Sweet Dandelion

by Micalea Smeltzer

  Once Sage has his fill of photos, he’s seriously a mother hen, we’re free to go after a lecture about being safe, and when to be home by, which is thankfully much later than normal since he agreed I could go to the after party.

  Ansel blows out a breath as we wait for the elevator. “Your brother still scares me,” he whispers under his breath, like Sage is suddenly going to appear behind us.

  “He’s a softy. I swear.”

  “Trust me, I think he’s hidden a few bodies in his time.”

  The doors open as I start to laugh.

  Ansel takes my hand for us to go inside, my breath catching when I finally look and see Lachlan leaning against the side of the elevator. He’s in a pair of jeans, a dark gray t-shirt clinging to him like a second skin.

  My throat closes up as I stand beside Ansel, with Lachlan only inches away as the doors close.

  “Oh, hey Mr. Taylor,” Ansel says with a smile.

  Lachlan’s eyes are on me, taking in every inch of me in my dress, my skin sparkling with the glittery lotion I rubbed on. He looks pained, like something is lodged in his esophagus.

  Clearing his throat he says, “Uh, yes. Hello. You two look … nice.” That word sounds forced and when his eyes meet mine, they say something different.

  Beautiful.

  The doors slide open for the lobby and he motions for us to go out first.

  Ansel’s hold on my hand tightens when I stumble a bit in my heels, but having Lachlan at my back is messing with my head.

  Before we reach the doors, I look back. My eyes connect with his where he stands in the center of the lobby watching. The tortured look on his face rips my stomach to shreds. I yearn to run back, to jump in his arms, but I can’t.

  I have to go.

  The limo drops Ansel, Sasha, and her date, Brett, off at the hotel.

  The lobby is filled with students decked out in their finest.

  “This way, guys,” Sasha guides, pointing in the direction we need to go for the ballroom. Her pale blue dress swishes around her legs. In the front is a high slit, and it’s off the shoulders at the top. Silver strappy heels are wrapped around her ankles and she didn’t bother with any sort of jewelry. She chose to leave her hair down in its natural curl, and I’m glad because her hair is gorgeous. I think she looks like Cinderella and I know Brett has been checking her out appreciatively.

  As soon as we enter the ballroom, my jaw drops. The lights are dimmed and twinkle lights hang from the ceiling in hues of white, gold, and purple. Tables off to the side are covered in black tablecloths. There’s an area cleared for dancing, a buffet with food and drinks, and a DJ station set up.

  “Let’s dance!” Sasha cries, grabbing Brett’s hand and dragging him onto the dance floor. He doesn’t protest and they get lost in the crowd.

  Ansel swings his body in front of mine and bows slightly with a crooked grin, holding his hand out to me. “What does the lady say? Can I have this dance?”

  I slide my hand into his. “Lead the way.”

  Ansel flashes me a crooked smile and I let him pull me into the fray.

  My body glistens with sweat when we finally leave the dance floor. I follow Ansel to the refreshments table, surprised by the happy giggle that keeps coming out of my lips.

  I wasn’t sure I would have fun tonight, but I’m having a blast. It feels good to be out with my friends.

  Ansel passes me a cup filled with crisp ice water. I down it while he pours his own and then I refill mine.

  Grabbing a plate with snacks, we find a table to sit at for a breather.

  I take a bite of finger food, watching Sasha and Brett still tearing up the dance floor. I can’t help but find myself smiling.

  When I glance at Ansel, he’s watching me with a grin.

  “What?”

  His smile grows. “You … you look happy.”

  “I am happy.” For the first time in a very long time I can say that with full confidence. I’ve come a hell of a long way since school started.

  Sasha comes running over to us and grabs my hand. “Get back out here.”

  Brett drops into one of the empty seats. “I need a break.”

  I let Sasha drag me back out, the two of us dancing together, laughing, living. God, I’m living again.

  I feel Ansel’s eyes on me. I shoot a smile in his direction, trying to fend off Sasha’s wandering hands as she tries to put on a show for the whole senior class.

  After a few dances with her, I make my way back to the table, gulping down a fresh water Ansel was kind enough to get for me.

  “This is the best night ever,” Sasha proclaims, finally taking a seat. Brett pulls out a flask from his pocket and holds it out to her. She takes a swig, wincing in the process. “What the hell is that?”

  He shrugs, looking into the flask. “I don’t know, I mixed a bunch of shit together so my parents hopefully wouldn’t notice.”

  Sasha sticks her tongue out. “That’s nasty. Keep it to yourself.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she asks, “When are we going to the after party?”

  “I don’t see why we can’t go now. We’ve been here two hours,” Ansel replies. “Should I call for the car?”

  Sasha looks for any protest from Brett or me and receives none.

  “Cool, call for the limo,” she bosses. “Dani and I need to run to the restroom.”

  “We do?”

  She rolls her eyes. “Of course.”

  She drags me away to the bathroom outside the ballroom. We finish our business and wash up our hands before touching up our makeup.

  Fluffing her hair she says, “Brett looks good tonight, huh?”

  “I guess,” I voice, wondering where she’s going with this.

  She leans forward, dotting some pink lipstick across her lips. “I think I’m going to have sex with him tonight. I want to lose my virginity before college. Tonight seems as good a night as any.”

  I blink at her. This does not sound like good logic to me.

  “Shouldn’t you wait until you love someone? Or at least care about them?”

  “Eh, I want to get it over with. Everyone makes it into such a big deal and I don’t want to do that. Are you going to have sex with Ansel tonight?”

  I choke on my saliva. “No, definitely not. He’s my friend, that’s it.”

  “I mean, he’s hot. Why not? Are you a virgin?”

  Other girls are coming in and out of the bathroom, so it’s not like we’re alone. I can’t believe she wants to have this conversation here and now.

  “I … uh … no.”

  She turns to me, smiling. “Was it that Lachlan guy?”

  “What?” My eyes widen.

  “You know, the one that texted you that he missed you?”

  A girl I recognize from my English class pipes up from the sink she stands in front of. “Lachlan?” She eyes me up and down. “The only Lachlan I know is the guidance counselor.”

  “Ooh, he’s so fucking hot,” someone else says.

  My body flames with heat and before Sasha can open her big fat mouth, I drag her out of the bathroom and around the corner.

  “Ow, Dani, that hurts.” She extracts her arm from my hold. “What’s going on? Ignore them, I don’t think you slept with the guidance counselor.” She finally looks at my face. “Oh my God you totally fucked the guidance counselor.”

  “Shut up,” I hiss. “You can’t tell anyone.”

  “I…” She blinks, open-mouthed at me. “Wow. Way to go, girl.”

  Then, she shocks the hell out of me by holding her hand up for a high-five.

  “I am not high-fiving you over this.”

  She lets her hand drop. “So … is this why you’ve never liked Ansel in that way?”

  I know my cheeks are a startling shade of red. “Yes.”

  She stares at me in bewilderment. “Wow, there’s so much I still don’t know about you. I never would’ve thought. You seem too good to go after someone that’s practically a teacher.”
She sounds impressed, which makes me feel sick to my stomach.

  “I didn’t go after him, and he didn’t come after me. It just … happened.”

  “I need details.”

  “Not happening.” I shake my head adamantly.

  “Oh, come on—”

  “There you guys are,” Brett says, coming out of nowhere, “Ansel’s in the car already. Let’s go.”

  Sasha walks over to his side, glancing back at me when I don’t move. “Aren’t you coming?”

  I shake my head. “You guys go on ahead. I’ll … I’ll meet you there later.”

  “What about the car?”

  “I’ll get a taxi or catch a ride with someone else.”

  “Oh, well, all right.”

  I watch her and Brett leave. I know Ansel will probably try to find me when he realizes I’m not with them, so I hide in the bathroom. Sure enough, texts start rolling in from him.

  Ansel: Where are you?

  Ansel: Seriously, this isn’t funny.

  Ansel: Do you want your brother to murder me?

  Ansel: Meadows, where the hell are you?

  Ansel: We’re leaving.

  Ansel: Are you coming later or not?

  Ansel: Whatever, Meadows.

  Ansel: Duck you.

  Ansel: F U C K YOU.

  Ansel: I’m so fucking mad at you right now.

  I turn my phone off.

  I don’t want to hurt Ansel, but I need to be alone right now.

  Leaving the bathroom, I call for a cab.

  Chapter Sixty

  It shouldn’t be any surprise to me that somehow I end up outside Lachlan’s door.

  I hesitate, not sure if I want to knock or not.

  The smart thing to do would be to go downstairs, tell Sage I didn’t feel like going to the party, change into pajamas, and go to bed.

  But I know I won’t do that.

  Doing what I should do seems to be an impossibility these days.

  Hesitating for a second longer, I knock. It’s around midnight, so I expect he might be in bed. I’m about to knock again when it opens.

  He leans his hip against the doorway, his left arm stretched wide holding the door open. He’s dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants now, and looks ready to crash.

  He doesn’t say anything, neither do I. His exhale is the only sound that fills the air when he steps aside, letting me in. I can barely get around him with my poufy dress.

  I look around, taking in the cardboard boxes sitting against the wall. “What are those for?”

  His eyes swing to me and back to them, looking distant. “Getting rid of a few things.” He runs his fingers through his hair, his lips pinched. He crosses his arms, leaning his back against the door.

  “Was prom not enjoyable?” His tone is a tad snarky, but when he looks away I have a feeling it’s himself he’s irritated with and not me.

  “It was fun, but it’s just a dance.”

  “You should be out doing things with your friends. Normal things with other teenagers. You shouldn’t be here with me.”

  “But I want to be here with you.” I smile at Zeppelin when he cracks a sleepy eye open from his cushion. Apparently it’s past his bedtime.

  “Why do you do this to me, Dani?” He looks like I’ve stabbed a knife into his heart.

  “Do what?” I ask innocently, completely baffled.

  He scrubs his hands over his face. “I’m trying to do the right thing by giving you space, but then you show up here and it’s not fair. How can I be expected to stay away from you when you’re right here?” The words start pouring out of him and he swings his hand in my direction. “Seeing you in the elevator tonight was a punch to the chest, because you’re beautiful and you feel like mine, but you’re so young, and I can’t take you to your prom because it’s fucking wrong. I can’t take you on a proper date. I can’t … We can’t, be seen together.”

  “Stop repeating things I already know,” I growl like a cornered animal. “I get it, okay. You don’t have to keep telling me. I know, believe me. But what about what I feel?” I touch my fingers to my heart. “Huh? Does that matter at all? That I want to be with you, that I want you to hold me? That I want to kiss you? Make love with you?”

  A muscle in his jaw ticks.

  “What about the letters you left me? You … you said you love me.” My voice grows small as I become unsure of myself.

  There’s something in his eyes that I can’t decipher. Something I’m missing.

  “Lachlan—”

  In a blink he’s upon me, his mouth taking mine prisoner. He’s rough, demanding. His hold on my cheeks is tight and I find my back pressed against the wall.

  He claws at me like a wild animal, bunching the tulle of my skirt in his hands, trying to yank it up.

  I kiss him back with fervor, a spark igniting into an entire fire inside me from one touch of his lips. I match his desperation, pulling at his shirt, trying to get it over his head.

  He tosses the shirt off like he can’t get it far enough away from him.

  His eyes are twin sapphires blazing when he looks down at me. His whole body is a taut live wire waiting to go off.

  “If you don’t tell me how to get you out of this dress, I’ll rip it off of you.”

  The gentle, kind Lachlan of our first time is gone. In his place is this wild beast of a man. I’m a tad frightened, but there’s something intriguing seeing this side of him.

  I turn around, sweeping my hair away that’s fallen loose from its up-do, thanks to his greedy fingers.

  Turning around, I place my hands flat on the wall, angling my head to the side so he can see the zipper in the back.

  He says nothing as he grabs the tiny zipper between his thumb and index finger, slowly lowering it. The dress loosens around my body and I feel the top begin to fall down my arms. My bare back is exposed to him. He sucks in a breath.

  “You’re not wearing a bra.”

  It’s a statement, but I respond anyway. “You can’t exactly wear one with a dress like this.”

  “No,” his voice is gruff, huskier than normal, “I suppose you can’t. Lower your arms.”

  I do what he says and the top of the dress falls easily from my body. His big body presses in behind me and I stifle a moan when he kisses the back of my neck.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

  He rains kisses down my spine, dropping to his knees behind me where he places his hands on my hips, pushing the rest my dress down so it pools at my feet.

  He glides his fingers beneath the sides of my lacy white underwear, taking them off as well.

  “Turn around.”

  I find it impossible to ignore his command. There’s something in his tone of voice that I can’t deny. I also would be lying if I didn’t admit it’s hot as fuck seeing this side of him, like some part of himself he normally keeps leashed has been let loose.

  “Put one of your legs over my shoulder.”

  “Wha—”

  I squeal when he grabs my leg for me, tossing it over his right shoulder. He spreads my other leg wider. I whimper, biting down on my lip. I’m completely exposed to him, vulnerable.

  He nips at the inside of my leg before diving straight for my pussy.

  “Oh my God!” My right hand squeezes his left shoulder.

  He hums against me, his tongue sliding against my folds.

  “Oh, holy shit.” My head hits the wall. “Don’t stop.” I squeeze his shoulder, my other hand yanking on his hair, trying to hold him in place even though he’s not trying to go anywhere. He sucks on my clit and a string of curse words comes flying out of my mouth as I roll my hips against his mouth.

  His right arm is looped around my leg, but with his opposite hand he slides it up my body, grabbing my breast roughly between his fingers and squeezes. When he pinches my nipple the sensation of it goes straight to my core and my orgasm hits me hard. My whole body bows over his, shaking uncontrollably.

  “Holy shit,” I
keep repeating over and over again until he’s in front of me again, silencing me with a tongue-dueling kiss.

  He grabs the back of my thighs and lifts me up to twine my legs around his waist. I rub myself against his erection straining against his sweatpants. I’m probably leaving a wet spot on the cotton material, but I don’t care, and from what I feel I don’t think he’s wearing underwear, so he’s probably very aware of how wet I am.

  He walks me down the hall to his bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him. The wall shudders and something falls from his dresser, but neither of us stop kissing to take a look.

  He lays me on the bed, standing between my legs with his head canted to the side. His jaw is rigid and he rubs at the heavy lining of scruff there. He stares at me, lying naked on his bed, my breasts aching for his touch, and the skin between my legs raw and red from the coarse brush of his stubble. He reaches down, placing his hand on the curve of my waist, studying the smooth planes of my stomach. He looks at me like I’m a feast spread out for only him, but I guess in a way, I kind of am.

  I grab his hand, his eyes following my movements as I bring it to my lips. I kiss his fingers, watching as his eyes dilate. When I release his hand, he takes both, cupping them around my breasts like he’s measuring their weight or size in his big grasp.

  He dives down, sucking my right nipple into his mouth. My hips roll upwards, searching for friction. He moves to my other breast, giving it the same attention before he lavishes my mouth. He’s wild, unhinged, greedy as our tongues battle.

  “I need you in me.” The person speaking is me, but it doesn’t sound like me. The voice is husky, drenched in desire, and sounds far more confident and experienced than I am.

  His thumb rubs my cheek tenderly, before he stands. My body feels so cold without his over mine.

  Leaning up on my elbows, I watch him kick off his sweats, his cock springing free. He grabs a condom, ripping off the wrapper with his teeth, his eyes on mine the whole time. There’s something different in the way he looks at me, like he’s scared I’m going to disappear. He rolls the condom on and I can’t help but watch the strokes of his fingers securing the latex in place.