by J. Bengtsson
I nodded. I was well aware of his womanizing. He’d been very open about it on the island. Although I wasn’t thrilled about his man whoring ways, if it were his past, I could overlook it.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “I’m not doing that anymore.”
“What stopped you?”
Kyle didn’t reply for the longest time. I waited patiently because I desperately needed to hear his answer. “I can’t really explain it, but I’ve changed. Remember that time you came and sat with me on the beach, and you had that bucket full of nasties?”
I nodded.
“And you said, ‘Someday I’m going to be somebody’?”
“I remember.”
“Well, so am I.”
I smiled. “I don’t doubt it for a second.”
He leaned into me and our lips touched. I wrapped my arms around him and pleasured in the feel of him. Kyle began walking me backward.
“Where are we going?” I asked between kisses.
“My room.”
Somehow we made it up the stairs, and Kyle pushed the door to his bedroom open with his foot. Our lips never stopped working, our tongues twining in effort. Then we were on his bed, Kyle closing the space between us, and his heat melted the last of my resolve. At that moment I didn’t care that we were trespassing in a rock star’s house. And it wasn’t really trespassing if Kyle lived here, right?
And then he was on top me and our lips crushed together, mouths open, tongues engaged in a war of erotic wills, and I didn’t give two shits anymore. My desire for Kyle trumped all rational thought. I’d wanted him for so long. Crazed with desire for this man, I threw myself shamelessly at him. My excitement aroused him further and his hands were under my shirt in a flash, attempting to unbuckle my bra. I could feel his eagerness and also his frustration as the clasp wouldn’t give way. Kyle groaned and finally gave up. I fought the urge to giggle.
Not to be deterred, he grabbed at my shirt, pulling it over my head. I tried to get his shirt off too, but we were all hands and tongues and writhing bodies. He broke the kiss long enough to take off his own shirt and unbuckle his jeans. The entire twenty seconds we were apart, my hands were groping him. Kyle’s eyes were lust-filled as he sank down on top of me. I ran my nails over his back, shaking with desire. Sliding my hands into his jeans and under his boxers, I grabbed his butt and forced him deeper onto me, and we were grinding into each other.
Kyle pushed himself up and grabbed the waistband of my jeans. I helped him get them off before he easily slid his own down his slim waist. My hands were on him and his on me. We were quickly losing control.
“Condom,” I panted but he was already a step ahead and was ripping open the little package. It took him a minute to get it on, but once he did he was hastily back in the game. I opened my legs for him and he sank himself into me with a grunt. I gasped, excitement coursing through me, then grabbed his ass and pushed him in deeper. I’d wanted him for so long and the idea that he was mine, even just for the night, was overwhelming.
He thrust into me as his hand went back to my bra and he cupped the lacy fabric. There was a clear look of disappointment on his face. He had failed to release my breasts once, but he wasn’t done trying. Laying all his weight on me, he grasped the cups and lifted the entire bra up and over my head. My ample bosom lifted with the effort and then bounced back in response. This time I did laugh. Kyle was nothing if not persistent.
“What?” He smiled at me with that clueless look that I’d come to love.
“If at first you don’t succeed, use force.”
Propping himself on one elbow, Kyle thrust deeper into me and I moaned my approval. His other hand had hold of my breasts, and his eyes were wide with wonder.
“Damn, Kenzie,” he said, and then went to town, lapping at my nipples.
My hips were working furiously now, pressing into his. I was close. Our grunts changed to whimpering as the moment drew near. His finger found my clit and I lost it, climaxing seconds before him in a display of intense and uncontrolled arousal. Kyle continued pushing until he too was spent.
When we were both satiated, his mouth found mine again and we kissed. His eyes were fixed on mine. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
I’d never considered myself that before, but now with the guy I adored hovering over me with that lustful look in his eyes, I felt beautiful and desired. But I also felt something else… foreboding. I had a strange feeling that this might be our one and only night together. And if that were the case, I planned to make it count.
The next morning we were eating cereal in the kitchen of the townhouse. I was dressed in Kyle’s t-shirt. His hand was moving higher up on my thigh. I batted it away.
“Remember on the island how I was so hungry that there were times you thought I might hurt you?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, this is one of those times.”
Kyle lifted both his hands in surrender and backed away, laughing. I looked around the place and was struck by the paintings on the wall. They were dark and haunting but strangely beautiful. Kyle followed my gaze.
“Jake painted those.”
“No, he didn’t,” I gasped.
He nodded. “I have no idea what they mean.”
“They’re such soulful paintings.”
“You think?” Kyle said, looking surprised. “I don’t know anything about art. They look like a bunch of blobs of paint to me.”
“He never told you what they meant?”
“Jake’s a private person.” Kyle shrugged, disappointment clouding his features. “He doesn’t talk to me about stuff like that.”
“Huh.” I tore my eyes away from the paintings and glanced around the room. One thing struck me as peculiar. “You know what’s weird? A musician lives here, but I haven’t seen one instrument.”
Kyle reached his hand out to me. “Come.”
I let him pull me to my feet and lead me over to a door, which I assumed led to the other townhome attached to his. But I was wrong. On the other side of the door was a full music studio, chock full of every instrument you could imagine.
“This once belonged to another musician. The townhome was converted into one unit a long time ago so the guy could put the studio in. It’s totally soundproof. That’s why Jake bought this place.”
“Wow. This is hella cool.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “And there’s that word again.”
“What? Hella is a cool word.”
“No. I live in the cool part of California, and I can assure you, it isn’t.”
I stuck out my tongue at him.
“Careful, Kenzie, or I’ll take that as an invitation.” He sidled up to me and wrapped his hand around me, pulling me up tight against him. I groaned as he leaned in and nibbled at my neck. “Damn,” Kyle complained. “I wish we could be together all day, but I’ve got to get back to the hospital.”
“I figured. When do you need to go?”
“Now.”
“When can I see you again?”
Kyle winced. “I feel bad, but I probably won’t be able to see you again until tomorrow. Jake has a test today and…”
“Hey. Stop,” I interrupted. “You don’t have to explain yourself.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“At least you’ll be happy to know that I decided to go to the show’s final taping.”
“You are? That’s smart. What changed your mind?”
“You. The Sunset. Sex. Oh… and the fact that I don’t want to get sued.”
37
Kyle: Finale
I paced back and forth as I waited for the driver to pick me up and take me to the studio for the show’s finale. The last thing I wanted was to go on television when things were the way they were, but I was contractually obligated, and the legal ramifications were something I didn’t want to deal with. Not now.
Wringing my hands in nervous anticipation, I looked around at the empty room. This was
supposed to be my night, my debutante ball. Originally everyone had planned to be in the audience to support me, even Jake, if he was healed enough after surgery. But things didn’t always go as planned, and now I was alone, as the vigil continued on at the hospital.
A knock on the door shook me from my thoughts. For one fleeting moment I thought maybe someone from my family might be on the other side, but when I opened the door and saw the limo driver, I dipped my head in disappointment and followed him out to the waiting vehicle. My stomach was clenched tightly from the anxiety of the unknown. I was being whisked to a live taping where my family tragedy would, mostly likely, be exploited for ratings and would no doubt dominate my airtime. Once again I was taking a backseat to my own life. The fact that I felt resentment pissed me off and made me feel worse. Of course I didn’t blame Jake, I just wished things could have played out differently – not only for him but for myself.
The car took me to a private entrance where I was met by some of the network bigwigs, a lawyer, the show’s host, and one of the producers. These were the last people I wanted to be cornered by.
“Where is everyone else?” I asked. If I couldn’t have my family here for support, I at least wanted my friends.
“We’ll take you to them in a few minutes. We just wanted to talk to you about our expectations for tonight,” said a guy I’d never seen before.
Nervous dread rushed through me. What the hell did he mean by that?
“I thought all that was expected of me was to show up, and I did. What more do you want from me?”
“We want to make sure you don’t show any animosity towards the show or network,” he answered.
“Why would I do that?” I asked, seriously annoyed that they considered me a risk.
“Well, because you’ve been a little difficult to deal with the last couple weeks.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I wasn’t more considerate of your feelings,” I snapped.
“Kyle, we understand this is a trying time…” the producer began.
“No offense, but it’s more than ‘trying.’”
“Yes, well, you have our sympathies, but your family issues do not negate the contract, and I’m sure you don’t want any legal troubles, especially not now,” the lawyer threatened.
“I appreciate your concern for my well-being.”
“You’re expected to answer questions and be as close to the character you were on television,” the first guy said.
“Character? That was me.”
“Oh, right, yes. Be like you, then.”
“Can I go now?” I asked, trying to escape before I said something I knew I would live to regret.
“Yes, but one more thing,” the host said, actually looking remorseful. “The audience is expecting me to ask you about Jake. How you answer is up to you.”
The inquisitors left me then, and I was cycled through a series of people to get me ready to appear in front of the cameras. By this point I was cranky and on edge. Definitely not the Kyle they were demanding.
Finally I was brought to the room where the others were waiting. I sighed with relief at the friendly faces that greeted me. My eyes fixed on Kenzie, and I had to blink a few times to take her all in. She was wearing a light pink dress with a little crown hairband. With her sideswept hair and glamorous makeup, Kenzie really did look like a fictional princess. I smiled. She beamed. In a daze, I walked over and kissed her on the cheek. Several other contestants seemed surprised by our affection. It was the common assumption, not only of everyone in this room but also the viewing audience, that I hated Kenzie… which, after the other night, was the furthest thing from the truth. Still, we had both agreed to keep our budding romance a secret for now. With everything that was happening, the last thing I needed was more media attention.
Dale hobbled up to me, his foot in a medical boot. The sheepish grin on his face made me laugh. “No way!” I exclaimed loudly. “What now?”
“Well, if you ever looked at my texts, you would have seen that I crashed into another skier in Lake Tahoe and twisted my ankle.”
I shook my disbelieving head. “I swear to god, Dale, you need to wear a helmet and be packed in popcorn at all times!”
“I know. I know. I knew you were going to give me shit.” He smiled widely before his face took on a more serious expression. “Are you doing okay? I’ve been worried about you. You stopped responding to me.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just been…” I had to stop for fear of my emotions getting the better of me.
“Hey, it’s okay. We’ll talk later. Oh, and my kids really want to meet the guy who did the impossible and made their dad cool, so don’t disappear right away after taping.”
“I won’t.”
“Will I get to meet any of your family?”
“No. It’s just me,” I answered. “They’re with Jake.”
“Oh, yeah, of course. We’ll be your surrogate family tonight.”
“That’s what I was counting on.”
It was funny – normally I wouldn’t know a guy like Dale, much less hang out with him, but his friendship had changed me for the better. He felt like family to me.
I saw the light blue suit before I actually saw the man filling it out. Carl. My eyes scanned him in amusement. He looked like a giant cotton candy as he came in for a quick and impersonal man-slap-hug.
“I’m so sorry about Jake,” Carl said, dropping his head and shaking it. Wow, Kenzie’s humanization classes had worked wonders on the man. He actually seemed genuinely saddened by Jake’s condition.
“Thanks, man, and I promise when he wakes up I’ll get you backstage.”
Carl nodded and slapped me on the shoulder. Pain radiated through my side and my knees threatened to buckle right out from under me.
Marsha strolled up then, dressed in a classy pantsuit, her signature pigtails gone for the night and her hair instead swept up into a tight bun. She looked like a business executive. Upon seeing the look of surprise on my face, Marsha grinned and hooked her finger into a bra strap on her shoulder.
Theatrically, I covered my hand over my mouth. “Marsha, no?”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, it’s just a bralette.” She came in for a hug and, as always, gave my butt cheek a pat. I’d come to accept her unique greetings as a form of endearment.
“Was this outfit your idea?” I asked, as I gestured to her ensemble.
“Do you really think I would let those goons decide for me?”
Marsha’s words hit me to the core. No, I didn’t suspect she would, but I certainly was letting everyone and their lawyer make decisions for me. At that moment, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to force a smile on my face and pretend to be the dopey guy from the show. I was going to be the me who sat at my brother’s bedside for fifteen hours a day, every day, and if they didn’t like it, then too fucking bad.
The activity around us intensified, and cheers from the crowd could be heard. We were taken down the hall and told to huddle by the side of the stage until further notice. I sidled up next to Kenzie and put my arm around her.
“I thought we were keeping this a secret.”
“You look incredible,” I whispered into her ear. “So beautiful. I just can’t keep it to myself.”
“Then don’t.” She smiled happily. “I see Marsha still can’t keep her hands off you. I’m going to have to have a talk with her.”
“No need to worry about Marsha. We’re strictly platonic.”
Our conversation was interrupted as we were guided out onto the stage to the overwhelming approval of the crowd. We followed in a line according to our bootlist. Those kicked off first were the first in line, and those of us who’d lasted the longest got the coveted spots in back. I looked out over the audience as I walked with the rest of the cast members towards center stage, and then nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw who was sitting in the first row. As each person came into view, my stoic exterior crumbled and clear emotion crossed over my shocked face. My parents, Keit
h, Emma, Sam, Quinn, and Grace had all come. I didn’t know why it surprised me so much. We’d talked briefly last week about them coming to the taping, but the look of stress on my mother’s face at the prospect of leaving Jake led me to offer her a pass. We never spoke of the show again. I’d just assumed no one was coming, and now I felt bad for the lack of faith I’d shown in them. There were times in my life that I felt sidelined and overshadowed, but tonight was not one of them.
I caught my mom’s eye, and she smiled.
“Thank you,” I mouthed.
I saw her eyes fill with tears as she mouthed back, “I love you.”
The live show started with the reading of the votes for the three finalists. Two were called for Carl, then two for Kenzie, with all the rest coming in for Carl, clinching him the victory. I watched Kenzie for her reaction. Her radiant smile never faltered. She appeared genuinely happy for Carl. It was ironic. Had she not helped him with his social game, he never would have won. But that was the type of person she was, and I was proud of her.
Although she didn’t know how the show’s votes would pan out, Kenzie had had months to ponder the outcome and had already come to the realization that she was a long shot to win. She’d told me that she was just hoping for a second place finish, which came with its own healthy paycheck; and with Lena not getting a single vote, Kenzie easily clinched that runner-up spot.
Once the winner was announced, Lena, Carl, and Kenzie joined the rest of us in the cast and the questions began. The few inquiries directed my way were lighthearted and fun, and I found myself having a great time reminiscing with the others. Toward the end of the live taping, Kenzie was asked the question we knew was coming.
“You made the decision to vote Kyle out, after admitting to him that you liked him. You seemed pretty torn up by the decision. If you had to do it over, would you make the same decision?”
“It’s hard to say. Even before Lena came to me, I already knew Kyle was my biggest competition. I made the choice that was right for me. Really, it was a compliment to Kyle.”
“He might disagree,” the host grinned, and then turned to me expectantly, waiting for my answer.