We only have two weeks left. The days fly by faster than I want them to, but at the same time I actually want time with just her. No cameras and no outside viewers. It's crazy because no matter how much time in a twenty-four-hour period we spend together, I can't get enough, so last night I decided it was time to talk to my sister. I kiss Kambry's cheek and slip out of bed as my phone stops vibrating. I grab it and ease out of her room.
We pretty much just sleep in whichever bed we end up in - sometimes hers and sometimes mine - but always together. Even in the short two weeks I've gotten used to having a bed partner. I'd hate to have to go back to sleeping alone now.
I unlock my phone as I descend the stairs. One missed call from Tynleigh and a text.
Tynleigh: Hey little bro. I was out cold by nine last night, so I put my phone on sleep mode. Call me as soon as you get this or I won't be able to talk until this evening. I have our regular meeting with the editor in chief for the upcoming month's issue article...usually the worst day of the month for me. She's a real bitch. Pray for me. Love you, T.
I smile, missing her more than I want to admit. As I come into the kitchen, I dial her back, waiting for her to answer. "What's up little brother? I'm pissed at you for waiting this long to call me. Just an FYI. Tiffany, you have to actually have sex to write an article on different positions that lead to orgasm. She's not going to let you write that. You're dressed like a fucking school teacher."
I laugh, filling the filter of the coffee pot with a few scoops of coffee grounds. "Do I even want to know?"
"Ugh. Sometimes I wonder how in the hell people end up working here; a bunch of damn prudes trying to fill the women of the world in on sex appeal, seduction, and how-tos. No damn sense. Enough of that though. I haven't talked to you in like a month or some shit. What's up with that?"
"That's my fuck up. Sorry. How you been? How's the city life? Dating anyone?"
I turn on the coffee pot, waiting for it to start brewing. "Oh you know, same ole, just working and trying to have a little fun here and there. And dating...ugh no. I don't have time for that. My job is going really good right now. I'm killin' it with my articles lately. Relationship writing and fun, single, exploratory writing are totally different. I'm not ready for my writing to become a snore bore to read and my career to go to shit yet. Hell, I'm only twenty-eight. I'm still fresh meat. Plus, I kind of like playing the streets of New York for now. Starbucks! Candice, I love you hard right now. Thank you! I need this. I'll come find you in a few. I'm on the phone with my brother. He's three hours behind."
I grab a mug from the cabinet while she has multiple conversations. It doesn't surprise me. Usually I try to wait until she's off to call her. She stays pretty busy since she moved there after college. I kind of knew she wouldn't stay in Cali forever. I'm proud of her. She's done well for herself. "Speaking of. Why are you up so early? Did you not work last night?"
"I'm kind of on a twenty-four-hour work clock right now. New project. Long story. I'm usually still up early anyway."
"Well as long as you're happy and that works for you. I'm proud of you sprout."
"T, I'm a grown man. Sprout is a little outdated."
"You will always be my sprout. I don't care if you're sixty. I miss you. When are you coming to see me? Give those girls a rest and take a vacation. You can take a red-eye flight and be here by morning. It's Friday so it'd be perfect. New York is never quite the same without you, no matter how much I love it here. I can introduce you to some friends, maybe a few girls. I bet you'd fall in love and move here before you know it."
"That's actually why I called. I met someone."
The phone is silent for a few seconds. I pour a cup of freshly brewed coffee and take a small sip of the black liquid equivalent to crack. "What kind of someone? Like a co-worker? Or like a normal someone?"
"Think the best of both worlds. She started off as a normal someone and now she's a co-star for this project."
"Look at you. Ahh. So you really like this one then? Thinking of actually giving the whole dating thing another shot?"
"I'm already there, T. I can't explain it. I didn't mean for it to happen. It just sort of did. You know I haven't shown interest in a girl in a long time. It was only supposed to be a project pitch that night, because I needed a break. I was over sex, girls, the lack of emotional intimacy, everything. I was days away from coming to stay with you or going somewhere alone, but then I laid my eyes on her and she hooked me. She's quirky, beautiful, and I just couldn't let her go, so I went back for her, and I haven't completely left since. You'd like her. Sometimes she reminds me a little of you. She has this spitfire side to her that she lets out sometimes. I knew I had to make her mine one way or another, so I did. Now, I love her. I have to figure all of this crap out. It's the only option. I want to see where this goes. She's the one. I can feel it in my soul. Don't laugh."
"What the fuck? For real? Wow, sprout. That's great. Why would I laugh?"
"Because it's fucking crazy that's why. The more I think about it, the more I feel like a jackass. No one falls in love this fast, right?"
"Saxton, I'm going to pull my wise older sister girl card for a second. No two love stories are the same. You've always been a levelheaded guy. You know what you want quickly and you go after it without much doubt or thought. Look at you now. You've done well for yourself. Is it an orthodox career you want to brag about to your kids one day? Well no, but you love hard, always have, and this was your way to cope through a broken heart instead of finding a rebound like some people do, not caring if they hurt someone else like they were hurt. Women everywhere are thankful that you were the guy that took the time to let yourself heal before you dove into the pool of love again. And personally, I think if you really love someone you know pretty quickly. If it takes you a year to fall for someone then it just seems like it's more of a comfort level romance than actual love. Just remember that your heart can love several times. That's pretty much what it was created to do, but the part that no one gets is that it only begins as a feeling. Circumstances can cause that to burn out. Once you experience it, then it becomes an act that you continue over and over without question. That's the part you didn't have before, and that's the part that I believe is reserved for one person. The one isn't some magical firework show that goes off in your head and heart around one particular person. It's finding the one person that you want to love no matter how hard it gets and no matter who tries to stand in your way. Loving them starts as a want and becomes a need. Here's the million-dollar key piece of information you need. There will be temptation in the world...on both parties' sides. We live among people with no conscience, no morals, and no regard for other people, but real love that's worth entering into a marriage for is two sided. When two people are in love, it doesn't matter what temptations arise, because the love they share will withstand it and turn away from it...Every. Fucking. Time."
I wish I hadn't waited so long to call her. She's always been the person I wanted to talk things out with. She has always been able to make things clear when they seem hazy, or when my mind tries to go back and forth. "Why aren't you writing these types of articles? You need to be bottling that shit up and selling it."
She laughs. "Because there is this statutory position called an editor in chief that controls the finances, the staff, the issues and what they are filled with. Sex sells more to a broader audience. No one wants to hear things like that until they're ready, which is why I've never spoke of it to you until now. Pity parties are the most common and longest-lived. People just want to drown in heartache for a while. And… because Tiffany gets the sappy assignments. The girl would probably consider making out and boob squeezes being rode hard and put up wet. The chick makes me look like a whore."
The air of laughter building escapes me. I almost spew my coffee as I take another sip. "Does Dad know you have such a filthy mouth?"
"Little brother, there is a gate that separates what parents think their kids do or say and ho
w they actually behave. I'm pretty sure you busted it wide open long ago. You paved the way for me to follow in sainthood, porn boy."
"Asshole."
She continues on with laughter in her tone. "I love you, though, regardless of your indiscretions. Just answer one question. Is she different than Salem?"
"Not one similarity. She's it for me. You were right all along. I wish I could thank her for giving me an out. I just have to figure out what to do about my career when this whole thing is over, because I haven't the slightest idea of what else to do."
"I'm so damn happy for you, sprout. You deserve this. When can I meet her? If she swayed you away from your world I'm sure I'll love her."
"A little over two weeks? Can you take some time off? Maybe a day or so around the weekend? We'll probably come for a week and catch Mom and Dad when we get back."
"Hell yeah. You know I wouldn't miss seeing you. I never ask for time off. Consider it done. Can you text me the details tonight? We can work out the airport when you have flight details."
I look up over my coffee mug when I catch something blue from the corner of my eye. Kambry is standing in the doorway in my navy tee shirt with messy hair and squinty eyes. I love seeing her like that. To me this is when she's the most beautiful. She rubs one eye and waves at me. I set my mug on the countertop. "Sure I can do that. Kambry, come here."
"Sleep overs? You really weren't kidding. You never do that."
"That's part of the long story I was telling you about, but yeah what you said too."
"Can I talk to her?"
"If you promise not to scare her."
"Scare her? It's nice to know I'm thought so highly of. I love you too, brother."
"You're kind of scary when you're excited. That doesn't mean I love you less. I'm just used to it."
"I just want to say hello. I'm about to have to go anyway. I promise I'll be good and I won't tell any embarrassing stories...yet."
"Okay." I grab Kambry's tee shirt between my two fingers and pull her toward me from the place she stopped. I kiss her. "Morning."
"Morning."
"You're up early."
She shrugs. "The bed was empty. I couldn't sleep."
"My sister called me back. Can you talk for a second? She wants to say hi."
Her eyes widen, as expected. A look of terror graces her face. She nods and I hand her the phone. "Hello..."
Her voice is a mix between groggy and nervous. She begins rubbing the bottom hem of her shirt between her thumb and index finger. I can't hear what Tynleigh is saying, but I can hear her voice pitching every few words. Suddenly Kambry smiles, and then it turns into a grin. "That sounds amazing. Thank you. I can't wait."
I grab another mug from the cabinet and remove the milk and white chocolate creamer from the refrigerator, the ingredients to basically make her a White Chocolate Mocha Olay. I listen to her talk more as the seconds pass, while I warm her milk in the microwave since I clearly don't have a steamer. I don't really know what they're talking about, but I like the light interaction between them. Family is important to me. They would be crazy not to like Kambry, but I still want them to.
"Okay. Talk soon. Bye."
I pour the coffee and white chocolate liquid into the half cup of hot milk, forming a mixture until the cup is full, then replace the cold stuff and put the coffee pot back. "What are you making? I thought you liked it black."
I grab a spoon to stir and look at her, her butt now propped against the counter with her hands on top of it. "This isn't mine. It's yours."
I hand it to her. "How'd it go? Did she behave?"
She stares down at the brown mixture. "She seems great...and easy going. I bet she's a lot of fun." Returning her eyes on me, she looks like she wants to say something. "You do know I don't like coffee right? I hate you went through all of this trouble."
I carefully lift her to sit on the bar. "Ever tried it?"
"Coffee? When I was younger. It didn't matter how much sugar and cream I added, it tasted horrible. Something about that flavor I don't like."
"Well, this is different. I have one rule that you have to abide by."
"Rule? What rule?"
"You can't knock something until you try it. If you try it and hate it, I'll never ask you to try it again, but you can't assume you dislike something based off an old experience with a beverage in the same family as the one at hand."
"Fine." She places the rim of the mug to her lips and blows, before taking a sip. Never before has such an innocent act been a turn on. "There. Are you-"
Her mouth begins to move but then clamps shut and her jaw rocks back and forth, as if her tongue is gliding against her palate. She takes another sip. "Good, huh?"
She nods, barely leaving any pause between sips. "Are you sure you want me to meet your family? That's a huge step. I don't want you to feel pressured..."
I place my hands on her thighs, slowly rubbing upward. "I've never been more sure of anything. I now have two girls important in my life aside from my mom. It's only natural you two know each other."
"Okay. I just wanted to be sure."
She takes another sip. I let my thoughts run for a bit. For the most part we stay here during the day, at least during the week. Some nights we work and some weekend days we do something fun, but aside from that we chill here. I want to start the weekend early. I want to do something with her. "What do you say we go to the beach today? Someone I know has a house with a stretch of privately owned beachfront. I could give him a call. What do you think? Just me and you, sand and sun?"
She sets the mug down and wraps her hands around my neck. "I thought you would never ask. I was really starting to think it was weird that you haven't brought up the beach, when you have lived here all of your life."
I enclose my arms around her waist, before pulling her toward me. "There have been places that I've avoided for years. Places consumed with couples and places that have memories attached have been off limits for the most part. It was just easier to live that way, but it's time to make new memories and to experience actual life again. I want lots of memories with you."
"Just when I think I can't fall any more you go and prove me wrong."
"I hope you never stop."
"I'm really glad you came into the club that night. I'm even gladder that I was moved upstairs to VIP and actually accepted it. That night changed my life. That kiss was the start of something beautiful. Since then my life has never been the same."
"I couldn't agree with you more..."
The sound of the window being let down pulls my attention to Kambry from the road in front of me. She's not paying me any attention. She's singing along to the country music she has playing on the radio. She knows every word and I'm not even sure I've ever heard this song.
My heart swells at the sight of her. I have never felt this full before, or this satisfied with another person. She's facing the door and has her chin propped on her bent arm that's resting on top of the door frame over the window housing, as the other extends outside of the window, waving up and down against the pressure of the air. It's a surreal visual, watching her just exist.
She's beautiful. I really can’t say that enough. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. It's hard to even pull my eyes away long enough to ensure I'm not swerving and veering into another lane. I know deep down I'll never forget seeing her like this. My eyes lock with hers in the side view mirror as I reposition it just a little. The way the strands of her wavy, blonde hair blows across her face is hypnotic. "I love it here."
"I love you."
She smiles. "That too. What are you thinking? You've been looking at me for a while."
"Just how crazy I am about you. You have no idea what you do to me."
"I'm just an average girl, Sax; no special powers, just a smothered runaway you rescued and recovered. I'm not rare, I'm just in love, and that makes you see me in a different light than the rest of the world. That's all."
She stands in the seat
on her knees and sticks her head further out the window, resting her stomach against the door. Instinctively I glance at the locks to be sure the doors are locked, and then grab the back waistband of her cutoff shorts when she extends both arms to her sides like an airplane. "Hey! Easy. I'm carrying precious cargo."
I pull back, trying to get her back in the truck, glancing back and forth between her and the road. She finally pulls herself back inside. "That was so much fun. I've never gotten to do that before. I've seen it in movies."
"What? Didn't you live in the country? Where abandoned back roads are as common as urban development is here?"
"Yep, but my life experiences are very underdeveloped."
I grab her hand and kiss the back. "Not for long, baby. Not for long."
I pull into the drive and kill the engine. "Here it is."
She opens the truck door and hops out, pulling her beach bag along with her. I follow behind and grab the small, handheld ice chest out of the back. "This isn't at all what I expected when you said a private beach. I was thinking mansion tucked away from society and this is cute: not too big and not too small. I love it. Whose it is?"
"Just a friend I met filming. He's been trying to get me to buy it for a while, but he doesn’t want to sell it to just anyone. Places like this are hard to find. People tend to hang onto them. He wants to invest somewhere else, though; east coast I think. New York City isn't cheap, even for those with good paying careers."
I place my arm around her and lead her toward the side of the house to the small drop off where it turns to sand. "Are you thinking about it? At least it's not all windows."
I slide down first and reach out for her hand. "I hadn't much. I didn't really have a use for it being this far out alone. I don't know...maybe."
Sex Sessions: Uncut (Camera Tales #1) Page 41