Stop!

by Alison G. Bailey

  Even Risher’s texts gave me a sweet buzz.

  I grabbed my purse and yelled, “Maggie, let’s go!”

  She rushed out of the bathroom. “What’s going on?”

  “Risher just texted. The boys are downstairs.” I headed toward the door.

  “Hollis, simmer down. You don’t want to appear too anxious.”

  “But I am anxious to see Risher. Don’t you want to see Chuck?”

  “Of course I do. You gotta play it cool, though. Otherwise, you look desperate… needy.”

  I showed her Risher’s text.

  “Damn, that boy’s got it bad.” She deadpanned.

  When we reached the lobby, Maggie barely let the elevator doors open before she flung herself into Chuck’s open arms.

  So much for playing it cool.

  I walked toward a smiling Risher looking gorgeous in a white V-neck T-shirt under a black blazer, a pair of slightly worn jeans, and black cowboy boots. Just the right amount of scruff covered his sharp jaw and he left his hair tousled. His eyes lit up when he saw me. As I got closer, his fingers twitched as if they were restless to touch me. He shoved his hands deep into his front pockets trying to get the urge under control. I had to admit, the action made my insides flutter.

  His gaze traveled down my body then bounced back up to meet mine. “Wow! You look… wow.”

  “You look pretty wow yourself.”

  The sound of loud slurping and moans caused Risher and I to tear our gazes off of each other. Maggie had all four extremities wrapped around Chuck’s body. Her dress was hiked up so high, if I angled my head just a little, I could see her drawers, or lack thereof. One of Chuck’s arms was wrapped securely around her waist while his other hand crept onward and upward.

  Clearing his throat, Risher said, “Guys, get your gonads under control.”

  Chuck growled as Maggie unclenched herself and slid down his body.

  “Sorry.” Maggie pushed back several stray pieces of hair that had come loose from her ponytail.

  Adjusting himself, Chuck grumbled, “Yeah, sorry.”

  “You’ve got some slobber right there, Maggie.” I looked at her wide-eyed and pointed at my own chin.

  She wiped her flushed face and smirked. “Thanks.”

  On the way to the stadium, the music of Darius blasted through Risher’s car speakers. It helped drown out the love fest taking place in the backseat. Kind of. Just as I was on the verge of getting lost in the music, a moan slapped me in the face. I glanced over at Risher, who looked apologetic. His hand landed on top of mine, giving it a slight squeeze. At the next stoplight, he hit the brakes a little harder than needed.

  Chuck hurled forward, slamming into the seat. “What the fuck, Rish?!”

  Risher bobbed his head to the music as he grinned over at me, ignoring Chuck.

  When we got to the concert, Chuck actually tore himself away from Maggie for a few seconds while he talked with Risher.

  Maggie pulled the band out of her hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders. My lips pursed as I glanced over.

  “What?” She asked.

  “Really, Maggie, have you no self-control?”

  “Apparently not when it comes to Chuck. He’s just got it, you know.”

  “You better be careful you don’t get it.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know. You two are moving awfully fast.”

  “Hollis, love has no speed limit.”

  I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to comment, when the boys came walking up. Chuck grabbed Maggie’s hand and they ran off toward the stadium.

  “They’re gonna take the nosebleed seats first,” Risher said.

  “Oh, okay. Yay for us.”

  I slipped my hand into Risher’s outstretched one and we headed into the concert. The opening band was new to me, but fantastic. I made a mental note to look them up on iTunes and download the album. We decided to go grab something to drink before Darius took the stage. Risher stood close behind me with his hands resting on my shoulders as we waited to place our order. Out the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar wall of muscle. Shaffer was standing in the line next to us. I turned away slowly, hoping not to draw any attention. Even though I shared a class with this guy and he saw me briefly with Benton, I doubted he would recognize me.

  “Hey, Risher!” The familiar voice hit my ears.

  “Man, they’ll let anybody in this place.” Risher joked.

  Heavy steps cut through the noisy crowd. Risher’s fingers tightened around my shoulders as he turned me around to face Shaffer.

  “Hollis, have you met Austin? He’s the dude who sleeps in Algebra class. Austin, this is my girlfriend, Hollis.”

  I forgot who I was meeting for a moment while every part of me heated, glancing up at Risher. It was the first time he’d introduced me as his girlfriend. He didn’t shy away from the term or act embarrassed. He was proud of us.

  “You get around a lot,” Shaffer said, a slimy smile crossing his face.

  He recognized me.

  Risher’s body tensed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “We’ve seen each other on campus. I have classes in like five different buildings. I’m all over the place.” I tried to keep my voice steady.

  Slapping Risher on the back, Shaffer chuckled, “Damn, you’re a jealous son of a bitch.” His gaze shifted to me. “Y’all have fun tonight. I’ll be seeing you around campus.”

  As Shaffer walked away, I slowly let out the breath that was trapped in my lungs. I could see in his eyes that he recognized me more as the girl who had been with Benton than the one from class. What I couldn’t read was if he knew Benton’s secret or simply thought I was cheating on Risher. Either way, I got a weird vibe from the guy and didn’t trust him.

  Chuck and Maggie never showed up to claim their time in the good seats. Once the memory of Shaffer faded, I relaxed and enjoyed the concert. I spent the rest of the night on my feet, swaying in Risher’s arms. When we got back to the car and saw the windows completely fogged up, we discovered why Chuck and Maggie had no interest in the good seats. We were all starving, so we went through a drive-thru before the boys dropped Maggie and me back at the hotel.

  Burgers, fries, and sodas covered the table in our hotel room. Risher and I sat side-by-side in the two straight back chairs. Chuck sat on the small sofa with Maggie covering him. My best friend was no innocent southern belle. She had long since said goodbye to lady virginity, but I was floored at how freewheeling she was with Chuck. Being here with them was like witnessing a train wreck. You knew you shouldn’t be watching, but you couldn’t look away.

  Sensing my increasing uneasiness and embarrassment at the live porn show, Risher put a stop to it. He finished his drink, got up, walked behind the sofa, and dumped the cup of ice on top of Chuck’s head.

  Chuck jumped up, causing Maggie to land ass first on the floor.

  “Holy shit! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Dude, you’ve been cock blocking me all night.”

  Risher’s expression remained neutral, but I could see anger in his eyes.

  Grabbing Chuck’s arm, he hauled him to the other side of the room. “Take a walk with me, Buddy.”

  I went over to Maggie and helped her up.

  “Hollis, we need to talk.”

  “Okay, we can do it after the guys leave.”

  “That’s what we need to talk about.”

  Grabbing my wrist, she led me out into the hall.

  “The guys aren’t leaving.”

  I blinked a couple of times, not quite comprehending what she said. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, they got a room for the weekend.”

  “Oh.”

  “Chuck wants me to stay with him.”

  “Oh.”

  “I want to stay with Chuck.”

  I looked at her blankly while underneath I was seething. The idea of Maggie prancing around a room in front of Risher wearing her flimsy shorts and ta
nk that she slept in had me seeing red.

  “Hollis Murphy, don’t look at me that way. I’m a big girl.”

  “I know… it’s just… I don’t want Risher seeing you…”

  “Risher’s not going to see me, Hollis.”

  Our eyes locked and it dawned on me why Risher wouldn’t be getting an eyeful of Maggie.

  My brows shot up, my mouth dropped open, and my head shook back and forth. “No, no, no, no, no…”

  “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…”

  “No, no, no… Maggie, you can’t do this to me.”

  Grasping my shoulders, she held me firm. “Hollis, don’t you want some alone time with Risher?”

  “We have alone time. Lots of it.”

  “Then tonight won’t be any different.”

  “There’s never been a bed present during our alone time.”

  She forced the corners of her mouth down before a smile formed. “Just give me some time and I’ll come back to our room.”

  “How much time?”

  “I don’t know. A few hours.”

  My body relaxed a little. “Okay, I can do that. I think.”

  Pulling me into a hug, Maggie said, “Thanks, Hollis. You’re the best.”

  No sooner did the words leave her mouth than she was barreling through the doorway yelling. “Chuck, let’s go!”

  The two flew past me in a blur, jumped into the elevator, and disappeared.

  You can do this, Hollis. It’s Risher. He’s sweet and respectful. It’s just a room. A room with a bed. A room with a bed and a hot guy that you’re crazy about.

  Running my sweaty palms down the side of my dress, I drew in a deep shaky breath, walked into the room, and shut the door.

  I FLINCHED AS the door clicked shut. Risher was standing in the center of the room. His jacket flung over the foot of the bed. The soft white T-shirt was fitted across his shoulders and chest, but clung loosely over his stomach. The sleeves hit right at the indention above his biceps, stretching over his muscles. The air got hot and suffocating. I swear the bed had grown three times its original size during my stint in the hallway. My mouth turned to cotton. I sucked in my cheeks, hoping to get some spit going.

  Clearing my throat, I pointed over my shoulder. “They’ll be back in a little while.”

  He tilted his head to the side and with a hint of humor in his tone, said, “They’re not coming back.”

  “They’re not coming back,” I mumbled.

  He moved toward me. Blood swooshed around my ears and into my head, causing my entire body to wobble. Watching Risher walk had become one of my favorite pastimes. Coming or going, both views were spectacular. He was confident. Not arrogant. But as he moved closer, there seemed to be extra cockiness in his swagger.

  My breathing sped up as I came eye-to-eye with his muscular toned chest. His fingertips skimmed the length of my hair, twisting into it at the end. Leaning down, he rested his forehead on mine. My hands braced themselves flat against his stomach as my knees buckled. Warm peppermint breath drifted over my lips. He must have popped a candy right before I came back in. I was so lost in the moment, I didn’t care that I reeked of ketchup, mustard, and onions.

  Extra onions!

  My lips parted slightly while I inhaled him. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

  Perfect, I smell like sweaty burgers.

  “Hollis,” Risher whispered, his hands resting on my hips.

  “Yes?” I sighed.

  “Being alone with you, knowing we have all night uninterrupted, is driving me crazy.”

  I swallowed hard. “O… oh, ye… aah?”

  “Oh, yeah.” His voice was deep and raspy. “But if you think buying me a burger automatically gives you unlimited access to the inside of my pants, you’re crazier than me.”

  I shoved hard against his chest. “Risher! That’s not funny!”

  Stumbling back, he doubled over laughing. “But the look on your face is!”

  I stomped toward the table, grabbed the trash from dinner, and shoved it into the bag.

  Risher came up behind me, shadowing my every move. “Hollis, don’t be mad. I had to do something.”

  Ignoring him, I continued to clear the table.

  “Baby, you looked terrified. I was just trying to get you to relax.”

  He called me Baby.

  I stopped for a second, enjoying how it felt being called that by him.

  “Hol… lis?” His voice dipped low on the first syllable, rising on the second.

  An excited buzz vibrated through my body. I bit down on my bottom lip to fight off the smile. I loved when Risher said my name that way, but I was still pissed at his joking around. Kind of.

  “Hollis, is this our first fight?” The smile obvious in his voice.

  Narrowing my eyes, I shot a quick glance back at him. “Maybe.”

  “Awesome.”

  I huffed. “It’s nice to know you take such joy in fighting with me.”

  “It’s not the fighting, it’s the making up that brings me all the pleasure.”

  Thoughts of making out… I mean, up, with Risher swirled in my head. Pressing his chest to my back, his arms came around to cover mine. His fingers encircled my wrists, bringing a halt to my cleanup efforts. The tip of his nose brushed the shell of my ear and continued down my neck. My hands went limp, dropping the bag of trash. I felt the collar of my jacket move and soft lips glide over my shoulder. I froze. Risher noticed. His lips, arms, and body disengaged.

  “I’m sorry, Hollis.”

  I knew this day was coming. I’d worried about it, obsessed over it, and was terrified of it. I had to tell Risher what had happened to me. I couldn’t let him think his actions were the cause of my uneasiness. With all the brain power I’d devoted to this moment, I still had no clue what I was going to say, so I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head.

  Turning to face him, I asked, “Have you ever wondered why I wear such thick makeup?”

  He hesitated for a moment before answering. “Yes.”

  “Then why haven’t you asked me about it?”

  Looking directly into my eyes, he said, “Because it’s not the most important part of you.”

  With that one sentence, Risher Stevenson completely stole my words, my breath, and my heart. Tears filled my eyes accompanied by a trembling pair of lips.

  “Hollis, whatever that makeup is hiding won’t ever cover up how beautiful you are. I knew that the first time I looked into your eyes and saw your light.”

  The depth of Risher’s touch on my heart was so overwhelming, I couldn’t find the words to convey exactly how I felt. I decided to show him by doing something I’d never done before. I walked into the bathroom, grabbed my makeup bag, and went back to him.

  Reaching into the bag, I took out the wipes I used to remove my makeup. My eyes closed as I drew in a deep breath. I brought the cloth to my left cheek. With tears streaming, I made the first pass over the area. I went to repeat the action when Risher’s hand touched my forearm.

  “Hollis, you don’t have to do this.”

  I opened my eyes to a watery green gaze. He got it. He knew I was opening myself up completely to him.

  “I know I don’t, but I want to.”

  The first time looking at myself after the explosion was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life, up to this point. Exposing the ugliest part of myself to that one special person was like jumping off a cliff not knowing whether you’d be caught or hit bottom.

  I had no doubt Risher believed what he said. He was the sweetest boy I’d ever met. And sweet boys go out of their way to spare a girl’s feelings. His words swept me away, I just needed evidence that they went deeper than politeness. A person can’t fully commit to not being affected by something until everything was revealed.

  His expression remained relaxed, but there was apprehension in his eyes. He was as nervous about this as I was. I paused. My courage wavered, unsure if I wanted to continue. It was becomin
g all too real, that with a few more swipes, I could be saying goodbye to my one special person. I couldn’t blame Risher if he bolted. There were lots of smart and fun girls with soft smooth skin who’d be beyond lucky to have him in their lives. He could have any one he wanted. I just hadn’t realized until this moment how desperately I needed him to want me.

  His gaze zeroed in on my hand as it brushed my left cheek, uncovering more of the real me. His reactions were minor, almost imperceptible—the anxious twitch of an eyelid, the slight crinkle of a brow, the quiet abrupt intake of air. I ran the cloth over my face again.

  And again.

  And again.

  And again. Until the only thing covering my skin were tears.

  I couldn’t look Risher in the eye, so I focused on his nose. I don’t know why other than it seemed like neutral, safe territory. The room was still and silent for what felt like hours as we remained in the same position. I continued to stare at Risher’s nose, waiting for him to say the first word or make the first move. Then it happened and my world turned upside down.

  The familiar touch of his fingertips gently glided across the scar on my cheek. I stayed frozen in place, not quite sure if this was good or bad. Maybe he needed time to examine it before he made his final decision. His fingers traveled to my jaw and under my chin. My gaze tilted up. Our eyes locked. This was the first time without makeup that I looked directly at anyone since the incident. Not my parents. Not Maggie. No one.

  Cupping the side of my face, he said, “Look at me, looking at you.” His sweet smile appeared. “You’re even more beautiful than you were five minutes ago, five hours ago, five days ago, or even five weeks ago when I first laid eyes on you.”

  I’d gotten so used to giving up on my dreams that it took several seconds for his words to sink in. I hoped and prayed, but never did I believe I’d find someone like Risher. He wasn’t obligated to see me as beautiful, but he did. The sobs that had been simmering just under the surface broke free, gushing out of me in waves. Leaning back, I grabbed the edge of the table to steady myself. Warm lips gently pressed against my left cheek, causing my body to convulse in gratitude and joy.