Page 31 of Trick or Tease

SAbrINA

I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was early. Birds were singing and roosters were announcing the new day. I needed to get up and get moving, but I was giving myself a couple of minutes to process.

I got home late last night. And my back was a little sore. Nothing that would slow me down but a definite reminder of lying on the hard floor in the house.

Again.

It was funny that we seemed to take over the house. We christened a few rooms last night. If there were ghosts in that place, they were probably performing exorcisms after what they saw last night.

The things that man did to my body should be illegal. And I wanted him again. I had a feeling Garrett was going to be a really hard habit to break. He was definitely making me think about things I never thought I would. Especially with him.

Billy’s brother.

My childhood buddy.

The guy that chased me with snakes, pushed me into mud puddles, and held my hand when he walked me home when I was seven and he was ten.

Garrett had always been a part of my life.

Kind of like a tree in the yard or that old chair in the corner.

He had just always been there. When he moved away to go to college, there had been a real hole.

Eventually, we all learned to go on with our lives without our fourth.

The three of us did fine, but those first few years he was gone, we talked about him a lot.

We all missed him. It was probably about the third or fourth year he was gone when we figured out he did not miss us.

He had made new friends and his visits home just stopped.

I knew it was tough for Billy to lose his brother, who he always looked up to.

Lucy and I did our best to fill that gap, but nothing could replace a big brother.

And then as Lucy and Billy got more serious, I felt myself slowly drifting away.

Not because they made me feel like a third wheel, but I didn’t want to get in the way.

They wanted and needed each other. They deserved to grow their relationship without worrying about me.

And now Garrett was back.

Temporarily.

I threw off the blankets and got my ass out of bed. I was going to drive myself crazy if I lay there any longer thinking about all the what-ifs. I went into the bathroom and grinned when I saw the state of my hair.

It was a mess. There was a red mark just below my ear and another one on my neck. All evidence of Garrett’s very thorough and eager lovemaking.

I turned on the shower, cranking up the hot water and waiting for the pipes to groan and moan before the water warmed up. I stripped and climbed in, then hissed when the water hit the rough spots on my knees and along my spine.

It was a good pain.

I had to condition my hair twice to get all the tangles out.

By the time I stepped out of the shower, I felt squeaky clean.

As I dried off, I took note of the many bruises on my hips, thighs and even on one wrist. That only made me smile bigger.

Today was definitely a long-sleeve, high-collar day.

Didn’t want to scandalize the overprotective mamas.

I dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and pulled on my Aerosmith T-shirt over the top.

It was country chic. One day I’d like to put on a pretty dress and heels to show Garrett I could clean up nice when I wanted to but it wouldn’t be when I was giving hayrides and running around the farm all day.

I had a feeling I would never clean up enough to look like his Manhattan women.

Last night he told me I was beautiful no less than a hundred times. It certainly felt honest. He made me feel like I was the only woman in the world that could turn his head.

That tiny little doubting bitch in the back of my mind was trying to mess with me. That little voice telling me I would never be good enough. That Garrett was just using me because I was the only warm, willing body in Greenleaf.

That wasn’t true. There were plenty of willing women. And even if Garrett just cared about the sex, he was fucking amazing, making me feel things I would remember till the day I died.

I went downstairs, finding my parents already gone for the day.

“Burning daylight,” I murmured and started some coffee.

While the coffee maker that was as old as I was sputtered and spit out the black gold, I grabbed a yogurt from the fridge.

I was sitting on my porch, my coffee cup between my hands, when Lucy pulled into the driveway. She hopped out with a box of donuts in one hand and a grin on her face.

I had a feeling I would be seeing her before work. She was going to have some questions.

“Morning!” she called, bounding up the steps. “Thought you might need some sugar to fuel your day.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” I said, accepting the box and opening it to find a mix of glazed and chocolate-covered donuts.

She plopped down on the rocking chair beside me, grabbing a glazed donut for herself. She took a bite and chewed. I waited. I knew what was coming.

“So, did you have a nice night?”

“Stop.”

“No way. Uh-uh. I gave you your space. Now it’s time to talk.”

There was no point in fighting it. “Okay, fine. We hooked up. Again.”

Lucy didn’t look surprised. “Again? So, this wasn’t just a one-time thing?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“And I’m guessing you want to keep doing it?” she asked.

“Only forever and ever.”

My best friend sighed and patted my forearm. “You did it, didn’t you? You went ahead and fell for him.”

“I haven’t fallen for him. It’s just a bit of a tumble.”

“But you like him, don’t you?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “I do. More than I should. When he leaves, I don’t know how I’ll ever recover.”

Lucy squeezed my hand. “I get it. The heart wants what it wants, common sense be damned. But you’re right. He’s not sticking around. And you’d never leave Greenleaf.”

“Exactly,” I said, my voice catching. “I hate the city. It’s too loud, too crowded, too everything. The only good thing about it would be Garrett. And now he’s here, but he’s not staying. I’m just setting myself up for heartbreak.”

Lucy frowned, leaning back in the rocking chair. “But you’re not stopping it.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know how to. Every time I’m with him, it feels right. Like we’re supposed to be together. But I know it’s temporary. And that’s what hurts the most.”

“So the haunted house?” She started laughing. “Is that a kink? Were you hoping there would be ghosts?”

“Stop.”

“Come on! I have to know. How does one go in there and think it’s a fun place to do the nasty?”

I couldn’t help myself and started laughing. “Okay, fine. But this stays between us, right?”

“Cross my heart,” Lucy said, making the motion across her chest with exaggerated seriousness.

“We were working on the decorations, and things got heated. Garrett was a complete gentleman about the whole situation. He gathered up all our clothes and spread them out on the floor so we wouldn’t have to deal with splinters and dust.”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “He made you a bed out of your clothes? That’s actually kind of romantic. In a weird, dusty, potentially haunted way.”

“It was sweet,” I admitted. “And practical. I was not about to get splinters in places that should never have splinters.”

“Smart man.” Lucy nodded approvingly. “At least the city didn’t ruin him all the way.”

I took a sip of my coffee, trying to hide my smile. “Yeah, well, he’s always been thoughtful like that. Even when we were kids.”

Lucy leaned forward, squinting at me. “Sabrina, what is that on your neck?”

My hand flew to my throat instinctively. “What? Nothing.”

“No, no, no.” She reached over and gently tugged at the collar of my Aerosmith shirt, revealing the red mark just below my ear. “Holy shit, girl. Did Garrett bite you?”

I swatted her hand away, my face burning. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that bad? You look like you tangled with a vampire!” Lucy was practically cackling now. “I mean, I knew the man was intense, but damn. Did he think you were going to escape?”

“Lucy!” I protested, but I was laughing too. “He got a little… enthusiastic.”

“Enthusiastic? Sabrina, that’s not enthusiasm, that’s possession. He marked his territory.” She sat back in her chair, grinning wickedly. “I have to say, I’m impressed. Quiet, serious Garrett has some serious passion hiding under all that lawyer polish.”

I buried my face in my hands. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Are you kidding me? This is amazing! You’ve got the hottest guy in three counties completely obsessed with you. Look at yourself—you’re glowing. And not just from the hickeys.”

“They’re not hickeys,” I mumbled through my fingers. “It’s probably just ringworm or poison ivy.”

“I hate to break it to you, but those are definitely hickeys. Multiple hickeys. Did he work his way down like he was sampling a buffet?”

I peeked at her through my fingers. “You’re terrible.”

“I’m thorough. And I’m your best friend, which means I need all the details. Did you at least return the favor? Please tell me you left some marks on him too.”

“Stop! I am not giving you all the details.”

“Sweetie, I’ve been sleeping with his brother nearly half my life. I’m guessing there are some family traits that they share. And all I can say is, I know. Trust me, I know . Billy dreams big in the bedroom too.”

I could feel my cheeks burning. I was never going to be able to look at Billy without blushing. “You’re killing me,” I groaned.

“Look, I’m not going to tell you what to do. But if you want to have fun with him, go for it. Just be clear with yourself about what this is. Set clear boundaries. You deserve someone who’s all in, Sabrina. Someone who wants to stay.”

I sighed. “I know. And I’ll try to keep that in mind. It’s just hard. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a guy. But he’s not here to stay.”

“I’m sorry. Who knows? Maybe Garrett will surprise you. Maybe he’ll realize what he’s missing here.”

I knew the truth. Garrett’s life was in the city, and mine was here. And no matter how much I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t ask him to give up everything he’d worked for.

For now, I’d take what I could get. The tears could wait.