Gaining Ground

by Nikki Bolvair

  “What!”

  I sat back and sighed. “And I have a kid that wants to be a parrot.”

  ***

  Wednesday night after I came home from SSK, Lincoln pleaded to stay the night, so I snuck him in. I was doing that a lot lately. Was it weird that I was excited about him staying now that Tyler and I had taken things a step further? Maybe, but either way, I was feeling comfortable enough with my new found intimacy that I put the moves on Lincoln. He crawled into bed and went to draw me into his warmth, when I leaned in and kissed him. I moved against him; my hands snaked under his shirt to tug him to me.

  “Faith, Faith,” he whispered against my lips, his arms now around me. “You’re playing with fire, Sweetheart.”

  “Mm-hm,” I murmured as I opened my mouth under his, and my hands raked down his back, making him shudder.

  He rolled over on top of me, settling on my hips and pulling my hands above my head, holding on to them, all while kissing me. It gave me a thrill, knowing that he was in control. I wanted to test if he would let me go so I tried to tug my wrists away, but he still held them firm.

  He pulled back from my lips, both of us breathing heavy. Lincoln’s eyes were blazing blue flames that I doubt would be cooled anytime soon.

  “Faith, we can’t—” he fumbled, his eyes dimming.

  I was taken back. “What? Why?”

  “I promised.”

  “Promised who?” I was feeling foolish. He was turning me down.

  His hands tightened on my wrist, then loosened as he dipped down and kissed my neck. “Sweetheart”— he pressed his hips down into me—“Feel that? You do that to me. You make me crazy, and there’s nothing I’d like more than to love you, but I can’t. My brothers and I made a promise that the three of us want our first time with you to be together.”

  “Really?” I was suddenly curious. Tyler had mentioned it, but when it came down to it, would they? “It wouldn’t be weird for you three?”

  Lincoln sat up, his eyes even more full of heat. “It would be hot. To see you, watch you. It won't be like that every time, but we want your first time to be good. My hands holding you down, kissing you while Kayden’s at your breasts. Suckling and touching. Tyler between your thighs...”

  Holy hell. His words lit a flame inside of me, and I was tightly strung. I felt like one intimate touch from Lincoln would be all it took to make me cum. I wanted him. Immediately.

  I lifted my hips upward, and he leaned down, “Do you like the picture I painted for you? Hm?”

  “Yes. But you don’t have to break your promise,” I reasoned, lifting up to kiss his mouth, wanting what he was talking about. I wanted what happened with Tyler to happen with Lincoln. To have that connection. To love him. To soar. “There are other ways...” I whispered, hoping he’d get the idea.

  He groaned, releasing my arms and tugging at my shirt. His eyes were back to the same blue flame they were before. “Other ways,” he whispered, pulling the shirt up and off me, and I did the same. “Only if I can touch you first.”

  I sighed as his head dipped and kissed my breast.

  I was so caught up in the moment that I almost didn’t hear it. The squeak of a door out in the hall. Lincoln must have heard it too because we both froze. The shuffle of footsteps headed down the hall, pausing briefly before going down the stairs.

  “Lincoln...” I whispered, pushing at his chest to get him to move. If... If we got caught, I’d rather get caught fully dressed than naked. Either way, I voted not to find out.

  “I know. I know,” he agreed, pulling his shirt on while I did mine. I again froze when those same footsteps made their way up the stairs with the click of HotShot’s nails following behind. I was almost panicking. We were going to get caught. HotShot usually slept with me. There was no reason for him to not be by my side at night.

  But as luck had it, the footsteps went right past my door as did the clicking of HotShot’s nails on the floor. When the door squeak closed again, I sighed with relief and looked toward Lincoln with a grim face, then I promptly snuck him back out of my house once more. I was very unsatisfied.

  On Thursday Kayden had me watch a movie with him at his house until I had to go to work. We were both curled up on the couch watching some show while Mrs. McGuire was in the kitchen putting something together for their dinner. Tyler had to go and show a house while Lincoln went to one of his friend’s house to work on a project. Something to do with a debate.

  Cuddling and the soft noises that made a house a home were soothing to me. I also assumed that Kayden might actually be sleeping instead of watching what was on.

  The shrill of a phone ringing startled both of us. Kayden groaned and then stretched behind me. “Stupid phone,” he muttered tugging my back closer to his front before nuzzling my neck.

  “Kayden!” his mother yelled.

  “What?” he yelled back annoyed.

  “Is Lincoln home?”

  “No!”

  At this point, he was sitting up peering over the couch toward the hallway that led to the kitchen.

  “... No, dear, he’s not here right now,” his mom repeated.

  Kayden climbed over the back of the couch leaving me in place and head toward his mom.

  “Oh yes. He did get a new one. Let me give it to you.” She rattled off Lincoln’s number and promptly said goodbye.

  “Mom,” Kayden started, “who was that?” I could hear the strain in his voice as if he was trying to not get angry.

  “I don’t know, dear. I don't keep track of your brother’s friends.”

  “Mom, Linc and I have the same friends.”

  “What are you getting at, Kayden Oliver?”

  I heard him huff. “We’ve been having some trouble with crank calling on our cell phones. Is that the first time you’ve given out our phone numbers to a friend you didn’t know?”

  “No,” she confessed. “But now that I'm aware of it,” she said, getting her spunk back, “I'll be ripping into the next person who calls here asking for you and your brothers. Don’t they know that nobody has time for prank calling? It’s nonsense, I tell ya.”

  Kayden murmured something, and with that movie time was over as he got on the phone with his brother.

  After talking with Lincoln, Kayden dropped me off at the college for SSK. When I got to the SSK home with the others, I went in search for my kiddos and found Bates outside kicking a ball around with another kid. I paused to watch him as he kicked the ball around. Bates, while a happy child, had haunted eyes. Like something plagued him. Like a kid who had seen too much, too soon. I knew he would be worried about where he and his sister would go. If they’d end up in the same place. I knew his worries. Maybe not everything, but that same look was one I was familiar with; I saw it often enough in my own eyes to recognize the mask he wore to cover the emotional pain.

  Bates had kicked the ball back to the other kid and turned my way when another child noticed their Para-parent and called out to them. When he noticed me, his eyes lit up; a smile grew, brightening up his previously sad face. Warmth spread through me when I realized he was excited by my being there. I mattered to him.

  At that moment, I made a promise to myself, that Bates and his little sister could count on me. That while I was in their lives things were going to be better for them. I'd make sure of it.

  “Faith!” he cried as he forgot his friend and ran my way. My heart melted. When he asked what to call me the first day, I told him Daniels, but the reaction I got from him was not one I expected. He coward away from me as unease filled his eyes. When I realized that the name Daniels set him off, I came to the conclusion that someone by that name had not been kind to the little guy. So I resorted to my first name. From that moment, I didn’t speak my last name in front of him.

  Bates’ body slammed into mine as his skinny little arms wrapped around me.

  “Hey, buddy!” I answered, patting his back, trying to stay standing. He was like a lightning bolt!

  He
giggled into my stomach and parroted, “Hey, buddy!”

  “Where’s your sister?”

  Bates looked up, resting his chin against my stomach, his eyes a little lighter than when I’d first met him. The burden he carried was not as dark today as it had been the first time I'd seen him. Bates was such a cute kid with his red hair. I put my hand up to ruffle it and he flinched, but it was so brief I almost missed it, before his smile was back. I smoothed my hand over his head as though I hadn’t noticed his reaction. I knew the kids were in here for one thing or another, but it was still hard to see it.

  “Sister!” he repeated perfectly. “Sister S-s-sonya is in the p-playroom!” he let go of me and raced off toward the house and toward his sister.

  “What about your ball game?” I called out to him, but he was too far to hear me as he reached the steps at the back entrance of the house and went inside.

  I turned to followed a little bit more slowly and took in the large grassy backyard. It was easily the size of a school play-yard but without the basketball court and playground. Standing with my back to the house looking out, I could see a metal swing set with six seats to swing parallel to the tall wood fence that surrounded the whole yard. On my right stood a big maple tree. toward the back and in the middle of the yard were open grassy areas that kids were playing in. The kid that Bates was playing with had found another boy to play ball with him.

  I sighed as I went inside. So many children who had nowhere to go. Some with a history that I could understand. I wondered if this was good for me?

  I found Bates with his sister, exactly where he’d said she would be. In the playroom. He was on the floor with her trying to talk to her. “S-s-sonya! Faith is h-h-here!”

  Sonya squealed and clapped her hands as she patted Bates' face. Bates didn’t flinch. Hmm. That was interesting.

  I went over to the two of them and put on my happy face, letting the world fall away as I played with them until dinner was ready. After that, bedtime. I loved playing mom with them, but I couldn’t help but worry about what would happen to them after I left. When my time here was up. I went home wanting to fix all their problems before I even fixed mine. I wanted them to have what I had.

  A chance.

  ***

  Friday I had the dreaded appointment for the birth control shot. I was covered but still nervous about going all the way. The guys had been giving me heated stares, and I’d wondered how long I had until I'd go off that cliff again. Sarah gave me a talk about safe sex, and that had been embarrassing to go through. She’d told me it was just as hard for her to talk about it with me as it was for me to hear it. Thus, we were both awkward afterward.

  The guys were all busy with some sort of things at the moment with work, school or friends, but I sent them a group text anyway.

  Daniels: The flower is COVERED. #Hacked

  Tyler: WTH?

  I laughed.

  Kayden: My heart be still. My queen, thou hast finally covered thyself?

  I snorted and texted back.

  Daniels: Tyler—Officer Brady, pollination? Ring any bells? Kayden—Off with your head!

  Lincoln: You guys, I’m in class and now have a big problem.

  Kayden: Bro, don’t say that! I’m in the same classroom as you! BTW I’m sneaking in tonight.

  Tyler: Kayden.

  Kayden: FINE... We’re having a sleepover. The adult kind.

  Kayden: Lincoln just threw a pencil at me.

  I laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” Sarah asked as she drove. I’d forgotten where I was. I sent one last text and shoved my phone in my bag.

  “Kayden just said something funny.”

  Daniels: Gotta go. No sleepover tonight.

  Sarah gave me a disbelieving glance as we drove home.

  “Mhm. Sure,” she said, humoring me. “You forget, I was young once too.”

  I turned my head toward my window, letting a tiny grin slip. I wasn’t fooling her at all.

  Chapter 13

  It was Saturday, and I was feeling content. All worries about Roxie were out the door and not a peep from the idiot, Tucker. Things were going great, wonderful even.

  Kayden decided he would be the one to drop me off at the antique store and pick me up, which I was grateful for.

  I gave him a quick kiss goodbye and heat curled at my toes when I remembered Lincoln's words. I promised that I would text or call any of them if the idiot showed up. It was a possibility, since it was Tucker's grandmother's shop and all.

  I walked into the store with a smile on my face and was greeted by a girl about my age, standing at the register counter. She had long, ebony hair and dark green eyes with a feminine face that screamed, “I’m related to Tucker!”.

  The girl smiled at me.

  “Hello. I was told to show up here at 11 am?” I hedged as I walked over to her.

  “Ah, yes. Faith Daniels, right?” she said, smiling. “The girl who punched my brother.”

  Ok... So the sister.

  “Yes,” I told her, pausing before I reached the counter, afraid of retribution, “but in my defense, he deserved it. And it’s just Daniels. I don’t go by my first name.”

  “Talia.” She reached out for a handshake, which I reciprocated, and then let my hand drop. “And you don’t have to defend yourself to me,” she continued as she waved a hand dismissively, “He’s my brother, remember? I just look at it as payback for all the things he did to me when I was little.”

  My brow lifted as I stared at her. “Really?”

  “Yeah. So, you're new around here.” It wasn’t a question, but more of a statement. “That’s pretty much the only reason you got the job,” she stated factually, then continued. “All the newcomers who are teens get the jobs. Mostly nosey old ladies own these shops and want to find out more about their families. New gossip, stories and such.” She winked at me. “So welcome.”

  I smiled, but inside I mentally snorted. It may have been that and a little bit of Tucker vouching for me, but honestly, the sign in the window had been there since the first time I saw it a few weeks ago. It seemed to me like they needed someone more than they needed their gossip fix. Tucker had done me a favor as much as he had done one for himself.

  “I guess,” I said, overlooking her newcomer comment.

  “Yep. So you ready to start working?”

  I nodded, and Talia began to show me the ropes. While she seemed nice and chatted the whole time, I was leery of her, because of who her brother was. Was that terrible of me? Probably, but I'd learned my lesson about giving people the benefit of the doubt too quickly. Some people were awesome fakes. Talia chatted nonstop about friends and high school. She was in her third year and already hated her classes. She asked me about where I went high school, since I didn’t go to hers.

  “Oh.” I felt uncomfortable. “I graduated early. I attended the college Tucker goes to. That’s how we know each other.”

  She gave me a calculating stare for a moment, before giving me a warming smile. That’s what I was talking about. Was she genuine, or was she a fake? “So you’re smart and young. How old are you?”

  I was a little put off for a brief second, but brushed it aside as I moved on to polish an antique mirror. “I’m seventeen. You?”

  “A year younger. Sixteen.” She turned around and leaned her back against the counter where we were working and folded her arms, looking out the storefront window. That’s when I realized she had a direct view of the diner from her spot.

  Talia seemed to be thinking deep thoughts as she gazed out. She bit her lip and turned to me.

  “You know,” she started off slowly as if she was afraid I'd turn her down, “we should hang out. Tucker goes to the races every so often, and I go with. You should come along sometime.”

  I paused my polishing as my head lifted, almost mortified at that suggestion. Was she was trying to set me up with her brother? Did she know about the McGuire brothers and me?

  “Talia... Tucker and
I don’t get along.”

  “I know, because you punched him, but why?” She was now scrutinizing my actions, her eyes blatantly curious. I knew when I found out who she was that it was a matter of time before she asked me that question; it looked like my timer just dinged.

  “That’s something you’ll have to ask him,” I told her, trying to avoid any more questions she might have in reserve for me.

  Throughout the day, the two of us polished and cleaned all the knick-knacks as we waited on customers to come in. I thought of Bates and Sonya and what they might have been up to. Did SSK have stuff planned for them on Saturdays? I continued to think about them until the store got busy.

  There was one beautiful antique chandelier that some high-end designer came in and purchased for a crazy amount of money. Another designer came in and bought an antique bureau. It got me thinking. How did their family get into the antique business? So I asked, hoping it would drown out the silence surrounding us.

  “Talia, how did your grandmother get into the antique business?”

  She kept working as she explained, “It was actually my grandfather.” She smiled, staring at the item she was polishing, clearly thinking about him. “He loved to collect old things. Every little thing. He’d go to junk yards and find an old tin advertising sign. Or he’d pick things up he found out on the curb. Old things fascinated him. Probably because it reminded him of his childhood or brought back memories.” She shrugged. “He’d even go to garage sales looking for little treasures. That's what he called them, “treasures,” but then his little treasures got to be bigger, and it was more like he was hoarding than he was collecting. My grandmother thought he was eccentric but when things piled up, my grandfather announced he wanted to open a store, and he did. Come to find out there's a big market for antiques.”

  “What did your parents think about it?” I asked her as I paused my polishing to listen.

  “They thought he was crazy but still invested in his little project anyways. They never realized that it would become such a big success. Now look at us! We have designers from around the states coming in to see what we have. We actually need to get everything up online so I can stop taking pictures to send them via e-mail. It would be so much easier to have them just browse online, and then we could just ship it.”