Cuts like a knife

by Dana Monahan

  “Wow, that’ll be cool. Congratulations.” Standing on her toes, Kelly reached up to give him a hug.

  “I’ll help out. I’m sure she’ll be in need of some serious moral support when she meets her new bro.” Billie smiled sweetly.

  “You can count on me and Brad. We’ll show her a good time. Right, Bro.” Trent chuckled and nudged Brad with his shoulder.

  “I’m not promising anything until I check her out,” said Brad.

  Brody flicked Trent’s cap off. “Put it in reverse, pal. I’m not pimping for her. I just want you guys to be friendly.” He put heavy emphasis on the word friendly.

  Taking a moment, Sierra contemplated the new information. She didn’t like the idea of a new girl crashing her party. But maybe being good friends with a girl living with Brody could be to her benefit. “I’ll make her my best friend, Brody. Who knows, maybe we can have sleep overs and stuff?” A sexy smile made clear her message and Brody had no doubt as to whom she wanted to sleep over with.

  ----------------

  The fire ebbed and the embers gave off a red glow against the night as the group called the night to an end. Feeling uncomfortable, Brody watched everyone but Sierra disappears from the clearing. When Sierra had asked him to stick around with her for a moment because she had something urgent to talk to him about, he gave in with a shrug. His expression was calm, but his stomach was tied up in knots. It didn’t take a genius to know what she wanted to discuss. That stupid blond routine she’d been laying on him all night made that obvious enough. All his hopes of going off to college before she had a chance to put him on the spot vanished with his buzz.

  “Why don’t I get straight to the point? I think we’ve wasted enough time,” she said after everyone was out of sight. Her voice was low and throaty as she pushed her body against his. Sultry lips beckoned him, as she lifted her face to give him easy access.

  Looking down, he noted how beautiful she was with her black hair and flawless mahogany skin highlighted in the moonlight. Her full breasts were pressed against his chest and he knew her bottom would be tight and firm if he felt inclined to explore what she so blatantly offered. At his pause, her dark eyes opened slowly.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve been around the block. No need to play gentle with me.” She smiled lazily when he placed his hands on her shoulders. What she wanted was a total loss of control, but if Brody felt the need to take it slow she had no intention of arguing.

  “Look, Sierra. We’ve known each other too long for a little slap and tickle between friends. You’re like a sister to me.” Billie’s words the night before rang in his ears. The memory also had the effect of making him a total hypocrite. Although he felt brotherly enough towards Sierra, lush body and all, Billie was an entirely different matter. And if he could get turned on by a cocky little waif that he was supposed to feel brotherly affection for, why in hell couldn’t he get turned on for Sierra. He must be insane; he realized when he mentally compared the two. Billie was cute and full of attitude where Sierra was gorgeous and full of sex appeal.

  Sierra’s eyes narrowed dangerously and her sexy little mouth turned into a hard, cold line. “Are you turning me down? Who the hell do you think you are? You’ll regret this!” When Brody lifted a curious brow at her rage, she forced a smile. He obviously didn’t know she wanted something more serious. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t talking between friends. Don’t worry. This would be the real thing.”

  “Actually, it is. Between friends, I mean.”

  “You bastard!” Her hands curled like talons and she swung towards his face, but when he caught her hand before she could draw blood, impotent fury assailed her. “You’ll pay for this.” With teeth gritted, she turned and ran away, leaving him staring after her in shock.

  Brody tried to focus on the sound of the waterfall. His nerves were taut and he suddenly longed for the peace of mind its steady harmony offered. That glazed look in Sierra’s eyes had unsettled him. Sierra’s face had contorted into such fury, Brody almost didn’t recognize her. After stamping out the dying embers in the pit, he strolled home. With any luck, all would be well in the morning.

  ----------------

  One hand was busy shoving cereal in her mouth, while Billie held the other out in front of her face for inspection. It had been over three months, and the jagged white scar on her palm hadn’t faded yet. But she hadn’t expected it to. They had all made a long slice for that reason.

  Tonight would be the first night they would all go to the rock together since the night of the pact. Brody’s step-sister, Mandy, was going up there to meet everyone. Sierra had gone over the day Mandy arrived over a month ago and had gotten in tight with her. Since that time, she’d been hanging out at the ranch every day.

  After a loud yawn, Billie put her bowl in the sink and made her way upstairs to throw on some shorts. It would be another boring day. Kelly would be baby-sitting since her mom got a summer job, Brad would put eight hours in at his dad’s liquor store, and Trent would be at the high school playing football with the jocks, and Brody would be doing ranch work and getting ready to leave for college. She could probably call Sierra, but somehow she felt it would be intruding on the friendship blossoming between her and Mandy. If they wanted her around, they would have called, Billie figured. She would just grab a book, stretch out on the porch swing and catch some rays until it was time to meet everyone.

  -----------------

  It was a beautiful sunset. The sun was like an orange and gold fire blazing against a lavender sky. Billie stood at the rock with Kelly and Brad at her side, watching the horizon. Someone was coming and they all turned around in anticipation.

  “It’s only Trent,” Brad said, a little disappointed.

  “Hi. It’s good to see you. It seems so long,” Kelly said to Trent.

  “I’ve been busy. I play football in the day and I’ve been hanging out with Candy at night. We’re an item now. You got a beer?” When Brad grabbed one, Trent ran right and made sharp left as if in practice. Brad passed him the beer like a football.

  “So it’s now the cheerleader and the jock. You both have blond hair and blue eyes. She’s pretty cool and you’re borderline semi-cool. I guess that makes you a perfect couple. You can give her my sympathies on your next date,” Billie teased.

  “You are so funny.” Trent belched. “So where’s the mystery stepsister who likes to hide away in the house. I caught a glimpse of her walking to Sierra’s once. She looks like she weighs about five pounds with these long stick legs like a flamingo.”

  “Be nice. You haven’t even met her yet. I think I hear them coming.” Kelly shook her finger at Trent, who stood with one leg straight and the other bent at the knee like a bird.

  The tardy threesome approached and Billie noted with some humor that Mandy really did have legs like a flamingo. She was of medium height and sort of borderline attractive in a fragile sort of way. Her blond hair was cut short and big brown eyes were set in a long face that also consisted of a beak-like nose and full lips. Hands were twisting together in front of her and she gnawed her lower lip, causing Billie to wonder why she seemed so nervous.

  Brody cleared his throat, “Everybody, this is Mandy. She’s going be living here now.” He made the introductions all around.

  Mandy dutifully said, “hello”, to everyone then migrated back towards Sierra. Silence hung in the air a little too long, making everyone uncomfortable.

  Stepping closer to Brody, Sierra said a little too brightly, “Well, Brody leaves in a few days. Let’s party.” In contrast to Mandy’s baggy jeans and large plain sweater, Sierra was decked out in tight red spandex pants topped with a snug black leotard. The outfit left little to the imagination.

  The first few hours were spent drinking beer and trying to include Mandy in the conversations. Billie asked a lot of questions about where she had moved from, but Mandy wouldn’t expand on her simple answers. After a while, Billie gave up and just talked to Kel. The guys were standing a few feet aw
ay caught up in a conversation of their own until Brody caught her eye and sauntered over.

  “Good night for some skinny dipping.” Completely at ease, Brody planted himself between Kelly and Billie. “How about you, Kel?”

  “No way! My momma warned me against guys like you.”

  “What about you, Chubby Cheeks?” He looked to Billie and taunted, “Or are you chicken to show your stuff?”

  Billie punched him in the gut. He wasn’t prepared and she had the satisfaction of hearing him grunt slightly in pain. “I do not have chubby cheeks.” She was already self-conscious enough about the extra ten pounds she carried around on her hips; she sure as hell didn’t need Brody rubbing her nose in it. “You’re the equivalent of pond scum, you know, the gross stuff that oozes between your toes.” She made a nasty face and shuddered.

  “Chill out.” Brody raised a hand in surrender. When she continued to glare at him, he chuckled. “God, you’re feisty. If that temper is any indication of your sex drive, I want behind the wheel. So are you going to go skinny dipping with me or what?” He held out both his hands and his serious expression was so comical, Billie had to laugh.

  “I don’t think so. I’ll go for a swim, but I’m not about to get naked with a pervert like you.”

  “It was nice meeting you.” Mandy interrupted, smiling shyly at Kelly and Billie. “Sierra’s going to walk me down the hill.” She glanced at Brad and Trent and lifted her hand, “Bye.”

  “Later. We’ll have to get together again soon,” Trent said sincerely. He then whispered to Brad who just waved, “Yeah, right. It may happen in a few decades.”

  “Come on. Let’s all go for a swim.” Standing, Billie wiped the dirt off her rear. When Brody stuck his hand out to help, she swatted it away, before sticking out her own hand to help Kel to her feet.

  “No can do. I’ve got a date with my pillow. What about you?” Trent asked Brad.

  “I’m burned out. Later, dudes.” He waited a second, hoping Billie would change her mind and leave with them.

  “Wait for me. Call me tomorrow.” Kelly called to Billie, before taking off with Brad and Trent.

  When they were alone, Brody looked down at Billie with a silly grin. “Did you plan that so you could be alone with me one last time before I take off?”

  “I don’t think so.” With an impish grin, Billie turned to face him. “I must admit I’ll miss you a little bit.” She placed her thumb and forefinger an inch a part. Tilting her head a little to the side, she gave him a cocky smile and closed the distance between her fingers. When he grabbed her hand, she laughed and hugged him. “I’ll miss you. I don’t know why, since you annoy me constantly, but I’ll miss you.” When she pulled back, Brody was smiling down at her and she caught a whiff of his spicy cologne. Without realizing it, she had left her arms looped around his neck.

  In that second, something surged between them. Billie’s eyes widened in surprise when she realized her thoughts were far from sisterly. Somehow the easy mood between them had turned awkward. Embarrassment tinged her cheeks, when she realized he might know what she was thinking, but she looked in his eyes, recognized the hunger, and knew he felt it too. This time she would have to face it, Billie realized, scared of her own emotions. Brody’s gaze dropped to her mouth, and a warm feeling settled in the middle of her stomach. Dropping her hand from around his neck, she stepped back cautiously, still unsure of the feelings that had surfaced. He blocked her retreat easily enough by stepping forward, pulling her slightly forward with the hands placed loosely on her hips.

  “Brody?”

  For just a moment, Brody lost himself in her aqua eyes. Everything he ever wanted could be seen there. Her innocence conflicted with her need. She was scared, he knew, but she understood now. He’d dreamed of this moment, when she would accept what had been brewing between them. Her wavy silky blond hair bristled in the breeze, and he found himself pulling his fingers through her hair. “Billie,” he whispered, before succumbing to his urge to kiss her. When her mouth opened slightly in surprise, he slid his tongue in and explored. Her body stiffened for a moment, and then he felt her hands touch lightly on his shoulders before she returned his kiss with ardor. Brody lost control and pulled her up against him. “I want you so much, Billie,” he whispered again, pulling his mouth from hers and trailing light kisses across her cheek to nip at her ear.

  Billie felt her pulses race into overdrive and gripped his shoulders. Everywhere his lips touched left her skin burning for more. Her body arched towards him as she ached for more of his touch. His hands trailed up under her shirt to roam across her back. Billie felt her body start to tremble when she felt his hands on her bare skin. “Please keep touching me. I want you.” Was that her voice, she wondered, but her mind went blank. All she could think of was Brody’s hard body pressed so tightly against her own.

  “Well isn’t this special.” Brody and Billie pulled apart guiltily at Sierra’s snide remark. With hands fisted tightly at her side, Sierra shot Brody a nasty smile. “I guess pawing on me wasn’t enough. I’m so sorry, Billie,” Sierra managed a sympathetic smile and surprised herself when she managed to make her eyes water, “You must know he’s using you.” Sierra turned to Brody. “It must be a big boost to your ego to know you can play with our emotions so easily. Doesn’t our friendship mean anything to you?” Sierra turned pleading eyes to Billie, “I guess I should’ve warned you, but I didn’t think he’d be so low. When I didn’t see you with the others, I came back up.”

  Billie looked toward Brody, the hurt clear in her eyes. “Brody, how could you? I thought, I thought, I guess I thought wrong.” When Brody took a step towards her, she took two steps back. “I have to go.” She turned and fled as fast as her wobbly legs would carry her.

  Brody dragged a hand through his black hair in frustration and turned cold eyes to Sierra. “You are a bitch. Did you get off on that?” His body was strung like a coil, as he tried to curb his temper.

  “Yes, I would say immensely.” Sierra flashed him a smug smile. “Although I don’t think I got off as much as our little Billie. I guess all that talk about brotherly affections was a bunch of crap. What a shame. I could’ve shown you a much better time.” Sierra’s face contorted at Brody’s bark of laughter. A sexy smile lifted at the corners of his mouth as he strolled towards her.

  “Don’t kid yourself. Being an easy lay, doesn’t make you good. You’re just a little too used up for my taste.” With lazy insolence, his eyes traveled down the length of her body. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m just not interested.” Brody swung on his heel and left her standing there.

  “You son of a bitch!” Sierra reached down and grabbed a rock. She hurled it at him, missing his ear by an inch. Her anger slowly subsided as she idly traced the scar on her palm. They were connected. When he came back from college, she would be here. It would just take him longer to wrap around her fingers than she expected. A minor setback, she decided with a careless smile. In fact, it was to her benefit. It gave her a few years to have some fun before settling down as a rich rancher’s wife. She would just have to keep in tight with Mandy and everything would work out. Feeling her spirits rise; she headed down the path to home.

  ------------------

  Ignoring the ache in her side, Billie didn’t stop running until she reached her house. She didn’t realize the tears had streamed unheeded down her face until she viewed herself in her bathroom mirror. Staring at her reflection, in self-loathing, she chided herself for being a fool. Closing her eyes tightly, she tried to force back the memory of how she felt in Brody’s arms. It was hard to admit, but she couldn’t blame him. She’d wanted it. She had even begged for it. What a fool she was. Why would Brody want her when he could have his choice? She laughed aloud at her thought. No. Brody wasn’t to blame. She would forget it ever happened. In a few days, he would be gone. When he came back, they would be friends again. If it ever came up, she would pretend it meant nothing, and all would be forgotten.

&
nbsp; It all seemed so simple, as she lay down to sleep. She’d gotten carried away, and Brody had obliged. She’d convinced herself of that. She’d even convinced herself that what she saw in his eyes stemmed from her own imagination. The problem was that she couldn’t stop her feelings. What she felt for Brody had been real, regardless of the fact that those feelings weren’t returned. But she had learned long ago how to hide her feelings.

  Chapter 6

  A clap of thunder rumbled in the distance as Billie set her book down on her bedside table to peer out the window. Brody had been away at college for over six months now and she still regretted never returning any of his phone calls before he left. Dark clouds rolled in, as if the weather were in sync with her gloomy mood. She sighed and glanced toward Sierra’s house. Her car was in the driveway and Billie wondered what she had been up to lately.

  At school, Sierra spent all her time with Mandy, just barely acknowledging their friendship with a slight smile when Billie happened by her in the halls. Turning from the window, Billie undressed to take a shower. It was Saturday night and she’d give Kel a call to see if she wanted to go to the movies. Just as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, the phone rang. Dripping wet, she wrapped a towel around her sarong style and ran to the phone. “Hello?”