Perfect Kisses

by Maine, Miley

  “I am no such thing.”

  “Then tell me what’s wrong with you.”

  She huffed. “I don’t know—I doubt that you’d want to hear about it anyway.”

  “You’re embarrassed then?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Then what is it like?”

  She sighed and ran a hand through her thick hair. “I don’t know. I don’t know if you’d really understand it.”

  “Try me.”

  “I mean, you know that I don’t have a job, and probably won’t ever get one that I like or that I’m good at. But you’re so successful. I just sometimes feel like I’m a failure, especially compared to you and Sebastian. I just...don’t compare.”

  “Is that why you ran away from dinner?” I asked. I placed one finger under her chin and tilted it up, making her look me in the eye so she couldn’t doubt my meaning. “Because it seems to me like that’s only one of the things that’s going on right now.”

  She took several seconds to search my expression, then sighed. “No, that’s not it. I was just getting flustered by you being around. I wasn’t expecting you to spend the night.”

  “Good girl,” I said, trying to suppress my triumph. “See? That wasn’t too difficult.”

  She let out a humph and turned away from me. “Easy for you to say; you’re not the one getting all flustered by things.”

  “Or am I just good at hiding it?” I suggested, raising an eyebrow.

  She turned back to look at me in shock, her face going as red as a strawberry. A few more shades and she’d be the same color as the cranberry sauce. “Don’t tease me like that!”

  “Tease you like what?”

  “Oh—never mind! Can I have a cookie now?”

  I picked up another one of the gingerbread men from the plate. “Hmmmm, let me think about it. You know, why not?” I offered it to her, but pulled back when she tried to grab it from my hand. I wanted to play a little more of the game. I liked seeing her get all flustered and embarrassed. In my opinion, it was quite adorable.

  “Hey!” she said, trying to reach for the cookie again, but I held it just out of her reach. “I thought you said you were going to give me that.”

  “Did I say that? I only recall saying that you could have a cookie. I never specified how you’d get it.”

  “You miserly bastard, what do you want me to do, then?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? I want you to let me feed you, Serenity.”

  She flushed. Hard. Looking down at her feet, she didn’t answer me for several seconds. “Why would you want to do that?”

  “Because it’ll be fun, my dear.”

  Her face became even redder, and she looked up at me with defiance in her eyes. “Okay, fine then.”

  She leaned forward, closing her eyes and opening her mouth. Oh, how tempting it was to just kiss her then and there and see what might come of things. But that would be foolish of me and I knew it.

  Instead I held out the cookie, letting her bite down into it and pulling away to watch as she savored the taste of it in her mouth. “How was that, my dear?”

  She smiled. “You had one already, so I’m sure you already know the answer. My mother’s baking is always the best.”

  “I would have to agree with that,” I said, extending the cookie so she could take another bite. She did, and I smiled at her. She was so cute and so much fun to play with. Hopefully I would be seeing more of her over these next few weeks.

  “I hope this won’t be the last time I see you for too long,” I said.

  “What?” She looked up, surprised, taking advantage of my distraction to reach across to the plate and steal another cookie for herself.

  “I mean, I enjoy being around you, so I want to see more of you. I’ve missed you, Serenity.”

  She looked down at her hands, a small smile overtaking her face. “As long as you don’t tease me too much, I’ll allow it.”

  I ruffled her hair. “I don’t know if I can make that promise. I like teasing you, and it seems like you like my teasing, too.”

  “I said too much, not none at all.” She smirked at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Because if you push it, I’ll have to enlist Sebastian to help me get back at you.”

  “Ooh, we both know where his loyalties lie, sweetheart. You may be his sister, but if it comes down to some sort of prank war, he’d choose me every time.”

  She just smiled in response. “We’ll see about that.”

  5

  Serenity

  I was helping my mom clean the house the next day when the text arrived. I excused myself from the kitchen, thinking that it might be something important, but it wasn’t at all what I was expecting it to be.

  It was a text from an unknown number with the cryptic instructions, Meet me at the old childhood haunt. Who was it from? I had a guess, but I didn’t exactly want to get my hopes up. That would just be setting myself up for disappointment, and I wasn’t about to do that. Not yet at least.

  Who is this? I texted back, although I wanted to leap right into the adventure without knowing. It was safer to ask.

  Why don’t you come and find out? came the reply several seconds later.

  How do I know it’s safe? I countered.

  Really, Serenity? Trust me, have a little adventure.

  How can I trust you if I don’t know who you are?

  How many other people do you think would even know about that place? Come find me.

  I supposed the mysterious texter, who I was now more than fairly certain was Grayson, was right. Only the three of us had known about that special place in the woods where we gathered. Or rather they went together and I chased after them, demanding that I be included. I had never shared the location of that place with anyone else, although sometimes I still liked to go there and practice my harp—when it wasn’t too cold, of course.

  I went back to the other room where my mom was still cleaning. “I need to go out,” I said, “but I promise I’ll be back soon. Don’t feel like you have to keep cleaning without me.”

  She smiled. “Go have fun—I promise I’ll leave you your fair share of work to do when you get back.”

  “Jeez, thanks, Mom.” I gave her a kiss and headed up to my room to put on some warmer clothes worthy of going outside. Snow still covered the ground and the trees, and every now and then a breeze would knock it off and down your neck like your own personal snowstorm. A down jacket. A soft sweater. A big scarf with a matching hat and gloves. Once I was sure that I wasn’t going to freeze to death, I headed out the back door of the house and into the woods.

  It had been quite a few weeks since I had last gone down to our old childhood haunt. Once the weather got cold enough, I had to protect my hands with gloves so I wasn’t really able to play the harp or comfortably read outside. Then, I much preferred the warmth of indoors and the safety of the heater to the crisp air out here.

  But I had been to this spot so many times that even with the snow covering and distorting the landscape, I had no trouble finding my way to the fort that we frequented as children.

  Inside, I found Grayson, a blanket spread across the floor, and a small portable heater whirring away. “You know that won’t do any good,” I said, plopping down in front of him and holding my gloved hands up to the heater. “This place isn’t insulated at all.”

  He shrugged. “Perhaps that’s something we change, then. We could renovate the place, make it cozy even in winter.”

  I laughed. “Like that will ever happen. And what’s wrong with leaving it as it is? This place has plenty of memories already.”

  Grayson examined his fingernails, preoccupied. “Perhaps I was thinking that we could make new memories. Or maybe I just wanted a project to occupy my time while I’m here. Besides, your brother told me you like to come out here when it’s warm enough. Wouldn’t it be nice for this retreat to be a place you could come in any season?”

  I looked around the little fort. We had built it
like a treehouse on the ground, leaning against a pretty little circle of trees that I used to believe fairies danced in. By some miracle, the roof hadn’t fallen in yet, but it was growing weaker every season and the windows had no glass in them at all. I usually just spent my time in the grove of trees rather than the fort itself.

  “Do I really need that, though? It feels fine as it is right now. Besides, what would I even do out here when it’s like this out?”

  “I don’t know. Read. Daydream. Nap. Whatever you like to do most in the winter months. I’m not the one who would be using it, so I can’t really tell you, can I?” He gave me a smile.

  “I guess not.” I sighed. “Really, it’s not of much consequence to me, so you can feel free to renovate it if you want to.”

  Grayson leaned forward, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. “Thank you, Serenity. I look forward to making you a little retreat here.”

  I blushed and pulled my hand away too quickly. He knew just how to get to me. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

  “Do what? Renovate this space?”

  “Yes, and no. It’s...ugh. It just feels like you’re catering to me because I’m sad and I’ve had a rough go of things as of late. So don’t feel pressured to do that. I’m fine. I don’t need anything.”

  “Serenity, I’m not hanging out with you because of some charity instinct, or obligation, or anything like that. I’m spending time with you because I want to.” He leaned back with a sigh that sounded fairly frustrated. “You know, there’s been something on my mind lately.”

  I looked up, curiosity getting the better of me. “What is it?”

  “Well, you see—” He leaned forward again, pressing his palm to my cheek and looking at me with his deep green eyes. His gaze seemed to swallow me whole, drawing me in. I couldn’t look away and I held my breath. “—I don’t think I can ignore it anymore. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman, and I’m more than just attracted to you. I like you. I’ll only be in town for the holidays, which I know isn’t long, but you have to acknowledge that the connection is there. I’m down to mess around, explore it, if you are. What do you say?”

  I couldn’t help but feel a little taken aback. Sure, in some ways it was exactly what I had been hoping for, wishing for. But also, the way he put things...I mean, mess around? That wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to be with him in a real sense, not as some holiday fling or blast from the past.

  But still, it was tempting. And I supposed that as long as I didn’t let myself get too attached, it would be perfectly fine. What could be the harm, right?

  There was no way I could resist him anyway.

  “I’m down,” I said, not quite believing my own ears at the sound of my voice.

  He smiled—that cocky smile that had made me fall in love with him all those years ago. In that smile, I could still see his teenage self, ready to come out and play.

  “Good.”

  And then he kissed me.

  It was a slow, passionate kiss, drawing me in with his lips. His hands came up to either side of my face, tilting my head so that I fit better against him. I could feel the desire churning inside my chest, begging me to make things real with him.

  He drew back, smiling down at me.

  “You’re so goddamn gorgeous.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. Ever since I laid eyes on you yesterday, walking down the stairs in your little sweater dress, I’ve been wishing that I could kiss you.”

  “What’s been stopping you?” I asked, running my fingers through his hair.

  He tilted his head back to let out a laugh that seemed to shake the hideaway around us. “I mean, there were people around us for one. Your parents. Your brother. I’m not sure they’d like to be an audience. And I wasn’t sure if you were interested.”

  “Are you kidding?” I raised my eyebrows, skeptical of his modesty. “I was a stuttering, blushing, flustered mess around you the entire day. How could you not know?”

  Grayson laughed again. “Well, it’s been a few years—there was no way for me to know if that was just how you normally acted.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I even told you that you were making me flustered.”

  He shrugged. “Well, we’re here now, aren’t we?”

  I nodded, and then a shiver ran through me. “Yeah, we might be, but it’s cold in here and that heater of yours isn’t helping much.”

  He stood with a laugh, offering me his hand. I took it and he pulled me to my feet and then against him. “Despite how romantic it would be to have a romp in here, I guess it’s not very practical, huh?”

  I shook my head. “Definitely not right now. Not unless you want to freeze your dick off.” My face flushed at the words I’d just said, and I looked down, embarrassed. Imagining Grayson’s...his...in me, it was more than I could handle.

  “What’s that?” he teased.

  “Nothing. Now, let’s get going, I’m freezing.”

  “I thought this might happen,” he said, picking up the blanket and the heater. “My car is parked not far from here if you’re down to mess around there. Or I could even drive you back to my house.”

  That was right; I’d forgotten. The house that Grayson grew up still sat empty a few streets over. His parents rented it out sometimes, but they had never sold it after they moved. It would be strange to be inside of it again, but I liked the idea of being with Grayson in his house.

  “Okay, sure,” I said, following him through the forest and back up to the street. Sure enough, his car was parked right there. He opened the door, letting me get in before coming around to the other side.

  As soon as he turned the car on, the heater started blasting. I turned on the seat warmers, too, snuggling into the luxurious leather seat with a sigh. “Much better,” I said.

  “Glad to know you like my car,” he said with a laugh, pulling onto the street as the car hummed with life beneath us.

  It was only a few minutes from our house to his, which was why we had seen him so often during our childhood. It wasn’t even a long walk, maybe ten to fifteen minutes at most, but it was definitely much easier to drive when there was snow and ice on the roads and it was freezing cold outside. However close it may be, this was far more pleasant and definitely worth the gas.

  We arrived at his house and Grayson parked the car before coming around to let me out. He led me to the front door. He unlocked it and flicked on the light switch as we entered, illuminating the house that was just as I remembered from my childhood. Not much had changed, but it didn’t feel as alive as it had before, when Grayson, Sebastian, and I were running down the halls and having adventures. But I supposed that was only to be expected. After all, the family that had once occupied it had been gone for thirteen years now, and only one had come back to spend a few weeks over the holidays.

  “It hasn’t changed really, has it?” I said as Grayson shut the door behind us and gave me a moment to take in my surroundings.

  “I suppose it hasn’t,” he said with a sigh. “Feels rather empty though, doesn’t it? It just doesn’t have the same lightness that it used to have.”

  “That can be fixed easily,” I said with a smile. “You just have to be in the space, make it come alive again.”

  “Easy for you to say,” he said, letting out a short laugh. “Already this place feels brighter with you just standing in it.” His arms slowly wrapped around me.

  I looked up at him with a slightly confused expression. “It does?”

  “Yes.” He kissed my forehead, pulling me close to his body. “You’re magic, Serenity. I promise.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “Want me to prove it to you?” He gave me a sly grin that let me know just how exactly he planned on proving it to me.

  “And how do you intend to do that?” I asked anyway, challenging him with a single raised brow like I didn’t already know the answer.

  “By making your body sing,” was his reply,
and he kissed me again, this time on the lips. He pulled me tight against him so that my curves matched his. I could feel the hardness of his cock pressing against the base of my stomach, making desire churn within me and my stomach tighten with lust.

  “Grayson,” I murmured against his lips as he took my bottom lip between his teeth, sucking gently.

  “What is it?” he asked, pulling away just for a second to look me in the eyes.

  “Don’t stop,” I said quickly, my voice already breathy with desire. “I want you.”

  “Well, lucky for you, I want you, too,” he said with another smile. He leaned down to kiss me, his hands traveling down my body to cup the backs of my thighs. In one smooth motion, he applied pressure and lifted me up, prompting me to wrap my legs around his waist. Still kissing me, he walked the two of us through the house to his old room, which was on the first floor, second door on the right, just as I remembered.

  Though I was concentrating mostly on Grayson, I still noticed a few key differences. Band posters no longer covered the wall. The bedspread had been changed to a modern and elegant look. There were now sleek frames with graphic prints covering the walls, and the desk was one clean surface. No longer were there stickers plastered over the legs and a mess of random stuff spread over its top. There weren’t half-finished sketches or strange poems waiting to be discovered when Grayson and Sebastian left me alone to investigate, or homework that would never be turned in.

  To be honest, it lacked the same personality as the room from thirteen years ago. It no longer truly felt like Grayson’s room; instead it was more a plain guest room in a rented-out house which had been family-less for thirteen years now. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.

  But then Grayson plopped me down onto the bed, straddling me and gazing down at me with a hungry expression, and I stopped thinking about the room at all.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what you look like under those clothes.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?” I looked up at him from beneath half-lidded eyes. “Aren’t you going to take them off?”