21 Days, Page 3

  “M’kay,” Sasha said as she sat up slowly, then rose and walked to her bed. “Goodnight, TJ, thanks for the movie.”

  “Goodnight, Red,” I said, waiting for her to go into her bedroom and shut the door, then moved the pillow that was hiding my erection.

  I cleaned up and turned off the lights and TV before heading toward the bathroom. Since I’d agreed to not to rub one off in her bed, and there was no way I was going to get any sleep tonight if I didn’t take care of myself, it looked like shower was in order.

  Chapter 6 – Sasha

  By the time I woke up, TJ was already gone for the day. I smiled at the note he’d left on the counter.

  If you don’t have plans for dinner, I’ll grill some burgers. You can bring the rabbit food. TJ

  I’d planned to meet up with a guy I’d seen a couple times, but I’d just text him and tell him something had come up. Spending an evening at home hanging out with TJ sounded more fun. I’d been so excited to come home to find him watching The Breakfast Club last night. After the horrible meeting with Clark, I’d been prepared to come home to a cold, empty house and have a glass of wine. I’d forgotten TJ was even here. It had surprised me how happy I was when I opened the door and realized he was. It had been a good night … Sure I’d fallen asleep pretty early on, but before that, having him in my house had felt very comfortable.

  After I was ready for work, I shot TJ a text to let him know that I was on for dinner, then decided to stop by Gaby’s bakery on my way to work. It never hurt to bring pastries to the office, and I was eager to see how Gaby was doing.

  A couple weeks ago she’d told Shelly and me that she and Scott had lost their virginity to each other on prom night, and they’d decided to keep it from all of us. It was the only time they’d ever been together, and they hadn’t discussed it since. But then Scott got engaged to that nightmare Victoria, and Gaby decided that she was going to tell him that she has feelings for him. Before she could, Scott had told the guys that he was going to break if off with Victoria, so Gaby hadn’t said anything. Now, however, it looked like the wedding was back on, and I wanted to check and see if she was okay.

  When I got into the bakery I slid into a spot right in front of the store, paid the meter, and made my way inside. The bell jingled as I entered, and Gaby looked up from where she was placing cream puffs on a platter. She looked so cute in her whites, with her hair piled under her chef’s hat.

  “Hey, Sasha,” Gaby said with a bright smile.

  How she was so chipper when she got to work every morning at four a.m., I had no idea.

  “Hey, babe,” I said as I whisked my sunglasses off of my face. “Can I get some coffee?”

  Gaby chuckled at me and went to the machine to poor me a cup.

  “Here you go,” she said, handing me the coffee in a dainty porcelain cup. “Did you want something else for your office, or are you just stopping by for the coffee?”

  I took a sip, closing my eyes and letting the caffeine run through me before answering.

  “I was going to get some pastries for the office, but I really wanted to see how you’re doing.”

  She walked back to the cream puffs and started plating them again.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, not looking at me.

  “C’mon, Gabs, you know what I mean. I know you’re upset about Scott and Victoria, and I wanted to see how you are doing. Are you still planning to talk to him?” I asked.

  Gaby turned to face me, her blue eyes wide.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, the guys already talked to him, and he was going to break it off, but then had a change of heart … Maybe he really does love her,” she replied with a frown. “I’d hate to ruin our friendship for nothing, you know. Maybe it’s time for me to let it go and focus on guys who are actually available.”

  “Are you talking about anyone in particular?” I asked when she said that last part.

  Gaby shrugged and said, “Well … Brock has asked me out a few times over the years and I’ve always said no … but he asked me again the other day at Shelly’s house and I told him I’d think about it.”

  “Really?” I asked, trying to contain my excitement. “Brock is a total beefcake, you should definitely say yes!”

  “Really?” she asked, scrunching up her nose at me. “I mean, of course he’s hot … But you think I should say yes?”

  “Why the hell not? He’s the epitome of ‘tall, dark, and handsome,’ he owns his own business, he’s single … you’re single … Why wouldn’t you give it a shot. It’s not like you have to marry the guy, just say yes to a date,” I said, hoping to encourage her. “That is, if you’re sure about Scott …”

  “I’m sure,” Gaby responded with a determined nod.

  “Then, I say you should go for it.”

  “You, know what? You’re right. What do I have to lose?”

  I pumped my fist in the air, causing Gaby to laugh.

  “I haven’t seen that move in a while.”

  “TJ and I watched The Breakfast Club last night.”

  “Oh, you did? Did he move in already then?”

  “Yeah, yesterday,” I replied. “He’s only been there one night, but so far, so good.”

  “I’m so glad you’re helping him out, Sasha,” Gaby said as she started to wipe down the counter. “I wish he would have said something, he could have stayed at my place too. I hate that he didn’t feel comfortable asking us.”

  “He didn’t ask anyone,” I said with a frown. “You know how TJ is, always willing to help everyone else, but never wants to ask for anything from us. I just hope he’s able to find another job soon, both him and Cal.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Gaby agreed.

  “Alright, Gabs, I’ve got to head in. Can you just give me an assortment?”

  I checked my phone while Gaby put the pastries together for me, and smiled when I saw a reply from TJ.

  Perfect! It’s a date, Red. See ya tonight.

  “We need to get together this weekend,” I said as I gave her money and took the white box out of her hands.

  “That sounds perfect,” she said with a smile.

  “Let me know what happens when you tell Brock yes. I want all the deets … Where, when, what you’re gonna wear … Everything!”

  “I will. And you let me know how everything’s going with TJ, and if there’s anything I can do.”

  “Sounds good.”

  I leaned down to give her a light hug as I juggled the box in one hand.

  “See you later,” she said, holding the door open so I could walk out.

  “Bye, babe,” I said in farewell.

  As I walked to my car I thought of TJ’s text, and wondered if I should pick up some dessert for tonight too. TJ had a big sweet tooth. Burgers, salad, cupcakes, and a John Hughes movie. It sounded like the perfect night. I wondered why I’d never thought about having a roommate before. It was kind of nice to have someone to go home to.

  Chapter 7 – TJ

  “Thanks again, man,” I said to Brock, holding out my hand to shake his. “I appreciate you letting me pick up that second job today and for giving me the time to drop off some applications.”

  “Anytime,” Brock replied. “You know I’ve got you. Actually, I just had a rush job come in for tomorrow night. The client wants to surprise his wife by having their bedroom repainted. Should be a quick job. You in?”

  “Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks.” I felt relieved at the prospect of more work. I’d been saving everything I’d made from the painting jobs I’d picked up, but I still didn’t have enough for a deposit and first and last month’s rent on a new apartment. If I kept picking up jobs though, it wouldn’t take long until I did. It didn’t change the fact that I needed to find steady work though. Without that, I wouldn’t be able to pay bills for more than a couple of months.

  “You want to grab a beer?” Brock asked, rubbing a hand over his scruff. “A couple of
the guys and I are gonna hit the bar after we clean up.”

  “Actually, I have plans tonight,” I said, smiling when I thought about my night ahead with Sasha.

  “Yeah? A hot date?”

  “Nah,” I replied. “Just dinner and a movie with Sasha.”

  “Shit … I’d classify Sasha as a hot date!” Brock responded with a grin. “That’s one fine woman.”

  I don’t know why his comment pissed me off, but I shook it off and replied, “There’s no denying that … But, we’re just friends.”

  “That’s a shame,” Brock said with a shake of his head. “Actually, while we’re on the subject of your female friends, I wanted to get some intel on Gaby. She’s finally agreed to go out with me, and I wondered if you had any insight into things she does or doesn’t like.”

  “Shit, that’s great, man … Just make sure you don’t fuck with her, or I’ll have to kill you,” I replied, only half joking. I knew Brock had been trying to take Gaby out for years, but she’d always said no. I wondered what changed her mind. “With Gaby, what you see is what you get. She’s as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She bakes like nobody’s business, and she loves babies and animals. She doesn’t like arrogance, ignorance, or seafood …”

  Brock chuckled at that. “Thanks, man. I appreciate the insight. And I’m not planning to fuck with her. When I first started asking her out, I just wanted in her pants, I’m not gonna lie. But I’ve gotten to know her a bit over the years, and the more I know, the more I like … So, I’m interested to see where things’ll go.”

  Satisfied with his response, I clapped him on the shoulder and told him I’d see him tomorrow.

  I thought about what he said on my way to Sasha’s, and the more I thought of Brock and Gaby as a couple, the more I liked the idea. They were two of my favorite people, and I hoped things worked out.

  As I let myself into Sasha’s place, I wondered what my next apartment would look like. I hoped I could at least find a place that was neat and clean, and in good area, without breaking the bank.

  I put my stuff away and decided to take a quick shower to take care of some of the lingering remnants from painting before getting dinner ready. Once I was under the hot spray, my thoughts wandered back to Sasha’s head in my lap and how soft and supple she’d looked while she slept last night. My body responded and I let my imagination run wild as I relieved the throbbing ache.

  It had been a couple weeks since I’d been with a woman and it looked like I needed to rectify that. I was getting way too dependent on personal gratification.

  Once I was relieved and clean, I threw on some basketball shorts and a tank top, and went to the kitchen to start dinner. I was just about to put the burgers on the grill when I heard the key in the lock and Sasha came bursting in like a ray of light.

  She was gorgeous in her long slim pantsuit, with heels, and a briefcase. She looked like a fantasy with her red hair framing her face and her blouse showing just the right amount of cleavage. I was sure guys were falling over themselves to have her show them houses.

  “Hey,” Sasha said with a smile when she saw me in the kitchen. She walked over and put a pink box on the counter. “I got you a present.”

  I grinned back at her and opened the box, my mouth watering when I saw the cupcakes inside. I picked up one with a little iced carrot on top and peeled off the wrapper. “Thanks, Red.”

  Before I took a bite, I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  Sasha smiled prettily and said, “Let me go and get comfortable, then I’ll come out and put the salad together.”

  I nodded as I took a bite and groaned when the spicy cake hit my taste buds, then winked at Sasha when her eyes widened. I wondered if she was as affected by our living arrangement as I was. I watched in appreciation as she walked off to get changed, then finished my cupcake and turned back to put the burgers on.

  When she came back out, once again in pajama pants and a tank top, with her hair pulled back and her face free of makeup, I was struck by how pretty she was. I watched her get the makings of a salad out of the fridge and set out a cutting board, and wondered at the feelings that had been going through me over the last couple of days.

  When had I gotten so fuckin’ homey? It was Friday night … I’d usually be meeting someone for dinner before hitting the bar or picking up some chick for the night, not cozied up to watch movies for the second night in a row. And where were these thoughts and feelings about Sasha coming from? Sure, we’d always flirted with each other, and I’d thought about banging her on more than one occasion, but I’d never pursued those thoughts. She was one of my best friends, after all, my family, and I wasn’t willing to do anything to jeopardize that.

  “You okay?” Sasha asked, pulling me from my thoughts, and I realized I’d been standing there staring at her.

  “Yeah, sorry … Just thinking,” I replied.

  “How’d the job hunt go?” She asked.

  “I was able to pick up another job with Brock today, so I didn’t get to do much hunting. I looked over the classifieds during lunch, but there weren’t any mechanic jobs listed. Hopefully it’ll be better tomorrow. How was your day?”

  Sasha began chopping peppers, placing them in a wooden bowl as she worked.

  “It was pretty good actually. I picked up two new listings today.”

  “Anything cheap and run-down?” I asked with a laugh.

  She paused chopping and looked up, a loose curl falling down to frame her face. “No, they are both pretty high end, but I can keep a lookout for you.”

  “Thanks.” I plated up the burgers and asked, “Rabbit food ready?”

  Sasha stuck out her tongue at me and I was struck again by how domesticated this situation was. As we sat down to eat, I realized that I liked it, and maybe I should enjoy it while it lasted.

  The meal was good, and the conversation was better. When Sasha had said I could stay with her, I’d envisioned myself coming here to sleep, but not much else … The reality was much more satisfying.

  “So, I know it’s not John Hughes, but I was thinking we could watch St. Elmo’s Fire … It’s still along the same lines as a Hughes film,” I suggested.

  “Sounds perfect,” Sasha said as she got settled on the couch. “It’s been ages since I’ve watched that one.”

  We were quiet as we watched, but when Rob Lowe and Mare Winningham started messing around and he said something about her “scuba suit,” I turned to Sasha and asked, “Have you ever been in a situation like that? Where the sex was just bad, or awkward?”

  Sasha turned her attention to me, a small grimace on her face, then laughed.

  “I was with this guy who had a weird idea of how to talk dirty. He told me to lick his nipples like a lollipop, and called me Momma. I didn’t know whether to burp him or put a cork in his mouth. It was definitely the worst sexual experience I’ve ever had.”

  Once I stopped laughing I asked, “When was this?’

  When she replied, “A couple months ago,” I started busting up again.

  “What about you? What was your worst sexual experience?” she asked.

  “Well, sex is kind of like ice cream, even when it’s bad, it’s pretty fuckin’ good,” I said, chuckling when she rolled her eyes. “But … I would have to say my worst was Melody Cannon. It was in high school, and, you know, she was always hanging around. We were all at that field party … Remember, when we had the bonfire and the keg? Anyway, I’d had quite a few beers, and Melody was there, as usual, and she was coming on pretty strong, so I took her away from the crowd and laid out my jacket. We fucked right there in the field. She kept following me around even more after that, I think it took me a few months to convince her that we weren’t dating. She kinda turned into a stalker. The whole situation was just awkward.”

  “I remember that night,” Sasha said softly. “I saw you and Melody.”

  “What?” I asked, assuming she meant she saw us together at the bonfire.

>   “I had to go to the bathroom, so I went further into the field to get away from the crowd, and I saw you and Melody in the field.”

  “You saw us having sex?” I asked, my dick becoming hard of its own free will.

  Sasha nodded, her face reddening a bit.

  “What’d you do? Run back and tell Shelly and Gaby?” I asked, my voice a little hoarse.

  “No …” Sasha responded, her eyes wide. “I stayed and watched.”

  It felt like someone had lit a match and ignited my body. My heart started pounding and my entire body felt molten at her words.

  “You watched Melody and I have sex?” That was the hottest shit I’d ever heard.

  “I hadn’t had sex yet, and I was curious,” Sasha admitted. “I was going to turn and leave, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I stayed. I didn’t move until after you guys went back to the bonfire. The girls and I left soon after. I wouldn’t have been able to face you if we’d run into each other.”

  I wanted to ask her if watching us had made her hot, if she’d thought about it when she touched herself, and a million other things that I would ask any other girl who admitted to watching me have sex, but I couldn’t. I knew if I crossed that line, I wouldn’t be able to stop until I had her writhing beneath me, and there would be no turning back.

  Instead, I jumped up. “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

  Sasha looked at me, then the TV, then back at me. “You aren’t going to finish the movie?”

  I shook my head and practically ran to the bathroom. It looked like I was going to get very clean over the next twenty-one days.

  Chapter 8 – Sasha

  “I told TJ about the night I saw him and Melody having sex,” I told the girls as we all sat down with our glasses of wine and tray of cheese and grapes. We were having a girls’ night at my place¸ so I’d decided to go with a “Wine Night.” I figured it would give us a chance to relax and catch up. I felt like I hadn’t had a night with my girls in ages.

  “You did?” Shelly squealed.