by Rae, Alicia
“Get outta here!” I giggled.
He gripped my waist and turned me until I was facing him. His eyes were dancing with pure delight. “Kiss me,” he demanded.
I shook my head, never breaking eye contact.
Kyle’s eyes darkened, heating with challenge. Leaning forward, his lips stopped an inch from mine. I held my breath, not wanting to cave, while my eyes dropped to those full lips that I knew all too well.
“Kiss me,” he demanded again. His tongue came out and made one slow sweep across his bottom lip before he tugged it between his teeth.
Damn, that was sexy. He was an irresistible force of nature.
My body swayed forward, wanting to feel his lips. I could practically imagine how mine would feel brushing along his. Kyle pulled back just before our mouths touched. I took a tiny step closer, my gaze never leaving those luscious lips. He drew back, his eyes dancing with laughter.
I glared up at him. “Tease,” I accused.
“You should have listened the first time.” He grinned.
He backed up once more with a look of triumph on his eyes.
That just won’t do. Without so much as another thought, I leaped at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and then hoisted my legs up to surround his waist. Kyle’s hands automatically held me tightly. He chuckled as he nuzzled into my hair and throat.
“Oh, beautiful girl of mine, what am I going to do with you?” he asked near my ear.
“Love me.” I smiled warmly.
With his lips against my skin, I could feel him smile before he placed a gentle kiss.
“I do.”
I positively melted. “Love me more.”
“Oh, Lily, I do,” he whispered in my ear.
I reached one hand out to lift his jaw and centered his face in front of me. My fingers tenderly ran up and down his cheek while my eyes drank him in. Kyle closed his eyes, absorbing my touch.
This was us.
“Love, and,” I said, my voice gentle but strong, “you and me is all we need.” I sealed my lips over his, languidly kissing him. My heart leaped in my chest. I would never tire of kissing him.
His fervor matched my own. The feeling of being needed and loved in return consumed me. I didn’t know if it was normal to feel my heart beating in my chest as fast as it seemed to with Kyle, but now that I had him, I was never going to give him up. He gave me everything I would ever need out of life.
Only the doorbell ringing could end such a perfect moment. We sighed in unison.
“I’ll get the door,” Kyle offered.
“Okay, just have to finish my mascara,” I replied.
Kyle left the room to greet our guests while I quickly finished in record time.
Everyone arrived at the same time. Aunt Lucie and Uncle Dan hugged us first and then Jason and Damon followed. Their bear hugs never seemed to lessen in magnitude. They all squeezed the air out of me. I didn’t mind though. It made me feel like I was still part of the family. Time could never change what we had once been. Jane and Ted hugged us quickly and went to help Aunt Lucie in the kitchen. Meg and A.J. filled the doorway next. Their warm embrace made me feel like no time had ever passed. My friendships and family relationships had always flowed so easily before. I was relieved and elated to see it still held the same possibilities.
A.J. and Kyle made polite conversation as they headed toward the kitchen. Meg and I followed closely behind.
Halfway down the hall, she slowed, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Lily…” Meg hesitated. “Can we talk before I leave on Sunday? Just you and me?” she insisted. Her eyes were filled with too many emotions to place.
I was caught off guard. “Of course. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but I’ll definitely stay through the weekend.”
“Okay.” Meg nodded. She seemed slightly nervous.
I couldn’t imagine what was bothering her. She was normally so upbeat and easygoing.
“How about tomorrow? We could go out to dinner…just the two of us,” she suggested.
I wasn’t really up for going out, but something was clearly troubling Meg. She was my oldest childhood friend, and I needed to be there for her.
I placed my hand on her shoulder and smiled affectionately. “Of course. Anything you need,” I responded sincerely. “Does around six work for you?”
Meg sighed in relief. “Great, I’ll pick you up at five thirty.”
As I slowly led the way into the kitchen, I felt uneasy, wondering what could be worrying her so much.
When we entered the kitchen, Kyle noticed the shift in my demeanor. He approached me and kissed my cheek. “Everything alright?” he murmured in my ear.
“Of course.” I rubbed my hand on his chest, soothing the worry from his eyes, as I smiled.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Aunt Lucie running around the kitchen like a mad woman. I instantly felt terrible. Kyle and I kicked into gear and helped to prepare the dishes quickly.
After bringing out the trays filled with freshly cut fruits and veggies, everyone congregated on the back patio. Kyle and I went back into the kitchen and grabbed the last two platters of pulled pork and barbeque chicken while Aunt Lucie took the buns and the last of the side dishes.
Now that the food was in the center of the table, we began to fill our plates. Our eyes were definitely larger than our stomachs, but it all looked too good to pass up. I sat down next to Kyle at the far end of the rectangular table. Ted and Jane sat on one side with A.J. and Meg must have been feeling brave to sit in between Jason and Damon on the other side. Aunt Lucie and Uncle Dan took their seats at the head of the table, opposite of Kyle and me.
“So, Meggers,” Jason teased, using Meg’s childhood nickname, “to what do we owe the honor for seeing you twice in one month?”
Kyle whispered in my ear, “Meggers?”
I tilted my head toward him. “Bad nickname that she got stuck with when we were kids. She hates it,” I answered quietly.
He chuckled softly, and we turned our attention back to Jason, who was still prodding for details.
“Do we have a new local boy to beat up?” Jason continued.
Meg rolled her eyes. “If there were one, I surely wouldn’t tell you his name.”
“Ah, come on, Meggers, don’t be like that.” Jason wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’ll be nice. How about just a first name?” He paused. “Or an address?”
I laughed, shaking my head. Meg, Annie, and I had fallen for Jason’s charm one too many times, only to be left without a boyfriend and a don’t-mess-with-her sign on our foreheads.
“You would be the last person I would share that information with,” Meg replied dryly. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten how you chased away David in eighth grade.”
Jason let out a laugh. “I did you a favor. He was a total douche bag.”
Meg elbowed Jason in the ribs. He winced dramatically, entertaining everyone at the table. His acting skills were so good that he should have joined theater in high school.
“He was a good-lookin’ boy and very sweet, too,” Aunt Lucie commented.
“He was cute and sweet.” Meg sighed and then turned to face Jason with a death stare. “I thought I was going to marry that boy someday, and you ruined it.”
“Nah, you can do better.”
“Wasn’t he the dude who had big ears?” Damon asked.
Laughter filled the air once again.
“See? I definitely did you a favor!” Jason grinned. “I saved you from having children with Dumbo ears!”
“Didn’t he have a Pinocchio nose, too?” A.J. tried to hide his smile.
Jason didn’t hold back. He let it all out, chuckling so hard.
“You know, Lily, we should have returned the favor to them by picking on all their girlfriends,” Meg said.
I snorted, unable to help myself. “They would have had to keep a girl long enough for that.”
Aunt Lucie let out a sigh. “Does this mean no grandchildren in the
near future?”
Jason’s eyes bugged out. “Whoa, Mom! I’m way too young for that.”
“I second that,” Damon chimed in.
I could see the terror in their eyes.
“Jason would have to actually date first. Then, the thought of marriage would probably make his head spin,” Meg said.
With one arm on the table and the other arm on Meg’s shoulder, Jason pretended to sway. “Did someone say the word marriage?”
Every one of us threw our heads back, laughing at Jason’s dramatics. When I looked up, I glanced around the table and smiled. I was surrounded by loved ones once again. I wiped away tears from all the laughing, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself take pleasure in the happiness from being with family and friends.
When I first returned, I had felt awkward and out of place since I had disappeared for so long, but it hadn’t bothered my family and friends. They had welcomed me back with open arms, making me feel like I belonged once again. The thought warmed and comforted me in so many ways. I was relieved to see that nothing could come between us.
We were strong, united, and unbreakable just as a family should be. The saying was true—absence made the heart grow fonder.
***
After dinner, we all made our way to the fire pit. Kyle and Jason started the fire. As they added more wood to make the flame bigger, Meg and I sat next to each other in the grass. Ted and Jane took the hammock. Afraid to tip over, Jane braced herself with caution while Ted helped to steady her. A.J. was sitting on the other side of Meg, quietly watching the flames, and Damon was next to him. When Kyle joined me, he gathered me in his arms.
As we all stared into the fire, Jason went straight to busting out the ingredients to make s’mores. He was truly just a big kid. He was always snacking on sweets, yet he never gained an ounce of fat.
“Now, these babies have some fond memories.” Jason passed out a round of sticks and the bag of marshmallows.
“Yeah, I remember you eating half the package while we each got one,” I said sarcastically while extending my marshmallow and stick into the flames.
“We were lucky if we got one.” Damon took the stick from Jason’s hand and snuck a few extra marshmallows out of the bag.
The movement showed off his biceps, and I noticed a tattoo around his upper arm. I bit my lip to stifle my round of questions. I didn’t want to call him out in front of his family. Aunt Lucie hated tattoos. I could only imagine how upset she would be.
“Hey!” Jason shouted, yanking the bag away.
“Payback’s a bitch.” Damon grinned.
Kyle spoke in a low tone, “Are they always like this?”
I sighed exasperatedly. No matter how crazy they could be, I still loved them. “Yep.”
“No wonder you are so tough.” Kyle shook his head against my hair. “You had to deal with three of them.” He chortled.
A.J. leaned around Meg to look at Kyle. “Try being the odd man out against the three musketeers. I was doomed from the beginning.”
“I can only imagine. My brother and I had to watch out for our sister, and I thought she had it bad with two brothers. But three boys?” Kyle chuckled. “I can’t even picture it.”
Jason asked A.J. to help him grab the cooler filled with beer for the men and wine coolers for the ladies. The late-night air started to cool my skin, and I snuggled closer to Kyle.
Meg spoke up and started reminiscing about more childhood memories—the seven of us hanging out around the fire, rotating sleepovers, and taking out the four-wheelers through the trails.
Since we were all born and raised in the same neighborhood, we had so many shared memories, yet we each had our own perspective and feelings about them. We had so many times when we all laughed or argued or cried together. Some of them, I didn’t even remember until someone else repeated it.
By the end of the night, we had formed a circle around the fire pit. Enjoying our limited time together, we all took turns telling stories while sipping our drinks. It was even better when the parents recalled the memories from their point of views. We laughed and smiled at each story.
Meg and A.J. were the first to leave, and then their parents followed, saying they had a busy morning. It was nice to have a few quiet moments with Aunt Lucie, Uncle Dan, Jason, and Damon. I only wished that Blake could have shared in the evening, too. I said a silent prayer for him to come home from the service safely.
I felt a sense of relief that my parents and Annie hadn’t been mentioned in much detail. It felt wrong to feel that way, but I wasn’t sure if I could control my feelings yet, especially with so many eyes fixated on me. The pressure would have been tough. I hoped I could speak more freely about them someday in the future, but I didn’t think I was quite ready to test those waters now. I thought everyone felt the same way, too, but I wasn’t positive.
Our easy conversation continued until the fire started to dim. We said our good-byes, and I even got my beloved bear hugs.
“Can we have dinner again tomorrow night, dear?” Lucie asked me.
“I can’t tomorrow. I have plans with Meg, but we can get together the following evening,” I answered.
Aunt Lucie nodded. “Okay. Have you decided how long you’ll be in town? I’d like to plan a few more days for us to spend time together.”
“Not yet,” I said, feeling many sets of probing eyes on me. “But I’ll be sure to let everyone know as soon as I do.”
Right now, the only definite plan I had was to stay through the weekend. Beyond that was unforeseeable. Life had proven to me over and over again that things could change in the blink of an eye.
When the door closed after everyone had left, Kyle and I simultaneously let out a deep breath. Turning to look at each other, we both laughed, and he wrapped his arms around me.
“Damn,” I said softly, stunned. It had been a great time, but entertaining was tiring. I felt like I had run a marathon. “Until now, I never realized how much work goes into hosting a houseful of guests.”
“We survived though,” Kyle offered hopefully, looking exhausted.
I nodded sleepily. “We did.”
“Let’s not do it again soon.”
“Agreed.” I chuckled.
Bending forward, Kyle scooped me into his arms, and I laid my head against his shoulder.
“Next time, let’s do it at someone else’s house,” I suggested.
Kyle laughed as he walked up the stairs to my room. “Definitely.”
After he gently laid me down, he dropped flat on his back against the mattress. I firmly nestled into his chest, and we were out in record speed.
I awoke to the sound of a heartbeat against my ear. It was a steady, even thump, thump. I attempted to nuzzle closer, loving the soothing rhythm, but my legs felt trapped. I kicked out, trying to free them. My head rose slightly as Kyle yawned.
After a deep, throaty morning chuckle, he said, “Good morning, my beautiful little bed hog.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and easily lifted me closer to my destination.
I tucked my arms under my chin and peered into those dreamy dark eyelashes, watching them flutter. His eyes were still hazed with sleep. He was incredibly sexy.
“Who you callin’ a bed hog?” I asked, still unable to free my legs entangled in the sheets.
Kyle’s chest rose and fell with another wave of silent laughter. “You, definitely you.” His eyebrow rose slightly. “You’re the one who is all twisted up in the sheets. And I have…” He sat up, taking me with him, looking at each of his sides. “Hmm, imagine that. I have none.”
I shifted again, trying to free my legs, as I held off my own laugh. Kyle reached forward and grabbed my legs. He lifted me slightly off the bed and yanked the blanket free. I hit the mattress on a whoosh. I took a deep breath to hold off the laughter beseeching to erupt from my chest. I will not let him win.
Grinning like an idiot, Kyle cocooned himself in the blanket. The cool air immediately assaulted my bare legs
, and goose bumps began to creep along my skin.
“Hey! Share!” I dived for the blanket, attempting to wrestle my way inside the warmth.
He held me back effortlessly. “Share? I should be saying that to you!” He laughed while evading my efforts.
As the bastard grinned smugly, I huffed in defeat with my wild morning hair falling against my cheeks.
Sitting up, Kyle lifted a corner of the blanket and met my eyes. “Now, ask me nicely,” he demanded with a smirk.
I took what little wiggle room I had and used it to my advantage. With pure determination, I leaped at him full force to tackle him. His hands automatically opened. He caught me and pivoted quickly. As he pinned me underneath his large muscled frame, I panted while lying flat on my back. In the silence, we sized each other up, and then I erupted into a fit of giggles. I squirmed beneath him even though I knew it was a wasted effort.
When his broad thigh parted my legs, Kyle’s eyes darkened with mischief. One little dimple appeared on his left cheek, but it quickly disappeared. “Ready to share yet?” His tone was soft, but he kept his game face on.
I bit my lip and shook my head in denial. I hated to give up. As I thought about my next move, my gaze averted to his strong, defined chest. I focused on his muscles as he took a breath in before slowly letting it out. He would not be moved until he wanted to be.
I realized there was only one way I could win. I pounced fast and kissed him feverishly. Even the smallest, shortest of kisses with him were full of passion and love.
His full lips felt heavenly as they pressed into mine. I trailed my hands down along the side of his rib cage, and a low rumble of approval left his chest. I might be able to divert his attention easily, but I was also distracting myself in the process. It was like eating chocolate. One bite was never enough. It made me crave more. The warmth of one’s mouth made the chocolate melt, and only then could the flavor be tasted on the tongue.
Kyle was chocolate. He was my chocolate. The only thing that could ruin that bite of chocolate was getting a whiff of an awful smell.
I sighed as my chocolate pulled away when the moment was ruined.