by Cosette Hale
“What happened?” I reached for his hand. He pulled it away.
“I sliced it with a saw. But it’s not that deep, and the firefighter said it shouldn’t need stitches. He was going to clean it for me, but I ran over here. I didn’t want them wasting their resources on me. There are people trapped in there, Audrey,” he said gravely.
“Hold on, there’s a first aid kit in here somewhere with gauze, tape, and triple antibiotic cream. First clean it with water, and here,” I said handing him the hydrogen peroxide, “Pour this on it.”
“Are you kidding? That hurts like a bitch,” he said, shaking his head.
“Don’t be a baby. You just cut your hand with a saw, and you’re worried about a little peroxide?” It would sting like hell, but he needed it. He snatched the bottle from my hand and went over to the sink.
“The water’s off,” he said, trying at the handle.
“Grab a bottle of water under that cupboard,” I said, searching the drawers and cupboards for the first-aid kit. I found it as Harvey cursed over and over again while he poured the peroxide on the gash. His hand shaking, he poured water over it afterward.
“Better?” I asked. He threw me a nasty look, and I laughed.
“Come here,” I said, patting the wound dry and applying pressure with a clean paper towel. After the bleeding stopped, I applied triple antibiotic cream on it. His hands were rough from the work he’d put in today, and I tingled all over as I touched him. I put the gauze on and secured it with tape. “Done,” I said, looking up at him with a smile. He looked exhausted, and sweaty too, but with no running water at the moment he’d have to do with wiping himself off if that’s what he wanted. I secretly wished I could do him the favor myself, but backed away from him when I saw that familiar gleam in his eyes, remembering the plan to keep my distance.
“Thanks,” he said, his eyes expressing so much more than simple gratitude. Harvey walked right over and put his good hand behind my head, pulling me to him. It was impulsive of him, but my lips met his without a second thought. All traces of reason vanished momentarily. I tasted him, but I wanted more and grabbed at his shirt. He made to take it off, but I stopped him when my good sense returned to me. We pulled apart, my mouth open as I tried to catch my breath and still my heart, which nearly pounded out of my chest. I wanted desperately for him to touch me but…
“Our parents,” I whispered. He was as turned on as I (it was obvious from the way his shorts jutted out in front of him), but he nodded, running his uninjured hand through his hair. At that moment, the guest room door opened. We jumped away from each other, and Mrs. Garrett strutted in, cooing over her injured son. I left them and went to the back door, letting myself outside.
I tried to focus on other things, like the surrounding disaster. The backyard didn’t look much different than the rest of the tossed-about neighborhood, but I sat on a plastic chair that had dried by then. It was much cooler out here than inside, but that wasn’t saying much. The heat invaded everywhere, but with the temperature inside increasing every minute, and not a breeze to go through the house, it was getting stuffy. I didn’t notice it as much until after Harvey kissed me.
Harvey kissed me. Again. It was so mind-blowingly amazing to be kissed by him that I didn’t think I’d be able stop him a third time. I waited for my body to return to normal, but it didn’t. There was a constant buzz now that wouldn’t shut off.
After a while, all the parents joined me, and my dad turned on the barbecue to grill us the meat from the freezer before it went bad. My mom used the little stovetop on the side of the barbecue to make some mashed potatoes, using the milk she had transferred to the freezer that morning. Soon all of it would spoil, and we didn’t know how long this power outage would last. We had listened to the radio in the car that morning, but it hadn’t given us any real timing. The news was that around a million people were without power from the storm. Mrs. Garrett turned on a battery-operated radio now, and we listened to that.
I checked my phone again, and saw a few texts coming through, one of them from Laurie, who asked how we had passed the storm. I texted her back letting her know we were fine. She reported they survived the storm, but she wasn’t too sure how her kids would survive the power outage without TV. I saw Greg’s new string of texts and simply responded, “We’re OK.” I turned off my phone, trying to conserve the battery for emergencies.
Our early dinner was ready, and Mrs. Garrett went inside to wake up her son. Harvey came outside, tired yet hungry. We were all hungry, not having eaten a proper meal until now, and the sun was about to set. I watched the stunning colors in the sky melt into the broken landscape and got bummed out by the state of my life. What would I do now? Live at home with my parents in a small town trying to recover from a natural disaster? I wanted to run away from home, if that made any sense.
Instead, I excused myself and went up to my room. I searched through my drawers with a flashlight, trying to look for momentos from my childhood, but nothing remained. My mom had given it all away back when I told her I had no use for the stuff. Sure, she had some things tucked away in the attic, and of course, she had saved the pictures. Yet I wished a drawer was hidden away like a time capsule filled with concert tickets, school dance souvenirs, or notes from my high school friends. Stuff from a time when life was so much simpler. What I wouldn’t give to go back and become an angsty teen again. I’d tell myself to get over it— that I didn’t know how easy I had it back before my dad had a heart attack, before my husband cheated on me, and before I became a stay-at-home wife with no career of my own.
Who had I become? The only thing to do now was figure out who I wanted to be. All I knew was that I did not want to be the woman that came back to live with her parents after the divorce. That might be fine for some people as a stepping-stone, but I knew myself— it would become my crutch, and I’d stay stuck. I had to get out as soon as possible. These thoughts whirled through my mind as I sat alone in the darkness until a knock at the door broke into my thoughts. I sighed.
“Come in,” I said, figuring it would be my mother, worried (rightfully so) that I’d be sitting alone in the dark. It was.
“Sweetie, the Carters across the street have invited us over for a couple of hours. Come with us. There’s nothing to do here in the dark,” she said.
“No thanks, mom. I might just read by flashlight for an hour or so and then go to sleep early.”
“OK, goodbye,” she said hesitantly, gave me a kiss, and then closed the door. A few minutes later there was another knock.
“Mom, I don’t care to go anywhere,” I called out.
“It’s not your mom,” I heard Harvey’s voice. I got up and opened the door. “They left,” he said, his voice low. He was here for one thing and one thing only, and I wanted the same thing. What the hell. I leaned in for it, the inevitable kiss, and our lips met— no they collided, and then our arms surrounded each other, roaming and finally tugging at clothes.
I let him lift my shirt, revealing one of my new lacy pink bras. Without pause, he kissed my neck. I threw my head back, savoring his mouth on such a sensitive area. His lips traveled the length of my neck, up and down and then farther along to my breasts. His hands found their way behind my back, and he unclasped my bra. It had done its job, but now it lay on the floor, my breasts exposed to Harvey’s eyes. He drank me in with his sight in such a way that I felt embarrassed and even covered myself up with my shirt that had fallen on the bed.
“What are you doing?” he said, reaching for the shirt.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“Cause you’re fucking gorgeous,” he said, stepping forward and grabbing my hands. He pushed my hands and the shirt down. Then he reached up and caressed my breast, my nipple hardening from his touch. “I’ve been wondering what you look like naked, and the reality is so much better than my imagination,” he said and dropped his head towards my nipple, sucking on it. I gave a soft moan, and he reached under me, lifting me up
.
I straddled his waist, and he lowered me onto the bed before taking his shirt off. I’d seen him like this before, and I’d seen him with only a towel, but still I was in awe at the muscles on his chest, how his abs seemed to flex in anticipation and then at my touch. He smiled and then swooped in to kiss me once again, our lips locked in a battle neither could win. I needed this. No, I needed him.
Soon his hand was inching down the elastic of my yoga pants, and again I moaned as he touched me through my lace panties. I felt my wetness below, and I knew he could too. I whimpered and moved my hips beneath him. His fingers kept toying with the lace, and I almost yelled at him to rip the rest of my clothes off when he stood up and pulled off my pants and, along with them, my underwear. There I was— completely naked in front of Harvey by the light of the lantern, in my parents’ house, after a hurricane. It was surreal, and yet I’d never been more alive.
“So fucking beautiful,” he said, and then he lowered his head to my breasts once again, leaving me in a kind of ecstasy I didn’t know existed. His tongue made circles on my belly button as his hands ventured lower. I gasped when a finger slipped inside of me, finally giving me a hint of what I needed. My breath hitched. He removed his finger and lowered his head below my belly, but I panicked and lifted his head up in fear.
“I, uh... I don’t like that,” I said, still trembling from his touch.
“Why not?” He looked confused.
“I just don’t.” I didn’t want it all to stop, but I was afraid my insecurities would scare him away. He shrugged his shoulders and then came back up to kiss me.
“Do you like this?” he asked after a long kiss.
“Yes,” I said breathlessly.
“And this?” He asked as his fingers alternated between entering me and tickling every sensitive spot down there.
“Mm-hmm,” I said unable to speak. I had enough wherewithal to reach over and work on his jeans button, and he helped take them off and then his boxers. I tried not to stare, but I couldn’t help myself. Holy crap, he was big. I was shy about it, but when he touched me again, I reached over and put my right hand around his shaft. He closed his eyes and kissed me harder, and I began to move my hand up and down. His groan was like fuel to my fire, and I burned for him.
“I want you inside me,” I said, not sure if I actually said it out loud, but then he did just that, and I nearly died of pleasure. The way he filled me so completely, the way our eyes connected, the way he smiled down at me...
It started out slowly— each time he thrust in deeper than the last, and then he picked up the pace. I moved with him, and together we were rocking to an intoxicating rhythm. Soon I was aware of a buildup, taking short gasping breaths, and reaching the end. It was intensely glorious, the orgasm spreading throughout my body in spasms beyond my control. I cried out in rapture and then felt his own release pulsing inside me as he slowed to a halt above me. His mouth was open and a low grunt escaped him before he uttered the word, “Fuck.”
After a minute of recovery, Harvey looked down at me and kissed me. Then he fell onto the bed, pulling me towards him. We were spooning, and I was vaguely aware that we had just had unprotected sex on my childhood bed, and my parents might be home at any minute. I didn’t care. His arms around me made me feel safe— safer than I had felt in a long time, and I fell asleep.
Chapter Eleven
Something bright was streaming onto my face, and I opened my eyes to see light filtering through my entire window. I was sweating even though I was still naked. The room was steamy and disgustingly hot. I looked around, saw that my bed was empty, and crossed my fingers that no one had seen Harvey leave my room last night. I lay in bed reminiscing how my body had trembled under him, how my mind had shut out everything except for our lovemaking. Despite the temperature in the room, I got goosebumps thinking of him touching me the way he did the night before with those expert hands of his. How could I look him in the eye again after all the ruckus I made?
I searched for my clothes, thrown around the room, and stuffed them into the hamper. After opening my bedroom window to let fresh air inside, I put on a tank top and shorts and went downstairs in search of breakfast. My mother was organizing of the pantry, and I saw Harvey and my father outside in the yard, Harvey taking down the shutters as my dad supervised. I wonder what they were talking about. I sat down at the kitchen counter.
“How was last night?” I asked my mom, praying she didn’t ask about my evening.
“Very nice. They wanted to share their food and water with us, which was very generous, but remember we had eaten BBQ earlier. We took some water with us. You never realize how important water is until you have a limited supply. But we should be fine with everything Julie brought with her from her house. I hope their house is fine. Harvey says he’ll give it another try today.”
“I hope they can make it,” I said.
“Audrey, I hate to ask you, but the radio this morning said they’re giving out bags of ice down by the shopping center. Would you mind going over there and getting us some?” she asked. “I don’t want your father standing in the sun so long, and there will be a long line.” Boy, did I know it. I still remember from the last time the desperation of getting a couple of bags of ice and what it does to people waiting in line for hours.
“Yeah, mom. Sure.”
“I’m going to start cleaning up the yard,” she said. She was still sorting through canned foods, picking out our lunch I assumed.
“What can I eat for breakfast?” I asked, picking my hair up in a ponytail.
“Well, there’s cereal, and the milk has been sitting in the ice, which is mostly melted. But it should have kept it fresh until you bring more ice.”
“Sounds delicious,” I said grabbing a bowl. As I was finishing, my father, Mrs. Garrett, and Harvey walked in. My body betrayed me immediately, and I was afraid a blush covered my face when our eyes locked. He was sweating from the outside work, and his own face was flush from the heat. I gave him half a smile, and he returned it with full measure.
“Good morning,” he said to me. I hoped only I noticed the wink he gave me.
“Good morning— everyone,” I said. We discussed our plans for the day. Harvey and his mother were leaving soon to attempt to reach her house. My mother would work on the yard, and my father would relax and try not to let the heat overpower him, according to my mother. She suggested he give himself a sponge bath since the water was still not running. The news on the radio said it should be back by the next day, at the earliest, but a boil water warning would be in effect until further notice.
Off I went to the shopping center to get ice. Unfortunately, the line was exactly what I expected. I put on a baseball cap, sunglasses, and sunscreen, and waited for an hour to get a few bags of ice and a couple of extra water gallons. I brought my car over when it was my turn and loaded it in myself since the relief workers were busy with a handicapped woman. I recognized no one in line, which was kind of strange, and I wondered if there were people there from other towns.
As I drove away, I thought I spotted someone I would not have liked to run into, and I thanked the Lord I did not. My high school boyfriend Justin. If it were not for Greg, I might have dated Justin far longer than I should have. He was an abusive boyfriend, and my young teenage self didn’t realize it until too late. I shook my head to dispel the memories and kept driving, hoping that woman standing next to him was stronger than I was.
Upon returning to the house, I rested a few minutes after unloading everything and putting the ice bags in the freezer. After I’d cooled down, I went out back to help my mother.
“Tia Lucy says hello,” she said.
“Oh, you spoke with her?” I asked, filling a trash bag with debris.
“Yes, I hadn’t received anything from her except that text message she sent saying they were fine, but she called me a few minutes ago. They didn’t have enough plywood to cover all the windows, so a tree broke the sliding glass door to her m
aster bedroom. They have a lot of damage in that room from the water, not to mention having to put a new door and have the tree removed. She says Jack has been out there for the past two days with a chainsaw because another tree fell on their shed. The only thing we can be thankful for is that we didn’t get hit by the tornado and that there wasn’t so much water to flood us.”
“Hopefully, the same can be said for Mrs. Garrett’s house,” I said.
Not too long after, Harvey returned and came outside to say they had news about his neighborhood. I tried to listen and show my sympathy, but really I was staring at his arms. I remembered what those strong arms could do.
“We learned that all the houses had been submerged on that street and there’s still too much water to make it down that way,” he said. “My mom’s in the guest room. She said she was going to take a nap, but she’s real bummed.”
“Well, it’s no wonder. Poor Julie. Listen, Harvey, whatever plans she wants to make for where she’ll stay are fine, but she’s invited to stay with Elton and I as long as she needs,” my mom said. I was so proud of my mom, always helping everyone.
“Thank you, Mrs. Whitman,” Harvey said, genuine in his gratitude. “I spoke to the restaurant I manage, and I have to be back on Monday morning. I’m going to see if flights are taking off yet so I can leave tomorrow. It gives me some peace of mind that my mom is safe here.”
“Of course, sweetie, you do what you have to do. I know how work can be,” she said, and Harvey looked at me and made a motion for me to follow him.
“Um, mom, I’m going to get a drink of water,” I said, walking behind him inside to the kitchen.
Once inside, I whispered, “What’s up?” He closed the door and pulled my hand until we were out of view from any window, and he drew me to him. He kissed me softly, and I responded, our lips molding together. When he ended the kiss, he put his forehead to mine and whispered, “I don’t want to leave you.” I smiled, goose bumps traveling over every inch of my skin.