All In: Double or Nothing (7 page)

Lauren

Caleb was watching TV in the living room when I walked into his house, even though it was a quarter to three and he had to be at work at nine. I hung my purse from the coat hanger then walked over and sank down beside him on the couch.

"Hey," I greeted him before giving him a kiss.

"Hey, beautiful. Did you have a good night?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close to his chest.

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad."

"Any guys try and put their damn hands on you?"

Only your roommate.
"Nope, perfect gentlemen tonight."

"Good, because I'm the only one that gets to touch you. You ready for bed?"

"Sure, but I'm not ready to go to sleep," I told him with a grin.

"Then what are we sitting here for?" he asked, picking me up and wrapping my legs around his waist. He smiled before dipping me back like he was going to drop me, making me squeal.

There was a rattling noise in the kitchen, and when I looked over I saw Tyler standing in front of the refrigerator. He looked over at us, then quickly away.

"Night Ty," Caleb called out to him.

"Night Caleb. Lauren," he responded as Caleb took us down the hall. Then I was heaved onto a bed and covered by a gorgeous man. One of the two I was falling hard and fast in love with.

...

The next two weeks Caleb and I got into a comfortable and sweet routine. I went to class in the mornings, did homework while I waited for him to get off work from his security job, then we had dinner together, blew each other’s minds in bed, and repeated the next day. The only variation was on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights when I had to work. Even on those nights Caleb stayed up or slept on the couch, waiting for me to come home before taking me to bed.

I insisted I should pay rent while staying with them, but neither Caleb nor Tyler would take any money from me. They said that if I'd do all the laundry and keep the house from looking like a pig sty, I'd more than earn my stay with them. They actually kept everything pretty tidy to be two single men, so there was hardly any cleaning to do.      

Tyler's presence had been scarce, and other than early some mornings or late nights, I never saw him. When I did, he was either in his police uniform, which just reminded me of the first day we met, or shirtless, wearing only pajama bottoms for bed or gym shorts coming in from a run. Every single time I saw him I felt a longing to strip him down and jump his bones. I was afraid that feeling would only get worse when Caleb left for basic training.

The Monday morning of Caleb's departure came way too soon. I held him tight and kissed him before saying goodbye and leaving for school. I cried all the way to campus, knowing I wouldn't see him or talk to him again for weeks. After how close we'd become, I was going to miss him so much. I felt like when he left he took all of my happiness with him.  

That afternoon when I got back to the house it was too quiet, and felt empty. I would just have to get used to that feeling for a while. I decided to call Jess and ask her to come over. I hadn't seen her since I started dating Caleb, and she was all for a girls' night in. She came over with chick flicks, pizza and ice cream.

"So, how've you been? I haven't heard much from you," she asked.

"I've been great. I just hated having to say goodbye to Caleb this morning."

"So, you're sticking with Caleb?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, do I still want Tyler? Hell yeah, but that’s not going to happen. I'm really happy with Caleb. I already miss him like crazy. Why is it I finally meet the perfect guy and he has to leave me for months?"

"I know, that really sucks. So will you introduce me to Tyler?" she asked, and I choked on my drink. "What? You said the two of you weren't going to happen."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Ha! You're jealous and trying to keep him on the back burner."

"Ugh. That's not it. Okay, I feel something for him, but nothing is going to happen. You don't seriously want me to set you up do you?"

"No, I'm just messing with you to try and figure out how fucked up your situation is. I'm going to have to go with exceeding the maximum level of fucked-up-ness."

"Yeah, probably so. I'm a little worried about being alone with him. I don't want to cheat on Caleb, and he's so freaking tempting."

"Is that why you invited me over?" she asked.

"Maybe. I wanted to spend time with you, but I also sort of need a buffer," I admitted. "You wouldn’t want to move in for the next ten weeks would you?"

She laughed. "You're funny, but no. I have a little brother to take care of, so you're on your own after I leave tonight."

When the front door unlocked I nearly fell off the couch, I was so jumpy. I took a deep breath when I saw Tyler. We could just be friends and live together for ten weeks without me jumping him. Sure. Then I saw the woman with him.

"Wow, this is a nice place," she said, hanging all over him. She looked a few years older than Tyler, tall and curvy with blonde hair, and unfortunately, she was pretty.

"Thanks. I have a roommate but he's gone for the next few weeks. Oh, hey Lauren and some girl I don’t know," Tyler said, coming to a stop in the living room. "Nikki, this is my roommate's girlfriend Lauren, and her friend-"

"Hi, I'm Jessica. I work with Lauren. You must be Tyler. It's nice to finally meet you," Jess said all bubbly with a wave from her seat beside me on the couch.  

"You too," he said flashing Jess a sexy smile, then turned back to the bimbo, I mean his date. "So, Nikki, can I get you something to drink?"

"A beer if you have any, as long as it's not light."

"A woman after my own heart," he laughed.

Jess reached over and quickly pushed my chin up when the two of them walked into the kitchen. It must have been hanging open for a while, but I finally came to my senses. Sort of.

"Sorry to crash your living room Tyler. If you want, we can go to Caleb’s bedroom and watch our movie in there."

Tyler straightened from digging in the fridge, and smiled his megawatt smile at me and then Jess before answering. "No, you're fine. We're heading to my bedroom."

I felt my face redden. Why did I care? He could date and fuck whoever he wanted. That was none of my business. Oh, but damn if I wasn't jealous, because I'd never actually been with him.

"Are you sure? It's really no problem for us to move." Why couldn't my big mouth just drop it?

"Yeah, it's fine," he said with a smirk. The jerk. Was he trying to make me jealous? Did he think he needed a buffer with me too? And he's going to fuck that whore for a buffer? 

I watched as he led her by the hand down the hall to his room and then shut the door. Fuck!

Jess started laughing.

"What?" I asked.

"You look like you want to strangle that woman. You are so freaking jealous."

"Wh-what is he doing with her! He has never dated anyone since I've been staying here and now he brings her home? Is she his buffer?"

I couldn't sit still anymore and had to stand up to pace.

“Calm down Lauren. This is good right? Now you won’t be tempted to cheat on Caleb while he’s gone,” she laughed.                

“Yeah, you’re right. I like Caleb, a lot. Shit, I think I’m falling in love with him. I’m not going to mess that up because his sexy fucking roommate drives me crazy.”

“You look like you could use some Ben & Jerry’s strawberry cheesecake,” she said, jumping up and heading to the kitchen.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” I agreed, sitting back down and trying to get over the jealous rage that’d knocked the shit out of me. Oh God, this must be what Tyler feels like whenever he sees me and Caleb together, or hears us, or think about us.

“You okay now?” Jess asked as she handed me a spoon and a pint of ice cream.

“I’m fine. I’m glad Tyler has a … a, um, friend. No wait, that’s a complete lie.”

Jess laughed again. “Well, at least now I know you were telling the truth about him. He is hot as fuck. I could only imagine his friend is too.”

I grabbed my phone and pulled up the picture of Caleb I’d taken when we were in bed the other night to show her.

“Damn right he is, and he is mine.”

“Holy mother of gorgeousness. He is … wow,” Jess laughed as she stared at the shirtless hunk of man I missed like crazy.

…

Someone's hand was on me, shaking me and startling me awake. Shit, not again. "Don't touch me you bastard!"       

"Whoa! Sorry, I was just going to see if you wanted to go to bed instead of sleeping on the couch all night. Damn!" Tyler said, backing away with his palms out in front of him.

I blinked my eyes open as I sat up. Looking around I remembered where I was, then rubbed a hand over my face to hide my embarrassment. I’d fallen asleep on the couch after Jess left. "Sorry. Thought you were … I forgot where I was."

"Who'd you think I was? Certainly not Caleb," he said.

I finally looked up at him, and that's when I noticed he wasn't wearing anything except black basketball shorts, which were riding super low on his hips. Wow, was he a sight. His blonde hair was still wet, like he'd just gotten out of the shower, and there were droplets of water still clinging to his chest and shoulders. I couldn't stop from biting my lip, wanting to put my mouth on him, and lick them all off.

"Lauren?"

"Huh?" I asked, finally ordering my eyes to move back up to his face again.

"I asked you who you thought I was."

"Oh. Nobody."

"Bullshit. It's not nobody. One of your mom's boyfriends?"

I shrugged. "One. Ten. I've lost count."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" he yelled, making me jump. "I've never hurt a woman, but if I ever meet your mother I might have to break that rule," he said, before turning and heading to the kitchen, then jerking open the refrigerator door.

It was such a simple statement, one I knew he meant sarcastically, but it was the only time in my life someone had stood up for me, and called my mom out on the shitty job she had done raising me. No one else had ever cared, that is if they even found out. Most that had found out over the years, like some of my teachers, just ignored the situation, probably because they felt like it was none of their business. But I would have given anything to have someone care enough to make it their business when I was a little girl, starving, cold, or home alone.  

I pressed my hands to my eyes, trying to stop the stupid tears.

"Damn it, I'm sorry Lauren. I shouldn't say shit about your mom," Tyler said from the kitchen.                  

I shook my head. "I don't mind. I hate my mom."

"Then why are you crying?" he asked, coming to stand in front of me before sitting down beside me on the couch.

I shook my head again.

"I'm going to sit here until you answer me," he said, then I felt the light touch of his fingertips gliding down my spine, gentle and soothing, causing my body to shiver. "Come here," he said softly, before pulling me against his chest. His damp, bare, broad and sculpted chest. He smelled all masculine - sweet, strong and clean like the Abercrombie store in the mall. I couldn't help but relax against his warmth, trying to inhale more of him. 

"No one's ever cared about me before, especially not my mom," I told him, embarrassed by my honesty, and my shitty life.

"Well, now you have two people that care about you," he said, wrapping his arms tighter around me.

That's what scared me. Getting attached to Tyler and Caleb, then losing them both. I felt like I'd already lost Caleb. It had been really nice while it lasted, though. More than nice. Being held by either of them made me feel safe and happy.

"I'd like you to meet my mom. I know she'd really like you. She always wanted a daughter but got stuck with just me."

More tears threatened, and I needed a distraction. I burrowed my head into his neck, letting my lips brush over his skin. He sucked in a breath and froze underneath me, but he didn't loosen his grip. I placed an open mouth kiss on his Adam's apple, and felt it move when he swallowed. I'd never realized how fucking sexy that particular part was on a man, until I ran my tongue over his.  

Tyler's gentle hands went down my back, and then glided up under my t-shirt to feel my skin, pressing me against him even harder at the same time.

When the door down the hall opened we both jumped, Tyler jerking his hands out from under my shirt, and I moved back against the couch further away from him. Before he could stand up Nikki appeared in the living room, wearing only a tight tank top and panties. Actually it was just a thong, and I wanted nothing more than to jump up and choke the shit out of the tall, perfect bitch with it. 

"Tyler, come back to bed with me," she pouted, all whiny like a little girl.

"Sorry. Ah, Lauren was just upset. You know, missing Caleb. He's going to be gone for ten weeks." He lied pretty smoothly, and I didn't miss his quick crotch adjustment.