by Hart, Rebel
“Kiss me?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re seventeen years old, Allison. Pipe up.”
She sighed. “What do I do if he tries to kiss me? Or hold my hand?”
“Do you want to kiss him or hold his hand?”
“I mean, maybe?”
“Allison.”
She sighed. “Maybe a little bit.”
I smiled. “You mean a lot a bit?”
“Shut up.”
I laughed softly. “If he makes a move and you want it, then let it happen. You know how Michael is. If he wants something, he’ll initiate it. And if you’re not ready, tell him that. But, don’t sit there with your arms crossed over your chest or some shit like that. Just be open. Be you, because that’s all he wants.”
She giggled. “I can do that.”
“Promise?”
“Yep. I promise.”
“Good. Now, I have to go. I still need to put myself together before Clint gets here. I expect a call in the morning telling me all about this movie!”
“If we watch it.”
I gasped. “Allison!”
She laughed heartily into the phone. “Love you, mean it!”
My jaw fell open in shock as she hung up the phone. Did my little Allison just make a comment about not actually watching a movie with a guy? Holy hell, my little girl was becoming all grown up.
“Wait to go, girl.” I smiled to myself as I tossed the phone back onto my bedside table. Then I walked over to my mirror and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to tame some of the frizz. My cheeks were still red from rushing around, but the sweating had stopped. I made my way back into my mother’s bathroom and found some of her body spray, so I decided to take some liberties.
And those liberties led into other trials. Other experiments. Other curiosities.
Soon, I smelled like something called ‘cotton blossom’ and looked like a damn clown. I turned on the hot water, splashing it in my face and trying to get it all off. Some of the makeup didn’t actually come off. The mascara didn’t run. The blush didn’t budge. I gawked in the mirror as I scrubbed at my face, putting as much hand soap on my skin as I could manage.
Then, I looked down at the makeup I’d tried and groaned.
“Holy fuck, it’s waterproof.”
I searched around in the drawers for something to take this shit off. And through it all, I lost track of time. I finally found some makeup remover and doused it on a washcloth, hoping it was enough. I wiped it over my face and the makeup magically came off. Like a key slipped into just the right door. I breathed a sigh of relief as I scraped the putty off my face. Layer by layer, cursing myself for being so damn stupid.
Then, with my face redder and puffier than ever, a knock came at the door downstairs.
Just. Fuck.
26
Clinton
“So, do you want to go ahead and do the evaluation? Or do it tomorrow?”
I paused, wiping the sweat off my brow. “I mean, if we can knock that shit out now, sure.”
The therapist chuckled. “All right. Well, go ahead and stand up for me. I’m going to run you through a series of tests.”
“You mean, more torture.”
He grinned. “If you need a breather—”
I held up my hand. “No, no. I got it. Just… let me finish my water.”
I’d be damned if I’d let this fucking accident get the best of me. I’d been going at this physical therapy hard. Harder than ever before. I did all these exercises when I wasn’t in my therapy classes. Two, sometimes three times a fucking day. I refused to let it beat me. I refused to be crippled for the rest of my life. I refused to never feel the rumbling of a bike between my legs again. Or feel the wind wrapping around my body as I cruised down the highway.
I mean, Dad and Cecilia weren’t on board for something like that yet. But I was trying.
“All right, Doc. Hit me with it.”
My therapist laughed. “Hold your arms out. I’m going to press down on them, and you fight back.”
I grinned. “You mean I can punch you in the face?”
“Not that kind of fighting back.”
“Be more specific next time.”
We laughed and bantered through the test. And while I still wasn’t happy with how much work it took to get through those damn exercises, I proved a lot. I had most of my range of motion back in my arms. My collarbone was strong. All the bruises had healed up, leaving me with only the emotional and mental scarring of that night. My muscles felt better than they had in weeks. My ribcage no longer hurt. My back had straightened itself out and those vertebrae had slipped right back into place.
For once, I felt like myself again.
“All right, Doc. Give it to me straight. How did I do?”
I slumped down into my chair after the evaluation was over. Cecilia stood in the corner, clapping her hands softly and cheering me on. My therapist handed me another bottle of water, watching me as I cracked it open with ease.
And a smile slid across his face.
“You want my personal or professional opinion?”
I took a swig. “Why not both?”
He sat back. “Sounds good enough. Well, personally? You’re doing fantastic. You’re strong. You’re stable. It’s obvious you’re not in any sizable amount of pain anymore. And the strength you’ve gotten back in your body is outstanding for only a month of in-and-out-patient therapy.”
“So, what’s your professional opinion?”
“In my professional opinion, you’re clear to make a full recovery.”
I leapt out of my chair, sending the water flying into the air. My therapist launched out of his, clapping me on the back as I hugged him tightly. I buried my face into the crook of his neck. I hopped around as Cecilia rejoiced in the corner. She came up and hugged me, pulling me away from my therapist. I picked her up and swung her around, still feeling the smallest twinge in my ribcage. But not much.
Not compared to what I’d gotten used to.
The therapist laughed. “Let’s get you a follow-up appointment on the books for three months out. You know, just to check on you and make sure you’re doing okay. I’ll take the liberty of cancelling your appointment with the hospital tomorrow.”
I set Cecilia down. “Thank you. So much. I really, really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem, man. Come on. Let’s get you checked out and I’ll give you a formal list of exercises to keep up twice a day. Every day.”
I felt like I’d been saying that a lot lately. That I was appreciative of people’s efforts. But it was the truth. Cecilia, for sticking by me day in and day out with all this shit. For my therapist and the cursing he put up with to get me to this point. For Rae, and Mike, and Aly. Their support in school and huffing around my books when they didn’t have to.
Rae, especially. For helping me keep my head above water with my grades.
I really have to thank her tonight.
Cecilia walked with me to the check-out desk. “What kinds of issues should we keep an eye out for?”
I snickered. “Already losing faith in me?”
My therapist grinned. “Honestly? I don’t think there will be any trouble. He’s strong. And he’s only been getting stronger. But keep an eye out for the usual things. Unexplainable bruising around rehabilitation sights. Any sort of a fever spike. Redness, tenderness, or being swollen in these areas. Also, backsliding. If, for some reason, he backslides in pain or mobility, come back and see me immediately.”
Cecilia nodded. “I’ll make sure to keep an eye out.”
I got myself checked out with my appointment. Scheduled just before we broke for Christmas break. I offered my arm to Cecilia, walking her out to her car instead of the other way around. It felt nice, escorting my stepmother to the car. For weeks, she’d been the one escorting me. Holding tightly to my waist in an attempt to get me to the car safely. And while I’d been appreciative of everyone’s help over the past few weeks, it felt nice to
help myself again.
Even if Dad wasn’t here to witness any of it.
“So how are you feeling?”
I smiled at her question. “I’m feeling great. Really.”
“Good. You still got plans with Rae tonight?”
I nodded. “At her place, yeah. Is it still okay if you drive me over there?”
“I mean, I’m certainly not going to make you walk.”
“I’d drive myself if there was another car here for me to use. But for some reason, Dad decided to park his at the airport this time around.”
She sighed. “I know exactly why your father did it.”
I snickered. “Well, I was going to play dumb, but…”
The two of us had a small laugh at his expense, but it was a tense sort of laughter. I knew convincing the two of them to let me have another bike would be almost impossible. That was definitely a purchase I’d have to save up for on my own down the road. After I graduated and got out from underneath my father’s hawk-like eye. But having a regular car didn’t seem completely unreasonable.
Until Dad randomly started outright refusing me access to his.
It wasn’t as if I’d driven it much. I preferred my bike, mostly because I didn’t have to ask his permission to use it. But there were a few occasions where I’d needed to use his car because my bike was in the shop or something. And he’d never been hesitant to give me his keys.
Now, though, he was actively keeping his car away from me. Getting it out from underneath my claws. Like hiding his keys. Or locking it down in the extra garage we had around back.
Or driving it to the fucking airport instead of having Cecilia take him so he could park his car in long-term parking.
My stepmom sighed. “I’m working with him on it. But you know how your father is.”
I nodded. “I know. I know how he is. I know it’ll take some time to convince him that I’ll need a set of wheels again.”
“You know he won’t go for the bike, though. And neither do I.”
“Trust me, I wasn’t even dreaming of asking you guys about it.”
She cranked up the car. “Good. Because I didn’t want to fight with you about it.”
I snickered. “I don’t think we could fight if we wanted to.”
“You think?”
And when I looked over at her, I shook my head. “Nope. I know.”
She smiled at me as she backed the car out. Then we made our way out of the parking lot. She started heading toward home, getting out on the main roads and getting hooked up on every stoplight. It was frustrating, to say the least. I was ready to see Rae. Ready to hold her in my arms. Ready to give her the good news.
Ready to bend down and kiss her lips without it hurting so damn much.
“Well, let me work on your father a bit more about getting you a car. I think I know a sweet spot that’ll work.”
I chuckled. “Don’t do anything you don’t want to. That’s all I’m saying.”
She slapped my knee playfully. “Hey, now. I don’t know what kind of woman you take me to be, but I can class it up when I want to.”
“Which is why I still don’t understand how you fell for Dad.”
She sighed. “There is a side to your father you don’t see much. A kind, romantic, and very caring side of him.”
“Yeah, well. Let him know that sometimes it should come out to play with his son, too.”
“What? You want him to send you two dozen white roses and some dark chocolates?”
I burst out laughing. “You’re an absolute mess.”
She giggled. “A mess that’s trying to get you some wheels so you can have your independence back.”
“Thank you for that, though. Seriously. I know I wouldn’t even be able to have that conversation with Dad without him biting my head off.”
“Well, I think you should have your freedom back. Especially now that this police investigation is winding down. It’s becoming clearer and clearer to everyone involved that you weren’t responsible for what happened. That should be enough to earn you your independence back.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“I mean, just look at it from a practical point of view. You shouldn’t be relying on others to get around. You’re eighteen years old. You’re months away from graduating. And soon, you’ll be off doing your own thing. You’ll need a car to coordinate the life you want. Especially since your bike was completely totaled in the crash. There’s no reason in this world why we can’t take that insurance money and put a down payment on a car for you. It makes no sense.”
“Take a left here.”
“Got it.”
“Cecilia?”
“Yeah?”
I placed my hand on her knee. “Thank you for being here for me.”
She eased herself to a stop in the middle of the road. The middle of the dark, dank, smelly road that led us all the way to Rae’s house. Lamp lights flickered in the distance, casting an eerie glow over the whole neighborhood. And as Cecilia’s hand fell against mine, she squeezed it softly.
“You’re welcome, Clint.”
I sighed. “I just… not having Dad around for any of this hurt. Knowing how much he blamed me for all this hurt. Probably more than the physical pain I was in.”
“I’m so sorry, Clint.”
I shook my head. “No reason for you to be sorry. It is what it is. But I’m lucky I had you. I’m lucky you were on my side. Thank you for that, Cecilia. I’m glad this has given us a chance to get to know one another.”
She blinked back tears as she brought my hand to her lips. She kissed it softly, leaving behind traces of her chapstick. She sniffled and I reached over toward her, wrapping her up in the most awkward hug I’d ever experienced.
It still felt wonderful, though. Feeling her hold me like that.
“I’m glad, too, Clint. I’m glad we got to spend some time together.”
I snickered. “And you make an awesome as hell milkshake.”
She giggled softly. “I’ll make sure to make them more often for you.”
I pulled back and watched her wipe at her tears. She settled into her seat, then I pointed out which house was Rae’s. She eased us up to the driveway, dropping me off at the curb. But, before I got out, I leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“Thanks again.”
She smiled. “Anytime, Clint. Now, go see your girl. I’m sure she’s excited to see you.”
And the woman didn’t have to tell me twice.
27
Raelynn
Shit. You look like a blown-up bobblehead, Rae.
The knock at the door startled me, causing me to toss myself out of my mother’s bathroom. I scrambled for the steps, ready to throw myself into Clint’s arms and drag him inside. My heart leapt into my throat. I heard a car driving away from the house as high beams filtered through the windows. Shadows pivoted along the walls, beckoning me further toward the front door as I jumped down the steps.
“Coming!”
Me and my red face are, at least.
With water droplets speckling the front of my shirt, I fluffed my hair back one last time, then unlocked the door. I threw it open, staring up into the eyes of the boy I’d come to adore. And the second his eyes laid themselves on me, he stepped forward.
“Holy fuck, I’ve missed you.”
He breathed the words against my lips before he wrapped me in his arms. He picked me up against him, pulling me to my tiptoes as I gasped in shock. My arms slid around his neck. He barreled into my house, cloaking my back and pulling me close to him. His tongue filled my mouth. His essence overcame me. The smell of his cologne wafted up my nostrils, curling my toes and making me tremble against him.
He kept walking until my back was pinned against a wall. Any wall. I didn’t give a shit which wall it was. He kicked his leg out, shutting the door closed with a crash as the world fell away.
And I took the time to melt into his kiss.
“Oh,” I mo
aned down the back of his throat. He dipped down, gripping my thighs as he picked me clear up off my feet. My head fell off to the side as the kiss deepened, our tongues doing battle for the upper hand. I sucked on his lower lip and raked my teeth across his tongue. He fisted my hair, pulling my head off to the side as he dragged his warm, wet lips down my neck.
I gasped with desire in my bones.
Not once did he comment on how red my face was. Not once did he realize its puffiness. He kissed me. Devoured me. Ground his hips against me as he pinned me to the wall with his strength. I was taken aback by it all. By the way he effortlessly picked me up. I groaned as he pulled my shirt off to the side, sinking his teeth into my shoulder.
And when his face came back to meet mine, he cupped my cheek, causing me to smile as I drank him all in.
I giggled. “I take it things went well?”
He kissed me softly. “Better than ‘well.’”
“Well. I suppose that’s… good.”
I grinned at him as he snickered. I laughed softly as he pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. But when he captured my lips again, I sighed. Groaned. Rolled against him as I felt his cock pulse to life. The kiss was long. Sensual. His tongue lingered and his taste filled my mouth. My hands meandered into his hair, twirling up into its curls. He’d let it grow out a bit. Just enough for the ends to start flipping upward. Curling in on themselves and giving me just enough to hang on to.
I adored it.
“So are you going to tell me the good news, then?”
Clint paused. “Oh. Yeah. I should do that.”
I snickered. “You really should, handsome.”
He pulled back, seating me against the wall with his hips as his hands found mine. He threaded our fingers together. I placed my hands above my head. He pinned me to the damn wall, his eyes falling to my breasts. The way he licked his lips made me cast out all desire for our movie night. Replacing it with another desire.
“Clint?”
He shook his head. “My God, you’re breathtaking.”
I blushed. “You seem much better.”