Cherish

by Evelyn Sola

  He drops his voice when he asks the last question. He drops his gaze too. He went from looking into my eyes to staring at my lips.

  “Don’t be silly,” I say, breathless. “It wasn’t a movie or a romance novel. You don’t think those things actually happen, do you?”

  I wait for him to take a step back, but he doesn’t. He stands there, in my space, our bodies teasing each other with just a bare touch.

  “So, it was like kissing your grandpa? How disappointing,” he says, his eyes never leaving my mouth. He takes the bottle from me again, finishing our shared drink with one last swallow.

  “I don’t have a grandpa,” is what spews out of my mouth.

  “He’s been here for a while now. I haven’t seen you look his way once, but every time I’ve looked at you, you were looking at me. Even when he was standing right next to me, your eyes never left my body.”

  “Untrue, and I don’t see your point.” His eyes finally leave my lips and make their way back to my face.

  “I know what passion looks like.” I want to form a response, but my mind has gone blank. He doesn’t give me any more time to form a semi-intelligent response. He presses his body into mine and lowers his mouth, capturing my lips immediately.

  I’m stunned, but it doesn’t last for long. I hear a moan, and I don’t know if it was from me or him, but I get on the tips of my toes, wrap my arms around his neck and kiss Jason Dupree back. Where we are doesn’t matter. The guests just a few feet away are moot. All that matters is the taste of him and the feel of his body against mine.

  I open my mouth and welcome him inside. He tastes of beer, but he feels like home. He sticks one hand in my curly hair, and I feel one large palm roughly take hold of my breast. I hear a growl, and this time I know that sound was from him. He deepens the kiss. His hand leaves my hair and slides down my back until he reaches my ass. He cups and squeezes it, pushing me closer to him, letting me feel the hardness inside his shorts.

  I do the only thing I can do and grind into him. This time, we both moan. The kiss deepens even more. I forget myself and jump into his arms with no warning. Without so much as a flinch, he holds me, and I wrap my legs around him. I leave his mouth and kiss his chin before going back to his mouth.

  He starts to walk out of the kitchen. Uncaring of where he’s taking me, we continue to kiss, neither one of us hearing the sliding door open.

  “JD!” someone yells. “We need to make a beer and ice run. You’re almost—” The room goes silent. “Holy shit. Okay,” the person says. I leave Jason’s mouth and look over his shoulder, only to find his friend, Jake, standing there. Instead of leaving, he continues to stand there, awkwardly staring at the ceiling.

  Realization dawns on me, and I jump out of his arms and stumble my way to the backyard.

  Two hours later and my body still hasn’t calmed down. My nipples refuse to return to their normal state, and I’m irrationally cursing myself for not bringing a spare pair of panties.

  I’ve done my best to stay away from him, but I can’t keep my eyes from wandering in whatever direction he’s in. I learned quickly that Jason Dupree is loud. For someone who couldn’t bother to string a sentence together the first day we met, his booming voice carries everywhere. His laughter is infectious.

  He’s charming. He’s garnered the attention of every woman here, including Sandy and Jake’s mom. His neighbor, who can’t be a day less than ninety, stopped by and he charmed her too. When she announced she used to be a professional dancer, he challenged her to a dance off. They danced until he threw the white flag, declaring her the winner, then he offered her his arm and escorted her to a seat, ordering her to relax while he got her food and drink.

  During all of that, he kept his eyes on me, and I’ve never felt so exposed. No one has ever watched me like that, not just with lust in his eyes but with interest. It’s as if he’s trying to peel away my layers and get to the real Alexandra Francine Malone. He wants access to the parts I’ve never been willing to share.

  I can feel him looking at me now. I can hear him talking, but I know if I turn my head just a fraction, I’ll find him looking at me. Unable to resist, I turn, and when our eyes lock from across the backyard, I quickly look away, but not quick enough to keep my heart from practically catapulting out of my chest.

  I do everything I can to not think about our kiss. The most unexpected thing that’s happened to me this year, and I can still taste him on my tongue. I can still feel his hands on my body. The way he pinned me against the fridge and owned my body with nothing but his mouth and hands. If his friend hadn’t walked through the door, I don’t know what would have happened, but I have a feeling we would have ended up in his bedroom.

  When he came back from the ice run, he offered a tour of his apartment and the empty apartments upstairs. Like a groupie, I followed him and the group of people in his apartment. I’d seen every room but his on my sneaky solo tour. It’s a huge space with large windows looking out to the backyard. The furniture is dark cherry. There’s not a hint of femininity in his bedroom. I envision twenty different ways I could make the room softer. Make it mine.

  “Hey, Alex,” I hear a voice say. I look up to find Sandy waving at me. When I reach her, she introduces me to her mother, sister, and future mother-in-law. Her mother and sister are much shorter than she is, and they resemble each other.

  “Deedee,” Sandy’s mother, Mrs. Etienne, says, “what do you think about what I told you?” She has a thick accent that I can’t place.

  “No, Mama,” is all Sandy says.

  “But why?”

  “Because, Mama, I’ve had three bridal showers already. One at work, the one you three threw for me, and the one you insisted on for your church friends even though they were invited to the main shower. I don’t need a luncheon two days after my wedding. That’s supposed to be my honeymoon.”

  Mrs. Etienne purses her lips and stands to her full height, which isn’t much. She looks at Jake’s mother for help, who gives her a single, focused nod.

  “But these are for the relatives that couldn’t make the shower. They come all the way from Canada, and you can’t give them a few hours?” Guilt, so nice to meet you. I try my best not to laugh.

  “That’s what the wedding is for.”

  “And you and Trouble don’t leave for your honeymoon until evening. You have to come back this way to get to airport, and you need to eat.” She doesn’t wait for Sandy to answer. She looks behind her and waves at Jake to come to her. When he approaches, she hooks her arm through his and pulls him close. “Deedee, get your mama something cold to drink. Maybe champagne. And you get the dessert. I think you need something to sweeten you up.”

  Sandy’s sister laughs at their mother’s rebuke and says, “I had to do it too. You get no help here.”

  Sandy gives Jake a kiss on the cheek but then whispers something in his ear. He nods in agreement and kisses her forehead. She hooks her arm through mine, and as if we are old friends, we walk back to the house.

  She looks out the sliding glass door to find her mother talking animatedly to Jake, who is nodding at everything she says. I almost laugh at the scene because Jake’s own mother is sitting on the other side of him, talking to him just as passionately as Sandy’s mother.

  “She always does this. I say no, and she goes to him. He’s incapable of saying no to her, and she knows it.” She huffs and searches the fridge for a bottle of champagne. While she pops the cork, I look through the cabinets for champagne glasses. As if I live here, I find them in the first place I look.

  She pours several glasses while I look for a tray.

  “You know, Deedee,” I joke. She shakes her head and warns me never to call her that in front of her mother.

  “Only she’s allowed to call me that,” she says.

  “Warning received. You know, you can just let her have her way in this.” She pauses, surprise marring her face. “Hear me out.”

  “Okay,” she says.


  “She’s obviously thrilled about this wedding. She wants to show you and your handsome fiancé off to everyone. You go to the luncheon she’s planning, eat, show off your new husband and then go on your honeymoon. It will make both mothers happy because it’s obvious to me that Jake’s mother is in on it. And I think you’ll feel good about making them happy.” I walk over and stand next to her, our shoulders touching. “I don’t know my father. My mother’s gone. She was here one day, beautiful and healthy, and gone the next. If I ever get married, I don’t know how I’m going to get through that day without her, but you don’t have to worry about that.”

  She looks straight ahead, and I wait for her to tell me to mind my own business, but she surprises me. She turns to face me, and without any warning, she pulls me into a hug. She’s fast and strong as she holds me tight against her body. I feel my eyes fill with tears, but I will them not to fall. She pulls away just as quickly.

  “You’re right, Alex. Sometimes I need a reality check.” I open the door for her, and we walk back to her mom.

  “Deedee,” her mom says. “Trouble wants the luncheon. I promised to make all his favorites.” Jake smiles guiltily at Sandy.

  “He said he wants the luncheon? Is that true, Jacob? I remember you agreeing with me on the subject,” Sandy says.

  “Yes, it’s true.” I can’t help but laugh when it’s her mom who answers that question.

  “Okay, Mama. Whatever you want.” She bends down and kisses her mother, who jumps out of her seat, and takes two glasses of champagne from the tray.

  “Good. I give you details later.” She scurries across the yard and hands the other glass to Jake’s mother. They both clink their glasses in victory.

  “I kinda love your moms,” I say to them both. Sandy hands me a glass of champagne and takes the last one for herself. As if she’s been doing it all her life, she sits on Jacob’s lap and they take turns sipping from the same glass.

  I take a sip from my own glass and realize this isn’t the cheap stuff I buy on New Year’s Eve. Before I can take a seat next to the couple, our host comes running to us.

  “You opened up my champagne?” he asks with fake outrage. He takes the glass from me and takes a sip before handing it back to me. “You know Jake’s mom sent me that on the day of the closing? And you were going to drink it without me?” he accuses.

  “Guilty,” Sandy says. “It was me.”

  As if he didn’t hear her, he continues to stare at me. “You certainly make yourself at home, don’t you?”

  I don’t answer him. Instead, I make a show of drinking the rest of the champagne. I feel his eyes on me as I drink. Just before I finish, he snatches the glass from my hand and finishes it.

  “Hey,” I say with mock outrage, “I wanted that. I guess I’ll just have to go back inside and see what else you’re hiding.”

  “I guess I’ll have to keep you outside then.” He grabs my hand and pulls me onto the loveseat. He casually throws one arm around me and lays a hand on my knee.

  “You know what?” Sandy asks. “You should come to our wedding.”

  “Nope. She’s just going to bring Dr. Dud as her date,” he says, jerking his head in the direction of Dr. Doyle.

  “Well, see that that doesn’t happen, JD.” Sandy jumps off Jake’s lap and runs inside the house.

  Sandy’s sister and husband come walking over. Her cheeks are flushed.

  “Dr. JD, why’d you stop the music? Chris just challenged me to a dance off. Back in the day, no one could out dance me.” To prove her point, she starts doing the robot. Her husband does it too, but he’s doing the naughty robot where he slaps her on the ass.

  “Natasha! Christopher!” her mom yells from across the yard. “No!”

  And just like that, the dirty robotic dancing stops, and Jake throws his head back in laugher.

  “All right, guys. Party time.” Jason pulls a remote out of his pocket and music starts to play.

  Even though there is no dance floor, everyone floods to the middle of the yard and dances.

  When Sandy gets back, she calls Ananda and Mellie over.

  “I know JD is bringing Mellie as his plus one, but here’s an invitation for you two. I’ll reserve an extra room for you guys.”

  “Hells yeah!” Ananda says, hugging Sandy. “I’ve never been to Martha’s Vineyard. You can share my room, Mellie.”

  “And where am I supposed to sleep?” I ask, offended that she would leave me out.

  A hand grabs my wrist and pulls me away. “Let’s dance,” he says in my ear.

  He takes me into his arms, and despite the fast tempo music playing, he just holds me against his body as we sway.

  He has one arm around my waist, and the other is trying to push a crazy piece of hair off my face. He gives up when the hair refuses to cooperate. I look up at his face, waiting to see what he does next.

  I don’t have long to wait.

  Right there in the middle of the party, he kisses me.

  Despite the crowd, the kiss is anything but chaste.

  CHAPTER 12

  ALEX

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I say, looking at the text Ananda just sent. I knew they were up to something when they ran out of here, claiming to be taking the trash to the dump in the dark of night. Now, they text saying that Mellie is spending the night at Ananda’s and they are already at her place.

  “Everything okay?” Jason asks. It’s just us left at his house. The party ended, and he’s now wiping the counter clean. I shove the phone in his face, and he smiles.

  “They’re not exactly subtle, are they?” Irritated by their tactics, I stomp out of the kitchen. I yank his coat closet open to find my purse. I throw the strap over my shoulder and start stomping to the front door, only to have Jason block my path.

  “Whoa, there. It’s almost midnight and there is definitely a thunderstorm brewing. Where do you think you’re going?” he asks.

  “Home. I hate being manipulated, and your sister and Ananda are the worst. They tricked me into coming here under the guise of just hanging out. Neither one of them mentioned a party. In fact, they both lied right to my face when they told me you’d be working today. I’m through with them.” By the time I finish talking, I know my face has gone red. I try to walk around him, but he casually leans against the door. There’s only one thing left for me to do. With all the strength I could muster, I try to push him. Instead of moving, he does an exaggerated yawn.

  “I’ll order an Uber and wait outside.”

  He tilts his head as he contemplates my words. Just as he opens his mouth to form a response, a loud clap of thunder reverberates through the house. Caught off guard, I let out a loud scream. Unable to control myself, I hug Jason. Without missing a beat, he engulfs my body into his much larger frame. When we hear another round of thunder, I whimper and he holds me closer, tighter. He tenderly kisses my forehead as he walks me to the back of the house.

  The thunder doesn’t stop, and soon, the heavy rain starts. I don’t notice when he walks me into his bedroom. I don’t even notice when we both sit on his giant bed. But I do notice when he takes me back in his arms, pulling me deeper into the bed. He holds me close, both of us now lying down. Between kisses on my forehead and soothing words, I slowly calm down only to lose it again at the sound of more thunder.

  “It’s okay, angel. I won’t let anything happen to you. It’s just noise, darlin’, caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. When the light is gone, the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder. That’s all it is. It can’t hurt you. I would never let anything happen to you.”

  I try to absorb his words. I wasn’t always scared of thunderstorms. Not until a few years ago. When another round of thunder hits, I hold on to him tighter.

  “Breathe, angel. Just breathe.” He presses his soft lips to my forehead again. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” />
  We hold on to each other as the storm rages outside. The harder it rains, the closer he holds me to his body, his words like a balm to the fire raging inside of me. His lips leave my forehead and make their way to my cheeks. As the storm passes, his grip on me loosens.

  We look at each other intently. He appears calm, but I can see his eyes have darkened. His chest is moving more rapidly than normal. With his gaze still on my face, I reach up and stroke his cheek. I lean forward, pressing my lips to his. He doesn’t move at first. He lies there, stiff, as I continue to press my lips to his.

  I reach down and lift the hem of his T-shirt and glide my fingers across his torso. A sharp inhale of breath is his only reaction before he reaches for me, placing me on top of his body.

  In a flash, his mouth opens underneath mine. Suddenly, we’re a tangle of tongues and intertwined limbs. I break away from him only to peel the shirt off his body. He returns the favor by taking mine off and tossing it across the room.

  Like two magnets unable to resist the pull, our lips are once again fused. I don’t even realize when I undo his belt and pull down his shorts and boxers in one swoop.

  He’s so preoccupied with my breasts once he frees them from my bra that I take off my own shorts and panties. I arch my neck back and moan his name as he roughly sucks on a nipple while he massages my other breast with his huge hand.

  I can feel him pressed against my thigh. It’s his turn to moan when I grab his thick cock, giving it a rough squeeze. I push at his chest, ready to climb on top of him and explore his body. My push is like a shout in the middle of a loud thunderstorm. It’s as if he didn’t even notice.

  “I want you,” he says against my mouth.

  “I want you more,” I challenge. I try to push him again. While my hands are pressed against his chest, he takes hold of my wrists.

  “When we’re in here, I’m going to be on top,” he says. The words barely register before he pushes me down on my back. Both of my hands are above my head, held together by just one of his.