Pieces Of You & Me (3 page)

Why was I messing with her anyway? If I wanted a woman, I had so many to choose from. No, Olivia Taylor was my past and she should remain there—a memory. Flashbacks of the younger versions of us in that closet ran through my mind before I placed a lid on it, hoping it would remain shut and buried deep within.

“You’re right. Gavin’s a good guy. He’ll treat you good,” I whispered, prying my eyes away from her lips. It was a difficult feat, but I was done lusting after someone I couldn’t have. After all, she was off limits. “I’ll see you around.” Without giving her a glance, I walked away, feeling more jumbled than before. What just happened literally put me off kilter. That was the closest I had ever been to her in years and yet, somehow sadness seeped into my system.

She was bad news, and I needed to get away from her as soon as possible.

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw Tiffany leaning against my passenger side door in the parking lot, looking like she was ready for a good spin. “Where are we heading, Grey?” She smiled coyly when I unlocked the car and opened the door for her to slide in.

Pool house. I needed to vent. Big time. “No more talking, Tiff,” I said the second I slid into my seat before giving her a steady gaze. “Next time you open your mouth, I want to hear screams. Got it?”

She beamed, nodding.

Chapter 5

Liv

“Is it weird that you’re living with Grey? God, you’re so lucky!” Shana gushed the second she saw me come out of the back building.
She didn’t even bother asking what the heck I was doing in there, she just kept on going.

Zoning her out, the only thing that was pounding in my blood, my body and my mind was one of the same, Grey. What the fuck just happened back there? Did he almost kiss me? The thought of him doing that made me lose my breath. Grey and I were never anything.

Why was he adamant that I stayed away from his “peers”? I liked Gavin. He was attractive and quite funny in his own way. Since Liam and I were testing the waters—just so we could say that we tried, but were meant to be in the end anyway—Gavin was a great safe bet for me.

But Greyson… he was a wildcard.
A gamble that I didn’t want to be a part of. Edith and Tiffany were his standby ladies, or his lady entourage, and I had no desire in being the third in line, or better yet, the long line of women who wanted to be in his possy.

After that encounter with him that Friday night, I hadn’t seen him since—well, except this morning. He was out partying and getting laid all weekend long, so what gave him the right to mess with my love life?

“He’s sleeping with the mayor’s daughter. She’s a sophomore in USC, but Grey managed to bag her anyway.” Shana finally got my attention.

It seemed that Grey was still the popular stud around here. Nothing new was there? “I gotta go and meet Josie back in the cafeteria. I’ll see you around.” With a small smile, I trotted towards where Josie was still waiting for me with small note in hand.

“What’s that?” I pointed towards the folded paper.

She fanned herself with it, giving me puppy doll eyes. “Must be tough to be in demand huh?” She dramatically sighed. “Grey wants you. Gavin wants you. Liam loves you…” she trailed off, giving that dramatic sigh another go. “I’m not giving you this note from Gavin until you answer one question. And I mean, I want you to be dead honest with me. We are best friends after all, and since I have that under my sleeve, I believe it’s my right to know what’s been going on between you and Grey.”

Nothing much… but to make this short, and well,
honest
, I could try. “He wants to bag me.”

“Obviously. But what’s with the macho growls? I swear Grey’s my hero,” she said dreamily.

Oh, for Pete’s sake!
Seriously?
“You can have him; I won’t care.”

She snorted, handing me the note, which I immediately shoved in my right pocket. “We both know you would. But I respect sister codes and all, so you’re good with me.”

Unlike Edith
, I wanted to retort back, but bit my tongue instead. “Let’s get to class. I’m done talking about anything that involves him.” Yes, I was done talking, but that didn’t mean I could stop thinking about it.

For the remainder of the school day, I was rehashing what went down behind the cafeteria. I thought of him… saying those sexual words to me, It sent a bazillion electrifying jolts all over my body. Yes, my entire system—physical, mental and emotional—all centered and saluted to him and yet, I hated him with a passion.

It was hard to deny the kind of reaction my body had when he was whispering those explicit words to me. Liam would never, ever talk to me like that and I wasn’t a prude, but heck, those words got me hot and bothered though I wouldn’t care to admit it.

Even though my body was just as he described it,
irrigated
and all, I wasn’t going to be one of his women to fuck and throw away. It didn’t matter that he was, yes, might be the sexiest guy I’d ever laid my eyes upon… but I wasn’t going to give in. I could just imagine the catastrophic emotional and, not to mention, mental turmoil I’d dive into. My future was set, planned and it glittered brightly right before me.

Men like Grey weren’t all that worth it to throw away a decently looking future for a quick wham in the sheets.

So his opinion of Gavin was irrelevant. With or without his shady permission, I was going to go ahead and go on a date with Gavin. Now, that was something to look forward to.

Chapter 6

Grey

“God, Grey! You’re a motherfucking beast,” Tiffany exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. “Beast. Beast. The motherfucking beast.”

Looking away, I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand, feeling spent and relieved somehow. It had never happened to me before, and damn I felt like an insensitive jerk for making it happen, but Olivia hadn’t left my thoughts. Not even after I drove off from school heading home. Not even while I was working into Tiffany. Maybe the beast remark was fitting because I did take her like one, and maybe because what I was thinking while I was inside her was disrespectful.

I loved all women, in all shapes and sizes, and not one—never—did I engage into sexual activities without giving them one hundred percent of my attention… until now—well, if I didn’t count that drunken night last weekend where I called this one girl Olivia. It was the morning after I saw her in the pool, and I was just craving her so badly; I was in great amount of pain. Apart from those two instances, I had always been an attentive lover.
Always.

“Do we have to head back to school? I kinda like being here,” Tiffany murmured while stretching her naked torso right before me.

Well… it wasn’t like I wanted to head back to class, anyway. Especially not after that close encounter earlier. “You’re right; we can work on our skills here, Tiff. You up for some riding lessons? Reverse cowgirl style?”

“Anything for you, Grey.”

This was how I rolled… and no barbed comments from Olivia would make me feel incompetent.

For that entire evening, I avoided any possibility of running into her. If my dad’s wish would have it, she was going to start riding with me to school. He wanted to make Laura and Olivia happy here, so I supposed since I was his only child, I was obligated to accommodate Olivia as well.

So when morning came, I went inside to greet Brett and Laura for breakfast.

“Olivia’s still getting ready, honey.” Laura stood up, while she was in the middle of her meal, just to get me a glass of juice. Small things like these, made me wish that my mother
was this kind of attentive. Laura was motherly, while my own was never one, not by a long shot.

I gave her small thanks and gulped down the entire glass in one go. Taking a piece of buttered toast, I told them that
I’ll wait for Olivia in my car. Laura even gave me her phone number just in case I needed to reach her in school. She trusted me with her own daughter. Even with my callous reputation, I felt like a heel, just right then and there, after how I treated Olivia lately.

I felt bad, but that didn’t mean I was going to stop being a jackass to her. Olivia was catty and each time we were around each other, her claws always managed to scratch me the wrong way.

The moment I was inside my car, I texted her.

Come out when you’re ready   - Grey

Even after the extra nice workout Tiffany did for me, I was now more tensed than yesterday.

Five minutes later, I saw her come out the door from the rearview mirror, strutting towards my car with sexy purpose. The little warmth I felt from seeing her at first glance this morning evaporated the second she opened the door and slid into it.

“You know, next time tell your women to lower down their screams. It’s getting on my nerves. It doesn’t matter if your dad is on the other side of the house. You’re just being rude!”

Nice. No “good morning” whatsoever. She was just ready to go and rumble away.

“Okay,” I responded, not glancing at her. The next time I had to get my groove on, I might just have to take it elsewhere.

My senses were so aware of her that I had to shift in my seat before starting the car. I took my time scrolling through my playlist to zone her out and when I found a song, she grumbled a sigh. I wasn’t sure if she was into The Killers, but she’d have to go with my taste I supposed. Now I was ready to start my day. Shifting gears, I concentrated on driving.

Silently, I was singing along in my mind, but when the music started to lower down, I bit back a growl because Olivia had other things in mind. I wanted to pump the volume up to piss her off. Instead, I remained glued to the road, quietly shouting expletives words because I vowed to remain mum. If I could help it.

“We need to talk about what happened yesterday,” she started. From my peripheral view, I could see her stare at me for a minute, waiting on me to say something.

Alas, I was sticking to my guns.

“I see. You’re ignoring me.” She released a stressed sigh, still looking at me. And just my luck, the stop light just turned red, so I had to simmer under the heat of her stare for a good minute or so until I could concentrate on driving again, rather than getting all hyperaware of this beautiful smelling creature right next to me.

Still staring me down, she continued on, “If your motives yesterday were because you were protecting your friend, I want to assure you that I’m not going to be dating anyone seriously. Gavin knows this, too. My goal is to get through this school year so I can go back to be with Liam. I just want to have fun, nothing more.”

Liam again. If she was so crazy about him and couldn’t wait to be with him, then why the hell was she willing to date other men?
Whatever.
She could date whomever she wanted. Heck, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash if she decided to date all the sport teams in our school. Well, maybe she already did.

“I just thought I should get it out there, you know.” She glanced at me. “’Kay, I’m done talking now. Thanks for listening, even if I forced you to. We can resume hating each other now.”

Why was she explaining herself anyway? It wasn’t like I had to know. Our silent bizarre battle was of no importance. I lived in the pool house, so we didn’t have to interact, except for these quick rides in the morning ‘cause she rides back with Josie. I didn’t have to see her at all. I had succeeded in pretending that she didn’t exist for the nearly a decade, I could still keep on pretending.

I wasn’t even surprised when she immediately darted out of the car the second I hit the break in the parking lot. So, for the next few days, we shared the ride going to school, without a word to each other. It was easier that way.

When Friday night rolled in, and both Brett and Laura were spending their weekend in Vegas, I decided it was time to throw my version of Homecoming party, Luau style.

Since the entire senior class was blasted with invites on Facebook, I didn’t find it necessary to mention it to Liv. After all, we were on no-speaking terms.

Chapter 7

Liv

Greyson Edwards was the most loathsome, despicable, self-centered prick known to mankind!

After that cafeteria encounter, he had done nothing but ignore me—literally to the point where he never even looked in my direction anymore. It was as if I was not there. He didn’t acknowledge me when I got into his car; he didn’t utter a damn fucking word, and just pretended that I was non-existent.

Each day that had gone past, the more aggravated I became. I tried to play nice—took a chance at my own way of explaining—even if I knew what the reason behind this whole argument…

Each night, I would look over to the pool house from my window and wondered where he’d gone. He would come home at two in the morning—and yes, I did notice that for some reason. I’d wake up just in time for him to go inside the pool house. I knew he just came from another woman’s house. It was disappointing to see how he was just being the dickwad that he was.

Nor did it help my hate campaign that he radiated sin at every angle. With gravitating hazel eyes, exuding confidence with gesture—be it his smile, the way he pressed his lips together or bit them, the way he talked with that deep timber that seemed to travel deep into my core, or the way his eyes just pulled you in… with cocky curiosity and with a predatory gleam. No woman—young or old—could ever seem to look away. He was mesmerizing to look at, plain and simple. He was that jackass that everyone adored, all but excluding me, of course. And yet, Greyson still remained an enigma to me.

It was my last class of the day and all everyone could talk about was the damn party Grey was throwing tonight. When Josie asked me what I wanted to wear tonight during lunchtime, I merely shrugged because I wasn’t even sure if I was invited. We shared a house, but that didn’t mean I was welcome to his own party. So when she dropped me off afterwards, it didn’t even surprise me that she already had plans for this evening.

“Okay, so I’ll be swinging by say ten-
ish? I don’t want to be too early to the party. Besides, I want to make a grand entrance.”

“Enjoy the party. I’m going out with Gavin tonight.”

She smiled before blowing kisses. “You better give me all the juicy details later. I’ll see you tonight, even if you’re not going to join the party, I know my way to your bedroom, so we cool.”

Of course she did. “Yes and yes. See you.” I waved her off. I was just entering the door when my phone started ringing. Grinning, I picked up. “Great of you to remember me.”

Liam chuckled on the other line. “You’re always in my thoughts, never fear of that.” He paused. “So, tonight’s the night, yeah?”

He was referring to Gavin. Hearing his cool, sexy accent gave me a heady dose of nostalgia. God, how I missed him! He went on his date yesterday, but I didn’t want to know what the heck happened ‘cause I didn’t think I could handle it. If it were up to me, I didn’t want this whole “let’s test the waters” shenanigans, but I had to think like an adult, and, at our age, it was the most reasonable solution. We didn’t want to ruin what we had with cheating, so if our connection
was that strong, we’d survive it.

“Tonight’s the night,” I repeated as I strolled towards the kitchen, in need of refreshment.

“You got the pepper spray I told you to get?”

Goodness, I already have a father… “
Yeeesss, Liam.”

“Sorry. I’m just—I just want you to be safe…” he dragged on. “Last night—”

Didn’t want to hear, thank you.
“Let’s not go there, please,” I interrupted him.

“Fuck,” he exhaled. “All right.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, staring at the granite counterpane, wondering how his night went. If he went further than wine and dine… well, I couldn’t handle it.

“Liv…” he whispered, wretchedly.

I swallowed, aching from his tone of voice. “Yeah?”

“I love you,” he said succulently. “Very much.”

Tears were starting to form in my eyes when something made me look up. For the first time, my gaze locked into his hazel ones, drowning me in them. Without breaking eye contact with him, I responded to Liam, “I love you, too. I’ll speak to you soon.” I hung up, looking away while Grey remained frozen a few feet away. My emotions were all over the place, from Liam’s call, Greyson and now I had to get ready for my date with Gavin.

Talking to Liam every other day wasn’t working out. Maybe emails would suffice for the time being. It would save us both the pain and, not to mention, much easier for the both of us.

“Do you need me to help you with anything for your party tonight? I have an hour to spare before I get ready to go out with Gavin,” I offered, shyly glancing at him.

For some reason, he looked like he was staring at my neck
… which in turn, only made me hyper conscious of everything I did. Tiger. He had eyes like a tiger. When he lifted those eyes to meet mine, I felt bereft. Scared and petrified…
electrified
.

“There’s no one around. There’s no need to be polite,” he rasped out, eyes intense, body on defense.

Douche to the highest order! I was trying to be nice!
“Want me to be a bitch? Okay. You have it!” My pent-up emotions from the past few days and this recent call from Liam had me going. “You’re nothing, but—”

“
What?
” he threw out. “
I’m exactly what, Olivia?
” He looked fierce, wild even, as he came closer, a mere foot away. “That I’m a worthless waste of space? A dick machine with no future going for me?
A bastard?
”

Okay, fuck… he heard me say those things about him. When I said that he was a bastard, I meant that he was a douche—not meaning it in a literal sense, but I guess explaining that to him would be pointless now.

He taunted, nostrils flaring. “Have nothing to say, have you? Where’d the bitchy Olivia go?” he pressed on, grating.

Staring into his eyes was such a dumb, wrong move. I was tongue-tied, parched and exhilarated all at once. Oh God, he looked livid and yet, all I could see was how captivating he was. My quick-witted brain had nothing to quip back.

“Grey,” I managed to say, but had no clue what to say next. Maybe
sorry
would do? He wouldn’t take it though, no, especially after years of shitting on each other. It was too late for words, for anything really.

“Knock, knock.”

We both glanced at the intruder in that a second. Edith, with her three inch heels, skimpy skirt and bikini top trotted towards Grey, grasped his face with her red lacquered nails and kissed him, full on the lips, tongue and all, while I stood there staring speechless at the audacity of this bitch. Eyes wide as saucers, I watched as they both kissed while Grey kept his eyes glued to me, taking in my reaction. When their kiss deepened, I snapped out of my trance and immediately ran upstairs to my bedroom.

My body shook with rage. With anger that wanted to cause pain.
With endless loathing. And with jealousy…

Grey meant nothing to me and yet, for some strange reason, I was jealous. Maybe it was just all the tension and stress from it all that I might be imagining it … yeah, that was probably it.

Holding myself together, I pushed the thoughts of Grey and Liam out of my mind and focused on getting ready for tonight.

No matter what happened, I was going to have fun. All men
be damned.