Saved By the Man by Vanessa Lynn Gilbert (rm book recommendations txt) 📕

the TV when suddenly two hands where on my hips and moving me towards Erik. I looked and Erik had moved me straight to his lap. I was about to struggle and tell him to stop but he moved my face so I looked directly into his eyes. I stared into his ocean like eyes and didn’t move. His smile that was on his face when he moved me melt away into a lust line. We both leaned in about to kiss when the bell rang. I sighed aloud in anger and I wasn’t the only one. I got up walked over opened the door and the pizza guy was standing there. “5.99.” the Pizza boy said. I sighed and handed him the money. I took the pizza boxes and threw them on the counter with my soda. Erik looked at me and we just stayed like that…in awkward silence. I cleared my throat, went to the cupboard, pulled out a plate, then put four slices of pizza on the plate.
I picked up the plate carried it over to Erik and said, “Here you go.” He looked down at the plate and asked, “What about you?” I smiled. I hated this. He was able to make me smile even though I was still angry at him. I sat down beside him and turned on the TV. “What do you wanna watch?” I asked him. He looked at his choices and said, “Friends sounds good.” I clicked on friends and then rested my head on Erik’s shoulder. “It took two people to break up this relationship.” Ross yelled at Rachel. “Yea you and that girl from the coffee shop.” Rachel yelled back. I looked up at Erik he was smiling at the TV and He was shaking his head. “What, “I asked. “It’s just that in the end they end up together and we both know that and yet they are resisting.”
“Well they have good reasons.” “Like what,” Erik asked. I looked at the TV then looked back at him. He was looking down at me his smile wide as ever. I stared up at Erik and said, “Well um….uh….” Erik stared at me waiting for the answer. His smile was slowly disappearing as I stumbled to find a good reason. Erik was leaning in closer and closer until my phone rang. I sighed and looked. “It’s my mom.” I told Erik. He nodded. Mom probably knew that we would be near kissing. I picked up the phone and answered, “Hello?” “Hey honey is Erik there?” Mom asked. “Yes mom.” “Well when are you guys coming home?” Mom asked. Well if I did convince Erik to help me see who kidnapped his sister then we would be gone I would say for four to five days.
“Uh I’ll call you back when I know the answer.” I said. “Okay.” My mom said. I looked at Erik and said, “Okay here is the deal. I think that the Piranhas didn’t take your sister I think maybe someone else did and if we investigate we will be able to tell who did it. So are you in?” Erik looked at me and smiled he got up off the couch and walk in front of me. “Babe, I’m with you forever.” I smiled and said, “You called me babe.” Erik smiled and said, “I know.” I blushed. “I got to call my mom and tell her how long we will be gone.” “Which is how long,” Erik asked.
“Well my estimation is maybe four or five days.” Erik looked at me. “Four to five days? Whoa that a lot of days.” “Yea I know but we need some time to get some suspects and then to get some evidence.” Erik nodded and said, “You’re right.” I loved it when he agreed with me. I picked up my phone and dialed my mom’s number. “Hello?” My mom greeted. “Hey mom we decided it’s gonna take four to five day so yea talk to you later.” I said as I hanged up. Erik looked at me and smiled. “What? She would have asked a lot of complicating questions like why we are staying so long.” He smiled and said, “You’re probably right.” I smiled. He was so cute when he agreed with me. I looked at the clock over the stove and sighed. “What,” Erik asked. “Nothing just…never mind I’m going to go to bed.”
“Okay.” Erik said. I walked up into my room and then climbed into bed. I stared up at the ceiling thinking over the day. Carter raping me, Erik and I almost kissing, and now Erik’s sister’s life is on the line and Erik is downstairs and all I wanted to do is to go down stairs and kiss him. I sighed and turned over. I had to fall asleep. Somehow I had to fall asleep even though I knew that the love of my life is down stairs watching TV or texting his crush. I sighed. I closed my eyes and then sat up. “Why can’t I fall asleep?” I asked aloud hoping something might answer. I sighed then slowly tip toed towards the stairs and looked down. Erik was sitting on the couch staring at the TV.
His eyes looked serious and he was laid back in a relaxed position. “What are you going to do? Uh, are you gonna run out on us now that its hard? Come on Rachel, I’m crazy about you.” I heard a deep but light voice say from the TV. “No, you hurt me Ross…and I can’t let you hurt me ever again.” I heard a crying woman’s voice say. Erik looked deeply depressed and he had the look that said he went through that once. I took a deep breath and started heading down the stairs. When I stepped on to the floor at the bottom of the stairs and cleared my throat Erik jumped from his seat and gave me a glare that said, “Don’t sneak around like that.”
I laughed and said, “Hey sorry just came down to get me some soda.” “Oh right…ha ha.” I giggled from his answer and crossed the kitchen over to the soda container. I picked up the heavy container, poured enough to satisfy my thirst (or to go alone with the ‘I need a drink’ lie). I turned around and ran directly into Erik spelling my delicious soda all over his nice shirt.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Erik I’m such an idiot,” I apologized.
“It’s-,” Erik began to say until I cut him off with, “No, don’t you dare say it’s okay. This is your favorite shirt and I ruined it with soda I feel like such a fucking moron!”
“Hey you’re not a-,” he began to say again until I interrupted with, “Don’t stand up for me I know that was your favorite shirt and ugh I’m so-.”
“BABE, calm down. Okay, look I’m fine your fine and this shirt I don’t really care for anymore.”
“Since when,” I asked.
“Since you think you’re an idiot for spilling some soda on it.”
Blood reached my face and it lit up like the 4th of July probably. I quickly brought my face down so my vision could only see my awkward feet covered by my black skeleton designed socks and his sockless pale white feet and toes. I took deep breaths and tried my hardest not to freak out like I usually do. Last time Erik and I had an awkward silence like this was last year on the D.C. trip when he offered for us to elope together. I still regret not taking his offer.
Sudden cold fingers on my chin bringing my face up brought me back from my troubling thoughts and memories and to see Erik pulling my face up to his. “Erik w-w-what are you doing,” I asked almost unable to remember how to move my lips. Erik’s eyes showed more of his feelings and I could see something a spark between us. “I uh wanted to uh…nothing,” he said as he pulled away, “I guess I should let you go to bed.” I closed my eyes and took a deep almost calming breath. I opened my eyes and then pushed past him up to my room. Ugh, how could he lead me on like that! I thought we were actually going to kiss, that son of a bitch! I walked into my room and shut the door angrily then laid on my bed starring up at the ceiling. I let out a sigh in frustration and let my mind drift.

DREAMSTATE
I sat on a green hill, my legs pressed to my chest, and my face hiding in my knees. The sky was crying rain like I cry over Erik only more violently. The hill was surrounded by trees and bright colored flowers. Erik suddenly appeared with a smile on his face that brightened the sky. The rain clouds ran off in fear of his mighty smile and he opened his arms as if waiting for me to run into his embrace. I wanted to but my body stayed in the position it was in…the painful tortured position. Erik got closer and laid one hand on my shoulder.
My head snapped up and revealed a hideous monster with razor sharp teeth and eyes glowing red. My pale white skin was now a bloody crimson red and was slowly oozing more of the crimson red. A dark deep growl escaped my throat and I lunged at him.
MORNING
I sat straight up in my bed my chest heavier than usual and my eyes filling and exploding out with tears. “What the hell was that,” I asked myself out loud. Sweat was dripping off of my temple and my neck and sliding down my back. I took a few deep breaths and once my mind was clear of the dream and I could breathe and move again I would be up and ready to start the search for the kidnapper. I rubbed my eyes hoping that if I rubbed them hard enough the bad dreams would disappear, but all I got was a headache. What kind of girl dreams that she turns into some kind of blood thirsty monster and kills her love…sick weirdo’s who haven’t had a boyfriend in a while.
Sounded like me. I laid back down and started stretching out all of my muscles one at a time. Okay, first on the list of things to do is to take a shower, next is to grab some clothes, eat a nice breakfast, and finally start searching for some clues. Two knocks on my door made me jump straight up and brought my attention to my doorway. Holy mother of god, I thought when I saw Erik standing in the door way plaid pajama pants on and no shirt. His long arms that were nicely muscled, his wide chest, and his flat, abed stomach was almost too much. “Hey, you alright there you look like you are having trouble with your jaw,” Erik said. I suddenly realized my dry mouth and my open jaw. I quickly closed my mouth and then grabbed my glass of soda and took a large swallow of it.
Erik laughed then walked over to me and said, “Well I was going to come in here and wake you up but since it looks like your already up I’ll go make us breakfast.” I smiled and said, “That sounds good.” Erik made a fist then lightly taped the bottom of my chin with his fist. I smiled and then gently pushed him out of my room. He was just about out the door when he turned to me and asked, “Hey