I Love You, Jerk Face

Chapter 36

“Hey,” his voice was soft as I entered the bathroom.

“Hey,” I whispered back, my voice weak from my indecision.

“Come here,” he sat on the side of the tub, his hand stretched toward me. It wound around mine, pulling me so that I was standing in front of him, looking down into his mesmerizing eyes. “If you are not ready we don’t have to do this,” my eyes widened.

“GG,” I sighed.

“No Rossy,” he smiled weakly, “I don’t want you to think you have to do this to keep me,” it was like he had read my mind. “I’m going to love you whether or not you take a shower with me.”

I smiled down at him shyly, “Are you sure?”

He nodded empathically, “I don’t want you to do anything you are not ready for.”

“Okay,” I bent to capture his lips with mine, fears pushed aside once more. “Thank you,” I whispered against his lips.

“So does that mean I will be showering alone,” he fake pouted.

“Today yes,” I pulled him up, leading him out of the bathroom.

“What about tomorrow?” I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“Who knows what tomorrow will bring,” I smiled, pushing him out of the bathroom.

I found him later in his bed, minus the paint covered shirt, stretched out on his bed smile on his sleeping face. I smiled, hearing Hughbert snort from somewhere on the bed.

“My two sleepy boys,” I laughed, crawling into bed with them.

“Rossy,” Grady grumbled, his arm reaching out to trap me, “be quiet.”

“Okay GG,” I smiled, snuggling down into the blanket as his snoring resumed. Everything was just perfect once again.

I watched her later that night as we curled up on the couch watching a movie, she was beautiful. I smiled as she scrunched her nose at the screen.

“Am I supposed to believe this crap is real?” she looked at the screen unflinching as the “scary” played on.

“I for one am terrified,” I lied, pulling her closer.

“Aww,” she turned her head slightly to kiss my chin, “don’t be afraid GG,” she smiled, “I’ll keep you safe from Katie.”

“You better,” I frowned playfully as she turned back to the movie.

Her smile was back in place from this morning and I knew without asking that it was my fault she had been upset in the first place. I had left the party early, no longer being able to stand the sight of the guys pretending to be us and ended up staying at my own house for once. She must have been worried because I never came back and then that worry turned to fury when I showed up later this morning, but it had taken all that time to calm myself down.

How was I supposed to explain to her that watching her brother pretend to be her and shouting “her” love for the fake me was making me uneasy. Roslyn never said those words, she never once said she loved me. I could see it though, right there in her hazel eyes when she looked at me, but with the two “love birds” spouting their affection her lack of expressing that emotion to me had started to grate on me.

I kept telling myself that I didn’t need her to say the words because I already knew she loved me, but my resolve was running thin yesterday and she had paid the price for my aggravation. In turn she had made me pay for hurting her, but I gladly paid just so she would smile at me again.

So now here we are sitting on the couch like nothing had happened, her hand in mine as she complained about the movie.

“Why do you always pick such stupid movies?”

“Because I love to hear you complain about them,” I grinned down at her, she huffed.

“Shut up GG,” she pushed back against me.

“Love you Rossy,” I whispered in her ear and the shivers that followed my words let me know that she felt the same.

“Uh huh,” her voice was shaky as I kissed her temple.

“Now shut up and let me watch the rest of my movie,” I smiled against her hair.

“I’ll leave if you want,” she threatened, moving to stand to emphasis.

“No you will not,” I pulled her tighter against me. “Who will protect me from Katie if you are not in here?”

“You are such a girl,” she laughed, but settled back in my lap.

“One of us has to be,” I retorted, she snorted.

“You’re walking on thin ice buddy.”

“Okay,” I kissed her head again, “no more talking.”

She turned her head, “I think that is the smartest thing you have said all night,” she was smiling as her lips met mine.