Last Christmas (Bound Together) (4 page)

Amy emerged from the bedroom and as her eyes met mine she flushed a deep shade of pink and hurried past me to the kitchen. I grinned and followed her.

“So…you must be starving. I know I’m always hungry after a mind blowing fuck.”

She gave me an awkward smile and began getting the ingredients out of the refrigerator for her signature, awesome-sauce lasagna.

I smiled and threaded my fingers through my damp hair.

“You don’t have anything to be shy about Amy. You and Mel are a couple and couples have sex. Since when are you all embarrassed by your sex life? Mel sure isn’t.”

She sighed heavily as she started preparing the food.

“I’m not embarrassed by my sex life. I’m embarrassed because you heard it.”

I chuckled.

“Amy, I think the guy next door heard it. These walls aren’t exactly the thickest I’ve seen.” I knocked on the wall beside me and it made a hollow banging sound.

“Oh God. Can we not talk about it? Go and get dressed. You’re dripping water all over my apartment.” I glanced down at the floor and saw the small puddle that was accumulating at my feet.

“Sorry. Mind if I use your bedroom to get dressed?”

She shrugged. “Knock yourself out.”

Grabbing my clothes and my overnight bag, I headed for the bedroom.

I’d just whipped off my towel, when the door flew open and Mel screamed.

Reaching for the only thing available to me, I covered my junk and stared at her.

“Ollie what the fuck!?”

I stood awkwardly and pointed at her.

“
Me
what the fuck? How about you! Don’t you knock?”

“Not to enter my own room! And for the love of God stop covering yourself with my Curious George stuffy!” I glanced down and saw the cheeky face of her monkey toy gazing back at me.

“Guess he’s not so curious anymore.” She didn’t find it funny.

“Well if you get out, I can get dressed and leave your poor toy with his innocence somewhat intact!”

Huffing, she slammed the door and stormed off. I could hear her and Amy exchanging words and although I felt bad to be causing an argument between them, I didn’t actually do anything wrong. Fucking drama queen.

When I emerged from the bedroom, Mel was sitting on the couch glaring at me. I gestured toward the door. “All yours nutcracker.” She strode over and squared up to me. “That doll is gonna need a whole host of therapy now. Sicko.” I laughed loudly at her.

“Oh Mel. If this had been the other way around, I’d finally not be the only guy in our group who hasn’t seen you naked.”

She stood back a little, smiled at me and pulled her towel off. I stared at her in shock, amazement, and if I’m totally honest, I was a little turned on. Mel was a real hottie. It would seem after sleeping with all three of my friends, she’d shed her self-confidence hang ups and as she walked past me, stark naked, I found myself gawking at her. Reaching her room, she turned and winked at me before disappearing inside.

Amy stood in the kitchen doorway with her hand over her mouth, clearly amused at what had just happened. I closed my own gaping mouth and shook my head. “That girl is fucking crazy.”

Amy bust out laughing and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. “Oh Ollie, you should have seen your face!” I rolled my eyes and slumped myself down onto the couch.

“I stand corrected. You’re both nuts.”

Chapter 5

Notches

When a woman says “I’ll be ready in an hour”, do not believe a single word. I’d been standing in the living room for almost two hours while Mel and Amy, were still nowhere near ready to go. I glanced at the clock and then anxiously at Nick and Eric. They both shrugged. Storming over to their door, I knocked loudly. “Will you two hurry up and get your asses out here! We have to get to Long Beach by eight and it’s already seven!”

Amy opened the door a little and poked her head through the gap. “Okay, okay. Calm the fuck down. We’re almost ready. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.” I groaned as she closed the door and I heard Mel laughing as I walked away and flopped on to the couch.

Nick leaned back next to me. “So, tell me, you stay here over night. You’re super tight with the girls. And you’re single…”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you getting at?”

He leaned closer and grinned. “Dude. Total opportunity for some girl on girl action! Ménage et trois my friend. A three way with the lesbians in the next room!” I shoved him and followed up with a smack upside the head.  Eric snorted a laugh at Nick as he massaged his head.

“You’re sick. You know that? You’ve got some kind of pervy fucking disease. They are my friends and I would never do that. Ever.”
I might think about it and listen in the shower…but I’d never actually partake.

Amy and Mel emerged from the bedroom and I had to do a double take. Mel looked stunning in her sleek and figure hugging white dress. It rested just above her knee and I’d never noticed what an amazing rack she had before! Amy was wearing jeans and a black halter top that made her cleavage noticeable from fifty feet away.

Okay so maybe I
would
have at it. But I was only human. They were smoking hot.
No. No, they’re your friends and no matter how good they look right now…no. No.

I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair trying to get the thoughts out of my head. Mel eyed me curiously. “You got fleas or something rock star? You’re shaking that mass of fur of yours like a dog that got out of the bath.” I shrugged and tried to seem unfazed but she’d caught me with my pants down. Well, not literally.

“No, I’m just getting all bent out of shape waiting for you two. You realize we have to haul ass to Long Beach now right?” I turned to Nick and Eric “You guys go in Mel’s beat up old Chevy and I’ll take the monster. I’ll meet you there.”

We left in our separate vehicles and as I watched my friends laugh as they climbed into Mel’s car, I smiled to myself. I was lucky. Okay so I didn’t get the girl and I ended up with a shredded heart but look at what I did have. Four great friends that were there to pick me back up again. Mel and Amy were Layla’s friends after all but they stuck by me and they even let me crash with them that night. I’ll never forget that night. The night she came back.

****

Walking into the bar felt like taking a big breath of air. It was like coming home. Amy, Mel and the guys headed right for the stage to set up while I stood in the door way taking in the smells, sights and comfortable feeling of the place.

I glanced over at our booth and my heart beat so intensely that it felt as if it was going to burst out of my chest.
Fuck. Don’t go there man. It’s not worth it.
There were reminders of her everywhere. The whole place was a painful fucking reminder! The bar we drank at, the stage we sang on, the booth we sat in and the bathroom we…

“Ollie?”

I turned around, shook my head a little and came back to reality to find Kate standing in front of me. She was wearing a cute little denim skirt and a white tank top. She had an impressive figure that I was able to fully appreciate now that it wasn’t hiding behind a counter. Her hands were clasped in front of her and she looked nervous. I smiled reassuringly at her.

“Hey, you made it. Come on over, I’ll introduce you to the guys.”

Finished with setting up, they were now congregated at our booth. I placed my hand on the small of Kate’s back and guided her forward toward them. Leaning in to her ear I whispered.

“Relax. They’re great and you’re my guest remember?”

She nodded and smiled at me. As we approached the table, Nick eyed Kate up and down and his expression reminded me of a dog that just spotted a juicy piece of meat. Essentially, that’s exactly what was happening. I glared at him and he soon got the message.

“Guy’s you remember Kate. We met her at…”

Mel cut me off knowing full well I wasn’t comfortable talking about anything that happened on Layla’s birthday.

“The party. Yeah I remember you. Another rock chick. Awesome. So, are you sticking around for the show?”

Kate looked at me, as though she were looking to me for an answer.

“Yeah of course she is. Why else would she be here?”

Amy gave me a stern look and I knew she was trying to remind me about our conversation back at the apartment. I glanced anxiously at Kate, who was now talking animatedly to Mel. I nodded at Amy and she knew I understood the icy stare I was getting from her.  Placing my hand on Kate’s shoulder, I gave it a light squeeze. She looked at my hand, then up at me and bit her lip. She kept doing that and blushing too. She blushed a lot just like…
Stop doing it yourself. Seriously!

“Um, a spritzer?”

I smiled. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

She bit her lip harder before releasing it and giving me a shy look. “Telling you?”

I chuckled and shook my head.

Grinning, she giggled a little. “Telling you.”

Nick and Eric came with me to the bar to get the drinks and leaning on the bar, I shot a look back at our booth. Mel, Amy and Kate were deep in conversation. I could probably imagine what about but it would only piss me off or hurt. Eric nudged my elbow making me stagger a little.

“Dude! What?”

He shook his head. “What do you mean what? You heard what Amy said at the coffee shop. You need to play this one carefully. If you’re that into her and wanna screw her brains out then that’s your mess but you need to be ready for when Amy and Mel claw your eyeballs out.”

I snorted a laugh. “Those kitty cats are all hiss and no sc
ratch. Besides, who said I’m into her?”

Nick turned around from the bar and nodded in their direction. “Are you kidding? You were so territorial over that piece of ass when you walked in, you might as well have been peeing around her.”

I grabbed Nick’s t-shirt and pulled him closer so that I was inches from his face. I was practically spitting. “She is not a piece of ass. I am not going to screw her either. She’s a nice girl and I could use a little nice lately, okay?”

Eric grabbed at my hand and stood between us as I released Nick. “Guys calm the fuck down.”

Nick smiled and leaned against the bar. “Well if you’re not gonna hit that, maybe I’ll take a shot at it.”

Now he’d pushed me too far. Kate wasn’t just some girl I picked up. She was Layla’s friend and that meant she was good people. Layla was good people. Soul sucking, heart stomping and infuriating but good people none the less.

I shoved Nick in the chest in warning. “Keep your fucking hands to yourself. She’s a nice girl and we both know what happens to girls who get fucked over by you.”

Eric threw his head back and laughed. “Yeah, they date each other!”

He pointed to Mel and Amy, who were cuddled together on the booth.

I punched him on the arm and rolled my eyes, even though I was also trying not to laugh. The girls had turned around to see what the commotion was about.

I ducked my head and turned to face the bar. The bartender placed our drinks down in front of us and Nick quickly paid him. I smiled at Kate as she watched me walk back to the booth. Handing her the drink she’d asked for, I considered sliding in next to her.
Too obvious and the bitch twins would lynch you
.

I gave Eric a shove and he shifted in the seat to make room for me. I sat directly opposite to Kate. She gave me a shy smile as she sipped her drink.

“It’s good?”

She nodded and swallowed. “Mmmm. It’s great. So what time do you guys play?”

I gave the girls a quick glance before leaning across the table to whisper to her. She followed my actions and giggled a little. “We should have been on an hour ago but those two decided to spend over two hours in the fucking bedroom getting ready. So now we’re on in fifteen minutes.”

She smiled and sat back in her seat. “Can’t wait. Layla told me you were a great band and…” I winced as she spoke and she’d obviously caught my reaction.

“Sorry. I keep forgetting.”

I shook my head and reached for her hand, holding it gently in mine. “Shhh. It’s fine. Honest. Can’t pretend she doesn’t exist right?”

Kate shrugged. “I guess not. But it can’t be easy. I mean, you hang out with her friends, you come to the shop and here.” She gestured around the bar.

“It is what it is. I can’t avoid everything that reminds me of her because if I tried to do that, I’d go insane. There’s always gonna be something that makes me think of her. Why bother fighting it?”

She nodded weakly and gave me a sympathetic look.

“It does stop eventually. I promise. When I broke up with my ex, I thought I would never get over it and wherever I was, there he was too. Not in person you understand, but him. It takes time but it does get easier.”

She pulled her hand from mine and gulped her drink. I slumped back against my seat and took a big chug of my beer. It felt kind of comfortable talking to Kate and at the same time, totally out of my depth. She was sweet, kind and she seemed to actually give a damn about how I was doing over this whole Layla situation. She was hot too. And if I hadn’t already decided that she wasn’t the notch on my headboard type, I would be all over this girl.