by J. Nichole
Laughing, I ignore his comment and say, “I should probably get back to the room.” It’s a Friday night but I’m headed home in the morning for the summer concert with Josh. Josh. I should be thinking about Josh, and not here praying my legs don’t spread.
“Did you hear me?” I didn’t realize he was talking to me. I shift in my seat and smile. “Guess that’s a no.” I blink my eyes a few times. “I was just saying you don’t have to rush home now. I have a guest room and you’re welcome to stay.”
Stay? Here? With my legs quivering and begging to open? Yeah right. “I’ll have to take a rain check on that one. I’m headed home in the morning.”
Dante looks away from me and his head hangs. “Journalist student at L.U. in Jacksonville on internship at What’s Happening Jacksonville.”
“Yes.” We exchange looks and he stands up and grabs the blanket, throwing it off of me before reaching for my hand.
“I just realized I don't even know where you’re from.” He shakes his head. “That’s pretty horrible.”
Shrugging my shoulders I say, “We skipped the basic questions.”
Dante looks at me with a coy smile. “Those are important.” Taking a few steps towards me he asks, “Where are you from?
I take a few steps away from him and respond, “Fort Walton Beach.”
He closes the space between us and says, “I’m familiar with that area.” His eyebrows scrunch together. “What’s your favorite color?”
Looking up at him, I laugh. “You’re keeping it real basic.” He nods. “It’s yellow. My birthday is in October.” I take a deep breath to try to slow my beating heart. “October fifteenth.”
Dante leans in and this time I don’t back away. Our lips connect and he backs up into the chair, pulling me atop of him. With his hands tangled in my hair he pulls my face closer to his and his tongue explores every inch of my mouth. He moves a hand from my head and rubs a thumb across my nipple. My nipple peaks and my back arches, inching me even closer to him. I straddle his lap and deepen our kiss. He moans against my mouth, kissing me down my neck and nibbles on my earlobe. His manhood grows against my thigh and I begin to rock against him, causing friction that sends me over ecstasy.
He breaks our kiss and looks at me, smiling. “We should probably get you out of here.” He kisses my neck. “Unless you can skip your trip home tomorrow.” My trip can wait. I lean in and kiss the tip of his nose and then plant small kisses on his jawbone. “Does that mean you’re staying?”
Oh how I wish I could stay, but I shouldn’t. “As much as I want to stay I shouldn’t skip my trip tomorrow.” Standing up, I shake my head at Dante, who is looking at me with his eyes half closed.
He stands up behind me with his manhood pressed into my back. A not so gentle reminder of what I’m leaving. Our ride back to the dorms we ask each other twenty questions. Filling each other in on all the basics.
As he walks me to my door, he holds my hand and the few people we pass stand with their mouths wide open. I realize that my anonymity is out the door and any one of them could blast this moment across the Internet. But at this moment I couldn't care less.
Chapter Eight
“You look good, Laila. Last time I saw you, you were…” Josh admires my body, taking in all I have on display in my coral sundress.
“I was what? Looking a hot mess?” I laugh at him, trying to be modest. “Especially when you ran into me at the grocery store. I can’t believe I let myself go out like that.”
“A hot mess would be a compliment for how you looked that day.”
I slap Josh on the arm.
“What? You know you looked a mess.” He leans down and kisses my cheek. “But you know the good thing about you looking a hot mess that day?”
“Can anything about that day be good?” I roll my eyes at Josh and pull away from his attempt at embracing me. The boardwalk is packed with tourists and concertgoers waiting for the first act to start. We hardly have any space between us as we walk along the row of restaurants, and Josh is using it to his advantage to be as close to me as possible.
"The good thing about that day is that we had the opportunity to give us a try. To test the waters a bit." We continue walking along the boardwalk and I think about the last time we were here together. Fresh off of heartbreak and crushing even harder on Josh than I did when I was in high school.
“And here we are, again. Full circle.”
"Imagine that." The difference about today and that day is that I don't feel as strongly for Josh as I did then. I don't feel the butterflies or the spark. The butterflies and spark were once there. When he was out of reach.
“The concert should be starting soon. We should get over to our seats.” Josh grabs my hand and we walk along side by side through the crowd of young, and those trying to be young. The men on the prowl and the women trying to be seen. When we make it to our seats, we see Tanya is standing up with her boo, swaying to Zendaya. When she looks over at me, a wide grin spreads across her face and she opens her arms wide to gather me in a hug.
"I didn't know you were going to be here," I say, looking at her and Josh with my eyes squinted.
“What? And miss seeing my best friend? Never.” She looks at Josh and smiles. “As much as he wanted to keep you to himself I convinced him we’d have fun together.”
Tanya’s boo looks over at Josh and shakes his hand. “So who is this?” I whisper in her ear. “He’s sexy. Looks rather mature.” By mature I mean he looks at least ten years older than us.
Tanya laughs and says, “His name is Nate. We met a few months ago. If you would keep in touch with me you would know these things.” She jabs me in my side. “Let me introduce you.”
She stands beside Nate and introduces us. Before we can hold a conversation the music speeds up and the crowd is shouting with the music. I'm thankful for the change in pace but in spite of the quick beat Josh stands behind me and I give into my desire to grind against him. We continue through a few more songs until Zendaya leaves the stage and Tanya asks me to help her find the restroom.
"How have you been?" Tanya watches me through the mirror while she reapplies her fire red lipstick. Lipstick that matches her skintight halter dress.
"I've been good. I'm glad you came along. We are way overdue for catching up."
She turns to me and leans against the sink. "Think you can sneak away from Josh long enough for us to grab lunch?"
Josh rented us a room for the night. I didn't plan on staying in the area too long. Although my mom is team Josh she would be pissed to know we are staying the night together. I didn't even tell my parents I was coming to town. "How about dinner tonight? I'm headed back early in the morning."
She cocks her head and then snickers, "Mrs. Jackson doesn't know you are being naughty this weekend?"
We both laugh and she nods her head. "I don't know what Nate had planned." She turns and looks at herself in the mirror. "Who am I kidding?" She slides her hand down her hips. "I know what he has planned but I'm not with it."
At least both of us are on the same page. Sex with Josh is the last thing on my mind. To spare myself a lecture on how not to break her brother's heart I think I'll keep those details to myself. "Dinner it is then." We decide on a restaurant away from the boardwalk to avoid the crowds.
Walking out of the bathroom Tanya leans into me and says, “I saw that picture of you and the football player.” I continue walking beyond the group of people walking towards the bathrooms. “What’s going on with him?”
Without facing her, I shrug and say, “Nothing. I’m just enjoying my single status.”
“We need more time together to catch up.” She groans before we rejoin the guys.
"Didn't think y'all were coming back." Nate looks down at Tanya with a grin on his face.
"We had to take a minute to catch up." Tanya looks at me, smiling. "And we decided we need more time." Nate raises his eyebrow. "Dinner tonight. All four of us." She looks between Josh and Nate.
>
Josh interrupts. "What if I had plans for us tonight?" Josh shakes his head. "For Laila and I."
Tanya ignores Josh and looks to Nate. "You don't mind, do you?"
Nate shrugs his shoulders and says, "Guess not."
Josh groans and looks to me, "Alright. Where are we going?"
Tanya jumps up and down and hugs her brother around the neck. "Jasmine Thai." Tanya looks at me, grinning.
We enjoy the rest of the concert but as we are leaving, Josh pulls me aside. Tanya and Nate continue through the crowd. The sun is setting and a breeze chills my bare arms. I shiver, looking at Josh, waiting for him to speak. "You're only in town for a few more hours. I was hoping we could relax without my sister around."
Conflicted between spending time with Josh and my best friend I shrug my shoulders. “We both know Tanya is difficult when her mind is made up, and convincing her to let us be alone will take an act of God. We can just do appetizers and then we can leave to do whatever you have planned."
Josh smiles and a slight flicker of a butterfly stirs in the pit of my stomach. His dimple does something to me. He grabs my hand and we catch up with Tanya and Nate. Nate is rubbing his hand on the small of Tanya's back as she throws her hands in the air.
"Damn I was just starting to think that you guys ditched us." She looks at me with her eyes narrowed.
I squeeze Josh's hand and say, "Never. Let's get moving."
The hostess at Jasmine Thai seats us, and I'm thankful we didn't go to a restaurant near the boardwalk because our wait time would have been a few hours minimum. The aroma of basil and Thai peppers invade my nose and I regret agreeing only to have appetizers.
Nate and Tanya sit across from us in our booth and by the distance between them, or lack thereof, I can see they are into each other. Josh rubs circles on my thigh while the waiter takes our order. "An order of chicken satay, curry puffs, and crab wontons." Josh closes his menu and hands it to our server.
"Just appetizers?" The expression on Tanya's face is hard to make out in the dimly lit restaurant, but I know that tone. She's pissed. Nate tries to speak up and she cuts him off. "I am just saying, Josh, when Laila leaves tomorrow, no telling the next time I'll be able to see her."
Tanya has always been a drama queen but tonight it's unbearable. "You're always welcome to move to Tallahassee and be near me." It's petty to throw a jab at her for not coming to L.U. but we always had plans to graduate together. After all this time she let her family persuade her into going to A&T, the alma mater of not only Josh but both of her parents.
Tanya groans, "Laila. I would be there but coming after you've had two years to build a bond with your roommates would just be weird. Besides A&T gave me a full ride." As if her parents wouldn't have paid her tuition wherever she decided to go. Unlike my parents, Tanya was raised getting whatever she wanted. When I roll my eyes at her she continues, "I know I could have had my parents pay for L.U., but with them helping with Ava the least I could do was not have them pay for school."
Josh and I both gasp. Josh claps his hands and says, "After all these years you finally get it." Tanya sucks her teeth and rolls her eyes.
"Before you enter enemy territory you can come for a visit. And there is always homecoming." I grin at Tanya as the server sits our array of appetizers on the table. As I reach for a curry puff I continue, "And I'll be up in North Carolina as soon as you get settled."
After we clean our plates of the appetizers I squeeze Tanya tight and whisper in her ear, "I'll call you in an hour and fake an emergency so Nate has to take you home." Tanya giggles then I follow Josh out of the restaurant.
Josh opens my car door and I pause, looking at him before climbing into my seat. "Where to now?"
He leans in and kisses my cheek. "You'll find out soon." When I lived here the beach was never my thing but as Josh navigates away from the ocean I don't take my eyes off the flowing tides or snow-white dunes. He taps on the steering wheel and I turn away from the ocean and hear him say, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," I mumble. "Never thought I'd be sentimental over the ocean." And maybe not the ocean exactly, but the thought of home. Or at least of the known. Everything that was once a certainty is no longer. My last year of high school I knew who I wanted to spend forever with, or at least the next couple of years with; I knew my best friend and I would be headed off to school together, and I knew when I graduated from college I'd return here and be near my family.
"Let me see if I can cheer you up a bit." The night is illuminated just as Josh pulls into the parking lot of Big Kahunas. "Up for a race around the track?"
My competitive side rejoices and I say, "Hell yeah." We walk through the entrance of Big Kahunas and the laughter mixed in with the pop music blaring over the loud speaker excites me. My uneasiness of the unknown subsides, for now, and I grin as Josh navigates us through the crowd of teenagers waiting in long lines.
Leaning against the gate of the go-kart entrance I admit, "I didn't think your plans would have led us here. I was thinking something more intimate."
Josh looks beside us and then leans in closer to my ear and whispers, "Believe me, I'd rather have you in the room. Up against the wall. Fucking you until your eyes roll to the back of your head."
My breath catches and my legs re-adjust to keep my panties from dropping to my ankles. If it weren't for the line of people in front of us and horny boys staring me down I'd let him fulfill that desire right against this gate. Josh gets even closer and says, "But there's still time for that after I whoop your ass on this track."
When the young kid calls for our turn in line my legs are too weak to move. After a couple of failed steps Josh wraps his arm around my waist and guides me to a go-kart. I buckle my seat belt and try to put my game face on but I can't convince my thoughts to ignore the throbbing between my thighs. Chris and Dante briefly cross my mind but one look at Josh and the confidence overflowing as he grips his steering wheel has me remembering all the nasty things I wanted to do to him the last time we were at the summer concert. Then I was still a virgin and my thoughts were limited. But now, after a couple of years’ experience my thoughts make me blush.
The horn blares for the race to start and I rev my engine and the car's vibration sends my senses into overdrive. Josh and I go neck and neck around the track but I edge him out right before the finish line. Before I can hop out of the car and graciously declare my victory, two chicks intercept Josh. I walk up behind them and stand beside Josh. Neither of the girls looks in my direction. They are both competing for Josh's attention, taking turns giggling and flaunting their best fuck me eyes.
"That look right there was worth letting you beat me around the track." Josh turns and wraps both arms around me. The girls exchange a look and huff in defeat before walking away. Josh chuckles and winks at me before saying, "Guess they realize they have no chance against you."
"They were cute." I look in their direction. "That one." Pointing to the one on the right. "I'd pay for that body." Josh's gaze doesn't leave me.
"You don't need to pay for anything." His hands grip my ass and he says, "This is not important." He kisses my forehead. "Especially when you have a mind like yours. Now let's get out of here. I think I have a promise to fulfill."
The hotel room is dimly lit and filled with vases of flowers. "Did you have help doing all of this?"
Josh shakes his head vehemently. "Of course not." He closes the distance between us and pulls me closer to deplete the space completely. Before my next breath he encloses his mouth around mine and our tongues collide. Walking me backward, the wall steadies my balance. My stomach flutters as the butterflies wake from their nap. He leads a trail of kisses from my neck to my navel and back up the other side. "Are you ready for this?"
Sucking on his earlobe, my verbal response is muted, and he lifts my legs around his waist. Laying me on the bed, he undresses me and lies on top of me. He looks down and says, "I like this view." I pull him down and wrap my arms around his neck whi
le I suck in his lower lip. He puts his hands between my thighs and my body reacts. Releasing his lip I moan into his mouth. Josh rolls over and disappears. I bury my head into the pillow while my body comes off of the excitement.
He grabs me by the ankles, flips me over, and thrusts into me all in one swift move. "Josh," I scream before he continues. My toes curl. Not exactly delivering on his promise of making my eyes roll in the back of my head but the pleasure is intense just the same. As our bodies connect he leaves kisses down my spine. With each kiss he pulls out then slowly reconnects. I grasp at the bed to steady myself. My legs begin to shake and like at Big Kahunas he wraps his arm around my waist to steady me.
He pulls out and my body aches for the missing pleasure. Josh lies on the bed and reaches for me. I crawl towards him stopping at his waist. With my fingers I draw circles around his manhood. “Come here,” he says in a tone much deeper than I’ve ever heard from him.
I straddle his waist and hover over his face taking his mouth by storm. With him deep inside of me I don’t move. I feel his length growing as his hips thrust upwards. With my hands on his chest I ride him until we are both breathing heavy. “Fuck, Laila,” he says as his hands grip my hips pulling me down further onto him.
I slow our pace, not wanting this moment to end. Josh leans forward taking my nipple into his mouth and my body is no longer under my control. I lose it. Gripping him between my thighs until he too reaches ecstasy. We both collapse on the pillows and Josh wraps his arm lazily around me.
"Damn, Laila. I almost want to hold you hostage here. Not sure I’ll be able to focus on anything without you around to work me over like that." He kisses my neck.
“Yeah, I could agree to that.” Although my entire body feels like I just completed a triathlon. My breathing slows back to its normal rhythm.
I listen to Josh plan visits and rendezvous points before my breathing slows, my eyes close, and his voice is like gibberish.