“You stay put!” he commanded her, ratheruncharacteristically.
“Take it easy, man,” Dorian warned him.
Determined tomake his point, Crispin refused to release her.
“If she wants to get up, let her,” Keegan said with anindifferent shrug of his shoulders.
“I said, no!” Crispin hissed, squeezing his fingers just a weebit too tight around the tender flesh he held.
All it took wasone tiny wince on Becky’s face for Kell to launch himself from hischair. “Give her here!” he demanded, having had enough of watchingBecky used as a pawn in this pissing match between Keegan andCrispin.
Immediately,Crispin realized what he’d been doing and released her. “Sorry,dormouse. Did I hurt you?” Before he could even help her up, Kellslapped his hand away and plucked her off the couch. He thencarried her back to his chair and sat down, holding her in theprotective fortress of his arms. Without hesitation, Becky curledinto his chest.
“She’s not a toy, Crispin,” Kell scoffed. “What were youthinking?”
“Obviously, I wasn’t thinking,” Crispin said with regret andshame in his voice. He got up then and left the room, shouldersslumped. “You win, take your rightful place, Keegan.”
Sure he wanteda spot of his own, but not in this way. Keegan frowned miserably.Apparently, he couldn’t do anything right anymore. Not knowing whatelse to do, Keegan sheepishly came into the living room and meeklysat down in Crispin’s vacated corner of the couch.
Dorian couldn’thelp but snicker and shake his head. “Nice going, man. Way to wormyour way back into the fold.”
Keegan didn’tanswer. Instead, he stared blankly at the television, feeling evenmore sorry for himself.
“I’m all right, Kelley. He didn’t really hurt me,” Beckywhispered when he gently soothed the sore spot on her shoulder withhis warm hand.
“Hush, watch the movie,” he murmured, shifting her into a morecomfortable position. The chair was wide enough for her to sit inone corner with her legs over his knees. With his left arm aroundher shoulders and his right hand neatly tucked between her thighs,he sighed content.
For a whilenow, he’d wanted an excuse to have her sit with him instead of withCrispin. But he hadn’t come up with a way to suggest it withoutbeing too obvious. Keegan had actually done him a favour. As forCrispin, he’d get over it.
Sure enough,moments later, Crispin reappeared in the doorway. He looked aroundthe room, his troubled grey eyes landing on Becky. He hadn’t meantto hurt her. It was the last thing he wanted.
Feeling a tadsorry for Crispin, she smiled and wiggled her fingers at him. Theprickly Goth gave her a small apologetic nod in return.
Sufficientlyreassured, Crispin stalked into the room, playfully shoved Keeganout of his corner and reclaimed his spot. More than happy toacquiesce, Keegan happily settled into the middle of the couch.
Suffice it tosay, Becky didn’t give a hoot what this latest movie was about.Settling further into Kelley’s chest, she sighed deeply and smiledto herself. All was right in her world at that moment. Like italways was when she was in the protective circle of Kelley’sarms.
Chapter 31
In thefollowing weeks, the tension between Keegan and the guys eventuallydissipated. The Goths joked back and forth and talked about oldtimes. Laughing and swapping stories, they would reminisce aboutthings that Becky had a hard time relating to. It’s not like theywent out of their way to exclude her, but not having been aroundfirsthand to participate in those events, she couldn’t help butfeel out of the loop.
They startedthe band up again and spent more and more time out in the garagepractising. With Keegan back to play lead guitar, Crispin was freeto pour all his efforts into singing. While Becky was happy forthem, she couldn’t help but feel a little left out.
Sure, Kelleyhad said that she was always welcome to join them. Perhaps she wasonly imagining things. If she were anyone else, she might havesimply insinuated herself in their midst. Sadly, though, insituations like these, Becky realized she was her own worstenemy.
Then again,they didn’t exactly go out of their way to include her either.Becky, being the way she was, didn’t feel confident enough to jointhem without being invited. Besides, often before she could evenmuster up the courage to ask if she could watch them, they’dalready left her behind in the house.
It was likesuddenly they were in this exclusive boy’s club where she wasn’twelcome. She couldn’t help but wonder if they even wanted heraround at all.
They hardlywatched movies together anymore since the guys were so wrapped upin their band practice. Often, Becky spent her time painting andcatching up on her assignments. It wasn’t such a bad thing really.At least her professors were pleased with her efforts. With so muchtime on her own, she couldn’t help but get good grades.
Sadly, though,Kelley decided once again to keep his distance from her wheneverpossible. So much for their conversation the other week. Shemight’ve turned to Crispin with her concerns but when he wasn’t outin the garage with the guys, he was spending more and more timewith Gracie.
While Dorianwas usually around, Becky didn’t feel comfortable talking to himabout her feelings. Not that there was anything wrong with him, buthe had a way of making her feel like she was imagining hermisgivings. She wouldn’t exactly call his attitude dismissive, buthe could be rather clueless, often laughing her off and makinglight of her doubts. It was only his way of reassuring her, but itwasn’t what she needed to hear.
The only realtime they spent together was Saturday mornings. Scrambling out ofbed early at the first sign of stirrings from the kitchen, Beckyeagerly made her way downstairs.
“I love Saturday mornings,” she declared, sidling up to thecounter next to Kell, placing her mug next to his, grinningendearingly up at him. The surly Goth gave her an indulgent smilebefore pouring them both a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
“Took you long enough, dormouse,” Crispin teased from hischair. Unable to resist, he reached out and playfully snapped theelastic band of her pyjama bottoms.
“Hey…” she gasped, blushing bashfully while secretly loving theattention. She’d missed it over the last little while.
“What?” he teased, apparently equally pleased to see her.Unable to stand
