Chapter Eight
-What's The Catch?-
Taylor insisted that we go out for dinner that night as an official couple. I walked out of the gym after my second and final day of training and made the quick walk home to find the room empty. Kathy was either being spanked by her mysterious footballer or she was probably at a study group at the library. I peeled the black polo shirt off my torso and threw it on the bed as I changed from work to play by adding a caramel knit jumper that came down over my leggings. I was pulling off my runners when Taylor knocked at the door. With one foot still in the shoe and the other only covered by a sock, I hobbled across the room to open the door. Taylor looked me up and down and stopped at my feet.
"Hobo look?" He asked, and I glared at him.
"I'm just changing from work, butthole," I informed him, turning around to grab the shoes I was about to put on.
"Flats?" He asked and I peered over my shoulder to look at him.
"Yes?" I questioned and he shrugged.
"Just have a thing for heels, is all," He smirked, and I rolled my eyes.
"Well, I have a thing for not being a cripple tomorrow," I told him, and he laughed.
"Aren't you here to please me, exclusively?" He asked, his brown eyes shining in mischief.
"No, you're here to figure out that girls own the pants in most relationships and after they sink their hooks in, the heels come off and the flats go on," I informed him, slipping off my socks.
"So, I was right. You girls are mostly just conniving bitches?" He asked and I shrugged slipping my shoes on.
"Yeah, but our boobs should make up for it, mostly," I murmured and he gave me an amused grin. "That's why they're there."
"All makes sense now," He nodded to himself. "You ready?" He asked as I stood up and I nodded, grabbing my bag.
"Lead away, boyfriend," I gestured towards the door.
Over dinner, I started mulling over the situation we were in.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked as I sipped my wine.
"Just did," He stated, glancing up at me from his steak with half a smirk.
"Funny." I gave him a look and he shrugged, looking pleased with himself. "Why me?" I asked and he looked up at me for the second time, but a stonier look on his face.
"What do you mean?" He asked and I shrugged.
"You could and have pretty much, had every girl on this campus. Why choose the one you have no intention of hooking up with?" I asked and he looked at me for a long moment before cutting a cube of meat and putting it in his mouth. Having finished my fish, I sat back with my chilled wine and waited for his answer.
"I'm not sure," He stated honestly, finally looking back up at me. "Maybe, because the other girls aren't girlfriend material, they wouldn't take it so seriously. They would probably see it as a way to get under me in bed for two weeks exclusively with minimal effort. It would also probably confuse the situation." Anyone else saying those words would probably just be being arrogant. Taylor looked up at me with honesty and acceptance on his face. "I don't have girlfriends, because I don't trust easily and the closest thing I can give a girl is a second round in the sack, if she's good enough. You haven't and don't want to see that side of me. The only real thing I know about relationships is that friendship should be in there somewhere and you're my friend."
I stared at him and couldn't help the platonic affection that rose up in me. For everything I teased Taylor about, I couldn't ignore how honest he was. He had been honest from the first moment we'd spoken when he said 'the girls know what they're getting into when they start flirting back with me.' He wasn't a player in the sense that he didn't lead girls on; he didn't promise them anything other than what he knew he could give them. That was mostly only a physical release, he may not come back a second time for. He may have been screwed up when it came to relationships with girls, but at least he knew it. Jake wouldn't even admit he had a problem when it came to Milly. He just thought he could play it out and ignore it all after it. Taylor sat there and slammed the issues on the table and presented them to you as they were. He didn't dress them up and pretend they were something else.
"Your friend who you feel up occasionally?" I asked, amused and he glanced up at me with a smirk.
"We both know I can only control myself around boobs for so long, so stop pretending I'm a saint," He murmured and I laughed.
"Thank you for telling me that," I told him, hoping I sounded as sincere as I meant it and took a sip of wine as he finished up.
"Are we having dessert?" He asked and I shrugged.
"Only if you would like it," I replied.
"There's a gelato place on the way back, if you would prefer," He offered.
"Sure, that would be great," I smiled and he gestured for the waiter to bring the check.
He took my hand in his as we walked out of the restaurant and into the still night. Being a Tuesday, it was mostly quiet as people settled into their week.
"I really enjoyed that," I admitted, glancing over at him and he shrugged easily.
"I am pretty brilliant dinner company," He sighed, reflectively.
"And modest to boot," I laughed and he gave me a silly grin.
"You know it, buttercup," He nodded.
"Why buttercup?" I asked, still laughing and he shrugged.
"Just the first thing that came into my head. Sounds like something a fool would call the she-devil that would be his girlfriend too," He replied and I laughed louder.
"You have serious lady issues," I rolled my eyes and he laughed.
"Do not, I'm perfectly fine. I've got a rent-a-girlfriend. I haven't been stupid enough to get a real one," He assured me. "That's the problem; people have too much monogamy and not enough banging."
"I'll have you know that I got more while in a relationship, than out of it," I told him and he rolled his eyes.
"That's what you and Jake were always getting up too, then."
"I meant Trent," I sighed. "It only happened once with Jake," I admitted and he glanced down at me, curiously.
"Really?" He asked, looking enlightened. "No wonder he was a grumpy fuck towards the end there. Tell me the secrets to getting you into bed that a boyfriend should know," He demanded and I rolled my eyes.
"There is no secret," I sighed. "You just have to be persistent." That made Taylor throw his head back and laugh.
"I'm like the most persistent person I know, you don't stand a chance now!" He announced. I shoved him playfully and glared. "I'll set the mood with some candle and rose petals and shit, and your panties will basically drop like the floor is a panty magnet." I glared at him as he day dreamed for a moment, looking off into the night longingly.
"What did I say today?" I snapped at him to get attention back. "Two week city wide vagina blackout," I continued to glare at him as I grit the words out. His eyes narrowed into his own glare directed at me.
"This orgy better be worth it," He hissed at me, suddenly looking frustrated at the reminder of the next two weeks ahead of him. I looked up just in time to see an old man, staring at us alarmed as we walked past him. He had obviously heard the last bit of our conversation and he didn't look like he wanted to hear more of it. That made me smile. How awkward for him. We got to the gelato shop and got our treats before continuing on.
"What'd you get?" He asked, glancing over to the small cup in my hands.
"Blood orange," I replied. "You?"
"Caramelised fig," He told me. "Give me taste of yours," He demanded eyeing my gelato off.
"Get your own," I bit back, shielding it from his offending eyes.
"I bought both of them," He countered, reaching his little spoon out in an attempt to steal some.
"Like I care," I retorted. He stopped walking and looked at me. I turned on my heel and walked backwards while grinning at him. "Coming, Cadley?" I asked, sweetly.
"Plan too," He smirked and I mentally resaid the words in my head and then rolled my eyes.
"Pig," I muttered.
"Don't make me, make you," He warned, eyeing the gelato once again.
"Don't make me, make you sterile," I glared at him. He skipped towards me, catching up to where I was and looked down at me.
"I bet you the rest of your gelato, I can taste it without touching it," He told me and I glanced up at him wearily.
"What's the catch?" I asked, eyeing him off.
"Should I succeed, I get the rest of yours," He grinned and I glared at him.
"What's the catch?" I asked again. I so didn't trust the glint in his eyes. That was his trouble maker glint.
"No catch," He promised, giving me an amused small smirk. I stopped walking and looked at him.
"Without touching the gelato, gelato cup or the gelato spoon, please show me how you can taste the gelato," I demanded, and realised what a massive mistake it was when his small smirk turned into a diabolical grin.
"You're just way too easy, Walters," He shook his head as he stepped towards me. Cupping his hand against my cheek, he pulled me into his and pushed his lips against mine. I mentally rolled my eyes as I realised I was, in fact, way too easy. As he sucked on my bottom lip he moaned quietly, running his tongue across the seam of my mouth. I sighed in response as I closed my eyes and let him work his mouth against mine. "Delicious," He sighed as he pulled back, his smiling eyes meeting mine. I gave him my best 'not-very-impressed' look as he smirked at me, whilst plucking the small paper cup from my hand, and continued walking. "Told you I'm persistent," He called over his shoulder as he started walking away, not waiting for me to walk with him, eating the rest of my gelato.