Lainey
The next few days are spent with Owen working and me helping him with house chores. One day I pulled weeds out while he mowed their lawn.
The definition of fun.
That day ended with me spraying him with the water hose and then him drenching me in water.
I need to remember he will always get me back and most of the time it's a hell of a lot worse than what I did to him.
Now I am waiting for him to get out of the shower so he can take Saddie to her volleyball game.
When Owen walks back to his room, he has a serious look on his face, "How good are you at popping pimples?"
I turn around in his desk chair to find him leaning against his bed frame, his wet hair flopping over his forehead. "So, you have finally decided to ask the master for help."
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, gently fluffing it. "Look, just answer my question."
I feel an evil laugh bubble up in my chest, but I keep it contained. "I have been told I can work wonders."
He levels me a stare, "Can you pop this pimple on my chin?"
I smile, "I would love to."
He never let me pop the one on his forehead and it nearly killed me. I almost popped it in the middle of the night, but I didn't, and it eventually went away. I know you are not supposed to pop your pimples, but I can't help it.
Owen sits down on his bed, "What do you need?"
"The only thing I need is a napkin," I say as I stand.
After I retrieve said napkin I come back to Owens's room to find him still sitting on his bed.
I stop in front of him to inspect his bump. Owen smirks, "You take this very seriously."
I glare at him and gently place my hand on his chest to push him backward. My hand meets a firm chest, and something flashes in Owens's eyes. He quickly masks it and says, "You're popping a pimple, not undressing me."
I roll my eyes, "Just lay on your back."
Owen obeys and lays flat on his bed; I move to his side, so I am hovering over him. "I never thought I would ever be in the position with you," Owen says with a grin.
I give him a blank look. "Hilarious."
He laughs and I roll my eyes. "This may sting a little," I say as I dab at his face with my napkin.
Owen scoffs, "You underestimate me, Lane."
I keep my remark to myself as I gently squeeze his pimple. The contents pop out quickly, but not as fast as Owens's reaction to me popping the pimple. "What the shit was that," He exclaims.
I lean backward as I let out a long belly laugh. "You underestimate me, Lane," I say in a deep voice, mimicking Owen.
He glares at me as he rubs his chin. "Wait, don't touch it," I exclaim.
"Why not," Owen argues.
I take the napkin and dab his chin again. "Because you are putting germs into the pore."
Obviously.
He takes my hand and stops my dabbing, "I think it will be okay."
Suddenly, I can't remember my sassy retort as I stare into his eyes. Eyes that are too blue to be real. Eyes that draw me and, it's impossible for me to look away.
So all I can do is stare.
Owen's eyes track over my face, leaving an invisible trail over my skin. "Has anyone ever told you that your eyes are mesmerizing?"
The only response I manage to give is a shake of my head.
Owen leans towards me and tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear, "I don't know why I never noticed them before."
I feel my face heat and my palms suddenly turn clammy. "They're pretty normal," I manage to whisper.
Owen sits up further, bringing his face closer to mine. Too close to mine.
"They are pretty damn unique," He says in a voice that has my entire body heating.
To distract my traitor hormones, I take the napkin and dab at the little blob of blood left from his pimple. "Lane, are you nervous?'
My widened eyes snap to his. "Me nervous around you?" I scoff, "Never."
A small smile forms on his face, and he lets out a breathy chuckle. The noise is the sexiest thing I have ever heard from him, "Your racing heart would say otherwise."
Racing heart? Maybe that's why it seems so hard to catch my breath. "How do you know my heart is racing?" I mean for it to come off as confident, but it sounds more like a whisper.
His finger brushes over my neck, "Your pulse, darling."
Well, there goes my heart. It now resides in my stomach.
I let out a breath, "Are you nervous?"
Owen swallows and slowly brings his eyes back to mine. "Always."
What
The
Actual
Freaking
Fuck?
"Why are you nervous around me?" I ask.
Owens's fingers travel down my shoulder and into my hair to trace one of my waves, "I used to think it was because I never knew what trick you were planning."
"And now," I ask gently.
"Now it's because you make it so easy to be open with," Owen says as his hand drops to the bed. "I find myself sharing details about me no one knows."
I shrug. "And that is a bad thing?"
Owens's eyes practically pierce mine as he stares at me. "Yes. The more details someone knows about me the easier it is for them to hurt me."
The only thing I can think to do is blink. What do you say to that?
How do you help someone who has been hurt by someone they trusted in the past?
"Owen, I may have played tricks and pranks in the past, but I would never use something personal to hurt you."
Owen sighs and sits up completely, ending whatever moment we just had. "I am beginning to realize that."
~~~~
I rode with Owen to take Sadie to her volleyball game and afterward, he took her to an arcade so she could play with her teammates.
Owen and I spent most of our time people-watching. But I couldn't help but think about what happened earlier.
Why was I so affected by Owen?
Why do I keep imagining him tucking hair behind my ear or wondering if my eyes are that mesmerizing?
Maybe he was lying, maybe he says that to a lot of girls.
But maybe he doesn't, maybe I am the first girl he has ever been this open with.
Yes, this is what it has been like in my head for the past three hours.
And laying in the same bed as my problem hasn't helped.
As I roll over for the ninth time, I go over all the feelings I have had in the last week and a half.
Then it hits me with the force of a pissed-off Karen.
I like Owen.
I have feelings for the one person I swore I would never feel anything for again.
How did this happen?
I sit up in bed, what am I supposed to do with this information?