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Beth shook her head, and a frown crept between her eyebrows. “Why’d you make Riley get off?”
“Mariska can sleep on my bed and you can stay on the couch. I know Chase is cool with you being here, but he wouldn’t want you on my bed. He’s not that understanding,” I said with a laugh.
“Where will you sleep?”
“On the floor. I’ll just put down two of my comforters.”
A hesitant expression grew over her face. “Um…have you washed or changed your sheets this week?”
“Yes,” I answered. She’d jumped off of this couch if she knew that I didn’t have sex in my room. I always cleaned my sofa anyway, even though most of the action tended to happen on the floor.
“I’d carry her, but she’s 5’11 and—”
“It’s cool. I’ll bring her inside my room. Besides a pillow and some sheets, what else do you need?”
“You have extra tooth brushes, right?”
“Yep. You’ll find it in the bathroom when you wake up again. Get some sleep.”
I brought one hand behind Mariska’s head and another underneath her soft, cool legs. She smelled great, like she had on some fancy perfume or something. I paused for a second and with her eyes already shut, Beth pulled in a deep breath and shifted to her side. Riley came back onto the sofa and saddled next to her.
I went straight into my room and put Mariska on my bed. I quickly put a pillowcase over one of my pillows and took sheets from my laundry bag that I hadn’t put into one of my drawers yet. After I lifted Beth’s head, I placed the pillow behind her and covered her and Riley. Then, I ran back into my room and watched Mariska. Mouth moving, her arms and legs were spread out on my bed. I took one of my old shirts and shorts from my laundry bag and placed it next to her. As I pulled down her skirt, she kicked them off with her foot, sending it directly across the room. Her top was halfway up to her chest and I took it off of her easily. Just like before, she had no bra on and her little dark pink nipples tightened, as if she was waiting to see what else I would do to her, but I just dressed her fast. Her nipples weren’t pierced and it hadn’t been pierced recently. As I peered at her again, I saw two gold studs in her ears. That could be the only explanation for what she’d had done at Lasting Impressions. I could work with Vince now, without feeling like putting him into a headlock until he stopped smiling from ear to ear.
After I was showered, dressed, and relaxed, I put my extra set of comforters on the floor and switched off the light. I left my bedroom door open so I wouldn’t sleep on the bed with Mariska like I’d thought about while I’d been showering. And just when I was really beginning to dose off, I heard Riley jump on my bed. Unconsciously or not, Mariska shifted in the bed after she heard Riley whimper. The best thing for my sanity, and perhaps my sobriety, was not to like Mariska. How could I have anything against her, when my number one girl liked her too?
***
AT FIVE-THRITY IN the morning, I woke up to Riley standing on all fours on my bed. Mariska was still sprawled out, but I could see her outstretched arm where she’d made room for Riley not too long ago. My back felt stiff and my eyes were gritty. I’d tossed and turned constantly, until Mariska and Riley’s peaceful sleep had lulled me back to sleep.
“Come on, Riley,” Beth murmured. “You don’t wanna wake up her grumpy ass.”
Riley obeyed Beth’s command as I chuckled into my pillow. Forty minutes later, I realized that I wasn’t going to get any sleep, so I brushed my teeth, took another quick shower, and dressed into one of my clean shirts and old jeans. I took out the milk and the pancake mix. When I’d fried the first five pancakes, Mariska frowned as she peered around the empty living room. When she gazed at me, she looked anxious.
“Did you change me into your clothes?” she asked me directly.
“Yeah, I did. I’ve seen you naked before,” I told her and placed the plate on my round table. She’d cleaned herself up and was back in her top, jean skirt, and ballet flats. “There’s pure maple syrup, butter, jam, and peanut butter if you want. You can get your drink yourself.”
She made her way into the kitchen and took out the instant coffee. “What if I don’t eat anything with gluten in it?” she asked in a serious tone.
“To you, I’d say tough shit. Have coffee for breakfast. If you had celiac, I’d run out and get you some fruits and a mix of gluten free pancakes if I could find it.”
Mariska stood beside me and poured some water into my teakettle. “You should know that I am not on a g-free diet.”
I motioned with my head and placed two more pancakes onto my pan. She put the teakettle on the stove, and then sat down by the table and drowned her pancakes in maple syrup and butter. “When did Beth take Riley for a walk?”
“At five something this morning,” I answered. “Are you going to want more?”
“No, thanks.”
“What time is your first class, and Beth’s?”
I heard her swallow her first bite and get up as the teakettle whistled. “You don’t know Beth’s schedule by heart?” She opened up my cabinet and took out a mug when I stalked over to her, leaned into her and placed both my hands on the counter. She still wasn’t used to having to look up at me, but I relished that tidbit more and more every time.
I trailed my fingers up her arm, until my thumb was on the middle of her neck. Shivering, Mariska ran her straight upper teeth over her bottom lip. Her eyes looked as black as coal. She was impossibly infuriating and a challenge to everything I should want or could have. Pressing my chin down to her forehead, I dropped my head until my mouth touched her waiting lips. As her fingers threaded into my hair, she hopped on the counter and the mug crashed onto the ground. I ignored the sound, as long and strong legs enveloped me. The balls of her feet pressed into my ass and my cock stirred against her. Our kiss became scorching and rough. Mariska started to pull on my hair and I hiked up her top, needing to taste more of her flesh again when the door unlocked. Riley trotted inside and I raced to the stove. Mariska had found the mop in the hallway closet across the kitchen.
“I couldn’t find the bucket,” Mariska said with her breathing coming out shallow, her knuckles white as she held onto the mop for dear life.
“I told you Mariska doesn’t function in the morning,” Beth said with the side of her face quirked up, as Riley was eating the food I’d put in her bowl after Beth had taken her for a walk.
