Sorry for the huge pause in chapters. I went to Europe…hehe. Now I’m worldly. But yes, here’s another installment. Please read and review and all that jazz. Love you my reviewers and I love writing this story!

And this chapter is for Liana. 

The Rat, Chapter 4: The Third Date

I had my third date with Blaze, the Argentinean cooking God who has a scar across the bridge of his nose and definitely planned to make a move. Not that I minded that in the least. He was a swimmer. Swimmer’s bodies are the hottest. Only reason I watched the summer Olympics.

Anyway, he made a meal called Melanesia while I sat in my best little black dress sipping Bordeaux and listening to a copy of his band’s soundtrack. They were decent except for the whiney singer. What is up with the current trend of seeing who can be the whiniest? I really hate it.

That’s besides the point. Blaze bobbed his nicely shaved his and shaking that cute Spanish ass to the beat. I couldn’t sit here drinking while there’s a man to be flirted with. I rose and slipped my arms around him from behind, slowly pressing my body to his.

“Almost done?” I asked him, whispering into his ear. I could feel his reaction in the tension of his muscles, how his arm paused before continuing to stir, and in the hitch of his breath. I love the fact that I can do that. Being a woman is so much fun.

“Si. But we can take a break,” he said, turning quickly so that he took me by surprise.

“Oh?” I asked him, slipping my arms around his waist. Warning bells rang in my head. I saw a bottle of Jack on the wall and I heard my Jack saying, “Megs, don’t do it. Respect yourself more than this. You don’t love him.”

When Blaze kissed me, Jack silenced but it took me a moment to shut my eyes. Something churned in my stomach, like Blaze was cooking in my abdomen rather than on the stove. I tightened my arms around him, hoping that would help, but I instead saw a different face in my head.

“Let’s go into my room,” Blaze whispered, fumbling to pull down the zipper on the back of my dress.

I didn’t protest and instead kissed him long and hard, forcing myself to do the familiar. This was how to keep a man; the only way I knew how. I ripped his shirt from his pants and pulled it over his head, revealing his dark skin and toned body.

“I like,” I said with a grin.

“I’m sure I will like what I see too,” he replied in his adorably accented English.

As he pushed the straps of my dress down, his doorbell rang.

“Mierda!” Blaze hissed under his breath.

My heart was pounding and I wasn’t sure if I was disappointed…or relieved.

“Blaze?” a masculine voice called.

I hurriedly slipped my straps back on and zipped my dress as Blaze shrugged into his shirt. Who was at the door? The voice was familiar.

“Cale! My man,” I heard Blaze say with enthusiasm and I gasped.

“Whose that?”

“Me!” I called, jogging towards the front door. I could feel the heat in my cheeks rising and my nerves were on edge. For some reason I didn’t want him to see me with Blaze even though he’d seen us together before.

“Hello, Meghan,” Cale greeted me with a broad grin, but again, there was that hint of uncertainty behind his eyes. What the hell was it? I used to be so sure about men? Why did this one make me clueless?

“Hey Cale,” I replied feeling strangely happy. But it slightly faded as I felt Blaze’s arm slip around my shoulders.

“Is that Cat I see?” Blaze said, releasing me just as fast as he’d grabbed me in order to greet his friend who stared daggers at me over Blaze’s shoulder.

“Yup. We came to ask if you wanted to go to the movies. I didn’t know that you’d be here Meghan. I thought you two weren’t dating,” he said, furrowing his brows.

“Oh, well, we are. Who could resist a Spanish drummer?” I joked, trying to force the edge out of my voice that was the result of being skewered on one end of Cat’s death glare and an indiscernible mix of some emotions I couldn’t identify. Again, what’s with all this confusion? I don’t like it!

“True,” Cale agreed with a half-hearted smile while Blaze turned to kiss me. When he pulled away, I saw Cat glaring at me…again. If she kept staring I bet her face would freeze into that foul grimace. That would be really cool!

“You were kind of interrupting something though,” Blaze said with a scolding tone. “But I don’t mind going to the movies. Do you?”

Cale frowned. “Oh, we’re sorry. We didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine!” I said, holding up my hands. “Blaze. It was lovely. I have an exam tomorrow. Why don’t you call me?”

I bent to kiss him and whispered, “Cat hates me. I don’t know if I can do a whole night with her.”

“Oh,” he said, sounding deflated. “I’ll call you then.”

“Bye guys,” I said with as much cheerfulness as I could muster. But, with my low voice it sounded more like a seduction in the making.

Then I bolted. Who can blame me? Other than being a self-proclaimed narcissist, I am also a coward. And when it comes to Cale, I’m also a chicken. Or a cat, depending on whether or not his Cat is there. Why? You ask. Because I want to claw her perfect little Barbie face off! Again, don’t ask me why.

Ten minutes later I arrived at my little apartment and was greeted with a sock on the door. “Oh no,” I whined. That was the infamous sign for ‘I have a special someone over. Do not disturb.’

Over the past week Jack and I had weaseled our way into two social groups, the one at The Rat and Mike’s group of random music-associated people. Work was fun, but taxing, especially as I was working four days a week on top of my sixteen credit course load. Have I mentioned I’m also some kind of suicidal?

Anyway, Nick, the attractive South African with the adorable accent had returned Jack’s phone call after Jack had scribbled our number onto Nick’s hand at The Rat meeting. My Jack is such a romantic. But at that moment I was not happy with that trait. I wanted to go into my room and ponder over my ridiculously gyrating emotions and thoughts, not wait outside while Jack got the action I was supposed to be getting.

“Sorry Jackie boy,” I muttered and knocked loudly on the door before opening. “I’m home, Jack. So sorry for interrupting. But I needed in.”

She heard a groan from the living room and walked in to see the two men seated side by side. “So your date got cut short so you cut mine short?” he asked with annoyance, rising with an impertinence to his movement.

“In effect. Yours can continue though. I’m going into my room to sulk,” I said before bending to kiss Nick on the cheek. “Hope your being good to my Jack. Night you two.”

“Oh whoa, you don’t get off that easy,” Jack said, following me into my room.

“Get out pervert,” I said, pulling off my dress and searching my drawers in my underwear for my pajamas.

“Shut up. You don’t turn me on,” Jack said, crossing his arms and sitting on my bed, staring at my rear end as I bent over my drawers. “Your ass is huge though.”

“Stop staring at my fat ass,” I ordered before spotting my Little Mermaid pajamas and pulling them on.

“I just said it was huge. I didn’t say it was fat. Now what are you doing home?” He glanced at me with his head cocked to the side like a hungry pigeon.

“I have homework to finish so I can cover Ray’s shift or else Emmet is gonna get mad at me and then there’s a jazz concert next week so I have to call to get that shift covered so I can go watch our friends play and then…”

“Shut up! Jesus woman! You bitch a lot. That’s not what I wanted to know. I wanted to know why you were home,” he said firmly, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“That IS why…”

“Liar liar pants on fire. And you don’t want to kill the Little Mermaid now do you?” he asked me and I laughed.

“You’re retarded, JD.” I laid my head on his shoulder and he put his arms around me.

“So?”

“So.”

“Why are you home?”

“I didn’t sleep with Blaze,” I began and Jack stirred but I cut him off. “No, don’t say anything. I was going to but then someone knocked on the door. It was Cale and his bitch.”

“Oh.” There was a whole world of revelation in his voice.

“Ya. And of course she was giving me the death stare and the boys were perfectly oblivious,” I said and he pulled away from me.

“So are you, Meggie,” Jack said before kissing me on the forehead. “Just be careful with Blaze and with Cale. Blaze is just using you and Cale has a girl.”

I stared at him, completely puzzled and a bit incited. “Why are you talking about Cale? Blaze I see. I heard warning bells in my head today about him, but shit Jack. Cale?”

“You like him.” Jack’s look was serious.

“I do not. He has a girlfriend. And I’m seeing Blaze, remember?”

“Just be careful. It’s safer for me to like him because I have no chance with him, but you, watch your step woman,” Jack warned and turned towards the door.

I remained silent and pensive.

“Now get to the shit you came home to do,” he said dryly with a raised brow.

“Goodnight Jack,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Goodnight, pumpkin.” He left to be with Nick.

“Cale?” I asked myself, the room, whoever would listen. Do you think my bed would respond? Might be helpful to have a response. Even if it was from a bed.

……………

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Krystal Nickle: thanks so much for your review. If you have any ideas on the story I would love to hear. Thanks for taking the time to read

Anonymous: thanks! This story is fun to write

Hexic: I spelled your name right! I like fluffy. I needed some. And yes, Jack does…don’t forget Nick.

Ashlita: Some frat parties I’ve been to are like that, some not. Jack is fun! There’s a whole back story to Meg that will come out slowly!

Alenor: Ya, darn Cat right? I can’t help but like her cause she’s just being defensive of her guy. Thanks for being so constant!

Ollie May: I love Jack too! I won’t make all the men like her which might cause a problem for her if she starts crushing…oooh lala. Ha. I have an evil little plan!

Jessica Renee: Hey girl! I love Caleb’s name too! And I fixed Meghan I think, but its supposed to be with an H. We’ll see what happens

Lilitaliandragon: Well, the story is just starting, lets get to know these men better!

Screwy Lewy: Haha, I will be getting to Jack soon. And I take it you don’t like Meg too much…hehe. Well, there are reasons, but I’ll be revealing them slowly. And a story is not a story if characters are stagnant so lets wait and see how she evolves. ;)