Gravity (Free Falling) by Raven St. Pierre Read Free Book Online Page B

could get, even if it was just an extra hour. 
                  Through the phone, I could hear him laugh quietly to himself and then he replied, “Okay, I’ll text you to get the directions after I get out the shower.”
    That was an image that I could’ve done without.  I smacked my forehead and squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could.  Speaking through clenched teeth, I replied, “Talk to you in a few.”  I hung up and took a few deep breaths before heading upstairs to get ready. 
    About an hour and a half later AJ sent me a text asking for the directions to my house, prompting me to respond immediately.  Then, seconds later another text came in. ….and it was from Antonio this time.  Themessage read, “ Want some company?”
    This was not happening!  I had to think quickly.  “ Not feeling 2 well.”
                  “Need me2 bring u something?”   He asked.
                  “No, my mom is taking good care of me. Thanks tho.”
                  “Ok.  I still may come by l8r 2 check on u.”
    Crap!  What am I gonna do?  This was bad….. very bad, but that’s what I get for making such reckless decisions.  I should’ve never agreed to let AJ come over.  Now what?  Somehow I had to keep one of them away from my house.  I concluded that it made the most sense for me to deter Antonio since we were already texting one another.  It was a poor excuse, and I couldn’t lie to myself; that wasn’t the real reason I was rejecting him. I wanted to see AJ more than I wanted to see him .
                  “ No really, I’ll b embarrassed if u come by with me looking like this.  Promise u won’t try 2 surprise me,” I insisted .  It took him a while to respond, but he finally agreed to respect my wishes.  The guilt that I felt was so strong as thought about the lie I’d just told.
    *****
    About 40 minutes later, the doorbell sounded. My fingers fumbled through my hair and over my clothes checking to make sure that everything was just right as I placed my hand on the door knob, took a deep breath, and opened it.
    It was all so surreal.  Only days ago everything was the way it was supposed to be; I was absolutely sure of my feelings for Antonio; there were no shaded areas of grey, only black and white.  Somewhere along the way the lines became fuzzy and I ended up here, standing before one of the most beautiful and exotic men I’d ever seen in my entire life.  My eyes lingered on AJ’s face for a few seconds, taking it all in; from the perfection of his tan colored skin; piercingly dark eyes; slightly squared jaw line, and finally focusing on his lips for a minute before I’d noticed that I was subconsciously biting my own.  There was a brief pause before I was able to speak. 
                  “Hey,” I blurted in an unfamiliar monotone.
                  He smiled, displaying his perfect teeth again.  “You gonna invite me in?”
    I stood there another moment , fascinated by him, and then regained consciousness long enough to move aside so that he could enter.  My hands were unsteady as I fought against the shiver that being near him sent racing down my back.  When I closed the front door, we walked into the living room and I motioned for him to have a seat on the couch.
                  “Can I get you anything?”  I asked.
                  “No, I’m good.  Thanks.” 
    There was an awkward tension between the two of us that left me feeling slightly uncomfortable.  Sitting next to him on the couch would’ve made me even more uneasy, so I decided to sit in Daddy’s armchair.  AJ stared at me for a moment and then lowered his head and laughed to himself. 
                  “What’s funny?”
                  “ You are,” he responded with a smile still fixed on his lips.
                  “What’d I do?” I