Page 32 of Brighter than the Boss
"So, the doctors are sending her home?"
She looked hopeful, nodding her head as her dad spoke.
"That's awesome news, Dad. Yeah. No, we're totally fine. We're safe and the tsunami is over. We're just waiting out the flooding before we can go home." She finally smiled full out and grabbed my hand, squeezing it.
"Sure, I'll call you later tonight if we're out of here, otherwise, tomorrow for sure. Tell Mom I love her and I'm so glad she's okay." A pause. "I love you too, Dad."
She hung up and then spun to me, the excitement on her face telling me everything I needed to know. "She's fine! Just an electrolyte imbalance because she hasn't been eating and drinking as much with the chemo treatments. The doctor got on her about keeping her strength up, but he's letting Dad take her home right now."
A worry I hadn't even realized I'd taken on seemed to come off my shoulders. I pulled her into me and hugged her, whispering to her how thankful I was to hear her good news. And I meant it. As much as I didn't have what she did I wanted her to keep having the best of everything.
I also wanted to kiss her. I wanted to strip her clothes off and push her up against the lockers again, this time not stopping until I had her taste on my tongue. But I knew I needed more than that. I needed so much more that couldn't be had here in this locker room with our group of friends right outside the door. So I chanted what was becoming my most hated word: "later, later, later."
I pulled back. "Let's go face the music with our friends and hope to God we can get out of here before the night is over."
Her eyes sparkled at me, her smile doing crazy things to my heart. "It'll be like a big campout!"
Of course she would see it that way, and she was right. This group hung out all the time with each other anyway. Why not do it here at Headquarters?
* * *
We walked back into the main room hand in hand, seeing that everyone had made themselves comfortable on the floor and in chairs, making a circle of sorts. Someone had found a bag of chips and some sodas from the break room and everyone had indulged.
"C'mon, how about leaving some for us, assholes?" I wedged our way into the circle.
"Dude, you just kicked Brinley with your big feet." Dean gave me a look, one that said he was only teasing and giving my shit right back to me.
"Nah uh, no room for you. You two go right in the middle." Esa shooed us away and pointed to the center of the circle. Apparently, it was time to be grilled and they wanted to do it execution style.
Sunny squeezed my hand and suddenly their questions didn't seem so bad. I sat down on the floor and pulled her down to sit between my legs, her back against my chest. She was so tiny her head fit tucked perfectly under my chin.
"Ah, now that's cute," Shasta cooed. "I should have known there was something going on when you two did the Jiu Jitsu demonstration last month. The tension was palpable!" She shivered and I was puzzled if she thought the idea of us together was gross or so good we were combustible.
I knew which one I'd pick, but I'm sure they needed some convincing. I mean, I totally got it. They all probably wondered what the hell Sunny was doing with a jackass like me. To keep our friendships intact I'd need to prove to them that I wouldn't hurt Sunny, that I was good for her. And considering I still had my doubts on that front, I had a hell of a sell job to do.
I cleared my throat. "Listen, I know this probably came out of nowhere for you all, but ever since Sunny came on board here in HB we've been fighting to remain just coworkers. I know she's quickly become a friend of yours too so I want to assure you that I want the best for her. I know I don't have the best track record, but Sunny is different." I looked down at her, wishing I was telling her this in private, but settling for an audience. If the tsunami warning taught me anything, it was that life was precious. "I'm completely humbled by the fact that you want to be with me. I don't deserve you at all, but I swear I'll work my ass off to be the partner you need in your life. Will you give me a chance?"
17
Sunny
I was so done with trying to keep my feelings under wraps. Between my mom's health issues and the tsunami and the evacuation, I was just done. There was more than just a flimsy spark between Cain and me.
Yes, technically he was my boss. Yes, I didn't know him that well yet.
But all that was surmountable.
I could transfer to the Huntington Beach State Lifeguards. I could stay and report to Ivan instead. I'd survived a damn tsunami, I'm sure I could find a way for Cain and me to explore this raging inferno between us that could no longer be ignored.
So when the all clear was called, I didn't waste another second. I ran toward what I wanted and I took it. And like he always seemed to do this last month, Cain caught me.
I worried for half a second that he would be upset with me outing us without asking him first, but when his tongue danced in my mouth and his hands squeezed my ass, I knew he was on the same page.
But now he'd pissed me off.
"What in the world are you talking about?" I turned almost completely around, my face as twisted up as his little speech to me.
"Huh?" He tilted his head, not understanding me at all.
