by Sierra Hill
Now that my parents are divorced, and we’re all in college, this year’s party will solely consist of our group of friends. My mom and John, her new fiancé – which I’ve slowly become accustomed to and let go of my anger - went on a mini-tropical cruise to the Bahamas, leaving us to the party planning.
Well, technically, party plans have fallen on my shoulders. Cade basically told me how many people he invited and expected, offering to pick up the keg and booze. Kady went to the party store to pick up decorations and all the necessary party supplies to ring in the new year in style. As for me, I was left with all the grocery shopping, planning out the hor d’oeuvres and making all the Jell-O shots that all good parties should include.
I am measuring out the vodka and rum as Kady strides into the kitchen, taking a peek at the various kinds of Jell-O I purchased.
“Ew…you’re making the green kind? That stuff is nasty. The flavor tastes like snot.”
I want to ask her how in the hell she’d know what snot tastes like, but I don’t get a chance, because in her next breath she catches me off guard.
“Someone’s glowing like she got her cherry popped.” She exclaims, ruffling my hair as she walks toward the refrigerator to grab a soda. “How was it? Did he make you orgasm? Did you do it doggie-style?”
I snicker, slapping at her from behind me. “Shut up. Don’t be crass.”
Kady maneuvers herself up on the barstool across from the island where I stand, mixing the concoctions before I pour them into the little plastic cups to freeze. She leans down on her elbows, batting her eyelashes at me.
“Me? Crass. Ha! If I were trying to be crass, I’d ask if he fucked your asshole after wetting his dick in your pussy.”
“Oh my God, Kady, you have the mouth of a sailor. You’re worse than Cade sometimes, you know that?”
She throws her head back in hysterical laughter and I just bow my head in disgust. How in the world can the two of us have shared the same womb? I love her to death, but sometimes she is a lot to handle.
“Sorry,” she ruefully apologizes. “I promise to be good from now on, as long as you give me all the dirty deets.” She locks up her mouth with a pretend key and gives me an eyebrow raising smile.
“No way. Not gonna happen.”
She mumbles a “please”, but it sounds more like a meow. Kady jumps from her chair and corners me at the sink, wrapping her arms around me and shaking me in a giant hug. I laugh, because it reminds me of the scene from Despicable Me where the little girl shakes the carnival toy with such adoration. I wiggle from her hold, and concede to her request.
“Fine. It was great.” Sticking my tongue out at her, I place a tray of the shots in the freezer drawer, shutting it closed.
“Uh-huh. More…I know there’s more.”
Kady is not going to let this go, that much I know that. But there are things I don’t feel like sharing with her right now. Maybe because it feels good to have it just between Van and me. Our little secret.
Which is how I want to keep things for the time being from everyone, must importantly my brother. Telling Cade that I’m sleeping with one of his teammates will not start my New Year off on the right foot. Despite what Van said about not putting stock in what others think, I don’t want to be scrutinized by others. I am not an attention-seeking girl, and it would be like living under a microscope if others find out.
So at least through the party tonight, Van promised me he would keep his distance and there would be no PDA. Which will probably kill me. But he did warn me that at the stroke of midnight, he was going to drag me into a closet somewhere and kiss the hell out of me.
That promise, and the implications of it, has me bubbling from the inside out with anticipation – like I’m the champagne in the bottle and the cork is about to pop. It makes me yearn for his strong hands clasping onto my hips, pulling me into him as he kisses the ever-loving life out of me.
“Woohoo!” My sister snaps her fingers in my face to gain my attention back. “It’s written all over your face, so you might as well spill the beans. Or the pork-and-beans…” She laughs at her own attempt at a scandalous joke.
I clean up the kitchen counter as she trails closely behind me. Finally, I spin around to meet her, nose to nose, toe-to-toe. “You know, if you’re going to follow me around like a little stalker, you could at least help me clean up or something.”
“I’ll be glad to be your taste tester for the Jell-O shots. I’m very good at that.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“Speaking of good…come on! Tell me about it, Ky. You know you’re dying to.” She gives me an angelic smile and I finally capitulate, sitting down on the stool she vacated.
Sighing wistfully, I begin. “Van was amazing. Even when he found out I was a virgin – after he deflowered me-”
“You’re shitting me! You didn’t tell him beforehand? Holy mother of Judas.”
“Shoosh,” I chastise her interruption, putting my finger in front of my lips. If she wants to hear this, she’s going to have to keep her trap shut for more than two seconds.
“No, I didn’t get around to telling him before he, uh…slid home.” A whoop and a gasp come out of her mouth. “But oh my God, Kady. He was so sweet and tender. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
I’m sure my face has an annoyingly dreamy expression all over it right now, but Kady doesn’t care. She’s smiling along with me. That’s what sisters do. They celebrate the wins with you and commiserate the losses.
“Oh my God, Ky. Did he make you come?”
My cheeks flame red, even though it’s only Kady I’m spilling my secrets to, it’s still a little embarrassing.
“He, uh…used his tongue and fingers. It was…I can’t even describe how good it was.”
Kady props her chin on her fist, elbow on the counter as she leans over at me, a look of approval sweeping across her beautiful face. “Very nice. I’m so happy for you. Are you glad you waited?”
I snort with self-deprecation because it’s not like I ever really had a choice in the matter. Unlike Kady, who had boys chasing her around as a teen. But yeah, I’m really glad I waited to have sex until I found someone I really cared for. And it doesn’t hurt that Van’s older and has a ton more experience than me, so he knows what he’s doing.
Nodding my head, I say, “I am glad. It was so worth it. But it also makes me a little jealous.”
Kady’s forehead wrinkles in confusion. “Jealous of what?”
I scratch my fingernail over an invisible spot on the granite counter, trying to distract myself from the way I feel.
“As they say, practice makes perfect, right? Well, it’s obvious he perfected his game because of all that practice with someone else. And it just makes me…”
“No, stop right there.” She admonishes, slapping her hand on the counter next to me. “No self-talk or self-doubts. It doesn’t matter if he practiced every day on one girl or thousands before you. What matters is that he’s with you now. He cares about you. He went down on you. He fucked you. Not anyone else. So get off the jealousy train, Ky. It’s not worth the ride.”
Tipping my head, I take in the identical face of my sister staring back at me. It’s funny that when I look at her, I see a beautiful girl, even when I don’t see myself in that way. I always feel relatively plain next to her gigantic persona. She’s fiercely loyal. Protective. Supportive. I’m so lucky I have someone like her to share this with. Otherwise, without her uplifting encouragement, I’d probably be wallowing in self-pity and deconstructing all the reasons Van shouldn’t be with me.
“And…” she continues. “Not a lot of guys would be that unselfish to spend time getting a girl off before the main event. The fact that he did tells me he’s a decent man and cares about you.”
“Yeah, he’s a really good guy. I like him a lot.”
Kady once again comes around the counter top and envelopes me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you, sis. You deserve this. Now…let’
s go upstairs and decide what we’re going to wear tonight. Preferably something low-cut and easy to get off in the heat of the moment.”
She wiggles her eyebrows and grabs my hand, as I swat her arm away, but let her lead the way anyway. Truthfully, I want to look sexy and hot tonight for Van. I may even let her convince me to wear heels.
People start showing up around ten p.m., milling around in our spacious formal living, dining and family rooms. We’ve blocked off the stairway so that no one can go upstairs, but all the entertainment is through the door to the basement. We were kind of spoiled as kids growing up, and have a plethora of fun games and tables downstairs, including a pool table, air hockey, ping pong (which is set up for beer pong tonight, per Cade’s direction), and even a shuffleboard table along the back wall. I was never one to play those games, only for the reason that I’m terribly uncoordinated.
Ainsley and her friend, Mica, have arrived and are in the family room talking to a few of the dates belonging to some of the players. Lance, Cade, Carver and a few other teammates I only know peripherally, have all gone downstairs where the keg is set up out on the patio of our walk-out. I can hear them all shouting and yelling at one another good-naturedly over some tournament game they played recently.
As I set out the appetizers and various plates of cheese and crackers, I feel a warm pair of hands wrap around my hips, pulling me back into a solid wall of muscle. My startled yelp is loud, but no one except us can hear it over the noise of the music. The next thing I know, Van’s mouth is at my ear, his voice low and filled with desire.
“You’re lucky there’s people around, otherwise I’d have you stretched out across this countertop, eating you as my appetizer.”
Wow. Van’s a dirty-talker. Never thought that would turn me on, but I can already feel its effects working their way through my body. My neck and face heat up, and I’m sure I’m a flowing beacon. I glance around surreptitiously to see if anyone is looking. My body flushes at his dirty words, my insides going molten at the sound of his low, sexy voice.
I’m thankful everyone is preoccupied and we’re the only ones in the kitchen. No one else can see where his hands are from behind the privacy shield of the counter, but even still, I’m very aware of how close he is in proximity to my body. If anyone did wander in or turn to look our way, they’d definitely know what is going on.
I attempt to wiggle out of his hands, shimmying my hips, but he simply holds his ground, adding more pressure with his fingertips.
“Van.” I lamely protest, even though one could argue it sounds more like a plea. “Stop, someone could see us.”
He bends over me, pushing me forward, his heavy erection fitted nicely between the crack of my cheeks, as he emits a low growl. “I know I promised, Ky. I’ll be good. But it’s been two days since I’ve seen you, and you look amazing in this dress. It’s going to be so hard,” - he accentuates by pressing further into my backside – “to keep my hands off you.”
An involuntary moan escapes me unbidden, and I let my eyes fall closed as if he’s put me into a hypnotic trance. Good heavens, this man.
To make matters worse, his hand now skims the bottom of the skirt of my dress, sliding his hand up the back of my bare leg. Kady pressured me into wearing this outfit. I was planning on wearing jeans and a nice shirt, but she insisted that this would drive Van wild tonight. I should be thanking her right now because it definitely seems to have done the trick. Already. Now all I can think about is how and when I can get Van alone.
Cade’s voice interrupts us as he rounds the corner of the kitchen. We both gasp, as I feel the immediate absence of his hand and his body when he jumps back about five feet, making the distance between us appear more appropriate.
Thankfully, Cade seems somewhat oblivious, as he swings his head over his shoulder to ask Ainsley a question.
“Babe, what can I get you and Mica? Whatcha drinking tonight?”
He takes a step into the kitchen, turns his head to both of us, and welcomes Van with a huge-ass smile that only Cade can give.
“Bro, you made it!” He slaps one hand on Van’s bicep and the other he uses to do some complicated bro-handshake. Silly boys.
“Yo, Cade. What’s up? Thanks for the invite.”
Cade leans down into the fridge and rummages through the many bottles lining the shelves. “No problem, man. Good to have you here. I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to make it tonight or if you’d be back home in Tucson with your family.”
He grabs two Mike’s Hard Lemonades from the fridge and closes it behind him, turning his attention back to us. I’ve begun nervously rearranging the cheese platters, hoping to remain inconspicuous and avoid Cade’s scrutiny. My breathing is still erratic, sounding choppy and practically asthmatic. I’m not sure I could even form a sentence right now from the adrenaline rushing through my veins over the fear of getting caught.
“Van, will you tell my little sis not to stress out about the food and just come have a good time with us?” He bumps my butt with his hip as he passes by. “Kylah needs to loosen up a bit and learn to have some fun. Hey, speaking of fun, did you invite that guy you like?”
Van sounds like he’s just choked on the beer he’d just taken a sip of and I have to white knuckle the edge of the counter to keep myself from collapsing to the floor.
If only my brother knew that he was the one who invited that “guy I like”. And lookie, lookie! Said guy is standing right here, waiting for you to leave so he can maul me with wet, hot kisses.
My hands shake as I wipe them with a dishtowel, trying to dry the perspiration that’s gathered on my palms. I keep my eyes plastered to the counter so I don’t have to look my brother in the eyes.
“Oh, uh no. He had something else going on tonight. Maybe some other time.”
Cade seems to accept that answer but then adds. “Well good. Van here can keep you company tonight. Maybe he can be your partner in a game of shuffleboard or something.”
He then laughs, waving the hand that’s holding a bottle at me. “Never mind that. She sucks at it. But if you partner up with her in a game of Trivia Pursuit, you’re bound to emerge the champions.”
Oh, brother. Literally. As if this isn’t embarrassing enough, he has to make wise cracks at my expense. Cade gives us both a casual wink as he heads out toward his girlfriend, drinks in hand. Just as he hits the carpeted room, he glances over his shoulder and says to Van, “Keep a watch on her, though, bro. Don’t let her have too many of those Jell-O shots she made. She’s not much of a drinker and doesn’t realize that they go down easy, but come back the hard way.”
Van tips his head as my brother rejoins his girlfriend, as we simultaneously release a sigh of relief.
I wipe away the remaining sweat and tip my head up to Van. “Okey dokey, then. That was a close call.”
Van chuckles, stepping into me once more, presumably to set down his beer on the counter in front of me. Anyone else looking from the other side would see that he appears to be browsing the selection of meats and cheeses over my shoulder, but I know the truth. His hand is once again making a beeline to the hem of my dress, inching it up so he can touch my bare skin on my leg. I shiver in response.
“Cade or not, I don’t think I can make it to midnight to get my mouth on you tonight, Ky. Can we go somewhere? I need to kiss you so bad right now. I don’t think I can wait.”
I maneuver my body around so my lower back hits the edge of the counter. We’re so close I can feel the hairs on his legs brush softly against mine. My body lights up at the contact.
“Third door on the left at the top of the stairs. Give me five minutes.”
I feel like a sexy Nancy Drew with my covert Ops suggestion. The excitement rips through me in waves.
It appears that I’m going to be ringing in the New Year with a whole different kind of fireworks.
20
Van
I am so freaking turned on right now. Maybe there is something to be said about a secret,
illicit rendezvous. It makes me horny as fuck.
Or it could just be Kylah.
I’m doing my best to hide the very large bulge in my pants as I meander through the living room, trying to inconspicuously work my way toward the staircase the leads upstairs. I’m stopped no less than three times by either people coming through the front door, waving their hellos and greetings, checking in on how I’m doing, congratulating me on the games we’ve played this pre-season so far, etc. It takes me damn near fifteen minutes to even get up to the second floor landing.
Once I do, I count the doors as I pass, coming to the third door. Turning the handle, I step into the darkened room. Kylah’s room.
I’m immediately hit with her tropical fruit scent, leaving my mouth watering and my semi-hard dick perking up once again.
I find the light switch on the wall and flip it on, scanning the room that’s now visible. There’s a wall with a white-painted bookcase, filled to the brim with books, books, and more books. I smile at the knowledge that my girl likes to read.
My girl.
Whoa. That happened fast. Yet, in a way, not really. It feels more like it simmered to a boil at a low temperature, progressively increasing in heat and intensity as time went on; until it finally blew the top off the lid.
I nose around a little bit, perusing the pictures and posters hung on the walls – mostly artwork in various forms. There’s a portrait of their family, possibly taken several years back, as it includes her dad, and the girls look much younger. So does Cade, with his cocky, toothy grin and a much shaggier, Justin Bieber-esque hair style. I laugh out loud and remind myself I’m going to have to give him some hell over that.
Something large catches my eye in the corner of the room, near her closet. It’s an instrument, in a zipped case. By all appearances, it looks to be a cello. Interesting. Kylah is a musician. I had no idea. I envision her performing on stage, her delicate fingers playing the notes, as she glides the bow across the strings, the cello vibrating between her legs.
