How to Liv

by Megan Keith

  “You too.” I pulled out of her embrace, but not before I noticed Joel watching me over her shoulder.

  “See you next time.” She winked and then headed out the door.

  Adam and Raelene were a really down-to-earth couple and it didn’t take long for me to feel completely at home with them (besides the inquisition outside). I even felt a little reluctant to say goodbye when they were leaving.

  That reluctance disappeared as soon as Joel closed the door behind them and immediately pressed his body against mine.

  “I thought they’d never leave,” he murmured against my neck before pressing a hot kiss against it. “I finally get you all to myself again.” He nipped at me, sending shockwaves through my body. He backed me up against the wall and pushed his hard body against mine.

  “Joel… mmm.”

  “It’s hot in here. You should take this off. You don’t need it.” He pulled my dress over my head. His eyes wandered over my body. “I want you so bad.”

  I sucked in a breath when his body crashed back into mine, my hands flying into his hair. Then I heard tapping at the door.

  “Ahh, what now?” Joel groaned. He tugged the door open a fraction, essentially squishing me between the door and the wall wearing nothing but my knickers. “What is it Raelene?”

  “Chels left Bunny behind.” Raelene pushed against the door but stopped when she felt the resistance (namely me).

  “Stay right there, I’ll get it.” Joel cautioned her holding up his palm before he scrambled to the lounge room, picked the toy rabbit off the floor, and raced back to the front door. While I stood trying not to breathe too loudly so that Raelene didn’t hear me on the other side of the door. My hands came up to cup my breasts unnecessarily, while I cowered. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks Joel.” She leaned against the door and lowered her voice, “Sorry to interrupt Liv, I’ll let you two get back to it now.” Then she laughed, and spoke louder, “Couldn’t even wait ‘til we drove away…”

  Joel and I both froze at her words. I watched Joel’s face morph into an embarrassed red scowl as he looked down at my yellow sundress still in his hands. The yellow dress that Raelene would have seen him holding this whole time. Raelene was laughing loudly as she walked back down the driveway. I could still hear her even after Joel slammed the door shut. I squeezed my eyes closed, feeling my face flush with humiliation.

  “I’m sorry,” Joel apologised.

  I opened my eyes to see Joel biting his lip to hide the sexy smirk that was trying to form. His eyes raked over me, intensifying in heat. When he looked back at my face his smile dropped a little.

  “I’m sorry, I should have given you a chance to get away from the door before I opened it.”

  “Yes, you should have. I… Do you mind if I have a shower?” I asked, snatching my dress away from him. I was furious. He stepped back, the smile completely vanishing from his face.

  “No, not at all.” He had that sudden look of nervousness on his face again. “Ah, let me get you a towel.”

  I wandered off towards the bathroom before he had even finished speaking. I turned on the water and removed my knickers as I waited for it to heat up. I climbed in and turned around to shut the shower door when I found Joel standing there holding a towel. I shut the door in his face. I wanted him to know I was not amused at being put in that position. But as I watched his distorted shadow, through the bubbly shower glass, place the towel down on the edge of the bath and then slink out of the room, I felt ashamed at my behaviour.

  I wasn’t really that mad at him, it’s not like it was his fault. I had allowed him to take my dress off seconds after saying goodbye to his family. I know that Raelene couldn’t have really seen much of anything through the small crack of the door I was hiding behind. I was overreacting. I was just about to ask if Joel would care to join me in the shower when I heard the bathroom door close. He’d left me alone.

  For an old house it sure had good water pressure. I lapped it up, it felt so good. I washed my hair for the first time since I’d had it cut. I wasn’t used to having such short hair and I used way too much shampoo and conditioner, I felt bad for wasting Joel’s stuff. I lathered myself up in Joel’s liquid body wash, probably using too much of that as well, but it just smelled so good. Like Joel. After a considerable soak, I got out and dried myself with the large soft navy blue towel that Joel had left for me. I noticed that he had also emptied his pocket placing my bra beside it. As I didn’t have any fresh, clean underwear, I decided to forego it all and just put on my dress. I was towel drying my hair when Joel knocked lightly on the door.

  “Come in.”

  “I have some new toothbrushes if you’d like one,” he offered, moving past me to open the cupboard under the sink.

  “Thanks, that’d be great.” I tossed the towel over the side of the bath then took a toothbrush from him.

  “I’m gonna have a shower,” he said, pulling off his tank top.

  It was impossible not to watch him in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. He was so toned and delectable. He caught my eye and a smug grin appeared.

  “I’m sorry about before babe.”

  Keeping his eyes on me, he tugged his cargo shorts down, revealing that he had been going commando again this whole time. My body instantly heated and I quickly tried to look anywhere else. I spat and rinsed, dropping the toothbrush on the bench, before turning to him.

  “Don’t worry about it.” My eyes involuntarily wandered his body. “I… uh… sorry, I overreacted,” I muttered.

  He let out a small throaty chuckle, snapping me out of my stupor. He loved that I was checking him out, cheeky bastard. Two can play at that game!

  I moved closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. Giving him a kiss on the lips. I felt him twitch against my belly. I pulled back and looked down for confirmation. Yep. He was hard again. I loved that I had that effect on him. A wide satisfied grin emerged on my face.

  “Now get in the shower,” I said with a slap on his bare arse, causing him to groan. He looked over his shoulder at me with a wicked grin before I shut the bathroom door.

  A few minutes later I was seated in front of the noisy old air conditioner on the couch. It didn’t work that well so I was glad I hadn’t bothered drying my hair much or the rest of my body for that matter. It was nice to feel a little damp in this heat. I was patting a contented Ruby at my side, her head resting in my lap, when Joel came into the lounge room and stood in front of me. He was only wearing a pair of black shorts, nothing else, and his hair was dripping water down his bare chest. I guess he had the same idea as me.

  “I’m glad Ruby likes you.”

  “Mhmm.” I was glad too, but I couldn’t find the words. I licked my lips as I watched a drop of water slowly make its way down, down…

  “Liv, I see you left some clothing behind in the bathroom.”

  “Mhmm.”

  “Am I right to assume you are wearing absolutely nothing under that pretty little dress?”

  My eyes drifted up his chest to his mouth. I watched as he licked his lips and bared his teeth and then I met his eyes. “Yep.” I watched the lust fill his eyes and he swallowed. I felt the dampness between my legs increase. My heartbeat became erratic looking at the intent shown in his gaze. I blinked and looked down at the dog beside me. “Excuse me Ruby,” I said, gently pushing the sleeping dog aside so I could stand.

  Joel’s strong arms immediately lifted me off my feet and my legs automatically flew around his waist and squeezed tightly as our slightly wet bodies collided and clung. I ran my hands through his dripping wet hair and kissed him hard, his minty fresh mouth opening for my tongue. He began walking us back to his bedroom.

  Once we made it to his room our frantic kisses slowed to something intense and passionate. He stood me up beside the bed and slowly peeled my dress off. I in return slowly removed his shorts and there was nothing in our way after that. We took a moment for our eyes to savour each other’s bodies before lying down
on the bed together. He didn’t ask for control this time and I didn’t try to take control like last time. There was no dirty talk and we both took our sweet time, exploring, teasing and getting to know each other’s bodies.

  This was different, it was slow, intense and tender. It was more. It was not sex or fucking, it felt like we were making love… It was too soon for love, maybe we were ‘making like’… no it definitely felt like more. I was falling for him… I could see myself falling in love with Joel… fuck. It was all happening so fast and I was scared of getting hurt again. At the same time it was pure heaven and so I did my best to squash my apprehension, push the fear aside and just enjoy myself.

  That wasn’t too hard to do with Joel’s gorgeous body beside me.

  We lay on Joel’s bed, our bodies naked, our legs entwined, as the sun beat in through the window. Joel was playing with my fingers that rested on his chest. I was lying in the crook of his arm, happily sated.

  I sighed contentedly. “This is nice.”

  He spoke after a moment of silence, “That’s one word for it.”

  I pulled my hand from his and lifted myself to hover above him. I didn’t understand what he meant by his comment and I was about to ask but decided against it. I’m not sure I wanted to hear the explanation. I couldn’t look him in the eyes, I was too scared of what I might see. Instead I watched my hand as it ran along his bare chest and paused at the symbol high on his right pec. It was some sort of tribal marking.

  “What does this tattoo mean?”

  “That one? That means I was young and stupid and didn’t know what I was doing.”

  “That’s it, that’s all there is to it?” I asked with a smile.

  “Yep. This one,” he pointed to the Southern Cross on his bicep, “This was what all the guys were doing. A group of us got them all done at the same time, Adam has the same one-”

  “I noticed that.”

  “It was supposed to symbolise, unity with our country, unity with each other.”

  “I like it. What about this one?” I touched the one on his other arm.

  “Ah the red devil. That was for a similar reason, stupid, we thought we were a gang or something. It acts as a reminder to behave.” He wriggled his eyebrows at me and then flipped me back on the bed so he was hovering over me.

  “Oh really?”

  “Yep.” His hand ran down my side leaving goose bumps in its wake. “So I told you mine, you tell me yours.” His fingers rubbed gently against my hip. “This is sexy.”

  “You think?”

  “Fuckin’ oath.” He moved down to kiss the small blue butterfly tattoo on my hip, his lips and his proximity sending jolts of electricity through me.

  “My best friend Kylie and I both got them when we turned eighteen. We got them in the same spot, but hers is pink. We thought we were cool.” I was unable to hide the sadness in my voice.

  “You sound like you regret it?”

  “No. Not if you think it’s sexy.” He laughed at that.

  “Will I meet Kylie?”

  That question made me flinch. I loved the fact that he was talking in terms of a future for us, a future where we would get to know each other’s friends, but he was never going to meet her.

  “No. Let’s just say we don't talk anymore and leave it at that.”

  He eyed me for a moment before changing the subject, placing a kiss on my hip again and asking, “What were you and Raelene talking about in the backyard earlier?”

  “Not much really.”

  “Me?” He looked up to me, his lips hovering my skin.

  “Well she was about to say something about you, I think, but then you came outside and rudely interrupted her.” I rolled my eyes dramatically. “What were you two whispering about in the kitchen?”

  “Nope, I asked you first.” He smirked, lifting his head, his fingers rubbing small circles on my tattoo.

  “Well, she did ask what my intention was with you.”

  “That little shit!”

  “I think it’s sweet that she cares so much about you.”

  “I guess. So what are your intentions?” His hand slid around my hip to the top curve of my arse.

  “I think I just showed you my intentions.” I quirked my eyebrows at him. His hand slid a little lower.

  “Is that so?” His hand moved lower still and cupped my cheek with a gentle squeeze. Then his mouth moved to my navel and softly kissed me there.

  “Mmm.”

  My body automatically arched against his mouth. His tongue traced a circle around my belly button and then he kissed my hip again.

  “Your turn,” I said.

  He lifted his head in question.

  “To tell me what you were talking about,” I reminded him.

  He shifted so that he was sitting, looking down on me.

  “Right. She gave me her approval. She told me I better look after you.”

  “Really?” I sat up, our chests almost touching. Joel lifted his hand to push my hair back from my face.

  “Yeah… she said you were a keeper.” His eyes caught mine and held an unparalleled intensity to them. “I’m thinking, she may be right.” He lowered his mouth to mine, not allowing me a chance to respond.

  How could I respond to that anyway? Other than to have a near heart attack at his words, that is. The best response was to kiss him back.

  Each day that I didn’t see Joel made me miserable. After he dropped me back home late Sunday I’d had an argument with Ally and everything had gone downhill from there.

  Joel kissed me goodbye at the door at about seven o’clock. I was dead tired. Our weekend together had been amazing, but with the heat, little sleep and so much physical exertion, I had begun drifting off to sleep at his place, so I asked him to take me home. We were reluctant to part, but I needed clean clothes and we both needed sleep before work the next morning.

  After shutting my front door in a happy daze I was immediately accosted by my sister.

  “Where have you been? And why are you wearing the same clothes you were wearing yesterday? Oh and we’re still out of milk!”

  “I’ve been with Joel.”

  “All weekend?” She looked stunned, like she couldn’t believe I could get a guy like him, I was quietly still stunned myself. Ally was in a foul mood and it was ruining my buzz.

  “We had a wonderful time, thanks for asking! And you’re old enough to buy your own goddamn milk!” I snapped before stomping off to my room, really mature like.

  I had worked back late both Monday and Tuesday nights, so I had been able to avoid Ally since then.

  Speaking of avoidance, Eric and Jess had been avoiding each other all week so far. Eric hardly left the office at all so no-one in the factory had seen much of him, and Jess had quickly made an exit for the bathroom on the one occasion he was in the staff room at the same time as us. They both seemed unhappy but neither of them seemed to be able to bring themselves to do anything about it. It was getting to the point where I was ready to lock them in a room together so they could hash it out. I’d broached the subject with Karen but she wanted nothing to do with it, so I was on my own. I knew it wasn’t really my business but then they both kind of involved me and I was working opposite Jess which wasn’t fun. I was still buzzing from my new relationship with Joel, I just wanted everybody to have sunshine and happiness like me. At least like I felt when I was with him or talking to him on the phone.

  I hadn’t seen Joel since Sunday night and I missed him. It was now six o’clock on Wednesday, and I was knocking off work and that meant I hadn’t seen Joel for seventy-one hours. I hadn’t even spent seventy-one hours with him but somehow that length of time without him was, too much. We’d spoken on the phone on Monday night for about an hour and Tuesday night for about half that, but it wasn’t the same as seeing each other. I was contemplating going over to his house to surprise him when I collected my bag from my locker and checked my phone. There was a message from Joel. It was a couple of hours old. I wa
s instantly excited to read it:

  My boss has me under the pump, will be working to all hours tonight so I might not even get a chance to call. Sorry. Looking forward to seeing you on the weekend x

  My shoulders slumped. Oh. The weekend? Did I really have to wait that long? Joel’s boss had been taking advantage of daylight savings and getting his team to work at night when it was still light out but also cooler. The days had been extremely hot and the jobs they were working on were all newly built houses so that meant no air-conditioning or anything. It made sense to work back late during such a strong heatwave, but it didn’t help my Joel-less situation.

  I slammed my locker shut and headed out to the car. I unlocked it and reached into the glove box for the emergency pack of cigarettes. I was standing there holding the pack, staring off to nowhere when Eric came into view.

  “Eric!” I called out to him as he headed to his car.

  “Hey Olivia,” he said as he reached me. His shoulders were hunched and he was still looking defeated.

  “Oh for fuck’s sake, just talk to her!” I snapped. He jumped, looking shocked at my words. Hell I was shocked at my words. “Shit! Sorry. I’m just having a moment.”

  “Don’t do it.” He pointed to the pack of smokes in my hand. “Don’t light it up, if you do I will have to bum one off ya.”

  “I didn’t know you smoked.”

  “Yeah, well, I thought you’d given up too.” He shrugged.

  “Yeah I have.” I put the packet back in the car as Eric watched me in silence.

  “I’ve tried… talking to her.”

  “Well try again. Jess is really difficult to work with right now, she’s not happy and I’m sure it’s because of you. Here,” I got Jess’s number up on my screen and then thrust my phone at him, “at least you know she’ll answer.”

  He gingerly took the phone from me and stood staring at it in contemplation, his finger hovering over the call button.