Page 30 of Brand
“I’m done. You want me to help you finish this up?” Brand asked squatting down to my level. I was currently wiping down the glass on the cases, the bottoms seemed to collect the most dust, so I was having to wipe it three or more times to keep from leaving wet dust streaks.
“Sure, if you really feel like it,” I said with a laugh as I set down the thing of wipes so he could reach them.
He flopped down on his butt and started working without so much as an irritated sigh. My eyes kept darting over to look at him as I continued working.
The lights were mostly turned off, leaving the place only lit enough so we could see what we were doing. It was almost weird being there when the place was like that. I mean, I’d closed down the shop enough times that I’d been in there when it was like that, but it had never been longer than it took to walk to the back door and leave. The music had been cut the moment the doors were locked and there was something almost strange about the silence that hung in the air around us.
He smelled good. Yep, even after working a long day and cleaning for the past two hours, he still smelled amazing. It was not fair in the least because I was pretty sure I smelled about as ripe as a trapeze artist after a performance. I hated him for it, even as I discreetly leaned a little closer to him and took a big breath in through my nose.
Awkwardness took over and maybe I felt a little guilty about what I’d done. So naturally, I tried to cover it up and at the same time remind myself that he was taken.
“So, you and Chris are really cute together. I mean, I just want to let you know that I think that, and I’m totally okay with…you know?”
His head snapped to look at me, his brows furrowed deep in confusion.
“I mean, I’m sorry,” I said, my eyes looking at anything but him at that moment. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. I just think you guys are kinda perfect for one another. And I know it doesn’t matter what I think, but I…”
Yes, I needed to shut my mouth right now.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his head tilt back as a boisterous laugh boomed out of him, echoing around the silent space around us. I knew I was a mess but that didn’t mean he had to laugh at me. Then it was still and quiet again as he snapped his mouth shut. I felt his eyes on me, but I didn’t dare look up.
“Cami, look at me,” he said in a calm tone that had a hint of a serious ring to it.
I shook my head because I couldn’t look at him or even open my mouth to tell him so.
“Cami.”
“Just forget I said anything,” I mumbled completely embarrassed and I knew my face was bright red.
“Chris and I aren’t together,” he said and I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. “I’m not interested in guys. I know that for a fact.” There was something in his tone that sounded slightly humorous but I sensed it was more than just the fact that I thought he was gay.
“Wha—huh?”
“You really thought that Chris and I were a couple?” His eyes squinted and he scratched his head like he was really thinking about it. “I guess I could actually see that, though, now that I think about it.” He huffed out a small laugh.
“It’s just that…well, he’s always taking care of you and you seem to really care about him. And Sketch made it seem like you guys were together. Or, he didn’t bother correcting me, I guess.”
I clamped my mouth shut. Suddenly every interaction, every conversation, started to replay in my mind. I was looking at them all with different eyes.
“Oh, shit!” I blurted out and yes, I said ‘shit’ out loud. I was hit with a huge wave of embarrassment that was far more clenching than what I’d had felt a few moments ago. “The bathroom. Oh, God. You saw me in my underwear in the bathroom. And you’re not gay!”
I’d only felt semi-comfortable standing there with him in that small space because I thought he wouldn’t even be remotely attracted to me or taking in my body with any sort of sexual thoughts. Because I thought he wasn’t into women. Then again, maybe he wasn’t. But the attraction that I felt for him was a lot easier to deal with when I knew it would only ever be one-sided.
“You’re laughing?!” I all but screeched. He was doing his best to hide his laughter behind his hand, but the way his whole body was shaking was a dead giveaway.
“I’m sorry,” he said shaking his head. “I know. It’s not funny. I’m not laughing at you. It’s just…if you knew how hard it was for me not to actually look at you in that bathroom, you would definitely know that I’m not gay.”
“I thought you were just like, not looking because you didn’t want to see my no-no bits because they gross you out or something.”
“Did you just say ‘no-no bits’ for real?” he asked and his laughter was back in full force and this time he didn’t even bother to try and hide it.
“That’s what you choose to focus on?” I stared at him.
Then it happened. The laughter worked its way up my body and before I knew it, I erupted into a fit of giggles.
It felt like forever before we both were able to get it under control. He looked down at the floor, his breaths so heavy they made his chest heave with each one.
“I’m glad you find this so funny,” I said, my mind was still trying to play catch-up. “The more I think about, the more I feel embarrassed. I mean here I am, thinking I didn’t have a chance, and that all those thoughts I have of you and the fact that when you touch me it gives me goosebumps…”
