by Laura Clark
I find it kind of curious that Kyle didn't have much to say about catching me making out with my elusive boyfriend, and yet he is being over-the-top paranoid about Trevor and Avery. He's more protective of Avery than he is with me, and I'm his real sister.
Trevor is sitting behind Avery on one of the steps in the pool. I can tell he is being very careful, keeping Avery at somewhat of a distance. It makes me wonder what else was exchanged between Trevor and Kyle after Georgia pulled me away.
A shiver runs down my spine when I feel something icy and wet being pressed against my neck. I jump a little, sending Sam into a fit of laughter.
"So, how come you aren't swimming, lil sis?" he asks with a knowing smile on his face. His voice is so loud that I'm positive our neighbors could hear him.
I glare at him as he walks away. He glances back at me once, just to show me his devilish smile. I can see part of the purple string from my bikini top peeking out the side of his pocket.
"Laila, are you getting in or what?" Avery asks me. She scoots herself further back on the step and lays against Trevor's chest. He hesitates for a moment before wrapping his gorgeous arms around her waist. His face looks impossibly red. He won't look at me, even though Avery is talking to me.
"Maybe I will a little later, okay? I swam earlier and am a little tired right now," I say casually. Why didn't I just change into my one piece when I had the chance?
Sam is heading toward the house with even more of my swimsuit top falling out of his pocket. I run up behind him, to cover it up before anyone else notices it. When we get inside, he plops down on the bar stool and swivels it around to face me. I stand in front of him with my arms crossed.
"Did you realize the string is hanging out of your pocket?" I ask him.
Sam's smile grows as he removes the damp fabric from his pocket and holds it out in front of me. Right as I am about to grab it, he pulls it back. He grabs a fistful of my shirt with his other hand, and pulls me so I am standing right between his legs. He drops the swimsuit on the counter and sneaks his hands under my shirt. His hands are resting on my hips under my big shirt, as he leans down and brushes his lips against mine. He moves his fingertips up along my bare stomach and across my rib cage, as our mouths dance.
We forget about the fact that anyone could walk in on us at any time and catch us making out. His hands roam further up my bare chest until they find my breasts. I pull back at first, but he just pulls me closer, and continues kissing me. It is so easy to get lost with his lips wrapped around mine. I just want to freeze time and stay here forever.
We have to stop abruptly, when we hear the back door creak open. I snatch my top from the counter and step away from Sam, hoping there is enough distance between us to look normal.
Trevor walks into the kitchen wearing nothing but his wet board shorts. His dark, wet hair almost looks gelled because it is falling perfectly against his tanned forehead. I almost can't look at him because he looks too damned good right now. It's a good thing my face is already flushed from my mini make-out session with Sam. Otherwise, Sam may have picked up on my obvious attraction to Trevor.
"Hey," he says casually to me, not even looking at Sam. His eyes are twinkling and his dimples wink at me, as the corners of his lips sneak up into a sexy smile.
Sam just sits there quietly on the stool, drinking his beer with a straight face. Trevor looks down at my hands and squints, before his intense green eyes flare up with realization. His face flushes and he quickly turns away, much in the same way he did upstairs. I am so busy gawking at him that I didn't realize I am still holding my bikini top right out in plain sight.
Seriously? Could this night get any more humiliating? I ball the fabric up into my fist, and stalk off to the bathroom. I catch Sam smirking at me as I walk towards the bathroom. I am going to kill him for not giving me back my top right away.
When I return, Trevor is gone. Sam is waiting patiently on the same bar stool. He walks over to me, and flicks at the strings of my bikini top that is now tied securely around my neck. He sighs, as his lips turn down into a pout. I shake my head and playfully tap his shoulder back. He pretends to sulk for a moment, before pulling me back into an embrace. I softly kiss his cheek, forcing his lips to curl up.
He holds the gold L charm delicately in the palm of his hand as he plays with the small pendant, rolling it back and forth between his thumb and index finger. "I really like this on you," he whispers in my ear, his hot breath sending tingles down my shoulder.
I smile and lean my cheek into him. Once again, we are pushing the boundaries of our arrangement, knowing full well that it could be over as quickly as it started, should we get caught.
Even though we'd rather stay in together like this for the rest of the evening, we decide that it's probably better if we go swim with the rest of the group in order to avoid suspicion.
Needless to say, it is not much fun hanging out with Sam as just friends, not with two other couples being all coupley, especially since we really should be the third couple. At some point, we are going to have to sit down and have the talk with Kyle, but it's not going to be tonight.
After about forty-five minutes of splashing around in the pool, I decide to call it a night. Avery and Trevor are sitting on that same stupid step, but they seem much cozier than they were before. For some reason, Kyle seems to have let up a little on Trevor. In fact, he is no longer watching Avery like a hawk.
His attention seems to be back on his girlfriend, as it should be. Georgia is lying with her head in his lap on the side of the pool. He keeps brushing his hands through her hair, pushing it gently off of her forehead. It's so strange to see him being so affectionate.
I really thought there would be more tension between Avery and Georgia considering how Avery has been in love with Kyle forever, but they seem to have clicked right away. It's hard not to like Georgia, and there really is no reason for her not to like Avery. None that she is aware of, anyway.
The commotion on the other side of the pool draws my attention away from the happy couples. Sam is playing around on the diving board, doing flips, and cannon balls, acting like a child. He makes me laugh.
"I'm shot. I can only take so much of this lovey-dovey couple stuff. I think I'm going to turn in. Avery, you can stay up as late as you want."
She seems a little disappointed, but I'm sure she'll get over it.
"Okay. I won't be far behind you. Nighty-night, Lays," she says cheerfully while winking. Trevor nods and smiles distantly, without really making eye contact with me. I still cannot believe he caught me without my swimsuit top on, twice.
Everyone says good night to me, except for Sam. He jumps out of the pool and quickly wraps a towel around his waist, before chasing after me. Seeing his wet bare chest move up and down as he catches his breath is enough to make my legs wobble. I try not to stare openly at him, but he has moved himself so he is blocking my path to the deck. A chest like that just demands your attention.
"You can't leave me alone with Coupleville, Lis," he whines. He has a sexy smile painted across his face. Water is dripping from his dark eyelashes. I so badly want to reach up and kiss his wet lips right now.
"Nobody is forcing you to stay out here. You could always go to bed, too," I say with a little too much enthusiasm.
Sam's smile grows. His eyes sparkle, as his eyebrows arch up. "Is that a suggestion or a request?" he asks huskily.
I have to turn my head away. He is staring at me intensely with those hungry, deep-sea eyes. I look around to make sure nobody sees us. Luckily, both couples are far too caught up in their own worlds to notice anything that Sam and I are doing.
"Wouldn't you like to know," I tease him, before scampering off into the house. I can feel him on my heels as I hop up the stairs to my room. He sneaks up behind me, scoops me up into his arms, and flips me over his shoulders before I make it to the top of the steps.
"Sam, what are you doing? Put me down," I demand. I lightly pound on his arms while lau
ghing. He carries me into my room, kicks the door shut, and lays me down on my bed.
"Sam, my suit is soaking wet," I whine, while wiggling around underneath him.
His eyes dance wildly down to my bare stomach. "I can help you get rid of it," he says, while tugging at the top of my bikini bottoms. I push his hand away gently, roll over, and scoot off of my bed. I walk over to my dresser and pull some pajamas out of the drawer.
"That's okay. I think I can handle it," I say with a smirk. He walks up behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and pulls me back against his chest.
"I'd love to handle it for you." His smooth voice makes me shiver.
"I bet you would. I need to take a shower." I unravel myself from his embrace. I plant a quick kiss on his cheek and head out of my room to the bathroom.
He follows me, leans against the bathroom doorframe, and crosses his arms over his chest. "I need to take a shower, too. We could always save some time, some water, and you know, just take one together," he says suggestively, while flashing me a silly grin.
"I don't think that would be a good idea. Don't you think we've caused enough trouble for one night?"
"No. Definitely not. I want to cause a lot more trouble with you," he teases me, while leaning in and placing soft kisses all over my bare shoulders from behind me. I shake my head, but my lips are turned up. "At least let me tuck you in after you're done showering?" he asks me, his hot breath on my ear. I can't help but smile and nod.
"I'll be quick," I promise him. I gently nudge him back out of the bathroom and close the door.
I am surprised to see Sam lying on my bed, showered and dressed in dry basketball shorts with a clean t-shirt, when I return. I guess he used my parents’ bathroom. He is pretending to read one of my magazines, which makes me laugh. I plop down on the edge of the bed and lean over his shoulder, acting like I am reading along with him. After about a minute, he closes the magazine and looks up.
"Oh, I didn't see you there. This article about . . ." He opens the magazine back up to some random page, and reads the headline. "Accessorizing on a Budget is really interesting." The sarcasm in his voice is really thick. I shake my head, snatch the magazine out of his hands, and toss it onto the nightstand.
"What? You're not interested in accessorizing?" he teases me. I scoot myself further back on the bed against the headboard so I am sitting next to him. I cross my legs, and lift his arm up, so he can wrap it around me.
He squeezes my shoulder while pulling me into a tighter embrace. He smells unbelievably good, and feels warm against my cool, dewy skin.
"Did you have fun tonight, Lis?" he asks me softly, while twirling one of my long, wet ringlets around his fingers.
"I did. The whole night was amazing. Well, until Kyle and everyone else came home." I look up at him. "Thank you for everything, Sam. You are incredible."
I lay my head against his shoulder, and breathe in his fresh, clean scent. He tilts my chin back up so I am facing him, before he leans in and kisses me softly on the lips. It is a sweet, tender kiss that leaves me feeling weak and breathless. He keeps his eyes closed, as if he is savoring the moment.
I love how peaceful he looks with his long, dark eyelashes pressed against his perfect, tanned skin. I notice he has a fresh sprinkling of freckles across his nose. When he slowly opens his eyes again, a sexy smile spreads across his pink cheeks. He gazes at me lazily, while stroking his hand up and down my arm affectionately. My heart is hammering so hard I'm sure Sam can feel it pounding against his chest, as if it were his own.
"No, you are incredible," he counters. He reaches behind my head and pulls me to his lips again, instantly moving and parting mine so our tongues can meet. His kiss is harder, deeper, and more passionate than before.
I could kiss Sam all night and never get bored. Our lips feel natural and charged together. With each kiss, he teaches me new ways to explore his mouth, and it is like learning a brand new dance. He takes the lead, moving our lips together gracefully.
I reach up and slip my fingers through his perfectly messy, tousled, damp hair. He pulls me over so he can cradle me in his lap without losing our connection. His hands slip under my pajama tank top, causing me to shiver. His fingers don't waste any time finding my bare chest. He’s just picking up where we had left things earlier.
He suddenly flips me over so I am on my back with him carefully leaning over me. His hands are busy exploring the curves of my chest while he leaves a trail of kisses down my neck. My body feels like an inferno of intense need. The craving for him to be closer becomes so strong, that my mind yet again fades away, completely powerless.
I don't know how to slow things down, but I know that I should. My tank is now hiked up over my right breast. I am not expecting it when his hot, wet lips go there. The contact instantly sends a million prickling sensations rocketing through my body. I keep trying to tell myself to stop, but my body refuses to listen. It is completely lost in the magic of Sam.
He brings his lips back up to meet mine, pressing more of his body weight into mine. His hand is still cupping my breast. I reach my hands under his shirt and dig my fingernails lightly into his back. He moans deeply in between kisses, while his other hand moves down my bare stomach towards my shorts. Just as he inches the tips of his fingers under the elastic waistband, we are startled by the sound of my door being thrust open.
"What the fuck? What are you doing with my sister?" Kyle's voice is so loud, it echoes in my ears for what feels like minutes afterwards. Sam quickly rolls off me, while I pull my tank down, and attempt to straighten out my rumpled pajamas.
"You fucking bastard. Who do you think you are? That was you earlier, wasn't it? In the pool?" Kyle's accusations rip through the air, leaving a bile-like tension that is making me nauseous.
Uh oh. He's mad. He's really, really, really mad. I know this, not just because our cheeks are a matching shade of crimson. It is because he is outright cussing. Not only that, but he is dropping multiple F-Bombs. That definitely means something coming from Kyle.
The reason he doesn't cuss isn't because it's vulgar, or because our parents don't approve. Mom and Dad don't, but that isn't the point. He looks at cuss words the same way some people look at the word love. He says, "You can't just throw it around all the time to everybody you run into, or it loses its meaning." He jokes, "A good cuss word demands respect, if it is used properly." He saves them for those very rare occasions when he wants to further emphasize just how angry or upset he is.
In this case, he is expressing his extreme disapproval of one or all of the following things:
A. He is not happy to find his best friend alone with his baby sister in her bedroom.
B. He does not like the way our bodies were positioned on my bed.
C. He does not appreciate the fact that we practically had our tongues shoved down each other's throats.
D. He does not like how Sam's hands were all over my body, especially how they were groping unmentionable areas that my brother would like to pretend I don't have.
I completely get it. After all, this was never supposed to be how Kyle finds out about us. He probably wants to rip Sam's head off for messing with his little sister. Sam isn't just messing around with me, though. It's more than that, and I wonder if Kyle realizes this.
"Kyle, just calm down. This isn't what you think it is," Sam tries to reassure him.
He is cautiously staying on the other side of my bed, which is wise, because Kyle's knuckles are turning white as he pulls them tightly into a fist, over and over again. It looks like he's about ready to start boxing any moment now.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Kyle is anything but calm. He has crazy eyes right now. In fact, he looks a little bit like Jack Nicholson from The Shining.
"It is exactly what it looks like. You are in my little sister's room. I found you on my sister, in her fucking bed, you asshole. That is not okay, not in any way, shape, or form. Do you realize that my dad would murder you if he
knew? He would actually go to jail because of your stupid, selfish, prick behavior."
Kyle is pacing the room frantically, balling his hands into fists repeatedly. It must be taking everything in him not to deck Sam right now.
"Kyle, just listen to me," Sam tries once again reason with him, but Kyle won't let him get a word in edgewise.
"Sixteen years old, Sam. She's fucking jailbait, for fuck's sake. Forget about the fact that she's my goddamned little sister, you perverted piece of shit!"
"I'll be seventeen next month, Kyle," I remind him sheepishly.
"Stay out of this, Laila," he snaps at me. "Sam should know better." Kyle looks at Sam and shakes his head in disgust. His anger seems to be easing up a little, but the disappointment that follows is almost worse.
"Kyle . . ."
"No. Don't. You're supposed to be my best friend. I thought you were a part of our family. How could you do this?" Kyle looks like he could burst into tears at any minute, which is crazy because he does not cry, either. He didn't even cry at Nana's funeral, even though I know he was just as crazy about her as I was.
Sam drops his head down shamefully and stares at his feet. His chin is pressed against his chest, making him look like a kid that is being scolded by his parents.
"Kyle, cut it out. You are being so unreasonable," I say, as I reach for Sam's hand. Sam pulls away from me before I can make contact, which makes my stomach drop.
"This is none of your business, Laila. This is between him and me." Kyle says sternly.
"Um, it kind of is my business. I mean, we are in my room, and last I checked, those were my lips Sam was kissing." Kyle cringes upon hearing me. "If you are going to be pissed at anyone, you should be pissed at both of us, not just him. Plus, Sam isn't taking advantage of me. He's my boyfriend, Kyle. We're dating." I am trying to explain everything, but I can tell Kyle is not even listening to me. He is way too focused on glaring hatefully at Sam.