Light in the Shadows

least five minutes.  You’re slacking, Mr. Reed,” I joked.  He kissed my hand again.
                    “I. Love. You,” he said, punctuating each word with a sloppy kiss to my skin.  I giggled like a school girl and blushed.  Yep, I was a pink, sparkly girl, alright.   I just hoped I didn’t have to morph into a fist throwing, claw your eyes out girl around this Maria.  Because I wouldn’t think twice about unleashing my inner She-Ra if she pissed me off.
     

C HAPTER T WENTY-ONE    
    - C LAY-
     
     
    Maria had been here for all of ten minutes and I was already regretting my decision to let her stay at Ruby’s for the night.  I sensed the change in her the moment she showed up at my house Friday evening.  It could have been the inch thick layer of make up on her face or the fact that her skirt barely covered her ass.  I felt like I was staring at a stranger.  This was not the Maria Cruz from Grayson’s. 
                    “Clay!” she squealed after I had opened the door.  Yeah, I noticed that she rubbed her tits against my chest as she squeezed me.  And I wasn’t blind to the fact that she stared a little too long at my mouth as I greeted her.  I didn’t know who the fuck this girl was, but she was not my friend.  She looked and sounded a lot like the girl Maria had been trying to get rid of.  The one that fucked any guy that would give her an ounce of attention.  The girl who used sex the same way I had used drugs and cutting. 
                    “Hey, Maria,” I said less enthusiastically, letting her into the house.  Ruby wasn’t home, she was at the store, having thrown herself back into keeping the shop in order.  I was glad she was getting herself out of the house, but right now I would have given anything for the Ruby buffer.
                    Maria tugged in an overnight bag that looked as though she had packed for a damn week.  “Here let me get that,” I offered, picking it up.  Jesus Christ, did she think she was moving in?
                    “What the hell do you have in here?  Bowling balls?” I grunted, bringing it into the living room.  Maria giggled, making my skin crawl a bit. 
                    “No, silly.  A girl just needs plenty of clothing options.  And shoes aren’t light,” she teased.  I rolled my eyes. 
                    “Shoes.  Sure,” I said, trying not to be annoyed by the already shitty beginning to this visit.  I was instantly on guard around Maria and I had never felt that way.  Not even when it was apparent she had feelings for me.  She had always been unassuming, shy even.  Nothing like the Maria who stood in the middle of my living room, with her cleavage on full display and a hand on her hip giving fuck me eyes.
                    “How was the drive?” I asked, trying to find a way into comfortable territory.  Asinine small talk seemed the way to go.  Maria pulled a tube of lip gloss from her purse and started to liberally apply it, rubbing it in with her finger. 
                    “Fine.  Hit some traffic on the beltway, but that was to be expected on a Friday,” she said, shrugging, the action causing her shirt to fall dangerously low on her shoulder.  Crap, I could see the top of her boobs.  This was not cool.  Maggie was going to be pissed when she got a load of Maria.  I knew she was feeling insecure about my friendship with Maria.  She had never come right out and admitted it, but I knew my girlfriend well enough to recognize the signs of her self-esteem taking a nose dive.  I hadn’t been sure how to handle that, because Maggie’s feelings were completely unfounded. 
                    So seeing Maria dressed like this, making it obvious that this visit was more about seeing the inside of my bedroom than hanging out, would not go over well.  And Maggie was supposed to be here at any minute.
                    I looked away and gestured with my head toward the kitchen.  “Want something to drink?” I asked.  Maria grinned and nodded.
                  “Sure, I am pretty thirsty,” she purred, the innuendo obvious.  Just get through the next twenty four hours without having to break up a chick fight, I thought to myself.  Because if Maggie didn’t go ballistic on this overly sexualized Maria, then Rachel would definitely have