by Neal, Xavier
“Also true. But still.” She shakes her head. “You've never...fooled around?”
“No. Between him scaring them off and trying to keep myself busy with work and school...I don't know Hayli, it's not like I have a social life outside of you.”
“Which let's just paint a big red flag of shame on me for being the worst best friend for not getting you laid sooner.”
At least I know where her head's out.
“It's not a big deal.”
“It's a huge fucking deal. You're 21, hell almost 22, and still holding too many first time cards. We're getting you laid before college.”
“I'm already in college.”
“Grown up college.”
That's not a thing.
“How'd Romeo take the news of being the first guy to touch you?”
A rush of heat deluges my system at the memory. “He um...he took it well.”
“What's that mean?”
“It means...” Merrick's sexy cocky smirk fills my brain. “It means it didn't bother him.”
“The fucker liked it.” I wink and instead of pride on her face I see caution.
She's full of fucking surprises tonight.
“I'm all for you getting some finally, but be careful with guys like that, Jovi. They like the chase. They like the challenge. They like...the achievement.”
Folding my arms across my chest I fight, “I don't think he's like that, Hayli.”
“He's definitely like that. From the way he talks to the way he acts. It's all fun and games until you put your heart into it Jo'. Trust me,” she advises as my cell phone starts to ring his special ringer.
Yeah. He's got one. I know. I know. I'm in trouble.
Ignoring the sound I ask, “What happened to live a little? Take some chances? Have some fun?”
“Oh, ugh.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “I want you to do all that. Just be careful with this one. That's all I'm saying Jovi.” My phone starts to ring again and she croaks, “For the love of God, let's get you outside to that boy before he climbs your balcony.”
Giggling I grab my bag that happens to have my art notes and my tablet I like to work on. The two of us head out the front door quietly on the off chance Nadie fell asleep on the couch instead of in her room.
Not like I'm sneaking out. Just the less questions the better. No need to give her the details about Merrick. Especially if this is all just summer fun. That's all this is right? Is it bad if I don't want it to end when the season does?
At the sight of him, Hayli greets warmly, “Hey Romeo.”
“Hayli,” he replies back pushing off his car door. Immediately his attention lands on me, “Hey baby...”
Excitedly I gently drop my bag, toss my arms around his neck and let him embrace me tightly.
“You two are disgustingly cute. Enjoy each other,” she playfully remarks before heading towards her own car. “Treat her right Romeo.”
“Always,” he replies back before looking at me as I scoot back a bit, giving us some space. “Why does she call me Romeo?”
“I think she means Casanova, but doesn't know the difference.”
Merrick smirks his signature smile. “I like Romeo better. Sounds like less of a womanizing asshole.”
“Are you a womanizing asshole?” I bravely question.
To my surprise his eyebrows furrow. “Why would you ask me that?”
“You brought it up.”
“I was kidding.”
“Well now I'm not. I wanna know.”
“If I'm a womanizing asshole?”
Standing strong I shrug. “Call it curiosity.”
“Is that what I am to you? A way to test your curiosity?”
Yes. No. Yes and no? Ugh. No. We can't say that.
Not getting an immediate answer Merrick takes a step towards me. “Nothing more than quenching that thirst of what daddy doesn't want you to have?”
His response makes my hand twitch.
Never slapped a guy, but never wanted to before this moment right here.
“Am I just another challenge to you? Waiting for that trophy for boning something that wasn't handed to you on a silver platter. First girl to tell you no, so you have to prove her wrong?”
“You didn't tell me no.”
“And I don't have to tell you yes again,” my counter causes a hurt expression on his face.
Merrick leans back against his car. “What's up Jovi? Everything was cool and now...now you're treating me like some random guy hitting on you at the club. I'm not treating you like some random girl I picked up. I'm not treating you like anyone I've ever been with, so the least you could do is give me a little credit or at least tell me why I lost the credit I put in.”
Feeling slightly guilty I pipe up, “So, that's how this works? A points system?”
“If you're gonna hang me for some crime I don't fucking know I committed then yeah.”
My voice stutters, “I...I...”
“Jovi,” the softness in his voice adds to the guilt of attacking him.
This is why you shouldn't let your friends get in your head like that. I mean maybe Hayli had a point, but she doesn't know 'em ya know? What if she's wrong? What if...what if he really sees something special in me? And is he right? Is this all some giant curiosity experiment gone wild or is it more? Is it something bigger? Can I afford for it to be?
“Baby,” his voice calls. “Come here.”
Instead of continuing to look off down the road, I move my body towards him, eyes diving into his blues that are just waiting for me to swim in. As soon as I'm close enough, he slides his arms around me and he lightly rests his forehead against mine.
“Talk to me...” Merrick's hands find mine. “What's wrong?”
“Hayli...” I start to confess. “She just...she―”
“She doesn't know me,” he states firmly, but calmly. “She doesn't know how much I hate waffles.”
“But love waffle cones.”
“Or hate to jog.”
“But love to lift weights to Thriller.”
“That's...that's our secret.” His light chuckle makes me giggle with him. “You wanna know if what she thinks is true? Ask me. I'll tell you anything you wanna know, Jovi. Just ask.”
“Are you?” I question. “Are you just looking for a new challenge to pass the time by?”
“No,” he answers. His eyes pin mine down and challenges them to move. When my mouth dares to argue he cuts me off. “I was looking for something to get out of bed for in the morning. Something to be the reds and oranges that fill my life. Something worth living for. Something more than money. More than cars. More than sex. I was looking for you.”
We can't both swoon! Someone has to say something! What do you mean that's me? Shit...no no. Me. Mine.
“I was looking for you too,” I confess.
“Oh yeah?” His nose brushes against mine. “Why?”
“Because you're not afraid to come after me.” The corner of his mouth curves. “You're not afraid of the consequences of getting to know me. You're not afraid of my father.”
“The only thing I'm afraid of Jovi is you walking away.”
On a soft sigh I push my lips to his. Very slowly our lips part to welcome the long over-due exchange.
It's been a few days since we've seen each other.
Before the kiss can get out of hand, he pulls back. “Ready to see another one?”
After my quick nod, I grab my bag as he opens my car door to let me in.
Tonight the drive is the opposite direction of the route we went to see the sunflowers. During the drive he holds my hand, dropping it only when he needs to shift gears. He tells me about some car he was working on at the shop, the story full of energy and joy.
I don't know shit about cars and honestly I don't care. I swear it's like he's speaking a foreign language, but the way he can't stop gushing makes it worth it. Worth every. Single. Word.
“And Knoxie is like your big sister right?” M
y chance to finally enter the conversation appears.
“Big sister mom figure. Depends on the day really. Prevents Madden from swallowing me whole like a dingo.” I chuckle and he shrugs. “Knoxie definitely keeps Madden in check even if he'll never admit it.”
“Are they together?”
“Not yet,” Merrick answers pulling onto a back dirt road. “Some day. I hope.”
Deciding to drop the subject since it's probably none of my business anyway, I look out the window noticing the lake hiding behind the trees. “Where are we headed?”
“Almost there...” His answer feels in slow motion as if trying to remember exactly where to go.
While I'll be mad if this was just a less than clever rouse to get me to make out with him in the car, I won't be that mad. I swear kissing him is becoming my new favorite habit.
Merrick pulls into a gravel parking lot of an empty restaurant. The building looks rundown and slightly tacky by the out of season Christmas lights dangling from the door. He parks, tilts his head for us to get out, and leads me by the hand through an unlocked wooden gate around to the outdoor dining area that faces the lake. Wondering where on earth he could have painted the artwork he wants to show me, I look to him for answers.
He smiles and instructs, “Look down.”
Underneath our feet is the famous Cafe Terrace at Night spray painted with beautiful bright colors that look even more alluring in the moonlight. With a huge smile I start dragging tables and chairs out of the way along with him, anxious to get a better view of the magnificent recreation.
“How...” I whisper out, preparing to take pictures. “How on earth did you do this and not get caught?”
“I knew I wanted to paint it by the water and the guy who runs this place has two major problems. Holding his liquor and gambling. Put the two together and you can get almost anything from him,” Merrick explains hopping up on the edge of one of the tables.
Raising my camera to my eye I question, “Is that why we waited so late? So that they would be closed?”
“Yup.” He nods. “Most people don't even notice it's under their feet, which sucks because it's one of my favorite pieces and one of the more timely ones.”
I snap another couple of photos before moving around to grab every possible view I could want. While I'm clicking away Merrick is just watching, admiring me praise his hard work.
Slightly weird relationship huh? But it's special. It's ours. Almost like these random taggings of classic artwork he does. Glimpses of something extraordinary in everyday life. Beauty placed in the ugly, forgotten, or overlooked. Sometimes I feel like that. A piece of something special no one can see because of my last name. Because of who my father is. Trapped. Around Merrick though, I guess I feel free.
“A kiss for your thoughts?” The offer gets a look tossed over my shoulder. With his all knowing smile he beckons me his direction with a finger.
Shaking my head I deny him, even though I want it too. “Nope. It's gonna take more than a wiggle of a finger to make me come.”
“Two if memory serves me correct,” the flirty comeback causes my jaw to drop. Snickering he wiggles his eyebrows. “We can retest that if you want.” My lips press together not sure of how to respond. “Or we can test something else.”
Intrigued I ask, “Like what?”
In a sexy tone he answers, “Like anything you want baby.”
“Anything?”
Now the one with a nervous look he says, “Within reason, yeah.” Still weary he suggests, “Wanna go for a walk down by the lake?”
“Nope.” I shake my head slowly putting my camera down. “I want you to sit in the chair.”
Merrick lifts an eyebrow, but slides down into the wire chair next to the table. “Please tell me you're at least gonna sit in my lap.”
Grinning, I straddle him, and drape my arms around his neck. Immediately his body goes taut under my touch and the response is like a gold star reward. I run a fingertip down his scruff covered jawbone line before tilting his chin up to the sky.
Once his head is tilted back at the sky I lean my lips to his neck and whisper, “Tell me what you see.”
“Uh...” he stutters. “Um...” I lightly taste his neck with a lick. “I don't...I don't know. I can't...I can't focus when you're doing that.”
My tongue swirls around softly before I insist, “Try.” He groans in frustration. “Trust me.”
“I see...” Merrick stumbles over his words, his heart thumping heavily against mine. “Crisp clean black with rolls of white roaming across it.”
His description is rewarded by my tongue drifting downward for his collarbone while my hand slips between us to massage his jean covered hard on. “Keep going...”
At the first rub, he groans again this time louder, his head falling backwards. “Jovi.”
“If you want me to keep going, keep talking.” My demand is in sync with my hands that are caressing his cock, enjoying my first experience with one. “What else do you see?”
“Stars,” he barks out as my hand starts undoing his belt. Moving my body to the side, I continue my path of seduction to the other side of his neck. “They're bright bursts. Soul swirling.” At those words, I grip his hard dick in my hand and squeeze the warm entity. Merrick whimpers at my touch and louder when I start stroking. His eyelids get heavy, but he continues, clearly desperate for me not to stop my new expedition. The last words out of his mouth are, “Life consuming.”
Pleased with his responses I start stroking faster, loving the feeling of him gripping me tighter. I listen to his breathing become ragged, the sound so sexy my pussy begins to soak my thong.
Holy shit. Holy shit! Do you think I'm going to make him come? Do you think I should taste him first? I should right. Glad you agree.
Lowering my body to my knees, I softly request, “Please be gentle.”
“About wh―” is the most that has a chance to come out of him before my mouth replaces my hand, the thrill of being out in the open mixed with the salty taste on my tongue making my muscles clench again. “Goddamn.” Merrick's fingers wind through my hair, getting a soft grip as his dick slips further into my mouth, the suction increasing.
Did you worry about doing this wrong the first time? Is there a wrong way to give a blow job? I mean as long as the end result is him coming right?
“A little harder,” he pleads in an airy voice. Following the suggestion, I increase the pressure, eyes shutting as I suck in every sensation, every slurp more delicious than the last. Rolling my tongue around and around, teasing the tip, I'm rewarded with deep hearty grunts and grumbles, of my name and curse words, the mixture bringing me to my own personal pornographic poetic heaven. Merrick warns, “Baby...if you don't want it in your mouth, you're gonna have to let go now.” When I add my hand back to help finish, a cry of ecstasy so powerful comes out of him, I swear he's going to combust into a million pieces. Several hot spurts fill my mouth with the most bitter taste I've ever had, but the sound of him crying out, “Baby...” erases the care.
Fair warning next time. That shit is not pleasant to the pallet.
In a quick motion I swallow the liquid, give his sensitive crown a final suck, and lean back on my heels innocently looking up at him. “Did I do okay?”
For a moment the only sound outside, besides his harsh breathing, is the chirping of crickets. Becoming increasingly worried with each passing second, I rise to my feet prepared to take the hit of screwing up the first time I gave head.
“Was it that bad?”
An eye creeps open and Merrick grabs my hand as best as he can, pulling me onto his lap. I stare down at him until he finally lifts his head up, blue eyes such a harsh color of blue it almost looks like he's stoned.
That's a good thing right?
“Promise me something, Jovi,” he starts.
“What's that?”
“I'm the only guy in the entire fucking world you'll ever do that for.” The request makes me smile wide. When I
don't immediately do it, he says in a firmer tone. “I mean it Jovi. I'm the only one. You're mine baby and I don't plan to ever share any part of you.”
“Me either,” I shamelessly agree.
“Good.” Our fingers fold together. “Because you're my own little piece of heaven Jovi and I never wanna leave.”