Fever

Erica finally sees inside Kents house, still she doesnt get to see everything as he's sick and she forgets about the mansion. Its a metaphor for him not letting her in all the way, and for her to begin not caring about the material stuff in the house, but

Fever

After the last customer finally left, Erica counted her tips out to make sure they would be enough for last portion of the rent she still needed to pay. She felt partially relieved knowing the rent would be fine, as long as her manager still decided to accept it late, but she'd have to live without light for another month without electricity. It wasn't like she hadn't done it before. Plus the candles all around the little apartment were kind of nice, but shallowly enough it would just suck not being able to style her hair for Marc. Lately she'd been looking like a frizzy loser, so it was probably time to steal some hair extensions or something. Guys never noticed if your hair was longer or shorter, just that it looked good.

Her cell phone, well technically not her cell phone buzzed in her pocket startling her. She had been walking around the community swimming pool in L.A. where someone swimming laps had left the phone on the ledge. Erica easily snatched it the other day. The thing becoming not so easy was telling Marc that she kept losing her cell phones and how her phone numbers constantly changed. She would have to work on that.

"Hey babe, I'm almost out of work. We're wrapping up one last case," Erica said wiping down a table with her free hand.

"No problem hon. Hey do you remember when you took Kent home a week ago? Do you remember the way there?" Marcus asked.

"I think so, why?" Erica asked confused.

"Well I know your office is really close to his house, would you mind stopping by there? He has a surfboard that I want to borrow. He never uses it anymore, could you go pick it up for me? I wanted to go tomorrow morning."

"Yeah-sure," Erica stuttered her words tiredly. She'd been working for over twelve hours, and little did Marc know, her "office" wasn't exactly close to Malibu Colony, in fact it was on the complete opposite side from where she worked. Another little detail Marc didn't know was that she didn't own a car. Taking the bus would take hours. By the time she got there it would be one in the morning. She immediately felt regret in deciding to appease Marc, but maybe waking up Kent wouldn't be such a bad idea. He could use a nice loud wakeup call to let him know that every girl was not a gold digger like he thought. Then again she was a big fat liar so it was hard arguing her case.

"Thanks, do you want to come with me tomorrow?"

"I prefer just tanning," Erica replied wondering if she could ask work if she could come in later for her shift. In Marc's world she could go into "the office" anytime since she ran the place. Yeah right, her manager pushed her around and sexually harassed her on a daily basis.

"Alright," Marcus laughed, "Call me later."

"Ok," Erica hung up, finally finished wiping down her last table then went to the back. "Hey Lewis," she yelled over at the manager counting out cash. "Can I come in a little later tomorrow for my shift?"

"Yeah, yeah sure," the manager said without looking up.

"Ok great thanks, have a good night."

"Oh wait a second!" he paused saying a number out loud to mentally note where he was counting. "You know that kid who you spilled wine all over? He came by today."

"Kent?" She frowned. God why did he come her work? To warn her that he was going to tell Marc everything? To warn her that he was going to turn her in to the police?

"Yeah whatever, you know, Whitlock, the real estate tycoon's kid. Right before you came in he left some stuff for you, said that you forgot it."

"Are you serious?" Erica said quickly pacing back to the break room. When she opened the door she saw the Jimmy Choo shoe box sitting on the table along with the Chanel dress hung up on the back of the door. She stood staring stupidly with her jaw to the ground, wondering in disbelief that he had come all the way down here to do this. He really was sweet, he really wanted her to have a gift, and the whole thing hadn't been some stupid trick like she thought after he accused her of being a gold digger.

Still as she looked at the gift she didn't want to accept it, it gave him more power, but with him not being there to argue that was pretty impossible. Maybe it was better that he wasn't here, so he or she couldn't complicate the simple act of giving a gift by arguing with each other. As she looked closer at the dress she noticed the screwed up sensor wasn't on the dress any longer. Had he removed it? She then he saw a Chanel bag sitting at the foot of the door, reached in and found a receipt for the purchase. She dropped the bag in shock. Why did he do this? Why did he give a damn what she wore?

"Good Lord," she whispered gathering the rightfully purchased goods, feeling strange that she didn't have to stuff them in her pockets or hide them. She walked back out to the front uncertain what to do about going to his place now.

"So you left your clothes at his place?" the manager teased. "You are doing Whitlock now? Never thought a guy like that would slum, but hey who can blame him when you look like that," he reached out to pinch the side of her thigh.

Erica closed her eyes and took it, then continued her pace. "I'm not doing him," she mumbled.

She finally got outside and made her way to the bus stop. Now she had to go to his place to at least thank him, even though it would be awkward as hell.

She was startled as a car honked and pulled over. "Erica! Where are you going? Do you need a ride?" Margot, a fellow waitress and friend from work shouted out the window. Her bright pink cropped hair was noticeable even in at eleven o clock at night. Margot was always offering her rides home since she felt sorry for her having to go on the bus, and luckily enough hadn't got off work too long after Erica.

"No it's alright, I'm not going home," Erica yelled back.

"Where are you going?"

"The Colony, I'll just take the bus it's no big deal."

"The Colony you must be joking! What do you have to do down there?"

"Just um, run an errand for Marcus. I'll see you tomorrow."

"It will take forever for the bus to go down there. Get in I'll take you," Margot motioned.

"Are you sure? I'll pay you for gas if you'd like," Erica offered.

"You can pay me back by showing me whatever is in that Chanel bag! Come on!"
Erica laughed and got in the passenger seat.

"So what is all this?" Margot asked teasingly rustling in her bag before she pulled back into the street. "Holy s**t!" she squealed upon pulling one of the shoes out of the box.

"You don't even want to know."

"Did Marc get you all of this? I don't remember him ever getting you presents, well besides his great grandmother's old crappy ring or whatever."

"The ring isn't crappy! It's a family heirloom."

"Yeah, yeah, but with all their money couldn't it be prettier? I mean it isn't even a clear diamond. They could have like upgraded it or something. I mean this is good stuff! Finally he got some taste."

"Actually, Marcus didn't get these, his uh, friend did," Erica mumbled.

"What!" Margot replied wide eyed laughing. "Oh my God you little w***e!"
"No! No it's not like that at all. Well, you know Kent Whitlock? At the mall he just got them for me, I still have no clue why. I think it was because he saw my ugly shoes and felt bad or something. I guess he wanted to be charitable."

"Of course I know who Kent Whitlock is. What girl doesn't? He's only the finest guy alive, plus he is in the newspaper after all his wild weekends of partying. Well he used to be at least, I haven't seen him in there for a while, I guess because of his dad dying and all."

"Yeah," Erica muttered still feeling awful for that whole fiasco mentioning it the first time she met him, and then his mother whom she only brought up out of pure anger. She definitely felt like an a*s now holding all the gifts he got her. Maybe that was his plan.

"So he got you all of those things? And you are sure you aren't having sex with him?"
"Yes, as far as I know," Erica rolled her eyes.

"Okay, what man in the history of the world buys a girl gifts if he's not having sex with her?"

"It's really not like that, he just sees me as a charity case or something, I swear."
"A guy that buys you gifts, especially nice gifts, has a thing for you, trust me."

"Ok Margot have you seen the girls he dates? Even if he was drunk I doubt he'd see me that way," Erica assured.

"Yeah all the girls he dates are all blonde bimbos with orange wipe off skin and caked on makeup. They are totally plastic, and you are naturally gorgeous. I've always told you that, I bet he can't help himself, even if Marcus Draper is his best friend," Margot insisted. "Does he know the truth about you? Or is he in the dark how Marcus is?"

"He knows actually, he found out, he saw me working."

"See and he doesn't care, he's like begging to get laid by you."

"You are so bad," Erica laughed as they pulled up to the gate. "I'm almost a married woman now. You can't be saying things like that." She rolled down the window and tried from memory to punch in his house number. It rang five times and then finally an answer.

"Yes?" A confused and hoarse voice croaked over the intercom.

"Oh, I must have the wrong place, would you happen to know the house number for Kent Whitlock?"

"Sixty nine!" Margot hollered out the window.
"Shut up!" Erica hissed.

"Uh this is Kent. Who is this? If this is Tenille or Lacey or Danica then I'm not in the mood to-," his oh so charming greeting became cut off by a series of coughs.
"It's Erica actually. Marcus asked me to stop by and get your surfboard for him, do you mind? It will only take a minute."

"He lasts only a minute? Let's hope not," Margot chuckled. Erica had to giggle at that.
"Yeah sure," Kent replied in almost a whisper and the intercom clicked off.

The gates slowly opened and Margot made her way inside. As they drove down the row of mansions Margot gave an impressed "oh my God" at every house. Erica couldn't wait to point out Kent's house, when they finally got there Margot practically peed her pants.

"This is where he lives? Ok its official, you are marrying him instead. This makes Marcus's place look like�well your place," Margot teased.

"Shut up!"

"Sorry yeah that was harsh. But Erica oh my God, can you like change into the dress or something before you go in? No offense honey, but your waitress outfit doesn't go with the mansion."

Erica looked down at her stained shirt and work pants. Who cared what she looked like? It was just the friend of her fianc�. She shouldn't be trying to impress him.

Margot then hit the automatic locks on her car. "I'm not letting you out until you change into that dress and into those shoes. I won't look."

"I am just going to see him for like one second! I really doubt he cares how I look!"

"Well you can't just insult him by carrying the clothes and not wearing them. Come on, just do it before I make you," Margot tugged on her sleeve.

"Alright, alright you pervert! God you are worse than Lewis, hold on." Erica changed out of her waitress uniform and somehow slipped the dress on in the tiny car. She gladly took off her work shoes and slipped on the high heel yet comfortable pair of shoes. She had to admit that she was glad she had them back, they felt amazing.

"Now take down your hair, and go in there. Do you think you'll need a ride home?"

"No, the surfboard won't fit in your car, I'll just take the bus the rest of the way it's ok."

"Why don't you just spend the night?" Margot hollered after her as she got out of the car.

"Goodnight," Erica rolled her eyes. She walked through the lush garden in absolutely no rush at all in hopes that the scent from the flowers would somehow cover up her I just worked a long shift at work at smell. Damn too bad he didn't buy her perfume too. When she got to the doorway she lightly touched the doorbell, and was surprised to hear it chime all throughout the house. She only thought that happened in the movies. If she was impressed by the doorbell boy was she in for a surprise.

The door quickly opened with an unrecognizable Kent standing at the door. It looked like all of the color had been drained from his face. His forest green eyes looked rusty with dark red blood shot veins, and the expression on his face drooped in weariness. Just holding the door open looked exhausting for him. Ironically enough he still stood in a formal suit that he always seemed to wear.

"I'm disgusting I get it, what did you want again? It's something for Marc? I didn't completely hear you on the intercom," he muttered looking down.

"Oh no, are you alright Kent? My God you shouldn't be standing up, come on sit down," she lead him to a nearby entryway sofa. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the beauty of the interior, but hardly noticed it. He flopped down and she joined him, staring, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Do you have a cold?"

"I don't know," he jolted from shivering. "I keep forgetting what I was doing, what room I'm in," he responded light headedly.

"That doesn't sound right. Gosh you are soaking wet," she lightly placed the back of her hand on his matted black hair, smoothing it out. "I'm so sorry I came over like this, it was so rude of me."

"What did I-, say about apologies," he said through coughs.

"Let me get the surfboard and I'll leave you to get better, just tell me where it is and stay there."

Kent pointed across to the football field sized living room at a black and red surfboard leaned against the wall. Erica made her way over not slowing to take in much of the beautiful house, but she noticed assorted masks all over the walls. Whoever put them up, Kent or his father, or whoever it was, seemed like they wanted to make the house look creepy with all the masks, but they were so elaborate and unique Erica couldn't help but become enthralled. She picked up the surfboard ignoring her visual delight to hurry and get out of there so Kent could get his rest.

Feeling silly carrying a surfboard in a dress and heels, she was about to head out the door when she caught another sight of Kent. His eyes were closed but he trembled still awake. His erratic breathing added noise to the silence of the large house. As if he felt her gaze, he slowly opened his eyes, looking woozy as ever.

"You're wearing the stuff I got you," he managed to form a smile.

"Yeah," she put down the heavy surfboard. "You know you didn't have to do that, I mean I can see why you think I'm a gold digger, but I swear that isn't me."

"I know," he swallowed to prevent from coughing as if he was preparing to say something he obviously wanted to get out. "You look so beautiful," he confessed.

Erica looked down and blushed where she stood. "It's just the clothes."

"No," he argued weakly. "Waitress, Chanel, whatever it is you are beautiful."

Erica looked up awkwardly and bit her lip, unsure what to say.

"I'm sorry for saying that, just ignore that," Kent shook his head and tried to stand up. Nearly toppling over he grabbed onto the arm of the couch.

"Here let me help you," she rushed to him taking his hand and letting him lean his weight onto her.

"I don't want you to catch anything," he breathed heavily turning his face away.

"Come on. We have a lot of stairs to climb," she said looking up the tall spiral staircase.

That was one thing she liked about her one story three room apartment, there were no stupid stairs to climb.

"I'll be fine, you can go."

"Don't be such a guy, just let me help you."

He didn't argue as his head spun around dazedly from the overhead lighting. They slowly trudged up the stairs with Erica helping him every step of the way.

Finally at the top Kent opened the door to the first room on the right, and they went inside. The first thing Erica noticed was the sound of running water, and then the intense black and white only colors spread throughout the modern bedroom. Everything was so neat and precise that it was almost scary. The next thing that stood out was the blue and purple glow from the all black. A deep and wide rectangle had been cut out behind the enormous King size bed with a view of the ocean outside, and, was that what she thought it was?

"Is that�,"

"A shark," Kent finished. "Yes, he's a leopard shark. I've had him for a couple of years, I named him Spot, original huh?" he coughed.

"You sleep with a freaking shark behind your head?"

"And a lion fish and some trigger fish," Kent pointed out. "I named those too but thankfully I'm not delirious enough to admit anymore of the names."

Erica giggled as she stared in fascination at the aquarium. Still she saw that the running water sound couldn't have been coming just from the aquarium, then looked to the black walls in shock that she didn't notice it before. Wall waterfalls surrounded the entire bedroom blending in with the rest of the room so that it looked natural.

"Amazing," she uttered looking up at a black chandelier, because of course the aquarium and waterfall weren't enough. The only thing white in the room were the pillows that sat on top of the bed and a modern design on the black shag carpeting.

Her enchantment broke as Kent sneezed softly several times into his arm obviously trying to be courteous. Erica shook her head. Even when he sneezed he tried to courteous.

"Excuse me," Kent reached to his bed stand to get a tissue. "Sorry about all this."

"What did I say about apologies?" Erica mimicked in his tone. "You don't have to apologize for being sick."

Kent nodded sitting on the bed.

"You're room is incredible, it's very you. I'll leave now. Take care of yourself and get some rest. Are you just going to sleep in that?" she asked in disbelief looking at his suit.

"Sure, why not?"

"Don't you want to change into warm pajamas or something?"

"I don't own any. I just sleep in my clothes."

"You have a shark, a waterfall bedroom, God knows what else, and you don't have anything to sleep in? You have to have something. Do you care if I look?"

"I guess not," Kent lay back staring at the ceiling with his hand over his eyes.

Erica went to his dresser and opened the first drawer. She jumped when she heard Kent clap loudly behind her and the lights turned off.
"I hope you don't mind, the light is bugging me."

"You have a clap-on light! Oh my God if you weren't sick right now I'd be playing with that for like hours." She could see Kent's stomach rise up and down with laughter. In the first drawer sat several black boxer shorts. So he was a boxer man. Feeling like a total pervert Erica slammed the drawer shut and went onto the next one. It was empty besides some swim shorts and several pieces of paper.

One she eyed through the darkness read "A Tribute to Kenneth Whitlock." She got chills as she read the similar names, and then slammed that drawer shut. Besides other odds and ends there was nothing she could find so she went to the closet, and was surprised when the motion detector door slid open, revealing an array of suits, mostly Hugo Boss. Erica couldn't believe it. Did the guy own just one lousy t-shirt and jeans?

She shuffled through them, and then on the floor she spotted an old college hooded sweatshirt. Finally! She picked it up off the floor, shook out the dusk and went to Kent who was half leaned against his bedpost and half lying down with his arms crossed across his chest. Not sure if he was asleep she lightly lifted his right arm and slid his suit jacket off and then the other arm.

Afraid at first, but too curious to stop herself, she unbuttoned his black shirt slowly and pulled it away from his body. Before pulling the sweatshirt over his head she took a good long stare at his bare chest. The contours of his muscles were in all the right places and looked smooth as ever. His lean stomach rose up and down as he breathed unconsciously. Feeling guilty at being so perverted again she pulled the huge sweatshirt over his head, and he woke up enough to shove his arms through the holes.

"I don't think I've ever worn this thing," he muttered groggily.

"You're on your own with the pants."

"I'm fine," he chuckled kicking his shoes off to the ground. "Thank you," he said already looking more comfortable.

"Do me a favor and get under the covers, and then I'll be out of your hair."

Kent sat up, pulled the black blankets back and got underneath.

"Do me a favor and please don't tell Marcus about this? It's so gay."

"You are such a guy. I won't though, goodnight Kent."

"Erica?" he said reaching for her hand before she turned all the way around.

"Yes?"
"Would you um..,"

"What?"

"Nothing, I was going to ask you to stay, but it is late, I should rest like you said."

"Yeah you should," she said kneeling down to his level. Still holding his hand she reached it to her face and kissed it gently, then placed it back on his chest. Then out of instinct, without really thinking about if she'd catch something, or about how appropriate it was, she bent forward, wrapped both hands around his jaw line, and ever so lightly kissed him on the forehead.

His perspiration left her lips slightly moist, and she licked the salty taste off her mouth which deliciously tasted like peppermint. "Just�feel better," she mumbled shakily. His eyes slowly opened, seeming to have a little bit of the forest green back in them. An alert surprise washed over his face as she waited, waited for approval for what she just did.

Not able to stand the silence any longer, she stood up and left the bedroom quickly, scurried downstairs, and then out the door. The moist air from the ocean felt amazing and she was happy to have the long walk home. Somehow things had gotten very hot in there, and funny enough she wasn't the one with the fever.

Reviews

[ape domenigoni]

I love how they're falling in love! It's so awkward and natural all at the same time. Kudos to you!

[Loribeth215]

Uh oh, somebody's falling.... :)
I loved Kent's house by the way. Is there an actual place that looks like that?