Inspire

by Heather Buchine

  “That’s good to know. For a second I was worried that you didn’t like it,” I teased as I took a step down to come to his eye level.

  “Damn you’re gorgeous,” he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss me. Our lips met briefly, but then I heard some footsteps on the gravel behind the trailer and worried that it was my parents coming, so I pulled away.

  “Hey, do you want to come with me somewhere?” he asked with excitement suddenly radiating in his voice.

  “Sure, where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise, but go ahead and put on a sweater because it’s a little chilly tonight.” I went back in, grabbed my white cable knit sweater and threw it on. It fell off one shoulder, but I figured I would ask Travis to warm me up if I got cold.

  Travis led me down the road and into the woods behind his parents’ RV. We meandered in the dark through the trees for a while and although I couldn’t see I felt safe by his side. He knew where we were going and held me close making sure I didn’t trip on any stumps or branches. I loved the feel of being in his arms and I felt at peace for the first time all day. It was clear that I had overreacted earlier, but I truly hoped that it wouldn’t be long before we could become public about our feelings.

  After about a five minute walk, we came to a campsite. There was a tent set up, and a fire pit, and nothing but trees surrounding us. “Welcome to my home!” Travis said as he guided me towards the campsite.

  “Wait, what? You live here? I thought you stayed with your parents?”

  “Nope. There is no way that I would be able to survive an entire summer on Barney and Lucille’s couch listening to them snore every night. So this is where I sleep,” he said.

  Travis made his way to the fire pit and started a fire for us. Once it was lit, I could see better and saw the nice cozy set up he had. The tent was big enough for two people and was filled with blankets and pillows. He had a flannel blanket on the ground by the fire pit, which I went ahead and sat down on. He came to sit next to me once the fire was going, and snuggled close. “So is this where you bring all of your dates?” I teased, snuggling closer into him.

  “You are the first girl I have brought out here, so no,” he said, wrapping his arms around me.

  I enjoyed the warmth of the fire, and being wrapped in Travis’s arms as we sat and talked. He was telling me about Willow Falls and all of the great things to do in the area. Somehow, the conversation shifted to his parents and family life, and he began telling me how the campground saved his parents’ marriage.

  “I was young, but I remember it really sucked for a while. My parents always fought and if they weren’t fighting, they barely spoke to each other. But once they bought this land and opened the campground, things changed. My dad made an effort to be with us throughout the summers, unless he was called in for an emergency, which made my mom feel less neglected. After our first summer together here, my parents really fell back in love. I don’t know if it was because they were running the business together, or just enjoying their time without the distractions of the outside world, but whatever it was, we became a family again.” He was staring into the fire, and I couldn’t help but reach out and brush the side of his cheek with my finger. I was still amazed by how open and honest he was with me, and it all felt so real.

  I was thinking about what Travis said as I ran my fingers across his cheek and through his hair, and it made me question if my parents were searching for the same thing. I knew that my mom had been unhappy for the last few years since my dad’s work picked up and that she too felt neglected. It was making sense now why she had been so insistent that we actually get away to a place with limited distractions. I was beginning to think that she not only wanted time with me, but also wanted to see if she could rekindle things with my dad. The fact that I would be leaving next year was probably making her realize that it would just be her and my dad alone together from now on, and if they didn’t get things back on track, then their marriage might not survive. Since we arrived here, they have seemed really happy, so I truly hope that they continue to grow closer before the end of the summer.

  As the worry showed on my face, Travis broke the silence. “Are you okay?” he asked, brushing the hair away from my cheek and turning to face me.

  “Yes, I just think my parents are going through a similar phase in their marriage and hoping that being here will help.” Travis nodded in understanding and leaned over to kiss my cheek. The feel of his soft lips made me smile, and my fears instantly washed away.

  “They look really happy together, and I can tell how much they love you, so I have faith that they will survive once their baby girl leaves the nest.” His words reassured me on every level and I was once again amazed by his calming effect.

  We continued talking for what felt like a couple of hours. Somehow, the subject of birthdays came up, so I turned toward him to ask. “So, when is your birthday?” He smiled at me and then bit his lower lip, which elicited all kinds of tingles throughout my body before he spoke.

  “It’s actually tomorrow.”

  “What? Is it really or are you trying to trick me?” I asked.

  “Yes, it really is. I will be nineteen years old tomorrow,” he stated, lying back on the blanket with his hands tucked behind his head.

  He looked so sexy, and I had gone long enough without kissing him. So I moved to straddle myself across his body and spoke, “Well, in that case I need to make sure I get all of my kisses in now because tomorrow you will be too old for me.” I leaned forward to where I was practically laying on top of him with my hands placed on the ground to hold myself up.

  “Is that so? Too old, huh? Well, in that case I better take it while I can get it.”

  He reached up, grabbing the base of my neck and pulled my head down to meet his lips. Our mouths found each other and our tongues eagerly slid together. It was so soft and sensual, and filled with so much desire. Moans slipped out from both of us as we continued and before long, he turned us so that I was lying below him and he was braced above me. Our lips refused to release each other and our hands began exploring. Just as his hands were sliding down the front of my body and had slipped under the hem of my sweater he pulled away. I pouted at the loss of contact and wondered why he had stopped.

  He turned to look at his watch and said, “It’s 12:01 I’m nineteen now, so I guess I’m too old for you to kiss me.”

  I smiled at his remark and then made my desire known. “Happy Birthday Old Man! Now, kiss me!”

  “Done!” he stated and then pulled me back against him with ravenous force.

  His hand began to slide its way back up underneath my sweater and I remembered that I was braless. I had removed it getting ready for bed, so all that separated him from my breasts was a thin piece of cotton t-shirt. Travis moaned at the discovery, and gave my breast a squeeze. I felt the sensation of him rubbing over my nipple through the material, and was lost in the moment. He began giving both of my breasts full attention while I relished in the sensations that were streaming through my body. Although I had made out with other boys before, nothing ever felt like this. My body was on fire.

  Travis stayed on the top of the material, not taking things too far, which I thought was sweet. Even though my body begged for more, I appreciated his self-restraint. I could feel how much he wanted me though, since the length of him was pressing hard against my leg. I didn’t have as much self-control and wanted to take things a little farther. I was aching to feel the release of the current that was coursing between my legs. So I reached my hand down, and felt him through his jeans. He immediately responded with a low roar that vibrated in the back of his throat through our kiss, which encouraged me to continue. I grasped him through the material and began sliding up and down over the denim, admiring every inch of his hardness.

  Travis followed my lead and moved his hand down between my thighs. He was brushing over me and the thin material of my leggings was allowing him to find the exact spot where I needed him to be. He
rubbed over me with just the right amount of pressure and I pushed my hips up to meet his palm. Neither one of us ever made any attempts to go under each other’s clothing, but before long we were both finding our release in sync. “Travis,” I cried out as I fell over the cliff of ecstasy.

  Our lips finally parted, and we lay there panting, trying to catch our breaths. After a few seconds, Travis began placing light kisses down my cheek and across where he stopped to nibble on my ear. “So far I would say it’s been an incredible birthday,” he whispered, pulling his head back up to meet my eyes. I smiled at him shaking my head.

  “Boys are so easy to please,” I teased. He hopped up to go into his tent and told me to give him two seconds. I figured he wanted to clean himself up, and realized I was right when he returned in his black sweat pants. He laid back down with me after stoking the fire, and held me as we talked and looked up at the stars. It was so easy being with him, and I noted that I had never felt this way with any of the other guys I had dated.

  “You look tired,” he said, rubbing the side of my cheek while I lay with my eyes closed. “I should get you back. Unless you want to stay the night?” I opened my eyes to see him smiling and biting his lower lip like he really liked the idea.

  “Although I would love to, I better get back. I don’t want my parents to worry in the morning, or for my mom to get the wrong impression about me,” I said, rising to my feet and straightening out my clothes.

  Travis walked me back up to my campsite. It was almost two a.m., and my parents were sound asleep. I had sent my mom a text earlier in the evening so she wouldn’t be worried, which she clearly wasn’t since she hadn’t waited up. Travis pressed me against the RV and kissed me for the hundredth time before saying goodnight.

  “Paige, I had an amazing night. It’s just so easy to be myself with you,” he whispered, shaking his head while his lips hovered over top of mine.

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing all night. Thanks for taking me to your place and for sharing your life with me.”

  “Thanks for listening,” he said. Travis leaned in to give me one last passionate kiss, and then I went inside. I was glowing with happiness, so of course it took me forever to fall asleep.

  Chapter 11

  I woke up late, and found that my parents had already taken off for the day. My mom left me a note:

  Sweetie!

  We went out to have breakfast with the Medlers, will see you in a little while.

  Love,

  Mom

  I showered and had a quick bite to eat before I made my way up to the office to wish Travis a happy birthday. He said he was getting off at ten, so he only had an hour left. I hoped I’d be lucky and get a moment alone with him.

  I walked in to find Travis behind the counter reading a magazine. When the bell of the door rang at my opening, he looked up and graced me with the most gorgeous smile. He was wearing his typical black t-shirt and low cut jeans, with a black leather cuff around his wrist. His hair was slightly spiked and he looked good. I couldn’t help but bounce over to him. “Happy Birthday!” I cried.

  “Thank you,” he said, placing the magazine on the counter. “So are you going to kiss me today, or am I too old for you now?” he inquired with an amused smirk on his face.

  I looked up at the ceiling pretending to contemplate it for a second when he grabbed my waist, pulling me across the counter for a kiss. It was better than all of the others, and I melted on the spot.

  “I guess six months really isn’t that much older,” I teased as our lips parted. I could feel his smile against my mouth

  “So is your birthday in December?” he asked.

  “Yes, December twenty-fourth actually.”

  “Aw, so you were a Christmas Eve baby,” he said, brushing my cheek with his finger.

  “Yep. So whatcha doin’?” I asked, playfully running my fingers down his chest.

  “Trying desperately to get through one paragraph in this magazine article but I can’t seem to get my mind off you.” His flirtations were cute and his honesty was a breath of fresh air. There were no games being played, he was just putting his feelings out on the table, or on the counter I should say, and it made me feel good.

  “What are you going to do when you get off work?” I asked, wondering if I was going to be able to spend the day with him. I knew that there was a possibility that his parents or his friends were going to celebrate with him, but part of me was hoping that he would want to spend it with me. Just as he was about to answer, the bells on the door rang and Ashley, Britney and Scott walked in.

  “Hey Paige!” Scott called.

  “Hi,” I said, placing a pack of lifesavers on the counter to purchase. Travis rang me up, while they all wished him a happy birthday.

  “So babe, what are we going to do today?” Ashley asked and her term of endearment made me cringe. I didn’t want to stick around to listen to their plans that I knew excluded me, so I quickly paid for my candy then left.

  I called my mom on the way back to the campsite to ask her if it was okay if I took the car. Since I wasn’t going to get to spend the day with Travis, I figured a little shopping therapy was in order. I wasn’t happy about having to keep things a secret with Travis, but had to remind myself that so far everything was telling me he was worth it. My mom gave me permission to take the car, so I let her know I was venturing into Burlington for the afternoon to catch a break from all the trees. I think she picked up on my hidden message, because she was more than willing for me to do so.

  “Shopping should cheer you up. Let me know if you find any cute shops, sweetie!” she said before getting off the phone. I grabbed a few things and then headed into the city.

  When I got into town, I was surprised to see that Burlington was actually a bustling little city. The downtown marketplace was lined with street vendors and unique shops. People were eating in outdoor cafes, and being entertained by musicians. It was really cute. I started wandering through the shops and happened on one that was filled with lots of trinkets. Not really looking for anything in particular, I stumbled upon a little wooden key chain that was in the shape of a kayak paddle. It reminded me of Travis, so I decided to get it for him as a birthday present. It didn’t seem like too much since we had just met, but would hopefully show him that I was listening when he told me how much he felt at peace on the water. I tucked my purchase in my purse and continued into another shop.

  As I was picking out some clothes to try on in one of the local boutiques, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number but decided to answer it in case it was someone trying to get in touch with me about the Pri*Tee Pixies.

  “Hello!” I said, picking up the call. I heard a male voice say ‘Hey!’ and then ‘Watcha doin?’ which made me realize it was Travis. “Hey! How did you get my number?” I asked, curious knowing that I hadn’t given it to him.

  “Your mom. Sorry, I went by to see you and she said you drove into Burlington for the day. So, I asked for your number.” No surprise, I’m sure my mom was all too eager to give it to him after she and I had our little chat yesterday.

  “How come you took off? You didn’t want to spend the day with me?” He honestly sounded disappointed by the fact, which made me regret leaving.

  “I did, but I figured that you wanted to spend your birthday with your parents and your friends.”

  “Well, this birthday boy is bummed. I wanted to spend my day with you.” His admission made me want to hop right back in the car and return to the campsite.

  “I’m sorry. I can come back?” I offered.

  “Where are you, btw?”

  “In a little clothing boutique in the marketplace.”

  “Which one?” he asked.

  “Um, Lilly’s I think. Why, do you know the owner?”

  “My mom probably does, so what are you shopping for?”

  “Nothing in particular, I’m headed into the dressing room right now with a couple of things to try on, then I’ll head back to Wil
low Falls,” I said. I was eager to get back to him, but since I had already made the trip I figured I would try on the few items I found and then leave.

  “Okay, I’ll see you soon,” he said and we ended our call.

  I was getting ready to slip on a little black dress in the fitting room, when there was a tap on the door. “Yes?” I answered.

  “Hey! Watcha doin?” I recognized Travis’s voice right away and opened the door immediately. I was completely taken by surprise.

  “Hey! What are you doing here mister?” I asked, thrilled to see him, but curious as to how he could possibly get to me in five minutes. The drive in had taken me over an hour.

  “Right now, I’m staring at an incredibly gorgeous half naked girl,” he chuckled, giving me a wink. It registered then that I was standing in my underwear. My cheeks burned, and I quickly slipped the dress over my head.

  “Wow, you are so getting that dress,” he said, appraising my appearance. I turned to look in the mirror and acknowledged how cute it was, a little on the sexy side, but definitely a winner.

  “I like it. Now, what are you doing here?” I asked again.

  “I came in to find you,” he said, smiling brightly. “Will you spend the day with me?”

  “Yes, of course I will. Just let me get dressed and we can get out of here.”

  “Can I stay?” he teased.

  “No, I’m sure your mom’s friend won’t appreciate you being in here,” I shrieked, pushing him out of the dressing room. I quickly changed and then made my way out with my items to the register.

  Travis fought me on buying the dress, which I thought was ridiculous. “Stop. It’s your birthday, I get to buy you things, not the other way around,” I stated, not backing down.

  “Well, we are officially on a date, and the guy pays for everything.” He winked as he paid the clerk. I graciously accepted his gift and in return gave him the key chain that I had picked up for him earlier.