still up?
Me (2:58 a.m.): Can’t stop thinking of u. The real
question is why r u still up?
Mia (2:59 a.m.): Can’t stop thinking of u.
My phone rang, and it was her on the other line. “So I guess
we’re having the same issue, huh?” I asked.
“I guess so. Want to talk until we fall asleep? It’s probably our
best bet.”
“Or, I could just go over there, and we can fall asleep
together.” I was hoping she’d say yes, because I’d jump in my car within
seconds.
“Mmmh, as tempting as that sounds, I know you, Marcus, and your
charming ways, so for now, as we live through our bet, no sleeping in the same
room.”
“Damn it, for a second there, I thought you would cave in.”
She giggled. Yes, I could fall asleep to that sound! “You should
know me better than that, Marcus. I never back down from a bet.”
“Well, you should know me better too, because I will try
everything in my power to force you to back down from your bet.”
“We shall see. We’ll see each other tomorrow, oh well, a few
hours actually. We’re still on for our date at noon?”
“Of course, we are. I promised my girl a good time.”
As we talked through the early morning, I didn’t remember falling
asleep with the phone pressed between the pillow and my ear. As stressful and as
long as my day had been, it didn’t matter. None of it mattered because I was
able to hear the sound of her voice, the sound of her breathing, and everything
else at that moment just faded away.
CHAPTER FOUR
MIA
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Reaching for my phone, I shut the alarm off. My head felt as if I
was recovering from a hangover, but it was from lack of sleep. Yawning, I
stretched a little longer than usual, tossed the covers off, and prepared for
the day ahead.
Coffee. I needed coffee. Marcus was going to be there in a few
hours, and I wanted to be well energized for the day he had planned for us. As
curious as I was about what those plans were, I shoved the thoughts aside and
settled on being surprised. After I entered the kitchen, I made a cup of Joe,
grabbed a magazine, and nestled into a stool by the island. As I inhaled the
freshly brewed coffee, my mind drifted through scenes from the last four
months.
Marcus and I had been through a lot in our relationship. We’d
been through more ups and downs than most couples. Despite everything, it all
boiled down to the fact that, no matter what happened, I still loved him.
Looking back, I realized that we could only grow from our experiences, which
would hopefully make us stronger.
Taking another sip of my coffee, I glanced over the mug and saw
Megan walking out of Jeremy’s room. I knew she’d slept in his room the night
before, but it was her appearance that had me in shock. Her long, light brown
hair was tousled with the I-just-got-fucked-look and the t-shirt she wore
wasn’t hers. Megan stood frozen when she took note of me. The both of us stared
with puzzled expressions on our faces. Slowly I placed the mug on top of the
granite counter, raised a brow, and cleared my throat. “Why are you wearing
Jeremy’s shirt?”
Megan’s lips curved into a mischievous grin as she placed a hand
on her hip. “Well, if you must know, we started by making out. Then . . .” She
ran her hands up the side of her curves with a slight shimmy to her shoulders.
She stopped her show at the wave of my hand. “No, please spare me
the details. I don’t want specifics. I want to know what’s going on between the
two of you. Are you guys dating?”
Megan laughed, shook her head, and opened the fridge to pull out
a carton of orange juice. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re just fuckin’.” She stated
nonchalantly while pouring herself a drink.
“Ah, just fuckin’, yeah, that clears it up. How long has this
been happening? Last night you didn’t seem to be interested. Meg, you know
Jeremy has never been in a committed relationship. I don’t want you to get
attached and then—”
“Please, Mia,