Read What Brings Me to You Online
Authors: Loralee Abercrombie
What Brings Me to You (26 page)
“Well, damn, honey. Hang on okay? I’ve only got this one set left. I need you to come to the…ehem…kitchen with me.” Markus said as he winked in my direction. Knowing that Jaime was kind of university staff we had to be extra careful about what we revealed.
“Sure,” I said brightly. “I’ll be outside.” I couldn’t help but smile at what delicious concoction he came up with for me to try so I licked my lips in anticipation.
*****
“That’s it, we’re going out after these gosh dern exams and you’re coming with us. I will not take no for an answer
For once I didn’t say no. She was pretty irresistible when she said “gosh dern”. I could see why she had Colin wrapped around her little finger. After our exams, we met up with some of Kelsey and Colin’s friends from the University of Tampa on their campus. I always loved that campus. It was so close to where I used to live and I remembered the time Teddy dropped me off there. I shook my head and willed Teddy out of my mind. I was NOT going to think about him that night. I was going to go out and have a good time college-girl style.
We all rode together from UT to the heart of Sodom itself, Ybor city. Known for all manner of nightlife debauchery. My jaw nearly dropped when Kelsey, sweet, innocent, mid-western ginger girl, Kelsey handed me a fake ID so I could get into the club. I didn’t know to what lengths she went to get it, but it really didn’t matter, they didn’t check any ID’s before we went inside, anyway.
It was my first time at a club and I never thought I’d like it that much. Colin and Kelsey were making out slash dry humping in the corner so I made my way through the throngs of people. Some of whom I recognized from around campus. It was sweaty and disgusting in the club but all I wanted to was move to the music so loud I could feel the bass thumping in my chest. At first I stuck to modest bobs of my head, but the beat drove into my mind and drove everything else out. I was moving freely, not paying attention to anything except the movement of my body. Before I could react, there were hands on my hips behind me, moving with me to the beat. I flinched but the hands weren’t doing anything other than holding on so I didn’t balk too much. I wanted to see who the person was but I was too into dancing. Then he whispered in my ear.
“Hey, I’m Blah Blah“He probably said his name but the bass was too loud.
“What?” I yelled, or at least I thought I did. The sound of the music drowned out my voice even to me.
“I. AM. BLAH BLAH!” He was louder but no more understandable than the first time. I finally turned around so I could read his lips and Blah-Blah, who was attractive in a too-old-to-be-in-a-night-club sort of way, yelled his name again, which I still didn’t catch. Not like it mattered, we were dancing and getting all sticky with sweat. I’m sure the little bit of makeup that Kelsey insist I wear was running but I didn’t care. Then, Blah-Blah unexpectedly and roughly moved his hands up my shirt. That’s pretty much when all hell broke loose.
I pushed him away as best as I could but he was stronger than me and was really intent on getting his hands up there. I was so focused on getting him out from under my clothes that I didn’t see him lean toward me with his tongue hanging out until I felt his hot, onion-y breath on my face.
“Dude! Get off of me!” If he heard me, which was unlikely as I could barely hear myself over the music, he was ignoring me.
This is bad. This is very bad.
Bile was rising up in my throat and I knew at any moment I was going to lose it to another panic attack. There was no time for me to do the breathing exercises; Blah-Blah was closing in. I closed my eyes and hoped that it would all be over quickly. Then, all of a sudden, it was.
I opened my eyes and Blah-Blah was on the floor, a tall, ominous figure clad in a tight black tee shirt and black slacks was looming above him. Blah-Blah had his hands up over his face in an “I definitely surrender” kind of way but my savior wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily. My black-clad hero hoisted Blah-Blah up by the collar of his shirt and shoved him out of the club.
By this time, my heart rate had slowed and I was sure I wasn’t in danger of having a panic attack; Kelsey and Colin were flanking me. They saw the commotion and came rushing over, standing on either side of me trying to reassure me -though it felt like they were reassuring themselves for leaving me alone. They asked repeatedly if I wanted to go to another club or to leave but I could tell they were having fun so I said that I’d catch a cab back to campus. They didn’t protest too much.
When I walked into the humid May air, one of the bouncers called my name.
“Charley,” he said again more urgently. I turned to look and, dammit, it was
the
trainer from campus, Jaime Rosen.
“Was that you in there?” I asked, knowing the answer.
“Yea it was. Did anyone else bother you?” He seemed ready to pounce if I’d said yes; his hazel-gray eyes were wild. I probably could’ve picked anyone from the crowd and he’d have kicked their ass if he thought they’d landed an unwanted hand on me.
“No. No, I’m fine. Just tired. Going to catch a cab back to campus.”
“Oh no you’re not. I don’t know where you’re from, but catching a cab isn’t too easy here. I’m not letting you walk up and down Centro Ybor dressed like that alone.”
Dressed like what?
I had finally gotten over feeling like I was a fat cow next to everyone else and was starting to feel comfortable with my body, but not comfortable or bold enough to dress like Kelsey. I didn’t allow her to put me in some short, sparkly thing like she had on. I opted for jeans, nicer ones than I usually wore, and a black corseted top that she let me borrow. I had a pair of black pumps courtesy of Teddy by means of Nancy. I didn’t think I looked especially skanky compared to most of the other females that night, but he wouldn’t hear of me leaving by myself.
“Mouse,” he called and an enormous black man a la Michael Clark Duncan from
The Green Mile
ambled over in the same tight black t-shirt and black slacks.
“Yea boss?” He thundered.
“This young lady was roughed up a bit in there. I’m going to make sure she makes it to her dorm safely.” Mouse or whatever his name was lifted one eyebrow in question but didn’t contradict him, which I thought was strange. Mouse was bigger, older and seemed like, in man hierarchy, he’d outrank Jaime in every way, but instead he deferred to him. “Do you have this under control until I get back?” Jaime asked. Mouse nodded once and without any further conversation he gripped me by my arm between my shoulder and elbow and dragged me around the back of the building. At this point, I probably should’ve been scared but I wasn’t. I was strangely at ease even though he was dragging me behind a shady building to a skeezy parking lot.
“Can you either slow down or let me go, please? I’m having a hard time keeping up,” I said when the techno beats had faded into the background. He released my arm but kept walking in silence. When he clicked the keyless entry to his, yes, Range Rover, I knew there would be no talking unless I initiated it.
“Thanks. For driving me,” I said after he folded his massive body into the drivers’ seat.
“Don’t mention it,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Are you angry with me or something?” I asked because, really? Why the hell were you talking to me through clenched teeth? What the hell did I do in the situation to deserve that? I certainly didn’t ask him to drive me home.
“Your boyfriend back there?” He clipped as his hand came down so hard on the wheel the entire steering column vibrated with the force.
“My who?”
“Oh c’mon, Charley. Markus. He wasn’t there tonight. You really could’ve used him while that clown was groping you.”
“You think Markus is my boyfriend?” I was incredulous and slightly amused. After getting to know Markus there was no way anyone would think he was anything but gay.
“Well, yea. I mean, you’re always together, he calls you honey, and you have these little secret looks between you. Last time he said something to you, you licked your lips.”
“You noticed that?” I said blithely.
“That’s not the point.”
“I think it is,” I’d never been so overtly flirtatious before but the booze, and something about the jealousy he displayed toward Markus made me feel bold. “Markus would be shocked if he knew you were looking at my lips.” He kept his eyes on the road but his face paled. It was clear to me how much he did not like to be teased, even lightly. So I changed tactics. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a friend, and a potential business partner. And he’s gay as they come.”
“Gay.”
“Yes.”
“Well that’s a relief.”
“Why? Are you gay?” I was suddenly feeling not so flirtatious. Maybe he was staring at Markus that day at the gym. That would explain the meticulous care of himself and his body.
“What? No. No! I just meant…never mind.” The strange thing was, I did know what he meant, I just had no clue what to do with it. I thought it was safest to change the subject.
“So, do you have plans for break? Going home to see your family? Wherever home is, anyway?”
“Staying in town.”
“I am too. I’m staying with a friend.”
“Huh.”
“Yea. She’s a really good friend.” At this point the car had stopped in front of my dorm. I shouldn’t have been surprised that you remembered but I was.
“Well then, we should actually plan to hang out sometime as opposed to this accidental thing we keep doing.” You said authoritatively. “Let me have your number. I’ll call you during break.” It was the first time I’d ever been asked out. I mean, technically he didn’t ask, but it was flattering nonetheless.
“I’d like that,” I said and gave him the number to Collette’s apartment.
A week later Collette insisted that I accompany her to her parent’s house for dinner. They were having a pre-Christmas bash and she didn’t want to go alone. She also mentioned how much her father was looking forward to seeing me. Apparently, patient-not-doctor privilege didn’t apply to fathers. Not that I had invoked that with Collette since we decided to ditch the whole patient-not-doctor thing, anyway.
The house that Collette grew up in was almost exactly how I pictured it. Well, not exactly, it was a large ranch house instead of a cozy split level, but the feeling was the same. The interior was decorated in oversized, old but good quality, worn in furniture. Lots of leather and tweed and bookshelves overflowing. I could picture Collette as a child curled up in the corners of this house reading the books her doctor-dad and lawyer-mom deemed worthy to don those shelves. It made sense that she was the way she was. Collette’s younger sister Calliope was so similar to her, even down to the funky framed glasses, though Calliope’s were purple. She had the same glossy brown hair and coltish figure. The entire bunch was all quite liberal in their politics and with their affection for each other. That was what I had envisioned; the feel of the house. Warmth. Openness. Love. Collette wasn’t the only one to bring home strays like me. Calliope’s guest, who we all found out later was also her boyfriend, was recovering from a recreational drug problem and she was instrumental in his recovery. I assumed sex with her was a great incentive. Diane, Collette’s mom, had a couple of her clients at the party as well. The only thing I knew about lawyers I learned from Paul, so I didn’t too much care for them. Diane broke all the stereotypes I had. She really wanted to help those people and wasn’t necessarily motivated by money. She was doing, according to Dr. Musgraves and Collette, hundreds of hours of work per month for next to nothing so that these clients got what they deserved. It was inspiring. I milled around the house, mostly admiring the droves of books, with a giant glass of eggnog hoping that when it was over I could go back to Collette’s apartment alone and read my own when I saw him.
He sauntered through the front door like he lived there. When Dr. Musgraves, or Jim as he asked me to call him, saw him they gave each other that rough man hug. Jim was beaming in his “Kiss the Chef” apron over silly Christmas themed sweater. It wasn’t nearly cold enough for such a sweater, and inside, with all the people and the oven going, it was actually beginning to get uncomfortable, but Jim seemed to be into the Christmas cheer or whatever. Jaime looked so casual in his off -white thermal, army-heather vest and black boots. He had a dark pair of jeans that hugged his muscular thighs and backside so perfectly it was hard not to stare. He’d let some facial hair grow out since being away from campus and his hair wasn’t gelled in the neat part but shaggy in his eyes. In short, he looked sexy which made the whole thing more unnerving for me. I appraised my own appearance which, by contrast was not sexy. Jeans, thin white t-shirt that clung to my skin, old converse I had since high school, The only thing that saved me was Collette’s fault: she insisted I wear some make up and she pulled my hair off my face in the front in a cool twisty thing. Still, I was in no position to see Jaime. I skirted around the outside of the party to find Collette. She was in the kitchen talking with Calliope when I grabbed her by her elbow.
