“What? You’re done?” He looked up at her.
Sofia looked back at him. “I gotta go.”
“I was hoping we could talk.”
She tilted her head. “About what?”
“There are some things I’ve always wanted to tell you.” He must’ve read her expression because he added, “Nothing your boyfriend would have an issue with. I know you’re with Eric now and I respect that. I’m not the guy I was when we were kids. I’d just like a few minutes so we can talk.”
She stared at him. Brandon pulled himself up quickly. Sofia’s eyes inadvertently glanced at his muscled shoulders. He was immediately face to face with her. She almost took a step back, suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed by him. “So when can we talk?”
She had no idea what he could possibly want to talk go her about. Even though he said it was not anything Eric would have an issue with, his eyes seemed to invade her when he spoke to her. If Eric or even her brothers witnessed it, she was sure they’d all have issues. But she had to admit, she was curious. “Another time. Not now, I really gotta go.”
Brandon touched her arm, and she almost jumped. “I look forward to it.”
She felt shivers shoot up her back. They weren’t exactly bad shivers, but they definitely made her feel something she knew she shouldn’t be feeling.
“Bye.” She walked away and hurried into her yard.
***
Eric switched the channel on the television. He stopped on footage of a car accident. He turned to Sofia, who was lying half-asleep on the bed. They’d rented a room again, and after an exhausting, but incredible night of love making, he’d finally woken up.
“You remember when Asia’s dad got in the accident in high school where the passenger was killed?”
Sofia was awake now. “Yeah.” She sat up slowly, propping herself against the pillow.
“Well, get this. The person that was killed was his mistress.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, that’s why she moved away seniored tress. year. Her parents divorced, and her and her mom moved to Los Angeles. She said her mom didn’t even know at first. Her dad told her mom it was just a co-worker he was giving a ride home. Then a few weeks later, the mistress’s husband showed up at their house and told her about it. Isn’t that crazy?”
When she didn’t respond, he turned to her. He couldn’t make out her expression but it wasn’t good. “What’s wrong?”
“How often do you talk to Asia?”
“When I see her in the coffee shop, but she doesn’t work every day.” He had a feeling where this was going. “Why?”
“Did you go out with her in high school?”
Eric thought about it and suddenly he felt like kicking himself. “No, I didn’t go out with her.”
“I heard something about you and her, I just don’t remember the details.”
“What difference does it make, Sof? That was a long time ago.”
“So you did?” She sat up even more.
Eric took a deep breath. “I hooked up with her once after a party in like the ninth or tenth grade. I don’t even remember anymore. Is that what this is about?” He clicked the television off. “Is that why you made the comment about her dressing like a whore?”
“Why? Did that bother you, Eric?”
“No, I just thought it was kind of random.” He almost didn’t say it, but he did anyway. “And a little rude.”
“Oh, I’m sorry my opinion bothers you.” She stood up, pulling his t-shirt over herself. She crossed her arms. “Obviously, your opinion of someone who wears short shorts and fishnet stockings with her tits practically hanging out is different from mine, since you still hooked up with her.”
“I think everyone’s a little ashamed about some of the styles they wore in high school, Sof. She’s not like that anymore.”
“Oh really, Eric?” If looks could kill, there’d be a gaping hole between Eric’s eyes. She raised her voice. “Why don’t you tell me what she’s like? You two real tight now? Is that why she would tell you something so personal about her dad?”
As much as Sofia hated to admit it, she was just like her brothers. Her temper could go from zero to sixty in a split second. Eric had a feeling this was going to get ugly, because she was starting to piss him off. He dropped the remote on the bed. “You know what really bothers me, is that you would question my loyalty to you even after all these years. I’ve never given you any reason to.”
“You’ve never once brought up the possibility of me going out there to visit you and you know I wanted to. And now you keep talking about this girl you see every day. Someone who shared something so intimate with you? A girl you hooked up with once. Of course I’m going to have doubts.”
Eric stood up, forgetting he was still naked. He bent over, pulled his boxer briefs from the ground, and slipped into them. “I already told you, I don goiou,c stood upt see her every day. I’ve only had coffee with her…” He nearly choked on his own words. Why the fuck did he just say that? “…a couple of times.”
“You had coffee with her?” Sofia spun around and grabbed her sundress from the chair. She pulled off the t-shirt, allowing Eric a beautifully naked view of her for a few moments until she pulled the dress over her head.
“I meant—”
“You’ve been having coffee and catching up with the whore you once hooked up with.” She slipped on her sandals.
“Sofie, don’t say it like that.” He walked around the bed towards her. “I got coffee and she hadn’t started her shift yet, so I sat with her for a little bit. That’s all.”
Eric tried touching her arm, but she pulled it away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Sofie, baby.” He took her arm again, even though she tried pulling free. “Why are you getting all worked up? If I’d have known how upset this would make you, I would’ve never—”
“Told me?”
“No, I would’ve never even talked to her.”
She tried to pull away from his hold, but he held her. She took a few steps backward in an effort to get away from him. Eric kept up with her until they were against the wall.
“I’ll find another coffee shop, okay?”
She squirmed, but her struggle with trying to get away from him, had lost a little fuel. He took advantage and pushed his body against hers, letting her feel the rise she’d given him from just seeing her naked even after being with her all night.
“How many times?”
He licked her bottom lip. “How many times what?”
“You said you had coffee with her a few times.”
“Twice.” He kissed her.
He wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell her the truth now. He’d done nothing wrong, but the fact that he knew Asia’s schedule and he was beginning to look forward to chatting with her, had already started feeling wrong. He had no idea Sofia knew about him and Asia back in high school.
“Promise me you won’t talk to her again.”
He pulled her dress up, spreading her legs. She drew in a sudden breath.
“I promise.”
She wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him out of his underwear. Within seconds, they were making love against the wall. He listened to those soft pants of hers he’d grown to love. He may have enjoyed catching up with Asia again, but where Sofia would get the idea that anyone else would ever do was beyond him.
***
Monday morning, Sofia stretched as she walked through her backyard toward the back gate. Wh banbsen she got out, she held on to the gate with one hand and stretched her leg behind her with the other.
The conversation she’d had with Eric that weekend still lingered in her mind. Even though she gave into him and didn’t storm out of there like she had intended after he admitted to having coffee with Asia, the doubt still loomed. She’d hardly slept the night before just thinking about it. Eric could continue to talk to Asia every day and she’d never know about it. He still hadn’t mentioned anything about her going
out to visit him.
After stretching a bit more, Sofia began running. She’d only been running for five minutes when Brandon was by her side. Sofia smiled, looking down at Troop. He’d finally started walking on his leash without Brandon having to drag him.
The sweat dripped down Brandon’s face. “You’re late today.”
“Yeah, I slept in,” she said. “It felt good, too.”
“Late night?”
She shook her head. “Actually, I was in bed early, but I had a hard time sleeping.” She considered taking off in a sprint to beat him to the park, but she didn’t think Troop would be able to keep up.
When they finally did get to the tree, Sofia bent over to pet Troop.
“You gotta hurry back again, or do you have a few minutes to talk?”
His eyes gave Sofia that funny feeling she got from him on Friday. The dark stubble on his hard chin made the blue of his eyes that much more piercing. She glanced away, petting Troop some more. “I have a few minutes.”
Brandon sat down on the grass He pulled a few blades of grass out of the ground, then looked back at her. “I wanted to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Sofia searched his eyes.
“Yeah, there’s no way you’d know this, but you’re the reason I enlisted in the Marines in the first place.”
She shook her head. “Me?”
“Yeah, you,” he smiled. “Remember when we used to talk in Geometry class and you would talk about doing whatever it takes to reach you’re goal, and never give up?”
Sofia remembered the conversations. But she was so into trying to keep her spot on the relay team back then, most of her motivational speeches were geared by that. She sat down across from him, but not too close. “Yeah, I remember.”
Brandon smiled and gazed at her for a moment, making her avert her attention back to Troop. “Back then, my life at home was crap. Always had been, actually. My dad had always been abusive, mostly to my mom, but on occasion, he turned it on me, too. I hated life—I hated everyone. I talked to nobody, and I mean nobody. I had no friends and wanted no friends. I think you were the only one I ever opened up to. I thought it was ironic too ‘cause I’d been such a jerk with you growing up.”
Troop jumped on Sofia’s lap. She hugged the puppy, petting him all over. “You weren’t so bad. I thought maybe you just did it to get to my brothers.”
Brandon look> Blocked at her incredibly. “Why would I want to do that? Alex has always been a monster, and he wasn’t even the biggest one back then.”
“So why did you?”
Brandon glanced away. “I don’t know. I think I just didn’t know how else to react to you. Anyway,” he lifted a shoulder. “I thought a lot about what you said back then. You were always so cheery and optimistic about everything and it sort of motivated me to do something with my life. I hated school but I hated coming home even more. Then one day you talked about the career center at school. Did you know I never even knew our school had a career center until you brought it up?”
“You’re kidding me? That’s all the teachers and counselors ever harped about.”
“Yeah, like I was listening,” he scoffed. “So I actually went down there and picked up the information on the Marines and started reading up on it. That’s how I decided it was the best thing for me. I knew college wasn’t for me, and it would get me away from my dad. I felt bad about leaving my mom, but sometimes I got the feeling she felt worse about me having to see all the crap he did than her having to live with it.”
He stared at Sofia for a moment. She’d always known there was more to Brandon, even back then. Hearing him talk about his family now made her feel terrible. It wasn’t his fault. She couldn’t even imagine being such a loner and no family support.
“Seeing me as a Marine changed something in my dad. It’s like suddenly he had something to be proud of. Everything in my life changed, including my dad. Life at home is so much better now. I always said I had to thank you some day formally.”
“No way, just ‘cause I mentioned the career center? Brandon, I’m sure you would’ve heard about it eventually.” She laughed nervously.
“It’s not just that, Sof. You were so kind to me even after all I’d done to you as kids, and if it hadn’t been for you I probably wouldn’t ever showed up to class. I think that class was the only one I never ditched.”
“You just needed a little push, that’s all.”
“And you were it. I was close to spiraling out of control. If it hadn’t been for me listening to you, who knows where I might’ve ended up?”
There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment, then Sofia cleared her throat. “I don’t think I did much to deserve that kind of credit, but I will say I’m really glad everything turned out the way it did for you.”
“I have something I’d like for you to see. You think you can come over my house one of these days?”
His sensual stare was now softer. Running with him was one thing. Going to his house would be crossing so many lines. Not just with Eric, but she was sure her brothers would have a fit. Since he’d steered clear and not been a pest his last year here, her brothers had actually begun to talk to him a little, but she knew they still didn’t trust him completely.
“You wouldn’t even have to come in. I can bring it out to the porch.” His eyes implored. He reached over and squeezed her shoe. Her eyes took in his muscular forearm and immediately felt weird about it.
“Yeah, I could do that.”
“How ‘bout right now?” He squeezed her shoe again. “You have ti“ ditme?”
Last night, Naomi’s words kept ringing in her head. Don’t you ever get curious? Only the words kept her sleepless, because she was certain Eric had become curious. It felt wrong, but damn it, she wasn’t even having coffee with Brandon. All she was doing was going to his to see what he wanted to show her. “Actually, I do have a few minutes.”
CHAPTER 10
Curiosity
In an instant, Brandon was on his feet. He held his hand out to help Sofia up. She felt his tight grip as she stood and he didn’t immediately let go once she was up, either. She pulled her hand away and dusted herself off. “This guy’s probably ready for lunch, anyway.” Brandon bent over messed with Troop’s ears.
“What are you gonna do with him when you leave?” Sofia asked as they started walking.
“He’s actually my mom’s. I got him for her. She’s always loved dogs, but I’m beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea. I thought she’d be a little more enthusiastic about walking him, but she really hasn’t shown much interest in it. I hope he’s not just gonna sit in the yard until I get back.”
Without even thinking about it, she offered, “I can walk him sometimes if you want.”
Brandon turned to her and smiled. “Really? That’d be great.”
Sofia smiled, glancing back down at Troop, who was prancing along happily beside Brandon. When they got to Brandon’s house, Sofia stood at the front door, not sure if she should go in or not.
“You can come in if you want,” Brandon called from inside.
She didn’t really want to, but she felt a little rude. She took a few steps inside and stood in the front room. The smell of cigarettes was so overpowering, her hand was immediately over her nose. No one appeared to be home. “Are your parents here?”
“No,” Brandon responded from one of the bedrooms. “My dad had an appointment.”
Great. She had to make this fast. She was really beginning to feel anxious about being there. Brandon finally walked out of the hallway holding a photo album. Feeling rude, she casually moved her hand away from her nose. “C’mere,” he said, walking toward the dining room table that was just off the side of the front room.
She walked over slowly. Even though she felt anxious, there was something oddly exciting about being there with him. He set the album down on the table and pulled a chair out. He motioned for her to sit next to him and she did. He opened the album. The first pictu
re was an eight by ten head shot of him in his formal camouflage marine uniform, beret and everything. His expression was very hard. It was impressive, almost sexy.
“Wow. You look so grown up.”
“That’s how I feel now. It’s weird I felt so lost for so many years. You have no idea what the Marines have done for me. It’s the best thing I could’ve done. her dit sat’s ho
Sofia stared at the picture, glancing back at him, she smiled. “I’m glad for you. I always knew you had it in you, Brandon. ”
He held her gaze and she had to look away. She brought her attention back down at the album, and he turned the page. The next pages had certificates and awards. Then there were pictures of what appeared to be him and his troop in combat. They were holding weapons and crawling in mud. In others, they sat behind trees and rocks like they were hiding. “You weren’t in a war, were you?”
“No,” he laughed, making her feel dumb, “but it felt like it. That was just boot camp, but they did their best to make us feel like we were in hell.”
Fascinated, Sofia continued looking at the pictures. She’d been looking at the pictures for a while when she noticed Brandon staring at her. Startled, she brought her eyes back at the album. “Is this you?” She pointed at a picture of a soldier climbing a wall. His face was turned away.
Brandon put his hand on hers. “Yeah, that’s me.”
Sofia flinched, pulling her hand back, immediately feeling ridiculous.
Brandon was quick to apologize. “I’m sorry.”