Tempted

Chapter 15

Taylor

The second my eyes open in the morning, I recall my conversation with Colt before bed. I hate the idea that he’s sharing a hotel room with Bria. I know during the field assignment I had with him, we did too. But I assumed that was because he liked being near me. I realize this means they’re together 24/7, sharing every meal, working together, laughing together. The thought does nothing to calm my nerves.

My stomach rumbles loudly. But I don’t care. I’m way too worked up to eat. I need to go get Reis up and go for a run. Maybe then I can pound out some of this angst I feel.

I dress and head downstairs, knocking loudly on Colt’s door to wake Reis.

He pulls open the door wearing nothing but boxer briefs.

I stumble back, shielding my eyes with my hand. “Oh, hi. Sorry.”

He chuckles. “It’s okay. Come in.”

“Can you um, put something on?” I peek through my fingers as I follow him into the room so I don’t stumble into the door frame.

“No, I’m just going to wear my boxers all day.” I hear the sarcasm in his voice, and a second later, I hear clothes rustling.

“Put on something you can run in.” I open my eyes in time to see him pull a pair of mesh running shorts over his hips.

“Ready.” He holds his arms out to the sides. “Just let me brush my teeth.”

His bare feet pad across the floor to the bathroom and rather than standing here feeling useless, I busy myself by making the bed. The bed Colt and I have spent countless hours cuddling on is now where Reis is sleeping. It’s a little strange, but I push the thought from my mind.

Reis returns and pulls his on running shoes, knotting the key to Colt’s room into his shoelace.

During our run, I complain to Reis about Colt and Bria sharing the same hotel room. He looks bothered, his brow knitting together in thought, but he doesn’t say anything. I find myself more talkative and open than normal. Reis’ quiet, accepting demeanor does that to me. If I had told all this to MJ, she’d be telling me to break things off with Colt for sure.

After our run, we shower then round up MJ and Logan and the four of us head off in Reis’ Jeep to get some breakfast off campus.

Colt steers into the parking lot of a dingy looking little diner. “I know it looks shady, but I’ve been here before with Colt. They have really good pancakes.”

We head inside and when we stop at the hostess station, we’re greeted by the red head we had a run in with at the movies. Amber. My body stiffens.

“What’s wrong?” Reis questions at my sudden visible response to seeing her here.

I shake my head curtly. I won’t draw more attention to myself than I already have. I just want to get on with this and get to our table. Maybe she won’t remember me.

“How many?” Amber looks up at us and her eyes instantly lock on mine. “Oh.” She frowns.

Reis, MJ and Logan all turn and look between her and me, wondering what’s going on.

“Four of us,” Reis says, stepping in to shield me from Amber’s gaze. Amber’s eyes flick to Reis, noticing how much he looks like Colt, I’m sure.

A second later, she grab she menus and spins away across the room. We follow her, with Reis guiding me along by the shoulders, somehow aware that my legs aren’t working so well right now.

We settle into a booth in the corner of the dingy diner and scan the menus. Reis sets his down after merely glancing at it, and leans back, stretching his arm across the back of the booth behind me and leans closer. “I don’t know what that was back there, but are you okay?” he whispers so just I can hear him.

I answer in a tight nod, not wanting to discuss this with MJ and Logan. MJ is barely okay with me dating Colt as it is. I don’t want to give her any more ammunition against him. But I’ll talk to Reis about this later, I’m sure. He was such a good listener on our run this morning. I release a deep sigh and settle into the booth against this arm.

MJ’s mouth twitches, watching us. “So Boyfriend Junior, um, I mean Reis.” She smirks. “What are you doing tonight?”

He chuckles and slides his arm from behind me, moving his hands to his lap. “Whatever Taylor wants. Colt says I’m in charge of watching her.”

“No one’s in charge of me,” I stipulate.

“Wow, you two are unconvincing,” MJ mutters, setting down her menu. “Well Logan and I decided that tonight will be a perfect fall night for a bonfire out by the old barn. You guys in?”

“We’re in,” Reis confirms before I have the chance to answer.

I shoot him a look.

“What? You need to relieve some stress, Shrimp. Trust me, okay?”

I nod my agreement.

Later that night, MJ and I get ready for the party along with most of the other second year girls in the bathrooms. The atmosphere is alive with energy. Colt, the head of the school is away, McAllister’s long gone and so it’s just Vera, and she stays pretty busy getting the first years settled, which means more freedom and less oversight of us.

A pair my low slung jeans with sandals and one of my comfy fitted long sleeve tees, adding just minimal makeup to finish my look, and then wait while MJ applies coat after coat of black mascara.

We gather up Logan and Reis from the common room where they’re playing video games. Reis is dressed in the same dark jeans he had on earlier, but I recognize the sweatshirt he’s wearing as one of Colt’s. It’s heather gray and stretches across his chest, just like it does on Colt. And I know from experience it’s soft and worn.

We follow the low hum of conversation and laughter across the field and when we round the barn, the bonfire comes into view. The second year guys have lit a roaring blaze that reaches up for the cloudless sky.

I waste no time grabbing a drink with MJ, just wanting to numb myself from all the annoyances. Colt hasn’t called today. I know if I complain to MJ she’ll tell me the same thing she did earlier this week. That if I’m worried, I should hack into his emails and see for myself if anything shady is going on. I told her that I’d never do that, but now that I’m a few drinks in, it doesn’t sound like the world’s worst idea. It may even calm my nerves to see with my own eyes what his email exchanges with Bria are like. On my third cup of jungle juice, Reis removes the cup from my hand.

“Come on, I think you’ve had enough to drink. I’m taking you back.”

“No, stay with me!” I grab his sweatshirt, forcing him closer.

He chuckles in response. “Colt’ll have my balls if I let you get too drunk and sick. Come on, Shrimp.”

“You’re no fun, Reis Palmer.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He steers me by the shoulders toward the open field. “Think you can make it back?”

“Mm hmm,” I hiccup.

He laughs and signals to MJ that we’re leaving. She gives us a strange smile and a wave.

Reis holds my hand all the way back to the school, intertwining our fingers. We fit together perfectly. Just like Colt and me. The thought of Colt sends a shockwave through my system, my stomach quivers in response.

I tug his hand. “I don’t feel so good.”

He faces me, lifting my chin to meet his eyes. I try to watch on his face, but it comes in and out of focus. “Shit,” he swears under his breath. “I shouldn’t have let you drink so much.” His eyes scan mine. “Do you drink like this with him?”

Him. Colt. I shake my head no.

He curses again. “Come on. I can’t have Vera finding you drunk. If you’re going to be sick tonight, you’ll have to stay with me in Colt’s room. I’ll take care of everything.”

He leads me up the stairs to Colt’s room and unlocks the door. When he flips on the lights, I let out a grunt and try to shield my eyes. He chuckles. “Okay, no lights.”

I sit on the bed and the room spins and tilts. I know I’m going to be sick, it’s just a matter of when. “Help me to the bathroom,” I mumble. It comes out sounding like melpmetobrom.

Reis lifts me from the bed and carries me into the bathroom, depositing me on the floor near the toilet. There’s something about sitting on the cool tile of a bathroom floor with the toilet at eye level that humbles you. I feel completely helpless. I close my eyes and breathe through my nose. I sense Reis is still standing next to me.

“Leave.” I wave him away. I don’t want him to see me get sick.

He takes a step back, and closes us both in the bathroom. Before I have time to deal with his presence, my stomach lurches violently and I heave over the toilet. I cough and sputter, and when I’m finally done, I realize that Reis is standing behind me, holding my hair away from my face.

“Are you done?” he whispers.

I lean my forehead against the toilet seat and whimper. My throat is raw, burnt to hell. I am never drinking again.

Reis lifts me up, and after making sure I’ll be steady, he reaches over and flushes the toilet. Ew. I don’t even want to know what it looked like in there. I had tacos for dinner and three big cups of jungle juice. My stomach lurches again, but I keep it under control.

“You got some, ah…” Reis motions to the front of my shirt, which has a wet spot of vomit staining the fabric.

I lift my arms over my head, and without another word, Reis peels the shirt from my body. After helping me brush my teeth, he steers me to Colt’s bed.

He pulls down the covers while I peel off my jeans. I should feel embarrassed standing in front of Reis in just a pair of panties and my bra, but those feelings are strangely absent. He has a calming effect on me. He helps me into one of Colt’s oversized T-shirts and then into bed.

I expect him lay down next to me, but he gathers up an extra pillow and heads to the other side of the room.

“Wait. Reis…” I reach my arm out for him. “Don’t go.”

His eyes devour my bare legs. “What do you want?” His low voice washes over me. It’s so similar to Colt’s it makes my insides clench.

“I want…I want…” I reach for him again. “I don’t want to be alone.”

His eyes rake over me, stopping on my outstretched hand. “So I’m second best when you can’t have the guy you want?” His voice is soft, just a whisper.

I stay quiet. I can’t deny the truth in his words. But somehow I know he won’t leave.

Reis lets out a long sigh. “You don’t have to make up an excuse to ask me to hold you. You’re my brother’s girl. Which practically makes you mine to look after while he’s gone. Come here. Let me hold you.”

He strips off his shirt and jeans, and wearing just his boxer briefs, climbs in beside me.

I smile and snuggle into his chest, breathing in his scent. It’s different than Colt’s, but masculine and comforting just the same.

“Colt?” I yawn.

“It’s Reis, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

I mentally thump myself on the forehead. “Oh yeah, I mean Reis. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“Shh. Just sleep. If this is all I can get from you, I’ll take it. Colt is a damn lucky bastard.”

I know it’s bad to use him this way, but he doesn’t seem to mind either.

I let his calming breaths whisper over the back of my neck. However we rationalize this to ourselves, I know it’s borderline inappropriate. Reis would like there to be something more between us, and I’m simply filling a void in Colt’s absence. But that last thought before I drift to sleep doesn’t stop me from cuddling in closer to Reis’s arms, letting him pull me firmly to his chest.