Lucky Kisses

by Addison Moore

  “Shit,” I whisper as his mouth moves over me in long hot waves. Lawson Kent is making out with the most excited—most forbidden part of my anatomy, and it’s all I can do to dig my fingers in his hair.

  “Relax.” He gives my thigh a light tap, and I choke out an incredulous, albeit short-lived laugh.

  “Slap me again and see what happens,” I whimper and giggle at the same time, struggling to get the words out.

  A dark laugh comes from him as he grazes me with his teeth, and I jump.

  “Did you just bite me?”

  “If you’d behave, I wouldn’t have to.” He looks up with his lids just this side of closed, a contented drugged look on his face. “Lie back. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

  I lower myself to my elbows while Lawson gets straight to work on his promise. It doesn’t take long for my legs to wrap around his back, my nails to all but scalp him. A hard series of moans work their way up my body from my belly to my throat as I struggle to pull him off. Intense isn’t the right word to describe the explosion of feel-good sensations Lawson’s tongue is able to unleash in me.

  A sharp groan comes from me as he winds me tighter and tighter, my entire body coiling around the spell of his tongue. As disgusting as the thought might be, Lawson is clearly a master at the conjugal trade, and I’m reaping the benefits of his long tenured apprenticeship.

  “Lawson.” My knees beg to buckle as I snap them over his head, but he’s slow to relent. Instead, he picks up his pace and sends me cresting in a wave so high and powerful I never thought possible. I’ve had orgasms before, by my own hand, quite literally, but this wasn’t the child’s play I was dabbling in. This is the pros, and Lawson Kent has just rounded out all of the bases. And lucky for me? It’s fireworks night. And the best part? The grand finale is just the beginning.

  My entire body quakes over him, as a band of relief pulls across my body. I pull my legs together, and he runs his kisses straight up my body, planting a hot kiss that holds my own scent square on my lips.

  “You are a freak,” I pant into his ear. “Now get me off this thing.” I give his ear a tug and smile right over his lips. “I need a decent place to sit.”

  “I can arrange that.” He pulls a condom up from seemingly thin air. “But first I need to put the seat cover on. Rumor has it you’re soaking wet.”

  “Oh, you’re a comedian in the bedroom.”

  “Only in the laundry room.” He rolls it on with quiet amusement. “Come here.” He pulls me down, and I wrap my legs around his waist as he navigates his way inside of me. I take in a breath and hold it as Lawson fills me deeply.

  “Breathe,” he whispers into my ear. “I promise I’ll go slow. Don’t let me hurt you.”

  “I like it fast—and the more pain the better,” I spit it out so fast I almost believe it. “On second thought.” I sink deeper and close my eyes. “The seat you have for me is rather vexingly large and impossibly hard. It’s impaling me like crazy.”

  “You make me crazy.” His loud breathing penetrates my ear, riding a heat wave through me that tracks all the way down to where our hips lie conjoined. Lawson digs his fingers into my hips and moves me slowly over his body. My head tips back, and I close my eyes as I enjoy the ride.

  “This is amazing,” I moan, slightly dizzy from the effort. “I bet you are getting one serious workout.” A dull laugh bounces through me. “Faster.”

  Lawson complies without complaint, bouncing me over him with the ease of that ball he wrestles down the court. A deep groan comes from him, and my lids split just wide enough to catch that stern look on his face, the way he holds the look of aching pain and pleasure all at once.

  Lawson presses his fingers into my hips, securing me with herculean strength before spiking me hard over his body one last time. His head pitches back as he lets out a thunderous roar, and my body lights up with an internal quake as he pulsates deep inside of me.

  “Lucky.” He pulls me in against his hot sticky flesh, the perspiration on his body quickly cooling off. “Damn, I love you,” he pants so hard next to my temple it’s deafening. His heart races over mine with a matching rhythm, pumping over one another like an echo.

  “I love you, too, Lawson Kent. Thank you for showing me that I’m worth the trouble.”

  “You’re worth it.” He gives my bottom a light tap. “You’ll always be worth it.”

  Lawson and I spend the weekend making that cabin live up to its cheery name by loving one another over every happy square inch.

  But by far, Lawson’s big heart is my favorite room to live in.

  I never want to leave.

  Monday at Think Ink the shop is slow. The crews have left, and it’s just Jet, Daisy, and I staring one another down.

  “I’m locking up,” Jet announces before bolting the front door and flipping around the open sign.

  “Cool. I get to go home and get some real work done.” I close my books and pile them back into my bag. I’m basically a bump on a log here. I think all these months my brother has employed me, I’ve helped two people make the life-altering decision between a butterfly and a rose tattoo for their ankle and foot respectively.

  Jet comes over and pulls my arm toward him. “I’ve got the time if you can grin and bear it. I know how much you love needles.”

  “Really? You think you can improve on my duck riding a bicycle?” It’s so botched I hardly remember what it was supposed to be to begin with.

  Daisy smirks at the melted, disastrous monochromatic design as if it were a dead spider, and believe me, a dead spider done right would have been miles better.

  “If Jet can’t fix that, then I suggest an amputation.” She gives one of my curls a tug. “And trust me, nobody hates needles more than I do. I’m ink-free despite the fact I’m in love with this guy. That should tell you something.”

  I glare down at what amounts to third grade scribble over the inside of my arm. What a stupid, stupid move. I should have never kept something like this from Jet. I should have been patient and had it done right to begin with. There’s something else I shouldn’t keep from him either.

  “I’m in.” I try shrugging it off like it were no big deal. “But I need some time to really think about what I want. I mean it’s sort of a forever kind of a deal.” I glance to Daisy and offer a little smile. “Like you two.”

  Daisy practically leaps over the counter in an effort to wrap her arms around me. “You’re like the sister I never had.”

  “Thank you.” I can feel my face grow hot again because an ancient truth I’ve held from my brother for so long is about to bubble right up my throat. “You’re like a sister to me, too.” I shoot a nervous glance to Jet. “A second sister.”

  Jet frowns at my word choice. “Are you throwing a barb at me? I thought we were good.”

  “No, I’m being serious. You had another sister, Jet— and I want to tell you all about her—at least as much as I know.” I step around the counter, and the three of us take a seat right here in the heart of Think Ink with its rock music and harsh lighting, and I spill everything I know about Jade and her short, sweet existence. “She’s the reason I’ve always felt I was cursed. You can’t deny it. Dad tripped over my toys and broke his neck. I begged Mom to slice an apple for me, and she ended up in a coffin. I’m toxic. Lawson says the only reason you survived is because you’re stubborn. Okay, so I may have been the first to suggest that.”

  Daisy’s mouth falls open. “Oh my word. You’ve been keeping all that wrapped up inside? It’s no wonder you were nothing but piss and vinegar.”

  Jet wipes the silent tears off his face. “I have no doubt Mom would have told me about Jade when she thought the time was right. I think it’s very sweet that she let you in on your special angel, especially since she went so quickly. There wasn’t a lot of time for goodbye or the spilling of family secrets. And—you didn’t kill our father, Lucky.” He drops his face into his hands a moment before coming up for air. “I did. When I t
old you he tripped over some toys...”—his chest bucks with grief—“it never occurred to me that you would blame yourself. Those were my things he fell over. And they weren’t left out absentmindedly. I planted them there hoping he would take a tumble. I didn’t think he’d die. I thought he might twist an ankle at best.”

  Daisy wraps her arms around him and nods as if she’s heard these horrific facts. For a moment a ripe anger burns inside me. Why would Jet tell something so personal to Daisy of all people before me? I’m his flesh and blood. I’m his sister. And then it hits me. I just did the same with Jade and Lawson.

  “You didn’t kill him.” I shake the thought far out of my head. “You were protecting us. I know all about his dark side.” A dull laugh pumps through me. “I still loved him through it. Isn’t that insane?”

  “That’s because he cared for you. The alcohol was the real monster. So, do you forgive me?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. Are you upset that I told Lawson about Jade before I told you?” My heart pinches with grief thinking this might be so. Jet has been my father, my mother all rolled into one for so long I couldn’t bear another rift between us. The truth is, I missed him as much as I missed Lawson while I was away. Jet has always been and will always be the other side of me.

  “Yes.” He winces into the admission. “But I get it. You felt safe enough with him to share it. And I’m glad you felt ready and safe to share it with me, too. You’re not a killer, Lucky. You’re my sweet baby girl.” Jet pulls me into his big, strong arms and sniffs back tears. “I will always protect you, listen to whatever you have to say, and love you no matter what. That’s what family is for.” He presses a tight kiss to my forehead while Daisy embraces us both from behind.

  “You two are the most beautiful family I know,” she coos.

  I pull her in close. “That’s because our family includes you.”

  The following week is our last scholastic descent before finals, and we’re instructed to wrap up our community interaction projects with a nice, neat bow. Lawson and I work the rounds at the Hollow Brook Middle School cafeteria for the next few days before we decide to go out in a big way.

  On Friday, our final hour with the kids we’ve come to care about deeply, Lawson jumps up on a bench in the middle of the café and whistles until he has everyone’s rapt attention. The girls especially crane their necks to get a better look at the god standing before them. Lawson has a commanding presence, something that captured me the moment I saw him as early as fall semester. Ava might have been hanging out at Beta house for Grant, but I was there for a whole other reason even if I wasn’t ready to admit to myself at the time.

  “Lucky and I wanted to say thank you for letting us disrupt your lunch hour over the last semester. We’ve grown to know many of you and have really enjoyed the time we’ve spent here at our old stomping grounds. Our purpose here was to connect with you, but also to help you connect amongst yourselves, and seeing that there aren’t any of you sitting alone, I’d say mission accomplished. For those of you who still might feel disenfranchised, I want to let you know you are never truly alone. There is always someone nearby who might just feel the same. So reach out, be kind to one another, and don’t be a hater. If anyone says an unkind word toward you, or calls you names, remember that as long as you work your tail off in school, you’ll have another name for them to call you in the future—boss, officer, judge. Don’t let the bullies win. This isn’t their game. It’s yours.”

  The entire cafeteria breaks out into a riotous applause, and I catch the faculty joining in as well, but I’m clapping the loudest, the strongest. I would have given anything to have had Lawson Kent as my friend all those painful middle school years. I’m so glad he’s my friend now—much more than a friend.

  We take our time saying tear-filled goodbyes to our crew before heading back to the parking lot.

  “Who knew I’d feel so much love in a place that caused so much pain?” I’m so light and happy, I practically skip all the way back to his truck. “And Emily and Freddy seem to be going strong. Did you see the way he was openly holding her hand?”

  “Yup. I saw a few of those jocks eyeing them, too. They can eat their hearts out because Em is too far gone for Freddy Boy to ever look their way.”

  I take up his hands and swing them between us. And I’m too far gone over you to ever notice any other jocks.” I bite down over my lip hard. “I’m glad we met. And I’m glad you were at that mixer a few months back so I could—”

  “Harass me with caustic words regarding the size of my manhood?” He gives a sly wink, and I laugh because it happens to be true—to an extent.

  “Sometimes when people tease relentlessly it’s because they don’t know how else to deal with the fact they’re crushing”—I steal a kiss off his lips—“hard.”

  “You’re making things hard.” He gives my hips a light pinch before running the back of my hand over that growing hump in his jeans.

  “That’s because you’re genetically mutated—you know, seeing that you’re hung with a macropenis.”

  “Macropenis?” His brows rise right along with his amusement. “I see you’ve changed your tune. I knew you would, though.” His truck chirps to life as he opens the passenger door for me.

  “You’re forever the gentlemen—egotistical, perverted gentleman, but nevertheless my gentleman. You’re my first official boyfriend. Can’t wait to share that nugget with Jet. I’ve always wondered how fast his head would pop off once I pounced that little tidbit on him.”

  “Are you kidding?” Lawson speeds us out of the lot and makes a left at the end of the street rather than the right that would take us back to Briggs. “Jet loves me. If his head pops off, it’s all on you.” He winces into the harsh glare streaming through the window before lowering his sunshade. “On second thought, maybe don’t lay it on him all at once. Give him a chance to recover from that cherry bomb you landed on him.”

  True. Filling my brother in on the fact I’m no longer holding on to my V card wasn’t the brightest move.

  “We’ll see.” I watch as track houses are traded for a rocky hillside. “Where are we headed anyway? Are you kidnapping me?”

  “I thought I was your boyfriend. I’m pretty sure kidnapping this early on in the relationship isn’t something you need to worry about. But if you must know.” He nods toward the upcoming sign that reads, The Witch’s Cauldron, bear next left.

  “Nice. Do you have something sinister in mind with that little witchy retreat? I’m shy one bathing suit.”

  He grunts out the idea of a laugh as he turns into the dirt lot. “You won’t need a bathing suit for what we’re about to do.”

  Lawson hops out and helps me out of the truck. He takes up my hand and begins leading us toward the narrow hiking trail already spotted with lavender and yellow flowers. Winter has melted away like a bad dream, and all of nature is singing spring’s praises.

  “Whoa.” I pull him back as we head unto the trail. “Whatever happened to skinny dipping in that glorified sex pot back there?”

  Lawson takes a step in, that panty-melting grin of his spreading over his face. “You always did have better ideas. It’s broad daylight, you know.”

  “I don’t see another living soul around.” I give a carefree shrug while whipping off my T-shirt. “I guess we’d better make it quick.”

  I strip down to my birthday suit and hold my hands over my head as if presenting myself to him. There’s not an inch of me Lawson Kent hasn’t seen thanks to that flesh-fest we had up at the Happy Squirrel.

  “Looking good,” he growls, struggling with his shoes and jeans. The sun hits him just right, and his highlights ignite a strange fiery red just a hue below black. I love that about him. I love every last detail about this boy.

  We lower ourselves carefully into the boiling water with hisses and howls. It’s scalding to the touch, but we pretend to get used to it quickly.

  I wrap my arms around him, and Lawson spins us
in a quiet circle.

  “Do you think we should be doing this?” I wrinkle my nose at the water. “You know, this coital cauldron has quite the reputation. It’s known to be a bit germy and spermy.” I mouth the word sorry.

  “Spermy?” Lawson pitches his head backward and groans. “I wouldn’t worry about it. At about one hundred twenty degrees, most germs and sperm disintegrate to nothing.”

  “It is not one hundred twenty degrees in here.” I scoot in close, and that happy-to-see-me part of his body presses hard over my stomach. “It’s one hundred twenty degrees in you, though. Looks as if you have magma coursing through your veins and you’re just dying to blow.” I land my lips over his and let Lawson lash me with his tongue in the most delicate way. Lawson kisses like he’s coming in to dominate, to love, to treasure you.

  He reaches back for his jeans and pulls a condom out of his wallet.

  “I hate to add to the germy-spermy nature of our little coital cauldron.” He gives a quick wink.

  “Can you put that thing on under water?” I marvel as Lawson does just that.

  “Like a pro.” His lids grow heavy in that sleepy seductive way as he settles me on top of him. My legs wrap around his back as he presses his way inside.

  I run my lips up his cheek and take a generous bite out of his earlobe. “I like how we fit,” I whisper.

  “I like how we fit, too.”

  Lawson and I have ridden out one storm after another, and here we are on a clear spring day, loving one another both physically and emotionally deeper than I ever thought possible. I had relegated all men, all people as something akin to window dressing in this life, nothing of real use or value to me. I thought people came and went, and when you cared too much they just flat out died. But Lawson here is solid and real, alive and well, and best of all, he’s all mine.