by M. R. Joseph
Wes gets a look on his face like my words were some kind of magic that went through him. A spell was cast and he intently stares over in the direction of Kenzie. He doesn’t say a word to me. He puts down the empty water bottle he has in his hands and stalks over to the fire pit like a man on a mission. I follow behind him because I just have to see what’s going to happen next. He goes over to where she is sitting. He stands in front of her. His fists clenching and he’s breathing heavily. Kenzie tilts her head up to look at him but looks to her left when she speaks to him.
“What do you want, Wes?”
“This.” He replies. He yanks her up from her seat and dips her in his arms. He smacks his lips on hers and devours her mouth. At first she is protesting the kiss, trying to struggle in his grasp, but then her body relaxes and she snakes her arms around his neck. He continues his assault on her lips and everyone starts to hoot and holler. I look to Leighton who is beaming from ear to ear as she looks at her brother and her best friend totally make out in front of us. Wes releases Kenzie and brings her upright. She straightens up and stays still. Wes is panting.
“I’ve wanted to do that for years,” he says to her.
Kenzie looks into his eyes and replies, “Me too.”
He turns to Leighton who has tears in her eyes.
“Leighton, I just want to let you know that I’m in love with your best friend. I have been for years. I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you.”
“It’s about time, big brother.” Leighton says smiling and jumping up to hug her brother.
Kenzie is still standing there like she’s been hit by a Mack truck. “You, you love me, Wes?” He goes over to her and grabs both her hands in his and puts his far head to hers.
“Yep. I love you. Always have, always will.”
“I love you too, Wes. I always have.” Kenzie jumps in his arms and the girls sigh and coo, and James and a few of the guys roll their eyes and chuckle. Not me, I look to Leighton who is staring at me. She bites her lip and it does things inside me.
“Leightybug, would you mind if I took Kenzie somewhere to talk in private?”
“Yes, big brother, go for it.” He wraps his arm around Kenzie and they start to walk towards the front of the quad. She turns her head towards us and gives us a wave. “Don’t wait up.” She winks at us and they disappear around the corner. Good for Wes.
The party continues and everyone is laughing and having a great time. Adrianna comes home from work with a few friends in tow. I introduce her to some of Leighton’s friends and she sits and talks with us. Bon Jovi’s Livin On a Prayer comes on and Candy jumps up and pulls the girls up one by one to dance.
“I love this song! Get up and let’s dance. Jon Bon Jovi is so hot.” The girls get up and start to move and shake. They start to yell the chorus of the song out loud and they are deafening but adorable when they all sings together.
Leighton bounces around and is happy and playful. She looking stunning when she smiles and I can’t help to stare at her. She is truly mesmerizing. She bops over to me and grabs my hands as the music plays on. I spin her around and we do a few fun moves. James grabs Grace and does the same. Leighton puts her arms around my neck and we sway to the music. She smells fantastic and I want to taste her. I can feel her breath on my neck and I feel her soft skin on my arms. Our eyes lock and we slow down our sway. We hear Candy yell out, “I’d fuck the shit out of Bon Jovi like groopie.”
“He’s too old for you. He’s hot but in a few years his balls will be sagging and he won’t be able to get it up.” McKenna replies to her. Candy continues her rant about Bon Jovi.
“I could give two shits less if his balls are sagging, and that’s what they make Viagra for, dummy.” Her speech is slurred and Leighton and I can’t help but to look at each other and laugh at her.
“Candy, you’d fuck a bottle of Viagra if you could.”
“Whatever, Doctor of Nero, Nemo, Nymho-ology. Whatever kind of doctor you are McKenna.”
I look at Leighton and her arms are still around my neck. I look at those amazing green eyes and get lost in them. I lower my head, getting ready to take her lips and I hear someone calling my name. It’s a voice I cringe at, a voice that is like nails on a fucking chalkboard. Val.
I’m still in Luca’s arms when I hear the most annoying voice in the world. One I can’t forget. Val Kelly. Captain of the cheerleaders, of course, beautiful, popular, and a pain in the ass.
“Luca, Luca. Hi. I’m here.” She makes her way over to us and she sees I’m still in his arms. She looks at me kind of funny. Her eyes look blazing and she is biting the side of her mouth. Luca releases me, and it’s sudden and cold, and I’m confused.
“Oh, hey Val.” He says to her. She goes to him and gives him a big, over exaggerated hug and I feel jealous. Why is she hugging him like that? She kisses the side of his neck, but he doesn’t seem to push her away either.
“Sorry It took me so long. I just couldn’t figure out what to wear.”
McKenna stands next to me and whispers in my ear, “It couldn’t have been that hard. She’s not wearing much.” I shush her, but she’s right. Her skirt is so short that if she bent over we would see her vagina. Gross.
She has a tube top on that is obviously accentuating her medically enhanced chest and she leans it on Luca’s. Suddenly I want to take a pin a pop the fucking saline out of them. When she pulls away her nipples are pointing North and I want to knock them back down to the South.
“Luca, I’m so thirsty. Do you think you can get me a drink, please?” She looks at him with these sick and twisted puppy dog eyes and I see Grace across from me and she rolls hers at the sight before her.
“Sure, Val, but first let me reintroduce you to a few people we went to high school with. This is Leighton Parks, Grace Marris, McKenna Vernon, and Candy Cross. We all went to high school together.”
Val is looking at me, surveying me, her eyes inspecting me up and down. Why is she doing that?
“Oh, yes, I remember seeing your names on the invites to the reunion. I’m so glad we have such a good turnout. Only five more weeks. Luca and I have been planning it, meeting up to discuss things, picking the food, oh it’s been such fun, right Luca?” He looks at her and chuckles a bit.
“Sure, Val. It’s going to be great.”
“I mean really. How often do you go to your ten year high school reunion? I’m just sorry I didn’t really get to know any of you in high school. Were you all in the band or something like that.” Candy makes a quick move to punch her, but Grace grabs her elbow.
“No, although we hung out with the band kids, and they were the nicest, most fun people I’ve ever met. Not fake, they didn’t try to impress anyone, they just were themselves, “ I tell her. Luca looks at me and winks.
“Oh, well good for them. How about that drink Luca?” He nods and walks away. She is on his heels in a split second and I feel like I want to split her head open. Bitch!
As the night goes on, I feel the wind picking up. I heard there may be a storm coming and I feel a bit of panic, but it subsides when I see Luca stand near the keg talking to a bunch of people. He raises his cup to me and I give him a small wave. Behind him I see Val and suddenly her hands go to those, strong, broad shoulders of his. She whispers something in his ear, she stares at me when she does it, and he just nods, not looking in my direction any longer. They make their way into his house. My stomach turns and does a flip flop, but not for the right reasons. Adrianna comes and stands beside me.
“I hate that fucking bitch.” She says to me.
“Why?” I ask curiously.
“Cause she’s been in love with my brother for years.” Before I have the chance to ask her about how Luca feels about her, McKenna and Candy come over to me. McKenna has an arm wrapped around Candy and she’s swaying.
“Leightybug, I’m going to take our little gem here home. Great party. I can’t find Luca but please tell him thank you for me. I won’t be home again until the re
union, but I’ll call you next week to check in. Love you, mama.” I give her a big hug.
“Love you too, mama.”
“Leightbug, bestest party I’ves been to in a looong time. Too bad there were no hot guys here essept for Luca. Now that is one piece of man candy that this here Candy would like to sink her teeth into.” Her words slurring and being pronounced wrong. Grace comes up behind them.
“Ok, my little Candy dish, time to go.” She kisses her and McKenna on the cheek and they leave.
“I’m going to help James finish cleaning up. It’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but the wind is really picking up. I thought I saw lightening a little bit ago. We better hurry.”
“Ok, Grace. I’m going to go ask Luca for more trash bags then I’ll be out to help you. Everyone’s gone anyway. It shouldn’t take long.” And I’m praying that it doesn’t. If there’s a storm coming, I’m going in my house, taking something for my nerves, and crawling under my blankets. I make my way towards the front of Luca’s house when I hear people talking. I remain still and listen to who it is. It’s Luca and Val.
“Luca, you know I’m right. Let’s just talk about it tomorrow.”
“I know Val, but how? I need you to do this. I really need you. Do what you can and I’ll handle her.”
“I’ll make it happen, Luca. It has to be this way. It’s for her own good. You may not agree 100% but, you’ll see. This is all yours, Luca.”
What. The. Fuck. I had a feeling about them. So he’s looking for a way to get rid of me? He needs her? What’s all his? So he flirts with me, gives me flowers, kisses me like I’m his last breath, treats me like no one has ever treated me, and for what? I can’t figure it out. I hear his slider shut and I make my way around to the front. Val is adjusting her boobs in her shirt. She sees me walking up the steps to Luca’s porch.
“Oh, Leighton is it? I was just leaving but I wanted to give Luca a proper goodbye. You want to know what a great kisser he is? How good he is in bed? Let me tell you, he’s phenomenal. He does things to me with that dick that I don’t even have words for. He hardly fits in my mouth he’s so big. I can’t wait to have him again, and again, and again. And those tattoos. Especially the one written in Italian. Well, nice to meet you. I’ll see you at the reunion.”
She walks away and I’m in a state of shock on Luca’s porch. I suddenly feel sick to my stomach. Grace comes to the front and sees my standing there. I’m dumbfounded.
“Leightybug, you ok?”
“I’m… I’m fine. Just tired is all.” I don’t want to tell her what I heard, what Val said to me. I don’t think I could get the words out even if I tried.
“Ok. Well James and I just finished cleaning up and we are headed to bed.” The rains starts and I hear it hit the pavement. The lightening illuminates the sky and I jump.
“Leighty. Go inside, take your pill, and go to bed. Don’t stand out here. I’ll see you in the morning. We will all have breakfast together.” She hugs me and makes her way up to James’s place. My mind is going in a million different directions and I’m so perplexed by what just happened. My conversation with Val, what she said about her and Luca. He fucked her. He’s still fucking her. I should of known. Luca Ferro doesn’t want me. He wants a distraction until Val comes around. I hate him. I hate what he has done to me. He’s just like Michael. He’s just like all the rest. He’s a liar. I wasted so much of my youth loving Luca, wanting him, writing all those fucking letters to him. I can’t stay here. I can’t live here knowing the truth about him. He’s not who I thought he was. The rain is coming down hard and I know I need to go lock myself in my house. Tomorrow I’ll make a run for it even before Luca even opens his eyes. I will not be made a fool again.
“Leighton, you out here?” I hear Luca calling out to me. I try and run to my porch when a crash of thunder sounds through the sky. He comes around the corner.
“I’ve been looking for you. I just finished cleaning up and… Leighton, what’s wrong. Why are you just standing here in the rain?” I can’t make a move. My feet are firmly planted and my anger grows deep inside me, and I can’t hold it in anymore.
“Fuck you, Luca Ferro.” I turn and start to walk to my porch. He grabs my elbow.
“Excuse me? What was that for?” I turn to his beautiful face and I slap it, hard.
“That’s for fucking Val, and for kissing me in between. That’s for the flowers, and the poems, and all the bullshit you fed me. You are an asshole.” He still holds onto my elbow and yanks me when I try and move, finally.
“Wait just a minute. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not fucking Val.”
“Really? How does she know about your tattoo in Italian? How come she told me how big your dick is and how good in bed you are? If you’re not fucking her then how does she know? You know what, It’s none of my business. Forget you ever met me. I’ll be out of here tomorrow. You can sue me for breaking my lease. I have enough money to cover this month’s rent for you.”
I squirm out of his grasp and slip on the wet ground as I try and make a run for it. In a second he’s there trying to lift me off the ground. He has my upper arms in his hands and he won’t let go of me.
“Get off me Luca, you’re a liar.” I struggle again to get out of his hold on me.
“What am I lying about? You think I’m fucking Val Kelly? Your wrong, Leighton, we dated for a few months years ago after I came home from college after my injury. Yes, I slept with her, but it was mistake. The whole thing was a mistake. The biggest mistake of my life. If she told you something different, then she’s lying.”
“If she’s lying, then what was your conversation about a little while ago? Why did she say she would take care of ‘her’. Why did you tell her that she needed to do this? That you needed her? Explain yourself then, Luca.” My tears are no longer threatening. They are spilling from my eyes. I look at this man with my whole heart, with my soul. I love him, but he is a liar.
“Leighton, she hates Adrianna, and Adrianna hates her. She doesn’t want her working the night of the reunion. She thinks she is going to make her look bad. I agreed but told her to take care of it herself. That’s why I said I needed her. Not for anything else. You need to believe me.”
“I can’t believe you, Luca. I’ve been burned too many times to try and even believe what you’re saying. Even your sister said she was in love with you. That I believe, and that someone like you couldn’t possibly be interested in me. She’s in love with you, Luca. You can’t deny that.” Thunder rolls through and I’m shaking. I’m not sure if it’s from fear, or anger. Luca grabs my face and holds it firmly. I can’t look at him. I can’t look into his brown orbs. It’s too much. He yells in my face as he holds it. His grip is strong but I still feel the tenderness behind it.
“I could give two shits about Val Kelly, Leighton, it’s you I want. I want you. I’m crazy about you. Only you.” His hands are shaking and I can’t see him clearly over the warm rain that’s pouring down on our bodies. The wetness invades my eyelashes and the droplets gather on them. I gasp at his proclamation, and my knees go weak. He stops yelling and is still holding my face in his hands. I’m not letting him in. I can’t. I’m a damn fool, but I can’t. I focus on his eyes through the rain, being unsure if it’s my tears or not.
“I can’t, Luca, and I won’t. I don’t want you,” He begins to yell at me again.
“Now who’s the liar, Leighton. Tell me? Who? It’s you, that’s who. You’re crazy about me too. I can see it in your eyes, when you laugh, when you look at me, when we touch, when we kissed. You want me, just as much as I want you. I feel it. I feel it in my bones. Down to my core. You are a stubborn woman. You are mine, Leighton. I’m going to take you, kiss you so hard you forget your birthday, your last name, how old you are.” His voice quiets. He grazes my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb, and I shiver at the contact. He senses what his touch does to me, and it’s all the reaction he needs to proceed with how he is feelin
g.
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone so bad before.” His lips are so close to mine and the rain drips off of them and trickles down my bottom lip, off my chin, into my cleavage. I feel my wetness emerge from my core and the familiar ache returns there. My chest is rising and falling as he rubs the tip of his nose across mine, then to one of my cheeks, down my jaw line, and to my chin. He darts his tongue out slightly to lick the wetness that is on my skin, I shudder from the contact. I can feel my pussy clench and pulsate, and I close my eyes tightly because I can’t believe what is going on here. The boy who turned into a man, whom I have loved since I was a teenager, is here now with me, touching me, feeling me. I realize that in all these years, my feelings for him have never faltered, it wasn’t fictitious, my feelings were real, they are real, but this is a dream, his wanting me is not real, but the way my body is reacting, betraying me, seems real and I question these emotions.
“Luca.” I say breathlessly. “This is not real, this is not happening. You don’t exist, guys like you don’t.” I open my eyes and find his burning into mine as soon as they peak open, and I don’t want to look at him directly for fear I’ll lose all control. He takes my hand from my side and brings it to his face and he closes his eyes, and softly moans. He then places his hand over mine on his warm and wet cheek, and moves it towards his mouth to touch his lips. They are soft and full and I can feel his harsh breathing on the tips of my fingers. He kisses the tips of them one by one, his tongue barely touching each one, but I still feel it, I know that is what he is doing with it. After he completes his task, he takes my hand and puts it over his heart.
“You feel the way my heart is beating, Leighton? You think it’s doing that on its own? Well, It’s not. You, Leighton are doing that to my heart. You make it quicken, the very sight of you makes it do that. And it’s real, baby, I’m real, this is real, and what I feel for you is real. We can’t deny it, what we have here is undeniable.” He releases my hands and his go to my wet shoulders. The thunder continues to crash around us and I’m not afraid, with his hands on me, I have no fear, but I’m afraid, so afraid of what’s next. His thumbs circle the tops of my shoulders and I small moan escapes me and I lean my head back against the wall. I’m soaked, my skin, my clothes, my panties. His face pulls away slightly when I do lean my head back. His intense stare bores into me and his eyes look darker than usual with lust.