Page 19 of Trip Through Your Wires

“Yeah,” Cruz agrees. He’s no longer shouting and when I look through the shower glass, find him standing in the doorway, forearm pressed against the frame. “But now that I know what I do, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“What’s that?” I ask while reaching for the soap.

“Why Jenica was at the house that night. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful as hell that she was, but I was always curious how fate worked that night—bringing her there with the means to stop Royce. Now I know.”

Ignoring the comment, I dip my head back and run the bar up and down my neck, then across my chest. “And here I was thinking you were going to ask me why my dick is bigger than yours.”

“You mean how my dick is bigger,” he calls back.

“Go shower,” I reach for the back scrubber, rub the soap over the bristles, and lift it over head to wash my shoulders.

He says something but I don’t hear. Voice is drowned out by the water pounding down on top of my head, and my guilty conscience.

I hate knowing I’d broken my promise to Jenica by telling Cruz about us. She didn’t give her trust easily and would never forgive me if she knew I betrayed her. I could not only kiss goodbye to fooling around with her ever again, but possibly our friendship.

The idea of it being me, of all people, to be the one to betray her made me feel sick to my stomach. I wanted to be the one she called when the demons of this world haunted her. Not the villain in her story.

But as much as she needed me, I needed her, too. That night on the beach last summer didn’t just haunt her, it stirred up some shit in me as well. Being there for her reminded me that it didn’t matter what may be in my DNA, I created who I wanted to be and she liked that guy enough to trust him and keep her safe.

But as I get out of the shower and get dressed, I can’t help but wonder about what Cruz said. Could Jenica and I move out of the friend zone and be more? She didn’t do athletes. I knew this. But somehow, she’d put aside her reservations and let her guard down with me. What if she was willing to let it down even more?

Jenica wasn’t like other girls. I loved the fact she didn’t fall at my feet. From the moment I met her, she seemed totally resistant to my charm. My focus had been on her, yet hers wasn’t on me. No matter what I did, she always seemed to be looking elsewhere. I wasn’t used to it, and it fascinated me.

That night at the cave when we kissed for the first time, her lips were a contrast to all I’d seen from her to that point. She was soft and gentle, and that kiss…shit. I’d kissed dozens of girls—hundreds, in fact—and that first kiss with her was the best I’d ever had.

But what we’d shared since…touching her, having her touch me back…my God, my dick gets hard just thinking about it. Lying in bed with her, listening to music…it filled me with peace, and making out and fooling around until the early hours of morning, had become a pleasure I’d come to crave. But what if there could be more? What if Jenica and I could be something neither of us expected?

I’m not sure which version of her I will get tonight. Will I get the brazen and bold woman that wants to be touched, or the girl who needs to be held when she is haunted by the past? Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I want both versions of her—the woman who wants me, and the girl who needs me—and when she comes downstairs tonight, I will give whatever version that shows up whatever she wants because when it comes to Jenica Miller, I will give her everything.

Chapter 4

Jenica

Ellery strolls out of the bathroom and makes her way over to the door, studying her reflection in the full-length mirror attached to the back. “What do you think?”

“I think Cruz is going to lose his shit,” I shake my head with a laugh. “And you’re definitely going to get some tomorrow night, that’s for sure.”

She looks over her shoulder at me and winks. “I get some every night my friend.”

“Yeah,” I roll my eyes, “I’m aware.”

Cruz and Ellery can’t keep their hands off each other. They’re smitten in a way that’s both nauseating and adorable.

“So,” she spins around, hands on her hips. “The costume…do you like it?”

I push up from the bed, stomach growling. I hope the guys get back with that pizza soon. I haven’t eaten since this morning before my shift at the store, and I’m starving.

“When did costumes go from scary to slut?” I look her up and down, taking in what little there is of the outfit.

“Hey,” she laughs, hitting me with one of the pom poms she’s holding.

“I wasn’t calling you a slut,” I roll my eyes. “I mean, obviously. You’re the furthest thing from it.” She and Cruz may be a couple of freaks, but Ellery didn’t sleep around. Cruz was her first, and he’ll be her last. “I just meant everything is sexy these days. Nurse, witch, pirate…doesn’t matter, as long as it leaves nothing to the imagination.”

She turns her attention back to the mirror, nodding in agreement; the costume staring back at us, hitting that point on the head.

Sure, cheerleading uniforms are known to have short skirts, but this one doesn’t even hit the bottom of her butt. And the top…no chance in hell any school would let it fly. The white sports-bra style top has a deep v and two thick straps that run up and over each shoulder, and that’s it. It wouldn’t hold up under a toe-touch, let alone a basket toss.

I had to hand it to my bestie, though. She’s got both the body and balls to wear it. Me on the other hand? Sure, I’ve got the confidence, but I don’t have a tenth of the curves. When I wear it, nothing is going to fall out of that top, even if I bend over.

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