Falling for You

“What the fuck?” Sam growls.

I snap my eyes open and crush the can in my hand, then toss it aside. If Hattie saw me littering in her house she’d flip, but she’d also understand while expecting me to help clean up tomorrow.

Sam runs his hand down his arm, pushing beads of what smells like beer to the floor. Layla stands frozen, mouth agape. Her dress is soaked on one side, the hem of it dripping a puddle by her feet.

Kelly smirks and walks away without a word.

Sam lets go of his frustrations towards Kelly as quickly as they came. He has this rare gift of letting everything roll off his back. He eyes Layla like she’s a rare-cooked ribeye, licking his lips. “This is a sign, cutie That dress has to go.”

Layla looks up at Sam, too shocked to reply, mouth hanging open. I step forward, brushing my arm against Sam’s, and undo each button on my shirt. “Here.” I drape it over her shoulders then set my hand on her hip. “Let’s find you something dry to wear.”

I guide her away from Sam and all the other assholes who have noticed the pink and grey striped bra peeking through her cream colored dress. Yes, I’m one of those assholes, but I have the decency not to stare. One quick glance was all I needed.

I fish my keys out of my pocket and find the one with the purple holder around it. I slide it into the lock, twist, and hold the door to Landon's room open. For almost everyone here, the bedroom is off limits, but Sam and I both have a key, just in case. I rarely use mine. Sam, on the other hand, changes the bed sheets damn near every weekend.

Layla steps into the room first. I hit the light switch and shut the door in one move. She spins on her heels, eyes wide.

“Relax.” I hold my palms up in surrender. I get how this might look, a strange man unlocks a bedroom then shuts you inside, I understand why red flags might be flying, but I promise, I’m a good guy. “We’re just here to borrow something of Hattie’s for you to wear. That’s it.”

La

yla looks down at her beer soaked dress and chuckles. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Hattie and I aren’t exactly the same size.”

I’ve noticed, but my momma taught me a long time ago not to bring up a girl’s weight. Most are insecure about their bodies for one thing or another, even if they’re the most beautiful girl in the room. “Hattie is a little bigger than you, yeah.”

“A little?” Layla’s brows arch.

I walk to the closet and pull the string for the bulb. Hattie has at least twenty pounds on Layla, but I know she’s got a pile of clothes that are too small she refuses to get rid of...somewhere.

I rummage through her pile of jeans, checking each tag until I finally find one three sizes smaller than the rest. I toss that one over my shoulder and keep hunting. After a few minutes of searching, I hit the jackpot: a stack of pants and a pair of shorts Hattie probably hasn’t worn since middle school.

“Here.” I set the pile on the bed and toss the jeans beside them. “Something here should come close to fitting.”

Layla walks to the furthest edge of the bed, putting as much space between us as she can. “You don’t think she’ll mind?”

I shake my head and step back. Hands in my pockets, I lean against the windowsill. “Nah. I doubt she’ll even notice any of this is missing. You can keep my shirt if you’d like. Landon has at least five of mine in the closet.”

“Thanks.” She picks up a pair of shorts. Looks at them. Then sets them back on the bed before choosing the jeans. “Is that a bathroom?”

“Yup. You can take a shower too, if you want, to wash the beer smell off. I’ll make sure no one bothers you.”

“Okay.”

Layla walks across the tiny room to the even smaller bathroom then shuts the door. I don’t move, not until I hear the faint click of the lock. As I’m folding Hattie’s stuff again, the shower turns on. Water whistles in the pipes, but I doubt anyone can hear it over the music.

After putting Hattie’s clothes back at the top of her closet and grabbing a shirt for myself off a hanger, I sit on her bed. Don’t ask me how, but she and Landon share a twin sized mattress. I can barely fit on a twin by myself, but somehow they sleep together on it more nights than not.

My phone vibrates in my jeans for the umteenth time tonight. As much as I don’t want to, I pull it from my pocket. Eighteen text messages. All from the same person, and all of them will go unanswered until tomorrow. I hit the side button, to turn off the screen but another text comes through.

Amanda: This is bullshit, Josh, and you know it.

“You’re still here.”

I look up at the sound of Layla’s voice and smile. Hattie’s pants are loose in the legs and hanging on by a thread at her hips. They’re obviously too big, but considering her other options, things could be worse. But what’s got my lips lifting and heart pounding is that Layla’s still wearing my shirt, and it’s sexy as hell.

I slide to the edge of the bed and slip my phone back into my pocket. “Of course. Wouldn’t want anyone barging in on you.”

Layla chews on her bottom lip and stares at me. “You’re not the same asshole cowboy I remember.”