by S. M. Shade
“Bring back the choir!” Melina calls, making laughter break out again.
“Grandma always said I can be thick headed sometimes and recently, I proved her right. I made a stupid mistake and hurt someone, so I want to apologize to the talented, beautiful woman who put all of this together tonight.”
All heads swivel toward me, and I’m stunned into place as he continues.
“I’m sorry, Kelly. Please, come and play one more song. With me.”
“Ooh Lord, this is better than Days of our Lives!” a voice calls out.
It’s quickly followed by Melina’s. “Agnes, shut your hole! This is supposed to be romantic!”
I barely notice the calls and laughter around me. All I can see is Layton, holding his hand out to me, his eyes pleading for me to join him. There wasn’t a second that I considered saying no, but it takes me a moment to make my legs work, and I feel like I’m sleepwalking when I head toward him.
He leans down and whispers in my ear. “I didn’t stop practicing. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
All this time, he had kept learning the duet? Did he plan to do this all along? I don’t understand, but it hardly matters. A room full of people are waiting on us. I move to the piano, and he goes back to the mic. “My apologies ahead of time, but I’m going to sing, so bear with me.”
He hands the mic to Dash and sits on the bench next to me. I can feel the heat of his body, smell the scent I’ve been missing. “Ready?” he murmurs, and I nod.
For someone who is such a beginner, and despite the fact we haven’t practiced together in a month, we fall into sync quite well. It’s no professional performance of Heart and Soul by a long shot, but the residents love it. Many of them start to sing along. Layton isn’t a bad singer. Originally, I picked this song because it’s a simple duet, but damned if the lyrics aren’t right on target.
By the end, I’m fighting back tears, and I don’t wait for the applause to stop before taking a bow and rushing out of the room.
Chapter Nineteen
Layton
This time Kelly is the one to run away, but not far, and I have no intention of letting her go. The small courtyard is deserted and quiet, the air chilly now that the sun has set. Kelly sits on a bench between two flowerbeds, her gaze on the night sky that’s just beginning to fill with stars.
She doesn’t react when I sit beside her, until I speak. “Kelly. I’m so sorry that I hurt you.”
“I know, and I forgive you. I’m not angry anymore.”
No, anger is not what I hear. Just sadness. “I miss you.”
She looks away as I slide my hand into hers, but she squeezes it. “I’ve missed you too.”
There’s no resistance when I take her chin in my hand and turn her head until she faces me. The tears standing in her eyes shatter me. “I understand why you didn’t want to talk to me, and I wanted to give you some time. There hasn’t been a second I was away from you that I didn’t miss you. I know I screwed things up and I probably don’t deserve another chance, but I’m asking for one.”
Tears overflow, and she sighs. “Layton, nothing has changed. I’m still a virgin.”
Relief rushes through me. She may have dated, but she hasn’t gotten serious with anyone else. “I don’t care about that.”
“You do,” she exclaims, vehemently. “I saw your face when I told you. You looked disgusted.”
In all of this, I failed to realize how my reaction may have appeared to her. “Oh, sweetheart, not with you. I was disgusted with myself. It wasn’t that you were younger or a student, but once you said you were also…inexperienced—”
“A virgin. You can say it. It isn’t a dirty word.”
“Once you said you were a virgin, I felt like I was taking advantage.”
Her gaze challenges mine. “You freaked out.”
“I freaked out.” I brush a lock of hair off her damp cheek. “Do you still have feelings for me?”
Lips pressed together, she nods as if she hates to admit it. “I do, but I don’t know if I can trust you again. After you left like that, it made me feel so…ashamed. Ugly.”
“No, Kelly.” I pull her into my arms, and she goes willingly, hugging me and burying her face in my neck. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It was my own bullshit in my head. My reaction had nothing to do with you. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way for even a second.”
I hold her tighter, breathing her in as the next words fall out. “I’m falling in love with you. There’s nothing I want more in the world than to have you back. I don’t expect you to trust me again right away. We can work on it.” Her glassy eyes stare into mine as I let her go. “If that’s what you want, too.”
The few seconds until she replies are a week long. “It’s what I want.”
Her lips are warm and soft, and she grins against my mouth when I kiss the hell out of her for what seems like eternity. Once we part, she says, “The whole school thing won’t matter anymore. I dropped out. All except the music class, and this was my final project for that.”
My stomach drops into my feet. “Did you drop out because of what happened with us?”
“No.” Her reply is instant. “I finally figured out what I want. I’m working at Cooper’s full time and giving piano lessons. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”
“I’m glad to hear it, especially because I don’t work there anymore.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “You quit?”
“Let’s just say they don’t require my presence anymore.”
Her face is stricken. “Did they find out about us?”
I kiss her again. “Yes, but that’s all on me. To be honest, it was a relief. Teaching wasn’t making me happy. I’m going to go freelance and I’m excited about it.”
She smiles up at me. “I guess we both found where we belong.”
Wrapping her in my arms again, I murmur in her ear. “Together. That’s where we belong.”
The past weeks with Kelly have been amazing. We’ve been taking things slow with date nights and just hanging out together, instead of rushing back to overnight stays. Tonight will be the first time for that. It will also be another first since she’ll be meeting my friends.
We’ve planned an overnight camping trip together, and it’s adorable how excited Kelly is about it. Travis will be meeting us there with his wife and two kids. Dalton is also bringing someone, last I heard. We’re only staying one night. It was hard enough to find a night where everyone didn’t have to work, plus the weather is supposed to turn chilly soon.
“What are your friends like?” Kelly asks as we pull into the campground next to the lake.
“Dalton is fun to be around and he’s a good friend. Chances are he’ll have a woman with him that none of us have met because he’s not one to settle down. Travis is a bit older than me, and he works as an economic consultant as well, but not as a freelancer. He and his wife, Diane, have been together for about ten years. She’s a saint,” I chuckle. “They have two kids who are five and six, I think, Seth, and Winnie. The kids are great. Loud, but fun.”
“I like kids.” Kelly smiles at me.
It makes me realize that’s a subject we haven’t talked about. “Do you know if you want kids someday?”
Kids aren’t a deal breaker for me, but I’m not ready yet.
“I’m not sure. Maybe when I’m older, but to be honest, it’s not really a dream or life goal or anything.” Her head tilts, and she swipes her hair out of her face to look at me. “Do you?”
“I’m not opposed to the idea, but not any time soon.”
Her smile widens with relief, and I pull up at our assigned campsite.
Kelly laughs. “Not exactly roughing it, are we?” She looks around, taking in the neatly manicured campsites, some with electrical hookups, and campers parked in them. The bathhouse is in sight just down the road, equipped with real toilets and showers.
“Not since they started bringing the kids.” I l
ean over and unfasten her seatbelt before she can, stopping to brush my lips over hers. “Next time, we’ll do it right. Just you and me, out in the boonies.”
She kisses me again. “That sounds perfect.”
“I do know a little secluded place we can sneak away to later.”
“Looking forward to it.”
A high pitch screech is followed by a slap against the truck. “Uncle Lay! Let’s go! Play frisbee with us!” Seth insists.
I have to be careful not to knock the kid over as I open my truck door and climb out. “Hey, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you,” I tease.
Seth pauses and blinks as Kelly joins us. “You have?”
“Yeah, that’s why we’re late. I’ve just been driving around, searching for you.”
“Nuh-uh.” He grins, and his sister runs up to join us.
“I swear. I wanted to introduce you to someone.” I take Kelly’s hand. “This is Kelly. Kelly, this guy is Seth. You have to watch out for him.”
She squats down and shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you, Seth.”
“You too. Do you play frisbee?”
“If I accidentally throw it in a tree, can you get it back?”
His little chest swells up as he proudly replies, “Sure, I climb trees all the time.”
“That’s how he broke his hand last year,” Winnie says.
“Winnie, this is Kelly. Kelly, Winnie.”
Winnie beams at her. “Hi, you’re pretty. I like your hair. It’s red.”
“It is. And I love your pretty hair. Yellow is my favorite color.”
Travis and Diane have the campsite just across the street, and Dalton has the one beside theirs. We’ll all hang out together, but at night, I wanted some space between us. We head across to their campsite where Travis is fighting with a tent. Midnight follows, walking between the kids while they take turns petting him.
As soon as introductions are made, Seth starts trying to get someone to play frisbee again.
“Let us get the tents up first. Then we’ll play. You two go on over and play together,” Diane tells them, pointing to the large field on one side of us.
“Fine,” he groans, “Can Midnight come?”
“Sure. He hasn’t learned to fetch, yet. If he gets the frisbee, you’ll have to chase him down for it.”
Once they’re out of earshot, Travis exclaims, “Help me get this bitch set up. It’s pissing me off.”
“Travis,” Diane laughs, glancing around.
“They can’t hear me.” Travis shakes his head and scoffs, “Kids. You can tell them all day to say please and thank you and it won’t sink in but call one person a cockface...”
Diane regards Kelly. “Come on, we can watch these two try to figure it out. Want a drink?”
“Sure.”
They sit on a nearby picnic table, talking and laughing while we get the tents up. At some point, they walk over to play frisbee with the kids.
Just as Travis and I get my tent set up, Dalton pulls into his campsite. He gets out of the car, along with a tiny brunette, slings his arm around her and heads over to us.
“Hey, you guys, this is Amber.”
She gives a shy wave. After the introductions and all the niceties are exchanged, Dalton glances around. “I thought you were bringing your chick?”
“Kelly,” I remind him, gesturing to the field where she tosses the frisbee to Seth.
“Oh.” His lips form a smirk, and he gives me a sideways glance. “She playing with the other kids?”
“Fuck off.” He knows I can’t comment on his choice of women with the poor girl standing right there. She doesn’t look much older than Kelly. “Better get your tent set up.”
Dalton shakes his head. “Don’t need one. Got an air mattress in the back of my SUV. Seat lays down, plenty of room.”
Kelly and Diane return with the kids, and we decide to hike down to the lake. The water is too cold to swim, but Travis wants to fish. “It’ll be peaceful,” he says, “the kids will spend forever just chucking rocks into the water.”
The hike through the woods is gorgeous and when Kelly smiles up at me, it strikes me in the moment how lucky I am. I was sure I’d never have this with her. After we spend some time with my friends by the lake, we take off on our own down another trail that’s not quite so clean cut.
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Kelly asks when the trail fades, a sliver of worry in her voice.
“I’ve camped here plenty of times. I could find my way back in the pitch dark. Trust me.”
Her hand slides into mine. “I do.”
Bending over, I caution her to duck and lead her through a low overhang of trees. I’m happy to see the spot hasn’t changed. It isn’t littered with beer bottles and condom wrappers that would surely be the case if the average park goer knew about it.
“Wow,” she breathes, taking in the scenery. “It’s beautiful here.”
A small stream runs down the slight slope, gurgling pleasantly. The area is surrounded by thick trees, but near the creek the ground switches from the fragrant pine needles to a soft carpet of moss.
“It is. That water is probably cold enough to feel like knives right now, but it’s nice to watch.”
I sit down beside the creek and pull her down in front of me. She sits between my legs, leaning back against me. For a few minutes, we just sit there, soaking in nature and listening to the forest. “I see why you like hiking and camping. This is wonderful.”
I’m thrilled to share it with her. A beetle crawls up her leg and she plucks it off absently, placing it on the grass where it runs away. “I’m glad you think so. There are a lot of beautiful places I want to show you. We’ll have to come back in the middle of summer and swim in the lake.”
“I like your friends. Diane’s nice. She invited me to hang out with her sometime. She said she doesn’t get out much because of the kids.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
Silence reigns again as we sit together. “We can hang out here for a while, or head back if you’re bored. Whatever you want.”
Her grin is mischievous. “Whatever I want?” She rubs her cheek like she’s considering it. “Well, I’m not opposed to having my vagina licked.”
This fucking girl is going to kill me. There’s a clear challenge in her eyes when she glances around. “Unless you’re worried that we’ll get caught.”
I’ve spent countless hours in this spot and never seen another person. We won’t get caught, but I’m not going to tell her that. If she wants to try a little possible exhibitionist scenario, I’m all for it. Besides, I haven’t got to make her come since we’ve been back together. All the sex stuff has been off the table.
Until now.
She giggles when I turn her around abruptly and push her down on her back. Her breath catches when I push her shirt and bra up, exposing her to the open air. “Your nipples love the forest too,” I tease.
“They’re coming off a little desperate for attention, aren’t they?”
“Poor things have been neglected.”
All laughter and teasing stops when I suck her hard nipple between my lips. I love the way she responds to me. The little breaths she takes, and the way her hands runs over my body as I kiss her lips, her neck, her belly.
Her eyes widen when I unbutton her jeans, and she lifts up so I can slide them and her panties down to her ankles. With her feet together, I bend her knees, push her legs apart, and lie between them. Her ankles are trapped in her clothes and under me. She’s bared to me, wide open.
“Layton,” she whispers, her cheeks glowing, when I take a moment to stare at what’s before me.
“So fucking beautiful.”
Her groan echoes around us at the first touch of my tongue, and I spend the long, fall evening slowly driving her insane. As she moans her orgasm into the trees and fading light, I know one thing for certain.
I’m so in love with this woman.
Chapter Twent
y
Kelly
I’m aware that I don’t have any basis for comparison, but I don’t care. Layton is the best vagina licker in the world. I should get him a mug or a tee shirt that reflects that.
A sudden cold spot on my stomach brings me back to reality. My first thought was it must be starting to rain, but no.
Freezing in place, still naked, I utter. “Uh…Layton?”
His gaze rolls up my body and the lustful expression on his face shifts into amusement. Then laughter.
“Get it!” I squeal, smacking at him.
His entire body quaking, he reaches and scoops up the tiny green frog that has managed to hop onto my navel and sets it on the ground.
“It’s not that funny.” My words would be more convincing if I wasn’t trying not to laugh. “I don’t like frogs.”
“Well, he seemed to like you.”
Dark is fast approaching. I waste no time getting dressed, and Layton leads us back down the trail. Before we get to the others, I need to ask him something. “Did you bring condoms?”
Pausing like it’s a loaded question, his answer is spoken slowly. “Would it make me seem horribly presumptive if I said I did?”
“No, I thought…I mean if you want to.” I can feel my cheeks heat when I look up at him. “Tonight, I’d like to check another first off of my list, other than camping with a boyfriend.” The thought of losing my virginity in a tent on a camping trip is alluring.
He wraps his arms around me, kissing me in the deep, slow way that always drives me crazy. “I love you,” he says, and I’m so stunned I blink, staring at him.
“You do?” Genius, Kelly. Freaking amazing way to answer the man who just said I love you.
His grin tells me he isn’t perturbed. “Yes, I do.”
I slam my lips into his, desperately trying to convey how I feel before I pull back. “I love you, too.”
We both hit the showers when we get back, then have dinner with everyone. The next few hours are the slowest of my life. The entire time we’re sitting around the campfire, listening to music, laughing, and talking with his friends, all I can think about is what I’ll soon be doing. What we’ll soon be doing to each other.
