Too Close

Chapter 22

Olivia's P.O.V

"Good morning Sunshine," Tyler winked from the doorway of my room. I tried to ignore that he was shirtless with his jeans riding low on his hips. He was more toned than before since working at the car shop. I watched him pull on the T-shirt he'd held in his hand and pulled the blanket up to my nose. "I have the day off. So it's just you, me, and Clyde." As if on cue, the brown puppy dashed through his legs and hopped on my bed, running up to my face to lick at my cheeks.

After a long shower, I pulled on a pair of pants and a gray sweatshirt. I pulled my hair, which was now wet and wavy, up into a messy bun. Before I made it to the laundry room, the scent of something burning clouded my nose and Clyde barked like crazy in the hallway.

"Hey, are you in here?" I walked into the kitchen. "What—oh my God!" I ran around the counter as he pulled a plastic bowl out of the microwave. The bowl made a 'pop' sound and I swear I saw fire on the side of it until Tyler dropped it on the counter.

"Ah," he pulled his hand back and held it in the other hand. I peered into the bowl at the burnt remnants of whatever he had been warming up.

"Shit, my hand," he muttered, turning to the sink and flinching.

"Let me see," I pulled his arm back and looked down at his hand. A pink blister began to form on the side of his thumb. I told him to sit on one of the stools behind the counter and I wrapped some ice cubes in a thin hand towel.

I walked back to him and held it up to his thumb. Clyde ran over to me and started clawing at the backs of my legs. "Clyde, stop." Instantly the dog quit and walked to the corner with his tail in between his legs and laid down, watching us silently.

"What were you trying to do?" I asked, glancing up at him.

"I shouldn't have put the plastic in the microwave."

"Here, hold this to your hand where it hurts."

"It doesn't hurt," he said defensively, sitting up straighter. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure." I grabbed an oven mitt and threw away the bowl with its burnt contents. When it felt like it had been long enough, I tossed the rest of the ice away after I inspected his thumb.

"It's okay," I reassured. He made himself a bowl of cereal and went into the living room. I stood at the doorway, tugging on the ends of my sleeves.

"Another thing I have to do today is pick out a Christmas tree."

"No invite?"

"Actually, no. It's something I do with Haylie and her family." I pulled out my phone and scanned it. A message from Haylie said they would pick me up at three. Picking up my psych book from on the coffee table, I moved Clyde from his position on the couch next to Tyler and sat.

I looked up from my reading when I heard the sound of the washer coming to a halt in the other room and stood up and stretched. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Tyler watching me.

"What?" I asked, walking around the couch. He just shook his head and turned back to the TV, clenching his jaw.

When I came back into the living room, I tucked my legs under me on the couch. I responded to a new text from Kyle when Tyler suddenly got up from his position and climbed on top of me, pinning my legs beneath him.

"Tyler?" I whispered. He looked down, clenching and unclenching his jaw. He glanced at my mouth and licked his lips.

"You throw me over the roof...by doing absolutely nothing at all." I felt him reach down then the sensation and warmth of his palm resting behind my knee.