Perfectly Flawed

26. Tension

I swing the door closed, shuffling through the mail to see if anything interesting has come. Nope, not for me. 
I swish my water bottle, realizing it needs a fill but stop dead in my tracks at the shirtless man in my kitchen.
"Ugh. Dude. Why are you in my kitchen?"
"I'm hungry and Kasei didn't make me anything before she left." JT doesn't turn around, just continues stirring his pot.
"Alright. But can't you put on a shirt?"
"Red lets me roam around free, she even likes it." He turns to face me as he says this and I mock gagging. "Fine if you're going to be like that about it." He scoffs jokingly, brushing past me and arriving back a second later wearing a top.
I laugh. "Thank goodness. I almost lost my appetite." He’s an attractive guy and I don’t actually care, but it's fun to bug him. "What are you cooking?"
"Mac'n'cheese."
"Hey!" I gasp at the familiar blue box on the counter. "That's mine!"
"It was just in there." He nods at the open cupboards.
"Yeah it was in MY cupboard, you turd. That was the last box."
"Sorry." He goes back to stirring it, not sounding sorry at all. "You can have some."
"Well thank you for the very generous offer." I snort sarcastically. "It's literally 11. Who eats mac and cheese at 11am?"
"Okay who eats mac and cheese at 4am?" JT drains the pasta and dumps the cheese in.
"In my defense, 1: it's mine. 2: I didn't realize it was that late. 3: I was stoned and 4: you weren't supposed to be awake!" I cross my arms as he brings the bowl of deliciousness to the dining room table.
"Alright." He chuckles.
"Whatever." I huff. "I hope you choke on it."
He frowns. "What would Kasei say to that?"
"I don't care. Kasei's loved me longer than you, so."
"Are you going to stand there annoying me and watching me eat?"
"Are you going to continue eating it with a fork like a psychopath?" I counter.
"Yes." He chomps on the fork dramatically.
I turn up my nose at him. "I can't stand to watch. When is she getting rid of you?"
"You're stuck with me for a couple more weeks!" He cackles dramatically.
"Ugh."
"What’re you up to today other than bullying your houseguests?”
I snort. "Bullying is a strong word."
"It's an accurate word." JT has somehow completely finished the bowl already, and gets up to wash it.
"You're using too much dish soap." I lean against the door frame.
"Too bad I forgot to care." He rinses it out, placing it in the rack.
Kasei likes to say we fight like brother and sister, but we're both only children so I don't know how she would know.
I yawn, finally answering his question. “Not a lot, just doing some painting for orders and stuff, gotta work at 2 and take over Kasei’s shift when she’s done. And you? Planning on eating the rest of my food?" 
He rolls his eyes at me. "Well Kasei is at work for a few more hours, but I'm already starting to lose it. I can’t sit around anymore. I feel fucking useless just resting.” He puts that word in quotations. “So one of the guys is coming to send some work over soon.”
I laugh. “Does Kasei know that?”
“Well…no.” He deadpans. “But she’ll be fine with it.”
“Mhm.” My eyebrows raise. He might be right, though. She really can’t stay mad at this guy for more than a minute.
“It’s not going to affect my injuries, okay?”
“Um…” I chuckle. “You remember that you currently have a concussion, right? How is working not going to affect that?”
“It’s been 9 days! I’m fine, seriously.”
“Okay, well. Whatever. If you fuck up your healing you’ll just be stuck here, and that won't be fun for me."
"I don't care."
"Okay. Go without your motorcycle for longer, see if I care.” I shrug.
He frowns at me.
“Did they figure out what happened?” I change the subject, stepping away from the teasing for a serious second.
His jaw clenches a bit. “Yeah, just yesterday. Thank goodness it was solved quickly.” That’s all he adds, looking at the floor for a second, and the nosy in me wants to pry for more but he really doesn’t look like he wants to talk about it.
“Well.” I scratch my neck. “I should probably get to…” my words drift off as the doorbell rings.
"Oh nevermind I'll get that." I chuckle, swinging it open to see a familiar frame towering over me again.
Hide your surprise and say something witty, Dakota.
"I'm beginning to wonder if I'll always open the door to you, standing there."
Blade raises his eyebrows. "I don't seem to recall you complaining last time."
I clear my throat as the thoughts flood my brain. Okay, yeah you lost that one.
"Or even the last couple times I…came here." His eyes are speaking volumes and I bite my inner cheek, swinging the door closed so he doesn’t see my face. 
"The double entendre was intentional." He takes a step closer, speaking so only I can hear.
Yep. Yep, course it was. My cheeks are red and I feel warm all over. "It's 11am, Blade." I turn around, taking a step around him.
He opens his mouth -to say something dirty again, probably- but I interrupt, clearing my throat. "If those are for JT, he's in the other room." I gesture to the manilla folders and sleek laptop in his hands.
He nods, stepping out of his boots with amusement.
I know the smile is from him watching me blush and fumble. I hate that I can't control myself around him like I can with others that're into me.
I gesture to the other room again, holding my breath as he walks past me without another word.
Mission unsuccessful. His smell assaults my senses, and I can't trick myself into looking away from his retreating figure. The rippling back muscles in his tight tee…the way his jeans hug his muscular legs… Fuck.
He slaps hands with JT, pulling him into that weird bro handshake thing men do. I can't help notice Jake trying to hide his grimace as he thanks him.
I know I tease, but that stupid fucker is still in pain and I'm worried he’s going to push himself too hard.
They talk quietly amongst themselves as JT sets them down and opens the first folder, and I look away from Blade long enough to remember I have something for him.
I rush up to my loft, grabbing the little envelope on the closest table before I jog down the stairs again.
Blade watches my movements, and I relish in the momentary control I have back.
"Whatcha doing?" He narrows his eyes, stepping back into the hallway before the dining room.
"I just remembered something."
"Which is?" He looks intrigued.
"I have this for you." I remember the hours I spent the other night, meticulously painting the curves and shadows of my skin.
Blade takes the small envelope with a hum. "That's mysterious…" he jokingly shakes it by one ear. “I can’t open it now?”
“No.” A blush grows across my cheeks at the thought. “No, you have to wait until you can’t anymore. Not opening it with me, and preferably not around other people.”
He raises one eyebrow. "Oh?"
I meet his eyes, saying nothing. I can't say it.
He pouts, feigning impatience. “You won’t tell me even a hint what’s in it?”
I can't help the laugh that bubbles out of my mouth. "No. You'll know when you need to."
"Okay…" he slings one arm around my waist, nonchalant but the touch sends tingles down my legs. "Well…what're you doing for lunch?" His eyes are dark, betraying his thoughts of what he wants to do.
I shake my head, wide smile. "Okay, not you. Get that look outta your eyes."
"There's no look, whatchu mean?"
I roll my eyes. He knows exactly what he does.
His grip on my hip tightens as his voice lowers slightly. "Do that again and I'll give them a reason to roll."
The tension. I can't. I clear my throat and he chuckles. "Anyway. I don't have any lunch plans but I gotta be at work for 2 so maybe next week?"
He hums. "What if I'm busy next week?"
I roll my eyes again, squealing as he spanks me in return. "Sorry sorry!" I giggle, ducking away from his grasp and back into the dining room. "JT, can you call off your goon now?"
He snorts, not even looking up from his now open laptop. "Couldn't stop him, even in perfect health if I tried."
"Hey, you'd give it a good effort." Blade chuckles.
"I could take most of them, but Blade and Tyler? Never." JT admits.
I never really realized how large Blade is until I see them closer together, and yeah. Blade has several inches on him, and where JT has more of a sleeper build, Blade can't hide his defined arms.
"I think I've only met Tyler a handful of times." I point out. "So I don't remember."
"Fucker is short but built like a gawdamn brick wall."
"I think we all would if we boxed everytime the blue balls struck." Blade laughs. "There's a reason most guys go for the club girls."
"Yeah. Weird that Ty's never touched ‘em." JT snorts. "Not even as a new recruit. It's got to do with the mystery girl." He shuffles some papers around as my wide eyes flick to Blade.
Blade looks at the ground, as if affirming my thoughts.
Keila. It's sweet if she's the reason, but I can't help but feel sorry for the situation those two are in. "Anyways." I clear my throat. "This has been fun but I gotta finish this project before I go to work so I'll see y'all later."
Blade's not paying attention anymore, him and JT talking quieter amongst themselves about some paper.
I lean over the loft, not caring how my low neck shirt dips and exposes my chest a bit as I watch them for a second.
"I agree." Blade finally straightens, turning to look up at me as if he can tell I was watching. His eyes narrow for a second at the loose fabric scarcely covering me and I stifle my laugh as I duck back into my seat.
Thank goodness Jake's back is to me, it's much more fun when the silent words are exchanged just between us.
"Dakota, I'll text you." Blade calls out a moment later and the door slams, only a minute passing before the rumble of his bike starts up.
I turn back to my tree, dotting texture into the bark when a text pings through a minute later.
Blade🙄: you're a brat and it's gonna catch up to you one day.
Me: oh I'm counting on it ;) drive safe
________
Eeee
Those two
Obsessed

Cassi