More to Us (16 page)

"So you'd have an excuse to see her more." Dylan smiles. "You really like this girl."

"Yeah. I think this might actually go somewhere."

"What kind of athlete?" Van asks.

"She's a gymnast, or she used to be. She had an injury so she's not competing anymore."

Van laughs. "A gymnast?" He tosses his drumstick in the air and catches it. "Congratulations, man. Your sex life's about to become freaking amazing. You do it with her yet?"

"No, and stop talking about her that way or I'll shove that drumstick up your ass."

"I'm just saying, gymnasts can do things with their bodies you wouldn't believe. Same with yoga instructors. Remember Gia? The girl I dated last year?"

"Yeah, you already told us," Dylan says. "We don't want to hear any more of your sex stories. You give way too much detail, man."

"I'm just—"

"So is she in school?" Dylan asks me, interrupting Van.

"Yeah, she starts college next week. She's 21 so she's starting late. She moved here from Michigan. She lives in an apartment with one of her friends from high school."

"Is her roommate hot?" Dylan asks. "Maybe I could date her."

"I've never met her, but I know she has a boyfriend. And since when are you looking for a date? You have girls begging to go out with you."

"Yeah, band groupies. You know I don't want that."

"You haven't wanted
anyone
in months," Van says. "You've barely shown interest in a girl, so why now? You finally over the one-night stand girl?"

He shrugs. "I guess. I'll never see her again, so what's the point?"

"Ha!" Van points his drumstick at Dylan. "I knew you were hung up on that girl. I finally got you to admit it."

Dylan gives him an annoyed look. "It wasn't exactly a secret, idiot. I wrote a damn song about her."

"Still. You'd never admit it until now."

"So you know anyone?" he asks me.

"For you to date? No. But you're going back to college next week so I'm sure you'll meet someone there."

"Speaking of college," he says, "we're going to have to change our practice times. Van and I have a couple night classes this semester so we're gonna have to meet earlier."

"I can't," I say. "I have to work."

He gets up from his chair. "Then we'll just have to practice less. And we won't be able to play as much. I have a tough schedule this year and I'm trying to set up an internship for the spring."

"What are you saying?" I ask. "You're ditching the band?"

"No. I just won't have as much time to play."

"You too?" I ask Van.

"Yeah. Sorry, man, but school comes first, you know?"

Actually, I don't know, because I'm not in school. I have work and the band. And the band is important to me. So important that I've told my dad I won't work nights or weekends if it interferes with my music. My brothers all work overtime but I won't do it. The band is a priority to me. But I guess Van and Dylan don't feel the same way.

So what does that mean for Vandyl? Is the band going to eventually break up? I'd counted on us doing this for years. I wanted us to be more than a local band. Maybe even do this for a living. But that's not going to happen if they're giving it up.

Maybe they're not. Maybe they were just letting me know they'd be busy this year and would have less time for the band. I hope that's what Dylan meant because I really need this band. And I don't want to join another. The three of us work well together and we all get along. We're friends. And I need to play. My music is important to me and I need to play.
 

So they can't break up the band. Vandyl has to continue. If it doesn't, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Kira

My phone rings and I see Austin's name.

"Hey," I answer. "You done with the band?"

"Yeah, and I want to see you."

"It's almost ten."

"Yeah? So?

"It's too late to go anywhere."

"We don't have to go anywhere. I'll just come over."

"Sorry, but you can't. Amber's asleep and I don't want to wake her up."

"She's asleep before ten?"

"She had a really bad headache so she went to bed." This time I'm not lying. She got a migraine after dinner and it wouldn't go away so now she's in bed.

"Then I'll meet you downstairs," he says. "We'll go get something to eat or just hang out in my truck."

"I don't want you driving all the way over here."

"I'm already here. I'm in the parking lot."

"You are?" I smile and feel my heart beating faster.

"Yeah, so get that hot little ass of yours down here and come see me."

"I'll be down in a minute." I toss my phone on my bed and check myself in the mirror. I'm kind of a mess, with no makeup on and my hair in a ponytail. But I don't have time to do much so I re-do my ponytail, then yank off my t-shirt so I can put on a bra. But then I decide not to. If we start making out, he'll just take it off, so why bother? I grab a lightweight button-up shirt and put it on, because I like it when he undoes the buttons, all slow and sexy. I'm getting hot just thinking about it. I leave on the shorts I'm wearing, grab my phone and keys, and head downstairs.

"What took you so long?" Austin asks. He was waiting just outside the door, and when I came out he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

"I didn't take long. You're just impatient. And I had to get ready. I didn't know you were coming over."

"I didn't know I was either, but as I was driving home, I decided I couldn't wait until tomorrow to see you. So you want to go somewhere?"

"I'd rather just go in your truck and make out."

He laughs. "Okay, that works."

"Why are you laughing? You told me to be direct."

"That's true. I did. Let's get in the truck and you can tell me exactly what you want me to do to you."

"I don't want to be THAT direct. I like it better when you surprise me." I push out of his arms and walk to his truck, fast and determined. "You coming?"

He catches up to me and scoops me up in his arms.

"Hey!" I laugh. "What are you doing?"

"Surprising you." He kisses me. "You said you liked that."

"I do." I kiss him back, noticing how good he smells. He has cologne on tonight, a clean fresh scent that mixes well with his skin. He's wearing dark jeans and a bright white t-shirt that shows off his dark tan and muscular arms.

He sets me down, then opens the door to his truck and slides the seat all the way back. Then he gets in and helps me up and I sit on his lap, straddling him.

"I really need to get my own place," he says, kissing me. "But for now, this will have to do."

I wrap my arms around his neck and slide in closer, pressing against his crotch.

"Shit," he mutters.

"What?" I ask innocently

He smiles. "You know what."

"I just wanted to get closer." I kiss him as he slips his hand under my shirt.

"You're not wearing a bra," he says over my lips.

"Because I was planning to go to bed. Then you called and I didn't have time to put one on." I laugh as I say it.

"You're trouble, you know that?" He glances at my apartment, then back at me. "You sure we can't go up to your room? I promise to be quiet."

"Not tonight."

He turns my head and whispers in my ear, "But there are so many things I want to do to you that I can't do in this truck."

My breath hitches as his tongue circles over my earlobe.

"It'll have to wait for another night." I manage to get the words out but just barely. I'm completely breathless, my heart pounding, wanting him to touch me.

And then my stupid phone goes off. I check it quick. It's Amber. She must need something or she wouldn't be calling.

Austin sits back. "Do you need to get that?"

I sigh. "Yeah, but I'll be quick." I answer the phone. "Hey, are you okay?"

"My head's not getting any better. Could you take my car and run down to the store?"

"Um, just a minute." I turn away from the phone and say to Austin, "Do you mind if we go to the store?"

"No, not at all."

I talk to Amber, "Okay, we'll go get you something. You want those migraine pills?"

"Yeah. Where are you right now?"

"In the parking lot with Austin."

"Oh. Sorry to interrupt. Why didn't you bring him upstairs?"

"I didn't want to wake you up." I get off Austin's lap and climb over to the passenger side. "We'll leave right now, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Sorry," I say to Austin as he starts up the truck. "She doesn't usually get migraines so we don't have anything she can take."

He leans over and kisses me. "Don't worry about it. Like you said, we have plenty of other nights to do stuff. Right now, you need to help your friend."

He is such a great guy. Most other guys would be mad we got interrupted, but Austin isn't upset at all.

We get the medicine at the drugstore on the corner and are back at my apartment a few minutes later.

"I'm gonna head home," Austin says as he walks me to the door. "Let you take care of her."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. But I'll see you at the gym tomorrow? Around six?"

"Probably six-fifteen. That's when the bus drops me off."

"Why don't I just pick you up?"

"Because it's out of your way and it'll take time out of your workout. I don't mind the bus."

"Okay, but if you change your mind, just call me."

"I will. And hey, I'm sorry about tonight. You drove all the way here and then—"

"Kira." He cups my cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry about. I got to see you and that's all that matters." He smiles. "But you're going out with me tomorrow night. No excuses. It's Friday, and everyone knows you have to go out with your boyfriend on Friday night. I think it's even a rule."

I smile back. "Then yes, I'll go out with you. Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet, but we'll figure it out. You better get upstairs."

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

He gives me a kiss goodnight, a short one, with just his lips, but it still heats me up inside.

I go upstairs and give Amber her medicine. She's in too much pain to talk. Otherwise I know she'd quiz me about Austin and why he was here and what we did in his truck. But instead, she takes her pills and goes right to bed.

The next morning, I go to the gym. It's lower body day, which makes me nervous because I don't know how my leg's going to feel. The past few days it's felt good, but that's because I've been working my upper body. When I worked my lower body earlier in the week, before Austin was training me, my leg ached for days.

"Do you want more weight?" Austin asks as I look down at the barbell that's on the floor in front of my feet. I'm getting ready to do weighted squats, but sometimes when I do those, the nerves in my bad leg spasm and my leg gives out. It doesn't happen very often but it's happened enough that I worry about it.

"I don't use heavy weights when I do squats," I tell him.

"But you only have twenty pounds on there. That's nothing. I know you can do a lot more than that."

"I'd rather just keep it at twenty."

He nods. "Okay. Then go ahead."

I lift the barbell up and behind my head, then check my form in the mirror and slowly lower into the squat. Austin's right. This weight is way too light. It feels like I'm barely lifting anything but I don't want to risk having my leg give out while Austin is watching me.

"Don't let your knees goes past your toes," he reminds me.

I finish the squats without any problems, then move on to the deadlift, and then lunges, my leg feeling fine. We continue with the free weights, and when it's time for me to do the machines, Austin finishes up his own workout, but keeps an eye on me in case I need him.

At seven he leaves for work, telling me he'll call me later to let me know what time we're going out. I finish my workout and head home. When I get there, Amber is gone but she left me a note saying she went to some meeting on campus. Then after that, she has to work at a booth for a convention downtown. She's one of those people who has to constantly be busy or she goes crazy. She's involved in a million different clubs and organizations. Starting next week, she'll be gone so much I'll probably never see her.

With the apartment to myself, I spend the rest of the day relaxing. I do my reading for class, watch some TV, eat lunch, then lay out on our small patio, soaking up some sun. At three, I get a call from Austin.

"Ready to go out?" he asks in a cheerful tone. I love how he's always so happy and positive. I used to be that way until I hurt my leg. I want to be that way again, and I'm already starting to, just by hanging out with Austin. His positive attitude is starting to rub off on me.

"Aren't you still at work?"

"Yeah, but I'm leaving in a few minutes. We finished early. I'm going home to clean up and then I'll come pick you up, if that's okay."

"Sure. I was just hanging out on the patio. What time will you be here?"

"Probably around four, or maybe earlier depending on traffic."

"So where are we going?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"Well, what should I wear? Something casual or should I dress up?"

He thinks for a moment. "Casual. It's really nice out so I'm thinking we should do something outside. You up for that?"

"Yeah, that sounds great."

"Then I'll see you soon."

I go inside to get ready. I love doing outdoor stuff so I'm glad he suggested that. Movies or dinner are okay dates, but they can get old after a while. And when the weather's nice, I like being outside. My parents are outdoor people too, and they like being active, so my brothers and I grew up hiking, canoeing, kayaking, rock-climbing, biking. We did all that stuff, until I hurt my leg. Then I couldn't do those things so my family didn't either. They didn't want me feeling left out.

At least now, they're doing that stuff again but they went almost a whole year before they would. And then they did modified versions so that I could participate. My parents were just trying to be nice, but making the whole family accommodate me like that made me feel guilty.