Driving Layne

by Renea Porter

  “I’m in a forgiving mood. After all, they have good taste.”

  “Well, what is on the agenda after this?” I ask.

  “To have you in my bed, of course,” he whispers.

  “How did I know you would say that?” Our food arrives before he answers me, and we immediately cut into our steaks. “Wow, it just melted in my mouth,” I tell him covering my full mouth with my palm.

  “I knew you would like this place,” he says.

  “One thing you will come to know about me is I’m not into materialistic things or even doing luxurious things in life. I don’t need those things to be happy. I’m a simple girl, and I like the small things in life. Don’t get me wrong, this place is nice and the food is phenomenal and I don’t mind doing it once in awhile, but like I said I’m a simple girl.”

  “Noted,” he responds. “But a girl like you deserves to be spoiled and shown how special you are.”

  I think my heart just melted. Either that or it was my panties. The waitress appears as we finish the meal, and Layne orders a dessert for us to share. He even feeds me some and it’s kind of sexy. I hope we aren’t getting stares, but I don’t care because I’m blissfully happy.

  After the meal, we head back to the house.

  Chapter Sixteen

  When we enter the house, the party is in full swing with music and couples dancing and drinking various kinds of alcohol Layne grabs me by the hand, but Renee snatches me away. “So how was it?” she inquires with a bright smile.

  “It was fine. He took me to a fancy restaurant and we had steak,” I tell her as I watch Layne walk toward the sliding glass door. He shifts his position and puts his hands in his pockets as he looks out into the darkness. “Didn’t Dylan take you out for dinner? Oh, and what did he say when he saw you in that dress?” I ask intrigued.

  “Yes he did take me out, but nowhere near as fancy as where Layne took you. Dylan loves this dress. I have his complete attention.” She giggles. “We should definitely make a plan to hang out another day soon,” she says before meeting back up with Dylan.

  I walk over toward Layne. He seems like he is deep in thought, and I almost don’t want to interrupt him. “Penny for your thoughts,” I say, standing beside him.

  “Ah, I’m just watching to see if it will snow anymore. I have to do a test run tomorrow night with the car and I’m thinking about you being there.” He smiles as he turns to me.

  “Do you think it’s safe being that we recently had snow and ice?” I ask seriously.

  “I should be fine; we do it all the time,” he says, shrugging it off. “Now do you want to dance?”

  “I’m not one to turn a dance down,” I say as our hands interlock as we walk toward the center of the room. He brings my body close to his as we dance to a slow song. I feel like I’m floating. I don’t know how much longer I can deny that I have feelings for this bad boy. He’s a bad boy after my heart, and I might not come out alive in the end. He is capable of bringing me to my knees, bare and raw as I can be. He just doesn’t know it. I wrap my arms around his shoulders as his gaze into my eyes intensifies. “I bet those other girls that hang around you think I’m just some silly girl hoping that I’m the one to change you and your ways,” I say as the stares follow us.

  “Fuck those bitches. Who cares what others think? Besides what is there that needs changed about me?” he asks innocently.

  “I only meant your bad boy ways of sleeping around, but you already went over that last night,” I say as we continue to dance, and his hands start to travel lower down my back.

  “Don’t pay them any attention; they are just attention whores, anyway,” he says, planting a kiss on my lips.

  “So what are your plans for the new year coming up?” I ask.

  He grins. “I hope to start it off with you in my bed.”

  “Oh, is that right? Do you plan on getting me good and drunk?” I ask jokingly.

  He leans forward and whispers, “No, Baby, I plan to have you nice and sober, so tomorrow when you wake up you can remember every inch of me inside you.”

  Oh my panty dropping bad boy. I try to swallow, but my mouth suddenly feels dry. Luckily, the song ends and we pull apart. “I think I need a drink; any type of drink,” I tell him.

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Renee pouring some liquor; I tug her arm, grab the bottle; and haul her down the hall.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” she asks as I haul her into the bathroom and close the door.

  “I need some shots. Layne thinks he is going to keep me sober all damn night.” I snap the bottle from her and start throwing it back. It burns as it goes down my throat.

  “Come on, it can’t be that bad,” she says with a confused look.

  “It’s not bad. It’s not bad at all. However I did not plan on doing New Year’s Eve sober, okay.” She watches as I throw back some more.

  “Well you can at least share,” she says tilting her head back and letting the liquid flow.

  “Okay, I think I’m good now. Just a slight buzz is what I was aiming for at the moment.” I giggle and we both exit the bathroom. As soon as Renee opens the door, I see the caramel colored eyes of Layne standing there waiting for us.

  “Oh shit,” Renee says, high-tailing it to Dylan.

  “What the fuck were you two doing?” Layne says with a growl in his voice.

  I can’t help but giggle. So I might be a little more buzzed than I thought.

  “We’ll see how funny you think it is if I just do you right here in the hallway. Your dress is so short, all I’d have to do is unzip my pants and fuck you right here,” he whispers, his voice smooth and ragged.

  Smile erased. “Now, shall we get you sobered up?” he asks, leading me to the kitchen. I sit on a stool at the island as he grabs two mugs and pours already made coffee into each one. He hands me one, and I take a sip slowly, hoping my stomach doesn’t recoil against it with the alcohol inside me. He sits across from me. “I know we do a lot of things by your rules and I go along with it. But this is one night, I wanted my way,” he says.

  “Okay, Layne wins. I was just trying to have some fun. I didn’t mean to rain on your parade. I’m sorry,” I say, feeling a little bad, but yet slightly irritated. “It was selfish of me,” I admit.

  “Is the coffee helping?” he asks, as his face relaxes.

  “Yes, thanks. Am I banned from dancing, too?” I ask with a smile.

  “Not if you are dancing with me. And I only do slow dances. So can we compromise on that?” He holds his hand out for me to take it.

  “Deal,” I tell him, smiling.

  A slow song Broken by Seether and Amy Lee plays and we make our way back to the center of the room. The song seems fitting for me, though. I listen as the countdown starts, and Layne grabs my hand to lead me to the bedroom. Inside the room he presses me against the closed door and kisses me feverishly, passionately, and with need. “Happy New Year,” he says breathlessly. His hand is already sliding up underneath my dress, and I sigh. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. It seems like you have been gone an eternity,” he says as his lips graze my neck. His hand is holding both of mine above my head. He reaches his other hand around and slowly unzips my dress, and then it falls in a heap on the floor.

  He releases my hands, and I fumble with his dress shirt, unbuttoning it in a rush. I push his jacket and shirt off in one swift move. He kicks his shoes off and his pants follow soon after. “I want you to keep those on; they look fucking sexy on you,” he says about my heels. He slowly walks me backward to the bed and he towers over me as I lie down. “I’m going to take my time with you, Babe, and make love to you,” he whispers against my neck. My heart beats rapidly, and it’s so loud I think he may hear it.

  He takes his time, starting with my lips and lightly sucks on them. The he explores my mouth. The look in his eyes is wild as he slowly moves to my neck, licking up to my ear and sucking on my ea
r lobe. I moan as the electricity bolts shoot through my body, igniting every cell in my body and causing me to squirm underneath his hold.

  He snakes his body down lower, stopping at each breast and gives each one attention My nipples perk up from his wet mouth. He looks into my eyes as his gaze takes hold over me. I surrender my whole self to him, letting him see me. His tongue travels down my stomach, leaving a trail of kisses on the way down. He stops between my legs, licking and sucking on my bud. I arch my back, and squeeze my tits together, giving into the ecstasy and pleasure.

  Layne slides his body back up to kiss my lips. I tilt my head back, widen my legs, and he slides inside me. I moan more as the friction is building along with Layne’s speed. He flips me over while he is still inside me, and I straddle his waist, and lean down to kiss his neck, and then his mouth. He lets out a sigh. “God, you feel amazing,” he says. His hands snake up over my bare back and I tilt my head back as he grips my hair. I ride him, slow and steady, until I feel like I might explode. All of sudden, he stands with me still wrapped around him. He carries me to the dresser, clears everything off in one swoop, and sits me on the edge. I prop my legs up as he thrusts back and forth inside me. I let out one final moan and shutter with pleasure. He releases his delectation, and he presses his forehead against mine as we both try to catch our breath.

  “Happy New Year,” he says, holding his hand out to help me down.

  “Happy New Year.” I step down and stand on my tip toes. I wrap my arms around his neck, and our naked bodies press together and I kiss him once more.

  “Would you like a glass of champagne? If you want, you can go grab a shower and I will go grab us a couple glasses,” he says.

  “Sounds good.”

  I watch as he leaves the room. I enter his big bathroom and start the water before getting in. Then my stomach starts to recoil against me. I lift the toilet seat and empty my stomach’s contents inside until I have nothing left to give. Once I get hold of myself I stumble into the shower. I let the water run over my body, making it numb with the hot steaming water until it turns my skin pink. I watch as the steam fogs up the glass shower door. I thought this year would be easy, but it the farthest from easy, I’ve fallen for a guy who I can’t make any promises to, another has fallen for me who deserves better than what I can offer, and I have a best friend who I’m not so sure she will forgive me in the end. I’m cruel to let all this go on. I’m selfish for wanting the things I can’t have. My world is going to crumble and I won’t stop it. How can I? There will be nothing left when all is said and done.

  Once I’ve realized I’ve taken too long, I step out of the shower and wrap a huge towel around myself. I don’t even bother getting dressed. I meet Layne back in the room. He holds a glass out for me, and we clink our glasses together and cheer on the New Year. I put on a happy face and pretend what just happened, didn’t. However, making love with Layne, that is something I won’t forget, ever. That man knows his way around a woman’s body.

  He pulls me on the bed and pulls me into him. He nestles his head into the crook of my neck. I pull his arm tighter around my body. “My family had a rough few years, and when I met you, all I saw was light,” he says.

  “And you are the light to my darkness.” I turn back and kiss him. Darkness craves me, my mind, and it is constantly surrounding me, trying to suffocate me, trying to get me to give in to the defeat. But I won’t let it. It craves my soul, but all I crave is his light. My darkest fear is knowing it will claim me. Eventually, the blankness, the nothingness of the world will claim me.

  “You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you; to watch me do a test run in the car?”

  “Of course, I’ll be there with bells on,” I say, before I give into exhaustion.

  Chapter Seventeen

  We wake up late in the afternoon to the sun shining in the room. I look over to the clock and it’s already afternoon. Swinging my legs over the bed, I grab Layne’s dress shirt and put it on. It’s long enough to look like a nightgown on me. I pad out to the kitchen and find Renee and Dylan canoodling and almost making out with each other. It’s almost sickening. “Good afternoon love,” Renee says to me as I reach for a mug for coffee.

  “Afternoon,” I say, planting an obviously fake smile on my face.

  “She’s not very jolly when she first wakes up,” Renee tells Dylan. He just shrugs at her comment.

  “Are you two going later? Layne’s going to test his car out tonight. Which I think is a bad idea with the weather,” I say.

  “Yeah we’ll be there,” Renee says.

  I walk back in the room just as Layne is waking up. “Oh my god, I thought you left. I was about to freak,” he says, taking a mug from me.

  “Really? I think we’re past that point now.”

  “You wear that shirt way better than I ever did.” He chuckles. I get back in bed and cuddle next to him.

  “Thanks for last night,” I tell him, blushing.

  He smiles, flashing me a wink along with his dimples. “Anytime.”

  *****

  I ride with Layne to the garage where his race car is held. I meet most of the guys and I try to stay out of their way as they prepare for last minute changes to adjust on the car. The car is an older model Camaro. I come to find out the owner is Layne’s uncle, and he didn’t want to leave it sitting around collecting dust so they worked on it and made it into a drag car and he fronts most of the money. They load the car into the trailer, and then we make a short drive to the spot that was scouted out already by the main guy, Alex. It’s a black top strip of road about a mile, or so long.

  I give Layne a good luck kiss and catch up with Renee and Dylan. There are only about twenty five people here including the crew. I watch as Layne gets inside the car, buckles up, and revs up his engine until Alex gives the okay to go. We watch on the sidelines as Layne takes off in the car. He has a good start but the car skids. My heart stops, and I scream. “Layne!” I watch in horror as the car skids and flips once, then another, landing on its hood. There is nothing but chaos. I try to move my legs and go to him, while I hear someone calling 911. My legs give out on me halfway to him; my knees hit the pavement hard. Renee comes over to try to help me up, and I watch as Dylan run passed us at full speed. I can see that the crew has managed to get Layne out of the car, and they insist on him staying there until he gets checked out. Everything is a blur as I cry out Layne’s name, over and over. I hear sirens in the background and I can’t move. Renee manages to help me up, when the ambulance approaches. This should not be happening.

  I finally make my way to Layne. I focus on each step, making sure they don’t give out on me again. I’m afraid to see him like this. “Oh my god,” is all I manage to say when he is lifted onto the stretcher.

  “I’m okay,” he says, trying to put on a brave face.

  The crew lifts him up in the ambulance, and Renee says for me to ride with him and they will meet us at the hospital. I jump in next to him and hold his hand; I hold it so tight my knuckles are white. “I thought I lost you,” I tell him as the tears continue to fall down my cheeks.

  “I will be okay, I’m just getting checked out. Lucky for me that car is built well. I think I slipped on black ice or something.”

  “You are lucky to be alive,” the EMS worker says as he continues to monitor Layne.

  We make it to the hospital, and I am instructed to wait in the waiting room since I’m not his wife or a blood relative. I pace the floor until Renee and Dylan come through the door. They rush to me and Renee throws hers arms around me, and I cry into her shoulder. She pulls away, but grips both my shoulders with her hand. “How is he?” She pulls away but grips both my shoulders with her hands.

  “I think he’s okay. The EMS guy said he was lucky to be alive,” I tell her as we sit. I lean forward and place my head in my hands as I feel Renee rub my back.

  “He’ll be okay,” she reassures me.

  “Cars nowadays are usually very well made and he had a
seatbelt on. I’m sure everything is fine,” Dylan says. “And if it’s worth anything he really likes you, like really likes you;” he emphasizes. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

  “Yeah well, that doesn’t help if he is not okay. I mean, I know he is fine; this is Layne we are talking about.” I laugh nervously.

  Finally, the doctor comes in and tells us we can see Layne now. They are releasing him on the condition that we keep an eye on him. Along with some minor cuts and bruises he has a slight concussion. We agree to it. Renee and Dylan nod at me to go ahead. I almost run to the room.

  “What does a guy have to do to get a girl’s attention around here?” he says when I walk in. He is sitting on the edge of the exam table, trying to put his shoe on. I lean down to help him.

  “You do that again and I will personally kill you myself,” I tell him sternly before planting a kiss on his lips. “What did the doctor say?” I ask, even though the doctor already told me.

  “I have a few cuts and bruises, and a minor concussion. No biggie.” He waves it off.

  “Yeah, well, you will have to be monitored closely for the next twenty four hours. So let’s go; Renee and Dylan, can take us,” I say as he hobbles off the exam table.

  We meet Renee, Dylan and his uncle in the waiting room. They all hug him, feeling relieved he basically walked away from that. “Don’t even worry about the car,” his uncle says. “I’m just glad you’re okay kid,” he says.

  The four of us load up in Renee’s car; Layne and I sit in the back. We make it to the house and I get Layne situated on the couch. “We’ll go get your car,” Renee says as she and Dylan turn to leave again.

  “You just sit here, and rest. If you need anything, just let me know and I’ll get it.” I turn on the flat screen TV to some action movie, to keep him entertained, and the sit beside him. No matter how long it takes, I’d be by his side during the course of his recovery.

  *****

  It’s been a week since Layne had his accident and he is back to his old self. I haven’t left his side, except to grab more clothes from my place. School is back in session starting tomorrow, and I’m really not looking forward to it. We have finals, and it’s been awhile since I last saw Chase. I know we agreed to be friends, but I’m afraid that is still going to be awkward when we run into each other on campus.