Without any invitation, Suzanna stepped inside the apartment, dumping her bags on the floor. The woman didn't seem to notice Erik's less-than-welcome expression as she took a quick glance around the room. Promptly coming up to the blonde, she stuck out her hand and gave Candice a firm handshake, as though it was completely normal to barge into a man's house and greet the tenants.
However, she exuded nothing but elegance and grace as she said, "Hello, I'm Suzanna Martinez, or just plain Suzy. And you must be..." She trailed off.
Candice hastily replied, "Uh, it's Candice Carter." Still utterly confused, she shot a glance at Erik over Suzy's shoulder.
By this time, Erik had scraped his jaw off the floor and found his tongue. Drawing himself to his full height, he came between the women. He placed a hand on Candice's shoulder and gently said, "Candy, maybe I should take you home." Startled at his suggestion, Candice looked up sharply at him. Erik squeezed her shoulder softly, as though trying to reassure her. "I'll explain everything later."
Erik turned his piercing green gaze to Suzy. "How did you get here?"
Suzy motioned with her head towards the door. "Taxi." Without another word, Erik sprinted out the door, knowing that taxi was his only mode of transportation at the moment. Left alone with the strange woman, suddenly Candice felt extremely awkward. Was she supposed to say something? Should she go running after Erik (like every cell in her nervous body screamed)?
Apparently, Suzy felt right at home. While Erik chased after the cab, Suzy plopped down on his couch and began to dig through one of her suitcases. "Where did you guys meet? And you're not really a cheerleader, right?" Suzy amicably teased Candice.
Not completely at ease (unlike overly-friendly Suzy), Candice attempted a smile. "Not exactly. I'm a librarian-"
As Suzy's perfectly plucked eyebrows shot up in surprise at the response, Erik returned, a little out of breath as he paused at the doorway. "Got everything?" he directed his question at Candice, refusing to meet Suzy's look. The blonde nodded. (Considering sleeping with Erik was completely unplanned, she didn't exactly have an overnight bag to get; nor did she have to fetch some forgotten discarded underwear tossed to the floor in the heat of the moment.) "Let's go."
Candice turned to Suzy and said the custom it-was-nice-meeting-you-and-good-bye talk. Good-naturedly, Suzy waved good-bye as Erik pulled Candice through the front door and practically bolted to the waiting taxi.
During the ride, Candice opened her mouth several times to start a conversation, but though better of it and closed it. Erik looked out the car window, humming along with a song on the radio, seemingly totally at ease. Except, he kept sending Candice nervous glances, immediately swiveling his gaze back on the road when she caught his eye.
At last, the taxi smoothly rolled up to Candice's apartment. A shroud of silence thickly enveloped the both of them as they made their way to Candice's door. Each waited for the other to speak, and neither seemed to want be the first to talk.
"Erik-" Candice finally began, while he started, "Candice-"
After a nervous chuckle, Erik concluded, "Well, I'll call you later, okay, Candice?" Seeing the inquiring look on her face, he added, "And I'll tell you all about Suzy, don't worry."
She simply smiled, not wanting the insane thoughts in her mind to suddenly blurt out of her mouth. Suzy, yes, who is Suzy? Erik couldn't, wouldn't... She wasn't, isn't... She managed to mumble through her stiff smile, "Sure."
Erik gave her one of his patented easy smiles, and headed back to the taxi. However, Candice shot out a hand and grabbed his arm, and Erik looked back at her, cringing slightly. "Wait, Erik...how about I repay you that dinner you made? Tonight?" Candice suggested hopefully, trying to dissuade those gnawing feelings of suspicion concerning Miss Martinez.
Erik visibly relaxed, his smile springing up full-force again. "It's a date. I'll see you tonight, then." He gently pulled away from her, and jogged to the awaiting taxi. As it pulled away, he waved farewell at the blonde. Candice waved back, not realizing until the car had gone around the curb and disappeared, that Erik had forgotten one thing he was always so adamant about doing. He hadn't kissed her good bye.
Erik leaned back against the vinyl seat of the taxi, blankly staring out the window as he thought. So, Suzanna had come back. Well, it wasn't as if he hadn't expected her to pop back up again, but not this soon. He sighed; he would just have to wait and see what happened.
The moment Candice walked through the door, Aaron pounced on her like a cat on a mouse. "Candy! Congratulations!" he screeched, grabbing her into a hug and jumping up and down.
Immediately, scarlet crept up her face, threatening to be as bright as Aaron's flaming hair. "What ever do you mean?" Candice sputtered, refusing to meet his eyes; instead, she focused her look on his forehead.
Aaron laughed and dragged her to the couch, plopping next to her with a huge smile. "How stupid do you think Robin and I are? Well, you didn't come home from work, you didn't call, and considering neither your, Catrina's, nor Michael's names were in the obituaries this morning, it was logical to think you spent the night with Erik."
Candice's blue eyes locked on a brown splotch on the ceiling. "Why did you say congratulations?"
"Judging by that hickey, I would say you're all grown up now." Immediately, Candice's hand came up to cover the side of her neck. She opened her mouth to retort, but only a small squeak of utter embarrassment peeped out.
All jokes aside, Aaron drew her into a hug, and said seriously, "I really wish you and Erik the best."
Mortification ebbing, Candice replied, "Thank you, Aaron. By the way, do you suppose I cold have the apartment for a few hours tonight? I'm going to try to make dinner for Erik."
Aaron smiled; his friend's enthusiasm was contagious. "Sure. I'll drag Robin to the movies with me and Brandon after her shift at Moonlight Coffee, and we'll be out of your hair."
"Thanks," Candice said gratefully.
"No problem. Just make sure you don't burn down the place."
Once the library had closed, Candice rushed home, eager to start dinner. She had checked out a cookbook at work, and found a simple yet delicious recipe she felt confident she could cook.
For a while, the kitchen was a complete disaster zone, with random bowls of ingredients clattering the counters and table. After setting the table with her best china and a pair of red candles, Candice went to check on the sauce slowly simmering over the stove.
"Ouch!" Her hand sprang back from the scalding pot. Automatically, she stuck her finger in her mouth, wincing at the sharp pain. Unfortunately, three fingers on her left hand throbbed with discomfort, and Candice sighed in exasperation. Erik would arrive soon, and she still needed to get dressed.
As she headed to her room, something nagged at the corner of her mind. A ripple of panic surmounted in her chest when she thought about Suzy Martinez. Who was she? She couldn't be Erik's... No, no, Candice reassured herself, brushing her hair with some difficulty due to her injured hand. Erik said he would explain, didn't he? Candice had no reason to doubt him. He wouldn't be cruel enough to betray her now, not after last night, especially when she had told him she...
A timer rang merrily in the kitchen, and Candice hastily finished buttoning her white blouse. She wore her hair as Erik liked it, her blonde mane tumbling loosely over her shoulders in her natural golden waves. The only thing on her face was her glasses, since makeup didn't appeal to her and so she'd never worn it.
She added a few finishing touches to dinner, extremely proud of herself. She had completed an entire meal without any mishaps! Well, except for her scalded fingers and slightly burned peas, but that really didn't count. It in no way rivaled Erik's cuisine masterpiece, but her efforts made it that much better.
Nervously, Candice tucked a golden ringlet behind her ear. Now the only thing left to do was wait for Erik.
Continued in results!
After dropping Candice off at her apartment, Erik returned home to an enthusiastic Suzy. The brunette jumped into his arms the moment he arrived, exclaiming, "Oh, Erik, I've missed you so much!"
Erik smiled. "I've missed you too, sweetheart." Her fingers laced in his wild black hair, and brought his head down for a kiss. Erik didn't object, hungrily pressing his lips against hers, holding her close.
Finally, Suzy broke away, laughing. "Come," she said, leading him to the couch. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."
"Yeah, I know," Erik replied, placing his hand on her thigh. "How was China?"
"Amazing! But first, I want to know everything about that librarian of yours." There wasn't any jealousy in her voice, just interest.
Erik shrugged. "Well, I was lonely while you were abroad in China. I needed some company, and Candice just happened to be the gal that caught my eye."
"A librarian? I know we agreed we could date other people while I was off studying, but a librarian? She seems a bit...dull."
"Actually, she not. She's-" Before Erik could finish, Suzy cut in.
"I seemed to have interrupted something this morning. Was it the first time, or the usual?" Suzy asked.
"First time. You can't believe how long it took me to get her in bed."
Suzy giggled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Ah, I adore my tenacious Erik. You never give up until you get what you want. When did your little game start?"
"A while ago, when you were in China for a year already. After a year without a woman's company, I was feeling bored and a bit alone," Erik said, and something in his heart panged with guilt. Yeah, all right, everything with Candice was just a game. And he had won last night when she finally slept with him. Too bad her sister Catrina had been correct back at the restaurant.
"Well, you don't have to be lonely anymore. Suzy's back," the brunette breathed, cupping his face and capturing his lips. Erik returned the hot kiss; his girlfriend had returned, and all he had to do now was break the news to the blonde. It was an unspoken agreement between Erik and Suzy that he would sever all ties with the other woman.
Suzy leaned away from Erik, swinging her long, tanned legs to the floor and heading to the kitchen. Grinning mischievously, she brought back a bottle of tequila. At the thought of facing Candice, all of a sudden getting dead drunk looked very appealing to Erik.
"Candy! I want to know everything that happened last night! How-" Robin abruptly stopped her hollering, coming upon a sleeping Candice slumped over the elegant kitchen table, with a book serving as an ill excuse for a pillow. Aaron had taken Robin to see a movie and go to dinner right after her work, and she hadn't had time to see her friend and learn of all the juicy details. Robin had expected to hear all the gossip when she came home (or find the two lovebirds locked in the bedroom). However, she hadn't expected this.
Aaron came up behind the purple-head. His eyes swept over the unused plates, the candles melted into puddles of blood-red wax, and the cold, untouched food. Tentatively, he approached the blonde and gently shook her shoulder. "Candy?"
Blue eyes fluttered open, and Candice groggily murmured, "Aaron? Robin?" she sat up, her back stiff from the unyielding chair. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"
"Near midnight." Aaron's green eyes glittered with suspicion. "What happened?"
"I- I don't know. I was waiting for Erik, and I suppose he took so long I fell asleep reading." Candice looked up expectantly. "Did he call?"
Robin hated to wipe away the hope from the blonde's eager face. "No, Candice."
For a moment, Candice's face crumpled in utter devastation, and her heart felt like a tight, unrelenting fist squeezed the life out it. However, she composed herself in a second and stood up. "Oh," was the only thing that managed to escape pass the enormous knot in her throat that threatened to choke her.
"Candy," Aaron reached for her, but she shook her head. Catrina had been right about men, and now it was her duty to acknowledge her stupidity. She must not cry; Erik Matthews could have the most precious thing in her possession, her virginity, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of her tears. From the moment she'd laid eyes on Suzy, she knew, and denied. That denial had held back the pain so completely obvious on her face now that the wall had crumbled down.
Only one more thing caused the tears to well up; she furiously blinked them back. "I just wish I hadn't said what I did last night."
"What?" Robin asked uncertainly, expecting Candice to burst into heart-wrenching sobs. Aaron himself looked as if he were about to bawl at the sight of Candice's expression.
Candice smiled bitterly. "Either Erik Matthews didn't hear me, or didn't care. I told him I loved him."
Erik rubbed his eyes, groaning. He shouldn't had drunk as much as he did; his head pounded, and his mouth felt desert dry. Sitting up, he noticed he was on his bed. Except for his shirt, he was still fully clothed.
Ah, yes, he remembered what occurred that day. His long-time girlfriend had come back from a long trip, interrupting the morning after the night before with Candice. He'd come back from dropping Candice home, and spent the afternoon making out and drinking with Suzy. Then they stumbled into his bedroom, intent on making up for the lost time. Suzy had gone to the bathroom to puke, and Erik had blacked out before they could rendezvous. Not like he felt like finishing the whole shebang at the moment, anyway.
Wait, wasn't he forgetting something? Erik rubbed his temples, trying to clear it of the annoying buzzing. Oh, right, the dinner with Candice, where he would tell her their entire relationship had been only to get her on her back. He needed to get a move on; what time was it?
Checking his watch, Erik groaned and fell back onto his mattress, then slapped a hand to his already aching forehead. Past midnight. He was totally, completely, absolutely screwed. And hungover. And somehow, he knew the gut-wrenching feeling yanking on his stomach wasn't only due to the alcohol swishing inside.
