Everything You Want (10 page)

I nodded once.  “Marissa, this is
Shannon, and his fiancée, Alisha.”

Shannon smiled brightly and said hi to
her, but Alisha just frowned and looked at me.  “I didn’t know you were
bringing someone, Kieran.”

“Is that okay?” I asked, confused. 
I’d brought girls to these things before.  Alisha was never friendly to
them, or Ollie’s girls for that matter, but she at least acknowledged them,
usually.  I figured she must’ve been in a worse mood than usual. 

“Of course,” Alisha said in a clipped
tone, and turned back to the stage.

Two seconds later the lights dimmed and
the crowd began to push forward, causing my chest to collide with Marissa’s
back.  I was instantly reminded of the storm, and how good it felt to have
her so close to me.  To my surprise, instead of moving forward, she
settled against me, leaning her head back against my shoulder.  I couldn’t
stop my arms as they rose up and wrapped loosely around her waist. She tilted
her head to look up at me and smile.  I looked down and her lips were
inches from mine.  Longing washed over me.

Too fast, too fast.

I looked into her bright, smiling eyes
and remembered that she wasn’t just some girl I could toss away.  If I
kissed her, that was it.  I was in, and I wasn’t ready.  Leading her
to believe that I was wasn’t right.

She looked back to the stage and I caught
a whiff of her sweet, apple-scented hair.  Who was I kidding?  I was
already in it.

“They’re good,” Marissa said after a few
minutes.

I shrugged.  “They’re okay.”

“Yeah, I guess they’re no
Radiohead.  But they’re okay.”  She grinned.

I raised my brows.  “You like
Radiohead?”

“No, but you do.  You listen to them
on repeat practically every night.”

“You can hear that?”  What was I
thinking?  I could hear her messing around in her kitchen.  Of course
she could hear my music.  “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry.  I don’t hate
it.  I actually even downloaded a few of their songs.”

“Oh, you did?”  I chuckled.

“Yeah, three or four.”

“Well, see, that was my plan all
along.  To make a fan out of you.”

“Fan?  I wouldn’t say that I’m there
quite yet.”

The corners of my mouth turned up and I tightened
my arms around her waist.  We swayed lightly to the music while everyone
around us danced and sang along with the band.

After a few songs Ollie and Vivienne came
up to us.  “Marissa, we’re going to the bar.  Do you want something?”

“No, I’m good.  Do you?” she asked
looking up at me.

Ollie’s brow creased and he opened his
mouth, but I shot him a look that told him he’d better shut up.  This
wasn’t something I’d shared with her yet.  “No,” I said, but it was too
late.  She’d already seen Ollie’s face.

“I don’t drink,” I told her after he’d
walked away.

“That’s okay.  I don’t much,
either.”

“No, I mean I used to.  A lot. 
I’m a…” I really didn’t want to tell her this.  The night was going so
well.  What was I thinking, bringing her to a club?  I should’ve
realized it would come up.

She was looking at me expectantly. 

I breathed in deeply through my
nose.  “I had an issue with alcohol a few years back,” I said finally.

“Should you…should we be here?” she
asked, concern washing over her face. 

No, I had not wanted to tell her. 
And that was why.

“Yeah, it’s fine.  I’m fine.”

“Okay.”  She nodded, turning back to
face the band.

And that was it.  She leaned back
against my chest and didn’t pressure me for more, didn’t hammer me with a
million questions like everyone else did.  I pulled her a little
closer.  Maybe this could only be for one night.  It would be better
for me to stop it before we both got in too deep, but just for then, right in
that moment, I couldn’t let her go.

Marissa

It felt good to be so close to Kieran
again, leaning against his hard, warm chest.  The band ended their song
and immediately jumped into another one.  I turned around in his arms to
face him.

“Are you having a good time?” he asked.

“I am.  Are you?”

“Mmmhmm.”  He nodded, smiling.

I reached up and ran a hand through his
dark, thick hair.  It was one of the few times I’d seen him wear it
down.  I took my time letting my fingers slide through his smooth locks
and it could’ve been my imagination, but I thought I felt him shiver.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all
night.  Longer than that, actually.  You have gorgeous hair,” I said.

He reached out ran his fingers slowly
down the length of my hair.  “So do you,” he said.  Then it was my
turn to shiver. 

I wanted to kiss him then.  Maybe I
didn’t want our first kiss to be standing in a crowd of people, but that wasn’t
enough to stop me.  I wrapped my arms around his neck and started to lean
forward…and felt a small hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down.

“Mind if I cut in?” a girl’s voice said
beside me.

I turned.  The tiny brunette with
the huge blue eyes and even bigger lips was standing next to me, smiling
innocently.

Yeah, she knew what she just did.

“Alisha,” Kieran began.

“It’s fine,” I said, stepping away.

The corners of Kieran’s mouth turned down
as she took ahold of his arm and dragged him away from me.

I didn’t know what her deal was.  It
was obvious that the girl didn’t like me, but I didn’t know why.  Maybe
she was just one of those sour girls who didn’t like anybody.  She hadn’t
been especially warm towards Vivienne, either, I’d noticed.

I frowned when I saw her throw her arms
around Kieran’s neck and start moving her body in rhythm with his.  It
helped a little that he was practically scowling at her, but I still didn’t
particularly want to watch it.

I walked over to the bar and ordered a
Diet Coke.  I noticed Kieran’s friend, Shannon, at the other end of the
bar and walked over to him. 

“Hi,” he said when he saw me
approach.  “Where’s Kieran?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink.

“Out there.”  I tilted my head
towards the crowded floor.

Shannon winced.  “Did Alisha steal
him away?”

“Yeah.  Does she do that a lot?”

“Yeah, I’m not a big fan of dancing, so
he tries to make up for it, which is usually fine, but tonight she should know
better.”

“Why tonight?”

Shannon suddenly looked uncomfortable and
took a long swig of his drink before answering.  “Nothing.  Hey, can
I get you something?  To make up for my girl stealing your man?”

I held my Coke up.  “I’m good. 
And it’s fine, he’s not my ‘man.’  We’re just friends…I think.”

Shannon chuckled.  “Yeah.”

A few awkward moments passed before I
could think of something else to say.  Finally I asked, “So you and Kieran
have known each other for a long time?”

“Yeah, forever.  Ollie, too.”

“It’s cool you guys have all stayed
friends for so long.  I don’t really have any friends back home, besides
my stepsister.”

“Yeah, we’re lucky,” Shannon said.

Another awkward silence ensued, then he
said, “Listen, Kieran’s a good guy.  You just have to be patient with
him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s not been with anybody for a long
time.  Well, he has, but his heart hasn’t been it.  But tonight, it’s
different.  He’s different.  He’s into you.  Just be patient.”

I didn’t have time to ask why again
before I felt an arm slip around my waist and pull me close.  I smiled as
I inhaled Kieran’s clean scent.  At the same time, Alisha came up and
wrapped her arms possessively around Shannon.  For a split second, I
almost thought she narrowed her eyes at me, but surely not.  What was with
this girl?

I held my drink up to Kieran. 
“Thirsty?  It’s Diet Coke,” I said.

“With what in it?” Alisha snapped just as
Kieran started to shake his head.

“Nothing, just Coke,” I replied, trying
to keep my voice level.  I was starting to get annoyed.

“You know he can’t drink, right?” she
said with a sneer.

“Alisha,” Shannon scolded.

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide and
innocent again.

“Alisha, please.”  Kieran
sighed.  “And I can if I want, I just don’t.  I’m not quite the
raging drunk everyone makes me out to be.”

Alisha’s huge blue eyes were suddenly
full of regret.  “I didn’t say you were.”

“Alisha.”  Shannon put his hand on
her shoulder and turned her towards the bar.

“Sorry,” she said to Kieran over her
shoulder, and I could tell she meant it.  So maybe she wasn’t all bad.

He just nodded and pulled me back out on
the floor.

“I’m sorry.  I guess I should have
said something before, but I foolishly thought it wouldn’t come up every five
minutes.  I had a drinking problem, but that was three years ago and I’m
over it now.  I am not an alcoholic.  Everybody thinks I am, which is
fine, whatever, but I can say no.  There was just a point in time in my
life when I didn’t want to, when I didn’t see any reason to…But anyway,
sorry.  I should have told you.”

I stopped walking and put my hand on his chest. 
“You don’t owe me any explanations.”

One corner of his mouth tilted up. 
“Thanks, but I did owe you that one.  And sorry about Alisha, too.”

“It’s fine.  Shannon
explained.  It’s a little strange that he lets his girlfriend hang all
over you like that, but that’s his business.”

“What?  She wasn’t all over me.”

I cocked a brow at him.  “She was.”

“Well, that’s just her.  She’s a
touchy-feely kind of girl.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“What, are you jealous or something?” he
teased.

“Maybe,” I said, smiling softly.

“Really?” he asked, a pleased smile
breaking out over his face.

I took his hand and squeezed it. 
“You’re my dance partner tonight.”

“So I am.”  He put his arms around
my waist and started moving to the music.

Kieran

We walked into our favorite little late
night coffeehouse.  The place was such a dive, but I loved it.  The
atmosphere was dim and kind of dingy, just right for nights like this, and the
coffee was excellent.  Shannon went to the counter to go order the coffee
and the rest of us settled on an old beat up leather couch in the corner. 
Marissa sat against one armrest and Ollie sat down next the other one, with me,
Alisha, and Vivienne in the middle.  When I sat down, Marissa leaned into
me and I threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her even closer. 
Wow, she smelled good.  I was never going to be able to eat an apple again
and not think about her. 

Shannon was back a few minutes later and
I eagerly accepted the two Styrofoam cups he offered me.  I handed one to
Marissa.  “Sorry, not much of a tea selection here.”

She laughed.  “I think I can handle
it.”

I chuckled as she took her first sip and
her face scrunched up. 

“Little strong,” she choked.

I grinned at her and took her cup. 
“Let me fix that up for you.”  I reached for a couple sugar packets and
the cream, mixing it in until her coffee was a nice creamy tan color. 
“Here you go.”  I handed it back.

She took a cautious sip.  I watched
as her eyes widened in surprise as she swallowed.  “Pretty good,” she
said.

“See, you are a coffee drinker.  You
just don’t know how to make it properly.”

“Don’t push it,” she said, but took
another sip.

We started discussing the concert, which
Alisha thought was excellent and Shannon thought sucked.  We all laughed
as they argued back and forth about the merits of the performance, then Ollie
began telling Marissa about his art.  She seemed interested, so as she
listened to him, I took the opportunity to get everyone some refills.

“I’ll help,” Alisha said, jumping up.

“So who is she?” Alisha asked when we
were out of hearing range.

“She’s my neighbor.”

Alisha looked back at the couch and
sighed.  “I don’t see it.”

“Don’t see what?” I asked, frowning.

“Why you think she’s so special.”

“Are you kidding me?”  My brow creased. 
“She’s perfect.”

“Whatever.”  She shrugged.  “I
don’t like her.  She’s not your type.”

“Yes, and that’s a good thing.”

“Not necessarily.  Anyway, she’s not
good enough for you.”