“What?” He shrugged innocently. “Everyone’s known since she moved here that it was only a matter of time.”
“Don’t make me break your nose again!” Caelan seethed, trying to get around me so that he was the one facing Cyrus. I stayed put though, wanting to avoid a fight.
Cyrus merely chuckled. “Go for it. It makes me even more ruggedly handsome and the ladies love it. It makes them think I’m a badass,” he winked at me.
“Or,” Caelan said between clinched teeth, “it makes them think you’re a pussy who can’t throw a punch.”
Cyrus shook his head, his dark hair blocking his eyes for a moment. “Wow, Cael. Never knew you could get so worked up over a female leaving your apartment. Guess she really is special. Wish I could get a taste,” he cackled as Caelan tried to lunge for him once more.
Whistling, Cyrus left, tossing us a wave over his shoulder before he descended the steps.
“I hate that guy,” Caelan glared, his knuckles turning a ghostly white where he grasped the doorframe.
“Doesn’t everybody?”
He grumbled something under his breath.
Now that the coast was clear, I headed across to my apartment.
I felt Caelan’s gaze on me and I held my breath as I waited for him to say that this could never happen again.
When I swung the door open, he said, “See you later.”
I turned around to look at him, but he was already gone and I was met with a closed door.
???
“You’re in a good mood,” Emery remarked when I breezed into Griffin’s a quarter till five, so that I could hear him sing and we could get dinner. Despite the fact that I’d only gotten an hour of sleep once I returned home from Caelan’s I had more energy than I’d had in a long time.
“Sex will do that to a person,” I joked, dancing past him and onto a stool. It felt weird to be here and not working.
He followed and took the seat beside me. “Whoa, missy, you can’t say something like that and leave me hanging.” He kept his voice low so no one else heard, but with the crowd gathered we could shout and they still wouldn’t hear us.
I turned to face him. “What? I’m not giving you the details if that’s what you think.”
He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, I don’t want them. Memphis?”
I shook my head.
His eyes widened in surprise. “Who then?”
“I’m not telling.”
Emery pondered for a moment. “It was your neighbor, wasn’t it?” I turned away guiltily and he clapped his hands together. “I knew it!”
“You know nothing,” I grumbled, resting my head on my hand.
He laughed heartily. “Whatever makes you feel better, Sunshine.”
I groaned at the ridiculous nickname, but said nothing about it. I was still hoping it would wear off.
“You’re up,” Griffin said, patting Emery on the shoulder as he passed us.
Emery wiggled his eyebrows and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you ready to be amazed?”
“More like bored out of my mind,” I laughed.
He rolled his eyes and stood. “Whatever. Come on,” he nodded his head towards the back where the stage was. “You can’t see the show if you stay out here.”