Someone Like You (Someone To Love Series) (17 page)

7

YOU AND ME

Ally

T
he sun
eludes Carrington this afternoon as a strangling mass of charcoal clouds streak across the sky. I stare at my in-box full of rejection letters, feeling like the dumbass I am for even putting myself in front of not-so-corporate America.

Kendall slides a cup of coffee over to me. “Any luck?”

“Three strikes, I’m out.” I give a wry smile.

“Gosh, Ally, I’m so sorry.” She hitches her glossy hair behind her ear, her eyes wide with shock, most likely because she finally sees that dark cloud hovering over my head. It’s the same one that’s been pissing over me since my mother died. “I’d offer you a job at the bed-and-breakfast, but we’re strapped. Cruise is there now, trying to salvage what he can after that plumbing disaster. In fact, I’d better get going and join him.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I flex a grim smile. “Something always seems to come up for me.” Dell’s stripper pole comes to mind like some giant stainless-steel erection. I don’t dare tell Kendall I’ve got something to keep the financial cogs turning just a little bit longer.

“Hey, good looking.” Morgan pops up from behind me and touches down a kiss on my cheek. His hair is still dripping wet from the shower, and he holds a strong soapy scent that makes me want to drag him back to the bedroom. There’s nothing like a freshly scrubbed Morgan Jordan to start the day off right.

“Get a room.” Kendall laughs as she heads down the hall.

“I can’t afford a room,” I whisper.

“What’s going on?” Morgan leans over my shoulder and I snap the laptop shut.

“You up for a walk?”

Morgan is kind enough to make me breakfast before we take a stroll on the property. We follow the stream out as far as it’ll let us before we even say a word. I feel good like this with Morgan—safe, comfortable.

“You’re a master chef, you know that? And I’m not being sarcastic,” I say. “You have a real way with bacon.” I slide my shoulder against his, and he wraps an arm around my waist—easy and right.

“Yeah, well, I just did it so I could watch you eat.”

“So that’s what gets you going? The way I chew my food? Boy, you’re easy to please.” I give his chest a playful scratch as we take in the sharp scent of the pines.

“I don’t think you could ever not please me.” He lands a solid kiss on my forehead, and my muscles tense up. Little does Morgan know I specialize in letting people down. That’s one job the universe will never fire me from—the CEO of disappointments. “I’m on tonight,” I whisper. He knows I mean Pretty Girls. “It’s going to be weird not having you there. You want me to talk to Dell?” I’m sure I could convince Tess to do a little persuading of the sexual variety or at least threaten to cut him off—either, or
both
if needed.

“Don’t worry about it. Dell’s an ass. He’ll probably say no anyway. Besides”—he takes up my hand—“you couldn’t keep me away if you tried.”

His dimples dig in so deep I swear jumping into one would be like taking a cliff-side plunge.

“Good”—I squeeze him tight—“because Tess is giving me some serious pointers on the pole later, and I’d hate for you to miss the acrobatics. I’m sure the moves I’ll be doing will be illegal in ten different states and quite possibly land me in traction.”

“Ally Monroe engaging in illegal activity? I might have to conduct a citizen’s arrest.”

I belt out a laugh. “Right. I’m sure I’ll fall on my head so that won’t be necessary. Although, if you feel the need to play doctor again—I might be up for some of your alternative treatments. In fact, I feel a dull ache coming on that only you can cure.”

“You won’t fall, Ally. And if you do, I’ll be there to catch you.” Morgan pulls me in just as the sky darkens overhead.

The moment grows altogether serious as a light rain starts to fall.

“You’re always there to catch me, Morgan. Why is that?” Maybe he’ll say it—give me the words full strength, those very words I’ve longed to hear since my mother passed away, but that no one has said, not even Ruby.

“Because you fall a lot.” He pulls his cheek to the side and his dimple winks at me.

“Are you always such a wise ass?” I press my chest against his and tip my neck back to look straight at him.

“I learned from the master. You have much to teach.”

“You’re welcome, grasshopper. I find my black belt in sarcasm is both cathartic and catty. What more can you ask for?” Plus it masks a thousand feelings. I like the mask. I like the way it bandages up the wound so the world can never see it.

“Yeah, well, sometimes things get serious.” He leans in like he’s about to kiss me, and pauses. Morgan locks his steel gaze over mine. “That’s when you use heartfelt words to express how you really feel. Those are the important ones.”

The rain falls in long, silver slats, cutting across our bodies sideways at an aggressive pace. It’s so loud, as if someone turned up nature’s volume all the way, stealing the moment from Morgan and me. And now, we’ll never know what those important words were or who was going to say them first.

That night, at the Pretty Girls Gentlemen’s Club, I hang out with Tess in the love shack she shares with Dell and his unholy harem while she teaches me the fine art of pole dancing. Tess said she had to pull a few “strings” so Dell would give me another chance at the club. I don’t even want to know what the details of said “strings” were. I’m sure it involved a flesh exchange. And, considering Dell was at the receiving end, it more than makes me want to hurl. Speaking of the club, Morgan is there now, probably getting accosted by an entire bevy of underdressed girls. Not that I can blame them for trying to have their way with him. I just don’t want them to.

“Make love to the pole, Ally,” Tess commands as she jumps up onto it and points her toe toward heaven. “See how easy it is?” She twirls down with the grace of a ballerina.

“Nice.” I go up and hop onto the metallic structure just the way Tess demonstrated and actually end up sticking until I slowly release and edge my way down in short staccato jerks. “Ha! That was easy.” I flex my foot in the air, and land on my head with a thump.

“That’s a great way to throw out your back.” Tess claps her hands as if ordering me back on my feet. “Come on! Let’s see that again.”

I give it another go like a seasoned showgirl and jump on the pole as if it were Morgan. I caress its cool steel exterior and slide down with ease this time, finishing it off with a little twirl. It takes about a dozen more tries before I feel confident that I can tackle the phallic lightning rod in the big room, but I’m starting to get good vibes about the entire situation. Maybe this whole dancer thing will really work out for me? I mean, if Morgan’s okay with me showing off my goods, minus providing services, I don’t see what’s wrong with turning a few bucks by way of my body.

“Look at you!” Tess beams with a streak of red lipstick smeared over her teeth. “You did it! I knew you were a natural. You’re destined to knock ’em dead.”

“Maybe I am. I got fired from Starbucks. And God knows I don’t have enough to pay for my own place
and
books next semester. I’ll have to take out a monster loan just to graduate.” I sit on the floor with my back against the pole. “Worst of all—” I’m going to say it. I can feel it bubbling from my lips like a volcanic eruption. “I’m going to miss Morgan. He goes home in a few weeks. So there’s that.”

“Morgan?” Her face knots up in confusion. “Are you talking about that guy who gave you a ride?” She points in the direction of the club. “The
bouncer
?”

“Yes.” I nod, shocked by her apparent dismissal. “The
bouncer
. He’s nice. He makes me feel special, and safe—and I’m going to cry rivers and flood this whole damn place when he leaves.” I press my lips together as tears make their appearance a little sooner than expected.

“Oh, honey!” She lands next to me soft as a whisper. “You love him, don’t you?”

Love?

I shrug, still not sure she pegged the right emotion.

“I don’t know.” I take the tissue she’s manufactured from thin air and blow my nose. “I’m not sure I’ve ever loved a boy before. I mean, how would I know? How does anyone know?” Is there some relational juxtaposition I’m supposed to conduct? Do I hold our relationship up to Kendall and Cruise’s? Lauren and Cal’s? God forbid I use Tess and Dell as a measuring stick, but if we’re just passing time together, how are we any different?

Tess pulls me in. A faraway look takes over as she considers this.

“Oh, Ally. When you think of that person, and your heart is so full that you can’t take it anymore, that’s when you know,” she says sweetly while brushing the hair from my forehead. “You’ll want to spend every waking hour together, and he’ll occupy your thoughts from sunup until sundown. There won’t be anything you won’t want to share with him. I think when all of those things fall in line, that’s when you can really be sure you’re in love.” She presses a soft kiss over my temple.

“Thank you, Tess.”

I think I’m already sure.

The club is filled to maximum capacity tonight as I peer from behind the thick velvet curtain. The smell of smoke and whiskey lights up the air as music pulsates from the speakers.

Tess convinced me to step into a pair of long white boots that crest my thighs, a metallic G-string with a bona fide chain that rubs me the wrong way, and a hot-pink bra encrusted with an illegal amount of rhinestones that bejewels my chest.

I’m on after Cinnamon and Spice—a duo that wows the crowd by indulging in one another’s hips and lips.