Just One Night

by Rachel Lenna

  Chapter 11

  “Here we are.” He says several moments later stopping in front of a Mercedes something. I don’t know much about cars I just remember the badges – most of the time. But it’s sleek and black with big rims – I know what they are because most pretty cars have them – on it and it looks mean. Like any little cars that tried to challenge it would be swallowed whole or something.

  “Where we going?” I ask when he pulls out a set of keys and the door unlocks. I go to open the passenger side but he stops me.

  “Uh uh.” He says kissing my hand to take the sting away of stopping me. “A gentlemen never lets a lady open her own door.”

  “Jaydan!” I exclaim. “If you keep doing these things I’m going have to kidnap you and take you home with me!”

  “Would you please?” He says deadpan. My mouth goldfishes for the millionth time tonight. He laughs. “Get in beautiful one, before I kiss you here now, against the car.”

  “Um…” Yes please! I don’t know which I want more. My impulses decide for me. I yank him forward, grabbing onto his shirt and pulling him onto me without thinking about the consequences. I crush my mouth against his and kiss him with everything I have.

  At first he is surprised and just stands there a lot like a stunned mullet before I slide my hands down his face and neck to his upper arms. He groans in response and then attacks me back with a ferociousness I have yet to see from him.

  He pins me against the car and groans again. “Tara…” He murmurs and I think I murmur “Mm hmm” in there somewhere back. We kiss forever, hands all over each other before he suddenly breaks away from me taking a step back, almost tripping over the gutter in the process.

  “This is not what I wanted.” He says, trying to suck in air. “I wanted to treat you right. Do things right.”

  “You have been. You are.” I puff through my own jagged breathing. “For six months you have been. Tonight you are.” I add, when he starts to shake his head.

  “Mauling you on the sidewalk at 2 in the morning is not treating you like a lady.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, clearly frustrated with himself.

  “Does it count that I like kissing you too?” I ask hopefully, trying to get him to smile. He looks very pissed off and I get scared that he is going to want to call it a night.

  “A little.” He does smile at me and I do a mental happy dance. “But you deserve better. I’m sorry Tara.”

  “Jaydan stop.” I say walking up to him and cupping his head in my hands. I gently peck his lips. “Whatever your thinking just stop. Let’s just go for a drive okay? We can forget this little moment happened if you like and still pretend it’s like a first date where we haven’t even kissed?”

  He eyes me suspiciously, the wheels in his head turning. “Okay.” He relents and I grin at him ear to ear.

  “Good.” I say clapping happily, not caring at all if I look stupid. I climb into the car as lady like as I can in my dress, which I smooth back down again. “Where we going anyways?” I ask as he shuts the door.

  Jaydan walks around to the driver’s side and hops in. “It’s a surprise my excited little chicken.” He laughs at my put on pout. I think every female in the universe learns to do this at a very young age. By the time we are teenagers we have perfected the art perfectly.

  “I don’t like surprises.” I say, patting my eyelashes. I don’t know where this side of me has come from but I like her. She’s playful and fun and full of energy. I had forgotten I was tired until now and I’m still zappy. “Can’t you tell me?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it won’t be a surprise then will it?”

  “But…”

  “No.”

  “But…”

  “Tara!” Jaydan exclaims laughing. “Hush. It’s only a ten minute drive and it will be worth it okay?”

  I pout more.

  “Aww baby.” He laughs looking at me sideways as he pulls onto the street. “You’re cute when you’re cranky.”

  “I’m not cranky.” I say laughing. “I’m pouting.” I stick my lip out more. Batter my eyelashes even more.

  “Clearly.” He laughs. He knows I’m playing, I know I’m playing so I get over it real quick and we end up driving in silence for several minutes before he heads to the entrance of Moonlight Falls – the actual Moonlight Falls not our towns name.

  A spectacular national park, with a giant lake in the middle of it. The waterfall at the head of the lake, which runs from Shadow River into it gets its name because at night, during a full moon, the water turns a magical aqua colour against the moonlight. It is a great tourist attraction for our and a regular source of income for a lot of businesses, Jaydan’s included.

  “We’re going to Moonlight Falls?” I check to confirm, excited. It’s been a long time since I have been here at night. Something about going on your own to a romantic make out spot kind of kills the mood of going.

  “Sure are.” He smiles at the excitement in my voice.

  “Is it a full moon?” I ask excitedly, trying to look at where the moon is in the sky. I smack my head into the window and Jaydan tries hard not to laugh at me.

  “No unfortunately.” Jaydan answers when he can keep it together and I deflate a little, rubbing my head in the process. “But it’s still pretty now anyway.”

  “Of course!” I agree happily into the seat as the tall eucalyptus trees tower over us, swaying gently in the wind. I would be happy anywhere Jaydan takes me. The guy is just down right awesome.

  Jaydan pulls into the car park just near the falls and we both take a breath. He switches off the car and we just sit there, both watching, listening. Neither needing to speak because we seem to be able to slip into a comfortable silence so well.

  “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” I ask several minutes later, quite cosy and relaxed.

  “Yes.” Jaydan whispers quietly as he grabs my hand.

  I sneak a look at him, he is frowning. “Why do I get the feeling that there’s something on your mind?” I ask nervously.

  “Probably because there is.” He replies, playing mindlessly with my fingers.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “Part of me wants to tell you but part of me doesn’t at the same time.” He says and I panic. “I don’t want you to run away and yet I feel I need to say it because it’s something that’s been on my mind a lot. More so tonight than ever.”

  “Um…” I say, really nervous now. “Okay?”

  Jaydan turns to me and looks me dead in the eye. “Let’s go for a walk”

  “Oh my god Jaydan!” I laugh. “You can’t leave me hanging like that!”

  “I won’t. I promise.” He says excited all of a sudden. “But I want to do this right. I have to do this right or it’s gonna be so humiliating!”

  “What is?” I ask more confused than ever.

  “Come on, hop out of the car for me.” He gets out his own door and flies round to mine. He helps me out and walks over to a bench that I didn’t notice was in front of the car. “Sit here for a sec and I will be back in a moment.”

  “Jaydan you’re making me nervous…”

  “It will make sense I promise.” He smiles at me, planting a kiss on my cheek. “But I want to do it right. Don’t turn around. Look straight ahead I will be right back.”

  “Okay now you’re scaring me…” I say and my heart rate sky rockets. It is too good to be true! He’s gonna kill me! Noooooooooooo!!!!

  “Tara.” He drops to one knee and I end up in a full blown panic.