by Chloe Walsh
“You okay?” Kyle asked, as he buckled me in. It was routine to us now. “Yeah,” I breathed, completely mortified at my reaction in the store, “I’m sorry for being dramatic. I don’t know why I reacted like that. I just hate when Derek calls me that. I know he’s only joking, but it hurts…” I ducked my head, leaving my hair cover my burning cheeks, tears threatening. Kyle’s fingers pressed my chin up gently. Those baby blues penetrated me. “He was being an asshole to you. He won’t be again. You’re not used to being on show like that. Cam should know better.” I sighed, leaning slightly into his touch. I felt so comfortable in his presence. It felt so good when he touched me. I wasn’t used to enjoying a man’s touch.
“She was trying to be nice, buying me a dress, I behaved like a lunatic.” He unbuckled my belt and yanked me into his arms. He smelled so good. I felt secure in his arms. “I could kill them for upsetting you.” I giggled, “Please don’t. I’m fond of them, minus the assholeness.” He exhaled dramatically, “Okay for you I’ll let it go.” He pulled back and re-buckled our belts. He turned on the ignition and pulled out.
“So, there’s no chance I’m gonna see you in this dress is there?” He was trying to lighten the mood. Chuckling, I held the bag closer to my chest, “Not in a million years.”
KYLE
Lee was unusually quiet while during dinner. She had barely taken a bite of her burger. “Penny for your thoughts?” She jerked her head up with an alarmed expression, before her lips curved into that killer smile of hers. “Sorry, I’m not great company for you, am I?”
Whether she was loud, quiet, drunk, sober, asleep or awake, her company was the only kind I wanted. It disturbed me that Lee was so skittish sometimes. “What’s on your mind?” I figured that a safer thing to ask instead of freaking her out by admitting how badly I craved being with her. I didn’t want to screw up the friendship thing we had going. I was enjoying it, tortured but still enjoying every minute I spent with her. She was the first female I was actually friends with besides Cam. I didn’t count Linda in that, since she was more like a parent. My best friend was a girl and worse, I was in the fucking friend zone, and I wanted to kick myself in the nut sac. I was not normally friends with girls.
In my life women were divided into two categories; girls I fucked, and girls like Cam, who I had no desire to fuck whatsoever. That might make me an asshole, but I had good reasons the build barriers. But with Lee, it was different. I didn’t just want to fuck her; I wanted to be around her. I wanted to do things with her, go places with her, and make plans with her. She had crept under my walls, and blown my defences to smithereens. She was so goddamn adorable.
If someone had told me four months ago that Lee and I could be in room together without arguing or trying to rip each other’s clothes off, I would have laughed. Well I still wanted to rip her clothes off but I was refraining, barely. It was unsettling how much I liked being around her, she was innocent and fresh, and so goddamn honest, different from any other girl I had ever met. She was nothing like Rachel.
Thinking about Rachel was what kept me firmly in my chair instead of leaning over the table and showing Lee how much I wanted her. Thinking of Rachel chilled me to the bone.
I often thought about how different my life would be if I were free to make my own choice. In a perfect world, it would be Lee every time. But this wasn’t a perfect world… Knowing we could only be friends didn’t stop me imagining different scenarios in my head, all of which ended with Lee naked beneath me. I had come close to having an apocalyptic fit when I found out that dick Mike had his eye on her. Linda had mentioned how taken Mike was with Lee, and how she hung out with him every day.
I wanted to kill him. I wanted to lock her up and have the only key. But shit I didn’t own her, and never would. I couldn’t tell her what to do, and I definitely didn’t want to get into why I hated that prick so much. I’d fire his ass if I thought it wouldn’t give him so much satisfaction. Fuck it, I would fire him anyway except it would go against my grandfather’s wishes. Lee didn’t say much about him to me, but I’d seen the way he looked at her in the restaurant. He was eye fucking her every time her back was turned. It made me sick that she continued to eat her lunch with him every damn day even though I’d offered to have lunch with her on more than one occasion. I knew that creep and there was only time in it before he put the moves on her. She was too good for that dipshit, too good for everyone. “
Kyle are you alright?” Lee’s hand brushed against my cheek, startling me. What had she said? “You’re gone pale. Are you feeling okay?” she asked again, stroking my cheek, pressing her palm against my forehead. For a brief moment I debated faking illness to have her touch me some more, but the concerned look on her face kept me honest. “I’m okay princess, I was just thinking.”
She moved her hand from my face to my hand resting on the table. Squeezing it gently she whispered, “Can I ask what about? You looked pretty angry.” I smiled at her to ease her worry, “Just work stuff princess.” I didn’t trust myself to say any more.
LEE
Hell had frozen over. Yep it had. It had frozen over and I had lost my mind in the process. I stood in front of the full-length mirror pulling at the red fabric clinging to my body. “Fabulous,” Cam exclaimed, clapping her hands. She looked stunning in a short, canary yellow stretch boob tube dress. It clung to her narrow frame perfectly. Her hair was curled to the side, and her make-up seamless.
I pulled on the hem of the dress down to cover my thighs but that only caused my boobs to spill out over the low plunging neckline. I pulled the material over my chest causing the dress to rise again. “I’m going to kill you, and it’s going to be painful,” was my response to her enthusiasm. Cam snickered as she pulled at my dress, straightening it so that everything was covered.
“You look gorgeous Lee. Panty tearing, jeans bulging, erection approved sexy.” I gaped at her. “You did not just say that.” She dropped a pair of black stilettos into my hands. “Here put these on. We need to get over to Dixon’s place soon. It’s gone ten and Kyle is getting pissed off with waiting. He needs to go into work.” My heart dropped. “I thought you said Kyle was going with us?” Cam shrugged and ignored my question.
She never answered my questions about him since the whole movie theatre make-out fiasco. “Just put on your shoes lets go already,” she said as she skipped out of the bathroom. Oh dear god, I had turned into Cam’s real life personal Barbie doll.
I looked at myself once more. Cam had painted my lips blood red, and straightened my hair, so that it now fell to my elbows. My eyes were smoky. Well that’s what Cam had called the dark sooty colouring framing my pupils. My cheeks were flushed, but that had nothing to do with make-up and everything to do with people seeing me dressed like this…Kyle seeing me dressed like this. I was practically naked. The dress covered me in the important places, only just.
I checked and rechecked the length of it, making sure the scars were covered.
KYLE
Derek scowled at me for the tenth time. “Dude, do you have to work? Couldn’t you call Lucinda or whatever her name is to go instead? You are the boss.” I shook my head, “Linda, and no Derek I’m not gonna call the poor woman on a Saturday night just so I can go get smashed. Besides someone needs to drive your drunk ass around.” Derek huffed loudly, and cracked open another bottle. “You suck dude.”
I ignored him. There was no point talking to drunk Derek. I honestly didn’t know how Cam handled him when he was like this. Then again, I didn’t know how Derek could handle Cam drunk either, so I guess they were well matched. I didn’t mind not going to the party; I wasn’t a fan of Dixon, so listening to the jackass all night was something I could do without. I had offered to give Cam and Derek a lift on my way to the office.
Besides Lee was staying at home, so I figured the quicker I got to the hotel and sorted the ‘emergency’, the sooner I would be back to her. It was fucking ridiculous that Marcus, my night manager couldn’t sort o
ut a malfunctioning freezer. Good staff were like gold dust. Linda had made the right move hiring Lee; she was a gem. Maybe I could get some take out on my way home and we could watch a movie. Some Mexican food, or pizza, Lee liked pizza. She didn’t eat much at dinner earlier…
“Surprise,” Cam shouted from the hallway. “Wahhh.” Derek replied in a high-pitched feigned scream, as he jumped from the couch and wobbled to the door. He had too much to drink already. I could hardly hold back my laughter when I thought about the condition he would be in by tomorrow morning. Fucking idiot.
“Kyle, uh come here man.” Derek said in a strangled tone. I stood up and went over to join him, “You better not be naked Cam...” I joked, freezing to the spot.
My words stuck on my tongue, as I took in Lee’s half-naked body. Holy shit. What was she wearing? I couldn’t talk, just stare at her tits spilling over the fabric of the dress. Fuck if I stared long enough I could see nipple. Thigh and nipple, was all that going on inside my perverted head. “Hi,” Lee said nervously as she held her hands behind her back. Yep I could definitely see nipple when she did that. “Come on guys,” Cam called as she and Derek walked outside to my truck.
“Are you okay?” she asked quietly as she swayed towards me. I shook my head, trying to pull my thoughts from the gutter. “What is that?” I asked, my voice was thick with emotion. I reached out to touch her, to make sure she wasn’t a mirage. Big mistake. Lee whimpered and I looked down confused. I thought I was holding her arm, but no, I was cupping boob, full perky nippled boob.
“Oh, sorry.” I jerked my hand away. “It was Cam’s idea,” Lee complained, blushing deeply. I didn’t answer her. What could I say? Thank you Cam for flaunting this beautiful in front of me nose. “It’s awful right? Oh Kyle, I look foolish.” I gaped at her. Foolish? No. Edible? Sexy? Tempting? Hell yeah.
“Uh…” I cleared my throat and tried again, “No princess, you don’t look foolish. I’m just surprised to see you dressed like that.” She peeked up at me with those big grey eyes, “Are you sure you can’t come with us? I want you.”
I pulled my phone from my jeans pocket and dialled. The voice on the other side answered. “Linda? It’s Kyle. I need a favour?”
LEE
I hobbled along beside Kyle in my heels, as he spoke quietly into his phone. He hung up as we reached his truck and opened the door for me. I was so much more aware of his hands on my hips tonight as he hoisted me up. His hands lingered on my hips. His fingertips brushed my bare thighs, evidence to how short my dress was. His fingers lingered on my waist when he buckled me in, and I shivered thinking of how he had touched my breast earlier. The way he had looked at me…I was still shaking with an intense feeling of arousal, when Kyle pulled out of the driveway.
Cam and Derek made out loudly in the back seat while Kyle and I sat in awkward silence. I was embarrassed, and turned on by the moaning and sucking noises coming from behind me. Those two did not care for privacy…
“Yeah baby suck it. Just like that ahh…” Kyle cleared his throat loudly, but Derek didn’t seem to notice. I covered my hands over my chest, hiding my rigid nipples. I was so turned on, it was all I could do to stay in my seat and not straddle Kyle and beg him to take me. “You cold?” Kyle asked, breaking through my thoughts. I nodded, hoping that the crisp air could disguise my yearning.
He shrugged out of his jacket and passed it over to me just as Cam screamed, “Oh yes. There, I’m close. Oh Derek, you’re so good at that.” I slipped the jacket on quickly. Kyle’s masculine scent lingered on it, and I couldn’t stop myself from breathing in his clean male smell. Kyle cleared his throat again, and I jerked my head away from the collar. “So…” I said, “Are you excited about the party?” I watched as Kyle’s brow furrowed, his hands gripped the wheel tightly. “Not really princess.” I looked at him and caught his eye. “Why not?”
He moved his eyes back to the road, but his knuckles had turned white from the force of his grip on the wheel. “I don’t like to share.”
I was about to ask what he meant when Derek screamed. “Oh yes, fuck yeah baby. You’re gonna swallow me up.” Kyle braked hard, his hand shot out in front of my body to stop me falling forward. There was a loud bang from the back and Cam and Derek yelped from the backseat. They had obviously fallen off their seats.
“We’re here,” Kyle growled as he jumped out and slammed his door. He opened mine a heartbeat later. Lowering me down, Kyle pressed me hard against the side of the truck. He enclosed me with his body and I watched as he brought his face down to within an inch of mine. I slid my hands up his chest. I needed to touch him. Kyle shuddered. He closed the distance between us, and kissed my jaw.
“Be careful tonight princess,” he whispered before pulling back. I watched in confusion as he stalked off into the wooded area of Dixon’s yard.
KYLE
I had to get out of there. I couldn’t sit there another minute. Fuck. This was too much, Lee was too much. I was at my breaking point and well aware of it. Jesus Christ I couldn’t stop thinking of how Lee looked tonight.
Never in my life had I wanted anything as desperately as I wanted her. Sweet Jesus what was happening to me? My heart was hammering in my chest. My palms were sweating. I couldn’t get her out of my head.
Closing my eyes didn’t help; the images of her breasts and the sliver of black lace between her legs as she sat in my truck were burned into the back of my eyes. Cam and Derek didn’t help things either. Listening to those horny fuckers, while trying to keep my hands off Lee’s sexy little body had been agonising. She was all I could see, all I could think of. And I had left her alone in a party full of dudes, and Dixon…
Shit, I tossed my cup and headed back inside.
LEE
Kyle had left. I was sure of it. I had been looking around for him with the past hour but he was gone. I pushed away the stabbing feeling of dejection and focussed on my surroundings.
Dixon’s place was a pigsty. There were empty beer bottles and plastic cups scattered over every available surface. Sweaty bodies filled the downstairs, so much so that I was feeling claustiphobic. I had lost Cam and Derek in the swarm of people after ten minutes of arriving. I was on my third beer, sitting on the steps of the stairs when Dixon spotted me. “Lee, baby you came.” I smiled, a little uncomfortable at the endearment. I didn’t like it when he called me baby. “Hi Dixon,” I said as cheerfully as I could, “Thanks for inviting me. Great party.” He shrugged, leaning against the banister alongside me. “You don’t look like you’re having a great time?” I reddened. “Oh I am, I just need to use the restroom. I don’t know where it is.” My bladder had been screaming at me with the last half hour and I was in pain with need to relieve myself. “Cool, the bathroom’s upstairs, let me show you.”
He grabbed my hand and half dragged me up the staircase. “This is it.” He smirked and waggled his eyebrows. I frowned at him. “Uh thanks?” He was starting to creep me out. “Sure thing, you just holler if you need a hand.” I pushed past him quickly, “I think I can manage.” I closed the door and locked the door. I was so out of my comfort zone.
KYLE
Where the fuck was she? I had been through the house twice and there was no sign of Lee. I also noticed there was no sign of Dixon. Fuck. Anger boiled in my veins and I slammed my fist against the wall. “Dude what the fuck?” Derek pulled at my hand. “Where is she?” Derek looked at me confused. “Cam? She’s gone to get some…” “No, not Cam you dickhead, Lee. Where the fuck is she? Is she with Cam?” Derek reddened and shifted awkwardly.
“Oh man. I totally forgot about her. I thought she was with you. I haven’t seen her since we got here.” I grabbed his shirt. “Are you fucking insane? You left her alone in this fucking meat factory. What are you stupid?” I scanned the room again, more anxious than before. “Kyle man, I’m sure she’s fine. Don’t worry.” I sneered at him. “Derek, she is not used to this. She is not like us. You should have been watching out for her.” Derek pushed my han
ds away roughly.
“I have a girlfriend to look watch out for. Lee is not my responsibility Kyle. You think because you pretend to yourself, that I can’t see what’s happening between you two? Wake the fuck up dude. Lee is your responsibility. Not mine, yours.” Derek stalked off and I stood frozen, watching him leave.
“Hey Carter,” Dixon said as he came to stand next to me. I blinked twice at the sight of him. Relief flooded through me. “Did you see Lee tonight? Holy shit man I’m still stiff from looking at her.” Anger replaced the relief, as I turned on him. “Did you touch her?” Dixon’s eyes widened in surprise, “No, Christ, I didn’t lay a finger on her I swear.”
I left out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “She ran out of here before I even had a chance. Before that, she locked herself in the bathroom. That chick is weird, hot as fuck, but weird.”
Mike stepped in front of me but I was too busy running for the door to deal with him. “You can’t have them both bro. Consider it.” I heard his familiar voice shout from behind me. I turned and my fist connected with his jaw with a snap. “Consider that asshole.” I didn’t stop moving until I was in my truck.
LEE
I woke with a pain in my ass. Quite literally, my butt really hurt. I winced, recalling the walk home last night. I slipped on a damn banana skin. I thought those type accidents only happened in cartoons, but no. It had happened to me in real life. Six-inch heels and banana skins were a lethal combination. I had taken off my heels after that and had walked the remaining four blocks barefoot. Which brought me to my second ailment; my feet were killing me. I guessed I’d cut them on the gravelly concrete.