A banging on the door erupted my sleep. Sleep, I might add, which had been taking place in Mike's arms. Mike had both his arms around me and his head in my neck, still asleep in spite of the loud knocking.
I heard the door open and shut my eyes.
"Mike," A very high voice hissed, "wake the fuck up."
I felt Mike stir and sit up slowly. "What are you doing here?"
"You haven't been calling me back!"
"For a reason."
I opened my eyes and turned over. The girl glared at me. "Who's this?"
"None of your damn business. Go away." Mike replied.
Her eyes widened. "You're fucking Charley Carlile?"
"He wishes." I muttered under my breath.
Mike bit his lip, trying not to laugh. "Bye, Maria." He turned to me as she left. "Sorry about that. Ex."
"Shut up, I'm sleeping." I mumbled , turning facedown.
He laughed. "No, wake up!"
"Shut the fuck up."
"I'm lonely!" He cried.
"Go talk to your brother." I replied.
"Charley," he whined, "please?"
I sighed and sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. "I seriously hate you."
"No you do not." He said stubbornly.
"I really do." I said, fighting to keep my eyes on his face and off his chiseled torso.
"Charley," he said softly, leaning closer, "you don't hate me."
"Fuck off." I mumbled.
He laughed. "You're grumpy in the morning. I'll remember that."
"Make me food." I grumbled.
"Maybe you should put some pants on." He suggested.
"Sure, sure." I tumbled out of bed and onto the floor. "Ow." Slowly, I pulled on my shorts from last night and gave Mike the thumbs up. "All clear."
"Let's go, princess." He said, pulling me downstairs and setting me in a chair at the table. "French toast for princess Charley!"
"I don't hate you anymore." I grinned, watching him cook.
"You never hated me in the first place." He reminded me.
"True. You're smart." I giggled.
"I am. You know, they say models are all beauty and no brains." He said.
"Yeah? What do you think?" I asked
He smiled. "I think you have both."
"You're cute." I grinned.
"You're cute." He shook his head.
"-and they say they don't like each other. Yeah, I know!" Vic said into his phone, sitting down beside me. "Okay, we'll be there. Yeah, I'll ask Charley. Yeah, I'll tell her. Jack says what? Okay. Sure. Eight, okay. Okay, later man." Vic hung up. "Your boyfriend Jack says that he is very excited to see you tonight. Oh, and you're coming to a party with us tonight. Alex specifically said that if you don't come by choice then we have to kidnap you."
"You didn't tell me you have a boyfriend!" Mike said.
Vic looked at him. "He's cooking. He's cooking? He never cooks."
"I don't have a boyfriend. It's a joke." I rolled my eyes. "Party? I'm down. Oh, is it really already afternoon? I should go home."
"But you didn't eat my french toast yet." Mike complained. I grabbed a piece from him and grinned, kissing his cheek. "Pick me up later! Bye, Mike. Bye, Vicky."
***
"Where's Alex? I have to tell him something." I asked. We'd just gotten to his party.
"Oh! He's over there." Mike said, leading me across the room.
"Hi, Alexander." I grinned, waiting for him to notice me.
"CHARLEY!" Jack screamed, running across the room and nearly tackling me.
"Jack! I can't breathe!" I cried.
"Charley! I missed you!" He yelled.
"I missed you too, Jack. Now get the hell off me." I said.
He released me and laughed. "Alex! Charley's here!"
"I'm talking to her boy toy!" Alex said. "Hi, Charley."
"Alex." I smiled. "I have a boy toy now?"
"I think that's me." Mike grinned sheepishly.
"He's right." Alex said.
"Why on earth was my presence at this party so important?" I demanded.
"Because you're a real party animal." Jack said.
"Me and Mikey are going to mingle. I'll see you two later." I pulled Mike away, in search of a drink.
"Party animal, huh?" Mike asked.
I grabbed a bottle of Absolut and raised my eyebrows. "This party blows."
"You want to get out of here?" He smirked.
I laughed. "Not in the way you're thinking."
We ended up in the extensive backyard sharing the bottle I'd taken. "They're probably wondering where we went." Mike said.
"Who cares?" I shrugged.
"Not me."
"Not me either." I laughed.
"Charley? Do you like me?" he asked.
"Are you in the fifth grade, Mike?" I rolled my eyes.
"Mentally, people say I have the sense of humour of a ten year old. So, kind of." He replied. "Do you remember when I kissed you?"
"Of course I do." I said.
"I'm a good kisser, aren't I?" He grinned.
"No. It was horrible." I said jokingly.
What I didn't expect was Mike's reaction. He flipped over on top of me, pinning me down against the grass. "Oh really? You didn't like it?"
"What would you do if I said no?" I asked. He leaned his head down just a little so that our lips were barely touching.
"I thought I was the tease." I complained.
"You don't like kissing me, remember?" He whispered huskily.
I pulled my head up and pressed our lips together. Mike leaned forward so that my head was resting on the ground without breaking the contact on our lips. He licked my lips and I turned my head, opening my mouth just a little.
"Change your mind?" He grinned crookedly, pulling away. I nodded fervently. He kissed me once more and then pulled away. "I want to hear you say it."
"I like kissing you." I said breathlessly.
"That's what I thought." Mike smirked, making my heart flutter.