My Brother's Best Friend Ch. 05

He's probably close to 6 feet. He's got shaggy black hair, frizzy, unkempt. Even though it's dark out, under the parking lot lights I can see his eyes are coal black. Everything on his face is oversized. His eyes are unnaturally large as are his lips and his nose looks like it's been broken more than once. His skin is a light olive tone and he has a ton of scars and a small tattoo under one eye I can't quite make out.

He's smiling at me. A toothy grin that genuinely scares me.

"She's a nice ride eh?" he asks, gesturing to my car and then leaning up against it, as if trying to imply he might own it!

I nod. I hear the door to Circle K open and my brother, Jon and Chad who were laughing at something inside, are instantly silent.

"He actually." I say proudly, and walk through his friends, opening my car door with my keys and sliding into my seat. Shutting it.

"Ha! Shit. This your man's ride?" the middle guy asks.

"Nope. It's all hers." it's Pat. He's standing there, flanked by Jon and Chad who are all three evaluating the situation. Weighing what will happen next.

"You sure a tiny girl like that can handle something like this?" the shortest of them says.

Pat throws back his head and laughs. "You have no idea." he's the first to come around to shotgun, side eyeing the three men the whole time, keeping them in his sights.

Chad looks like he wants to throw down. He always looks like that though. Dude likes to fight. Then he shrugs and he and Jon get into the back of my car. Pat slides in shotgun, all three of my guys steady their gaze over at the group of men beside us. The air is electric with tension!

"Such a little thing." the tallest one pipes up. And then he leans into my car, right into my personal space and places his forearms where my windows are rolled down. He's not looking at my car. He's looking at me. And the look he's giving me is nothing short of horrifying. A smile that gives me a feeling like I need 50 showers in bleach. "Ditch the boys. Honey, you need to let a real man handle you and this car!'

"You're brave. Saying shit like that to my sister." Pat's eyes narrow. He starts to open the door.

I put the key in the ignition and start up my car. I don't want any fights! This isn't good!

I glare at this asshole leaning in my face and gun the engine and dude finally backs up off my car.

I throw my car in reverse and totally don't mean to but I skid my wheels, kicking up a ton of dirt and dusting the whole place out before I get the fuck out of there, slightly fishtailing on the way back onto the highway!

I glance in my rear view mirror and shift into second. Then into third.

"Shit Cat, slow down!" Jon shouts.

"I just want as much distance between us and them as possible!" I finally allow myself to breathe, slowing down slightly, checking my mirrors again. That smile. I shudder.

Morro Bay is known to be rough. I definitely wasn't thinking when I took us there.

"You've got us here, sis. Don't worry I woulda creamed his ass." Pat's smashing his fist into his hand.

"You'd have to line up behind me." Chad exclaims. "See how he was looking at her? Right in her face like that! Fuck that sack of shit! We could have taken them!"

"We know that hodad." Jon mutters, glancing over at me in the rear view mirror, then away. "He used to come down and ruin our parties at Estero. Remember?"

"That fucking guy? TED! TED STEINBERG!" Pat immediately exclaims. "I thought he was in jail?"

"Steinberg. Wow that's a name I haven't heard in a long time." Chad says, raking a hand over his closely cropped hair. "That guy likes to hit women."

I shiver as I think about Ted, his voice and that smile he had for me, leaning into my window like that. Inches from my face. He smelled of stale beer and cigarettes. I won't forget that smile...if that's what you can call it. Not for a long time.

We're silent for a bit as I slow down, doing just over the speed limit.

"Want to go up the coast?" I ask my brother and his friends.

"Hell ya Cat." Jon smiles, making me feel a bit better. "I don't have to work til Wednesday."

Chad shrugs, the fire in his eyes still there. He was itching for a fight. But he seemed to at least be controlling himself.

Pat just nods. Taking a spoonful of his frozen treat.

So we drive, the four of us. And soon the whole incident at the Circle K was almost forgotten as I turn up the music on Pat's playlist. He loves 80's and 90's alternative rock and metal. Something he and my Dad share. I recognize Metallica from Dad's music collection as it blasts over my speakers.

We travel pretty far up the highway. At points we are singing along with Pat's playlist. By the time I turn us around to bring us back home we've been gone an hour and a half.

I pull into the driveway 45 minutes later and park. Cutting the engine. I stroke the dashboard and try out Shawn's name again.

"Good Kylling." I smile.

Pat laughs. "What?"

"It's Norwegian. For chicken." I smile.

"Shawn." Jon laughs. "It's fitting somehow."

"Yea, the more I say it the more I like it." I grin as we walk into the house.

"Well there they are!" Mom calls from the living room. "We were wondering where you kids got up to."

"On a school night even!" Dad jokes, laughing.

The guys and I come into the living room with the remnants of our frozen treats.

"Hi Daddy." I bend and kiss Dad's cheek as he sits beside Mom on the couch.

"Baby Bear." Dad returns my kiss. "Take the guys on a joyride did you?"

"Where's Shawn?" Mom cranes her neck to look around the corner, as I kiss her cheek but he doesn't come.

"Shawn's studying. Guy is always studying. Makes me feel like shit. I should hit the books tonight." Pat explains.

I nod and sit next to my mom on the couch. She steals a spoonful of my screamer.

Jon and Chad excuse themselves. Thanking me for dinner and the car ride.

"No problem guys. See you tomorrow." I wave as they close the front door.

Pat sits in the lazy boy, his favourite chair, and flips out the footrest.

Mom puts her arm around me and we cuddle on the couch together, sharing the rest of my treat.

"Want to watch a movie with us, kids?" Dad offers.

Pat and I both nod, mouths full of ice cream that's almost soup at this point.

Mom pops popcorn for us in her old fashioned popcorn machine. Pat requests extra butter on his.

"Dad, can I have a beer?" I ask.

"You betcha, get your ol' man one too. Pat?" Dad turns to Pat.

"Yea I could have a beer!" he nods as I take his now empty ice cream and slurpee cup and trash them.

I bring 3 beers into the living room. Some local micro beer. Dad loved his micro breweries.

Mom comes in with a glass of wine and our bowls of popcorn and we start the movie.

It's a sci fi one by Nick Cage. Dad loves Nick Cage movies. I think it's called Mandy. Wow, it's so weird and 80's tastic! I absolutely love it! I've gotta download the soundtrack!

"We've all got work tomorrow, we should turn in." Dad yawns during the credits, stretching his muscular arms.

"'Cept me!" Pat grins. "I know you aren't sleeping for awhile Cat."

"Baby Bear don't you let your brother keep you up all night." Mom says to me. "Pat she's got work tomorrow."

"I'll be good Mom. I'll only keep her up til 5." Pat winks at Mom and laughs.

Mom and Dad give both of us hugs and kisses goodnight and then it's just my brother and I on the couch.

"I'm getting another beer. Cat?" Patrick asks, standing, he takes my empty bottle and the mostly empty popcorn bowls to the kitchen.

"Yes. Hell yes." I grin.

"Good cuz I'm coming up to study in your room." Pat grabs two beers and starts to head up as I go lock the back and front doors and turn off all the lights.

"My room?" I follow my big brother up the stairs and into his room as he gathers a couple biology books a pen, highlighter and spiral bound writing paper.

Pat wasn't tidy like Shawn and I. His room is a flippin disaster! I laugh as I pick up his laundry and toss it into the hamper.

"You know, it's right there Pat. Like 2 feet from your pile on the floor." I shake my head.

"Yea well, that's what sisters are for." he smirks at me.

"You're a shit." I laugh. "And a slob. Geez Pat!"

He just shrugs and follows me down the hall. My room or the kitchen island was always homework central growing up. Often I'd have Shawn, Pat and a variety of their other friends in here with me as we did our homework after school together.

Pat sets up on my bed, cracking our beers and clinking his into mine.

I sit at my desk and take a big swig. Ya, this is tasty stuff. I think I like beer a lot. Almost as much as that Cristal Shawn and I shared.

Shawn...

I sigh and crack my knuckles and head back into Photoshop.

*********************************************************

It's almost two thirty in the morning. I'm starting to get a bit tired and my brother is still on my bed, studying an anatomy book now. He's highlighting a section and making notes in his writing book. He gives a big yawn, rubbing his eyes.

I've gotten most of the site done tonight. It's looking quite nice, if I do say so myself. Being a web monkey isn't exactly my favourite. I'd much rather be coding in a real language like C. But, I'm decent at it so I may as well be the one to do it.

I think about Fang5 request and decide to drop her a line:

"F5, Profile photos? You guys go on ahead but I'm gonna bow outta that one. Just send me your images and I'll do the rest. Sites almost done. Go check out what's there. Let me know what needs to be tweaked or changed. I've gotta work tomorrow so I'm turning in early. And I won't be here tomorrow night either. But Tuesday. Hell yes. I should set up a calendar! On the site! Just for us. That way we can all see what days we can team up and it won't always be this weird scramble of when we all show up online. Have a great night! Tell the guys I'm sorry. Tuesday for sure! B.C."

Immediately I get an e mail back:

"It's Shawn isn't it. ;)"

and I reply:

"Yes."

F5:

"Fucking happy for you B.C. You've liked him a long time. Get some!"

I smile to myself and save all my work for the umpteenth time and tell my computer to sleep. I turn around and Pat's totally passed out in my bed! Highlighter still in his hand and empty beer bottle in the other. I smile...big brothers.

In my bathroom I wash my face, brush my teeth and do my nighttime skin care routine. I plait my hair into a loose braid down my back for sleeping. My PJ's consists of a school t shirt from Pat that I had yoinked while he was away at Uni and pair of soft, jersey shorts with elastic waist. I come back into Pat sawing logs.

I sigh and take his books and place them on a chair under my window. Then I take the highlighter and beer bottle from my brother and he stirs but not by much. I pull a blanket up over him. Then I turn off my lights and climb in the other side of my bed. I swear, I'm out before my head hits my pillow.

**********************************************************

I can hear DEADLIFE's Rebuild Through Compassion, my alarm, start to softly break through my dreams.

"Nooooo too early." I moan.

"What the hell?" it's Pat. He must of just woken up too. I totally forgot he passed out in my bed. "Cat? What are you doing in my bed? You have another nightmare?"

"You're in my bed dumb dumb." I start to giggle and flick on one of my salt lamps. I glance over at my clock. 9:00 am. I had 2 hours to be at work. I've gotta stop staying up so late on work nights.

"What? How?" Pat sits up, scrubbing sleep from his eyes.

"You had a couple beer. Those always make you sleepy." I turn around and smile at my big brother.

"Damn, been awhile since one of us passed out in the other's bed!" Pat's laughing now, and swinging his legs over the side. "I thought you had a bad dream."

There was a point, several years ago when I was having a bout of nightmares. Mom took me to a sleep specialist and everything. It was a phase that lasted a year but no one in my house got any sleep. My night terrors were so bad, I would scream, not being able to wake up. Patrick took over responsibility of looking after me. I don't think I slept alone once my entire 14th year. Just as quickly as it came on, it passed. I don't remember the last bad dream I had.

"Nope. That phase is well over with. Thank God!" I tell him stretching. Yawning. Wanting nothing more than to sleep for 20 more hours.

"Latte, little sister?" Patrick's gathering up his books now and headed to my door.

"Hell yes!" I grin. "In bed?" I say, hopeful, giving my brother full little sister puppy dog face.

Pat laughs, rolls his eyes at me. "Yes yes." he chuckles.

"YAY!" I shout and fall back into my pillows, giggling.

Not more than 5 minutes later there's my big brother, giant latte in his hands.

"Caramel?" I ask before he hands it to me.

"Of course! Would I do you wrong?" Pat passes me my mug and sits in my computer chair with his. He smiles, his cornflower blue eyes, Dad's eyes, crinkling at the edges. My brother is a good looking man. A thick unruly mop of auburn hair that falls slightly over one of his eyes and his deep tan with that Jaxton smile. He's probably got a string of girls at Berkeley pining for his ass.

I shake my head and take a sip. O yes. God yes. Fucking coffeeeeeeee.....

"Best big brother ever." I smile over at Patrick. "Thanks." I raise my mug to him and he does the same back and spins around in my computer chair.

"Shits comfy A.F. Where did you get this?" he laughs. Stretching back.

"Mom. She always finds the best stuff. Use the handle there." I motion for him to pull underneath the seat. A big footrest comes out.

"What the hell? Kick ass!" Pat fully reclines.

"You like that? Use the pad under the left arm." I point to the spot and take another sip.

Full lumbar support massage is activated and Patrick looks like he's in heaven.

"Shit, Cat. Now this is a computer chair! I gotta get one of these!" He completely relaxes as we enjoy our coffee together.

"It's heated too. Not that I could ever use it." we both share a chuckle at that.

"Mom and Dad at work?" I stand and stretch, and sip more of my latte.

"Yup. Shawn should be here soon." Pat winks at me.

"Really?!" I can feel myself beam with happiness.

"Ya, he texted me when I was downstairs. We're gonna get another sesh in before he hits more books today. I swear fuckin' guy is gonna pull out ahead of me." Pat shakes his head.

"Studying during summer. Ew." I screw up my face, wrinkling my nose.

"It's not like high school." Pat reminisces, sighing.

Then we hear the doorbell and the door opening and shutting.

"Anyone home?" It's Shawn's voice. I'm so excited. I hope I don't look like shit.

"We're in Cat's room!" Pat yells, taking another sip of his coffee.

Shawn walks in the open door, laughing at us in our pj's and coffees.

"Well hello pajama party." Shawn smiles and shrugs out of his leather jacket, laying it on bench at the foot of my bed.

"Baby!" I leap up and throw my arms around him. He gives my forehead a kiss. He's so respectful in front of my brother. He squeezes me tight and then lets me go.

"Kitten face." He grins down at me before turning to his best friend.

"Patty." Shawn says as he and Pat pound fists.

"Sup Bruh?" Pat jokes.

"Dude, it's beautiful out." Shawn goes to pull my curtain and I shrink away, hissing like a cat.

Shawn laughs, full throated.

"Right. Sorry little Vampirella." he shakes his head and sits on my bed and I join him. "Lost my head there for a moment." he puts his arm around me and I snuggle into his side.

Pat smiles over at us.

"You guys look great together." he nods, sipping his coffee. "No bullshit."

I'm taken by surprise. I never imagined that my brother would be so, well, good with this whole thing! And then to tell us we look great together!?

"Thanks Pat. That means a lot." Shawn says, pounding fists with his best friend again.

"No prob. You both look so happy, it's hard not to be as well, just being around you two." Pat winks at me and polishes off his coffee.

"I'm so happy I could burst." I whisper, looking up at Shawn and then over to my brother, who hasn't lost that smile.

Shawn taps the tip of my nose with his finger and gives my shoulders a squeeze.

My brother turns off the massage on my chair and sets the footrest back.

"I dunno about you Cat but that feels like another!" Pat collects my mug from me and departs.

"YAY! More coffee!" I shout after him and Shawn wastes no time.

He pulls me into him and kisses me. Gentle, closed mouth kisses at first but then that lovely, soft tongue of his seeks entrance to my mouth, slipping along the seam to my lips. I completely yield to Shawn's soft, supple kiss. He knows just the perfect amount of tongue to give. He's got to be the most sensual man that's ever lived! Sexuality seems to come second nature to him. He's my only basis for comparison but I can't even imagine that there could be someone that can kiss better than my boyfriend. It's just not possible!

"Mmmmm" Shawn moans. "That's nice. I want one." he says against my lips.

I giggle and just lightly suck on Shawn's lower lip, then release him.

"Caramel latte?" I ask him as he kisses my cheek and my jaw and then does that thing where he just barely sucks on my earlobe.

"Ya, whatever you taste like. I want that." and he kisses me deeply again. His tongue and mine, gliding along one another in a beautiful wanton dance.

"Fuck." I pull back. "Shawn, you can't finish what you are starting." I warn. Gripping his thigh and sliding my hand up.

"Ya. Ok. You're right. And you are about to give me a rager. Let's not do that in front of Pat." Shawn laughs, rises and walks over to my doorway and yells down the hall to the stairs.

"I'll have what she's having!" Shawn calls.

"You want breakfast in bed too?" Pat's incredulous shout up the stairs.

"Gee would you Pat? I'd love that!" Shawn jokes coming back in to sit beside me as a FUCK OFF is heard from the kitchen.

Pat comes up the stairs and into my room 3 latte's, croissants, bananas and mini oranges on a tray.

"Awwww! Pat!" I smile as he sets the tray on the bench with Shawn's leather jacket.

Pat shrugs. "I was down there anyways."

"Gosh this is nice!" I exclaim eating a banana and sipping more coffee. "Two of my favourite people in my room for breakfast."

Shawn chucks me under the chin, winking at me and bites another croissant.

We laugh and eat together until I have to shoo the guys outta my room so I can have a shower and get ready.

It's 10:30 and I'm still in my towel, dripping from my shower, packing an overnight bag for Shawn's. Then I put a clean Luna's Coffee Bar T shirt on and a pair of yoga pants. At least Luna's uniform is all black. I coil my hair and then roll it up into a kind of french twist, skewering it in place with 2 of the many chopsticks I had in my possession. I bought these dark brown ones from Amazon by the 100. I go through so many.

Skipping down the stairs my brother and Shawn are just about to head down to the pier to catch some waves.

"Off to work Kitten?" Shawn hugs me, pinches my butt when Pat isn't looking.

"Yea." I mutter. "I wish I was hanging with you guys today!"

"I wish you were too. Tonight baby. I'll see you after 5?" he asks.

"I'll be the one in Kylling." I answer, trying Shawn's name for my car again.

"You're getting there! More emphasis on the 'ing' part." he smiles. Stroking my cheek in that way that makes me melt like butter.

"Have a good day Cat. I'll tell Mom and Dad not to wait up for you." Pat winks at me, taking his shirt off and headed out the back door.

"Thanks Patty. Love you." I call.

"Love you too!" he calls back, headed towards the carriage house.