Chapter Five- Hide and Seek

Forest:

When I wake up the next morning, the amount of butterflies I feel in my stomach is enough to make me want to hurl.

In fact, after reading that message last night that's when they made their reappearance.

So many questions ran through my mind. Did he mistake me for someone else. What does he want from me. Does he not know his out of my league. What about his girlfriend.

Then I started questioning myself too.

Why am I feeling this way? Why am I being submissive when it's clearly not who I am? Why am I allowing it when I know I'll probably just be used and dumped like yesterday's garbage? Why does he have this effect on me? Why am I treading on dangerous fields?

The most important question I kept asking myself was why was I not backing away from this like I should. I couldn't. I felt trapped by my own desire. Desire to the unknown and making it known. Even though my head is telling me to run, it's like my heart is already handed over.

The more thoughts ran through me the more I overthought. I pulled my covers over my head and forced myself to sleep.

My phone starts ringing, giving me the fright of my life. As I reach for it, I stumble off my bed.

"Jesus, what?" I say as I answer the phone.

"Not a morning person, are you?" The man on the other end says.

"I usually am, but not when someone calls me at the crack of dawn." I say.

"You didn't respond to my text." He says.

What text, shit, I know that voice.

"James?" I ask, needing to confirm.

"Good morning, little one." He says.

"I don't think we're on nickname basis just yet Swanson. What can I do for you?" I ask, trying to play hard to get.

"As I said, you didn't respond to my text." He says.

"Well I didn't think you needed a response. That was a command. And I didn't decide yet if I am up to meeting your demands." I say to him.

"Why's that?" He asks me.

"You have a girlfriend, in case you forgot. I'm not the kind of girl you are looking for. I have too much self respect." I say to him.

"You're exactly the kind of girl I'm looking for. Ashley and I, it's complicated." He says to me, sighing.

"I don't care how complicated it is, it's none of my business. I'm no homewrecker. So thank you for the offer, but I think I'm going to have to pass." I tell him, trying to convince myself it's the right thing to do, no matter how much I'm hating myself.

"Come on Forest. Don't pretend you didn't feel what I felt yesterday. How'd that antacid work out for you? Didn't right?" He asks me and I fall silent. He knows, he knows the effect he had on me. It sounds like I had the same effect on him. How the hell?

"All I'm asking for is a chance. You can't tell me that you aren't the slightest bit curious to find out what this is between us or what it could become?" He asks me and I'm still silent.

"I'll take that as a yes then." He says.

"Fine. But don't expect anything. One chance." I say, and the butterflies start swarming in my tummy again.

"That's all I need. I'll see you later little one." He says, and he hangs up.

I get into the shower, make myself breakfast and coffee and climb back into bed. Trying to figure all of this out.

Before I knew it, it was 6 o clock.

It was then and there that I decided to buckle up and enjoy the ride. It's not every day this happens. Knowing me, this will be my once in a lifetime.

I get ready and leave to Mel and Lara's apartment, knowing that when I get there, it will be project extreme makeover.

They do this every time we go out. 'I don't wear my hair flattering and my clothes hide my killer bod and my face is too pale.'

The same speech all the time. I never bothered to argue today because the quicker their rant is over the quicker we can get this over with.

Besides, today I don't mind their extreme makeover, knowing who will cross my path later. I'd like to look at least close to his league as possible.

They got me in this LBD covered in black sequins, with a plunging neckline that just about keeps the girls covered. At least it fits me like a glove so I don't have to worry about anything spilling out.

As hot as I look right now, finally looking like a worthy opponent to my friends, I wonder if I won't be giving him the wrong impression by showing up like this.

As I'm looking at my reflection in the mirror, Mel who is busy pinning my hair up, whispers in my ear.

"Remember not a word to Lara. She will offer me up as a sacrifice if she finds out. Just let your hair down once. It's OK. And BTW you look smoking. He won't know what hit him when he decided to seek you out."

I gulp at Mel's comment.

And how the hell are we supposed to keep this from Lara! It's not like she won't be there. Maybe I should just confess and get it over with already.

Spare me the heart break and the drama. But the play is already set in motion. I can't back down now and I don't want to either.

So when Lara looks at us suspiciously, we smile and wave.

When we arrive at the club I feel the eyes following us again, but this time it's on me as well. I wish I had a shell I could just crawl back in.

I don't know how Mel and Lara handles this all the time but I quickly realize I prefer being in the shadows.

We see Jarrod and the gang by a booth at the back, squeezed in like sardines.

Jarrod embraces Mel, they are clearly having fun with whatever this is and Lara slides into the booth immediately into a conversation.

James is not here. He said 10, maybe he will only show up then. And when he does, what then?

My train of thought is running wild again and I don't notice the half a dozen stares I'm getting from my new friends.

Jarrod has a smirk on his face as he eyes me and immediately checks his watch.

Great, I've turned into a cliché. I hate that about me right now. I hate that I'm here offering myself up to his brother on a silver platter. For someone who supposedly has her head screwed on tight I'm sure making myself look like a fool.

Screw it, I'm leaving.

I might spend my life missing out but I'm sure as hell no cliché. I grab my purse and turn around to leave when I bump into this hard, warm body.

I lose my balance on these dumb heels my friends made me wear.

As I feel I'm beginning to fall, the hard body reclaims me by grabbing my hip and pulling me flush against his body.

That scent.

That woody, manly scent. I can get lost in it and drift off.

I look down and there is barely a gap between our bodies. I feel his fingers burying into my skin like I'm property of his. I can feel his rock hard muscles as I try to regain my balance by grabbing his shirt.

As I look up to see who is the person that saved me from a lifetime of embarrassment, I look straight into his eyes.

Again.

James.

He looks in my eyes as if searching for something. Finally, he opens his mouth.

"Going somewhere?"He asks me.

Not breaking eye contact, not stepping back or letting go of my waist. I can't bring my mouth open to utter a single word when Jarrod chimes in.

"James I thought you would only be getting here at 10. It's 9."

"The earlier the better." James says to him, not looking up for a single second. His gaze still lingering on me.

"Looks like I came just in time."

This time, his gaze makes its way down my cleavage.

Almost unaffected by what is happening between the two of us, the gang busts out of the booth and onto the dance floor.

Leaving us standing there, frozen in time.