by A. M. Brooks
“When did you do this?” I ask.
“Elijah and I dropped it off this morning,” he explains.
I get in and buckle the best I can around the material of my dress. Darrian eases us into traffic and drives out of town. The farther we get from the city, the more I start to recognize my surroundings. I’ve been here before with him. At the end of a brand new development, he turns right, heading up the gravel hill. A larger path has been cleared since the first time we drove it.
“Darr.” I grab his free hand in mind. “Isn’t this where—”
“I took you after Snowball.” He nods and continues driving. Once we reach the clearing, I’m shocked to find a building blocking the view I loved so much.
He stops the car and gets out, I follow after him. “Should we leave?” I ask, looking around. “There’s a house here now,” I say, stating an obvious fact.
“I know,” he answers, walking up to the front door.
“You know?” I ask, confused. “Who lives here?”
I turn to find him staring at me, his eyes darken, the emotion I’ve come to identify as possessive flashes across his features. And yup, cue the jaw clench and muscle twitch. Warmth coils low in my belly and I suck in air. I have a feeling whatever he says next is going to send me for a mind trip. I ask again anyway.
“Who lives here, Darrian?” My voice is hoarse and needy. I clench my thighs together pushing back the ache in my core.
“We do,” he answers and my stomach bottoms out.
“What?” I ask breathlessly, warring between confusion and being really turned on.
“We do, or well, I do. For now, it’s just a place to crash when we come back to visit. Even when I’m not here and you want to use it, you can,” he says, placing a small silver key into my hand. I stare at it.
“It’s just going to sit here empty?” I say, wanting to make sure I heard him right.
“Not completely empty but unused, yes. I’ve been wanting out of the King mansion for a while. Now that I’m leaving for college, I wanted a neutral place to return to.” He shrugs.
“What about once you get drafted?” I ask. “Won’t you have to live there?”
“If I get drafted then yes, I’ll live wherever my team is. And when I’m done someday, and we decide we want to head back this way, the house will be waiting. And if we find something else we like, I’ll sell it.” He shrugs again.
“Don’t sell it,” I tell him without thinking about the words I’m saying. I pretty much just told him it’s okay he bought us a house when I’m in high school and we’re both leaving for college in a few months.
“It’s a spot for me to come home to,” he explains to me and I think he can sense my panic. “I want you to use it, but if you come home and want to stay at your dad’s too, that’s fine. Just know this is always an option.”
“Okay.” I nod, even though I’m still processing if this really is okay. I squeeze the key so hard the edges dig into my skin causing indents to appear.
“Let me show you something.” He takes my hand slowly, like he’s scared I’ll bolt.
I follow his lead up the staircase. We turn left down a small hallway to the last door. He opens it slowly and pulls me inside. It’s the master bedroom, the only room currently furnished. Heat flushes from my cheeks down my neck. He walks us past the bed though to the closed glass doors. He unlocks and opens them, and we walk out onto a small balcony. Below us, a larger patio is set up, but it’s the view in front of me that really steals my breath away. The view of the hills and city lights twinkling are so far away they almost look magical. I look up and notice how clearly the stars can be seen in the sky.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Do you like it?” he asks, biting his lip waiting for me to say something. I’m getting over being shocked and finding it easier to see his reasoning. Darrian doesn’t feel at home in the King mansion and honestly, his parents can be completely terrible. I don’t blame him for wanting his own space when he has to come back here. I’m a little freaked out to have my own key, but that’s normal, right? I’m eighteen. I know Darrian pretty much let me know he plans to be with me long into our future, but things could change.
“What if you meet someone else at Gonzaga?” I grill him. I’ve been dying for his reassurance, I realize. He keeps making grand gestures, but I’ve always needed the words.
He shakes his head. “I’m sure there will be lots of pretty girls on campus, but I will have no interest in them. I want to be with you. Trust me and I’ll trust you. Let’s take it step by step and just know how much I love you, always.”
“I’m scared,” I admit, my lip trembles. Darrian pulls me to him, cradling my head against his chest.
“Me too,” he admits, chuckling. “I think we’d be crazy not to be a little scared. But I know us. We’ll be fine as long as we keep talking and keep supporting each other. I want you to have everything you’ve ever wanted. For all your dreams to come true.”
“I want the same for you,” I tell him, squeezing my arms around him tighter. His hands trace lazy circles over my skin until my body relaxes into his and my legs are rubbery.
Sensing the change, Darrian pulls back, resting his hands on my shoulders. His face descends down to mine and I raise my mouth to meet his. He kisses me gently, coaxing my mouth open with his. I moan and his tongue slides past my lips to meet mine. Darrian’s kisses become more demanding, his hands on my hips grip the fabric of my dress as he pulls me into him. My chest burns, needing oxygen, and I pull back slightly. We’re both breathing heavily. His forehead rests on the crown of my head, but his eyes stay focused on mine. His hands move from my waist to the claps holding my dress together. The material loosens around my shoulders, as he kisses my cheeks, my jaw, and trails his mouth down my neck, pausing with open mouth kisses and bites against the sensitive skin.
“Darrian.” His name is a plea from my mouth.
With a small tug, the dress falls over my hips and pools at my feet. I barely notice the chill of the spring air before I’m being hauled up against him. On instinct, my legs wrap around his waist, his lips fuse with mine again, while he walks us back inside. His grip on each of my cheeks is painful. I can feel every hard ridge and dip of his front against mine. The coarse material of his jacket brushes my sensitive nipples and I groan at the friction. I slide down his body and work my hand to push his jacket off while he yanks the tie loose. I don’t waste time unbuttoning his shirt and only feel a little bad when I hear the tinkling noise of the buttons scattering on the floor.
Our naked chests mold together as he walks me backward until the back of my legs hit the edge of the mattress. He yanks his mouth from mine and spins me around so my front hits the plush bed cover. He kisses a path down my spine while his hands tug at the lace material of my boy shorts, pulling them down my legs. I kick them off when they hit my feet, the motion allowing for one of Darrian’s hands to slip between my legs, cupping me from behind when the other holds his body over mine. My back arches against his chest as he thrusts two fingers inside me. My ass jerks back and collides with his erection still tucked away in his tux pants. My groin thrusts against his palm while his fingers work inside my body, stroking in and out until spots dance in my vision, my legs quiver from holding myself up as I chase the orgasm he’s working me toward. With a smack on my left ass cheek, he pulls his fingers from my body leaving me right on the edge. I groan in frustration. He chuckles behind me and I hear the zipper of his pants being lowered. I don’t wait long before I feel him at my opening.
“Nora.” My name is a prayer on his lips before he slams into me. My body moves against the bed from the force of his thrusts. Our skin slaps and sweat trickles down my temples.
“Oh, God, Darrian.”
One of his hands slides under my chest, yanking my body back into his, changing our position. His thrusts become deeper this way. My eyes close tightly from the sensations. His hand squeezes my breast painfully. The pleasure-pain relea
ses the storm inside me, my orgasm crashing down on me. It’s wonderful and bittersweet. A moment marked forever as a memory in this room. In our house. His movements become drawn out and I feel him jerk three times before warmth coats my insides.
Without separating from me, Darrian scoots our bodies farther onto the bed so we’re lying in the middle of the king-sized mattress. With a free hand, he grabs the edge of the comforter and swings it over us so we’re covered. My heart beats wildly in my chest. I can still feel his against my back too. It’s a while before I can find the words to speak, until his breathing evens out behind me.
“Are we going to keep doing that?” My voice is shakes while my breathing still works to even out.
“Having sex? I fucking hope so,” he replies, chuckling.
“No.” I twist to face him. “I mean you without a condom.”
He shrugs. “You’re on the pill. I’m clean. Guess we should have talked about it more, huh?”
“I’m clean too,” I let him know. “And yes I’m on the pill it’s just well things happen.”
“I know,” he says, burrowing his face in between my shoulder and neck, “You’re the only person I’ve done this with. It just feels right not to have any barriers between us. You’re mine completely and I’m yours.”
I let his words sink in, absorbing the mood they leave. I like thinking of Darrian as being mine. I enjoy the intimacy this creates for us. I like being his.
“Are we staying here tonight?” I ask him. My voice sounds sleepy and I can’t stop at just one yawn.
“Do you want to?” he asks, nuzzling his face across the skin where my neck and shoulder meet.
“Yes,” I answer honestly. I’m now completely infatuated with this home.
“Then yes we are,” he sighs. His body relaxes behind me, his breathing deepens. A soft snore sounds in my ear. I have no motivation to move and I’m comfortable. My eyes flutter. The beat of Darrian’s heart lulls me to sleep.
The end of the semester came way too quickly and the day I had been dreading for five months now was here. Darrian was leaving. His college classes ended two weeks ago and the credit he earned transferred to Gonzaga. Summer wasn’t even in full swing, but he was told to arrive during summer semester for first official practice. As a sophomore he would be walking onto the team, but he wasn’t guaranteed playing time yet. He had to prove himself to the team and his coaches before he would see any playing time or even be a starter. Good thing my boyfriend was always up to a challenge. Boyfriend. It hardly seemed real to call Darrian King my boyfriend, but he was. He even insisted I call him that when talking to anyone about him. I was a fool over the guy. Completely head over heels in love with him. Which is why my eyes burn with tears every time I think about having to say goodbye to him. Everything was becoming all too real.
“What’s on your mind, Sutton?” he asks, sliding an arm around my middle. We spend a lot of time at the new house lately. Darrian had moved most of his stuff in, ready to cut ties with his parents for a while.
“I’m not ready for you to leave yet,” I tell him honestly. He turns me so we’re facing each other.
“We will be fine,” he says, running a finger down my cheek. “I’ll only be gone a week then I’ll be back for your graduation.”
“Promise?” I ask again for the hundredth time.
“Promise,” he answers again for the hundredth time, reassuring me and giving me a sense of calm. “Did you do what I suggested?”
“Yes.” I nod before hugging him to me. “The girls are all coming over on Saturday night for a sleepover.”
“What about Sunday?” he asks.
“I’m having brunch with my dad and Jodi at Tilly’s then we’re going to Ethan and Elijah’s for some dinner party later,” I tell him.
“Good.” He kisses me quickly. “If you stay busy, the week will go by faster.”
“I hope so,” I mutter. I really hate that he’s leaving.
“I love you, Nora Sutton,” he says.
My eyes water. I haven’t stopped crying all week. “I love you too,” I answer.
Our mouths lock desperately. I hold him to me just as tightly, he hugs me back. Too soon he pulls back, kissing each of my cheeks and my nose before pressing a lingering kiss on my forehead.
“Ready?” he asks, and I shake my head no. He laughs. “I can’t miss my flight.”
“Alright,” I agree, and we head out to his Jeep. Darrian asked me a few days ago to drop him off at the airport today. Ethan and Elijah were meeting us there. They would be keeping his Jeep until he came back.
The drive to the airport is the quickest thirty minutes of my life. Of course, today of all days, there is no traffic which means no extra time with Darrian. We arrive annoyingly on time. The twins wait for us at the top of the parking ramp. While Darrian checks his bag, Ethan throws an arm around my shoulders.
“It’s going to be okay,” he reassures me. “D is fucking in love with you hardcore. Don’t be worried.”
“Yeah, be more worried about your pussy when he gets back,” Elijah jokes from where he leans against his car. I burst out laughing.
“I’ll be fine,” I tell them both. Maybe the more I say it, the more I’ll start to believe it. Ethan gives me another squeeze. After prom, he magically appeared back in Araminta. Darrian has been close-lipped about where his cousin was. It wasn’t until last night at our beach bonfire Ethan told me he went to see his biological family. His face clouded and I didn’t push him for more information. It was painfully obvious he wasn’t ready to talk about it more and I respected that.
“All set?” I hear Elijah ask and notice that Darrian is walking back to us, boarding pass in hand.
“Ready,” he replies. They do their man hugs and handshakes. My arms fold around my stomach, holding myself together while I wait. When he turns to me, a sadness creeps into his eyes. I suddenly feel guilty and mad at myself for making this more difficult than it has to be. Darrian is just as upset as I am, but he’s chasing his dream. Something he always encourages me to do.
I plaster a smile on my face and wrap my arms around his neck. He lifts me off the ground easily and holds me to him.
“Be safe and kick some ass,” I tell him. He smirks and I slide down his body. With my feet back on the ground, I pull his face down to mine and kiss him hard on the lips.
“Get a room.” Ethan laughs next to us.
I smile and pull back. “I miss you already.”
“I miss you too,” he says.
“I love you,” I tell him.
“I love you more,” he answers, tucking a piece of hair behind my ears.
“Better get moving, man,” Elijah announces. Nodding toward the flights that are being called.
Darrian backs up slowly to the elevator, never breaking eye contact until the doors close shut completely.
Each of the twins places a hand on one of my shoulders. We stand like that offering each other silent support while the minutes tick by. When his flight lights up on the board, we know they’re getting ready to taxi the runway.
“Let’s go,” Ethan says. I follow him to Darrian’s Jeep.
My phone beeps constantly, each of my friends sending encouraging words and ‘thinking of you’ texts. The drive back to my house feels like it took longer, but it’s probably just me. Ethan drops me off and I make my way upstairs. The house is empty, and I like the quietness. Tossing myself onto my bed, I open all of my messages.
Lily: You got this babe! He’ll be back before you know it and soon we’ll be starting our own adventure.
I feel guilty reading her text. Lately going to UNC hasn’t felt like my dream. I’m hoping once graduation is over and I arrive on campus, I’ll feel differently.
Olivia: He loves you more than anything. Can’t wait for our girl’s night!
Shea: Thinking of you! Everything will be fine. See you Saturday :)
Trent: Hey Sutton! Liv said King was leaving today. I’ve never seen a guy look at
a girl like he does you. Don’t be worried and try to enjoy your last few days before graduation.
I type him back instantly. It’s been months since I’ve heard from him.
Nora: What the hell dude? Are you actually alive in Florida?
Trent: Haha :P
Trent: My schedule has been jam-packed. They weren’t kidding about this recruiting shit. My manager is even trying to get me into modeling for some advertisements. Can you imagine my abs all over the state of Florida’s billboards????
Nora: *eye roll*
Nora: JK
Nora: I’m happy for you Trent. You deserve this opportunity. Will you be back for graduation?
Trent: Thanks babe. And no :( I decided to skip walking. They mailed me my diploma last week. There is a big race down in the Keys this weekend.
Nora: Good Luck! Keep us updated. I miss you :)
Trent: Will do.
I toss my phone down next to me. I’m glad to hear Trent is doing well and chasing his dreams. It was time I put on my big girl panties and stopped feeling sorry for myself. I was an adult now and at a time in my life where I had the freedom to make decisions and go a little crazy. I promise myself right now I will not cry about Darrian being gone. I will be supportive of him. I will not make him feel guilty about leaving. I grab my phone and type him a message. I know he won’t get it until his plane lands and that’s okay. I just want it to be there for him the minute he turns his phone back on.
Nora: You’re right. Everything is going to be fine. I love you and you love me. We’re meant to be together. To do great things together. Thank you for fighting your way back into my life this past year. I wouldn’t be me without you. I need you because you make me want to be a better person. You’ve shown me how strong I can truly be. We made it out of the dark and found our way back to each other. I’ll love you always. I can’t wait to see you again. Good luck at practice. Show them who you are King <3