Present Perfect (32 page)

Their voices got louder as if they were headed into the kitchen. I used the sleeve of my shirt to wipe the sweat away from my face and tried to calm my breathing down.

“Brittani, your cab will be here any second. You need to go wait for it outside,” Brad told her.

“I just want to get a bottle of water.”

Brittani stumbled into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator. Her back stayed facing me. She grabbed a bottle of water then leaned against the counter while she tilted her head back and drank. If either of us moved just a half an inch she’d discover me.

There were two ways into the kitchen, one from the hallway and the other from the dining room. The dining room was next to the living room and the living room was next to the front door. If she went through the dining room then she would walk straight out of here and not spot me.

She started toward the dining room. I let out a slow sigh of relief, and then suddenly she said, “I forgot my purse.”

She whipped around and saw me. It took her a few seconds to focus her eyes before realizing it was me standing in front of her.

“What the fuck is she doing here? Is
this
the something
important
that just came up?” she snapped.

Brad simply shrugged his shoulders and gave her a cocky grin. “Brit, come on, your cab just drove up.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a large wad of cash, and shoved it at her. I couldn’t help but think this scene was a foreshadowing of her future career.

She grabbed the cash and took a few steps in my direction, all the while glaring at me.

“I don’t get it,” she said as she pointed her finger at me, making a zigzag motion in the air up and down my body. “Noah always wanted to get his dick in you and now you got Brad’s twitchin’.” She stumbled back slightly and chuckled. Looking at Brad she asked, “What is it about her? Does she have a magic vagina or something?”

“Okay Brit, it’s time for you to go.” Brad stepped toward her taking her elbow.

“I need my purse,” she said, shrugging out of his grasp.

“You have it already.” He pointed to the purse dangling at her hip. He then grabbed her arm a little more forcefully and tugged her out the door to the awaiting cab.

I knew I should get out of there, but I didn’t. I stayed right there in the kitchen, waiting for the douchebag to come back. How did I become this pathetic? I kept telling myself I just needed to be somewhere no one would find me.

Brad came back into the kitchen and landed right in front of me. His usual cocky expression covered his face.

“Your mom’s not home?” I asked.

“Nope. She has a new beau, so every second she’s not working on a case, she spends over at his place. I do believe the Mother of the Year Award will elude her again.” He paused for a moment. His eyes scanning my body like some wild animal sizing up his prey. “Are you okay?”

I took in a deep breath and simply nodded. He took another step, bringing him so close to me I could smell the scent of cinnamon coming off of him.

“Why are you here, Amanda?” he asked, in a low sultry voice.

Sheepishly looking up at him, I answered, “I didn’t have anywhere else to go. Can I stay here for a little while, please?”

“Sure. You want anything?” He had a look in his eye like he was ready to pounce on me.

“A drink would be good. Thanks.”

“What’s your pleasure? Besides my face between your legs, that is?”

I wanted to slap the smugness off his face. It was as if he knew why I had shown up on his doorstep. I still wasn’t completely sure why I came here. Before, if he had said something like that I would have laughed because I’d know he was teasing me, but now everything out of his mouth had slime all over it.

Amanda, have an ounce of self-respect and leave.

“Something strong would be great,” I said.

“I think I can give you something strong.”

He stood back allowing me to go first. I knew the game room was where they kept all the alcohol in the house. I entered the room and immediately noticed the bar crowded with various bottles of liquor, enough for an entire party. It must have all been for Brittani. Brad didn’t appear the slightest bit drunk. He sauntered behind the bar.

“What can I get you?” he asked.

“Anything. You choose.”

“Those are dangerous words, Beautiful.”

“Don’t call me that,” I snarled.

Climbing up on the barstool, I watched as he pulled a clean pitcher from behind the bar. Eyeing the measurements, he poured alcohol from several different bottles into it, occasionally glancing up at me. He threw some ice in a glass, poured a generous amount of the drink, and handed it to me. He then poured himself a glass and walked over to me.

“What is this?” I asked, glancing up at him.

“Long Island Iced Tea,” he said peering at me over the rim of his glass. “You want to go sit on the sofa?”

“Not really. This is fine.” I paused for a moment. “I’m sorry I ruined your evening.” I put as much sarcasm in my statement as possible.

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Brit was only a three point five.” He was such an arrogant bastard.

“You’re disgusting.”

Smiling, he leaned in close to me and said, “But in a good way.” I rolled my eyes and took a gulp of my drink. “Amanda, are you going to tell me why you’re here? You look like you just lost your best friend. Speaking of best friends…Stewart won’t be looking for me tomorrow ready to kick my ass, will he?”

“You don’t have to worry about Noah anymore.”

I swiveled the chair around to the bar and poured myself another drink. I had downed the first one in record time. I wanted a buzz as soon as possible. I needed to feel numb again.

“Oh, is there trouble with Mr. Perfect?”

“Don’t talk about him.” Brad wasn’t good enough to even have Noah’s name cross over his lips.

I downed drink two just as fast as the first. I was feeling pretty buzzed, but my mind wouldn’t shut up.

I’m a horrible person and don’t deserve anything good and decent in my life.
I deserve this disgusting human being in front of me.

“You might want to slow down with those. I don’t want to find another surprise in my trashcan like before,” he said.

I started laughing. “I was so busy having a nervous breakdown, I forgot to enjoy the thought of you finding my puke in your room. Tell me, do the girls usually throw up after you’ve fucked them? Because if they do that doesn’t bode well for you, buddy roe.” I turned and poured myself another drink.

I hated Brad for what he had done to me, but somehow I was still attracted to him, drunk or not.

I was such a pathetic idiot
.

He had on a pair of worn jeans that hung low on his narrow hips. They were ripped mid-thigh on both legs and just below his right knee. His t-shirt fit him like a glove. I had no trouble making out the details of his well-defined chest. He must have upped his workouts because he looked more chiseled than I remembered. The sleeves hugged the muscles of his toned arms, showing off how cut they were. The color was a deep coral which made his golden skin and hair stand out even more. Most guys wouldn’t be able to pull off that color, but Brad could. We stared at each other as I drained my third glass dry. The pain I felt when I first got here had subsided. Long Island Iced Tea was a miracle elixir. I went to pour another glass, but Brad grabbed my elbow. “I think you need to take a breather.”

“What a boy scout you are.” I swiveled back and forth a few times in the chair, glancing around the room. Brad’s eyes remained glued on me. “Sooo…you and Brit-ta-neee? You hit a dry spell or something, buddy?”

“What do you mean?” I could tell he was finding me amusing.

I leaned forward and loudly whispered, “She’s kind of a skank. Besides, you said she was only a three and a halfer.” I leaned back in my chair, laughing. “Even though you’re a vetter birgin. No wait, a better virgin. That’s not it either. You’re not a virgin. Oh well, whatever, you’re a Smurffucker. What was I talking about? Hey! Why did you let me in if you and Skankzilla were just about to play
pool
?”

“I’ve missed you.” As if on cue, his trademark megawatt smile crept across his sexy face.

Yep, I had to admit it, Brad was a stack of hotcakes covered in sexy syrup and I wanted to fork him.

Brad is slime, but that’s what I deserve after what I did to Noah.

“Well, a three point five sure thing is better than the memory of a nine point seven five. And that’s all it will ever be with me, just a memory, Smurf fuc-kah.” I raised my hand in front of his face and snapped my fingers, showing him I meant business.

“I’m charming as hell, though. I’m sure I can persuade you to sit on my face for a while.”

“You make my skin crawl.”

“I’d like to crawl all over your skin.”

“Are you serious? Do you actually believe a girl would find that charming?”

Completely ignoring my question, he said, “Amanda, why did you come here?”

“I don’t know why.”

“Yes you do.”

“Enlighten me then,” I sneered at him.

“You and I aren’t that different, you know. Yeah, I used you to win a bet, but you used me too.”

“How the hell did I use you?”

“Who were you thinking of every time we hooked up and who are you trying to forget tonight?”

I stared at him, keeping my expression as neutral as I could. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

“You used me as a stand-in for Mr. Perfect. I used you to make some cash and now you’re back for more. When I fuck you tonight, I won’t be making a dime off of it. When you close your eyes as I’m sliding into you, whose face will you see? So, you tell me, which one of us is more disgusting?”

Brad leaned into me, sitting his glass down on the bar. He was so close I could feel the heat radiate off his body. He looked down at me. Reaching up, he tucked some of my stray hair behind my ear then his fingers slowly moved down, tracing the outline of my jaw and continued down my neck, stopping just short of my breasts. Lifting my lids, I was hypnotized by sapphire blue eyes.

His touch sent shivers down my body. How could I be so attracted to someone I despised, someone who was responsible for one of the worst days of my life?

Because he’s right, you’re no better than he is, Amanda.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I just wanted to feel numb and forget the overwhelming pain I was in and caused.

“So now that we’ve cleared the air. Why are you really here, Amanda?” Brad asked.

“I want you to make me forget,” I whispered. We were so close my lips brushed against his with each word.

“That wasn’t so hard to admit, was it? In fact, I’ll be happy to call you Tweet if it’ll help.” The sound of him saying my nickname made me sick.

Before Brad had a chance to say another word, I grabbed the back of his neck, pulled his lips to mine, sucking them in. I clawed at his shirt, silently begging him to take it off. He did. His hands wasted no time slipping underneath my skirt and finding my hips. Fingers dug into my skin as I wrapped my legs around his waist pulling him closer to me. Lifting me up, he carried me to the pool table and laid me on my back. I heard the sound of a zipper and then foil ripping. Grabbing behind my knees, Brad jerked me forward so that my hips sat right at the edge of the table. I felt his cold hands run up my legs. Before I knew it he had ripped my panties off and was pounding into me.

My head was fuzzy from the drinks, but I was extremely focused on what I was doing. I didn’t think about the past or the future. The only thing that mattered was this moment in time. There was relief in this moment. There was no guilt, heartbreak, or loneliness. I was able to escape all of that with a few drinks and a willing guy. I’ll deal with how ashamed I was about myself later.

I spent the summer trying to forget Noah with Brad. Sex with Brad was like a drug. During sex, I could shut down and shut out. It was a momentary relief, an escape from the pain that I woke up to every morning. Escaping became very addictive, but like with any drug, once you come down from the high the pain and loneliness are still there accompanied by self-hate and disappointment.

Being with Brad also released me from the need to be perfect. I didn’t care what Brad thought of me, expected of me, or did to me. He was irrelevant. Any guy could help me achieve the same results. Brad was just convenient and familiar.

When I wasn’t with Brad, I tried to stay busy, but Noah always lingered in my thoughts. The only time he wasn’t was during my encounters with Brad. I plodded through my days as best I could. The one thing that would completely derail me was if I saw Noah. Seeing him would send me straight to my room and under the covers until the next day. I did everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen. But there were days when I couldn’t keep myself from peering out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

A week before I was to leave for school, I found myself glued to the window above the kitchen sink. There was a clear view of the Stewart’s backyard from it. Since I only had a week left before moving, I didn’t think it would do any harm to stop fighting the pull that window had on me. Once I was in Columbia, Noah would be completely out of reach and sight.