Meagan Brewer by EverCaptivating (the kiss of deception read online .TXT) 📕

Kristy is driving me nuts and we still have one month before she walks down the aisle. Today, I bowed out of my maid of honor duties and I told her I had to help Charlie, which I did. His roommate moved out unexpectedly and now he has to find a new place because he cannot afford the rent. I offered to let him stay with me until he found an apartment. Besides, friends help each other and his other friends didn’t have the spare room. I couldn’t let him sleep on a couch. He was going to lose his place at the end of next week, it was only right to take him in when he needed help. He would probably find an apartment this month anyway, but he knows he is welcome to stay as long as he needs. His friends and I helped him move his things into storage and then the rest into my spare room that I use an office.

When we were done he and I went to a local sushi restaurant for dinner, and we talked and drank most of the night, made plans to commute to work together and he joked about labeling our food in the refrigerator. (Note: Take off printed labels in the morning.)

I’m excited to have him stay with me because I enjoy his company and it’s easy to be with him. I know that we will probably be shouting at each other by morning, but that’s how we've always been and that’s what makes it easy to be with him. I don’t have to be agreeable and neither does he. That part might not be the best, but right now, my only concern is that we’re going to be sharing the bathroom. That’s going to be the challenge.

M.B.

Monday, May 31st, 2010

I was right, this morning we did yell at each other about how the last person to use the bathroom sink should clean it. On the bright side, he made sure I didn’t forget my cell or my keys this morning. I have a tendency to forget something every day and he knows that. This morning we continued to argue about towels on the floor as we left the house, but by the time, we walked into work we were joking around by calling each other Mr. Husband and Mrs. Wife.

Tonight, Charlie ordered a pizza and rented a new action flick for us to watch. I thanked him when I got home and studied him as he prepared the couch with a blanket for me and had our favorite wine ready. I thought to myself, ‘don't ever leave’, and then instantly wished I hadn’t thought that.

My curiosity got the best of me while we watched the film. I asked him about what our rules were when we brought dates home. “I think we might want to let each other know when either one of us have a date, just in case. I don’t want you to waste money on a movie…” It came out awkwardly as I trailed off, trying to pretend to watch the film.

I heard a smile in his response. “Look, if I have date I won’t bring her here. I’ll stay at her place.”

My heart jerked involuntarily when he mentioned someone else and my voice turned acidic. “You can bring anyone you want here, unless you don’t want them knowing you live with a girl.” I kept my eyes on the screen. I wasn’t angry with him, I was angry with myself, with my heart. Stupid heart!

“It’s not that. It’s just…” There was a hint of laughter in his voice and then he paused for a moment. I looked over at him. I was sitting close enough to him that our thighs were touching. He met my gaze as he continued. “You’d get tired of me bringing home so many women.” He joked. I felt as if he wanted to say something else, but couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

I returned to the movie as I spoke. “It’s all good to me. I already know you’re a man slut.” I grinned still watching the car chase on the screen, but I could see in my peripheral his head shaking infinitely. We didn’t say much after that, but the movie couldn’t keep my mind from thinking about him. I wondered what he couldn’t bring himself to say. I wish I had asked him to spit it out, but I was also glad I hadn’t.

M.B.

Friday, June 4th, 2010

I haven’t had a date in a while and I didn’t notice how much I hated not having someone special in my life until Charlie brought home a woman last night. Not only was he not home when I brought him Italian for dinner, but seeing this women felt like a knife in my back and I knew that it shouldn’t because I had no claim on Charlie. It didn’t help that she looked like a complete hussy and by the sounds she made last night, I was correct.

I know that Charlie bringing home women shouldn’t bother me, after all I told him I was okay with it, but I can’t help how I feel. I have become accustomed to Charlie living with me and it was close to perfect, except for our little disagreements about when the dishes should be done and how he leaves his shoes in the middle of the floor. These are my only complaints about the living situation, but now Miss Moaning Hussy was in my shower trying to wash her filth down my drain.

I need a date and I need one soon.

M.B.

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

I brought home a guy from the bar last night, Mr. Prove-a-Point, which was a fruitless attempt because Charlie was not home. I wanted him to see me bring someone home for a change. I told the guy I had a headache and made him leave after a half hour of waiting. I’m sure Mr. Prove-a-Point thought I was nuts.

After a shower and a terrible attempt at distracting myself with a book, I heard Charlie walk in the door. I jumped out of bed, put on my silk robe, and ran to the living room to tell him about my date. He had a woman with him, yet again. She looked a little surprised and annoyed as she looked me over. I may have been showing more leg than she would appreciate with my short robe. Oops, my bad lady.

It was awkward for a moment until Charlie casually introduced me as his roommate. Rosa was her name, as he introduced her with what I construed as a cocky smirk, while she varnished a reluctant smile towards me and wrapped her arm around his waist. I was so frustrated that it took everything I had to be polite and play along with his over-confident, annoying, self-absorbed, I-can-get-any-girl attitude. (Well, he may not have had all that going on at the time, but it certainly felt good to write it out.) I excused myself as kindly as I could, when in actuality I wanted to roll my eyes and flip them the bird.

The way I am feeling is completely idiotic, he is single, and he can do whatever he wants. I shouldn’t be mad at him because he has a carefree sex life with a new woman every other day, which wasn’t his usual game. He normally kept them for a week or two, but now they seemed more random. Really, I need to let go of this frustration because I have no right to say anything about what he does. I shouldn’t even feel… jealous. It’s so dumb, really.

Early this morning, I got up because I was thirsty. I was surprised my thirst woke me and not Charlie’s latest conquest. I was dying of thirst and tried to walk quietly to the kitchen past his room. The moon light coming through the windows lit the kitchen so that I didn’t have to turn on the lights. I stretched up to get a glass out of the cupboard, I heard something behind me, and I jumped. I almost dropped my glass. It was Charlie in his boxers.

“You scared the crap out me.” I said too loudly, breathlessly.

“Sorry. I was thirsty.” He said quietly as he looked me over, ostensibly enjoying something. I remembered that I didn’t grab my robe. I was only wearing a white tank top and my blue polka dot panties. I tried to cover myself with my hands. “Oh! This is embarrassing.”

“Why? I’ve seen you in a bikini, what’s the difference?” He asked smiling. The difference was the look in his eyes as they wandered over my body. I felt the blood rush to my face and turned to fill my cup with water so he wouldn’t see me blushing.

I could hear him grabbing a glass off the shelf as my glass filled. “So, you had a good night?” I inquired halfheartedly as I turned and leaned on the counter, trying not to think about how good he looked in his boxers.

“It was nice. How about yours?” He asked with a smile on his face, his eyes still playing along my waist. I felt a shiver of satisfaction as his eyes moved up to meet mine.

I grinned involuntarily. “Fine.” I took a big gulp of water to hide my reaction from him.

I looked him over as he filled his cup beside me, even in the moon light I could see every beautiful contour of his arms, chest, and abdominal muscles. He was so close I could feel the heat from his body. He was intoxicating… It would have been the perfect time to tell him about Mr. Prove-a-Point, but instead I told him I needed to get back to bed and left him in the kitchen before either of us could say another word. I heard him whisper good night as I closed my door.

M.B.

Monday, June 7th, 2010

I left early for work and let Charlie sleep in, we usually drove together, but I couldn’t face him. I know he cannot reciprocate the feelings I have for him because he loves his single life too much.

I avoided him at work by checking every hall and room before I entered. Terra said that I looked nervous all day and asked me why I was acting so strangely, but I wasn’t ready to tell anyone how I felt about Charlie, especially not Terra because her tongue slips too often. Terra had joked about me falling for Charlie, because we would be ‘playing house’, as she put it. She didn’t know how right she was and I hated to think that I was falling for my best friend.

Side Notes: Terra found out that The Married Guy left his wife a few weeks ago and had moved in with his other girlfriend. She hasn’t talked about it much since she told Kristy and me. She’s onto the next extreme, dating with no expectations. I hope this time she stays away from him, but I cannot judge her because we both have relationship issues, we want someone that cannot commit, or we commit the top ten ways to lose a guy.

I was planning on working out with Kristy, but she bailed on me to spend time with Josh and I lost my motivation to work out. Therefore, I couldn’t avoid Charlie any longer. When I