by E. L. Todd
He breathed a sigh of relief then pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was slow and gentle then escalated into passion. He was an amazing kisser and he knew how to use his hands. He touched me the way I liked, made my legs shake for him.
When we got to the bedroom, we peeled our clothes away and touched each other. His finger slid between my legs and brought me to the edge of a climax. It was so close I could feel it. But then he pulled away.
“I want you to come when I’m inside you.”
Ugh. That rarely worked
He slipped inside me and did his thing. Like usual, he didn’t make me come. The foreplay leading up to the sex was always the best part. He could get me off with his mouth or his hands. But he could never do it during intercourse.
Oh well. I guess that was normal.
I had a SUV so I thought my car would be the best to take on the trip. I piled everything into the truck when everyone else showed up.
Roland tossed a bag on top of mine.
“That’s all you’re taking?” I asked.
“It’s just for the weekend.”
“Where’s your suit? Is it stuffed in there?”
“Mom will iron it. Calm the hell down.”
My brother and I were constantly butting heads. “You can just hang it up in the back.”
“You can just stop talking.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re annoying.”
“And you’re a pain in the ass.” My brother looked so much like my father it was frightening. They had the same dark hair, the same eyes, and the same build. He hit six feet before he graduated high school, and he had my father’s intensity.
“Shut up and get in the car,” I said.
“You shut up for the entire drive.”
“Gee, this should be fun.” Cayson approached us then tossed his bag in the back. “I love hearing you guys nag. It’s a hobby.” He hung up his suit on the hanger in the back.
I was so excited to see him that I didn’t care about his comment. “Hey. I haven’t seen you in weeks.” I immediately moved into his arms and hugged him.
He flinched, which he never had before. “I’ve just been busy.” He pulled away quickly then stepped back. “How’s your mom?”
“Good. We spent the day shopping.”
“Sounds boring. But cool.”
I couldn’t ignore the distance between us. I felt like he was pushing me away but I had no idea why. “How was your date?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Date?”
“You said you had one a few weeks ago…that’s why you couldn’t get pizza.”
“Oh that. It was fine.” He walked to Roland then shook his hand. “Are you dreading this as much as I am?”
“Dressing up nice and pretending to give a shit? Yeah, it sounds terrific.” He rolled his eyes. “At least there will be girls there who already want to marry me and will do anything to catch my attention.”
“You’re such a pig, Roland,” I snapped.
“Is that supposed to be an insult?” He snatched the keys from my hand. “I’m driving. You suck at it.”
I didn’t bother arguing with him.
Trinity and Conrad pulled up in his Honda.
“Wow, everyone is on time today.” Cayson looked at his watch.
Trinity carried three bags to the car then started to shove them in the back.
Cayson eyed her. “Um…I’m not sure if it’s all going to fit.”
“I’ll make it fit.” She continued to stuff the bags inside. It was almost overflowing.
“And where am I going to put my stuff?” Conrad demanded.
“Like I care,” she said.
“Do you really need that much stuff, Trinity?” I asked.
“Does a mule need water?” she countered.
“That’s not the same thing at all,” Conrad said. “Stick to fashion.” He pulled one bag out and tossed it on the ground then inserted his into the pile. “You have to leave one behind.”
“No.” She picked up the bag. “This has all my shoes.”
“We’re only going to be there for two days,” Conrad snapped. “Why do you need a whole bag of shoes?”
“You never know.” She picked it up and almost fell over because it was so heavy.
“Just borrow something from Mom.” Conrad snatched the bag with one arm then carried it back to the car.
Trinity pouted. “Skye, why don’t you have a bigger car?”
Cayson raised an eyebrow. “Because there’s nothing bigger than an SUV…”
“Let’s hit the road,” Roland said.
Everyone headed to the doors. Cayson sat by the window in the backseat and I moved to the spot next to him.
“What are you doing?” Conrad demanded.
“Sitting next to Cayson. I don’t want to sit next to my brother for the whole drive.”
“Then I call shotgun!” Conrad got into the passenger seat.
“Sweet.” Roland fist pounded him.
Trinity sat beside me then pulled out a pile of magazines.
Cayson stayed quiet, staring out the window.
Roland left my apartment and made it to the freeway.
I looked at Cayson. “I haven’t talked to you in a while. I thought we could catch up.”
“Yeah…” He looked out the window again.
What was going on? It seemed like he was brushing me off. “Cayson, is everything alright?”
“Yeah…just tired.”
“I didn’t see you at the Halloween party. Did you go?”
His mood suddenly became sour. “Yeah. I left early.”
“What did you dress up as?”
“Laser tag soldier.”
I smiled. “How cool. I wish I could have seen it.”
He leaned his head against the glass.
“Why did you leave early?”
“I left with someone…”
“Oh.” That made me feel awkward and I wasn’t sure why. “Why haven’t you been coming into the diner?”
“Geez, would you stop interrogating him?” Roland looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Maybe he finds you annoying like the rest of us.”
“Shut up and stop eavesdropping,” I said.
“It’s hard not to when you’re less than a foot away from me,” Roland said.
Cayson didn’t defend me. He kept looking out the window.
Since he was acting so strange, I stopped talking. I wasn’t sure how to act around him. He seemed so different and I wasn’t sure why. Did I do something? Maybe I should speak to him privately. He was more open with me when it was just the two of us.
After Roland dropped everyone off, we finally arrived at my parents’ house. I knocked on the door and Roland dropped all our bags in front of the twelve-foot door. Our house wasn’t exactly small. We had a country house in Connecticut, just a thirty-minute drive from New York City. It had seven bedrooms, two living rooms, a pool, and it was right on the beach. Every friend I had wanted to come over, and it was easy for Roland to pick up any girl he wanted.
My dad opened the door. “You have a key.”
“But we don’t live here anymore.” Roland shrugged.
“Knock it off,” my dad said. “You’re always welcome to just come in.”
“Last time we did that, you and Mom were going at it on the couch.” It was a disturbing image burned into the back of my brain. It wouldn’t go away no matter how hard I tried.
My dad smirked, not ashamed. “Just let us know when you’re coming.” He came to Roland first and hugged him tightly. I watched them, seeing my dad close his eyes while he held my brother.
My mom stepped out of the door then smiled at me. “See? Didn’t the week go by fast?” She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. “You look lovely today.”
“I hardly brushed my hair.”
“Which makes you even more beautiful.” She pulled away then headed to Roland.
My parents switched and my dad came to me.
“Hey, pumpki
n.” He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a warm hug. When we were in the privacy of our house, my dad was less tense and intimidating. He let his walls down and was carefree. Sometimes I felt like my dad was two different people.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Thank you for coming down.”
“You never miss any of my things so why would I miss yours?”
He pulled away then smirked. “We got each other’s backs, huh?”
“We do.”
My dad grabbed my luggage and Roland grabbed his own. Then they carried everything to our rooms.
When I walked inside, I smelled the scent of home. It was decorated for fall. Colors of brown and orange were splashed everywhere. My mom had a red blanket on the back of the couch, and pumpkin scented candles were lit. I loved living on my own but I missed home. There was nothing else like it.
My dad returned then put his arm around my mom’s waist. “We’ve got a few hours to kill. What did you kids want to do?”
“Laser tag,” Roland blurted.
“Are you sure?” my dad asked. “Because your mother is going to cream you again.”
“Rematch,” I said.
“Alright.” He kissed my mom on the cheek. “The old married couple versus the brats.”
“We aren’t brats,” Roland said.
“You’ll always be brats.” My dad grabbed the keys off the hook.
Roland came to him. “Dad, can we take your Sear?”
“It only has two seats, Son. You know that.”
“Come on. Mom and Skye can take a different car.”
“How about this?” He handed the keys to Roland. “You drive.”
Roland’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
My dad smirked. “I think you’re responsible enough.”
He stared at the keys, in awe.
“Just be careful,” my mom said. “Otherwise, I’ll be angry.”
“Got it, Mom.” Roland ran out the door before anyone else could follow.
My dad laughed. “I love it when the kids are home.”
My mom wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed him. “Me too.”
I stared at them, wondering if I’d ever find a relationship like that. They never got sick of each other. Despite all the time they spent together, they were still madly in love. Relationships were supposed to get stale and old. They were supposed to become repetitive and boring. But my parents were never like that. I hoped I was lucky enough to share the same fortune.
A limo drove us to the gala. My dad and Uncle Mike were hosting the event, and they had to make a striking appearance. I wore my champagne pink dress and Roland wore a suit with a gray tie. The silver Rolex around his wrist brought out the color of his eyes.
My dad was wearing a black suit with a black tie. He usually never wore any color. His white gold Rolex matched his wedding band. It was the same one he always wore. My mom wore a black dress that had sheer sleeves. The gown was tight around her waist then flared out slightly. It reached the skin just above her knee. Her pumps were five inches tall, and black diamond earrings hung from her lobes. She matched my father perfectly. Her brown hair was voluptuous and curly, pulled to one side to reveal her neck.
My dad kept his hand on her thigh, always touching her in some way. Her arm was hooked through his, anchoring him to her. It was disgusting how affectionate they were all the time, but I admit it was better than having parents who hated each other. Or even worse, a cheating father who despised his wife. One who only stayed married for the sake of the kids, but that just made things worse. I decided not to complain. It could be worse.
When we finally arrived at the hotel, my dad opened the door and helped my mom out. When she was out of the way, Roland stepped out. Then my father helped me out. Photographers were on the sidewalk, taking pictures of us. My father’s warmth disappeared. He was tense all over again, his eyes guarded and his back rigid. The only human emotion he showed was affection with my mom.
We headed inside then entered the ballroom. Everything was decorated for a spectacular night. The crystal chandeliers shined bright from the ceiling, and waiters carried glass flutes on trays. It was fancy.
Even when my mother wore heels, my dad was still vastly taller than her. He held her closer to him when he looked at us. “Be on your best behavior tonight. You represent me. Don’t forget that.”
Roland rolled his eyes. “We know, Dad.”
“I have to mingle with your mother. Have fun.”
“Okay,” I said.
My dad never dropped his touch for a moment. “Come on, baby. You’re my eye candy for this.”
“You hate when people look at me.”
“But they would be stupid to gawk at you in my presence.” They moved into the crowd and disappeared.
Roland sighed. “Now where are the hot chicks?”
“Dad said we had to be on our best behavior tonight.”
“I am,” he snapped. “That doesn’t mean I can’t hook up with someone.”
“Actually, I think it does mean that.”
Roland put his hands in his pockets and looked around. “The blonde at the bar is cute.”
I turned to see a woman sitting alone. “She looks too old for you.”
“Only by a year or so. Besides, I like older women.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Don’t be gross.”
“You want to be my wingman tonight?”
“Not really.”
He rolled his eyes. “Damn. And Cayson is pretty much good for nothing.”
“Why?”
Roland didn’t answer my question. “Because he’s in love with you, like I’ve said a zillion times.”
“Oh shut up. I’m sick of hearing this ridiculous theory.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
Roland glared at me. “Whatever.”
“Hey.” Trinity came up to us, wearing a silver dress. “Man, this party is lame.”
Conrad wore a black suit just like Roland’s. “There are a few cute girls here. It’s not a total bust.”
Roland nodded to the bar. “There’s a baby cougar over there.”
“Baby cougar?” I asked.
“It’s a woman who’s going to be a cougar but she isn’t old enough yet.” Trinity said it like it wasn’t her first time.
“Oh. Where’s Cayson?” I asked.
Conrad shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care. He’ll find us if he wants to see us.”
The fact Cayson wasn’t with us alarmed me. Was he sitting at a table alone?
A man in a suit came to Trinity then handed her a glass of wine. He looked older than us, in his late twenties. But he was cute. “A beautiful woman should never be empty-handed.”
She smiled then took it. “Why, thank you.”
“I like your dress—especially the back.” His eyes smoldered while he looked at her.
“Thank you.” Trinity’s cheeks blushed again.
Conrad stuck a finger down his throat and acted like he was gagging. Roland snickered while he watched him.
A shadow suddenly fell on us, blocking out the light from the chandelier. It was like a mountain had been moved to our vicinity, cutting us off from civilization. Uncle Mike stepped in front of Trinity then stared down the admirer, making him take a step back.
Oh shit.
“Leave.” That was all he said. Just a simple word made us all uneasy. Uncle Mike looked similar to my dad, but he had more muscles in his arms and chest. His eyes were darker, more threatening. He looked like a Roman soldier about to gut his enemy.
“Sorry…” The guy held up his hands. “I didn’t know she had a man.”
“I’m her father.” The threat was heavy in his voice. “Now go.”
The guy high-tailed it out of there quicker than we could watch. Uncle Mike watched him go until he turned around and faced his daughter.
“Dad, that was totally unnecessary.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“He is too old for you. And d
on’t take drinks from strange men.”
“I can make that decision on my own.” It was obvious how annoyed she was. My dad was bad when it came to boys, but Uncle Mike was a million times worse.
“I just saved you some time.” Like a shark, he moved away slowly, making heads turn.
Trinity sighed and rolled her eyes. “He’s just ridiculous sometimes.”
“Well, that guy was too old for you,” I said.
She glared at me. “You better not be taking his side.”
“I’m just saying…” I stepped away, not wanting to piss her off.
“He just doesn’t want his daughter to be a slut,” Conrad snapped. “A reasonable request.”
“So you can sleep with every girl in Boston but I can’t have a single boyfriend?” she asked incredulously.
“Exactly.” He grabbed a glass from a passing waiter. “I guess you’re smarter than you look.”
I looked around the room, wondering where Cayson was. After scanning for a moment, I spotted him at the bar. He was drinking a brandy by himself, watching the people dance in the center of the room. “What’s his deal?”
“What?” Roland asked.
“Cayson is sitting alone at the bar,” I said.
“So?” Roland shrugged.
“What do you mean so?” I asked. “Why is he avoiding us?”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to spend every waking hour with us,” Conrad snapped. “Seriously, all we ever do is hang out with each other.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“It’s lame,” Roland said.
I rolled my eyes then waved at Cayson. “Cayson, we’re over here.”
“Just leave the guy alone,” Roland said.
“Maybe he couldn’t find us,” I explained. “That makes sense.”
Cayson heard me then looked in my direction. He sighed deeply then walked to us, wearing a black suit with a dark blue tie. “Hey, guys.” He seemed down, sad.
“I’m sorry my sister is being particularly annoying today,” Roland said.
“I just assumed you couldn’t find us,” I said.
“Yeah…” He drank his brandy then stirred the ice cubes. He looked at the crowd, watching people.