The Only One

by Magan Vernon

  John smiled, slowly turning his head to the front. “Sorry, Gonads. We’ll save it for later.”

  * * *

  The streets that would usually be packed with students outside smoking or walking from bar to bar were empty. Gabe parked in a parking garage not far from the row of bars that lined downtown Central. I went to open my door, but John was out and opening it for me before I could. Reluctantly, I climbed out and then John’s arm was wrapped around my waist, moving me forward with him.

  I shouldn’t have been thinking about sex with John. But I couldn’t help it. We were still friends. I thought. And friends appreciated each other’s looks, I guess. And I hoped he wasn’t just showing affection to keep Gabe from hitting on me.

  “One girl comes with us tonight and you’ve got to lay claim on her?” Gabe asked, walking in step with us. Brad slinked in next to him.

  “Yep.” John didn’t say anything more and pulled me closer. I was actually glad for his body heat because I didn’t realize how long we’d be outside and not wearing much for clothes was a bad idea. Goose bumps pricked my skin under the thin fabric of my top.

  Luckily, before I could freeze to death, we stood outside of a bar called Gatsby’s. I remembered my sister used to call the place Fratsby’s. She said it was a hangout for all the fraternity and sorority types. I guess that would make sense, since I was walking in with three very attractive fraternity boys.

  The bouncer was a large guy with a neck that was thicker than his head. He barely even smiled when he saw us, but bumped fists with each of the guys, not even checking anyone’s ID. Thank God.

  Gatsby’s wasn’t as much of a bar as it was a club. The dark room was only lit by strobe lights and some different black lights that blinked off of the dark colored walls. To my left was a long bar with a few half-naked female bartenders behind it. Directly in front of me was a metal railing that looked onto a sunken dance floor. There were bodies melded together dancing to some random dance mix that a DJ played from a booth above.

  “Want me to get you a drink and put your jacket behind the bar?” John had to practically yell in my ear.

  I nodded, not sure if I could speak loud enough for him to hear me over the music. I shrugged off my sweater, revealing the low, lace back of my cami. I looked over my shoulder and saw that was exactly where John was staring. I winked once he finally caught my eye. Two could play flirty.

  John leaned forward, hooking his thumb through my belt loop before he put his lips to my ear. “I see what you’re doing and I like it.” His tongue flicked against my ear lobe before he pulled away and walked over to the bar.

  It was like the Red Sea parted. Even though other people were waiting for a drink, they still made room for the hulky John. The Asian bartender stopped what she was doing and gave him a big smile. Jealousy boiled in me, but he didn’t even seem interested. His facial expression didn’t change as he handed her my sweater, nodding in my direction.

  The girl’s dark eyes locked on me before her face fell and she looked back at John and put my sweater under the bar. John held up two fingers and yelled something to her that I couldn’t hear. She didn’t even look up at him as she poured some ice in a glass and pulled different bottles from under the counter.

  Someone slide up next to me and then smelled his strong cologne. There I was sandwiched between Gabe and Brad. Gabe leaned down to my ear. “Hey, Melanie, can I get you a drink?”

  “No that’s fine. John’s bringing me something.” I had to strain my neck and practically yell to be heard.

  “Then how about a dance?” His eyes were wide and he had a big grin on his face. I wanted to know what was behind that grin because there was no way that it looked genuine.

  “No. I’m just waiting for John.” I was getting a bit of a creeper vibe from Gabe and wasn’t sure what his next move would be. I craned my neck to look over the crowd, hoping to see John.

  As if it was on cue John appeared in front of me and handed me a plastic glass with a tiny black straw and some sort of light brown liquid in it. John and Gabe exchanged looks before Gabe nodded in Brad’s direction and they headed over to the bar. Thank God.

  “What’s this?” I tipped up on my heels and practically yelled in John’s ear.

  “Rusty Nail.”

  “What?” My voice was already aching.

  “Scotch and Drambuie.” He took a big gulp of his own drink.

  Ack that sounded disgusting but would definitely get me drunk. I tried the tiniest sip. It burned like gasoline going down. No way I’d be able to drink it, but I couldn’t be rude. “Thanks!”

  He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. I took a few more sips of mine, even though I thought I would gag. He took the drink from me, downed the rest of it and set it on a nearby table. He took my hand in his and put his lips so close to my ear, I thought he might kiss it. Not very friend-like behavior. “Now let me nail you on the dance floor.”

  I didn’t know if he meant that literally or was just trying to make some sexual innuendo with the drink, but either way I let him lead me down a metal, winding staircase to a pit of human bodies. For not a lot of students in town, it seemed like the ones that were left all gathered at Gatsby’s that night. People were pushed against each other and the scent of sweat and cologne wafted in the air, almost making it hard to breathe.

  Instead of dragging me into the middle of the crowd, John guided me toward the edge, slinking his arm around my waist and pulling me against the hard contours of his body.

  “I’m not a very good dancer. I’m kind of awkward,” I yelled in his ear.

  He laughed, the stubble on his chin tickling my earlobe. “I don’t think you could be bad at anything.”

  “Try me. I’m the awkward girl who loves Harry Potter and you’re the Sex God. You’re the one that hasn’t been bad at anything that I’ve seen.”

  He shook his head. “You’re too uptight, Red. I wish you would just realize how amazing you are.” His fingertips trailed down my back, resting right above my butt. “Smart. Sexy. Funny. Hell, Gabe and Brad couldn’t keep their eyes off of you.”

  I snorted. “I’m sure it had more to do with what I’m wearing and the fact that I happen to be the only girl with you guys tonight.”

  “You need to learn to let go. Accept things for what they are and have fun with it.”

  “Whatever you say, John.”

  I moved my arms around his neck, swaying to the music, but with our height difference, it was awkward to try and dance facing him. I didn’t want to make some stupid faces while I danced, so I turned my back to his, pressing my butt against his groin. I may not have been the best dancer, but it didn’t take that much work to grind against someone. His hands quickly snaked around until they were at the front of my jeans, his thumb running along the thin fabric of my cami where it met my waistband.

  “Now let’s see if I can get you to let go. For once,” he whispered into my ear.

  I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of his warm fingers as he slid them under my top and ran them along my skin. He splayed his fingers, his thumb traveling up to my belly ring and his pinky ran just underneath the waistband of my jeans. My body seized up from his touch and I rolled my hips back in a circle against his groin. We may have been on the dance floor, but we were far enough away from the crowd, with our backs to them, that no one would probably know what was going on. And if they did I was too turned on to care at that moment.

  He let out a moan into my ear before his lips touched the skin of my neck and then trailed down to where my neck met my shoulders. I reached my hand up and pulled at the choppy spikes of his hair. He pressed the ever-growing bulge in his pants against my butt, rocking his hips against me in response.

  With delicate fingers, he rubbed against the lace fabric of my panties. A strong surge of pleasure went straight between my legs. We were in the middle of a crowded club, but my body still responded to him. I rolled my hips forward to his awaiting fingers.

  Th
e song changed to a faster paced dance one, but we didn’t move. I didn’t think I could move. His fingers traced slow circles on the outside of my panties. The combination of the silky material and his warm fingers pulsating through the thin fabric made my whole body tremble below his. I was on the verge of orgasm before he even really touched me.

  He inched his fingers underneath the waistband of my panties and then ran them over me. Everything between my legs heated up and I was glad that the loud music hid the moan that escaped my mouth.

  “I want to make you come alive,” he whispered into my ear. My body tensed with resistance as his fingers slipped beneath my panty line. A hot sensation flooded me as he hooked a finger inside of me. I couldn’t think about anything else except how much I wanted him. He seemed to know what I wanted as his finger delved deeper and his thumb pressed against my clit.

  I let out a hissed breath, my walls caving in around him and I shivered, about to let go as his fingers worked their magic. Sweat beaded on my stomach and my body heated up with desire. My legs constricted and I gripped tighter onto his hair. He emitted a low groan onto my neck.

  “Fuck, Red, I want you so bad right now,” he whispered into my shoulder.

  I couldn’t hold it anymore. My climax consumed me, making my entire body shudder and I had to grip even harder onto John’s hair so I wouldn’t fall over from my release.

  John suddenly jolted forward, which plunged his finger deeper into me. I involuntarily gasped as another surge of bliss waved over me, but quickly suppressed it once he pulled his hand out of my pants and put it back on my stomach, warmer and wetter than it was the first time.

  John pulled me back against him and turned around, putting me nose-to-chest with Gabe. I figured he either was trying to keep me against him so Gabe wouldn’t hit on me, or he was trying to hide his massive bulge.

  “Hey, I was looking for you guys,” Gabe yelled.

  “Yeah? What’s up?” John yelled, leaning over me.

  “Me and Brad are gonna head on over to Fibs. Too many grenades in this place. You two wanna come?”

  John’s lips were at my ear. “What do you say Red, do you want to come?”

  I may just have...again. I couldn’t think of a way to verbalize anything. My mouth was completely dry. Luckily John responded for me.

  “I think we’re going to stay here for now. We can just cab it home if we don’t meet back up with you.”

  A sinister smile crossed Gabe’s face and he bumped fists with John. “All right, man, I see how it is. You’re one lucky dude.”

  “I know.” John kissed my neck and Gabe turned around and pushed through the mass of bodies without saying another word.

  “Do you want another drink or to keep dancing?” he whispered into my ear.

  “Dance. Definitely dance.”

  * * *

  We kept dancing. If you could call it dancing. It was more like sex with our clothes on. I tried not to let myself give into him, but he had a way with his hands that made my whole body succumb to his. When the lights turned on in the club I couldn’t believe it was already 2 AM and time to go.

  John went up to the bar and got my sweater back from the girl behind it, along with two bottles of water. I swore she gave me an evil glare when she was giving it to him, but it could have been my imagination.

  He sauntered back over, a glimmer of sweat on his forehead, but he still looked absolutely fuckable. I wanted him so bad. Over the clothes and third base was one thing, but I had to stop myself from sleeping with him. That was probably frowned upon right before cancer surgery. Especially when sex was the cause of my cancer.

  “Ready, Red?” He took my hand and we walked out of the club. The November air was refreshing compared to the stuffy heat of the bar.

  “My place or yours?” he asked.

  “Well, my mom and sister are coming in early tomorrow.”

  “I can be out early. Before they get there.” He grinned.

  “Um.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “I don’t know how to say this, but I don’t think we should have sex tonight,” I said in a voice barely above a whisper, hoping that nobody heard me.

  He tilted his head back, laughing slightly, which of course caused people to look in our direction. The heat rose up to my cheeks. I shouldn’t have been embarrassed since he just fingered me in a very public place and I was okay with that. But I just didn’t want the whole world to know I was talking about sex out on the street.

  “Don’t worry, Red, as much as I’d like to rip that silky thing off of you and see it on my bedroom floor in the morning, I’ll respect what you want.” He said it so nonchalantly. Like it wasn’t a big deal.

  “Oh, uh, well. Okay then.”

  He squeezed my hand. “But if you don’t mind. I’m kind of a cuddle slut and would prefer your queen sized bed instead of the tiny ass thing they make me sleep in at the house.”

  I raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to answer.

  “I promise to be out before your mom and sister are there.”

  He was serious. The look in his eyes was pleading. What did this beautiful boy want with me?

  “Okay. I guess.” I let out a deep breath.

  “Awesome.”

  * * *

  John kept his arm around me, my head pressed to his chest the entire cab ride. Between all the dancing and other things that happened on the dance floor, I kept going between an adrenaline surge to feeling like I’d fall asleep at any moment. And I’d be sleeping with John. Not the most friendly thing in the world, but the guy made me forget about my “just friends” rule.

  When we got to my apartment John paid the driver and then followed me to my door.

  “Damn, now that I can finally see your ass in those jeans, I’d have to say it’s an awesome view.”

  “John!” I put my finger to my lips, briefly looking back at him before I put my key in the door. “You’re going to wake up my neighbors.”

  He pressed against my back, sliding his arms around my waist before his lips were at my ear. “I can think of a better way to wake them up.”

  Before I could respond, I pushed the door open and we burst into the living room. John moved his arms from around my waist and followed me inside. I whipped around and looked at him, trying to keep my voice stern.“John, I want you. You know that. But can we please not have sex tonight? I just don’t think I can. And it’s probably not the best idea with my surgery on Monday.”

  He took a few steps toward me, his eyes locked on mine. “Red, as bad as I want you too, I’m not here to have sex with you. I want to sleep with you. Next to you. I want to lay in that bed with you and wake up to your beautiful face in the morning. Can we do that or is it too much and you need to kick me out?”

  I exhaled and couldn’t hide the smile that spread across my face. Damn him for making me fall so hard. I kept telling myself I shouldn’t be with him and then he would go and say something like that. “Yeah, that’s fine. But I need to get ready for bed, so you can watch TV or something if you want while I do that.”

  I turned around, thinking he would make himself comfortable on the couch, but instead he followed me to the bathroom. I stared at his reflection behind me in the mirror. “Um, do you need to use it first?”

  “No…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But if you have an extra toothbrush, that’d be great.”

  “Oh, yeah. Totally.” I opened my medicine cabinet and pulled out an open pack of toothbrushes, handing him the blue one.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  I put the other one back in the cabinet and then pulled out the toothpaste, handing it to him when I was done. I was used to sharing a bathroom with my sister, but never a guy. It was amazing how comfortable it felt to brush my teeth alongside him. The guy that was just giving me an orgasm only two hours before. We took turns using the sink and he made silly faces in the mirror at me the entire time.

  When he was done he rinsed off his toothbrush and put it in
the holder next to mine. “For next time.”

  “Next time?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “You don’t think this is a onetime thing, do ya, Red?”

  “I guess we’ll see if you’re still saying that after tonight.”

  “I’m sure I will be.” He kissed the top of my head. “As long as you keep this silky thing on when you come into bed. I kinda like it.” His fingertips brushed against the thin material above my belly button briefly before he stepped out of the bathroom.

  * * *

  After I washed my face, I thought about putting on my pajamas. I even hovered my hand over them, but instead I decided to be brave. I sucked in a deep breath and kicked off my heels then slipped off my jeans. I was left only in my thin cami and the matching lace panties. The closest thing I’d been to naked in front of John.

  I stepped out of the bathroom and the only light came from the lamp beside my bed. John was already under the covers, his shirt off and his hands behind his head, which accentuated his muscles.

  His grin widened when he saw me. “Damn, Red. Can you ever stop being so gorgeous?”

  My cheeks felt hot as I scampered into bed and slipped under the covers. His body was warm, like a furnace and I hoped he wasn’t completely naked under the blankets because I wasn’t sure how to handle it if he was. Though I was curious about what I’d felt through his jeans, I wasn’t ready to tackle it. Yet. “You’re such a charmer.”

  He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest. I pressed my stomach against his side and put my arms around him. I was relieved when I felt the fabric of his boxer briefs on my leg. “I speak the truth. I only wish you’d realize how beautiful you are.”

  I let out a deep breath and reached over, turning off the lamp. “You’re just saying that because I’m letting you spend the night.”

  He lightly kissed my lips. “I’d say it no matter what. You’re stunning. You have everything that any guy could want in a girl and you don’t even realize it.” His eyes met mine and he tucked my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek.