Earth (Complete)

Twenty eight

"What do you want for your birthday?" Jeremy asked from across the table. I hummed in question and then frowned as I couldn't think of an answer. So I settled with a shrug. He chuckled. "It's your 21st. You really have no idea what you want?" he smiled fondly.

I did know what I wanted. But it didn't involve him. No, it involved hot steaming water, a bit of alcohol, or rather a shitload of it, and a green-eyed stud nailing me against the wall like artwork. That was what I wanted. Thinking about it did no better than saying it aloud would.

My legs were already tingling in remembrance beneath the table. How weak he made me, weak to the point where my limbs no longer remembered their purpose. How easy it was for me to get aroused by even the slightest touch. And how his beautifully tanned skin shone in the morning sun when he slept. That was my favorite part.

"Jane?" Jeremy called. I looked up as his eyes scanned my face in question. How long had he been talking? "You okay?"

"Honestly..." I frowned. "I'm a bit horny."

My words took us both by surprise. Did I actually say that out loud? Apparently, I did, because once Jeremy's eyes popped out of his skull, I knew it wasn't just in my head as I hoped.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry." I said, but instead of sounding sincere, I just sounded confused.

He let out an awkward laugh, "Ah...uh... it's... it's okay. I don't really know how to respond to that."

I sighed. "I prefer you didn't."

He smiled down at the napkin on his lap. Surprisingly, I didn't feel embarrassed about this little fallout with Jeremy, not this time or any of the other times – when I told him my boobs were sweaty on a really hot day, or the time I told him I'd rather lay over a burning fire and watch my skin turn to ash than have period pains. To which, he simply laughed awkwardly. I suppose he just wasn't used to seeing this side of me. As I wasn't used to seeing this side of him, the more laid back Jeremy, the informal Jeremy.

"Well, I have your present already."

He didn't need to tell me. Mother had mentioned she'd seen him slip into the local jeweler a few days before Cody's wedding. I had a feeling I'd be getting a ring for my twenty-first, along with a very special request.

Lunch with Jeremy ended not too long after and when I went home, I was greeted with a pair of beautiful green eyes and messy brown hair. Dylan was cool with Jeremy now that he knew I hadn't committed to anything yet. After my long speech where I poured my heart out for him, he knew I wasn't going anywhere. We both came to an agreement that me seeing Jeremy was a necessary evil.

I had to keep them occupied so he and mother wouldn't notice anything that has to do with Dylan and I. Because if they put all the pieces together – disappearing for long hours at a time, never coming out of my room at night, not even for dinner anymore, purposefully beginning arguments with Jeremy so I had an excuse to leave and meet Dylan somewhere else – I think we'd be in huge shit.

And despite the fact that he said he wasn't jealous anymore, he still made these little comments about Jeremy which made me laugh.

"Did you say hi to the hubby for me?" He would say.

Throughout these little conversations of ours, a smile would always escape on my lips and I'd play along. "Oh yes. He wants to know if you're free next Tuesday."

Dylan frowned. "For what?"

"Well, I told him how good you were in bed and he wanted to know when it's his turn–"

Arms wrapped around me and flung me to the bed, his naked chest on my back, warm and strong, and pinned me down. Fingers scurried like little mice around my waist, digging into my flesh as a sign of instantaneous torture. My laughter filled the room as he questioned, "You think that's funny, huh? You think you're so fucking hilarious?"