by Sara Schoen
The date had gone remarkably well for both of us. Kayden had been a gentleman all night, pulling out my chair for me, sharing dessert, and especially with the frequency of his compliments. He was shocked when he saw my dress, and took his time scanning me over. The dress, while still a little conservative around the chest, provided him with a great view, in my opinion. The crewneck neckline extended close to my shoulders and let his gaze follow the lace three-quarter inch sleeves and down the rest of the dress. The detailing at the bottom seemed to have his full, undivided attention.
Parker had Ryan’s attention and the two had wasted no time before embracing when we first showed up at the restaurant. Kayden and I approached a little slower, uncertain of what to do. He leaned in for a hug, and I leaned in for a kiss. He hadn’t argued when my lips met his, even though I had sensed the surprise that raced through him in the first moments. It didn’t take him long to get into the kiss as his hand reached around and pulled me closer. His hand rested respectfully on the small of my back and he made no attempt to move it.
His lips crashed to mine once he had me close, and honestly I wasn’t sure where the heat came from but I didn’t want it to end.
His other hand caressed my cheek while my hands tangled in his hair. A soft moan escaped his lips as I let my instincts take over. I had never kissed a guy, but I had watched plenty of television shows and movies that showcased kissing, and what can happen after. While I didn’t see it going that far yet, or ever if he didn’t stick around, I could be happy with what I had right now. I lightly bit his bottom lip, which Parker had actually offered as advice. She had been with more guys than me, so I had taken the advice she offered while doing my hair and makeup.
She was the one who suggested I lean in to kiss him, and right now I was glad she did.
He moaned into the kiss as I lightly bit him again. He immediately tried to deepen the kiss and ran his tongue over my bottom lip. I let out a gasp as he pulled me tighter to him and allowed him to slide his tongue in, but before it could go much further Ryan cleared his throat.
“Not that I’m not excited you two are thrilled to see each other and start consummating the relationship, but I’d like to not watch it happen.”
Kayden let out a breath of a laugh as he pulled away. He looked me in the eyes and I could see the desire in his eyes, along with the lingering heat as he turned his attention to the hand he had on my cheek. He lightly ran his fingers over my face and then pulled me in for another kiss before pulling away again. “I wasn’t expecting that, but I’m glad it happened.”
“I am too,” I said back, my voice coming out as barely a whisper. I was surprised by the way he stole my voice and my breath from the heated kiss.
He glanced at Parker and Ryan, who had been eyeing us with cheeky smiles. “Maybe we can continue that after dinner.”
I had agreed then, and now I was just waiting to take off so I could see where this kiss was going to lead. The entire time we had been at dinner, Kayden hadn’t kept his hands off me. He was either holding my hand, had his arm around my shoulder, or was playing with the blue strands of hair that piqued his interest. The only time he had let me out of arm’s reach was when Parker and I went to the bathroom. Though it wasn’t a typical girl trip to the bathroom, she left without me in a rush to get back to Ryan. She was love-stricken, and honestly I wasn’t far behind her, if I was behind her at all.
“So what are you guys doing?” Parker asked as Ryan and Kayden conversed outside the restaurant. We had brought two different cars in anticipation for going our separate ways, but now the boys were dawdling while we were antsy and ready to leave. We hadn’t gone anywhere fancy, which made me feel overdressed but it didn’t bother me after we sat down. I was just waiting to leave now so he and I could be alone.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “Probably wherever Kayden wanted to go before you showed up at the house.”
“If that kiss is any indicator I have a feeling I know how your night is going to go,” she said as she playfully nudged me in my side.
“Stop,” I pleaded. “It’s not going to go like that. Kayden should know better, and I’m definitely not giving up the only bargaining chip I have for this to continue on.”
Parker rolled her eyes and then shook her head in disappointment. “You’re so worried about him ditching you halfway through this that you can’t even see he’s head over heels for you. I could see it before, and I can definitely see it now. He was staring at you the entire time like you were the only person in the room. There was a slight twinkle in his eye whenever you looked at him, and when you weren’t looking, he was making sure no one else was staring at you. He’s yours, I don’t care what you say about it.”
“The only problem is he isn’t really mine,” I said. “He’s keeping up the appearance of our relationship, and I’m trying not to over think it. I don’t want to be crushed when he leaves.”
“What if he doesn’t?” she questioned, but before I could answer Kayden and Ryan came to meet us.
Kayden instantly wrapped his arms around me and asked if I was ready to go, completely unaware of what Parker and I had been talking about. I nodded and he took my hand before we said goodbye. He pulled me to the car, full of excitement. It made me think of movies when the guy would then fumble for words and try to sweep a girl off her feet, but something told me Kayden had another idea. I just hoped it involved finishing that kiss, because I had been waiting for it all through dinner.
It made me wonder what Kayden had been thinking about at dinner, especially since I knew he would want more than just a kiss eventually.
I laughed awkwardly before pushing the thought away as Kayden once again held open the car door for me. I slid in and he quickly raced to the driver’s side. Once in, he locked the door and turned to me with a mischievous smile. “Now that you’re trapped, I can tell you where we are going. You’ll be trapped with me, but I promise you won’t regret it.”
“This sounds like the start to a cliché kidnapping story,” I retorted with a cheeky smile as the car sped forward. Wherever we were going, Kayden wanted to get there quickly.
“Don’t tempt me,” he said with laughter light in his voice.
I smiled. I wondered if he realized I wouldn’t mind it if he was the one kidnapping me. I’d willingly go with him if he asked, which reminded me of where he could possibly be taking me. Our own little world on top of a hill where no one could stumble upon us. I just hoped I was correct. “Where are we going, Kayden?”
“Promise not to freak out?”
I hesitated for a moment, I always hated when people asked that because it meant they knew I was going to freak out. “I will try my hardest,” was all I could promise. If I said anything else, I would probably be caught in a lie and then I’d never hear the end of it.
“We’re going back to that building,” Kayden stated. “I did a little bit of cleaning on the inside, but that was in case it rained. It looks like it’s going to hold out, so we can move outside. I think you’ll like what I have planned.”
“And my present?”
Kayden smiled. “You’ll have to wait still, and no, I won’t tell you what it is.”
A few minutes later we pulled up to the familiar brick building. Even in the dim lighting I could see a small circular driveway which stretched around the entire building that we used to travel around the back. I was curious what he had planned, especially when we pulled up and he immediately hopped out of the car to collect a few things from the back of the car.
I was about to get out and help him when he ordered me back into my seat, and to wait for him to come get me. I obeyed and watched as he laid a blanket out on the grass, then took a box and removed a few things from it. I noticed a radio, a dish where food would normally be kept, and a smaller box that he then slipped into his pocket. I smiled, I figured out what he was giving me. It had been a long black box, which was exactly what my mom had given me my charm bracelet in when I turned eighteen. I had
gotten a charm for each major event in my life, and frankly it weighed so much I felt as if it added five pounds.
Kayden raced back to the car, his hair sticking up in different directions from the light breeze. He opened the car and offered me his hand, which I happily took. He helped me out of the car and kissed me quickly before pulling away. “Ready?” he questioned, the excitement in his voice clear as he waited for my answer.
I smiled, “Of course I am. I’ve been waiting to figure out what you were going to do since Parker interrupted us.”
He smiled, and ran his fingers through his hair as if he was nervous. “Honestly, I’m glad I waited now. Okay, close your eyes and let me guide you over there.”
I sighed dramatically, unwilling to close my eyes, but when he pouted and pleaded with me silently, I closed them. He gently led me toward the blanket, or I assumed. For all I knew he could be leading me into a telephone pole and I wouldn’t know until I ran into it. We stopped and he didn’t say anything so I decided to figure out what he was waiting for. “What now?” I asked, attempting to peek before Kayden’s lips once again touched mine.
“Now you let me have a moment with you,” he said, his voice husky and full of lust. He tucked his head into the crook of my neck, kissing the bare skin and sending shivers up my spine. I tilted my head back slightly to allow for easier access. I wasn’t sure what got into me, but as I pressed myself to him I couldn’t help but grab his face lightly and bring his lips to mine. He groaned quietly the second our lips made contact.
He hugged me to him tightly before placing a passionate kiss onto my lips and sending my body into a frenzy. We let our bodies take over as we gave in to the moment of the night. Kayden had quickly become my solace after the loss of my mom and for my transformation, but also a wonderful fake boyfriend. I needed this moment because it was so fleeting and for a few moments, I wanted to believe it was all real. There was nothing wrong with this one night, even if there was. I wasn’t going to think about it until morning.
The moment came to an abrupt end as Kayden pulled away. My eyes popped open to look at him in shock, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Why did you stop?”
Kayden pushed closer to me before responding. “Trust me, I don’t want to, but I don’t want to push you either. Let me just spend the night with you, and we can see how you feel tomorrow.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down judging from what I could feel pressed against me. “Or maybe later tonight.”
I laughed lightly as I pulled away and fell into a sitting position on the blanket he had provided for us. My butt pressed against the ground, and I didn’t have to wait long before Kayden joined me. He shifted uncomfortably for a while before he fell into a relaxed position next to me. We sat on the ground, but not far in front of us was a sloping drop to the town we knew so well.
“It seems so small and insignificant from up here,” I said as I eyed the dimly lit town. Then I raised my eyes upwards to see the stars in the distance, the full moon providing minimal lighting for our outing.
“That’s why I like to come up here,” Kayden stated. “It’s like getting a reality check, or seeing things from a different perspective. Sometimes it’s nice, and other times I like to spend time with someone.”
I gave him a coy smile. “Who else have you been bringing up here?”
“No one,” he said. I could hear the honesty in his words, and see the seriousness in his eyes. He was being truthful, which shocked me even more. I was sure Kayden and I had a serious moment a few months ago, and now we seemed to be escalating our relationship quickly, not that I was complaining. I was head over heels.
Kayden smiled at me, looking down at me with the moon shining over us. “You are so beautiful, Lauren.”
I blushed, unable to say anything as I took the compliment and turned my attention to the sky. Every once in a while, Kayden would twirl my blue locks with his fingers, or lean in to kiss me before pulling back, much to my disappointment. My heart beat quickly when he closed in, all of my thoughts focused on our moment earlier.
“What are you thinking about?” Kayden questioned, breaking my thoughts as he wrapped his arm around me to pull me closer to him.
I smiled as I leaned into him; he smelled like a fresh summer rain. “You,” I answered slowly.
“What about me?”
“Just how everything between us has changed,” I said with a pleased sigh, leaning closer into him. “I like it.” I looked up to smile at him, so he’d know I was sincere, but when I looked up he seemed torn for a moment. It was as if he were having an inner debate, and the side he wanted to win was losing. “Is everything okay?” I asked, lightly pulling on the front of his shirt to gain his attention.
He quickly snapped out of it before fumbling with an explanation. “Yeah, everything is fine. I’m just trying to find a romantic way to give you my gift, and I can’t think of one.” He leaned back slightly and reached into his pocket. He slowly pulled out the rectangular box I had seen previously, but when he opened it, it wasn’t the bracelet I had been expecting. Instead it was a necklace with a simple birthstone pendent; my birthstone.
I gasped. “It’s beautiful, Kayden.”
“Like you,” was all he said as he took the necklace from its box and placed it around my neck. He gave me one last kiss on my cheek and then let us sit in a comfortable silence, even though I was sure he could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
Chapter 24
Did You…You Know
It felt good to get the day-old makeup off my face. Kayden and I had returned home late last night, I actually had to sneak into the house because Parker was already asleep when I got back. We had just sat in the field stargazing for a while. He had a secret love of astronomy and spent time showing me all the constellations. I didn’t really see most of them, but I appreciated his effort to share his interest with me. I wasn’t sure how many other people could say they knew that about him.
Kayden had been wonderful the entire time, honestly I don’t think it could have been better. It was like he knew exactly what I wanted in a date and had gone through a check list to hit all the marks. I couldn’t wait to tell Parker when she woke up, but she was always a late riser. For her, early was at the crack of noon and if I woke her up any time before then she was cranky for the rest of the day.
Frankly, I didn’t need that on a Saturday morning.
Instead I lay on one side of her bed and waited for her to wake up. I did help the process a little bit, though. I tossed and turned like I was having a nightmare, and I would ‘accidentally’ kick her, but she slept like the dead. I had almost given up when she started to stir. I don’t know what woke her up, but I hoped it was enough to keep her up. If she fell back asleep I wouldn’t hear from her until two in the afternoon or maybe dinner tonight. She stretched and inevitably fell back asleep.
I groaned as I rolled over to get comfortable, giving up on getting her up early. I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling so could focus on recalling the latter portion of my night with Kayden. Once he had given me the necklace we fell into a comfortable silence. I laid my head on his chest and he stroked my hair as we talked. While we didn’t continue our kiss, even though I knew we both wanted to, it also relaxed me. He had come into my life so different and suddenly that I wasn’t sure what to do about it. It seemed like it was going too fast, but it all seemed so easy to be with him.
He made it easy to fall for him, I just hoped he wouldn’t let me down.
“Why did you kick me?” Parker whined as she rolled over to face me. Her makeup had been halfheartedly removed, her hair was now a giant puff ball, but the smile on her lips shined as brightly as last night.
“I wanted you to wake up,” I explained. “I tried to make it seem like I was just rolling around in my sleep, but I guess that didn’t work.”
“Nope,” she said, allowing the ‘p’ to pop. “I hate being awake this early. What time is it?”
“It’s nine
, just go back to sleep if you want. I’ll go down stairs and make breakfast,” I offered as I peeled off the covers and rose to start my day, or so I thought. I hadn’t realized how exhausted I was and fell back into a sitting position on the bed, causing the bed to bounce and Parker to groan in annoyance. She wasn’t a morning person in any meaning of the word.
“No, don’t go,” Parker chimed as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down onto my back to lay with her. “We just had a double date, and then went our separate ways. I want to know what happened when we split up. This is what friends do, Lauren. You’ve spent years asking me about my dates, now let me hear about yours with the infamous Kayden Daniels.”
“It went great,” I said simply, which only seemed to annoy Parker more.
“I meant for you to explain with details, all of them, and then give me a play by play for certain things because I don’t need to know how the whole make-out scene went since I saw it in person first hand.” She waved her hand to tell me to continue.
“Well, we went to a building we had been together previously,” I said vaguely because I wasn’t sure Kayden would want anyone else to know where he went to clear his head. If he truly hadn’t taken anyone else up there before I didn’t want to be the one to spill his secret. “We got there and he told me to close my eyes. He had already gone to set up a little sitting area, and I watched, but I guess he wanted to surprise me. So he led me to it, and we talked about nothing in particular for a while. Then during a period of silence he gave me this.” I leaned over to show her the necklace that was perched in its rightful spot around my neck.
“Wow,” Parker said with a soft sigh. “It’s beautiful. The kid has good taste to find that.”
“Yeah, it’s my birthstone too. I guess because he wasn’t there to celebrate my birthday, well, he was, but his goal was to make me hate him and going to school every day.” I rolled my eyes thinking back to how he treated me on my actual birthday.