The First Rule

by Kate Stone

  "Meghan," she responded, smoothing out her shirt. Her face was flushed and Derek was staring at the floor, running a hand through his hair. Greg looked at them quizzically as he opened the refrigerator. "I, uh..."

  "Meghan's going to be in my midterm film," Derek interrupted, recovering quickly.

  “Oh, nice.” Greg finished at the fridge and turned towards Derek. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you two alone.” He winked at Derek before leaving for his room.

  “It’s okay, we were just finishing,” Meghan called after him, making brief eye contact with Derek. “I should get out of your hair.”

  “That was, um –” he jammed his hands into his pockets, eyeing her carefully. “I guess I’ll see you on Monday for the first read-through. I hope that’s not too soon.”

  Not by a long shot, she thought, but instead she replied with, “Oh, yeah, no worries.” She cleared her throat. “Well, I’ll see you later, Derek. Thank you for the breakfast. It was definitely better than the dining hall.”

  His green eyes met hers as she headed for the door. “See you later, Meghan.”

  Chapter 3

  Meghan was having trouble concentrating on Spanish as the day ticked by. She was still hung up on the kiss, not entirely able to believe it. It had all happened so fast, and she'd wanted it to last much longer. Never in her life had she thought of Derek that way, but something had happened during that breakfast... something big.

  She had felt it. And she was pretty sure he had too. Forget the fact that he was her director. Forget the fact that they were supposed to be helping each other professionally. Forget the first rule of best friends - you do not, ever, kiss your best friend’s brother. He was also sweet and funny. Had she ever picked up on that in high school? She didn’t think so. And he made movies for the art, the same reason she had gotten into acting.

  Her feelings for him had hit her like a freight train, but how the hell was she supposed to explain any of this to Ashley?

  As if on cue, the door to their dorm room flew open and in strode the girl herself, sifting through a stack of study guides and seemingly oblivious to Meghan's strained expression. "I swear, ninety percent of this stuff is meant to eat up our free time," she said, flopping down on her bed and draping an arm over her eyes. "If I have to go over one more anatomy diagram I might just drop out."

  "Don't give them the satisfaction," replied Meghan, shutting her textbook and sitting up. "Just focus on surviving midterms."

  "Speaking of," began Ashley, and Meghan could already tell where this was going, "how was the audition with Derek this morning?"

  “It was-” Feeling Ashley’s eyes on her, she couldn’t help the blush that was creeping onto her face. Ashley laughed, and Meghan put a pillow over her face.

  "Am I good, or am I good?" Ashley asked coyly.

  Meghan's head snapped up. "What are you talking about?"

  Ashley laughed. "Come on, Meghan. It wasn't hard to notice the way he looked at you back in high school."

  "Me? But I," her voice trailed off. She had never given much thought to Derek - romantically or otherwise back in high school. Had he liked her back then? Was that why he'd been so receptive today? Would he have made a move if he hadn't moved away after his parents' divorce?

  Ashley interrupted her thoughts. "I always kind of hoped something might happen. He's my brother, you're my friend - is that so bad?"

  "I guess not." She looked back at Ashley. “We never really talked back in high school, you know? I never knew he was so nice. Sweet.” Those were the only words that came to mind, although even as she said it a string of other qualities was rushing through her mind.

  “He’s always worn his heart on his sleeve,” said Ashley. She cleared her throat. “And with him here this semester I figured, once you had enough time to move past what happened with you-know-who."

  Meghan shook her head. “Ashley, don’t go there.” There had been more to the McGowan incident than just her acting, it was true. But she was nowhere near ready to revisit that yet.

  “Sorry.” Ashley fidgeted for a moment before asking, “Well, have you talked to him? Are you going to see him again? Apart from the film, that is. He won’t tell me anything , no matter how much I ask.”

  Meghan ran a hand through her hair. Damn. “You know, I left so fast I didn’t even get his contact information.”

  Ashley laughed. “That’s an easy one. He’s my brother, after all.” She picked up her phone and waved it at Meghan. “You want his number?”

  “You’re not going to let me say no, are you?”

  “Not a chance.” Not that it was going to take much convincing, anyway. Like it or not, whispered that inner voice, you’re taken with him. After only a few hours, too. What had gotten into her? Two minutes saw her staring at her own phone, Derek’s number already on the screen. Hey, it’s Meghan, she finally typed, feeling stupid once again.

  It wasn’t long before Derek responded. Hey! Before long, a second message appeared: So I guess we should talk about what happened earlier today.

  She bit her lip and wrote, I was kind of thinking the same thing. She began another text, thought for a moment, and then erased it. Better to see what he thought first.

  He was typing for what seemed like a long time before his response arrived. I wanted to say I’m sorry about the kiss. It was stupid of me. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.

  Huh? What do you mean?

  A pause, and then: You’re Ash’s best friend. And since you’re acting for me I don’t want to make you feel like I’m taking advantage.

  Her phone went quiet. He was waiting for her to say something. She thought for a moment and then replied, I actually wanted to tell you I liked it. She debated throwing in a winky face, decided it was too juvenile, and left it at that.

  Really? he responded.

  Yeah, she wrote. Would you be interested in hanging out again sometime? Outside the movie, I mean.

  His eagerness was clear even through the phone. Yeah, definitely! What are you doing tomorrow?

  What was she doing tomorrow? Studying? Rehearsing? Sunday was the day she reserved for interrupted work. I’m actually free, she wrote instead.

  She wasn’t expecting what he wrote next: Have you ever surfed before?

  No, never.

  Excellent! I’ll meet you outside your dorm at nine!

  She agreed, said her goodbyes, and turned her phone's screen off. Ashley was watching her intently. “Well?”

  “He wants to take me surfing,” answered Meghan.

  Ashley smirked. “Hoo boy. You are in so much trouble.”

  Chapter 4

  At least I can blame Ashley for all this, thought Meghan as she stood in the shade outside her dorm the next morning. Truth be told, she’d been a bit surprised Ashley had taken her sudden interest in her brother's love life. She’d been even more surprised by the possibility that this whole idea had been a ploy to get her and Derek to meet up again.

  How many more surprises would this weekend bring? she wondered.

  "Hey Meghan," came a voice from behind her, and she turned to see Derek approaching, a daypack slung over his shoulder. He'd tied his golden hair up for the day, and when he met her gaze she felt herself melting all over again.

  Ashley's warning echoed in her head, and she shook herself. "It's good to see you," she said, smiling back at him.

  "I could say the same thing," he replied, and although he approached her, she realized he wasn't going to make the first move. He was making sure he wasn't taking advantage of her, and maybe he was still nervous about making her uncomfortable.

  She grinned and pecked him on the mouth. That did the trick - he smiled back at her. "I guess you meant it," he said teasingly.

  "I mean, I get not being sure," she joked. "I am an actor, after all."

  He laughed. "I guess I'll have to be careful, then. Well," he went on, "you ready to do this?"

  She gave him a long look. "We'll see. Ashley says I’m in tr
ouble."

  “Nah, I’ll take it easy on you. Once you get the hang of surfing, it’s really fun,” he said.

  The traffic was light for a Sunday, and it took them less than an hour to get to Junipero Beach. Before long they had parked and Derek had rented the boards and suits. The day was clear but cool, and the beach hadn't yet been overrun. "I almost feel official," said Meghan as she stepped out of the changing room, trying to get used to the feeling of the shorty wetsuit.

  "You almost look official," Derek quipped back. "The beach bum look suits you."

  "You think?" she asked, smiling.

  "I mean, to be fair, any look suits you," he said. Seeing her incredulous look, he added, "How's my flirting?"

  "It's working," Meghan said, and she meant it.

  He led her to the water's edge, helping her tie her board to her ankle before they began to wade into the waves. They continued until the water was up to their waists. Goosebumps shot up Meghan's bare legs, and again she had to remind herself to stop fantasizing about the feel of his warm hands on her body. "Okay," she said, turning to him. "You're the teacher this time. What do I do?"

  "You're going to start on your belly for the first few waves," he replied. "Keep your lower body flat against the board. But you're going to want to have your chest bent up, like... what's that yoga position?"

  "Upward dog?"

  "That's the one. Here, I'll show you." He positioned his board in front of him and waited for a suitable wave. When one came, he slid onto the board with practiced ease, looking like an aquatic animal as he rode the wave. He drifted to a stop and came back to her, shaking a few strands of wet hair out of his face.

  "Ashley never mentioned that you surfed," said Meghan as she maneuvered her board in front of her, trying desperately to purge her mind of the image of him running down the beach in slow motion like a cologne commercial.

  He laughed. "It just seems so stereotypical, right? Southern California film student, surfer. All I need is a medical marijuana card and I'll be a walking caricature, right?"

  Meghan shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "It's cool that you have a hobby like this. Something outside filmmaking. I could use something like that, a way to relax that doesn't have anything to do with acting."

  "Well, we might find you a new hobby today,” he said, turning to gesture behind them. "Here comes a nice one. Give it a shot." Meghan nodded and focused on the board. When the wave arrived, she did her best to replicate his move and actually managed to get over the crest without incident. It wasn't until she began to pick up speed on the way down that she lost control of the board, and before she knew what was happening it had flown out from under her.

  She was disoriented under the water for a moment, but seconds later she felt a strong arm around her shoulders, helping her to her feet.

  "Not bad for a first try," said Derek as she blinked the salt water out of her eyes. She felt his hand at her back as he guided her back to where they started. "Here," he said, helping her reposition her board, "I'll help you this time." They waited for another wave, and as this one approached, he leaned in closer to her. "Focus on the board, okay?"

  She nodded again, and when the wave arrived he put one hand on her back, the other just above her breasts, supporting her as she passed over the top. He let her go and she glided forward and down, gripping the surfboard for all she was worth. Miraculously, she made it to the shallows without wiping out.

  "I did it!" she cried as she got to her feet. "Your leading lady just rode her first wave!"

  He applauded, laughing. "Right on, Meghan!"

  "Leading lady, huh?" Her heart began to beat faster. "Did I say that?"

  He nodded, moving closer to her. The salt water was glistening on his face, the wetsuit showing every muscle of his toned body. Even wet, his honey blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. Her body flushed with need as he put his hand to her cheek. Her heart began to pound as she realized she wanted to tackle this earnest, beautiful, enchanting man and never let him go. God, if only they weren't in public right now.

  He could have been reading her mind. "I think there's some weather moving in," he said, pointing at the cloudless blue sky with an almost imperceptible smirk. "We should get out of here before it starts to rain."

  She grinned, nodded, and a moment later his lips were on hers.

  Chapter 5

  The drive back to campus seemed to take forever. Where the traffic had been good on the way out, now they seemed to be hitting every red light and every work zone, but the slowness of the trip did nothing to quell the heat Meghan felt between her legs. They didn't speak much during the journey, but there was a look on Derek's face that told Meghan he was feeling much the same as she was. He kept running a hand through his still-damp hair, drumming the steering wheel with his fingers, and stealing glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. Her heart thundered in her chest as she saw the hunger in his looks. She spent the long drive imagining, in vivid detail, what it would feel like to have him inside her and by the time they got back to his dorm, she was desperate to get him naked.

  They sprinted out of the elevator and into his dorm room, Derek almost losing his grip on the key as he scrambled to get it into the lock. As soon as the door had shut behind them, he had grabbed her and begun to kiss her with a ferocity unlike anything she'd experienced. His hands on either side of her face, pulling her flush against him as his tongue probed her mouth. It was as if he wanted to devour her. And she'd be damned if she didn't want that, too. She could feel a solid bulge in his jeans, and as it rubbed against her stomach the heat she had been feeling in the car turned into a fire. Before long she was ready for him as she clutched at his hair, rising up on her toes, grinding her hips into his.

  Derek began to fumble with her shirt, but she put a hand over his, murmuring, "What about Greg?"

  He shook his head. “He’s staying at his girlfriend’s for the rest of the weekend. It's okay."

  That was all the encouragement she needed, and she gave him a hand with her shirt, which he practically tore off her as soon as the buttons were undone. His came off more easily, and she found herself basking in the sight of his sculpted torso as he unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. His hands trailed down to her breasts, and he ran his thumbs over the soft skin before continuing lower. Even over her shorts, Meghan could feel his caress as his hand drifted between her legs. She reciprocated, placing a hand over his straining cock and began to caress it.

  Derek groaned and hauled her into his arms, mouth connecting with hers as she locked her legs around his waist. He carried her to his bed and set her down, pulling off her shorts and underwear. She was naked now, and could see him drinking her in with his eyes. Usually she was self-conscious at times like these, but Derek was still there behind the desire she saw on his face. She knew that she was safe here. With him.

  Derek kissed her once again. She moaned when she felt a finger slowly trace her folds, and gasped when he slid his finger into her.

  "Derek," Meghan whimpered, breaking the kiss as he arched his finger, sending a sudden wave of pleasure through her.

  "Do you like that?" he rasped, searching her eyes with his as he began to move his finger in and out.

  "Yes," she managed. “Please don't st-" but she couldn't finish the sentence. His thumb had begun to massage her clit, and coherent thought had gone out the window. She groaned as he continued his ministrations, closing her eyes and losing herself to the sensation.

  She could feel fireworks going off between her legs, and her eyes shot open when he removed his finger. She cried out, needing him back inside her.

  He began to tear off his belt. "I can't," he said breathlessly. “I can’t wait. I need to fuck you."

  "Yes," she whispered and waited as he unbuttoned his jeans.

  Derek stripped his bottoms off, confirming what she already knew: his cock was huge. He climbed on top of her, moving over her, pressing close, and then she was full again, stretchi
ng around him as they connected completely. Her body reveled in the feel of him in her and around her as he found a rhythm, and soon all they could hear were the sounds of their lovemaking. Electricity surged through her. She was about to come again and judging by the way Derek held her - like a lifeboat on a stormy sea - so was he. She slammed her hips up, meeting him and he moaned her name.

  She savored the feeling of his body on hers and how he stretched her as he filled her completely.

  But it was his eyes that did it in the end. A flash of emerald that met her gaze, fierce but deferential, like if he didn't make the most of this moment she might slip away. She threw her head back and let pleasure overtake her. It wasn't long before he followed suit, moaning her name as he spilled his warm seed into her even as echoes of orgasm continued to roll through her.

  He collapsed on top of her, kissing her ear, her neck and face.

  For a moment they held each other, lost in the togetherness, breathing hard, holding on to each other and to the lingering echoes of their pleasure. Derek cupped her cheek with his hand and kissed her tenderly, letting his forehead rest against hers for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it, instead rolling onto his back. She wanted to know what he was going to say, but didn't ask. This moment was all that mattered.

  It was a while before either of them spoke. Derek rested his head on his arms and he stared at the ceiling with heavily-lidded eyes. She watched his sculpted chest rise and fall, thinking he could have been a work of art. But it wasn’t just his appearance, was it? No; she’d never been the type to fall into bed with a guy because he was hot. She regretted all the wasted time that she knew him, but didn't see him for who he truly was. She wanted to make up for all the time they'd missed over the past seven years. And what about him? What was going on behind those green eyes?

  "Can I ask you something?" she said.

  He turned to look at her. "Of course."