Guided Love (Prick #1) (9 page)

I grab the boxes, crush them up, and clean up the plates. I walk over to the movies and debate over what I should put on: action or horror? With the horror she may get scared and sit closer to me . . . horror it is. By the time I get everything ready, I see her coming down the hallway. Holy Damn!

“What?” I shake my head back and forth and look at her.

“What? I didn’t say anything?” She starts to laugh at me as she heads towards me and the couch.

“Yes, you did. You said, ‘Holy . . . Damn’”

“I did?” still standing there speechless because she looks sexy as fuck.

Laughing, she confirms that, yes, I must have said that out loud. “It’s just, you look good that's all.” Again, she starts to turn red and shake her head no. “You do, you can’t deny that.” She looks at me as if I just grew another head.

“Axel, I am wearing flannel pajamas with ducks on them, I look far from good.”

I grab the remote and sit next to her on the couch. “If only you could see yourself the way others do, Samantha.”

I hit play and she starts to clap when she sees that I put in Annabelle.

“I love scary movies! Good choice, Axel.”

She leaps off the couch and turns out the lights; it’s better this way, maybe she won’t see how she affects me. Seriously, I feel like I’m back in fucking junior high. With her back to me, I quickly adjust myself and Samantha takes the seat next to me. Half way through, Samantha actually places her head on my shoulder she too must be getting tired. I take my arm and put it around her, bringing her closer. My eyes are heavy and I close them thinking that having her against me, it just feel right.

“What the fuck!” I feel a slap to my head and I open my eyes to find Camaron glaring down at me.

“What the fuck, Camaron, don’t touch me” I look around and I am lying on his couch and Samantha is on top of me with her head on my chest, she is sound asleep.”

“Dude, what the fuck are you doing here? And why the fuck is Sam on top of you?” Camaron is pissed and staring at me, waiting for my answer. I really think that if Samantha wasn't on top of me right now he would be trying to kick my ass.

“Dude, chill, I came by and wanted to see if you wanted to head to Kester’s for a beer but you were out with the guys, which we both know is a lie.” He shushes me and shakes his head no. “Dude, nothing happened, I helped Samantha paint your kitchen and we watched a movie, I guess we both fell asleep.”

“How the hell did she end up on top of you?” I can't help but smile, which just pisses him off more.

I try and wake her but she isn’t budging so Camaron comes over, picks her up, and takes her to bed. As I’m getting my shoes, he heads back out and nods at me. “Thanks for keeping her company. I owe you one.”

“No problem at all man, she’s a blast to hang with. Where were you?” Camaron is grabbing a beer from the fridge and throws one my way.

“I met someone.”

“Okay, so why the secrets?” He looks past me towards the hallway and looks back at me.

“I just don’t know how Sam is going to take it. I mean there is nothing between us and there never has been, but I still think that it will break her somehow, ya know?” I do know and I think he may be right. When Samantha looks at Camaron, I don’t think all she sees is friendship.

“Well, how long have you been seeing this chick?” I’m starting to feel bad because I look at Camaron and he’s pale. He truly looks broken up about this.

“About three months. She came into the shop to get pierced and she asked for my number. Man, she is wild! She’s beautiful and damn, if she doesn't give the best head I have ever experienced.”

“So, how the hell have you been seeing this chic for the past three months and Samantha’s never known about it?” Camaron opens up the door and we stand in the hallway; damn, he really doesn’t want to have Samantha overhear. “Veronica, well Roni, actually, I see her on Mondays and Thursdays. Y’all taking Samantha out helped me out a ton. I don’t know what to do, man. Veronica wants to meet everyone, but I have this bad feeling.”

“Dude, if I were you I would just be honest. Introduce her to Samantha over food that should help.” We both laugh and I head across the hall to my place.

I hear my alarm going off, yet it seems so far away. I open my eyes and find that I am in Camaron’s bed. What the hell? I was lying next to Axel on the couch last night, how did I get into Camaron's bed? I look down and see that I am wrapped up in Camaron’s arms. Now this, this is the way I would love to wake up every morning.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

I turn around and face Camaron who hasn't moved his arms. “Morning, gorgeous, how did I get in your bed last night?”

He takes his hand and brushes my hair out of my face, his touch sends chills through my body. “I came home last night and found you lying with Axel. We tried to wake you, but you were out like the fat kid in dodgeball. I thought I would just lie you down and I put you in here.”

I could feel my eyes grow tight in a questioning look and I am so afraid to ask this question but I just need to know. “Why would you bring me in your bed and not my own?”

He smiles and looks down at my lips and back up into my eyes. “I guess I just wanted to be close to you last night. It killed me to see you lying there with Axel and I guess I just needed my best friend lying next to me.” I can’t help but smile, he just made my day.

“Well, gorgeous, I love lying next to you it just feels right, ya know?” Camaron nods and hugs me tight. “Well, I have to shower and head to the shop, I told Carrie I would cover the front desk this morning. What would you like me to make for dinner? I’ll head to the store and then put it in the crock pot this afternoon.”

I get up out of his bed and start my way to the door. As I go, I am grabbing all of the dirty clothes left out on the floor.

“Actually, Sam, you don’t have to worry about dinner, I have plans tonight. Dinner tomorrow, okay?” I look over my shoulder and he is sitting up in bed with his head down looking at his phone.

“Sure thing, I’ll see you at the shop later.” He nods and doesn’t respond. Whatever that text was, it obviously was important as he completely shut down. I get out of the shower and Camaron is gone.

I head down to the shop and open it up. I make sure that all the stations have all of the supplies that they need for the day and I start some paperwork, before I head out and open the shop to clients. I’ll be running the front desk so this paperwork needs to be done.

The shop is hoping and Camaron is still not here. He missed his first scheduled appointment. I’ve texted a few times and still haven’t heard anything back. I hear some commotion coming from behind me and turn to see an angry Axel. I have never seen him look like this and it’s kind of scary. He has this look of anger that has his already dark brown eyes look black.

“Have you heard back from Camaron?” I shake my head and finish scanning the paper work for a piercing into the computer.

“No, Axel, I haven’t heard anything. I went ahead and cancelled his appointments today, but I can’t get a hold of his next appointment as he isn't answering my calls, but all the others are rescheduled. I'm a little concerned as he was fine this morning but then got a call and left without saying anything to me. That really isn’t normal.”

Axel comes up from behind me and reaches over shoulder to grab the appointment book. Holy damn, I could feel him right up against me and I have to admit that my heart raced a little. Yeah, I really need to get batteries for my B.O.B.

“If his next appointment comes in don’t reschedule it. If it’s okay with him, see if we could get him with Jay or me. I don’t want to have the guy come all the way down and have to turn right around. We may be called Two Pricks but I really don’t want to piss off our clients.” He looks down at me, the anger is still there.

“I got it, Axel, I’ll make sure we get him in the schedule for today.” He turns and is about to head back to his station and stops.

“Thank you, Samantha, I appreciate all of your help.” He winks and turns and walks back to his station. I can’t help but have a little smile come across my lips because even though he is pissed he still can make me feel appreciated. My smile doesn’t last long when I hear my phone ding.

Camaron: Sam won’t be in today can you reschedule all of my appointments

Me: What happened to you Camaron? Axel is pissed and I have already rescheduled your appointments. Are you ok?

Camaron: Yep im fine, just needed a day for me

Me: A day for you?

Camaron: Yeah, I won’t be home tonight so I’ll see you in the morning

Me: Are you sure you’re ok? Tell me where you are, I’ll come and we could talk

Camaron: No all is good, I’ll see you tomorrow. Remember tomorrow dinner ok?

Me: Sounds good Camaron

Camaron: I love you; you're my anchor you know that right?

Me: I love you more Cam, don’t worry I’ll handle Axel and all will be OK

Camaron: Thanks Sam I am so lucky to have you. XOXO

He is so lucky to have me . . . damn, I wish we could just make this official. I can feel that things are changing and I just can’t wait until we are together.

The rest of the day is busy and hectic. I told Axel that Camaron took himself to the Urgent Care because he wasn’t feeling well and that he would be in tomorrow. I am not too sure that he believed me as he just had this blank look on his face before he shook his head and walked away. I just completed all of my tasks listed on Carrie’s list, along with all of Camaron’s, and I’m locking the doors along with Paul and heading to Kester's, same as every Monday night. Sitting there amongst friends, I can’t stop thinking about Camaron. Where is he? Why is he not coming home? I mean, I’m sitting here with all the Pricks—who is he with? This is weighing on my mind so much that I haven’t eaten anything that I’ve ordered.

“So, Samantha, are you going to open up and tell me what’s on your mind?”

Samantha is sitting at the table surrounded by wings, pizza, and fries, all that she ordered and everything that Paul, Allen, and Jay have been eating. She hasn’t touched anything. She obviously is upset about something and all roads are pointing to Camaron. Yeah, don’t know what the fuck is going on there, the prick never showed up today, which never happens. He may be a prick but he has always showed up, nothing stops him from work. This afternoon Samantha said he wasn’t feeling good and went to Urgent Care and then home. She wouldn’t look me in the eye and I could tell by looking at her beautiful face that she was lying to me. Samantha looks up at me from staring at her bottle of beer that she hasn’t taken even a sip out of and she fakes a smile as she responds to me.

“Nothing wrong with me, I’m just ducky.”

“Damn, Samantha, you honestly suck at lying, you realize this, right?” She looks at me and looks around the table as everyone starts to laugh. Paul and Jay are sitting there agreeing with me as they shove another wing in their face.

“Rice Cake, he does have a point. I mean, damn, you haven’t touched any of the food you’ve ordered,” Carrie looks over at Samantha and you could see that we have all accepted her into our little family and that she, too, is worried about her.

“Chillax, pricks, I have the perfect solution to loosen our Rice Cake up!” Allen yells as he places neon green shots on the table for all of us. He passes each of us our shot and holds his up.

“To Rice Cake, you are an amazing fuckin’ woman and I, for one, love that you are a part of our Prick family. Now drink up butter cup, we are gonna get you to loosen up.” We all raise our glasses, down the shot, and follow it with a beer. Three shots later and Samantha is wasted, she is adorable and talkative, but completely wasted.

“You know, Care Bear, you are beautiful and the pricks . . . I mean, seriously, can you find any other men that are more freaking delicious? When I first saw them, I really think my panties melted. I mean honestly, Allen is just gorgeous with his bald head and his cocky grin, Paul is freaking lickable, dear lord, you my friend, are a lucky woman.” Samantha is cracking me up. She thinks she is whispering, but she is announcing this to all of us here at the table, while her eyes are just set on Carrie.