Montana Skies

Chapter 20. Push

Blake didn't speak.

"Blake was just thanking me for dinner and letting me know that he was heading out," I lied smoothly.

Blake looked back at me, surprised, and back to River. "Yeah, man, sorry. I'm going to scoot. I'm tired as hell," Blake said and shrugged. Relief washed over Blake's face.

It would definitely be Blake who gave it away. My expression was blank, but Blake looked nothing shy of petrified.

River stared at us, suspiciously and nodded. River watched Blake disappear out the door. River turned to face me. I turned back to do the dishes, but I knew I wasn't getting off that easy.

"Dallas," River murmured.

I didn't hear him approach me, but I figured he would. "Hmm?" I hummed nervously. I was afraid if I spoke, I would give myself away.

"Are you going to tell me the truth or continue lying to me?" River asked bluntly.

Usually, I knew better than to lie to him. I sucked at lying, or River just knew me too well. "I don't know what you mean," I said casually.

"Blake was awfully close to you just to be saying goodbye. Don't you think?" River asked quietly. He placed his hands on my hips.

I swallowed nervously and shrugged. "Didn't notice anything unusual, just Blake being Blake."

"You never did like him much..." River trailed off. "So why would he get so close to you like that?"

I breathed a sigh of relief when Jaime interrupted us, but unfortunately, it was only to say goodbye.

River didn't speak to me again. River left the kitchen. I quickly finished the dishes and booked it up the stairs.

I changed into shorts and a tank top and jumped into River's bed. My face plummeted into the pillow. Hopefully, if he thinks I'm asleep, he won't question it again. I might just explode and give him the truth, but I hate hurting him. I know he is going to freak if he finds out the truth.

The bed sank slightly under his weight, and the blankets moved around. River spoke softly, "I'm pissed as hell at you, Dallas. I know you're lying. I don't know who to blame him or you?"

I refused to take the blame for something that I didn't initiate. I sighed and turned to face him. "You interrupted before he could say what he was going to say. What I can tell you is that you are right. He was standing way too close. Blake has always had this way of making me uncomfortable. Blake likes me, I think, but he's a little pushy about it," I muttered.

River's breathing accelerated, but it was too dark to see his face. "Pushy? Like how pushy?" River spat.

"Can we just drop it?" I pleaded.

"Fuck no, we ain't dropping it."

This was why I never told him before, but I guess now was as good of a time as any. "When we were sixteen, we had a party here. All of our friends were staying. We were watching movies. I went to bed early that night. I told you I wasn't feeling good. Do you remember?" I asked.

River stiffened. "The night that you came straight into my bedroom after you said you were only going to the bathroom?" River asked.

"Yes," I said.

"I remember," he muttered.

"I went upstairs to the bathroom because Tia was in the one downstairs. Blake must have followed me up. When I came out of the bathroom, he pushed me back into the bathroom. He started kissing me and touching me..." I trailed off. "It didn't get too far. I kicked him between the legs and pushed him off of me. I told him if he ever did it again, I would tell you, and he never did. He tried talking to me many times after that, but I brushed it off. The closest he's ever got to me since that night was what you saw tonight. All Blake said was, Dallas, I was wondering, and you cut in."