I wake up the next morning to an empty bed. Josh's empty bed. A smile tugs at my lips as I run my hands over the sheets where he was sleeping beside me last night.
I knew I shouldn't be feeling this way about him, that any relationship with him was dangerous to my future but the heart wants what it wants. And mine wants him.
I climb out of bed and pad across the floor to open the door, immediately being met with the smell of bacon and the sounds of pans clanging around. I wander down the small hallway, leaning against the entryway as I watch Josh moving around in the kitchen. He turns around to place a plate of bacon onto the table but his eyes land on me causing him to stop. "You been standing there long?" he asks curiously.
"No" I shake my head as I move towards him. "Good morning."
"Good morning sweetheart" he replies as he places the plate onto the kitchen table before leaning down to kiss my cheek. "You sleep okay?" he asks as he walks back into the kitchen to finish scrambling a pan of eggs.
"I slept amazing" I reply honestly. "Best night's sleep I've had in awhile."
"Good" he smiles happily. "Hungry?" he asks as he motions to the table full of food. I chuckle, gazing up at him.
"What is all this? I thought you didn't have any food" I giggle.
"I didn't" he replies. "Whole Foods is just around the corner." My eyes widen.
"You went shopping?" I gape. "Josh I would've been fine." I insist.
"Maya I needed food anyway. You just gave me a reason to get some" he chuckes. "Eat. I gotta get you back home at some point today" he adds making my smile falter. I didn't want to leave.
"Okay" I give in, sitting down and grabbing a few strips of bacon, piling them onto my plate. He puts some eggs onto my plate once they're done and sits down beside me. Silence falls around us as we eat and a slight furrow of his brows forms.
"You okay?" he asks worriedly.
"What time do you want me out?" I ask, avoiding answering his question.
"Sweetheart that's not what I meant by that" he assures me. "I just don't want Shawn knocking down my front door to get you" he chuckles. "If it were up to me" he pauses as he stands up to get more juice. "You'd never leave."
~ 🚔 ~
The look on her face is priceless. I know it's the last thing she was expecting me to say and her reaction is adorable. Her lips part in surprise, trying to form a coherent thought while her blue eyes shimmer with happiness. "You okay?" I ask teasingly as I pour myself more juice before sitting back down.
"Mhm" she mumbles, clearing her throat. "I should probably go check my phone" she says, getting up abruptly and leaving the table.
Well that backfired.
Yea I see that. Thank you.
I sigh, clearing our plates from the table and beginning the dishes.
~ 🚔 ~
I shut his door behind me and take a long, deep breath. I couldn't have him saying things like that if we were supposed to stay just friends for at least three more weeks.
I decide to check my phone to distract myself, moving towards the nightstand and grabbing it. Josh must've brought it in here this morning. So sweet. I shake my head and power it back up. The second my home screen appears so do thirteen missed calls from Aiden and one from my dad. I take a deep breath and decide to tackle dad first. I don't even bother listening to the messgae before dialing his number.
"Hey kiddo" he answers brightly.
"Hi dad" I reply. "How's it going?"
"Oh you know. Just thinking of ways to punish you for going to a party at a known drug dealer's house" he replies making me bite my bottom lip.
"Daddy-."
"We'll discuss it when you get home. When will that be exactly?"
"Um" I think, "in a bit. Josh is doing the dishes from breakfast. Maybe a couple hours."
"Fine" he replies. "But make them count because you'll be grounded when you get home" he adds sternly before hanging up. I sigh, deciding to meet my fate with Aiden while I'm at it. I dial his number and he picks up on the first ring.
"You called. I'm actually pretty shocked considering you know I got arrested last night but then again, you are fucking a cop so."
"Aiden" I sigh.
"Don't Aiden me. I should've known you were up to some sketchy shit when I saw you with him the other night but no. I believed you." I scoff, a laugh tumbling from my lips.
"That's because you wanted to get laid."
"Correction. I wanted to prove to Justin that I could get you into bed. Sweet and innocent is the best combination for a good fuck. But I was getting laid plenty. I'm a dealer baby and money attracts all the women a man could need to stay satisfied." Tears fill my eyes but not because I loved Aiden or that I was regretting not sleeping with him but because I had actually thought that he cared about me. I was such an idiot.
"Guess you lost then" I reply bluntly.
"One sip of that shit last night and you would've been begging for it" he replies making me clench my eyes shut to keep from losing it as I purse my lips together.
"Good thing I saw through you."
"You think you won?" he scoffs. "Baby you and that little cop of yours are gonna pay big time. You got Justin off the streets. Do you know how pissed off you've made every dealer in town? We have no supplier now."
"Whoops" I reply playfully.
"Mhm. That's the same thing I'll say when I shoot that precious cop of yours." My breath hitches at the mention of him harming Josh. "He took what was mine and fucked up my buisness. But you'd be a good prize too" he replies with a thoughtful breath. "Hm. Something for me to think about. Enjoy what time you have left Maya" he adds before hanging up. I gape at my phone and take a long, deep breath trying to calm down but it's no use. I can't think straight, my head is spinning, and I can't seem to catch my breath. I haven't had one since I was a kid but I knew what this was. A panic attack.
~ 🚔 ~
By the time I finish the dishes Maya still isn't back so I decide to check on her. I head down the hallway and push open my door, immediately being met with Maya hyperventilating on my bed. My eyes widen as I run inside and kneel in front of her. "Sweetheart what's wrong?" I ask quickly as I take her hand in mine. "Baby" I say softly, reaching up to caress her cheek. "Breathe sweetheart. It's okay. You're safe. You're with me" I assure her, locking my eyes onto hers to try to calm her but nothing works. I sigh, shaking my head, unsure of what to do until a crazy idea pops in my head. "Fuck it" I mutter before leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers.
~ 🚔 ~
I can't catch my breath one second and the next Josh's lips are on mine. I gasp against his lips before closing my lips over his and kissing him back softly. He slides his hand into my hair, pulling my head closer as he deepens the kiss causing me to moan softly. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me, never wanting this moment to end. He kisses me deeply for a few more seconds before finally pulling back. Our foreheads rest against one another's as we both breathe heavily, trying to get oxygen into our lungs. "You okay?" he asks softly making me giggle.
"Much better now" I reply, cupping his cheek before bringing his lips to mine once more in a short kiss.
"This was a really bad idea" he chuckles. "Now I'm never gonna wanna stop kissing you."
"Darn" I reply playfully before leaning in for another one. His lips linger on mine this time for a long moment before he pulls back reluctantly.
"Sweetheart what happened?" he asks carefully, locking his eyes on mine.
I take a deep breath and shake my head. "I called Aiden" I confess making his eyes widen. "Apparently getting Justin arrested pissed a lot of people off. We're basically number one and two on their hit list. Especially Aiden's."
"Who's one?"
"Whichever they can get a better shot at" I reply bluntly. Silence falls around us for a few long seconds before he speaks.
"I'm not gonna let him hurt you." I nod in understanding, not wanting to argue with him on this particular subject. "Is that it?"
"Isn't that enough?" I chuckle.
"Yes" he replies, "but I have a feeling it's not." I gnaw my bottom lip and stare down at him.
"Can you kiss me again?" I ask making him chuckle before he leans forward and gives me another quick peck. I smile as he pulls back. "How do you feel about me?" I ask softly. A soft smile pulls at his lips as he gazes up at me.
~ 🚔 ~
How did I feel about Maya Hunter? Easy. "I'm falling in love with you sweetheart" I reply softly making her face soften as tears glint in her eyes.
"Aiden admitted he was only with me because he wanted to prove he could fuck me" she says softly making my eyes widen. I feel my blood beginning to boil as I wrap my arms around my girl protectively. "He was cheating on me" she adds. That part doesn't shock me as awful as that sounds. It wasn't because I thought Maya wasn't good enough to stay faithful to, it was because Aiden was an asshole who didn't deserve the gorgeous girl in front of me in the first place.
"You're too good for him" I insist, caressing her cheek.
"He admitted that he slipped something into my drink."
"Do you know how proud I was of you last night for figuring that out? Most girls wouldn't have thought twice." A small smile pulls at her lips.
"I don't wanna go home" she says sadly. "I'm so grounded, you'll be lucky to ever see me outside of school hours."
"That's probably a good thing" I admit, "because otherwise I'd be too tempted to keep kissing you" I smirk, leaning forward to leave one last lingering kiss on her lips. She giggles as she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me closer.
"For the record" she mumbles against my lips, "I'm falling for you too."