When I started in college, Andrew was the first and only boy I talked to. He and Stefani were the only two people I really ever hung out with last year. Andrew and I stayed platonic for a while until Stef found a boyfriend and begged us to double date with her. Sex just hadn’t happened between us yet.
I followed Josh’s lead and sat on the edge of the bed and crossed my legs. My heart skipped a beat and butterflies tried to escape my mid-section when the side of his body touched my back. It wasn’t even in a sexual way, but just the close proximity of our bodies was making my heart race, and my skin prickle with delicious goosebumps.
“So what are we watching tonight?” he asked and ran his finger up and down my bare arm. I involuntarily shivered at his touch.
“You okay?” he asked. It was a whisper in my ear.
“Yeah,” I barely whispered. I cleared my throat and said, “just cold.” Which was a total lie.
Josh sat up and joined me on the edge of the bed.
“We don’t have to do anything,” he said.
I was glad he’d said that. I knew I wanted to be with him, I just wasn’t sure I was ready to be with him in that capacity. My conversation with Lauren last night, and Stefani calling and bringing up Andrew had my mind racing.
“So what are we going to watch?” he asked, changing the subject.
I seriously contemplated forgoing the romantic comedy I had stashed in my purse and watching an action movie, but I hadn’t watched Notting Hill since I’d been back in Riverview and I usually watched it weekly. Okay daily. I reached into my purse and pulled out the movie and handed it to him.
“Notting Hill,” he read slowly. “What is that about?”
“It’s about a bookstore owner and a movie star who fall in love.”
“Really?” he did sound too enthusiastic about it.
“Yeah.” I looked at him.
“Really?” he said again but smiling this time.
“It’s my favorite movie. We had to watch XXX last time and it was awful.”
“What? That movie was awesome.”
“Well this one is too.” Josh sighed, but got up anyway and loaded the disc into his DVD player and switched on the TV.
“Want some popcorn?” he asked. He was already at the stairs so I just nodded my head.
Josh’s bed stuck out diagonally from the TV so the end of the bed was closest to it. I repositioned myself so that I was leaning against the head of the bed with his pillows behind my back. His pillows had the same woody, pine scent I always smelled on him. I wanted to roll over and bury my face in the bed and wrap myself up in the comforter. I didn’t though. He’d be back down with the popcorn soon and it would be awkward to explain why I’d crawled underneath his covers.
When he returned, he smiled at me when he saw me and joined me on his bed. We snuggled close to each other, eventually he had his arm around me, and my head was on his chest. It was kind of awkward and uncomfortable with his arm snaked around my back but I didn’t want to move and make him think I didn’t want to be near him. I know it sounded stupid.
The entire movie, I kept thinking about how easy it would be to just straddle him right now and kiss him passionately to get something started, but my body just didn’t move when I told it to. Before I knew it, the movie was over, Hugh and Julia were together, and I was still sitting uncomfortably next to Josh.
“So did you like it?” I asked when I flipped the TV to MTV after movie ended.
“I liked the weird Welsh guy. His shirts were funny.”
I just laughed. I was a little disappointed that he hated my favorite movie, but he tried to like it for me and that made me happy.
“Well at least you’ve watched it now and you don’t have to ever see it again.”
“I’d watch it again if it meant I got to be with you.” His face was dead serious. I almost laughed because it’s not like his statement was some life changing, sentimental statement. I just stared back at him, waiting for him to make a move.
“Jenna, I want to kiss you again.” This guy knew how to be serious. He could get me all worked up with just one sentence.
“I want you to kiss me again.” I breathed, because that’s all I could do. The anticipation was killing me.
He leaned over me, positioning one knee between my legs and the other leg was braced on the headboard. He loomed over me. I lifted my hands and placed them around his back and pulled him down to me. His mouth crashed down onto mine leaving me breathless immediately. I slip my hands down his back and under his shirt, pushing it up over his shoulders. He tugged it over his head, tossed it on the floor, and smiled at me. His hands were on my waist pulling my shirt up too. I leaned forward and allow him to pull it off. I usually wore two layers, a cami and a shirt, but today I just had a t-shirt on so now I was lying beneath him in just my bra and shorts.
Josh smiled at me again before he leaned down and kissed me softly on the cheek, then across my jawline and down my neck. I wrapped my arms around him again and let my fingers graze the smooth skin of his back. He moaned quietly and arched his back in response to my touch. I didn’t know if he wanted to touch me in the same way, but he slid his hand under me back and lifted me to him. I clung to him as he pulled me on to his lap so I was straddling him. He proceeded to lightly brush his fingers up and down my spine that sent tingles and sparks of desire to my core.
I cupped his face in my hands and straightened his face so he had to look at me, fully aware that while my back was arched, my chest was pressing into his. He glanced down a few times at my breasts and it made me giggle. I leaned in to kiss him and when our lips met, he closed his eyes.
“Keep your eyes open,” I whispered. His eyes flew open again and stayed on mine. “Don’t close them, I want you to watch me.”
I kissed him softly again on his lips and watched his piercing blue eyes darken with each pass my lips made against his. His breath quickened, as did mine until he slipped his tongue between my lips, meeting mine. I closed my eyes at this point and combed my fingers through his shaggy blond hair. I pressed his face closer to mine as he pressed my hips into his. I gasped at this motion and it spurred him on. He grabbed me behind my knees and pulled me closer to him. My foot brushed something hard at the foot of the bed, but I ignored it. All I could think about was being closer to Josh. His mouth left mine and trailed kisses down my neck and across my chest then down between my breasts. I threw my head back and let him hold me in place at my waist as I held onto the back of his neck. I readjusted myself when Josh’s hands found their way up to my bra. He fiddled with the hooks and I moved my feet under his thighs. My foot brushed the hard thing on the bed again and all too suddenly I realized what it was.
The volume on the TV cranked up to the max startling us both. My foot must have been pressing the volume button on the remote. I jumped up off Josh and the bed and pushed the power button on the television. I stood across the room from Josh, staring at him while I attempted to catch my breath. Not just from the volume of the TV, but from our steamy make out session. I was about to let him take off my bra and show him my boobs.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Are you?” I asked back.
“Yeah.” He got up from the couch and met me by the TV.
He took my hand, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. His skin burned hot against mine causing me relive the last five minutes in my head. He must be thinking about it too because he leaned in and kissed me once on the lips before retrieving his discarded shirt and pulling it on over his head. I looked around for mine too. He found it first and tossed it to me.
I can’t say I wasn’t a little disappointed to see his shirt slip back on. Stupid television.
“What now?” I asked.
“Another movie?”
“Sure. I guess. We can watch something about cars or robots,” I said playfully.
“I have robot cars,”
“Even better.”
We spent the rest of the
day watching movies. He fixed ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch, and we snacked on chips and popcorn during the movies.
“Hey, remember when I said I wanted to take you out again?” he asked after the fourth car movie of the day. He did not have any romantic comedies, so I was stuck with his boy movies.
“Yeah,” I replied.
“Well, I want to take you somewhere.”
“Where?” I asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises.” I shook my head and looked down. I really did hate surprises. When I was eight, my mom decided she wanted to throw me a surprise birthday party. It backfired epically-no one came. I half believed that it was because it was my mom and no one wanted their kids at our house, but in the back of my mind I wondered if it was really because no one liked me.
“Just let me take you out.”
“Okay, when?” I laughed.
“How about tomorrow? It’s Friday.”
“It is Friday.”
“I want to show you something,” he smiled playfully.
“And what you want to show me happens on Fridays?”
“No, it can happen any night. I was just stating that it was Friday.”
I laughed again. “Okay. Well sure. It’s not like I have something else planned.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up around 8:00.”
“What should I wear?” I asked
“Whatever you want.”
“Well you’re no help.”
“Jeans and a t-shirt. You look sexy like that.”
He gripped the back of my neck with one hand and twisted his fingers into my hair.
“Is that right?” I asked.
I loved it when he whispered in my ear.
I kissed his forehead. When I pulled away, he pushed me back to him and captured my mouth in his. I guess he couldn’t wait any longer. I let out a groan. He smiled into the kiss and flicked his tongue over mine then kissed me again.
“You should take me home,” I said ending our kiss.
“Why?” He kissed me again.
“I just want to be home. I need to shower.” I kissed him again. I couldn’t seem to get enough of his lips. “You can shower here. Better yet, I need to shower too. We could save water.” As enticing as that sounded, I didn’t know when Mrs. Riley would be home, and having her find me naked with her son in the shower was not something I’d like to live through. I still remembered what she did for me a few days ago and I didn’t want to lose her trust and respect. Sleeping with Josh in my house was one thing, but doing it under her roof was unacceptable to me.
“I can’t, your mom.”
“What about my mom?”
“I like her, and I respect that this is her house, and I don’t want to lose her trust.” I said making my thoughts known to him.
“I see that,” he said. “Is Lauren staying the night again?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
He frowned. I didn’t know what he was so unhappy about this. I really could defend myself. I had tossed the sweaty guy off. No one had actually broken into my house. He’d knocked and I had stupidly let him in. It wouldn’t happen again.
“I don’t like you being alone,” Josh said. Concern played on his face.
“I’ll be fine,” I replied.
“Even with a crazy person out there?”
“Well he hasn’t been back so…” I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t stay at the Riley’s forever.
“I know.”
“Just take me home, okay?”
He kissed me again then grabbed my hand and led me back up the stairs.
It was amazing to me how quickly our relationship had progressed. I missed him when he wasn’t around. I craved his touch and kiss. I thought about him all the time. I thought about what we would do together and where we would do things. Sometimes it was sex, but I really just liked being with him and I wanted to spend more time with him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Josh picked me up promptly at eight. I had chosen to wear my dark blue jeans and a grey distressed t-shirt with rhinestones on the shoulders. It was a random impulse buy at the mall with Stefanie last fall. It wasn’t really my style, but it was cute. I wore my favorite, almost worn out turquoise suede flats. Josh was in jeans and a baby blue polo that accentuated his tanned skin and piercing blue eyes. His blond hair was mussed up just the way I liked it. I resisted the urge to run my fingers through it. He wouldn’t mind if I did though. The cab of his truck was filled with the scent of his cologne. It was sweet, warm, and clean and set off every sex trigger in my body. I wasn’t sure I would make it through this night.
“Hey there,” he said. He had helped me into his truck, raced around the front of it, and hopped in his side.
“Hey,” I said when he shut his door. “Where are we going?”
“Sonic, then it’s a surprise.”
“Sonic? The drive in? Really?”
“Hell yeah babe. Half priced shakes after 8 pm.”
“Babe? We have nicknames now?” I wasn’t so sure I liked it.
“I guess. I just kind of made it up.”
“I see. Well do I have to think of one for you?”
“Stud.” he said slowly like he was contemplating whether or not to even say it.
“Oh Geez.”
We drove on down the highway listening to the radio loudly and singing along. Living in a small town surrounded by farmland and other small towns severely limited our selection of restaurants to go to. Sonic, Pizza Hut, a Chinese place, and a few mom and pop places were about it.
It was a busy night at sonic. We ate at one of the tables and watched minivans full of yelling kids pull in and out of the stalls. Josh had ordered us both hamburgers with French fries, chocolate shakes and two sodas. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I didn’t like chocolate, so I drank half of it and pretended I was too full to finish. I don’t think he was too upset because he happily slurped down the rest.
The night air cooled as the sun dipped below the horizon, which really meant it was now eighty degrees instead of one hundred. We got back in the truck and I waited expectantly as Josh started the engine and turned on the A/C.
“Now what?”
“Now, you have to wear a blindfold.”
“What? Why?” Blindfolding was not part of the deal here.
“Yeah. I told you it was surprise. I don’t want you to see where we’re going. I might ruin it.”
“It’s getting dark out; I can barely see anything anyway.”
“Humor me, please.”
“There aren’t many places I don’t know about here.”
“Please?”
“Okay fine.”
I let him tie the blindfold on then I sat back against the back of the seat and waited for him to pull out of the parking lot. We pulled out of the parking lot and rumbled down the old highway. At least I think we did. Frigid air blasted from the vents. I desperately wanted to open my window and feet the blazing hot wind against my skin, but Josh had blindfolded me and I wasn’t sure where the window roller downer thing was. I wasn’t even sure if there was a window roller downer thing or if I had to push a button. I’d just be flailing my hand around until it landed on something familiar. That would be stupid. Moreover, I didn’t want to look stupid in front of Josh. Even though we had known each other for years, and we’ve had a few steamy make out sessions, it was different now. We had been spending more time together, more intentional time, he’s at my house all the time, he worried and cared about me and I, him. I had found myself thinking about him all the time, and daydreaming about a future together even though I didn’ plan on staying in Riverview.
I sighed to myself. He was within arm’s reach, but he felt like a million miles away because I had this stupid blindfold. I wanted to touch him or hold his hand, but finding his hand would be impossible so I just resigned to sitting quietly in my own little corner of the truck.
“I need a drink.” I said after a t
ime. “Can I have some of yours?” I asked. I was suddenly thirsty
“Sure, just grab it.” Ugh really. That would mean more flailing of hands. I had no idea where the cup holders were.
“Can you hand it to me?”
“Nope.”
“Jerk.” He chuckled. “Can I take off the blindfold?”
He chuckled again. “Nope.”
“Jerk.”
I leaned forward in the passenger’s seat and felt around to my left for cup holders. Nothing. I felt lower between the seats.
“Dang it! Where is it?” I let the annoyance show in my voice.
Josh was laughing at me again. I should have just kept my drink. Instead, I had tossed it after we’d finished eating. He said he was taking me somewhere after dinner, a surprise, and I didn’t want to have to pee every five minutes. Now I was dying of thirst and I really needed a drink.
“It’s between your legs, isn’t it?” I knew the answer before he said anything.
“Maybe.” He still had a laugh in him.
“That’s okay; I don’t want your penis soda.”
“What?” He burst out with a laugh.
“I don’t want to reach over there.”
“My penis is in my pants and nowhere near the soda.”
I really needed a drink.
I unbuckled my seatbelt, scooted into the middle seat, and buckled the lap belt. Josh breathed in deeply and coughed as he let it out. He shifted in his seat shaking the ice in the cup. Damn it. I was going to have to reach blindly between his legs. Fine, I could play games too.
I placed my hand on his upper thigh. This caused him to tense immediately. Good. I slid it down to his knee and back up, then squeezed it down to his inner thigh. I felt the cup against the back of my hand, so I swiped it.
We Were Us Page 9