Young Love (Bloomfield #4) (17 page)

I lifted my eyes to see Grey standing beside the bed, looking down at me with concern.

Shit.

What had those two hens done now?

They called
Grey?
Of all people?! Sometimes I wondered if they had any sense whatsoever.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, holding out a glass of water and two pills. That water was looking mighty fine right now.

“I think I’m dying,” I admitted, sitting up slowly.

He chuckled. “I bet. From what I saw left over at your mom’s, I’d say you’re going to be feeling like that for the rest of the day.”

Or month, I thought miserably. I took the offered drink and pills, downing them in seconds. At least I wasn’t sick. That would have been infinitely more embarrassing.

I looked up at him again, feeling like a complete idiot. I hadn’t seen him all week, and this is how we reunite? God, could the ground just open up and swallow me whole?

“I’m really sorry they called you,” I said, my cheeks burning.

“Why?” he asked, sitting on the bed in front of me.

“Because you didn’t have to come all that way to pick me up. They should have called Perrie, or a cab.”

He scoffed. “They most definitely should not have called a cab,” he said. “You were in no shape to take a cab by yourself. And I believe your mom said Perrie was busy and couldn’t come.”

“Oh,” I said. What could Perrie have been doing that she couldn’t save me from those two wicked witches?

“Plus, I don’t mind.”

I winced as I put the cup down on the table beside his bed. Why was everything so much louder today?

I looked back at him. “I’m still sorry. They probably pulled you away from something…”
Or someone,
I thought. Okay, maybe I was going to be sick after all.

“I wasn’t doing anything, Honor,” he said softly. His eyes roamed over me, and I could only imagine what I looked like right then.

This was just too awkward for me, but I didn’t think I could stand just yet. Avoiding his stare, I glanced around his bed. “Did I take up your bed all night?” I asked, shrinking.

He chuckled. “Don’t feel bad about it, my couch is actually quite comfortable.”

I hid my face in my hands, groaning at how awful this whole situation was.

“Hey,” he said, reaching for me. Gently, he raised my head so he could see my face. “I honestly don’t mind, Honor. It was either this, or I left you out in the hall in front of your door.”

“You should have just dumped me inside my apartment.”

“I couldn’t find your keys. Plus, I wanted to keep an eye on you.”

My keys were definitely in my purse, which meant if they weren’t, my mother and aunt were even more devious than I’d thought.

“Well, thank you,” I offered weakly. “I appreciate it.”

He smiled, letting go of my face and sitting back. “No problem.”

We stared at each other in an awkward silence. Finally he broke our gaze, looking away for a second before facing me again.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch this week.”

I bit at my lip, trying my best to control my expression so he didn’t see how much it had affected me these last few days. Shrugging, I said, “its fine. You don’t have to apologize. You don’t owe me anything.”

“Honor,” he said, his voice warning. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Just shrug me off. Shrug this off,” he said, motioning between us.

Isn’t that what he had done all week? I wanted to scream that at him, but I was afraid my head might explode if I did. When I remained quiet, he huffed out a breath, turning away from me again.

“I wasn’t avoiding you,” he said. “Well, not exactly, at least. I figured maybe you needed some space after everything, and I didn’t want to put us in a situation where we’d do something we’d both feel guilty over again, while I’m still…”

“With Kelly,” I supplied when he didn’t finish. He looked at me and nodded.

“I’ve also been really busy at work this week, so I’ve been coming home late, and I didn’t want to bug you when I knew you had school.”

“I see,” I said softly, looking down at the comforter.

“I’m sorry, Honor. I should have called, or texted…or something. I just knew things were confusing between us, and I didn’t want to make it worse.”

Well you did
, I thought.
You made me go crazy and get drunk with my mom
. How much worse could I get?

Clearing my throat, I looked back up at him and offered a weak smile. “Well I appreciate the apology. And the rescue last night.” Throwing off the covers, I got out of the bed, wobbling slightly before finding my balance again.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his hand outstretched as though he were ready to catch me if I fell.

“I have one of the studios rented out this morning to practice my routine,” I explained. “I need to get ready and catch the bus down there.”

“I can drive you, if you want,” he offered.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind taking the bus.”

I walked out of his bedroom, making a beeline for the front door.

“Honor,” Grey called out just as I reached the door. I looked over my shoulder at him.

“I’d really like to drive you,” he said.

I stared at him for a moment before giving in. Nodding, I said, “Okay.”

Chapter 20

Grey

I had watched Honor dance before, but never like this.

It was only the two of us at the studio. She had given me the job of pressing play on the stereo as she positioned herself in the middle of the room.

As soon as the music began to play through the speakers, I was entranced.

Honor moved across the room as though each step was as easy as breathing for her. She was all long, delicate limbs, and smooth, graceful movements.

I stood to the side, my back against the mirrored wall, my eyes never leaving her. Everything else in the building was silent and empty, except for this room. The light strings of music barely registered with me over the sound of her steps, and the swooshing of her ballet shoes against the wood floors.

It felt as though she were dancing just for me.

Her eyes never looked in my direction, but I knew she was still aware of me. My body was more than aware of hers. I felt connected to her with every move she made.

As much as I wanted to touch her, I also wanted to just sit back and watch. She was beauty and grace personified.

Memories of us together hadn’t left me all week. They tortured me. Now that I’d had a taste of Honor, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop.

I’d tried my best to stay away from her so I wouldn’t tempt either of us from going down that road again while I was with Kelly. On Thursday I’d had to attend the funeral for Kelly’s mother, and the entire time I’d been standing by her side, all I could think of was how wrong it was.

She deserved better than me. Better than someone who was with her out of some sort of sense of guilt.

There had been some looks she’d given me that made me think she could sense my distance. But she hadn’t said anything. Instead, she’d gripped my hand tighter, as if that alone could make me stay.

Friday and Saturday I’d worked late and told Kelly I was too tired to see her. It wasn’t a lie, I really had been wiped. But I also didn’t want her over when Honor might see her again. Especially not after what had happened between Honor and I Tuesday night.

I’d wanted to see her so badly, but I’d kept my resolve. Until I got that phone call.

Honor’s mother had found my number in her phone and told me they needed me to pick up Honor from her house. She’d rattled off the address before I could say yes or no. Not that I would have said no anyway. I’d been up and out of my apartment before she’d even hung up.

I’d wondered why they would have thought to call me of all people, but I wasn’t going to press it. I was happy she’d called me.

And then I arrived and saw the state Honor was in, and I knew she was drunk because of me. Suddenly my idea of staying away for both our sakes seemed like the dumbest idea I’d had yet. Guilt had eaten at me as I’d laid her in my bed, watching her as she mumbled incoherently in her drunken sleep.

Now as I watched her dance, it just confirmed that staying away from Honor was useless. I couldn’t do it. Not if it was just going to hurt both of us. Especially not if it was going to hurt her. That was the last thing I wanted to do.

Honor was mine. Everything in my body and mind knew it.

She stood in the middle of the room, her brows scrunched together as she tried a move again and again, critiquing herself in the mirror. It looked perfect to me each time, but I could tell she wasn’t happy with it. I loved the concentration and passion in her eyes as she worked to be perfect.

I couldn’t stand there anymore.

Crossing the short distance, unnoticed by her, I drew up behind her just has she’d lifted her leg, the pad of her foot resting against her opposite leg, her knee pointed toward the wall.

I slid a hand around her waist, just as I slid the other along the inside of her thigh. Her breath caught in surprise. Tilting my head forward, I kissed and nipped a path along the delicate curve of her neck as I pressed against her back.

“What are you doing?” She said on a breath.

“Helping,” I replied.

Her eyes met mine in the mirror before dropping to follow the path of my hand as it slid closer to her center.

“Rise up on your toes,” I said in her ear.

She rose up on her pointes without protest, still watching us in the mirror.

Gripping her waist with both hands, I gently spun her around, hooking a hand beneath her knee to keep the one leg higher. She met my eyes now, her breath coming out in tiny gasps.

I hooked her leg snuggly around my waist, pressing my hardness against her. Then I lifted her completely off the floor, wrapping the other leg around me.

Honor clung to me, our mouths now aligned as we breathed one another in.

I walked forward until her back hit the mirror. My mouth crashed into hers, our tongues instantly meeting. She moaned, swirling her hips against me. I growled against her lips, whatever restraint I may have had, snapping. I rested her ass against the barre as our kiss deepened.

Reaching between us, I unbuckled my pants pushing them down far enough to release me.

“Are you on birth control?” I asked, breaking our kiss.

She nodded, licking her lips. The girl drove me crazy.

“I’m clean,” I said, my body about ready to snap if I waited any longer. “I’ve never had sex without a condom.” Fuck, did I want to with her though.

“I’m clean too,” she said. “We’re good.”

Thank the fuck.

Without another word, I kissed her again, my heart racing. Reaching between us again, I tugged her bodysuit to the side and tore at the leggings she wore. I’d owe her a new pair.

She gasped against my mouth, but I didn’t stop until I was completely sheathed inside her. She felt incredible this way, nothing between us to dull the sensation. I’d never felt anything like it. Nails scraped down my back as I pumped into her, never tearing our lips apart even as we both climaxed.

Our bodies shook together. Afterward I turned with her in my arms, and slid slowly down the wall until we sat on the floor, her snuggled against me on my lap.

“That was amazing,” she said as we both tried to calm our breathing down.

“I think I like ballet,” I said, leaning my head back.

She laughed, sitting up to look at me. I sent her a sly smirk, winking.

“I don’t think my teacher would approve.”

“Good thing she’s not here then.”

She looked down, her face scrunching up. “You ruined my tights.”

I chuckled. “I’d say I’m sorry, but that would be a lie.”

She slapped my chest. “I guess this practice is over,” she said, standing.

“Should we go get some breakfast?” I suggested.

Her eyes lit up. “Grey Anderson, you may be perfect after all.”

“Don’t I know it.”

***

I’d put the inevitable off long enough. Honor and I had gone out for breakfast at the diner where Perrie worked. The look on her cousin’s face when we’d walked in together told me Honor hadn’t said anything about us to her.

If Perrie wanted to drill Honor with questions, she wasn’t going to do it in front of me. Acting as though everything was normal, she’d taken our order and left.

We’d eaten, talking about my work and her plans to get her teaching degree. It was as though everything was normal.

But it wasn’t.

My relationship with Kelly hung over us like a dark cloud. I needed to finally set things right. So when we’d returned to our apartment building, Honor had gone into her place to take a shower, and I’d gone into mine to make a call I’d been dreading since last night when I’d picked Honor up.

I sat on my couch, staring at my phone like the coward that I was. Taking a deep breath, I pressed Kelly’s contact and waited for the other end to pick up.

“Hey, babe,” she said when she answered.

“Hey, Kelly,” I said, sitting back in the couch.

“I was just thinking about you,” she said. “We should get together tonight and go to that Italian restaurant by your place. I have a craving for lasagna.”

Shit, this was harder than I thought. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I sat forward, my body feeling antsy now that I had her on the phone.

“Kel, we need to talk,” I said.

She was silent for a moment. The quiet spoke volumes. “What about?”

“Us,” I said simply.

I heard her breath whoosh out.

“I guess I knew this was coming,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, Kel. You know you mean a lot to me, but this thing between us isn’t working for me.”

“I see,” she said. “Was it ever working for you?”

I laughed humorlessly. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

“Is there someone else?”

I paused. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I also didn’t want her to think Honor was why this was happening. Even if I hadn’t fallen for Honor, I’d always known this thing between Kelly and I wasn’t right.

“She’s not the reason I’m ending things,” I replied. “Not the only reason at least.”