by Kar, Alla
What’s wrong?! I walk faster, letting my bare feet sink into the muggy ground. When I reach the pond, I shut my eyes and pretend I’m anywhere else. What an ass.
“Bridge, what’s wrong?” he says in my ear. He tries to wrap his arms around my waist, but I slap them away.
“Are you serious?” I turn toward him. “You are really asking what’s wrong? You are basically throwing yourself at me, bringing up all this stuff that happened forever ago, and then you take a call from your girlfriend.”
Levi sighs and takes off his hat. His eyes are dark and worried. He rubs his fingers along his forehead and then places it back on his head with a long hard sigh. “Bridget, Mary and I…we aren’t even serious.”
“Shut up,” I spit, turning my back to him.
Levi laughs a harsh laugh. “You’re getting’ married, so what the fuck is it to you!” Levi hollers.
I turn around. “It’s nothing to me! I just don’t want you groping me and then turning around and calling your girlfriend. Excuse the hell out of me!” I scream.
Levi sets his jaw. “You haven’t changed a bit, you bullheaded…” he trails off.
“Go ahead say it!” I yell. “Bullheaded bitch!”
Levi grits his teeth and lets out a loud grunt before he steps forward and pushes me into the pond.
I’m furious. I land on my ass, in the nasty pond that is nothing but leaves, slim and fish shit. “You redneck bastard,” I yell, slapping my hands at the water. “I hate you.” I say. “I hate you.” I rub my eyes and shake my head. My feelings aren’t really that hurt, I just want him to think they are.
Levi sighs and reaches his hand out to help me up. I hesitantly take it and pull as hard as I can. He comes crashing down on top of me. A loud ripple goes over the water and a few birds fly from the corner of the pond. Levi comes out of the water, his hat floating in the pond beside me. “You little…” he says, a smile tugging at his lips. He pushes me back into the water and I scream. “Uncle! Mercy!”
“Oh no, that’s not working, darlin’.” He pushes me back down, my face under the dirty water. I come up and gasp for air, Levi is trying to get up, but I pull him back down again, this time his head collides with mine.
“Shit,” I mumble, grabbing my head and rubbing the tender spot on my forehead. “Why do you have to have such a hard head?”
Levi laughs and I realize how close his face is to me. “Mine? You’re the one with the stubborn ass big head, Ms. New Yorker.”
I watch the realization hit him that he is on top of me, his mouth inches from mine. He swallows and he lifts his hand to my forehead. I try to be mad at him again, but it’s fading away into mindless vapor. “I think there is going to be a bruise there,” he whispers, smoothing his fingers along the tender, forming bruise. “Nothin’ make-up can’t cover though.”
I nod and pretend I was paying attention. “Um…” he clears his throat and he finally brings his eyes toward mine. I feel the hardness of his muscles and cock against my body. I hold back a moan. It’s been so long since he has touched me…made love to me…held me. Levi moves on top of me, nestling his crotch between my legs. They quake at his touch. Levi lowers his lips until they are almost touching mine. “Tell me I can kiss you, Bridget.”
I close my eyes. You can! Kiss me! Do it! “I can’t, you can’t,” I mumble.
Levi groans and leans back, sitting on his knees, while I lay helplessly in the water. His eyes are wild, hungry and stormy. “I’m sorry,” he says, standing up. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay.” It takes two.
“We better get back to the house. Your parents are probably lookin’ for ya.” I nod and take his hand. He pulls me up and my eyes go straight to his wet chest. Damn it. Levi walks off and I watch him, his wet tanned torso gleaming in the Texas sun. Holy fuck!
Chapter Three
Momma’s eyebrows rise when we walk into the kitchen. I don’t try to fathom the things that I know are going on in her mind. “You kids been swimmin’?” she asks, sitting down her glass.
Levi glances at me, waiting on me to answer, and I shake my head. “Fell into the pond, actually we both did.” Dumb. Stupid.
Levi gives me an I know you can lie better than that face and reaches for a towel.
“Accidentally,” I feel I need to add. “Levi took me to the old house. Halo won’t let me ride her, so I needed someone to ride with me.” I shrug. “Is Papaw up?”
Momma narrows her eyes and looks back and forth between Levi and me. “What happened to your shirt?”
Dear God in Heaven. “He took it off because it got wet. Stay on subject please.” I beg of you!
She smiles and nods. “Yes, he is out on the front porch. If you want to bring him a sandwich you can.” She gestures toward a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich sitting on the counter.
I nod and take it, giving Levi a very quick and limited smile before I walk out onto the porch where Mamaw and Papaw are sitting. Mamaw sees me first and her hand goes to his. “Look who came to see you,” she says, stroking his arm gently. I almost stop dead in my tracks when I see this. She is treating him like an infant. She is frowning, and it looks as if she has been crying. Pawpaw’s sky blue eyes move over toward me. He stares for a moment and I think he doesn’t remember me.
“Bridget,” he mumbles, trying to stand up, but I walk over toward him. I give Mamaw the sandwich and wrap my arms around him. He smells of sawdust and leather. I take in the smell, letting my tears fall down my cheeks. “It’s been so long,” he whispers.
I nod into his shoulder and squeeze tighter. “I missed you so much.”
I pull back and look at him. His eyes are smiling but he isn’t. I could always tell if he was happy by his eyes. His eyes were beautifully correct all the time.
“I’ve missed ya too, tiger. It’s been so long,” he says. I shake my head and grab the sandwich from Mamaw.
“Momma made you a sandwich. I figure it’s good. She always did know how to cook, well.”
He nods and takes the sandwich in his shaking hand. “She learned from the best.” His eyes dance over to Mamaw’s, and she smiles.
Papaw’s eyes dart up toward me and then behind me. “Levi,” he says nodding. “I take it you’ve seen Bridget. I see that look in your eye you used to get.” He laughs and Mamaw lightly hits his chest.
“Leave them be, Albert.”
He gently moves the swing and nods his head. I turn to sit in the seat next to them and I notice Levi’s stare on me. He has a shirt on now and I know that it’s one of my Daddy’s. “I’ve seen her alright,” Levi says beneath his breath.
“So, how is life in New York?” Papaw asks, and I cringe.
Playing with the damp end of my hair I smile. “Great. You know I work for a publishing company.”
Papaw nods. “You’re engaged, I believe your mamaw told me.”
I swallow. “Yes.”
“When will we meet him?” he asks, brow raised.
“Soon. He will be down in a couple of weeks.”
“I’ll have to show him what’s what. Them Northerners don’t know how to treat a lady like they should.”
Levi laughs. “Well, we all know you were known to showin’ Bridget’s boyfriend how to act.”
Papaw lets out a low laugh. “I remember tellin’ you that once or twice.”
“I remember, sir, and I promise I’m keepin’ my hands off. That is a No Trespassin’ zone right there.”
“Please stop talkin’ as if I’m not in the room,” I snap, looking at Levi.
Papaw pats my leg. “It’s okay, sweetie. Don’t get cha panties in a bunch.”
I blush and put my hand on top of his.
Papaw folds his brows down and he sighs. “I think I want to go take a nap. Levi,” he turns toward Levi, “If you could. I have some hay barrels comin’ in later today and we need some more food for the horses.”
Levi glances over at Mamaw and she smiles. “I’ll
take care of it, Mr. Gaines.” Papaw stands up and kisses my forehead.
“I’ll see ya tonight, young-un.”
I pat his back and watch him walk into the house with Mamaw’s help. I sit in the fold out chair and place my hands in my lap. “We don’t need any of that stuff, do we?”
Levi sighs and pushes off the railing of the porch. “Your momma has lunch fixed for us,” he says, opening the door and holding it open for me. “We better get inside.” I get up and stop when a small Honda civic pulls into the driveway.
I hear Levi cuss underneath his breath, and I give him a weary look. A redheaded girl steps out, short shorts on and a smile that could burn ice. “Levi,” she squeaks, and I automatically do not like her. This must be Mary.
“Mary,” he mumbles tipping his hat. She stalks up toward the porch and stops, hands on her wide hips. “This is…”
“I know who she is,” she cuts Levi off and turns toward me. Her green eyes narrow and she tilts her head to the side, her red curls bouncing with each movement. “This is Bridget Wilks. The big time New Yorker.”
I swallow and match her stare. Placing my hand out toward her, I smile. “In the flesh. You must be Mary, Levi’s girlfriend.” She smiles and steps toward him, placing her long snaky fingers on his shoulder. I drop my hand to my side and hold back my grimace. “In the flesh.” Her eyes roll over me. “You been swimmin’ or something.’” She looks a Levi to make sure he is dry and I see her notice his wet jeans.
“No,” I say, calmly, “Nice to meet you.”
Momma comes to the screen door. I notice her eyes widen and then she smiles. “We were just comin’ in for lunch. Would you like to join us, Mary?”
“She was just…” Levi starts to say.
“I’m starved, absolutely.”
Leading the way, I walk into the house and give Momma the best I’m going to kill you glare.
Momma sets up lunch outside on the porch on the patio table. There’s an awful silence heavy in my ears during the first part. I secretly pretend not to be interested in Mary rubbing on Levi’s shoulder and whispering in his ear. Levi’s gaze hasn’t left mine and I pretend to be interested in my delicious BLT.
“So, Mary, how are ya folks?” Momma asks, breaking the silence that was threatening to make me leave the damned table.
“They’re fine.” She shrugs and plays with Levi’s short hair. I really don’t know what she is doing; he barely has any hair to begin with. Now she has moved down to his neck. Her long fingernails scrap against his neck in little circles. “They’re a little mad at me and Levi . I’ve been stayin’ at his house, and Daddy don’t like it.”
I choke on my sandwich. Momma pats me my back. “You alright, darlin’?”
I grab my sweat tea and down it. Levi has his forehead in his palm.
“Your grandmamma still runnin’ the store?” Momma asks.
She nods and circles her fingernails over Levi’s back. “Yes ma’am, she is. She wants me to run it when she isn’t able to anymore. I figure my future is here, so it sounds good to me.”
I raise an eyebrow, but I don’t say anything.
Mary laughs. “Not all of us can go off and be big time New York editors.”
“Mary,” Levi says, his voice harsh. She shrugs and pulls at the end of her curl. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me, and I stand up.
“Well, it was nice to meet ya, Mary. But I think I’m going to go take a quick nap. I’m very tired.”
Levi opens his mouth to say something, but he shuts it and nods. Momma sits quietly watching me leave, and I go to my room.
I go straight toward the shower and undress. I turn on the shower and stand, letting my body get used to the heat. I close my eyes and let the events from this morning sink away down the drain. I rub my hand over my stomach and back up to my breast. I wince. They’re sore from Levi falling so hard on them. My body heats. I can’t stop the feeling that is pulling at my core. I want nothing more than to straddle Levi, let him touch me and fuck me until I can’t walk. I take my index finger and thumb and press against my clit and imagine it’s Levi touching me. His hands always knew exactly what to do and where to touch at the right moments. My body is trembling in time to the spasms in my inner thighs.
I run my fingers against my silk folds and moan. Levi’s face is all I can see. His hands were on me graduation night and that entire summer before New York and it’s all I can think about. I slip my fingers all the way inside me, finding the right spot, and moan his name. It feels right. It feels like the right name to say. I stroke myself under the heat of the water, jerking as the sensation builds and I’m slipping into my orgasm.
I stand motionless in the shower. I close my eyes and try to remember the last time I had dirty thoughts about Christopher. I can’t remember. I press face into my palms and shake my head. I have to stop thinking like this. Christopher is my fiancé and Levi is but a distant memory. I shouldn’t be reacting like this to him. Getting out of the shower, I dry off, pull on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.
My cell phone is flashing red and I open it. Twelve missed calls. I groan. Only two are from Christopher, the rest are from work. I press call and listen to the ringer on the other end. I lie down and look up at the ivory ceiling.
“Hello?” Christopher says.
I almost squeal at his voice. “Hey,” I whisper into the phone.
He laughs lowly. “I’ve missed you already, wife-to-be.”
I giggle. “I’ve missed you. It’s so…” I flop over on my belly, not sure how to describe my time here. “Different than back home.”
“It’s basically an entire different universe. The North and the South.”
I nod into the blanket. “I’m ready for you to come down here.”
“Me too, sweetie. I’ve been so busy at the law firm. I can’t wait to see you. I’ve been thinking about that lingerie I bought you.”
“Hm,” I laugh. “Maybe I can wear it for you. I would love to have you in the North and South.”
Silence. “Christopher?”
“Oh, sorry. I have to go, sweetie. I will see you very, very soon.”
I force a laugh. “Of course.”
“I love you.”
“Love ya, too.” He hangs up, and I put my phone back on my nightstand. I crawl under the covers and lay my head on the soft plush bed.
***
When I wake up, I hear a slight laugh from the doorway. My head feels foggy, and my brain isn’t working as fast as I want it to. Squinting, I make out someone standing at the door.
“You still sleep the same way. Using the entire bed for your small ass,” Levi says.
“Go away,” I mumble into the pillow, my mouth hanging open and my eyes trying to adjust to the light he flicked on.
“No can do. It’s time for supper. Your mamaw says get ya Northern ass up.”
Sitting up, I wipe my eyes. “I highly doubt she said it like that, but thanks for relaying the message, messenger boy.”
“Sorry about Mary,” he says, scratching his neck that I suspect isn’t itching.
“Ah, God! She isn’t coming to dinner too, is she?”
Levi smiles. “Uh, no. She isn’t.”
“Good. I’ll be there in a second.”
***
Holt’s isn’t here, but his seat isn’t empty. I cock an eyebrow and sit next to Levi. He looks over and smiles at me. It’s a funny smile that I can’t seem to place. I feel Daddy’s hand on my shoulder and I glance up at him. “Heard you two went swimmin’ earlier.”
I grit my teeth and look over at Momma who pretends she doesn’t hear Daddy. “Nothin’ wrong with gettin’ wet in Texas, just be careful. There are snakes and all kind of creatures out in those waters.”
I nod and take a long drink of my tea. “Apparently you can’t shit here without everyone knowing,” I mumble, sparking a laugh from Levi.
“That was one reason you wanted to leave, remember?”
I nod. “How on earth could I
forget?”
Mamaw places the chicken and dumplings on the table, and I realize how hungry I am. “Mmm, I haven’t had these in so long,” I reach over and scoop some up.
Mamaw smiles. “Well, eat up. We don’t like leftovers in this house.”
We all make civil chit chat for a while until we are all finished eating.
“Bridge, do you remember a girl in your class named Katy Harrod?”
I freeze and look at her. I feel Levi’s hand on my thigh as he gives me a gentle squeeze. I slap it away. “Yes, I do. Levi remembers her, too. Don’t you Levi?”
His eyes are narrowed on me and he smiles. “She is a really good kisser,” he blurts out, and I stop myself from slapping the smug look off his face.
Momma makes a sound I’m not sure of and shrugs her shoulders. “I ran into her at the super market today and she asked ‘bout you is all.”
“Don’t tell her I’m here.”
“I already did, honey. She was just curious.”
“No, she is a bitch.”
“Language, Bridget,” Mamaw says, fanning herself.
“Sorry,” I say rubbing my forehead. “That was a long time ago. It doesn’t even matter. Yes, I know her.” I stand up. “May I be excused?”
I don’t wait for an answer and walk outside onto the front porch to rest against the side of the white ivory siding. I hate that I still hate that girl. She and Levi kissed so long ago. What does it even matter now? It doesn’t. Don’t give Levi the satisfaction of knowing it still bothers you.
The screen door squeaks open and I know that it’s Levi. I smell his crisp, outdoorsy aroma fill my nose. “No need to get mad, Kitten. You’re the only woman for me.”
I scoff and kick off the wall walking toward the swing. “Screw off, Levi. I just feel like being alone.”
“No can do, ma’am. A young lady is out here for the mosquitoes to get her, and I have to protect her.”
Levi sits down in the swing with me and pushes us slowly. “You still don’t like her?” he asks, and I can sense the smile in his voice. “Look at me, Kitten.”
I lean back and close my eyes. “I just haven’t thought about her in a long time and forgot how badly she hurt me back then.”