This Cat Has Claws

17: Packing

Landon's POV

I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep, or that I was even that tired, until I woke up with something on my back. I looked to the side since I couldn't get up and see who it was and found Marley laying on my back just staring at the wall. I rubbed my eyes and looked at her until she saw that I was awake.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," she smirked.

It was really cute how she liked to tease me every now and then. It made me feel like we had an intimate relationship and that to Marley I was more than just a person she knew. That I was someone she cared about, though I just wish I knew how she cared about me. Am I just a friend? Or more? I'd love to be more, but the more I think about it, I just can't see Marley seeing me that way. I guess I'd just have to come right out and say and see what her answer is. But right now might not be the best time; maybe after this whole kidnapping shit has been put to rest.

"We're gonna go to your dorm and get you some clothes," Marley informed me as she got off of my back.

"How long were you laying on me?" I asked. She looked uncomfortable when she stood up and was stretching a lot.

"Around twenty minutes. You are just so relaxing, I forgot how uncomfortable I was."

I could feel my cheeks heating up, but I was hoping either she wouldn't notice, or better yet, there was no actual blush visible on my face. Now I really wanted to know how she felt about me. Obviously she didn't hate me, but did she like me to the extent I liked her? I would go crazy asking myself these questions without doing anything to try and answer them, so I pushed them to the back of my mind and focused on Marley and where we were going. She took me from her room to the entryway and we put our shoes on. Marley looked around and then left me in the entryway and ran to the kitchen to grab something.

"Alright. DAD WE'RE TAKING THE CAR!" she shouted.

"SEE YOU LATER, KIDDO!" Mr. Parker yelled back.

Marley grabbed my arm and dragged me to the garage. There were two cars to choose from. One a nice, new SUV and the other an inconspicuous Honda Civic. We headed for the Honda. Marley hopped in the front seat and I slid into the passenger seat. The garage door opened and we were met with clouds as we rolled out of the garage and made our way to my dorm.

We listened to the radio and sang along to the songs we knew. Unsurprisingly, Marley had a nice singing voice. Her voice when she was talking to you was already silky and smooth, but when she sang it got just a bit deeper and huskier and was really sexy. She was always just so damn sexy, I don't know how I missed that when we first met.

"Let's go, slow poke," Marley said as she leaned on my now open door and waited for me to snap out of my thoughts.

"Oh," I said stupidly. The way she looked at me was like she could read my thoughts or something.

Marley walked ahead of me until we reached just outside the doors where I needed my ID to get in. I scanned the ID and opened the door for Marley before walking in myself. Even though she didn't know where she was going, or at least I thought she didn't, Marley walked just a step ahead of me the whole way to my room. Sometimes when someone passed us she would stare at them long and hard as if she were making sure they weren't a threat. I guess that made sense, but I figured we'd be safe inside the dorm building. When we finally made it to my door, I fumbled around for my keys while Marley waited patiently.

"Hey man, where've you been? I've been so bored. No one else is back from break yet," my roommate Josh said as I opened the door.

"You're back early," I said as I opened the door all the way so Marley could come in too.

"Yeah, my parents are going on some cruise- oh why hello there, pretty lady. Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" Josh asked Marley.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me your roommate was here? Now all our fun is ruined!" Marley said in a sad voice. She was a good actor, I'll give her that.

I sighed and looked at her. Really? I tried to tell her with my eyes. The look she gave back to me told me she definitely understood what I said and she gave me her own look that said Yes, really. You love it and you know it's funny. Okay, sure it was a little funny watching Josh react. This had happened a couple of times now and he still never ceased to entertain. I looked at Josh and shrugged. He looked hurt, but hurt in the sense that I had a girlfriend and he didn't. So he was more jealous than anything, though there was nothing to be jealous of because Marley and I are just friends, for now anyway.

"Damnit, Landon. Why does everyone else get the chicks?" Josh muttered under his breath. "Fine, I'll be the amazing friend I am and give you two some alone time."

Josh huffed a final goodbye and left out the still open door.

"Use protection!" he shouted before closing the door.

"Great advice, man. Thanks," I said under my breath.

Marley laughed and sat on my bed while I grabbed a bag to fill with all the things I'd need for the next few days. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as I packed. She looked around for awhile, patiently waiting, and then flopped backwards onto my bed and then proceeded to kick her feet back and forth in the air as they dangled off the side of the bed. After about five minutes of laying on her back, Marley shifted in my bed so that she was laying facedown on my pillow. I'm even pretty sure I heard her take a deep breath in, if it wasn't completely just my imagination and fantasy. I took a deep breath of my own to calm myself down before I continued to pack the rest of my stuff. I didn't need to embarrass myself by standing up as I was now.

"Okay, I'll all set, now," I said and sat down on the edge of my bed.

Marley hadn't made so much as a sound for the last five minutes so I bent over to the other side of my bed where her head was facing. She looked so adorable laying on my bed with her hands hugging under the pillow under her head. Yup, she was fast asleep. It was basically a reverse situation from this morning. This time she was the one to fall asleep on my bed. I didn't really want to wake her, but I also knew I couldn't stay calm like this, so I poked her in the side and waited. After a few seconds of nothing happening, I poked her again in the same place. Again, nothing. So I poked her cheek. Then I poked just under her jaw. She stirred a little and then let out a sigh. A super sexy sigh. Okay, yup. Time to get her up and to get me down. Think about puke or some sweaty old guy. Wait, no gross. That's a bit too far. Ew.

"Marley, hey. Wake up. Let's go back to your parents house," I said as I got off the bed and shook her shoulder.

In one swift movement, Marley grabbed my arm off her shoulder and pulled me onto the bed. She hovered above me with my arms pinned on either side of my head and looked at me. My surprised expression was met with her own as she realized who I was and where she was.

"Whoops. Sorry Landon. I didn't mean to fall asleep," she said.

Damnit! Why was this girl so hot? Why did this whole exchange turn me on so much? Fuck.

"Yeah," I said breathlessly. Get ahold of yourself Landon. "Uh, I finished packing, so I'm ready to go whenever you are."

It was hard to keep my eyes from wandering down her body so I put all my willpower into looking at her eyes. I guess it wasn't that much willpower because she had mesmerizing eyes. The way the light was hitting them from the open window was awesome. I hadn't noticed until then that she had green and hazel specks in her left eye. Her grey-brown eyes watched me for a second longer and then closed before she finally got off me.