Chapter 7

Recap:

I took a deep breath in and out.

He's your best friend.

You have to stay immune.

You can't let yourself think about him this way.

I slowly peeled off my wet; food smeared clothes, putting them into the sink and turned on the shower. I stepped in and let the hot water beat down on my body as all my thoughts swirled in my head.

Was I ever really immune to Ari?

............................................

Immune?

It seemed, if my body had anything to do with it I wasn't.

But if my head had anything to do with it I had to be.

The hot water continued to rain down on me, slicking my hair to my face.

And all I could see was Ari's face as he told me I was beautiful.

His alluring crystal blue eyes, his slight dimples appearing on his clear tanned skin, and his mega watt Hollywood smile revealing his white teeth .... As he smiled at his best friend.

His best friend for who he only harbors platonic feelings.

I sighed, smoothing my hair out of my face and lathering it in my vanilla scented shampoo and conditioner.

Why doesn't that feel like enough anymore?

Maybe it was the time we spent apart ...It just felt like everything was the same but there was this minor earthquake between him leaving and coming back. Or a tremor so slight I hadn't noticed that it shook the foundations of everything that I thought we were... Everything I see.... everything I feel....

After I shampooed and conditioned my hair I turned off the shower, grabbing a white fluffy towel from the rack and wrapping it around my body. 

I stepped out of the shower onto the soft blue bathroom mat, and wiped away the steam covering the long mirror my mother had insisted I get, to reveal my face.

I smoothed back my wet hair and examined myself in the mirror.  

Clear skin, dark eyebrows I had to painstakingly pluck into shape, my long angular face with it's strong bone structure which I felt made me look slightly severe at times.... my green eyes that are my only redeemable feature on what I consider my otherwise very normal face.

Face it Isabel: It's a completely and utterly generic face next to Ari's Hollywood- leading man material face.

I took a deep breath.

This is my best friend who just happens to be a Hollywood A-list Actor.

THE new hot Hollywood A list Actor.

If I told him about how I feel and he tells me he feels nothing I would destroy everything and I could lose him. Or he would think I had become like one of his slightly stalkerish fans that drool over him whilst professing their undying love to one of his many film posters.

I didn't know what would be worse.

I felt my whole body tense at the thought of not seeing or speaking or being with Ari ever again..... It had been hard enough in the months we'd spent apart.

Then I snapped out of my reverie, realizing I could hear in the shower on the ground floor was on, and the distant unmistakable rhythmic sound of water hitting tiles.

Ari must be using the shower downstairs.

I exhaled slowly and opened the bathroom door, walking in to my bedroom silently.  

The late afternoon light was streaming through my curtains, bouncing off the white and mauve walls and across my double bed with its intricately patterned dark purple bedspread. My bed was made, courtesy of my mum I guess, and I could see a stack of clean laundry in a folded pile next to my clothes closet. My mum never liked putting things on hangers, which was ok with me because if she did my wardrobe would be color coded.

And that was just a little too on the OCD organizing side for me.

My room was empty.  

For some reason I had half expected Ari to jump out from the closet.

But he couldn't cause I could still hear the faint sound of the shower downstairs.

I smiled and walked over to my chest of draws, it's surface covered in my makeup, Jewellery and radio, which I turned on. The sound of Colbie Caillat 'You've got me' blared out from the speakers and I found myself instantaneously swaying to the catchy beat as I walked over to my closet and started to change. I opened my wardrobe and quickly slipped on a new lacy black knickers and bra set. The Bra was long line and I loved it because it reminded me of the sixties pin ups. Then I quickly sifted through my clothes and decided on my skinny black ripped jeans, pulling them on.

As I tried to decide what top to wear I sang along to Colbie and towel dried my damp hair.

Then, as I had the towel covering my head I heard the door creak open, the music turn down slightly and Ari's voice ring out from the doorway " Hey, can I get some of my t-shirts I left here cause I only have my formal press release shirts in my bag. All my regular clothes are in suitcases at mine"

I jumped in shock, the towel slipping out of my hands and onto the floor as I flipped my hair back off my face. " God! You scared me!" I said.

Ari was standing in my room, with a pair of baggy dark blue jeans on and nothing else. I instantaneously took in the still slightly wet, tanned expanse of his broad chest; the clear indents of his six-pack and the slight trail of hair trailing down to his low-slung jeans.

Do I even mention the famous hipbones?  

I mean come on.

Someone out there wanted to make my life incredibly difficult.

Did he have to be that masculine?

And he was smirking at me now, like he knew something I didn't.

"Uh yeah sure there in my chest of draws, top left" I said automatically.

Ari stayed standing there for a second and I swear I saw his eyes flick across me once before he turned.

Oh cr*p! I was suddenly acutely aware that I had nothing on my chest except a black, very lacy bra.

Then just as I was about to get my top I was stopped by two other realizations:

1: I had put Ari's t'shirts in my Bra and Panties draw.

And 2: That on the dark tanned skin on the top right hand side of Ari's shoulder he had a tattoo.  

One he hadn't left with.

And one he definitely hadn't told me about.

It looked like some sort of tribal looking spiral made of Sanscript letters or foreign language or other....

How could he have not told me?

"Since when do you have a tattoo on your shoulder?" I asked, hands on hips.

Ari froze for a second before quickly picking up a Grey t-shirt and shoving it on before turning to face me holding...

- OH MY GOD he did not see those!!!!!

In Ari's hand was the USA Flag thong that my other best friend from school, Marissa had brought me for my sixteenth birthday.

"Since when did you become so patriotic?" He asked, one eyebrow raised with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I felt my cheeks heat up as a blush spread across my face, and what felt like my entire body.

"Urghhhhh! How did you find them? I put them right at the back! And anyway they were a present from Marissa Thank you very much. Now Put Them Back!" I demanded as I felt my blush get deeper.

No one was supposed to see those.

"So... has anyone other than me seen your patriotic side?" Ari asked, shaking them slightly, smirking slightly as his gaze locked onto mine with such intensity that I thought I might burst into flames right there and then.

" What? Apart from you - no" I said, exasperated as Ari smiled teasingly back at me.

"And I'd like it to stay that way so put them away! And you can stop deflecting and start talking about the new addition of permanent ink on your back!"

Ari sighed "That's really not a big deal - though these" Ari looked at the thong  "These definitely are" He said his gaze locked on mine still.

"Just put them back where they belong Ari!" I demanded pointing at the draw behind him.

Ari chuckled " Back where they belong huh?"

And before I knew it he had flicked the thong at me so it landed smack bang in the middle of my chest.

I felt my cheeks redden as I caught the thong and shoved it in my back pocket.  

"You gotten that out of your system? So start talking about your Tattoo! WHEN did you get it done? WHERE did you get it done? And why the Hell didn't you think to tell me?!"

Ari sighed, his jaw clenching sexily as he raked a hand through his hair.

" I got it about three months ago one night when I was out drunk with some friends from my last movie, after a press conference in Paris". He said reluctantly. "The End" he said as he turned away to leave.

Oh No.

He wasn't leaving so easily.

No way.

I marched across the room, to Ari's retreating back and grabbed him by the sleeves so he turned to face me.

" Seriously. That's it. You didn't think to tell me?"

Ari winced slightly, still clenching his jaw " No. I got a tattoo when I was drunk. I don't even know what it means for goodness sake. Something I told the tattoo artist to write apparently. God Isabel, I didn't tell you because I was embarrassed and I thought you wouldn't like it ok?" He said all rushed.

He was embarrassed?  

Didn't he know I wouldn't judge him?

And how could I not like it - after all it was on Ari.

" Well, how do I know if I like it if you wont let me see it?" I asked all my anger washing away as I smiled up at his nervous face.

"Fine" He muttered and turned around lifting his shirt up, off his back to around his neck.

Now his whole back was on display to me, all his tanned skin that covered his strong broad shoulders and his taut muscles.

I felt my stomach dip slightly and I bit my bottom lip.

Don't start panting Isabel. Keep your breath steady.

Just pretend this isn't affecting you....

I reached my hand up to his shoulder blades and softly trailed my fingers across his smooth warm skin, down under the hollow of his shoulder blades and up to the tattoo.

As soon as I touched him I felt his whole back tense, making his muscles stand out deliciously.

I could kind of see the Tattoo with its graceful swirl made of an unknown language but I wasn't quite tall enough to get up close.  

I wonder what language that is...

" I can't really see it up close, I'm too short. Look come over here" I said without thinking as I walked over to my bed and sat in the middle.

Ari turned around slowly letting his t-shirt drop down again, blocking my view of his six-pack.

Stop trying to peek a look at your best friends six-pack Isabel!

"Haven't you seen enough Ella Bear? It's just a tattoo..." Ari murmured before I interrupted him.

"That I can't see properly. Now just sit on the bed. Come on." I said patting the space in front of me.

Ari chuckled softly muttering " Your so god damn stubborn" as he sat down on the edge of my bed in front of me and lifted up the back of his t-shirt again.

As he lifted it, taking it off completely, I watched as his muscles shifted. 

I felt myself bite down on my lip.

I was now alone in my room with a very topless Ari and only wearing my bra. 

How did I get myself into these tricky situations?

I felt myself unconsciously moving closer behind him, moving my legs so the were either side of his back and so I could almost feel the his body heat spreading into me. I trailed my fingers over his tattoo slowly, lightly tracing the swirl of the tattoo as if tried to make out the language.... It looked like Sanscript ....

"Does Linda know?" I asked softly.

Ari chuckled, his back shaking slightly "Hell No, you know she'd kill me if she found out" 

I carried on tracing the outline of the detailed swirl, and the unknown languages letters curves.

" No she wouldn't. It's beautiful Ari" I whispered before I could stop myself.

I felt Ari tense underneath my finger.

I sighed; He probably thought I was being really mushy. Great.

Then he spoke, "You think it's beautiful?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. I mean it's on you right?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

I closed my eyes and bit down on my lip.

Oh god. Did I just in avertedly call Ari beautiful and anything on him?

I felt the bed in front of me shift.

Has he gotten up?

I opened my eyes slowly to find Ari leaning into me, his hands on the bed either side of my hips, my legs still open, in between his. Our bodies were almost touching, I could feel his body throwing off heat onto mine and smell his lemony scent as it enveloped me...

His face was only a breath away from mine; so close I ached to lean forward into him. 

As his crystal blue eyes where burning into mine, filled with emotion.

"Ari?" I whispered breathlessly as my eyes stayed locked on his, getting lost in aquamarine blue eyes.

"Damn Ella" Ari murmured as his eyes broke from mine and traveled down to my chest admiringly. Then I felt my whole body melt as his strong hands held the side of my waist, his thumbs rubbing electrifying circles on my skin. I felt my body arch into his slightly in response as I slowly snaked my arms up and around his neck still staring into his eyes, savoring the feel of my skin on his.

Instinctively I felt my fingers run into his soft hair as Ari's hands moved to my back. His one hand trailed down my back, setting off internal fireworks before he pulled me into him, crushing us together, my legs snaking around his waist. I didn't want one inch of air between us. Our skin melded as his hard abs pressed into my stomach and I could feel the irresistible warmth of his chest seeping through my lacy bra.

Then Ari's head dipped, running his lips across my collarbone, up my neck and along the bottom of my jaw. His hot breath ran along my skin as he went, scorching me. I closed my eyes briefly and my hands pulled softly at his hair.

Then I saw his face above mine, searching my face for some sort of approval.  

I felt myself smile up at him as I trailed my fingers slowly down his back, loving watching the clenching of his jaw in response.

Then as he leant forward excruciatingly slowly and I closed my eyes as I felt the softest brush of his lips on mine, a whisper.

The prelude to a kiss.

Then I heard Ari's mums voice calling up to us, getting closer as she walked up the stairs " Hey, we just ordered Chinese! Come on down both of you!"

Both our bodies tensed in shock.

I closed my eyes, willing her not to be real and immediately I felt Ari's arms leave me, his warmth evaporating above me.

I felt empty without his touch.

God why didn't I get a lock on my door?

I opened my eyes to find Ari , with his back to me, picking up his t-shirt and pulling it over his head.

I could hear Linda coming up the stairs and I quickly reached over to my pillow and pulled out the t-shirt I sleep in and hurriedly shrugged it on.

The over sized t-shirts lightweight fabric drowned me, the familiar lemony scent of its owner comforting me like it had for nearly a whole year.

Just as both Ari and I had gotten on our t-shirts, before I had time to find out what we'd both done and what it meant, Linda burst in. He was standing facing the door, so I couldn't see his face. And all I wanted to do was see his face, just for a second, to get some sort of grasp on how he felt ...

Or how he didn't feel....

I felt my whole body shudder at the thought.

"Come on foods on the table, so you guys get your asses downstairs"  

She announced smiling "Come on slow coaches"

Then she grabbed a frozen Ari by the arm and pushed him stumbling out the door without allowing him time to glance back.

I just kissed Ari.

I instinctively reached up and pushed my fingers across my lips.

I think that may have been one of the best kisses I have ever had.  

And it didn't even get a chance to start.

I didn't know if I could imagine what could have happened with a few more seconds....

"You coming poppet?" Linda asked from the door curiously, interrupting my space out.

"Yeah" I murmured, still in a trance I heard her close the door and walk softly down the stairs.

"Give me a sec to get my head out the clouds" I whispered to myself.

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Hey hope you guys like it. Sorry fro torturing you guys with the interruption! 

Some of you are really gonna hate me huh?  

So Hmmm.... How does he feel? lol 

Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes.  

Smile 024  

ps: I promise I have heard the requests for Ari's pov , I am just waiting for the prefect moment to let you guys in on his thoughts, Just bear with me a little while longer.