Say You Love Me Read online

  * * *

  “How did we end up choosing a horror movie?” I whispered to Mila as we walked into the movie theater ahead of the guys. “You know I hate horror movies. I’m going to scream and embarrass myself.”

  “You won’t.” She gave me a sly grin and my eyes narrowed.

  “You chose the movie, didn’t you?” I growled under my breath. “Mila, how could you do this to me? You know I wanted to see a rom-com or something.”

  “The guys don’t wanna watch a rom-com. Plus, if we do a horror, whenever you feel scared you can grab ahold of Cody and he can protect you.”

  “Mila.” I groaned. “That’s not about to happen.”

  “You never know.” She shrugged and smiled. “You need to up the stakes.”

  “I don’t want to up the stakes.” I sighed. “This is too much already.”

  “What are you two whispering about?” Cody came up from behind me and nearly made me jump.

  “Nothing,” I said quickly and then paused. What if he’d heard some of what I had to say? “Well, I was just complaining that Mila chose a horror movie and she knows that I hate them.”

  “I’m here to protect you if you feel scared.” He grinned at me and my heart fluttered. “Just sit next to me.”

  “Aww, thanks, Cody,” I said, my heart racing. Maybe he really was coming around?

  “No worries, that’s what friends are for.” He grinned at me and overtook Mila and I and walked into our theater. “Let’s try and get some seats towards the top. I hate being too close to the screen.”

  “Sure,” I mumbled as I gave Mila a small glare, my stomach sinking at his use of the word “friends”.

  “It’ll be fine,” she mumbled, smiled and then reached behind to grab TJ’s hand. “Honey, will you protect me as well, if I get scared?”

  “I’ll protect you any day of the week. Any second of the day.” TJ pulled her towards him and kissed her cheek. “I’ll protect you from the grave.”

  “Aww, my love.” Mila beamed and I tried not to groan in envy. Why did they have to be so sickeningly sweet all of the time? I could still remember when they used to trade barbs back and forth. I could still remember when Mila was in my position, loving a man she thought didn’t even want to give her the time of day. Only life looked favorably upon her. Life gave her the love of the man she wanted. I wasn’t so lucky.

  I wanted to slap myself for my thoughts. I knew I was feeling sorry for myself. I knew that I was part of — if not all — of the reason that I was feeling miserable, and that jealousy was a horrible trait. I knew it, but I just couldn’t stop myself from dwelling on my despair and heartache. I needed to make a change. I needed to get over it. I’d been reading online articles about unrequited love and for all intents and purposes, it seemed like I just needed to cut Cody out of my life and move on. Though, I felt loathe to do that. Instead, I was holding on to some inner hope, some flame of fire inside of me that wouldn’t die out. I was wasting my life away and slowly eroding my soul from the inside. If he was my soul mate and I was his soul, then I knew that we were both destined for a fiery fate.

  “Come on, Sally,” Cody called me from a couple of steps up and I hurried up my pace to catch up with him. “You were spacing out again?”

  “No.” I shook my head.

  “Are you really that scared of horror movies?” His eyes searched my face. “If you want, we can watch something else. If you’re really that scared.”

  “No, I’m fine, but thank you.”

  “No worries.” He smiled and grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I’m sure the witches won’t come and get you. Or the bogeyman.”

  “Yay for that.” I rolled my eyes at him and giggled. “Hopefully they don’t come and attack me in my bed tonight.”

  “I can protect you there as well.” He raised an eyebrow at me and then winked.

  “Oh, really?” I gazed at him and winked back. “How do you propose to do that?”

  “Well, I think my presence alone would scare them off, but I’d put my arms around you and hold you close and then I’d...” His voice trailed off as Mila and TJ sat down next to us. “Wow, you two slow-coaches decided to join us.”

  “Why, of course.” Mila gave her brother a look. “Did you miss us?”

  “Do I miss heartburn?” Cody retorted and I giggled. He looked up at me and smiled. “Aren’t you glad that you have me now, and not just Mila?”

  “Oh, so glad.”

  “Why would she be glad to have you?” Mila gave him a look.

  “I can do things for her that you can’t,” he said softly and my heart fluttered, but this time not in a romantic way.

  “What things can you do for her that I can’t?” Mila asked with a scoff.

  “You mean, aside from impregnating her?” Cody said with a laugh and my face grew hot.

  “Cody!” Mila looked shocked. “You’re disgusting.”

  “I’m disgusting? You asked the question.” His face went all innocent. “And unless I’ve been lied to all my life about your gender, I don’t think you can knock Sally up.”

  “I just can’t with you, Cody Brookstone.” Mila rolled her eyes and looked at me. I knew the look was saying, I have no idea why you like this Neanderthal, and I grinned back at her. I had no idea why I was so in love with Cody. Maybe I secretly loved his very immature side. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I knew he always made me laugh.

  “You just can’t with me, Mila Brookstone, soon to be Walker,” Cody said and moved his head back and forth. “You just can’t do what with me, sister?” He snapped his fingers in a sorority girl movement and we all started laughing.

  “TJ, I have no idea how you have remained best friends with Cody for all these years.” Mila looked at her fiancé. “It seems to me that you are suspect yourself for being his best friend.”

  “What if I told you I only stayed friends with him to be close to you?” TJ said dryly and Cody groaned out loud.

  “Dude, why are you feeding her this bullshit?” Cody shook his head.

  “You don’t know its bullshit,” Mila said and then laughed. “Though, even I think that was a bullshit line, TJ Walker.”

  “Hey, hey, don’t attack me now.” He put his hands up and laughed. “Help me, Sally.”

  “How can I help you?” I grinned back at him.

  “Can you guys be quiet, please?” A portly guy sitting in front of us turned around and glared at us. “The movie is going to start soon and I don’t need to be listening to your commentary.”

  “Yes, sir.” Cody saluted him and we all laughed. The guy gave us one last glare and a huff and turned back around. I looked over at Cody, who winked at me again, and I giggled as we all sat there in silence. I felt Cody reach over and rub my leg and I looked up at him in surprise. He gave me a small wink and I slapped his hand away. He then grabbed my hand and I looked at him in confusion.

  “Thumb war?” he mouthed and I nodded with a smile.

  “One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war,” I said quietly as our thumbs tackled each other’s as if we were still little kids. I tried my hardest to hold his thumb down, but not because I wanted to win. I tried my hardest because I didn’t want the game to end and for me to lose the contact of his hand, which was so warm and silky that it was making me feel things in places I hadn’t felt things in a while.

  * * *

  “That movie sucked,” Cody said as we left the movie theater. “I need a beer to get over how much it sucked.”

  “I agree, it wasn’t that scary.” I laughed as I walked by his side. “I wouldn’t mind getting a cocktail to get over my lack of fear.”

  “Hey, guys, as much as we’d love to join you for a drink, TJ and I have plans early in the morning, so I’m not sure that that will be possible.” Mila made a face. “Have a drink on me, though.”

  “You’re not coming?” I looked at her in disappointment, my heart racing. As much as I wanted to spend time alone with Cody, and we had plenty of times al
ready, it felt weird to be going to a bar, just the two of us. It almost felt like a date. Though I knew it wasn’t. At all.

  “Sadly, no.” Mila shook her head and her eyes stared into mine with a glint. My heart started racing as I realized she was doing this on purpose. She was trying to get me to make a move. A real move. I knew it was time to just see if it was ever going to go anywhere, but the whole moment was just scaring the shit out of me.

  “Where shall we go, Sally?” Cody looked at me with a questioning look. “You’re not going to flake out on me as well, are you?”

  “Would I do that?” I laughed, my heart fluttering. He wanted me to come? I tried to tell myself that he didn’t really care if I came or not. I tried to tell myself that all he wanted to do was grab a drink and he didn’t care who was coming with him, but it was hard to tell myself that when all the hope in me was praying to God that it was because he secretly had feelings for me and wanted to spend the evening with me.

  “I hope not.” He gave me a winning smile and then turned to Mila and TJ. “Okay, well, it was good seeing you guys. I’ll get Sally home safely.”

  “You’d better.” Mila pointed her finger at him and then she looked over at me. “You sure you want to go out with Cody?”

  “Sure, it’ll be fun.” I nodded and she winked at me and I tried not to laugh in giddiness.

  “Ready, Sally?” Cody grabbed a hold of my hand and pulled me away from Mila and TJ. “Let’s leave these two lovebirds to figure something out. And let’s go and get a drink. Bye, guys.”

  “Bye, guys,” I repeated to Mila and TJ as I gave them a small wave goodbye, wondering what I was getting myself into.

  * * *

  “You want a glass of wine?” Cody asked me as we walked into a crowded bar.

  “I think I’ll have a cocktail, actually.” I laughed. “A Cosmo thanks.”

  “Okay.” He nodded. “Wait here for me and I’ll be back.” He looked towards the packed crowds in front of him. “Unless you’d like to join the meat market with me?”

  “No, I’m good here, thanks.” I smiled and readjusted my bag strap on my shoulder. “You go ahead and get the drinks. I’m thirsty.”

  “Anything to oblige you, my dear.” He grinned and continued on his way to the bar. I stood there watching him for a few seconds and then looked around me to check out the scene. There were a good mix of people, ranging from mid-twenties to mid-forties, and there seemed to be a lot of singles flirting with each other. I watched as two girls were checking out a particularly good-looking blond guy and were trying to make eye contact with him, but he didn’t seem to be noticing them at all. I grinned to myself as I watched one of the girls flicking her hair and staring him down, but still he didn’t look at her. And then, because this was how life always goes, the hot guy looked up and stared at me. And because I’m awkward in these situations, I just continued to stare at him with the grin on my face. When I realized we were making eye contact, I looked away quickly and I could feel myself blushing.

  “Hi, there.” I heard a deep voice right next to me and I looked up and saw the hot blond guy, who was even better looking closer up than he had been from a distance. His hair was a deep gold and his eyes were big, bright and a piercing blue. His face held a golden tan and his pearly white teeth were perfectly even as he smiled at me.

  “Hi,” I said with a small smile. I looked over his shoulder and saw the two girls glaring at me.

  “Waiting on a friend?” he said and looked around him before looking back at me.

  “Kinda.” I nodded. “You?”

  “I just came for a drink. By myself.” He smiled again. “It’s been a long week.”

  “Work?” I asked him.

  “Yeah.” He nodded and fake shuddered. “I’m an attorney and I’ve been in the middle of the most tedious document reviews for the last two weeks.”

  “Sounds painful.”

  “It was. My night is looking up now, though,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he looked at me. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Oh, my friend went to get me a drink,” I said and looked towards the bar to see if I could see Cody. I felt weird saying that he was my friend, but what else could I say? The man I love who doesn’t care about me? No way.

  “Oh, okay.” He nodded and his expression became thoughtful. “My name is Tom, by the way.”

  “Nice to meet you, Tom. I’m Sally.”

  “Sally,” he said with a grin and then held his hand out.

  “Something amusing about my name?” I asked curiously as I shook his hand.

  “My sister’s favorite doll when she was growing up was called Sally,” he said with a smile.

  “Oh.”

  “I have fond memories of the name.” He laughed. “She used to make me play house and I was Sally’s favorite uncle.”

  “Well, that’s good, then.” I laughed. “I can’t say I have any similar stories about Toms. Though, I loved watching the Tom Sawyer movie when I was younger.”

  “Aww, I haven’t seen it. I will have to check it out,” he said and then he took a step closer to me. “So, what do you say about getting out of here?”

  “Getting out of here?” I swallowed quickly. Tom had gone from zero to a hundred in less than ten seconds.

  “Yeah, maybe we could go grab a bite and talk?” He leaned over and whispered in my ear. “And maybe we could have some play time.” I felt his hand on the small of my back and I froze. Damn! He was smooth and I had totally not expected the immediate come-on. He’d seemed so sweet and nice in the two minutes we’d been talking.

  “Uhm, I, uhm...” I stuttered, not knowing what to say as I felt him tapping my ass. “Hey,” I said as I jumped slightly.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” He grinned. “You have a nice ass.”

  “Uh, thanks,” I said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

  “So, what do you say to maybe going back to my place?” he said with a wink and a quick lick of his lips.

  “Hey, what’s going on here?” Cody arrived back then with our drinks and I could have thrown my arms around him.

  “Can I help you?” Tom looked over at Cody with a frown.

  “I’m wondering if I can help you?” Cody’s face was unreadable as he stood there. “Sally, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I nodded, not really sure what to say.

  “Oh, this is your friend?” Tom looked at Cody and then back at me. “If he is looking for a gay bar, this isn’t the place, but maybe when we head to my place, we can drop him off at ‘Out of the Closet.’ It’s a hot spot for men.”

  “Excuse me?” Cody’s voice was deep and I knew he was pissed.

  “Oh, sorry, you’re not gay?” Tom said with a shrug and I felt his hand on my back again. “Want to dance before we leave?”

  “Leave?” Cody’s voice was louder and angrier as he stared now directly at me. “What’s going on, Sally?”

  “Uhm, nothing,” I squeaked out, not really knowing what to say. “We just met,” I explained lamely.

  “I saw her beauty from across the room and had to come and say hello,” Tom said and licked his lips again. “Especially when I saw the grin she was giving me. Your lips are beautiful,” he said as he stared at me. “So full and juicy, oooohhhmm,” he said and winked at me. My face grew bright red as I stood there.

  “I think you need to leave.” Cody looked at Tom. “Like, now.”

  “What?” Tom blinked at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Sally and I are here together on a date. You need to leave.”

  “She told me she was here with her friend,” Tom said, looking annoyed. “Seems like she isn’t considering this a date, dude.”

  “You’ve got thirty seconds to move before things get nasty,” Cody said, his voice low. “And just so you know, I punch very much like a man with over two hundred pounds behind him.”

  “Do you want me to leave?” Tom looked at me and I could see his eyes on my lips and then on
my breasts. All of a sudden, his good looks weren’t so enamoring.

  “Yeah, I think that’s best,” I said softly as I stepped away from him.

  “Cock tease,” he said with a shake of his head as he looked at me and then walked away. I stood there wanting to go after him and slap him across the face, but instead I just stood there and stared at Cody, not really knowing what to say. Not really knowing what had just gone on between us.

  “That guy was a douche,” Cody said as he handed me a drink.

  “He seemed okay, at first,” I said and took a quick sip. “He was very handsome.”

  “I didn’t realize you’d come out to pick someone up,” he snapped. “I didn’t realize you were using me.”

  “I didn’t come out to pick someone up,” I said with a slight attitude.

  “What were you telling him before I got here that made him think you guys were going to be hooking up?”

  “I didn’t tell him anything.” I shook my head and pursed my lips. Why was he getting upset with me?

  “Did you fancy him?” Cody looked at me suspiciously. “He was a good-looking guy.”

  “I mean, yeah, he was cute.” I shrugged. “What does it matter?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Cody pursed his lips. “I’m just trying to figure out if you want me to go and get him back here so you can leave with him.”

  “I don’t want to leave with him.” I sighed. “He came over to me. We barely spoke for a few minutes.”

  “You didn’t seem to be turning him away.” Cody chugged at his beer as he stared at me.

  “I didn’t turn him away because he had just come up to me.”

  “I saw he had his hands on your back.” Cody’s eyes never left my face as he continued chugging his beer.

  “He had his hands on my ass, too,” I snapped, feeling annoyed.

  “And you liked that?” Cody looked pissed and he slammed his empty beer bottle down on a table next to us.

  “No, I didn’t like that.” I shook my head and sipped some more of my drink.