Better Off Red (33 page)

“My parents are gone all afternoon too, if you wanted to come over and hang out,” she blurted out.

“I’m going shopping with my mom tomorrow,” I lied.

“Oh. Well.” She started backing toward to stairs. “Come by if you change your mind.”

“I will,” I lied again.

I watched Kristen walk back to her house and silently, I prayed her mom and my mom didn’t talk while I was home.

“Red, are you cheating on me?”

I spun around, my heart beating out of my chest. Camila was standing on my porch in nothing but her underwear and my favorite

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green v-neck. It was twenty-five degrees out and she couldn’t have looked more comfortable. I assumed she had her cloak up. All Kristen, or my parents for that matter, had to do was look out the window to see a half-naked woman standing on our porch in the snow.“Can anyone see you?” I asked anxiously.

“No, baby. The porch looks empty.”

“Good.”

And then I jumped on her, my legs wrapping around her waist, my big boots digging into the back of her thighs. She took my weight easily, carrying me to the corner of the porch, pushing me up against the side of my house. My lips latched on to hers, and instantly her tongue slid against mine.

I pulled away, just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. “What are you doing here?” I panted before diving in for another kiss.

“Trying to keep you from giving your neighbor another crack at that beautiful mouth of yours.” Her fangs trailed across my jaw.

“I’m sorry you heard that, but she doesn’t have a chance. How long have you been lurking in my yard?” I asked.

“Long enough to know she still wants you.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re here. Kiss me.” She smiled against my skin then sunk her teeth into my neck. My orgasm hit me like a Mack truck, sending my head spinning. Her cloak had to be soundproof, because I was moaning pretty loudly. She fed deeply, letting me come once more and again as I pressed myself against her stomach.

I shuddered a final time when she pulled away and sealed the bites.

“Okay. I have to go now,” she whispered softly between warm strokes of her tongue.

“What? No. Stay. Please,” I said. “I have a double bed and new pink sheets. You’ll love it. Just poof yourself to my room. I’ll tell my mom I’m not feeling well.”

“Really, Red. I have to go. Kina just came back to the house.

The kindergarten teacher dumped her. She’s a mess.” She put me down, smoothing my hair behind my ear. “I told her I’d be right back.”“Fine. Will you call me later, if you can?”

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“Yes. If it’s not too late. You have to go shopping tomorrow,”

she said with a mocking smile.

“Har, har. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” And then she disappeared.

I kicked off my boots by the door and stumbled into the living room, dazed and soaking.

“What did Kristen need, honey?” Mom asked.

“Huh? Oh, uh she’s fine. I mean, nothing. She was just saying hey. I’ll be right back.” I ignored Dad and Todd’s bizarre looks and ran up to my room to change my underwear. I glanced at my neck in the mirror to make sure it wasn’t too blotchy. It was, but that I could blame on the cold if anyone asked. I was back in the living room in record time, doing my best to play it cool as I took the thimble from Dad.“If I have to spend time with you people I want to be the bank,”

I insisted.

“You okay there, champ?” Todd scoffed, nodding toward my arm. Unknowingly, I’d been running my fingers across my bottom lip. It was puffy and swollen. I dropped my hand.

“Yeah. Why?”

He just shook his head, smirking at the Chance cards he was sorting.

Monopoly was as fun as the Carmichaels could make it. I slid Dad money behind my back. Todd sold Mom some properties at a discounted price. We quit when Dad kept nodding off against the couch.

❖

I climbed into bed and texted Camila, telling her how much I loved her. I passed out before she texted me back. I dreamt about her, though, her kisses on my cheeks and my neck, the gentle caresses of her hands between my legs. We talked less than we made love, but I remembered her telling me that my bed was way too small.

I’d laughed in my sleep, almost waking myself up, but not quite. I wanted to hold on to Camila and my dreams.

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In the morning I found a piece of my mom’s pink stationary folded on my pillow. But the swirly handwriting didn’t belong to Linda.
Enjoy the day, Red. Next time we’re doing it on the floor. Luv,
your M.

I cursed out loud, careful not to crush the paper in my fist. I couldn’t believe I’d missed her.

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Better Off red

It turns out Camila could hold her cloak in place while she fed, but she couldn’t do it while I was busy twirling my tongue around her clit. She only came back once while I was home.

Kina was devastated over her breakup with the kindergarten teacher.

Camila and Faeth were on best friend duty on and off for the next day, but the afternoon of Thanksgiving, the kindergarten teacher had a change of heart and wanted Kina back. Camila texted me right before we started dinner, telling me to let her know the second I’d gone up to my room for the night. Needless to say, I was in an abnormally good mood while we ate.

I wanted to give Camila the same level of romance she’d shown me during our dates back in Baltimore. I made my bed and actually threw my clothes in the hamper. Then I downloaded a few movies for us to watch on my laptop. We had till dawn, and the nights were longer now. A few hours of romantic comedies would ensure that my parents were asleep before we tore each other’s clothes off. She texted me right before she appeared standing across my room. I wanted to invite her to make herself comfortable on my bed, tell her the choice of movie was hers, but the words were trapped in the back of my throat.

Camila was already naked, her eyes glowing green and gold, lips parted, fangs exposed. I had no clue what had set her off, but she was hungry—for me. I walked toward her, my hand extended out. Her purr grew to a low panting growl the closer I got. I pressed my body against hers.

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“What happened to your clothes?” I asked.

“Do I need them?” Her heated gaze focused on my mouth.

“No, babe, you don’t. Did you just feed?” Her reply was more hiss than an actual yes as I ran my fingers down her side. Her soft skin was on fire. There was no need to bait her any further, but it was impossible to resist her heat. My palms found her breasts and my lips found her throat. I drew lazy circles with both as her head fell back. “Let me take care of you.”

I sank to my knees, separating her slit with my tongue. She was so wet, pulsing hot. I needed more of her honey sweet taste. I swept my tongue deeper, closing my lips around her clit, my underwear soaking at the loving sounds rumbling from her chest.

She let me please her for a few moments, but I felt her body tensing, growing impatient. She never had a problem with me making her come, but she also didn’t like sitting by and letting me do all the work. She pushed me away from her body, sliding to the floor beside me. In the next second she was underneath my hips, tearing my underwear off, pressing her face between my legs. I looked down, trying to get my bearings, pleasantly surprised to find her wetness still at my disposal.

I got lost in her, using my fingers and my tongue, tracing every inch of her pussy. Even though I thought her cloak was up, I tried to keep my voice down. It was difficult. She knew how to work me so good. Her tongue driving in and out of me with strong thrusts, her finger gently prodding my asshole. I was so close, dripping on the edge when she replaced her tongue with her other fingers. I shuddered against the dragging sweep of her fangs as they searched the inside of my thigh.

“Do it. Please,” I begged, panting loudly. “God, Mila. Please.”

And then there was a light knock on my door. Only my dad knocked like that. Camila and I froze.

“Ginge, honey. Can you keep it down? Your mom’s trying to sleep.” My eyes slammed shut, my teeth clenching together.

“Sorry, Dad,” I called back, mortified.

“It’s okay, kiddo. Night.”

“Night.”

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We waited, listening until my parents’ bedroom door shut.

I crawled off Camila as quietly as possible, and shuffled to lean against my bed. She was right there beside me, nuzzling my neck and slipping her hand back between my legs.

“You distract me too much, Red. My cloak dropped.”

“Yeah, I kinda forgot where we were too.”

“Well, we’ll just have to finish each other…one at a time,” she said. Her fingers pushed back inside me and her fangs sliced into my throat. I bit the inside of my cheek, drawing blood, swallowing my cries while I worked myself against her hand. When I was done, she let me back between her thighs. I could still taste a hint of my blood in my mouth as it mixed with her delicious juices, but as she came silently, dripping on my lips, I couldn’t help but wonder what her blood would taste like.

❖

The line to the ticket counter wasn’t too bad, but the line through security was ridiculous. Dad was back from the short-term parking before I’d moved an inch.

“So I’m guessing Mila’s going back early too.”

“Uh, yeah.” I’d told my parents I was heading back early to get a jump on my finals. Maybe texting Camila non-stop and leading them to believe that we were having phone sex gave away my true motivation for going back early.

“She’s it for you, isn’t she?” Dad asked.

I turned and peered at him. He was looking at his shoes, blushing a little. “What makes you say that?” I asked.

“That look you’ve had on your face all week. That’s how I used to look at your mother,” he said.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” he said, dismissing my worries of a divorce with a confident shake of the head. “I’m just old. My eyes don’t get all wide and googly anymore.”

“You’re not old, Dad. Just seasoned and mature. And your eyes still get plenty googly when you’re with Mom.” The line moved forward a little. Dad followed the slow pace, sticking to my side.

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“I guess that’s true. She’s a great gal,” he said. “But I can tell with you two. The way you talk about her. The way you are now.

She’s the one for you.”

“You don’t think I’m too young to be so sure?” I asked. I think we both thought it would be a few years before we had this talk.

“No. Not at all. I was your age when I met your Mom. Plus, she can’t get you pregnant.”

“Ew, Dad.” I scowled.

He chuckled before he got serious again. “If it’s okay with her parents, we’ll fly her up here for New Year’s.”

“Okay,” I agreed uselessly. That wasn’t going to happen. Ever.

I knew she wanted to meet my family, but still after all these months we hadn’t figured out how. I couldn’t fly her up for an evening and then what, explain that she left before dawn to get us all coffee and wouldn’t be back until dinner? But I would talk to her. I couldn’t cut off my family, and I couldn’t imagine not having her in my life. We would work something out. I just didn’t know when.

When I was next in line Dad turned to me.

“Tell her I’m sorry I silenced your fun. Us old people still need sleep.”

“Dad!”

“Come here, Ginge.” He hugged me, chuckling his deep laugh against my hair. “Call me when you land.”

“I will.” I walked forward and threw my backpack on the belt and pulled off my boots. I glanced back when I got through the detectors and Dad was still standing there, still tired, but smiling.

❖

I felt bad that I didn’t have more than three bucks to tip the driver Camila had sent for me. He turned down my measly wad of cash, explaining that Ms. Sanchez had already tipped him generously. He carried my bag to the porch and waited by the limo until I was safely inside.

The front door was locked, so I tried the doorbell. A minute later Florencia opened the door. She let me in and was on my heels as I walked toward the pantry.

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I was so anxious to see Camila, a little bit nervous actually, but that anxiety disappeared the moment I stepped off the elevator and into her arms.

“Hi,” I breathed against her neck. She held me close, wrapping her arms around me, but something was off. I took a small step back, shocked at the pained look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, baby.” She relaxed a little, but the look she gave me was way left of reassuring. “Well, Cleo’s coming in an hour. She’s trying to study for her anthropology final and her house is full of cousins. She won’t bother us though.”

“Okay. What else? Where Cleo studies never makes you this upset.”

“I’m not upset. Come sit with me,
querida
.” And then I knew things weren’t good. I trailed behind her toward her apartment, trying to ease the death grip I had on her hand. My heart was thudding against my ribs and my stomach was clenched beyond tight. The worst things were running through my head. Maybe she wanted to end things. Or maybe she wanted to take a step back. What if I was smothering her? Maybe she saw me at home with my family and realized we didn’t belong together.

“Are you breaking up with me?” I blurted out nervously.

“No, Red.” She laughed for real this time. “I don’t want to talk about this in the hallway.”

She opened her bright red door for me and I followed her inside.

Then I dropped my bags on the floor and sat beside her on the couch.

I’d missed the smell of her apartment. The air was always so fresh and clean, but her cinnamon musk lingered everywhere. Still, her perfect scent wasn’t enough to calm me down.

I took a deep, ineffective breath. “Okay, tell me.”

Camila stared at the floor for a moment then looked me in the eye. “I’ve given this a great deal of thought and I didn’t want to bring it up because I truly don’t think it’s fair to you, but it’s just as much your decision as it is mine. I have to speak more with Dalhem, but if you would, after you gave it some real, serious consideration…if you’d like, I’d ask you to be my na’suul.”