AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The front door buzzer sounded. I frowned because I wasn't expecting anybody. "I'm awfully popular today," I said with a grin and went to see who it was.
Blake's voice came through the intercom. "Hey, baby. I hope you don't mind. I missed you and wanted to surprise you."
I squealed and buzzed him in. In my excitement, I forgot all about Andrew several feet behind me. I swung my door open and met Blake in the hall as he got off the elevator, jumping into his arms and kissing him.
"Whoa," he said with a chuckle.
"I missed you too," I said. "I was just trying to find a weekend to come visit."
"We'll find it together," he said, and his smile was the sweetest thing I'd seen since he'd been to visit me last.
That smile disappeared as we reached my apartment door.
Andrew stood on the other side of the room, pulling Blake’s shirt on.
36
BLAKE
Andrew stoodthere pulling his shirt on.
Pullingmydamn shirt on.
I'm suspicious by nature. Skeptical. It comes with the job. But I didn't for a minute think that he was shirtless because he and Callie had been doing anything. Her reaction to seeing me was all wrong for that, anyway.
She was so sweet and naive, I don't think she realized how the situation looked. But the thing was, I knew she wasn't naive. She just trusted Andrew far more than she should have.
"Blake," Andrew said, as he buttoned up. “Cal loaned me your shirt since I spilled pop on mine.”
"He came to get his jacket and brought lunch," Callie said, looking between us.
"Are youdonewith lunch?" I asked, never breaking eye contact with him.
"Yeah," he said. "We're done. I need to go get back to the capitol anyway."
How could she not see him trying to maintain some kind of ownership of her? Showing up when I wasn't around. Finding reasons to take his shirt off. I don't care how much pop he'd spilled. A few paper towels to sop up the worst should have been enough.
"Thanks for lunch," Callie said as Andrew passed us to leave.
"Your jacket," I said, realizing he still hadn't grabbed it. Probably to have a good excuse to show up again later.
“Oh, yeah.” He dashed back in and grabbed it. “Thanks. I’ll drop off the shirt as soon as I can.”
Damn it. There was his excuse. My shirt. I should have told him to keep it.
When the door was shut behind him, Callie put her arms around me again. "You're staying at least one night, aren't you?" She leaned against me and smiled.
“Yeah.” I put my arms around her too, but I couldn't shake the tension that hit the minute I saw Andrew in her apartment. Shirtless. “He couldn't wear a slightly damp shirt? Or go change at home?"
Callie tilted her head, narrowing her blue eyes. “He was headed to see my dad, so I offered a clean one.”
“Babe, don’t you realize he probably spilled his drink just to get his shirt off in front of you? And angled to borrow a shirt to have another reason to show up?”
Callie straightened but shook her head. “I saw it happen. The lid wasn't on properly and he–it doesn't matter anyway. He didn’t ask for your shirt—I offered. And even if he'd stripped down naked, it's not like anything would have happened.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t try that, spilling it on his pants too,” I said sarcastically.
She took a step back, glaring at me. “Is that what you're thinking? That maybe we had a little something going when you showed up?”
