by K. C. Harper
Just then our dinner arrived and I was glad so we could change the conversation. Talking about Jackson with TJ made me uncomfortable. We talked through dinner and I really found myself enjoying spending time with him and getting to know him all over again.
“Would you care for any desert?” The waiter stood there waiting for us to decide.
“No, thank you,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah I’m sure, thank you, I really am full.” The waiter turned to TJ waiting for him to answer.
“I’m good, thanks. We’ll just take the check.” TJ held my hand as we walked to his car and I caught him several times looking at me.
“I had a nice time with you tonight, TJ. Everything was perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Danielle, I like spending time with you.” He held my hand as we drove back to my apartment in silence.
“Would you like to come in for coffee or something?” As I said the word something, I wanted to smack myself in the head. I knew what he would think.
I was turning red, I could feel the heat on my cheeks. “I am never going to live this down, am I?”
TJ sat down on the stool by the kitchen island. I could feel his eyes on me as he watched me move around in the kitchen. I was searching for the coffee and wondering where my mom had put the coffee maker.
“Do you need some help in there?” He continued watching me and I could see the desire growing in his eyes with every passing second.
“No, it’s fine. I got it, my mom unpacked my kitchen and I’m still learning where she hid everything.”
He laughed, rested his arms on the counter top and watched me for a few more minutes while I searched everywhere for the stupid coffee maker. “I really don’t need coffee, Danielle, its fine.”
“I’m so sorry, TJ. I’ve only been in my apartment for two weeks and I normally don’t drink coffee.” I only need coffee if I’m too tired to function. If that’s the case I usually go to Starbucks.
“I should tell you something then,” he sat up straight and leaned forward into the counter top looking like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I actually hate coffee. I just lied so I could spend some more time with you.” He was smiling, his warm eyes roaming over my body. I opened the fridge and hoped I had at least one decent beer. Leaning over I looked in “I have water, soda, and three beers.”
“Coffee would be fine. Besides, I don’t think your mom would approve of me taking you out on one date and expecting….” he lowered his head to hide his smile as he said in a low voice, “Something.”
He smiled. “A beer is fine thanks. Do you need help looking for the bottle opener?”
I pointed at him with a smirk on my face. “No, I know where that is, thank you very much.” We moved over to the sofa with our beers, and sat down. I turned on the TV just to add some noise so we didn’t have to sit in silence. I flipped through the channels and couldn’t find anything worth watching. I just left it on some Chef Ramsey cooking show, that I was sure could bring some sort of entertainment for a while. TJ finished his beer and sat it on the coffee table.
He looked over at his empty bottle, and then my beer. “You aren’t much of a drinker are you?” I looked at my beer, still full, and back at him.
“Not really, no.” I laughed. “You want it?” I passed him the beer and our hands touched when he went to grab it. His hand settled on mine over the beer bottle and he looked up at me. I instantly felt that zap in my chest. It was the same one from when we were younger; when I saw him in the garage from my bedroom. I was staring back up at him as he rubbed his thumb over my hand still holding the beer bottle and heating me with his gaze. He looked down at my hand before his eyes found mine. I wasn’t sure what came over me and didn’t care in that moment…
I leaned over and kissed him.
Five
He seemed surprised, as he backed away to look down at my face, and smiled as he put the beer on the table, sliding a hand behind my neck, pulling my lips to his and kissed me. At first the kiss was slow, I felt his kiss grow more urgent as one of his hands slipped down my cheek, past my neck, and down the small of my back. He pulled me in closer as he fell back onto the sofa still kissing me. His other hand was on the back of my neck, angling my face just the way he wanted it, holding it in place to make sure I wasn’t going anywhere, his other hand moving down my back. My hands slid up his arms and around his neck as my fingers played with his hair. He let out a faint groan as he ran his tongue across my bottom lip before biting on it gently. I could feel every muscle in my body start to quiver from his kiss and his touch. Just then the phone rang and on the third ring the machine picked up.
“Hello, Honey. Its mom, just calling to see how things are going today and to make sure you are ok.”
I loved my mother dearly but she really did have bad timing. We both pulled apart, breathless. TJ sat up, rubbing his palms down his thighs as I walked over to the phone.
“I should get it. She’ll probably worry that I didn’t pick up and call back in another ten times.”
He nodded as his eyes looked at my legs making their way up my body.
“Hi mom...Yes everything is fine. I’m sure. No…no really I’m fine, I was just in the middle of something.” I heard TJ laughing, but couldn’t make myself turn around to look at him. I didn’t want my mom to hear him laughing but it was too late.
“What? No mom, um... It’s just TJ, we went out for dinner and he came in for a little while. Ok, mom, I love you, too. Goodnight.” He was grinning when I turned around. “You really need to stop laughing at that word something every time I say it.” It was really making it difficult to concentrate on anything but sex when he laughed at that word.
“I’m sorry, you’re right but I can’t help but remember that night in your mom’s driveway with you getting all hot and red in the face when you said you were tired or something.” He was laughing again.
I folded my arms across my chest and stood there trying to put on my best angry face. “Keep laughing at me and you will be sorry.”
He raised an eye brow not believing me. “Oh really, is that a fact? You couldn’t hurt a fly as small as you are.”
I was small. He was right I couldn’t even hurt a fly if I wanted to. But I wasn’t going to admit it to him. “Size has nothing to do with anything, TJ.”
He was laughing when I said that.
“Get your head out of the gutter. You men are such pigs!” Great another thing for him to laugh at now, I really had to learn to think before I spoke.
“Hey,” he said, with his hands up. “In my defense, most women say they don’t care about size, but they really do. You guys just say you don’t, but then you turn around and talk about us the next day to your girlfriends. You all discuss size, just admit it, Danielle.”
I walked back over to the sofa with a smirk on my face. There was no way I was admitting to such a thing. “Wow, TJ. You sure sound like you speak from experience! I guess size must be an issue for you.”
He stood up quickly not laughing anymore. “I have no issue or problem with size. I can show you right now if you want.”
I almost went into heart failure. He slowly walked toward me. I started stepping back toward the wall laughing a little. “No, that’s alright. I’ll take your word for it.” His look was intense and sexy as hell.
“No really, Danielle. I can show you right now.” He reached for the button of his jeans.
I covered my eyes with my hands trying not to look. “TJ stop it!” I heard him laugh as I peeked through my fingers and saw him standing right in front of me with a sexy ‘gotcha’ grin on his face. I didn’t know if I should be embarrassed or disappointed that he didn’t take his pants off. “You really are mean, you know that? And a tease…” I pushed him, but the push hardly made him budge. He leaned closer to me now, pushing me up against the wall with his arms on each side of my face and palms on the wall.
“Danielle, pulling
my stuff out to show you my size isn’t the way I picture getting naked with you. If I even was going to let you get a glimpse at the size.” He was looking down at me and got closer to my ear. I could feel his breath on my neck and his lips brushing the skin. “It would be after I slowly peeled you out of this hot dress you’re wearing. And then… I would kiss you until you couldn’t remember your own name.”
I was about to fall to the floor. I stood there with my mouth slightly open, feeling all the blood rush from my face. He moved so close it was as if our bodies were joined together as one. He pushed one of his thighs between my legs.
“Breathe, Danielle. I already told you in the restaurant your mom wouldn’t appreciate me taking advantage of you on the first date.” He inched closer to my lips never breaking eye contact with me and finally kissed me. His thigh slid in-between my legs holding me up, at that moment, I felt as I had lost all the bones in my body and would have slipped down to the floor. He broke apart our kiss and looked into my eyes. “I should go. It’s late and you have to be at work early. I wouldn’t want you to be late because of me.” He pushed a strand of hair away from my eyes and ran a thumb down my cheek, sliding it down to my bottom lip. I was still wet from his kiss. He leaned in one more time, gave me a quick kiss and stood me upright and grabbed my hand.
“Come on walk me to the door at least,” he said.
My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to jump out of my chest.
“When can I see you again?” he asked
“I’m busy tomorrow with meetings at school until eight, but I’ll be free the day after.” My legs were still feeling weak as we made it to the door.
“Ok then, I’ll see you Thursday.” He kissed me again, pulling me against his body sending shivers down my spine. “Goodnight, Danielle.”
“Goodnight, TJ.” As I closed the door behind him, I could barely think straight. No one had ever kissed me like that before. Being in the same room with him seemed to take away any ability to think straight.
***
On Thursday, around six thirty I was waiting for TJ. I decided to watch something recorded on my DVR just to pass the time. The last thing I remember was putting on an episode of the Bachelor and I fell asleep. I was so tired from being up late from my date with TJ two days ago and not getting much sleep the next day after that. I stretched a little and was going to sit up when I noticed it was already dark outside. Oh no! I must have slept and not heard TJ knock on the door. I sat straight up quickly talking to myself out loud. “Oh, TJ is going to be so mad. I can’t believe this. Way to go, Danni.”
“I’m not mad, I enjoyed watching you sleep,” said a male voice.
I screamed jumping off the sofa, becoming startled at hearing a voice inside my apartment. I was about to go into heart failure.
“Hey, it’s alright. It’s just me,” TJ said as he grabbed my hand
“TJ, you scared the shit out of me! How…when, did you get here?” I looked around confused still trying to steady my breathing. “What time is it?”
“It’s a little after ten. You left the door unlocked, which by the way is very dangerous. I knocked; you didn’t answer. I thought something was wrong and I tried the door. It was open and I came in and found you sleeping on the sofa. You looked comfortable and tired that I didn’t want to wake you up,” his voice was low and husky.
“I’m sorry I ruined our date.”
He stood up in front of me, and came around to stand in front of me. With his hand on my face he looked down at me. “You didn’t ruin anything, Danielle; you were tired and needed sleep. It happens. Besides, I didn’t mind watching you sleep.” A smile crossed his lips. “Do you want to something to eat? You must be hungry. I can make you something.” He took my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen. “Sit.” He left me at the stool and went into the kitchen. He pulled open the fridge, looked inside and looked back at me. “You eat like a mouse, you know that? There is nothing in here but eggs, yogurt, and some fruit.”
It was time for a trip to the grocery store, but I couldn’t find the time with work and moving. “I don’t spend much time here. I am usually at work all day and am too tired to cook when I get home.”
“Well, I guess its eggs then.” He took out the eggs and placed them on the counter. “You do know where the pans are, don’t you?”
I got off the stool twisting my mouth and laughed at him. “Of course I do. They are in here.” I reached up to grab one standing on my tippy toes. He leaned over me, I could feel the warmth of his body against my back.
“Let me get it for you.” He pulled down the pan, making it look effortless.
“You don’t have to cook, TJ. I fell asleep and we missed dinner because of me.”
He wasn’t taking no for an answer and pointed me toward the stool in front of the counter. “Sit. I’m going to cook and I don’t mind. You just sit there and relax. You look tired.”
We sat at the island eating our eggs. “These are good, TJ. Thank you,” I said, trying not to spill food out of my mouth.
“You should see what I can do with real food.” He nudged my knee with his and smiled.
After we ate, I cleaned up the kitchen and we sat back down on the couch. We watched TV; it was on repeat from the DVR and playing the Bachelor.
“Why do girls watch this garbage? Do they really buy into this guy? I mean he goes out with a different girl every day and still they love him. I don’t get it.” He looked at the TV shaking his head.
“I think it’s the idea of the guy they like. I could never go on that show. It seems crazy that you could like a guy who is going out and making out with a different girl every night and is open about it.” I never really understood how someone could base a relationship off of that, but I still loved watching it.
“So we will never see Danielle Bryan as the next Bachelorette?” He was clearly trying to be funny with his mocking tone.
“Definitely not.”
We watched TV for a little while, but it was already almost twelve. I was starting to get sleepy again as I rested my head on his shoulder. His arm was around my waist with his hand resting on my thigh. His fingers moved every so often tracing a circle pattern on my jeans.
“It’s late and you’re tired, Danielle. I should go.”
I looked up at him with sleepy eyes. “Thank you TJ for not being mad that I fell asleep. I had a nice time.”
“I did too.”
He moved his hand up to my face, rubbing my cheek with his thumb and pulled my lips to his. He kissed me slowly at first, but it grew more desperate. His tongue rubbed on my tongue and explored my mouth. His hand was on the back of my neck with his fingers in my hair. I shifted my position a little, putting my arms around his neck, leaning on his chest. I could feel something different in this kiss. It was almost like he was trying to hold on to me forever. I felt the need to get closer to him, I slipped my right leg over him and put the left leg on the other side. I heard a low groan come from him as I settled down onto him and his hands made their way down my back just above my butt. I pulled him closer to me grabbing onto the back of his neck and tugging on his hair a little to make my point. He let his hands roam down and placed both his hands on my ass and gripped tightly, pulling me closer to his body.
“You have a great ass,” he said, squeezed again and groaned.
His right hand slowly moved up my back and around to the side of my face. He was holding me right where he wanted me. He backed away from the kiss, but stayed just inches from my lips. He looked down at my lips with a sexy, sleepy grin on his face. He moved closer and bit my lower lip then ran his tongue over it slowly. “You taste good,” he said, then kissed me again. At that moment , I knew I was done for. TJ could do whatever he wanted to me and I would be lost in him.
Finally we broke apart. He cupped my face with his hands and rested his forehead on mine. “You drive me crazy, Danielle and not in a bad way. I have wanted to kiss you for so long. I never thought it would be this
good.”
I leaned back to look get a better look at him. “What do you mean you’ve wanted to kiss me for a long time? Do you mean since the last time you kissed me?”
He laughed quietly. “No, Danielle. Longer than that, since we were kids. Remember the day you came into my dad’s garage and you thought you were bothering me?”
I sat there for a second thinking back and remembering. “I remember, you seemed annoyed with me.”
He shook his head. “I wasn’t annoyed with you. I was annoyed with myself. But I was mostly thrown by the urge I had to kiss you when I saw you walk in. Ever since that day, whenever I saw you, that’s all I could think about.”
I had no idea he was feeling these things in high school. A big part of me wished he had told me. “TJ, I had no idea, why didn’t you say anything?
He looked up at me like I had two heads or something. “Are you kidding? You would have laughed in my face. Besides you started going out with Jackson that year so it was kind of pointless.”
“You should have said something! I wouldn’t have laughed at you, TJ.”
“I can’t go back and change things Danielle, so I’m telling you now. I want to kiss you.”
I smiled at him, and leaned into him again. “Good, because I like it when you kiss me,” I kissed him. I knew it took him by surprise because it took him a moment to kiss me back; but when he did, he didn’t hold anything back. He was gripping the back of my neck, twisting his fingers in my hair, as he slid his tongue in my mouth. I could feel his heart beating against my chest.
“I can stay like this forever, Danielle. When I kiss you it’s like nothing else in the world matters,” he said, looking into my eyes. He put his hands on my face and kissed me again, holding me in place. He was taking his time with his tongue, going over my lips, moving slowly with my tongue, letting them both explore each other.
I had lost all train of thought. I didn’t know if I was breathing and I didn’t care. Kissing TJ felt right. Something in my chest felt funny, almost like a bolt of energy had zapped me. I pulled back and looked down at his face, holding his face with my hands. His lips were wet from our kiss, his hair a mess, he looked sexy as hell. His eyes were cutting into my soul slowly and killing me with each gaze.