Fall (Seaside #4)(39)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

I dialed again.

Finally, he answered and swore into the phone. “I swear I’m crushing your balls with a shovel. What the hell, Jay?”

“Where’s your spare key?”

“What?”

“For your condo?”

“Why do you need a spare key? Just knock, you ass.”

“I think I smell smoke,” I lied.

“What!” He shrieked. “Under the pig, it’s under the pig.”

“Thanks.” I hung up and ran outside then up the stairs to the condo. Pig, pig, pig. I searched high and low then saw next to one of the planters an ugly demon pig that looked somewhat possessed.

It was missing an eye.

Good thinking, Demetri, nobody would think a rock star lived here.

I picked up the dirty ceramic pig. The key shone underneath. I let out a sigh of relief that Pris was smart enough to keep the key under the pig rather than risk losing it by throwing it into her gigantic purse.

“Brilliant.” I quickly unlocked the door and put the key back under the pig, patting its head and muttering a thanks like an inanimate object had actually helped me break into my friend’s house.

Great, so I’d lied and forced entry, just add it to my list of laws I was already breaking.

I gently pushed the door shut and froze. What the hell was I doing? I couldn’t just crawl into bed with her — she’d think I was an intruder. And if she was sleeping I didn’t want to wake her up! I really should have thought things through better.

With a groan, I turned to leave, then saw a light flicker on.

Curious, I followed the light into the bedroom.

Another light turned on.

And then Priscilla walked out of the bathroom.

In nothing but the shortest towel I’d ever had the pleasure of seeing on another human being.

“Aghhhh!” She screamed. Her towel dropped.

My jaw followed.

“Get out!” She wailed throwing a pillow at my face.

Yeah, I let that bastard hit me. It was worth it. I took in my fill then slowly, with a cocky grin, turned my head.

“What are you doing?” I heard foot stomping.

“Making sure you made it home safe,” I said smoothly. “Alone.”

“You’re not my babysitter!” Pris huffed, opening one of the dresser drawers and rummaging through.

“I’d choose the lace ones, more feminine,” I said in a helpful voice.

Eyes narrowing, she snatched the black lace, with a matching bra. My mouth went completely dry because now I could actually imagine her naked body in that getup. Of course it helped that when I looked to the right I caught a glimpse of her golden skin through the mirror in the bedroom.

Painful. My mind was too creative by half.

Wet hair pulled back into a ponytail, Pris marched back into the bedroom wearing short shorts and a tank top and crossed her arms. “You can leave now.”

“Actually…” Damn, she smelled good. “I can’t.”

“Why?” Her mouth trembled. “You’re not exactly my favorite person right now.”

“I know.” I sighed. “But I’m lonely.”

“So you thought to break in? That’s your solution?” Her eyes were wild. I loved how they seemed to swallow me whole as they got larger and larger with frustration.

“I’m British?” I offered.

She closed her eyes. “I can’t win.”

“Good that you know that. I mean, why try when you know you’re going to lose? Can I have the left side, tonight?”

She hung her head and pressed her fingertips to her temples. “Sure, just don’t suffocate me like last time. I woke up with your pillow pressed against my face.”

“Would you rather it be something else?”

“I won’t hesitate to lock you in the bathroom and play that scary movie by the door, Jaymeson.”

“No suffocating, left side, got it.” I quickly pulled off my shirt and pants, leaving only my black boxers on, and climbed into bed.

Pris, yawned and turned off the lights, then climbed in next to me.

“You’re going to have to find another bed partner, Jaymeson.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m dating Smith and I doubt he’d like the fact that you and I sleep in the same bed every night.”

“He doesn’t have to know.” My voice taking a defensive edge. “It doesn’t involve him.”

“But it does.” Pris’s voice caught. “It does now. I want to make things work. I have to make things work.”

A hint of desperation plagued her voice. Nodding, I kissed her head and whispered against her hair. “I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

“Well, that makes two of us,” she replied. “Now, be a good friend and try not to snore.”

“Pris?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I hold you?”

The three beats of silence nearly killed me.

“Yeah.”

I wrapped my arms around her body and sighed with contentment. This was it. I’d gone and done it. Because I’d rather hold her in my arms all night, then have sex with anyone else.

Ever.

Which meant only one thing.

I was going to murder Alec and Demetri — because they’d been right. I wasn’t falling.

No.

I’d already fallen.

Chapter Thirty

Jaymeson

I whistled like a fool for the entire day. My morning with Pris had gone perfect. We’d woken up entangled. Arms and legs everywhere.

And I would have happily stayed that way if she wouldn’t have punched me in the stomach for accidently grazing her boob.

Total accident by the way. It’s not like I wanted her to chop off my fingers or anything. I knew when it was okay to touch… And waking up a girl by grabbing her? Probably the easiest way to lose one’s balls.

I’d also been fielding phone calls most the morning from the crew that was currently at her house fixing things up. It seemed that the work wasn’t going to take any longer than a week, which was good considering her parents would be home soon.

The only crappy part of that whole scenario was that the faster they worked, the closer she was to leaving me — and going back to her house where she belonged. Pretty sure starting another fire would land me in prison.

My days and nights started flooding together. I’d wake up with her body pressed against mine, and I’d tell myself that the next night would be different, that I’d tell her — either tell her or let her go.