okay, we’re all set.” Kali smiles at me.

“And what are we all set with?”

“You’re getting beautified for this, babe,” Avery adds.

Nerves run through me at what these two just planned in the span of three minutes sitting here on their phones. But excitement also mixes with that feeling.

I want Thomas. I really do.

After this weekend, I fully plan to hand in my resignation papers and terminate myself as James’ nanny.

Because the truth is, I will always want more.

I’m sitting at my desk at work, trying my hardest to focus on my work today. However, the only thoughts that consume my mind lately are those of Peyton. This week has been nothing short of amazing. I was inside her no less than two times a day because I can’t seem to stay away from her.

I have become an addict. I am addicted to everything about her.

Not just sex but being around her. Just wanting her somewhere near me. I want her in my bed every night and I want to wake up to her hair splaying across my chest with her body pressed up against my side. I want her arms wrapped around my body every morning when I kiss her forehead goodbye before I leave for the office. I want to see her launching off the couch into my arms when I step through the elevators coming home from work.

Fuck.

Is this what being in love feels like?

If it is, I can confidently say that I never want to be without it.

I can also confidently say that Peyton has changed me. I like who I am these days. I’m a different man, inside and out. I walk around with a smile on my face, and I notice I’m less aggravated than normal.

There’s a soft knock on the door, pulling from my constant thoughts about Peyton. “Come in,” I shout at the same time my eyes travel to the door.

“Hi, Tommy.” Emiline smiles.

“Hey, Em.” I smile back. “To what do I owe this visit?”

“Can’t a girl just come and bring her brother some lunch?” she scoffs as she places her hands on her hips.

“I mean,” I say as I shrug my shoulders. “I guess you can. Come sit.” See? The old me would have been so annoyed that she showed up unannounced. Is my family seeing the change too?

“How’s everything going?” she asks as she takes the seat across from my desk. She pulls out two small takeout containers and I can tell its sushi.

“It’s going,” I say as I take the container that she’s offering me. “How about you? How are classes going?”

“Ugh,” she groans. “Don’t get me started or I will start crying. I have never been so stressed in my life. I thought college was hard, but nothing in the world could prepare you for nursing school. I want to die.”

“That bad, huh?” I ask, taking a bite of sushi.

“Tommy,” she huffs. “Pretend you have a question that asks, ‘What color is the fruit?’ and it’s a picture of an orange. The choices are A. Orange. B. Orange. C. Purple. D. Do not resuscitate.”