by Shane Morgan
My body shudders when I feel Reign’s arms wrap around me from behind. I clasp my hands over hers and take a breather.
“Your mom might see this,” I say.
She tightens her grip and reposes her head against my back. “I should tell her, anyways. Besides, I wanted to steal a hug before you came out because you seem so off. You didn’t even say hi when you showed up earlier, walked right by me to go change.”
It is time I tell her about Haxtun. I’ve been hiding it in my heart long enough and Reign could be the one to give me the courage I need to return.
Loosening her arms, I spin around to face her. “Listen, uh…about Haxtun—”
Voices interrupt me before I can spill the truth. Then her mom and a man in dress shirt and formal pants walk by the room. She notices me and Reign and backtracks, peering into the room with a questioning look in her eyes.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
“Who was that?” Reign counters. I’m kind of waiting for her to tell her mom about us but she doesn’t say anything.
Mrs. Aldridge dawdles for a fraction of a second then she says, “That was Dean Carmichael. He’s a friend, and a restaurant broker.”
Reign straightens in her amazement. “A broker? Why’s he here?”
Glancing at me, Mrs. Aldridge slants and starts to stroll away. “We’ll talk about this later,” she mutters with her back turned, before disappearing in the passage.
I put my hands on Reign’s shoulders and knead out her sudden tension.
“What’s going on with your mom?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “I don’t know…I think she’s planning on selling after summer.”
“I’m sorry, babe.”
Twisting around, she smiles up at me. “Babe? Humph, I like that. It sounds good when you say it.”
I’ll tell her about Lewis and what happened in Haxtun later, when I make up mind about going back too. Right now, I just want to enjoy what’s starting between us and not think about anything else.
TWENTY-FOUR
Reign
I’M ABOUT TO CALL Nate when I step out of the restaurant, only to see him waiting for me in the parking lot. He looks pitiful, with sad eyes and a dull face.
Building up the courage to tell him the truth, I push myself forward, saying, “Nate, I was gonna call you. Look, I’m—”
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” He hurries up to me and tugs me in his embrace. “I never meant to hurt you like that. It was a stupid mistake and I promise you it’ll never happen again.”
I wrench myself out of his arms and try again. “Nate, there’s something I have to tell you. I—”
“Let’s go to our special place and talk,” he interrupts me yet again as if he knows what’s on my mind. “We’ll have more privacy,” he adds.
When I look into his eyes and see the anticipation within them, something sinks in me. I feel guilty for breaking up with him, but it’s something I have to do. I can’t carry on a relationship with him when I want to be with Micah. It’s not fair to either of them.
Nate pulls me to his car before I can say anything else. I figure maybe going with him will help him deal with the breakup better. It’s probably good that way; we’ll end where we began.
He opens the passenger door for me and I climb inside his Porsche. Then he hurries around the car and hops in behind the wheel, backing out of the parking lot.
Just my luck, Micah steps out of the restaurant the instant Nate pulls onto the road. He sees me in the car, my boyfriend’s car, and a dark shadow guises his face. Oh yeah, he’s pissed.
We arrive at our spot at the beach and sit down on the rocks. I keep fiddling with my phone in case Micah calls or texts me.
We’re supposed to hang out tonight and I’m trying to hurry up the process so I can go back and explain to him. But Nate won’t stop talking about the first time he saw me in high school and how he finally decided to ask me out too late.
“I shouldn’t have waited so long,” he says. “Confessing my feelings to you two months before we graduated was stupid on my part when I wanted to do it way before. We would’ve gotten to know each other so much more.”
“Nate, its fine,” I tell him, rubbing my thumb across the screen.
“What’s up with you and your phone?” he asks, sounding annoyed.
I put it in my pocket and meet his gaze. There’s no easy way to do this so I have to just come out and say it. “Nate, um…I’m sorry about this, but I think we should stop seeing each other.”
He wrinkles his brows and scowls at me. “What? You want us to break up?”
“Yes…,” I reply in a whisper. “I don’t think we’re working and—”
“I said I was sorry, Reign. People make mistakes. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s not about you cheating. I’m not even as upset about it as I outta be, and that only means I don’t really want to be with you.”
“Wow,” he laughs, amazed by my remark. Nate throws his head back and glances up at the starry sky. A minute passes before he looks at me again. “So, just like that, we’re done? Do you even care that you’re hurting me right now? When did you become so inconsiderate of my feelings?”
“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “It’s not that I’m inconsiderate, I just want to move on. And so should you.”
Spinning away from his angry expression, I look out at the dark ocean, violent foam-topped waves rush to the shore; with every inhale the salty sea breeze fills my nose. I can hear Mary’s cries echo in the distance. She’s out there, in the deep, waiting for me.
“You never even asked why I don’t like going on boats, or why I never want to go swimming,” I say, my voice sounding faint.
He scoffs before replying, “Because I always thought you didn’t want to tell me.”
Meeting his eyes again, I say, “That’s just it, I don’t feel like I can tell you things, not about Mary or about my guilt.”
Confused, Nate twists his face and shakes his head. “Who the hell’s Mary?”
“My sister…” I answer in a whispery tone.
He furrows his brow. “I never knew you had a sister.”
“Of course you did, everyone here knows about the Aldridge girl who drowned. It was even on the news.”
“See, that’s what I don’t like about you, Reign. You expect me to know things when you never bring anything up. Like how I’m supposed to know you’re uncomfortable having sex when you’re already letting me touch you all over.”
I spring to my feet, upset. “It always comes back to sex with you, doesn’t it? And the only reason I didn’t tell you about my sister is because I know you’ll call me crazy if I tell you I see her in the ocean, even though it’s been seven years since she drowned.”
With his mouth slightly open, Nate looks at me like a deer in headlights. “You see your dead sister?” There’s a glint of ridicule in his voice. He’s judging me.
Swirling around, I start to head back up the beach, my feet heavy with ever trek in the sand. I’m mad I shared something like that with him. What was the point, anyway? We’re over.
“We’re you going?” he calls after me.
“I’m gonna call Claudia to come get me,” I fume over my shoulder.
He chases after me and reaches for my elbow, slowing me down. Then he whisks me around and pulls me into his chest, hugging me tightly.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think you’re crazy. I can’t believe you never told me something like that though.” His voice has a softer edge now.
Gently, he eases me away. “Don’t be like this, babe. You’re just mad at me right now. I’ll give you some time to clear your head and then we can start fresh again. You can tell me more about Mary and we’ll…work on it together.” There’s uncertainty in the last part.
“No, Nate.” I wring out of his grasp. “I don’t need time to clear my head. I don’t want to start fresh again.”
“But we love each other,” he says harshly, his jaw twitchin
g. I glance at his hands and notice his fists are clenched.
His anger scares me but I have to be honest with him. I have to tell him how I truly feel. “I don’t love you. I never have. I thought that in time I’d grow to care about you the way you say you care about me but it never happened. I can’t give you what you want, Nate. I’m sorry. I really am.”
For a moment he says nothing, only stares at me in the most disappointed way, breathing heavy. Mary’s voice still reverberates in the background, amid the crashing waves and the loud beating of my heart. I wonder why when I’m with Micah she doesn’t make a sound, yet when I’m alone or with anyone else, especially Nate, I hear her panicked screams.
I never understood why she wanted to go for a swim so late that night. Then again, that was impulsive Mary, always doing crazy things.
“Fine,” he finally says, stepping past me. “I’ll take you back.”
I pause to steady my nerves then follow behind. It’s bad enough that I broke up with him, but now he has to drive me back to my car. What a killer.
When we return to Captain’s Choice, Micah’s bike is gone. Of course. Mom’s car is there in the parking lot though. I climb out of Nate’s car and closed the door, bending down at the window.
“I’m really sorry,” I tell him again.
A smirk appears on his face as he glances over at me. “Sure you are.” He revs his engine for me to back away. As soon as I do, he speeds off.
Sighing, I start over to the entrance, sending Micah a text as I unlock the door and step inside.
Me: Hey, sorry about tonight.
He replies a few seconds after.
Micah: I’m over it. Have fun with your bf.
What does that mean? Is he no longer interested in me?
Me: Not with him. I’m back at CC. R u home? I’ll come over.
Micah: Don’t have to. Besides, it’s gonna rain. U should head home.
Great. He’s obviously mad at me. There’s no way I’ll just drive home now.
“Thought you left?” Mom says, coming around the corner with her shoulder bag and a folder of paperwork.
I glance up from my phone. “Um…actually, I wanted to tell you I’m gonna hang out with Claudia for a while.”
She crosses her arms at her waist and purses her lips. “You mean go to some party then spend the night at her house?”
“Yes…” I lie, hoping she’ll realize that I’m eighteen and shouldn’t bar me from enjoying my youth. But if she says okay, does it mean I’m going to sleep over at Micah’s? Am I truly ready for that after just ending one relationship?
There’s a hesitant look on her already stressed face. Her forehead crinkles and her eyes narrow. “I don’t know about that, Reign.”
“Mom—” I start to explain.
She cuts me off, “I don’t like the sound of you partying. You’ll be starting college soon and I don’t want you falling into some bad habit.”
“But Mom, it’s not like that.”
“Whatever the case,” Her razor-sharp voice conquers mine. “I think you should just drive home behind me and go to bed. Claudia doesn’t have work tomorrow. You do.”
Not hearing another word, she steps past me and pushes the door open. Mom stands and waits for me to walk outside so that she can lock up. I guess I’m not going to see Micah tonight then.
Stepping out of the shower, I haul on a long t-shirt, turn the light off, and slide under the covers. It started to rain shortly after we arrived home and now it’s really pouring outside.
I can’t close my eyes without seeing Micah’s face or remembering his text. He said he’s over it, and all I want to do right now is go see him and tell him why I left with Nate.
Rolling over on my side, I reach for my phone and send him a text.
Sleeping?
A minute passes without him answering and I figure he’s fast asleep. As I place the phone back on the side table, it buzzes. When I glance at the screen and see his message, my heart starts to race.
No. I’m waiting on u.
I get out of bed fast, putting on a pair of jeans, a peach top and my hoodie, and then I grab my keys and sneakers. It’s the second time this guy has me sneaking out of my house in the middle of the night but gosh, he’s so worth it. There’s a desire in my heart for him that I just can’t deny. The feeling is intense. It only grows deeper by the day.
So there I am, tiptoeing downstairs in the dark. I bite on my lower lip and peek over my shoulder, hoping Mom and Dad don’t hear me as I slip out the side door.
Huge droplets of rain hit my head and face the second I step outside my house. I don’t care. My mind’s made up. I’m going over to Micah’s apartment and I’m prepared for whatever happens next.
TWENTY-FIVE
Micah
THE SOUND of heavy rainfall beating against my window reminds me of the night Reign was here. And like an idiot, I touch the spot on the couch where she sat, pretending as if I’m touching her instead. I lean over and sniff the cushion. Surprisingly, her fragrance still lingers there.
“Shit!” I fume and run my hands through my hair. This is absurd. She obviously made her choice and is reconsidering leaving Nate. No wonder she took off with him tonight.
It was stupid of me to believe she’d drop her boyfriend for me. Who am I kidding? He shows up and without a second thought, she jumps in the car with him. I don’t know why I even told her I was up waiting on her either; she’s not coming, not in this downpour, anyways.
I snatch up the remote from the coffee table and flip through the channels, trying to preoccupy my mind with something else besides Reign. But when I’m not thinking about her, it’s Lewis Harrison that haunts my mind, and the fear of going back to Haxtun.
Finally, I give up searching and keep it on MTV, where an episode of Ridiculousness is on. Not too long ago I was addicted to this show. Then my interest withered as someone just as risky popped into my life.
Jason wasn’t like me. We were complete opposites. I was the good kid who never got in trouble. He was the definition of it. Yet I wanted to be his friend. I wanted to give him a chance because no one else would. Like me, Jason was neglected by his parents. I should’ve seen there was no helping him. What the hell was I thinking?
A loud, urgent knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts. My heart begins to pound behind my ribcage. She really came. Reign’s here.
I hurry over to the door. Yank it open.
“Hey,” she waves at me, worry cutting through her voice.
I lean on one leg and rest my hand on the door jamb, taking in her appearance. Her hair is soaking wet. Water streams down the side of her face. The thin blouse inside her drenched hoodie sticks to her body so much her bra prints through.
Damn, she’s sexy! A part of me wonders if she wittingly went dancing in the rain to come over here and taunt me.
“You’re crazy,” I say, shaking my head slowly. “You came all the way here, in the middle of the night, not to mention in the pouring rain, just to see me?”
I keep my voice calm, pretending that her standing in my doorway so drenched doesn’t wake up the animal in me.
Wiping water from her forehead, she replies, “I wanted to explain.”
I wrinkle a brow as I regard her.
“I came to tell you I’m sorry, Micah, and to explain why I left with Nate when you and I had plans. I just wanted to end things peacefully with him. If I’d broken up with Nate outside of the restaurant, he would have gone after you because he’d think it had something to do with you.”
I sigh deeply then stick my hands inside the pockets of my sweatpants. “Oh, so it doesn’t have anything to do with me then?”
She shakes her head and mutters, “It does.”
What am I doing? She’s standing in my doorway shivering. Snapping out of my jealous mode, I quickly tow her inside and shut the door.
Reign keeps her back turned, speaking in a breathy voice. “It has everything to do with you.” Spinning
around to face me, she adds, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Not even Nate. That’s why I broke up with him, Micah.”
She moves closer to me, placing her hand against my hammering heart. “I probably would’ve ended things even if you hadn’t walked into my life, but I’m so glad you’re here because I feel like I haven’t really been living until I met you. That’s why I’m standing here now. Like I said this morning, Micah, I want to be with you. I want you.”
Her eyes are like fire, burning with lust. Desperation to touch her consumes me.
I hurry to fill the little distance and peel off her hoodie. I drape my arms around her soaking wet body, kissing her hard. Reign pushes into me. I sweep my tongue across her moist lips until she parts them and lets me slide inside.
The sweetness of her mouth fuels the heat growing below my waist. I squeeze her body. I want more. My insides coil with desire and I feel as if I can’t wait any longer.
I lower my hands beneath her butt, picking her up. Reign loops her legs around my waist and hooks her hands around my neck. I carry her over to the bed. We continue kissing as I gently place her down. Her clothes are making my sheets wet but I don’t give a damn.
She moans and trembles when I climb over her. This has to be what we both want. I have to make sure. “Tell me to stop,” I breathe, stroking her beautiful face and brushing my lips against her ear. “Tell me you don’t want me to and I’ll back off.”
Reign catches her breath before saying, “I do…I do want you.”
Our lips collide again in a steamy kiss. It lasts for the longest second ever before I tear away from her mouth and ease down to her stomach, pulling up her damp blouse so I can tease her abs with my tongue.
Her light moans intensify my hardness. Oh man, I want her now. I have to touch her, feel her, and taste her. I need every part of Reign.