Lovely (22 page)

She pulls away, short of breath. “I think we have an audience,” she whispers, looking around and pointing out an elderly couple staring from a nearby bench.

“Well,” I say with a wicked grin, “let’s give them something worthwhile then.” I drag her down on top of me, taking her lips in a crushing kiss.

She breaks the kiss and looks around. “Ash, what are you doing?”

“Oh, believe me, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

She laughs and rolls off of me. “I can see that,” she says with a flirty smile, as her eyes make their way down to my crotch.

There’s no way to hide how turned on I am right now. She bites her bottom lip, moving closer and nestling her head in my neck, and I curl my arm around her body and bring her close. I don’t want to move or even breathe right now. This moment is perfect.

We head back home around five and I take the long way so I can have Cara by my side for just a little bit longer. When I finally reach her driveway, my chest starts to feel tight. For some reason, I have a hard time saying goodbye. I cut the engine and turn to her. “I had a great time today,” I say honestly, staring into the bright gold flecks in her eyes that captivate me.

“Yeah, me too.”

I take my index finger and slip it under her chin. “I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but you have the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. I can see everything in them … your spirit, your light, your heart, your soul … and it’s a beautiful soul.”

Her eyes gloss over and I unstrap my belt so I can move my body closer to hers, the only place I want to be anyway. I reach out and take her glasses off, leaning my head against hers, our noses touching, our breath coming and going. She gently sucks on my bottom lip, her tongue coaxing until I surrender and she slips inside and wraps herself around me, dancing her way across my mouth.

She weaves her hands into my hair and I deepen the kiss, then leave her lips and trail my tongue down her neck, sucking gently on her skin. She moans and I let my hands wander, grazing the curve of her breast through her cotton tank, encouraging another whimper to slip out.

“I should go,” she breathes, her face flushed with a heated glow.

“Do you have to?”

She giggles. “Yes. Besides, I think we’ve given enough of a show today.”

I put her glasses back on and drop a kiss on her forehead, each of her cheeks, her nose, and then her mouth. “Goodbye, beautiful.”

She closes her eyes and breathes deeply. “I like when you call me that,” she admits, a radiant smile lighting up her face.

“I’ll call you later … beautiful.”

She grins, her ponytail flying through the air as she pushes open the car door. She blows me a kiss and disappears into the house, leaving me with a swollen heart and a giant hard-on once again.

Colt and Delilah are playing video games on the couch when I walk in the door. “What’s up, Ash?” Colt says. “Delilah’s whipping my butt in Guitar Hero. Where were you?”

“I had a date.” The best fucking date I’ve ever had.

They both drop their controllers eagerly and stare, obviously awaiting details which I won’t be sharing.

Delilah speaks first. “Well, how was it?”

“Yeah … how was Shelby?” Colt drawls, slicking back his wet hair, most likely from a recent shower.

Delilah pinches Colt’s arm. He glares at her and bumps her knee with his own.

I think something nasty just crawled down my throat. “Shelby?! That shit was over a while ago. Haven’t you seen her practically screwing Jake McCleary on campus?”

“Ew, gross. He’s a manwhore,” Delilah spits out. “They’re perfect for each other.” She looks back up at me. “So …?”

“It was great.”

Colt stares at both of us in confusion. “Wait, what am I missing here? Who were you out with?”

“Cara Hayward.”

He furrows his eyebrows and glares at me and Delilah. “Okay, can someone tell me what the hell is going on? I feel like we’re back in fourth grade and you guys are keeping secrets from me. Who is Cara and why does that name sound so familiar?”

“I don’t know.” I glance around. “Where’s Mom?”

“She had to stay late for that redesign they’re doing of the salon,” Delilah replies. “She said she’ll be home around nine. There’s chicken and rice in the fridge if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks.” I traipse into the kitchen, grab a glass of orange juice and the container of chicken from the fridge. Popping my dinner in the microwave, I set it for four minutes and plant myself on a stool, pulling out my cell phone to text Cara.

Me: Hey, what are you doing?

Cara: Eating, u?

Me: Me too. U know, we could have been eating together. I also could be kissing you right now.

It takes her a second to respond.

Cara: Yes, you could be.

That sounds like an invitation to me
.

Cara:
Goodnight, Ash

Me: Goodnight

I close my phone and grin wickedly, suddenly feeling spontaneous, when Colt walks in the room.

He shakes his head at me. “Whoa, you’ve got it bad, bro. I’ve never seen you like this.”

Looking down thoughtfully at my chicken for a moment, I turn to Colt deciding to be honest for once. “You’re right, I do.”

“Wow, dude, no more flavors of the month?”

“Nope. I only have one flavor I like now.”

He lets out a throaty laugh. “Man, I never thought I’d see the day.”

He sits down next to me and I push the plate of chicken between us. “So, what’s up with you? How are you feeling?”

His brown eyes are weary, but filled with relief. “Great. I mean, I’m still getting those headaches a lot,” he laughs, “but who cares, now that I know I’m not dying.”

I glare at him, shocked by his choice of words. “Jesus, Colt.”

He grins, spearing a piece of chicken with his fork. “What, it’s true, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess it is. By the way, I’m inviting Cara for dinner tomorrow night and I’m giving you advanced notice so you can practice behaving yourself,” I chuckle, “in front of the mirror if you need to.”

He fans his lashes. “Who, me? I always behave.”

“Yeah, right,” I say sarcastically, swallowing a piece of chicken.

The sky is dark and it’s late but I don’t care. I need to see Cara again. I need to hold her. Feel her lips on mine. She’s going to think I’m crazy, I know, but I’m probably the sanest I’ve been in a long time. Everything’s pretty clear to me. I know what I want. I want Cara.

I enter the driveway quietly, cut the engine and shut the lights off. I walk up the cracked path, nearly tripping in my hurried attempt to get to the door. The moment Cara opens it, I grab her, fist my hands in her hair and crush my lips to hers. She opens for me, teasing me with her tongue, twirling it around mine eagerly and sending sexy little noises into my mouth. My hand makes its way to the dip of her back and I splay it, pressing her as close as possible, my erection pushing into her groin.

When I break the kiss, she braces her hands on my shoulders, attempting to steady her wobbly legs. “Ash …”

I caress her cheek, running my tongue along the contour of her lips and whisper, “I wanted to make sure I was the last thing you thought about before you went to bed. Goodnight, beautiful.” I turn to leave, a confident smile on my face.

“Ash?” She’s all breathy and her fingers are touching her swollen lips as if she can’t process what just happened.

I look over my shoulder at her as I continue walking. “Yeah?”

It takes her a minute to respond, to catch her breath, and finally regain her composure. “You already were.”

There’s an extra person when I get down to breakfast Monday morning. It’s Victoria, Delilah’s friend from school. “Good morning,” I greet everyone, but all I hear is the sound of omelets flying into mouths and gulps of juice. Victoria is the only one who’s paying attention.

“Good morning, Ash,” she croons, flapping her lashes and sticking her chest out at me.

Lord
. “What’s up, Victoria?”

She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Not much. How you been?”

I grab an omelet off the stove and toss it on a plate. “Good, thanks. Hey, Mom.” I bend down and give her a kiss. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

She takes a drink of juice and gets up from the table, but not before she scowls at Victoria and her brazen attempts to flirt with me. “Sure, honey.”

I venture over to the bay window and Mom joins me. “I’m inviting Cara for dinner tonight, is that okay?”

“Of course!” she says with excitement. “I can’t wait to meet her. Any special requests?”

“Nah, anything you make will be good, Mom.”

“Okay. Why don’t you tell her six? I’ll need to do some shopping.”

“Okay.” I grab my backpack and peer around the corner to the kitchen. “Later, guys.”

“Bye, Ash!” Delilah and Colt call.

Victoria just makes those obnoxious “fuck me” eyes.
Ugh
.

I’m practically running into the library to see Cara, but when I arrive she isn’t there. Someone else is behind the counter, so I walk around and search for her. When I don’t see her, I turn back towards the exit, and we practically bump into each other at the glass doors. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Her lips are turned up in a smile, the evidence of last night’s kiss residing there. “I completely overslept.”

I smirk. “Having a good dream were you?”

“Perhaps.”

I hug her to me and bury my face in her neck, nibbling the skin and kissing that sensitive spot behind her ear.

She giggles but quickly pulls away. “Ash, we’re at school.”

“And the problem is?”

She plays with one of her curls. I love when she does that. “Never mind. I have to start stacking books away.”

I loop my pinky through hers. “If you must. So listen, do you think you can come over for dinner tonight?”

“Sure.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up about 5:30.” I force a smile. “Now I’ve got to go deal with Professor Travinski. Wait, are you sitting in on class today?”

“No, not today, but good luck with that!” she yells out.

I give her ass a little swat as she walks past. She turns around and glares at me. I wonder if she knows how badly I want that ass.

Jason catches up with me on the way to English. “What’s up, man? I haven’t seen you in, like,
days
.”

I make my way through the path of students crowding the hallway. “Yeah, I’ve been kind of busy,” I reply distracted.

He follows me through the whispers of students, speeding up to keep pace with me. “I know … me too, actually. So when can we hang out?”

I reach the door to Travinski’s room and step aside to let some students pass. “Maybe this coming weekend?”

He runs his hands through his blond hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “Sounds good. You’re not going to blow me off though are you … for someone with say big glasses and an adorable face?”

I give him a shove. “No, Jason, I’m not going to blow you off.”

He smiles, pulling his backpack tighter around his shoulder. “Okay, good.”