Crying Wolf

Pushing herself back up as Rhys sat back staring at her, Elizabeth's eyes flashed with anger and the sharp crack her slap made against his cheek that knocked his head sideways surely must have been heard outside...if it hadn't Elizabeth's voice surely was...

"You fucking asshole! How dare you!!" The brunette girlfriend half-screamed and half-shouted, her eyes dangerous and her hands clenched tightly into fists.

Rhys turned to look at her...amused! Amused!! Rage flared violently inside of her and she once more slapped Rhys' face so hard she left a hand print on his cheek that burned red and made her hand cry in pain before she quickly moved away from him, standing up and staring hate at him, wiping her lips with the back of her hand before placing her hands firmly on her hips.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing!?" She demanded in only a raised voice this time, as she stood quivering inside.

Rhys just turned his head calmly...still wearing a smile of all things...and leaned back on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table as if he were for all the world relaxing in a fun, peaceful atmosphere.

"Well, where I come from that's called kissing you." He replied just as calm and amused as he looked.

"I want you to get out!" Elizabeth said dangerously.

"Get out? Why? Karl will be back soon and I've only got to come back then." He replied as he reached for the remote and changed the channel.

Elizabeth looked from his face to the remote. The...the fucking audacity of this...this...this...ah, she could have screamed!

"Karl will throw you out himself when I tell him what you just did!" She replied furiously, the anger inside just wanting to grab something to throw at him.

Rhys' smile broadened at that and he turned to look at the television, seeing what was on as he flicked through the channels.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, I'll just say it was an accident." He answered perfectly confidently.

"He knows what you're like so he'll believe me." She replied, her anger being stoked by the way he was acting.

"He didn't say anything that time I 'accidentally' kissed you when we first met, and that was in front of him." Her boyfriend's best friend said dismissively. Reminding her of that situation only got her back up even more, and while he was right about that time there was no chance that Karl would dismiss this one when he heard how upset she was.

"We'll see about that." She replied angrily and turned to reach for the phone, dialling Karl's work number and turning to glare at Rhys before she walked through to the kitchen. If she'd had to stare at him a moment longer she'd have threw the phone at that stupid arrogant smile of his!

By the time that Karl answered the phone she was pacing up and down like a cat swishing its tail and ready to lash out.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Her boyfriend of just over three years asked as he sounded busy.

Turning to lean against the kitchen counter, and glancing angrily through the doorway at Rhys who still sat calmly as he watched her from his 'comfy' sitting position on the couch, Elizabeth replied.

"Karl, you're asshole of a 'friend' is here..." She began in a tight voice, ready to relate what had happened, when suddenly her boyfriend cut in.

"Babe, we talked about this earlier, I'll be home soon, think you can just put up with him till I get back?" He asked half-interestedly as he STILL continued to do whatever it was he had been doing before her call despite her obviously wound-up sounding tone! The rage she felt at Rhys then turned a little towards her guy of just over three years.

"Karl, that 'friend' of yours just fucking kissed me!" She almost growled in a not-too-caring tone, "I had to push him off me!"

For a moment there was a silence and Elizabeth thought she had finally said something that had gotten through to her sweet boyfriend, when suddenly he spoke, STILL sounding busy.

"It was probably just an accident..." He replied as laid-back as ever

Elizabeth's eyes widened at those words...how could he think that after she had just told him!? What made it worse was Rhys, who was still watching her, obviously knew why she looked shocked and grinned broadly, laughing to himself before he turned back to the television.

"...you know what he's like, he's just a flirty-kind of guy." Her boyfriend finished, and this time all of Elizabeth's anger turned on him.

"Fucking hell Karl!" She almost yelled. "He kissed me! It was no accident, how can you say that?" She added angrily, her face a thunderhead. "Don't you care that your so-called 'best friend' tried to kiss your girlfriend in your own house!?"

"Beth, come on, Rhys can get a little out of hand some times but I'm sure you're just blowing this out of proportion. He's probably just messing with you or something." He answered calmly, and Elizabeth's eyes widening with every word...though at least he sounded like he was giving his full attention this time. For a moment she was silent, until finally Karl seemed to gain some semblance of sense. "Beth, you there? You ok babe?"

What was there to say to that?? Whatever it was, Elizabeth Alexander didn't know what it was right then; she was too stunned and fuming to reply.

"Look babe, I believe you, it's just, you know, probably Rhys just playing around, you know what he's like. If it will make you happy I'll have a word with him, get him to calm down?" Her boyfriend continued, sounding truly like he did believe her, but mostly he just sounded like he was trying to placate her.

She should have known Karl would have been like this...though she had hoped he would have not been! He really wouldn't believe how much of a fucking pig his supposed 'best friend' was until he did actually see him trying to rip her clothes off! And even then she wouldn't put it passed him to be so fucking laid back, trusting or trying to see the good in everyone to think of some fucking excuse!

Elizabeth was not happy.

"No, it's fine, he's obviously just playing around." She replied as sarcastically as she could, with more than a hint of anger in her voice.

"He probably is." Karl said soothingly, which irked Elizabeth some more. "I'll be home in an hour, you can handle him for that long."

Wrapping her free arm around her flat stomach, she frowned as she looked at Rhys glance over to her, feeling her anger at both men, before she replied.

"Yeah" She replied simply, the annoyance so obvious in her tone and short reply...though if Karl noticed, he didn't say.

"Alright beautiful, I'm going to have to go, but I'll be back soon. Love you." He said sounding a little happier.

"You too" She replied tightly before pressing the 'end call' button and trying very hard not to slam the phone down on the kitchen counter.

Glaring at Rhys as he smiled at her knowingly before turning back to the television, Elizabeth wrapped both arms around her before she walked over to the sink and stared out into the back garden and the gorgeous summer day. For a long time she stood trying to calm the anger inside her, after all, it would do her no good right now. A while passed as thoughts went through her mind and slowly she calmed to a gentle simmer before she suddenly realised that she had been standing in the kitchen for half an hour. That sudden thought made her feel as if she were hiding...hiding in her own home from that asshole!...and that, well, that just didn't sit right with her current mood.

And so, turning around, Elizabeth walked back into the lounge and sat in the armchair by the couch, crossing her legs and folding her arms beneath her succulent breasts, blanking her boyfriend's jerk of a best friend as she watched the boring hockey game he had put on.

"Wondered if you were going to come back in." Rhys said with slight amusement, and when she didn't even blink at his words, totally ignoring him, he added, "Told you Karl wouldn't believe it."

Elizabeth glanced at him and smiled darkly.

"I thought my slaps would have knocked some sense into that thick head of yours." She said acidly, and Rhys smiled arrogantly.

"They were quite something." He replied, and surprisingly sounded genuinely admiring, "I like fiery women."

Elizabeth's smile this time resembled her tone.

"Well, anytime you want a slap, just ask." She said sharply, to which Rhys simply laughed.

For a long moment Elizabeth sat in silence while her irritation at Karl festered in her mind as she went over how he acted again and again...which was only made worse by the not-so-secret appreciate glances Rhys kept giving her, though that did help turn her irritation towards him instead of her boyfriend.

What was wrong with them both? Rhys was an asshole, and Karl, well, he was just too laid back and naïve at times. He knew what his friend was like, what he was like with all women -- he knew it, but he still wouldn't see that his best friend would ever be like that with his girlfriend, oh no, he trusted him too much for that. She supposed that was part of the reason she loved him in a way, at least for his lack of jealousy, after all she often did get guys hitting on her in clubs and bars, but still...

Sighing silently to herself, Elizabeth tried hard to ignore Rhys' glances which seemed to work for a little while, though she could still 'feel' him in the room, and the memory of that prick kissing her still flared more anger than usual inside her, though this time she would not let him see it. She would wait for Karl to get back and have a private word with him, let him 'see' what kind of an asshole his friend really was, then he really would throw Rhys out and he would never bother her again then!

A whole quarter of an hour of uninterrupted silence passed, blessed silence...and then Elizabeth heard a 'click'. Turning to look at Rhys, Elizabeth half-opened her mouth about to ask what he was doing when she saw the phone in his hands, which had obviously been pointed at her impressive rack, though Rhys was in the process of holding the phone's camera up to obviously take a full shot of her this time...the second 'click' sounded before Elizabeth could even get any words out.

"Damn, you should be a model." Karl's best friend said as he leaned back and studied the photos on his phone. Again, he actually sounded honestly admiring. "You know, I'm a pretty good photographer, if you want any pictures taken anytime?"

Elizabeth thought about telling him exactly what she thought about that idea, but decided against it as she remembered just how much effect that had had earlier, and so instead, she decided to play it entirely cool. And so turning back to the television she sipped her drink and totally ignored him.

The next while truly tested her patience as Rhys began making suggestive remarks or taking another picture or twelve, anything to get a reaction from her, however Elizabeth continued to watch the show on television as if she were entirely alone...oh, and that did pay off. Her boyfriend's best friend at first found her silence amusing, however the longer she went on without acknowledging him, the more he tried harder and harder until Elizabeth had to suppress a small smile at 'his' now growing irritation...that was, until he made a move to stand up...

...Elizabeth turned to see that egotistical-predator-look on Rhys' face as he stood, and a million thoughts flew through her mind, however before he could move an inch from the couch the sound of a car pulling onto the drive had Elizabeth smiling conqueringly as she swiftly got up and glided promptly towards the front door.

As she began pulling the door open to welcome her loving boyfriend, Rhys moved to her side and raised his hand in greeting to his friend. As she pulled the door fully open and gritted her teeth at being so close to the most annoying asshole she had ever met, and as Rhys raised his hand to greet his friend, Elizabeth felt his other hand slide behind her to squeeze her tight ass, resting gently on her jeans as he called out to Karl.

"About time mate, thought you had gotten lost." The guy with his hand on her ass called out.

Elizabeth looked up at him warningly, though Rhys simply gave her a proud, self-confident smile, amusement sparkling in his eyes as she reached back to pull his hand from her ass.

"Lost? I got out early...and, I got some beer, come and give me a hand if you want some." Elizabeth's boyfriend of three years replied to his friend as he pushed the car door closed, oblivious to the fact that his friend was repeatedly squeezing his girlfriend's ass as she fought to pull his hand off her.

"Rhys..." Elizabeth warned in a low, dangerous voice as Karl turned to walk to the back of the car and she tried turning to pull his hand free.

"You know you love it." The cocky, dark-haired best friend replied before he gave her ass one last squeeze, and then, patting her like she 'was' his piece of ass and grinning confidently he then swaggered off proudly towards her boyfriend.

Frowning irritably Elizabeth muttered under her breath. Not long now and he would be gone, and Elizabeth would make sure that Karl never let him near her again. Rhys had pushed it too far today by trying to kiss her...well, he had kissed her, but still...and she would make sure that he didn't get the chance again.

Watching the pair take the beer out of the car and head back towards the door, her boyfriend's friend gave her one of his self-assured smiles as Elizabeth backed up against the wall so that he had more than ample room to get passed without touching her as he made his way in. Karl followed behind with a second crate and Elizabeth was relieved when Rhys just continued through to the kitchen without incident, but just as Karl made it passed the door, Elizabeth shut it behind him and leaned quickly in to kiss him lovingly...despite the feeling of anger that still dwelled inside her after earlier, she was so glad that her boyfriend was home, she felt he would be a barrier between her and Rhys, even if he wasn't aware of it, she would make sure of that till that annoying prick was gone.

"Mmm, now I'm even more glad to be home." Her loving boyfriend said with that handsome smile of his as he stood looking down at her with those dark Latino-Italian eyes of his.

"Me too." She responded honestly, and then she took a slight breath, ready for the inevitable slug ahead as she added, "Karl, about Rhys..."

"Babe I know you don't like him, but we'll be heading out soon, so you won't have to put up with the way he is for long." He replied sweetly, still as laid back as ever as he cut her off.

Elizabeth felt that nugget of anger inside stir at her boyfriend again, however it quickly switched focus, just as she was about to snap at him, as Rhys came through to the hallway.

"If you two are planning to go at it right here the least you could do is bring the beer through so I can drink and watch at the same time." The shorter guy replied with his usual half-smile.

Elizabeth turned to snap at him instead, however before she could more than part her soft lips Karl chuckled amusedly beside her before he made his way into the lounge bantering with his 'best friend' as if he had made a comment about just any woman on the street and not his girlfriend of just over three years!!

Staring stunned at both of their backs as they headed through to the kitchen Elizabeth didn't know who to feel the more irritated with. In the end she decided to just go and get herself a drink...she would have words with both of them if they carried on being such...such...oh she could just have bit someone!

As she almost stomped into the kitchen, ignoring both of those jerks, Elizabeth may have banged the glass and bottle a little harder on the counter than she intended as she took them from the cupboards...not that either of them noticed as they swaddled off back into the lounge laughing and jeering each other. Muttering to herself, the beautiful girlfriend poured herself a full glass of wine and took a deep swig before topping it back up and rapping her fingers on the counter. It took her a couple of minutes before she finally decided she was at least calm enough to head through to them without biting their heads off. Not long now and Rhys would be gone and Karl, oh, he would get an earful at least, and he could think again if he planned any 'fun' when he got home tonight, that's for sure.

Taking a calming breath, the sexy brunette girlfriend kept that thought in mind as she walked through to the lounge, seeing her boyfriend and his friend sitting happily, the latter on the couch while the former was on the chair she had been in earlier, watching basketball on the television. That in itself didn't bother the gorgeous brunette, however the fact that Karl was either completely oblivious to her pissed off mood or simply had completely put it aside surely did. Either reason was made worse by the fact that he didn't even look around when she walked in, though Rhys noticed instantly. Oh, her sweet boyfriend was so not getting any for the next week!!

Rhys, however, turned his head and eyeing her from her feet to her face with open interest gave her a lecherous and approving smile as she stood a few feet from him.

"Beth, were you ever a cheerleader?" Her boyfriend's friend asked surprisingly. The question, not her, got her boyfriend's amused attention finally as he replied before she had a chance.

"Nah man, though she's beautiful enough to have been no doubt." Karl answered his friend with a smile. The answer from her boyfriend made Elizabeth feel warm inside, though Rhys, as usual, had to ruin it.

"No doubt about that man." Came his reply to his best friend. Nice enough words, sure, but it was the hidden insinuation behind them that shone in Rhys' eyes as he looked up at her, obviously mentally imagining her wearing a cheerleader's outfit that would show off her long, smooth legs, her slim waist and tight ass and her large, round, heavy tits...that ogling and self-assured look in Rhys' eyes deadened the momentary warmth inside the hot girlfriend.

Trying to ignore her boyfriend's friend, Elizabeth turned to smile a little more warmly at Karl.

"Thanks baby." She replied, deliberately not including Rhys in the gratitude.

Karl gave her the smile that had won her over their first date, before replying.

"Coming to join us?" He asked warmly, with a clear glint of being pleased in his eyes that she was 'trying' to tolerate his friend for him...though she wasn't, but that look and that smile...oh, it wouldn't be for long. Steeling herself, she smiled.

"Only if you're going to watch something more interesting than basketball." She replied good-naturedly and sipped her drink.

Karl smiled back at her and for a moment it was almost as if it were just the two of them, or at least them and anyone but Rhys Jenson.

"How about porn? We saw a good one about a threesome on while looking what to watch." Rhys piped up with an amused grin which made Karl laugh and Elizabeth shake her head as she sat on the arm of Karl's chair and lay her free arm on the back.

"You would suggest that." She retorted with no exasperation at all this time, after all, such a Rhysian response was inevitable, and at least it wasn't wholly insinuated at her, despite the 'threesome' part anyway. "You really should find a way of dealing with all that pent up 'inattention' you have Rhys."

The bantering response made Karl laugh and squeeze her leg, no doubt in appreciation for finally 'accepting Rhys' way' no doubt, which she hadn't, at least not his usual way of grabbing and tricking situations where he could kiss her anyway. At least when he was saying things he wasn't near her anyway.

Rhys just laughed, obviously enjoying the fact she replied back, though that spurred him on.

"Well, you could help me with that Beth..." He said, before taking a swig of his beer, and continuing as if he had had no intention of insinuating anything by those words...though Elizabeth, unlike Karl, was not that naïve, "...you've got some hot friends, ah?"