by Leddy Harper
“Point taken, Ash.” She walked away, sullen as if I’d slapped her.
Stepping out from behind the fridge, I halted her retreat with my fingers around her arm. “There has to be a happy medium here. I understand your concern over someone finding out, but at some point, people will know about us. Because I have no intention of keeping our relationship in the dark forever.”
“You’re doing it again,” she warned with tight lips and a sharp gaze. “Please, don’t push me on this.”
I could’ve argued, could’ve listed my reasons and made my points known, but I decided against it for fear of losing her. She was right; she’d expressed her need to keep this between us, and until I graduated, I had to take what she was willing to offer without asking for more. That had to be the hardest thing I’d ever done, when all I wanted was for her to accept all of me, in public, instead of making me feel like her dirty little secret.
Wrapping my arms around her neck, I hauled her into me until her cheek rested against my chest. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she relented, returning my embrace the way she always did—her hands clasped together at the base of my spine in a lazy yet comforting hug.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into her hair. “Emma coming home was an isolated incident that neither of us could’ve predicted. I think we can be more careful without suggestions or rules…by simply being more mindful of where we are the next time I try to lick your pussy.”
She pulled away and lifted her chin to look at me. “Speak for yourself. Anytime you so much as give me that look, the one that lets me know you’re about to turn me into a porn star, nothing else exists. Not time, not location, other people, right and wrong. None of it.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Let me guess…that’s my fault, too?”
“Yup. I’ll add it to the list.”
“Damn, woman…by the time you’re done itemizing everything I’m guilty of, you’ll have me serving eighty-four life sentences.”
“Eh…” She shrugged and wagged her brows. “You’re young. You’ll survive.”
“You know what won’t survive? Your food if you don’t go get me that vacuum so I can finish cleaning these coils.” I slapped her ass and went back to the fridge.
“Aye aye, captain.” That shouldn’t have made my dick come to life…yet it did.
Within five minutes, I had the coils unclogged. And as we waited to see if I’d fixed the problem, I perched Kristy on the counter and stood between her legs, where we made out like teenagers who were left home alone. Albeit, irresponsible teenagers, considering she had her skirt hiked up enough for me to tease her, which I took great pleasure in…while being very mindful of where we were.
* * *
“Stop freaking out.” I couldn’t help but laugh at Kristy as she jumped at every little sound.
“It’s not my fault I’m jumpy tonight. The last time I was around fireworks, I found out you were seventeen. I think I’m suffering from some form of post-traumatic stress.”
She sat in front of me on the lounge chair with her back to my chest, her body cradled between my legs, while I rested my chin on her shoulder and took in the scent of her clean hair—I would know this because I’d washed it an hour ago when we were in the shower. “I think it’s called crazy, not PTSD.”
“I’m not crazy.” She hummed when I traced the side of her neck with my lips. “Okay, so maybe I am, but you can’t blame me. I don’t know what I’ll do if something else comes out and I have to give you up all over again.”
Recently, Kristy had started to make comments here and there that insinuated she had feelings for me. The first time it happened was just before Christmas. I’d been at my mom’s for the holiday and hadn’t been able to force her into admission. I’d questioned it, but a lot was lost in text, and she refused to tell me what I wanted to hear. Since then, I’d let it go, choosing to accept it for what it was without making her confess anything. She’d come this far, and with less than five months remaining until graduation, I had no doubt that her feelings would be confirmed before I walked the stage.
“Babe, my dad’s gone—hundreds of miles away—and won’t be back for three more days. Emma is out with Thomas, and considering they’re downtown, there’s no way she’ll be home before midnight. She’s sixteen, and she’s with her boyfriend on New Year’s Eve. There’s more of a chance that you’ll win the lottery without buying a ticket than Emma showing up before the ball drops.”
She sighed against me, which meant whatever she was about to say wouldn’t make me happy. “I hate that you’re here, alone with me in my back yard, instead of out with your friends, celebrating the holiday. You’re young; you should be doing all those things, too. I feel like I’m keeping you from acting your age.”
“And what exactly do you think I would be doing if I weren’t here with you?”
“I don’t know…drinking from a keg? Making out with horny girls who would probably give you a blowjob in the back of your car? Doing stupid things with other kids your age, because that’s what seniors do? Anything other than hide out on a lounge chair in some crazy, old lady’s back yard waiting to see fireworks over the treetops.”
I flattened my hands on her stomach and let her settle into me. I hated it when she became stressed, when her body went rigid like she was uncomfortable in my arms. Although, all it took was a little coaxing and she relaxed; just the slightest touch or softest kiss, and the tension vanished.
“In case you forgot, I’ve done all that. Then I spent two years in solitary confinement at home under the watchful eye of my father—whom, despite what you think, is not a teddy bear when he’s pissed. So, even if I weren’t here with you, I wouldn’t be doing any of those things. In fact, I’d probably be in my room watching a movie.”
She rolled the back of her head along my shoulder, turning her face toward me while mindlessly stroking my forearms with her nails. “What kind of movie would you be watching?”
“Porn.” I laughed for a moment before adding, “Kidding. Probably whatever action flick was on.”
“You wouldn’t have the channel set to the countdown? Rockin’ New Year’s Eve or whatever that show’s called?”
“Nah. Without you, there’d be no point in it.”
She tilted back a little more to look at me. “Why not?”
“It’s not like I’d have anything to look forward to, so there would be no reason to celebrate another year.”
“God, Ash…you make your life sound so boring and sad.”
Laughter rumbled through my chest, feeding the humor in hers. “I don’t think that. It was just lonely before you came along. But I love what I do, and I know my situation at home isn’t permanent, so there’s nothing to be sad about.”
“Well, now that things are different…do you have a resolution for this year?”
“Yeah, but I doubt it’ll happen.”
She shifted to the side so that her back was against my thigh, cradled in my elbow while she studied my face in the moonlight. “I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to choose things that are doable, but we can work on that later. What’s your resolution?”
“To take you down the street to my favorite pizza place, hold your hand on our way to the table, and then have dinner without you worrying about who’s there. And when I drop you off at home, I want to walk you to your front door and kiss you on your porch, right under the light where anyone can see.”
She grew quiet, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth while she scanned the yard in thought. “Maybe you should concentrate more on yourself. You know, like make a resolution for you that doesn’t have to do with me.”
“That would be for me.”
Her chest heaved a few times, her inhalations too soft to hear but deep enough to see. “Your intensity scares me. I get that you care about me, and you want this to be something bigger than it is right now…but you need to focus on yourself. You’re about to graduate from high school; isn’t there something els
e you could pick as a goal? Like college?”
“I don’t plan to attend school after May.”
Kristy shifted on the cushion, practically turning on her bottom to face me more than she already was. The moon was bright enough to recognize her shocked expression, and it made me realize we hadn’t ever spoken about this before. I couldn’t believe we’d managed to make it this long without discussing my post-graduation plans. Then again, that first month was spent playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse, and ever since my birthday, we’d pretty much ignored any conversation that might lead to the state of our relationship once high school ended.
“Why aren’t you going?” she asked, eyes wide and glistening in the faint light from above.
I shrugged while contemplating my answer, because no matter what I said, she’d believe it had to do with her. “I have no reason to. I’ve spent over two years working out of my garage, and I’ve done rather well for myself. I don’t need a degree to keep doing it.”
“Maybe not, but furthering your education can go a long way. Trust me, I wish I could’ve gone. You don’t want to get to my age and regret this decision, because by then, life may have gotten in the way, making it impossible to change your mind.”
“Babe…” I held her face in my hands and brought our noses close together. “While I understand what you’re saying, and I get that you’re speaking from personal experience, that’s not something I want. I refuse to waste the money or years studying, all for a piece of paper to congratulate me on a job well done. It’s not necessary for what I want to do in life.”
“What about business classes? Those would be needed, right?”
I shook my head, wishing she’d accept this and stop pushing the issue. My mind had been made up years ago when I came to live with my dad, and no amount of persuasion from her or anyone else would get me to reconsider. “There’s not a damn thing anyone can teach me in a classroom that I wouldn’t learn better or faster in the real world.”
“I worry you’ll regret that decision.”
“Just trust me when I say I won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Think about it, Kristy…I’ve spent the better part of the last three years starting my business and putting a plan in place for my future. I’m not saying college is a waste of time and money for everyone. It’s a personal decision I made after looking into what I need to do to become a carpenter. That’s all.”
“And when exactly did you decide this?”
I could tell by her tone and the way she held herself still that she worried I’d say she had been my reason. That I’d tell her I had made the choice to forgo a degree to be with her. I didn’t blame her, though she couldn’t be more wrong. Granted, it didn’t matter what the truth was, considering her fears defied the boundaries of logic.
“When I was fifteen and my dad made me stop playing football. Prior to that, I wanted to play ball for the state. But that dream died the day I found myself on my dad’s front porch. And before you think you can convince me to change my mind, you should know it’ll only be a waste of your breath and energy.”
“What makes you so sure I can’t convince you to go?”
I dropped my mouth to hers and whispered, “Because…there’s no way in hell I’d choose to be buried in textbooks when I’d rather be buried in you.” Before she could protest, I locked the sentiment in place with my lips.
It didn’t take her long to wrap her arms around my neck and climb into my lap. I leaned back as far as the cushion allowed as she settled herself on top of me, slowly grinding against my growing erection. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted, and it made me even happier when I was what she wanted.
Just then, the sky lit up with brilliant colors, hollow bursts filling the silence in her back yard. “I guess that means it’s midnight,” she whispered with a smile dancing in her words.
“Happy New Year, babe.”
Rather than say it back, she kissed me again while continuing her eager movements. As much as I wanted to fuck her right here with promises of new beginnings exploding overhead, I refused to let her blind me with sex during a serious conversation.
Gripping her hips to sustain her momentum, I broke the kiss to ask, “What’s your resolution?”
“Right now, it’s to come.” Her voice was full of so much air I almost didn’t hear her over the fireworks. She was close, and it would be a dick move to make her stop now, so I continued to grind her along my covered erection until she collapsed into me, panting, her heart beating furiously against my chest.
“Now that you’ve succeeded, how about you come up with a real one?”
“Um…” She trailed her fingertips down my torso toward the waistband on my jeans. Then she lifted her head, looked me right in the eyes, and said, “Making you come.”
It seemed Kristy was hellbent on avoiding this conversation, and as much as I loved having my dick in her mouth while she hummed and stroked my shaft, I refused to let her use sex to her advantage.
I grabbed her wrist, preventing her from unfastening my pants, because once that happened, my willpower would be cut in half. “Seriously…what’s your New Year’s resolution, and why don’t you want to tell me?”
She cocked her head and sighed. “You’re eighteen…aren’t you supposed to have a one-track mind when a woman is on top of you, promising a very satisfying blowjob?”
“Yes, and right now, it leads me straight to why you’re not answering my question.”
“Because…you’ll take it upon yourself to do it for me, and then it won’t really be my resolution, will it? I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me out—fixing my fridge, my hose, the garage door, mowing my grass on occasion—but there are certain things I’d like to do for myself.”
“Okay, like what? If you tell me what they are, I might be able to point you in the right direction or give you some tips…but if you’re this serious about doing it on your own, then I won’t take that from you.” I ran the pad of my thumb over her cheekbone to her jaw and then down to her chin where I pinched it between my fingers. “I would never do anything to steal your thunder, babe. I need you to know that.”
“Believe me…I do. But I also know how you like to be the man of the house and come to my rescue—which I love, so please, don’t take that the wrong way. And I appreciate your offer to give me tips, because I might need those; I just really want to make improvements to my house and be able to say I did it myself. You know?”
“You don’t have to explain yourself. I get it. This is the first house you’ve ever owned, and you take pride in it. I can only imagine the things you’ve dreamed of doing once you bought a place, and I would never take that away from you.”
“Do you really want to hear everything I’d like to do to it before this time next year?”
“Absolutely,” I whispered, taking in the sight of her captivating smile. “But how about you show me instead? Take me on a tour and explain everything so I can picture it while standing in each room. That way, if we still have time, you can fulfill that other resolution you made.”
She lowered her lips to my neck while pressing her body against mine. “I have a better idea…let’s check this one off before we go inside.” With her mouth close to my ear, she murmured, “I want to make you explode like the fireworks in the sky.”
I was certainly in no position to object.
Chapter Nine
Kristy
Ash leaned over the center console and laced his fingers into my hair, cradling the side of my head in his palm. I went to him with no hesitation, no doubt, no question. It was as though we’d been here, in this place, for years—if not decades. In that comfortable space with one another that most people spent their entire lives trying to find yet never reach.
And somehow, it was like I’d woken up and found myself there with Ash.
My lips met his, and then parted for his tongue. I didn’t stop to think about the fac
t that we were in his car, in his driveway, at just after nine at night. At any point, someone could’ve walked past and noticed the idling vehicle, the headlights, the purring engine, and wondered what was going on. Several steps and a focused eye was all it would take to rip the rug out from beneath us, yet I didn’t care.
That was a lie.
I totally cared.
I just didn’t think about it, because when I was with Ash, nothing and no one existed. It’d always been that way, but after discovering he was much younger than I had originally thought, my morals became staticky, creating white noise I had a hard time ignoring. However, over the last few months, things had evolved well past the point where we had been in the beginning.
For instance, he’d taken me to dinner tonight, and it wasn’t the first time. Or the second. Or the third, but more like the tenth or nineteenth. I’d lost count. It was easy to do when every time I was with him in the real world—anywhere other than my bedroom—it felt like a first date, as well as a fiftieth anniversary all wrapped into one. That was the easiest way to explain the excitement rooted in the comfort. Everything was new yet utterly familiar.
I lightly scratched the short hairs on his cheek before tracking my nails down his neck to his chest. His breathing changed—my favorite part of his reaction to my touch—and his kisses grew harsher, slightly more brutal yet not quite punishing. Those were what I aimed for, because that meant I wasn’t too far from getting my way.
The last seven months of physical intimacy had lent many opportunities to discover these things about one another. Ironically, neither of us had ever had to explain a single like or dislike, yet we’d managed to learn by observing every reaction to every caress, and in the end, I could turn him on with one word while he could make me come by a single look.
“Babe,” he huskily whispered across my lips. “Let’s go inside.”
I shook my head and gave what I hoped were sexy bedroom eyes. “Let’s not.”