Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

make animal noises,” he grinned beforepulling me to his mouth.

I could havegiven him a cluck, or a bleat, or even a donkey eeyore, but I heldmyself together and just kissed him back. You will thankyourself for that decision in the morning, Alexis.

***

The rest ofthe evening went well, with unskilled games of pool, more crazydance moves, a couple of impromptu jam sessions and Derek and Carlyhitting it off. I even spotted some playful flirting and lightbodily touching, which surprised me, because Carly was not normallyshy or bashful when it came to letting a guy know she wasinterested. I sensed she really liked Derek—really liked him.

Bryce hadarranged hotel rooms for all my friends. I loved living in ahotel—with the hotel owner. It was really convenient.

As all thegirls were leaving I pulled Carls aside. “So, Carly JosephineHenkley, is your fiery hole about to be put out?”

“Lex, he is soputting a scorching heat in between my legs, it is not funny.”

“Well, need Iremind you that he is a firefighter...let the guy put it out,apparently that’s what he’s good at.”

“I’mterrified,” she whispered.

I whisperedback. “What the fuck? Carly does not get terrified. Why is Carlyterrified?”

She continuedthe whispered conversation, now referring to herself in the thirdperson, “Because Carly really fucking likes Derek.”

I dropped myhand to hold hers by our sides conspicuously. “Oh Carls, that’sgreat. Do you want to know a secret?”

“What?”

“He likes youtoo,” I whispered with an impish grin.

“How the...,”she blurted out, then looked around sheepishly and continued in amore quieter tone “... fuck do you know?”

I kissed herforehead, “Because he told me.” I then turned her shoulders aroundand playfully smacked her on the butt, ushering her out thedoor.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

I’ve alwaysconsidered myself a quietly confident type of person. Not cocky orarrogant, but grounded and self-reliant. My parents had brought meup to be assertive in all that I did, instilling me with themindset that you should always attempt what is attemptable. If yousucceed in your attempts, you will have experienced somethingprofound, but if you fail, try again. And if you fail once more,learn from your failure, but appreciate why you failed in the firstplace.

I think it wasthat piece of advice that gave me the confidence to agree to do alot of things in life. It was either that or my lack of willpoweragainst peer pressure that had me doing things I would not normallydo, like performing at a local pub in front of...let’s say...aneasy one hundred or so people.

This day was aperfect example of that, being the day where I was to perform “TheOnly Exception” for Bryce at an inner city bar. I’d been learningthe basics of guitar for the past couple of months with theintention to surprise Bryce and give something personal back to himafter our devastating loss. I’d told myself that I wasn’t doing itbecause I felt responsible for that loss, but I guess if I wasgoing to be completely honest with myself, there was a small partof me that was doing it for that reason. I also wanted to give himsomething back; something only I could give him.

Derek had beenwonderful, not only with his instructions but with our last minutesecret get togethers in order to practice behind Bryce’s back. Ithink he also enjoyed the one on one time so that he could getinformation out of me about Carly. They had been on two datesalready and I assumed were taking things slowly as Carly had notyet mentioned anything about his physique or stamina or his cock’slook, feel, taste and ability—things she often filled me in onright away.

Nate,Charlotte, Carly and I were all waiting patiently while LiveTrepidation set up for their gig on the rooftop at Bar 22. Carlshad come along to see Derek perform, and I wasn’t sure whether Iappreciated that or not. If my performance for Bryce wasacceptable, then great, she was there to witness that, but if itwas a complete flop, then fuck, she was also there to witness thatand have the ammunition to never let me live it down.

It was aperfect early summer Saturday afternoon, the temperature sittingnicely in the mid-twenties. Although I felt rather hot and slightlyclammy, guessing it was a result of my intense anxiety. I scannedmy surroundings, taking in the modern contemporary styled rooftopbar, with wooden bench style seats running along the boundarywalls. Walls, which were also wooden panelled to about half way up,stopping to support an ornamental garden containing lights. Thelights nestled in the garden lit up the painted feature walls thatspanned the space from the garden top, all the way to theveranda-styled roof. There were also mirrored Art Deco pieces hungon the feature walls which grabbed the garden light’s beam andbounced it back into the room.

The bar satopposite the stage which was set up in front of the furthest wallwhen you walked onto the roof top. The rectangular space in frontof the stage and bar was filled with matching square-shaped woodenpanelled tables and groovy white and red tub chairs. We were seatedin those chairs around a table, the closest to the stage.

“Alexis?”

Carly’s raisedvoice snapped me out of my scrutinizing.

“Yeah?”

“Are youalright? You’ve been off with the pixies ever since I arrived.”

“Sorry, I’mjust...” I leaned in closer to her. “Nervous.” I sat back andcouldn’t help but display a terrified look on my face.

She screwed upher face then leaned in closer to me. “Why are you nervous?”

I looked atCharli and Nate who both had their heads down, attention fixed totheir iPods. “Derek has been teaching me how to play the guitar,and I’m going to surprise Bryce with a song. I’m freaking out, I’veonly been playing for a few months.”

“Fuck off!”Carls said out aloud.

I glared ather then subtly flicked my eyes in the kids’ direction—they didn’teven flinch.

“Are you forreal? Oh, my, God, that’s awesome. So, why are you nervous?”

“Oh,” Ideadpanned for the smallest of seconds, “Let me guess...causethere’s a whole roof top full of freakin’ strangers.”

“Who cares?”Carls said bluntly as she picked up her glass of wine and sippedit.

“I do!” Iblurted out as I picked up mine, sipping it not as calmly as Carlyhad.

“Why? Who areyou performing for? Them or Bryce?”

I