by Angel Lawson
His kisses slowed, moving at the same luxurious pace as his fingers. Every inch of my skin blazed with fire, an exposed nerve. Every pass of his fingers stoked the flame. I tried to hold myself upright, tried to maintain composure but I was consumed and melted into the seat, watching him as he lured me over the edge.
I thought he’d slip his fingers beneath my panties, I wanted him to, but he didn’t, just using the friction building between us. My skin prickled, my mind disconnected and my breathing, oh my god my breathing…it grew heavy and embarrassing, uncontrolled and real. I couldn’t stop myself now if I wanted to. I gripped the leather seats with both hands and fought against the relief I’d been craving for hours, days.
“Come for me, babe,” Oliver said with a soft kiss. “Let go.”
I blinked and looked into his blue eyes, his face shadowed by the lowering sun. He dropped his head, licking my lips, stealing my breath while breathing hard on his own, and finally…finally, I couldn’t hold back any longer, allowing the sweet release to wash over me in a shuddering, all-consuming wave.
I bucked against his fingers and grabbed his wrist as my body spasmed with ecstasy. I cried against his mouth and panted…damn I panted, riding the crest of the wave until I heard him groan next to me. Foggy-brained, I laid spent, washed out on the shore of my own epic orgasm.
Minutes passed as I regained my senses, and Oliver gently spread my skirt down, covering my wet, destroyed panties.
“Uh,” I said, smoothing the fabric. “Wow.”
“Tell me about it.”
I glanced at his crotch. “You okay? Like…I can…you know.”
He shook his head. “Too late for that, babe. Nature took its course.”
My eyes bulged when I comprehended what he was saying. “Oh. Gah. Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry,” he said, kissing me one more time. “That was about you, not me.”
I leaned my forehead into his, feeling my heart racing in my chest. The good kind of racing, the natural kind. Just like his hands, his mouth, it felt amazing.
Later, after we pulled into my driveway and I felt less frenzied, I leaned into the open car window. “Next time it’ll be about you,” I promised.
He smiled, wide and full of love. “Oh, don’t worry, I plan on getting my piece of Heaven soon.”
He reversed and shot down the street, the loud engine of the car echoing long after the tail lights disappeared.
Chapter 18
Despite all outward appearances of only having one boyfriend, my stalker didn’t stop. In fact, once me and the boys got in a good, easy rhythm with one another the photos escalated.
“I don’t get it,” Jackson said. It was 11 p.m. on a school night and we’re talking over a private chat group on the school-issued laptop. This had become a routine for us since everyone was busy and my mother was a little more hover-y than usual, post-panic attack. It was a nice way to say goodnight. It also didn’t hurt that half the time the boys were ready for bed, fresh from the shower and often shirtless.
As soon as the notifications started, Hayden linked us all up.
Jackson studied his phone, his jaw clenched, ticking with anger. “How come we never see this guy? He’s fucking everywhere.”
“Or girl,” Anderson adds.
“It’s a guy,” I said, having zero doubt about that.
“Maybe it’s a ghost.” Hayden shoved a piece of pizza in his mouth. “The kind on that show Heaven likes…the one with the hot dudes and the car.”
“It’s called Supernatural and it’s a classic. And if I’ve learned anything from that show, it’s that there has to be cold air and flickering lights for it to be a ghost.”
Everyone stared blankly into their screens, obviously at me and Hayden. What? I’d shared my love of Dean, Sam, and Cas with him. I had no shame.
“Anyway,” Jackson said, “in the event it’s not a ghost, I can’t wait to get my hands on whoever it is and kick their ass.”
Anderson frowned at his phone. “Where were you guys when this was taken?”
He held the phone up. The photo was of me and Oliver, kissing in the front seat of his Mustang earlier that week. The image doesn’t tell the whole story, thank goodness. No one can tell his hand was up my skirt. Can they?
“Three days ago. I was giving Heaven a ride home from Anderson’s.”
“So a spontaneous stop?” Jackson asked.
“Totally spontaneous.” He winked at me and my whole body tingled at the memory.
“It’s fucking weird,” Oliver said.
“And creepy.” They all looked at me worriedly. I held up my hands. “I’m fine, but it is. Whoever is doing this has a problem. A big one.”
Jackson put down the phone and looked into the webcam. “I think we need to stop it once and for all.”
“How are we going to do that?” Anderson said. “Like Hayden said, he’s pretty much a ghost. A corporeal ghost, but…well, you know what I mean.”
Jackson’s response surprised me. “I’ve been working on a plan. It’ll take all of us but if everything goes right, we’ll catch the fucking bastard.”
“And then what?” It’d been going on for so long, I didn’t think catching whoever was behind it would matter. I also wasn’t sure about provoking whoever was doing it.
“Then he deals with the Allendale Four,” Hayden replied. “And he’ll regret the day he ever messed with our fifth.”
Chapter 19
“Honey, we’re leaving in one minute!” my mother called from downstairs.
“Okay, one second!” I turned back to the phone where Jackson waited impatiently. Apparently, there was a massive video game tournament going on at Oliver’s and I was missing it. “Sorry I can’t come hang tonight.”
“That’s okay, your mom wants you to be safe. We do too.”
Mom had a Civil Service banquet tonight. She was going with Chief O’Neal and a few other people from the station. I tried to tell her I could hang with the guys but the look she gave me said, hell no. She knew my social life had started revolving around them, and she liked them, but she was always worried about me isolating myself in one way or the other. In other words, I needed to branch out.
“Being agreeable seems to be the best route. Especially if I’m pushing for a late curfew the night of the dance.”
“Wise woman,” he said, raising his voice over the shouts of activity.
“I’ll miss you,” I said quietly.
“We’ll miss you too,” he replied. I heard the smile in his voice. “We’re all actually in one place tonight. It’s a miracle.”
“Have a guy’s night. Play video games. Inhale pizza. Don’t,” I said in a stern voice, “watch porn.”
“You’re the only porn we need, babe.”
I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag off the bed. “I don’t know if that’s the compliment you think it is.”
“Hey! You knew it was a compliment, that’s all that matters.”
“Heaven!” my mom shouted from downstairs.
“Gotta go.”
“Bye.” He held out the phone and a chorus of ‘goodbyes’ sounded through the speaker.
I zipped up my sweatshirt on the way down the stairs. Mom had already gone to the car and honked the car horn as I was tying my hair up in a ponytail. Although I’d gotten used to my new style, the good about seeing Justin and going to the beach was I could ditch the heels and go for comfort.
“Sorry,” I said, sliding in the passenger seat. Oceanside was on the way to the civic center where the banquet was being held.
My mother turned and looked at me. “You look nice.”
I didn’t, but the message was conveyed. Nice = not slutty. Thanks, Mom.
We drove out of Allendale and down the highway to the island. Halfway there, my phone buzzed silently in my pocket.
A photo appeared of all four guys blowing me a kiss. I couldn’t help but laugh.
When I looked up, my mother was smiling.
�
��What?” I asked.
“You—smiling at that phone. Jackson?” she asked. Of course, she thought it was my “only” boyfriend. I felt guilty for lying over something so big, yet so trivial.
“Yeah—just a silly picture of him and the guys.”
She nodded. “Are you two excited about the dance? I saw the cutest dress the other day...”
I stopped her before she went too far. “I have one."
“You do?” She pursed her lips. I wasn’t sure if she was disappointed I found one already, or something else.
“What, Mom?” I pressed.
“Nothing. I can’t wait to see it.”
There was an edge to her voice…something I couldn’t quite place until she followed up with, “I was just, um, hoping that it’s appropriate. You know, for a formal occasion.”
Ahhh. There.
“It is.” I looked at my mother and said, “You’ll love it. I promise.”
“I just want to make sure you know that you don’t have to dress a certain way to get a boy’s attention. You know that, right?”
Boy did I know about that. I could write a book on how one little thing like a prank with your friend and changing your wardrobe could change your life. For the worse and better.
“Mom, I’m confident in my relationship with Jackson.” And the others, I silently said. “I just decided to change things up this year. You’re the one that always wants me to put myself out there a little more.” She shot me a look. “Okay, bad choice of words. But it’s true, and look at me now. I’m in a hoodie and jeans. Doesn’t get more basic than that.”
The last thing I needed was my mom suddenly paying more attention to me and my love life. I’d defend the guys to the end of time, but if she’s worried about one guy…I could only guess how she’d react to four. Fortunately, my answer seemed to satisfy her and we rode the rest of the way to Oceanside in a strange, uneasy silence, but thankfully without bringing it up again.
*
After a stop for greasy food and milkshakes, Justin and I took a walk down to the beach. The path was rocky and dark but he carried a flashlight with a wide, bright beam. Tiny crabs scurried on the edge of the light, freaking me out a little.
“They won’t hurt you,” he laughed.
“I know, it’s just all those legs and feet and pinchers." I shivered dramatically.
“They’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”
“I doubt that,” I mumbled, grabbing on to his arm for support.
Down the beach, we could see the soft glow of a fire. “Who’s that?” I asked.
“Probably the guys. Wanna go down there?”
“Sure,” I said, feeling a little nervous. I hadn’t seen most of them in a while. My new social life kept me busy. “Things still okay? Post-post-deflowering?”
“Yeah. I still owe you one.” In the semi-dark I could see him shove his hands in his pockets. “It got everyone off my back and…” he rubbed the back of his neck, “It helped take the pressure off and cleared things up for me a little.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I’ve been dating.”
“Oh really? Names. I need names.”
“Yeah, uh, Eric actually, but it’s a small, small, small place and neither of us are ready to go public. I just don’t want the judgments.”
Oh my god. My first thought was that I got it. I wasn’t ready to go public with my relationship(s) either.
My second; great, now my reputation would be the girl who turned Justin Blackwood gay.
I couldn’t win.
“I get it. Living under the scrutiny of judgmental people sucks.”
He shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “The photos?”
For one thing. “Yeah, they keep coming.”
“Are you sure everything’s okay? I mean…” he looked off at the crashing waves coming from the ocean. “Some of the photos are pretty explicit and there are a lot of different guys.”
I stopped, feet squeaking on the sand. “You know the photos don’t represent everything going on. There are ones of me and Eric. You know nothing happened there.”
He nodded. “I just don’t want people taking advantage of you. Getting the attention of popular, good-looking guys has to feel good.”
I couldn’t get mad at his suspicion. It’d taken me weeks to shake my own. I laced my fingers with his, hoping to assure him. “I have to try to trust them. Don’t we all have to make this decision at one point or another?”
“I guess." He still didn’t sound convinced,, and because I’d carried the knowledge of the Allendale Four all to myself for so long it spilled out.
“I’m dating them.”
“Them?” He frowned. “Who?”
“The Allendale Four.”
“All of them?” The wheels turned in his head. “You’re dating them all…as in, dating around? Seeing different people? Not settling?”
“No,” I confessed. “I’m dating them all. Like at the same time. We’re in a relationship. The photos of me, Oliver, Jackson, Hayden, and Anderson are all legit. Anything else is a manipulation.”
Justin stared at his feet, not speaking. I kept going. “I care about them and they care about me. What we have is really special.” But as I said it out loud I knew I’d made a mistake. A big one. The look on his face shifted from confused to scared to angry. I couldn’t stop. Like I said, I’d defend them to the end of time. “We have fun together. They protect me. They get my anxiety…showing up every. Fucking. Day to take care of me.” Hot tears welled in my eyes and the feelings I had for them are so real. So very, very real. No one would ever get this. No one but them.
“Don’t cry,” he said. “I’m just worried. That’s all.”
I blinked back the tears. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine. For real. This is good for me. They’re good for me.”
We reached the bonfire and I saw all Justin’s friends, most paired off with girls. A voice from the huddle around the fire shouted my name.
“Look who graced us with another visit. Heaven!” Davis shouted. “Justin finally brought back his girlfriend.”
When he stood he had a shadow. One I didn’t expect to see.
Spencer.
“What’s he doing here?”
“He started dating one of the girls down here a few weeks ago. He keeps hanging around—like a bad rash.”
At least that was something we could agree on. Spencer tried to put on a front but it was obvious he wouldn’t meet me in the eye.
Justin noticed. “What’s that about?”
“Oh, one of the guys kicked his ass at a party a while ago.” Justin looked surprised. “Defending me.”
He raised an eyebrow but the smile on his mouth didn’t travel to his eye. “Oh yeah, maybe they are good enough for you.”
“I told you. They’re not bad guys.”
Doubt still shadowed his features. He’d come around. Eventually. And if he didn’t? It wasn’t my problem.
*
“You smell like the beach,” Jackson said, running his lips over my neck. “And taste like a campfire.” More lips, more tasting. “Not that I mind, or anything.”
My mom texted, saying she was going to be late, and Justin gave me a ride home in his ancient, rusty Honda. There was an awkward moment when he pulled into the driveway and Jackson was waiting on my front step.
“Justin,” I nodded. “Jackson...” That was painful.
“Good to meet you,” Justin said and they shook hands and Jackson did some trick where his shoulders became as wide as the car.
“Thanks for bringing Heaven home,” Jackson said. His body language made it clear he’d take over from here.
Justin eyed me warily. “I told your mom I’d stay.”
“It’s fine. I’ll let her know I wasn’t alone.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. Thanks for hanging out tonight.” I gave him a quick hug and he hopped in his car, driving away without another look back.
“Lost the straw draw?” I asked, after he drove off, car rattling down the road.
Jackson gave me a quizzical look.
“Checking up on me? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” My attitude was salty and he got the brunt of it.
“I certainly didn’t lose,” he replied dryly. “But yeah, we agreed someone should make sure you got home okay after hanging out with the guy that got you into a heap of trouble. Is that wrong?”
I sighed and re-explained that our families were friends. That we had known one another since we were kids. That Justin and I were also just friends.
“Babe, I know the story. We’re not mad or jealous about any of that.” Doubt flickered in his eyes.
I tilted my head. “Then what?”
“We don’t like that he got you in such a mess.”
“Without that mess, you guys never would have spoken to me.”
He grunted, still not convincing me he wasn’t just jealous, but he pulled me down on the step, lowering me into his lap, and kissed me. He needed my reassurance. I got that. And in turn, I gave it.
“We had a bonfire on the beach,” I said, about the smoke, between kisses. “You smell a little smoky yourself.” But not the same kind. His mouth had the faint tinge of beer. His eyes were lazy and a little red. He had probably smoked with the boys hours before. His fingers dug into my hips, pulling me closer, dragging me right over the hard ridge in his pants. Holyhardness.
“Does that hurt?” I blurted. Really, Heaven? Really? Thank god it was dark. Jackson stopped kissing me and stared at me with the funniest face. “Sorry. Inappropriate,” I said. “Ignore me. More kissing, please.”
“It’s okay. Nah, it doesn’t hurt. It feels pretty awesome. You feel pretty awesome.” He grabbed my hips again and slid me over that rod of steel. This time though, I was distracted by the feelings in my own pants and not just his.
“Oh,” I breathed. And then some form of jumbled, “Yessss,” choked out from under the emotions I was trying to control. Because this is the exact moment my brain broke down. Between my crotch and his crotch and his fingers slipping under my shirt, and his cock getting harder and my pants getting wetter and it was too much. Too. Fucking. Much.