by Anna B. Doe
If she notices my skepticism, she doesn’t show it. “Sure thing, hon! And you’re just in time. Come in, come in!”
She ushers us inside, closing the door behind me. Callie and I exchange a glance. There isn’t a way out now.
Callie nibbles at her lip, but I know she’s nowhere near done teasing me.
“This was so not what I had in mind,” I whisper in her ear apologetically.
“You brought me dancing.” There is a tenderness in her voice that wasn’t there before.
“With a bunch of eighty-year-olds!” I whisper-shout. “Shouldn’t it be past their bedtime?”
I glance around the room, a few people are still giving us curious looks, but I don’t think anybody heard me.
“You brought me dancing,” she repeats, her blue eyes shining. And now I’m positive it’s not just the way the light illuminates her face. “I haven’t danced since…”
She doesn’t finish, but she doesn’t have to. Based on our earlier conversation, I already know the answer.
“It’s not ballet, and I’ll probably make a fool out of myself…”
Callie’s fingers touch my lips, stopping me from saying anything more. She rises on the tip of her toes and plants a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you.”
They’re warm and soft, grazing my skin in an almost feather-like manner, and if we were alone, I wouldn’t let her pull back just yet.
“You’re welcome.”
“You kids should take off your coats. Time’s wastin’,” a rough, grumpy voice from nearby breaks our little bubble, making us jump apart like two kids caught with their hands in a cookie jar.
The grandpa who looks like he’s close to a hundred shows with his cane, yes, cane, in the direction where the rest of them left their things. He looks like he just walked out from the last century with those old-school pants held by suspenders, dress shoes, crisp white button-down, and a bowtie. Who wears bow ties when they’re not going to a wedding?
“You don’t want to keep your girl waitin’ now do you?”
Callie and I exchange a look. I can see she’s nibbling at the inside of her cheek. It’s probably the only thing that’s keeping her from bursting into laughter.
“No, sir.”
Helping Callie out of her jacket, I give her a warning glare, before going to leave our things on the racks in the corner of the room. It doesn’t take me even a minute to do it, but when I return, I find Callie laughing at something the old guy said.
Shaking my head, I let my hand slide over Callie’s shoulder. “You trying to steal my girl, old man?”
“Ha!” He stomps his cane against the floor. “Like that would be a problem. You boys know shit about how to win a woman over.”
“I got her here.” I’m tempted to puff out my chest, but that would be immature.
He gives me an unimpressed once over. “Getting the woman is the easy part, it’s keeping her happy by your side that’s a challenge.”
I’m about to ask him where his woman is—mature, I know—when the woman who greeted us comes to our little group. If it’s based on her smile, she must have heard at least a part of our exchange. “Oh, if I were you, I’d listen to this old stud.” Old stud? “He’s a real charmer with the ladies around these parts.” She winks at me and starts to clap her hands. “Time to hustle people. Today we’re going to waltz so pair up!”
People around us start pairing up. Callie turns toward me, placing her hands in mine. That glimmer of amusement is still there, brighter than ever.
“What?” I ask, fighting my own grin. This whole situation is ridiculous and it doesn’t get any better when Callie voices it out loud.
“Did you just fight with this poor old man about who’s got better moves?”
Soft classical music starts playing in the background. The melody so tender it almost seems like a lullaby. Neither of us makes an attempt to move.
“Hey!” I protest, although it’s hard to keep a straight face. “He questioned my ability to get the girl. Of course I fought him. Nobody dares to question my moves.”
“Priceless.” She shakes her head, wiping away the tears. “Nix will have a field day when I tell him.”
My mouth falls open in mock-horror. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I most definitely would. This is too good not to share.”
I move closer, our joined hands squeezing between our bodies. “I’m going to make you pay if you do,” I whisper so only she can hear me.
Callie looks up at me, her long lashes somehow make her eyes look even bigger, wider. She grazes at her lower lip, making it redder than before. “Oh, yeah? How?”
“Test me and you might find out,” I promise, eyeing her lips. I want to kiss her so badly it almost hurts. Right here, right now. Fuck everything and everybody else.
“I might have to do it.”
Is it just me or is her voice huskier than it was before? I’m sure she’s closer. I can feel her tits brushing against my pecs, barely any space left between us. Her sweet, flowery scent is intoxicating.
But before I can do anything about it, the instructor comes to us, breaking us out of our little bubble.
“You guys ever waltzed?” she asks, and when I look around I see most of the people have already started dancing.
“Nope,” I answer, but don’t attempt to move, I’m sure if I do she’ll be able to see the semi I’m spotting and I wouldn’t want to scandalize any of the ladies. Although if it’s to be judged by my Grams and her friends, they’d hardly be scandalized. Sometimes they’re worse than a frat house full of eager freshmen.
“No problem, let me help you with that.” She moves closer, rearranging our stance. “Your hand goes at the small of her back.” I do as she says, sprawling my fingers over Callie’s back, my hand almost swallowing her whole waist as I pull her closer to me. She inhales sharply, her eyes growing wide, cheeks turning rosy when she realizes my not-so-little problem. “Yup, just like that. And your hand…” She puts Callie’s hand to rest on my shoulder. I take her free hand, interlacing our fingers and extending it. “Perfect,” she beams. “You guys look amazing together. Okay, now…”
She shows us the first move, something she calls a box step. It’s relatively simple, but since we’re both naturally dominant people, me on the field and Callie on the floor, it takes us a while to get a grip of it.
I don’t have the natural grace Callie does. I’ve never seen her dance before, not like this, and now I wish I had the chance, because Callie on the dance floor is something else. She stands just a tad taller than she usually does, like her body knows it’s at home here. This is the place it belongs. And the smile she gives me is so big, I’d feel this awkward as many times as needed just to see it again reflected at me.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
CALLIE
“Are you having fun?” Hayden asks as he leads us across the room. After showing us the box step, the instructor continued on until we’re dancing across the room. It feels surreal. Dancing with Hayden. Dancing at all. I haven’t even realized how much I missed it—I mean, I knew. Dancing was such an essential part of me, of course I was missing it. But being here, with my body pressed against Hayden’s and swirling around the room to the music, it’s like a gaping hole inside of me is finally being patched back up. Not even the dull throbbing in my left leg can prevent me from enjoying this moment.
“You have no idea,” I tell him honestly. “I haven’t danced once in three years, it feels so good to be able to do it once again.”
“You never even tried? To see if the doctors were wrong?”
“I knew they were right, so why test it? But also… I didn’t think I deserved to be happy, not with my parents being gone.”
“So what changed?”
You.
Me.
Us.
Everything.
Nothing.
So many possibilities, but I’m not sure one of these is the right answer.
“I’m… I’
m not sure really. Everything seems different, yet all the same. I know it doesn’t make much sense…”
“It makes perfect sense.”
The music dies and we come to a stop, but neither of us tries to take a step back. Hayden’s hands slide down the side of my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
“It shouldn’t be this way.”
“What way?”
“This.” I lift our joined hands and point to the space between the two of us. The one that’s filled with so much tension I’m afraid it’ll explode any time now. I rest our joined hands against my chest, wanting him to feel the way my heart is galloping just underneath the surface. “Being with you… it makes me feel alive. Like for the first time in so long, I can finally breathe.”
I never thought I would get to feel like that, and especially not with him.
“And there is nothing wrong with that.” Letting go of my hand, Hayden cups my cheek. Shakily breathing in, I try to get some sense of composure. Only there is none. There never is when Hayden is around. “The way I see it, we got a second chance, and I don’t know about you but I don’t want to mess it up. You were my first love, Callie, and I want to see if maybe there is something left between us that’s salvageable.”
The intensity with which he’s staring at me makes me shiver.
“What about everything that happened?” I can’t help but ask. I want to believe that everything will be alright. That we can figure this shit out and this time, things will actually work out, but a part of me doesn’t believe it’s possible. “Are we going to pretend it didn’t happen? Just forgive and forget?”
Darkness creeps behind his eyes. “I’m not going to lie to you, there is no forgetting about the past. What happened, what you did was a shitty thing to do, but I’m not about to hold it over your head. Not anymore.”
“Because of my parents?” It pains me to ask, but I have to know. I don’t want Hayden’s pity. I don’t want anybody’s pity, but his least of all.
“Because while what happened was something awful, it brought me here and gave me family and stability. Two things I desperately needed.”
It hurts to swallow, but I do it, nonetheless.
“So what’s it going to be Callie? Are we going to see where this will lead us or do you want me to take you back home and call it quits?”
Hayden’s staring at me intently, waiting for an answer. I should say no. Say no and let him drive me back home and then do my hardest to avoid him at all costs. It would be the right thing to do. An easy way out. I heard what he said, but it’s hard to wrap my head around it. How could he want to give this a try? With me, of all people. First love or not, some things are just unforgettable. But for all my trying, I’m not a selfless person. I don’t think I’ll ever be, it’s not in my DNA.
So instead of doing the right thing, I do what my selfish heart wants.
“I’m not ready to let go.”
The ride back to the campus is quiet. I’m sitting right next to Hayden, his big hand covering my thigh between working the gearshift, his eyes trained on the road ahead, not even acknowledging how he’s driving me completely insane.
While his hand is on me, his thumb is softly caressing the inside of my knee, making me squirm in my seat. The touch is tender, but I can feel it all the way to my bones.
Slowly coming to a stop at the red light, he finally looks at me, his face an unreadable mask. “Do you want to go back to the dorm or”—Hayden licks his lips, and if I’m not mistaken, his eyes grow just a bit darker—“do you want to go to my place?”
His words and the way he looks at me like he’s about to jump me right here, right now, sends a shot of heat streaming right to my belly. My mouth is dry and suddenly it feels like it’s a hundred degrees inside.
“I…”
The loud honk startles me, making me jump in my seat. The light has turned green, but Hayden still hasn’t attempted to move.
“It’s your call.”
“Your place,” I say before I can change my mind.
If it weren’t for his hand holding onto me, I’m positive the grin he shot my way would make me melt.
For Friday night, it doesn’t take us long to get to Hayden’s place. Then again, most students prefer to walk to the party and then get an Uber back home when they’re so out of it they can barely stand on their feet. Hayden parks on the curb just in front of his house and kills the engine.
“Are you just lucky or do you always get the prime spot?” I try to joke to ease some of this sexual tension that’s filling the small cubicle.
“I guess it comes with the territory,” Hayden chuckles. “Maddox and Nix put their cars in the garage. Since I figured nobody will even look twice at this piece of junk.”
“If you think this is a piece of junk, I really wonder what you’d say if you saw Yasmin’s car.” I look out the front windshield. The house is clouded in darkness. The only light that’s on is the one on the front porch.
“Guys are out?” I ask, feeling my palms grow sweaty. The anticipation is killing me slowly, and I fear that if something doesn’t happen soon, if he doesn’t touch me, I’m going to burst.
Hayden follows my line of sight. “I guess so. Listen, Callie,” he sighs and turns around. “If you changed…”
I don’t let him finish. Whatever he wanted to say is swallowed by my mouth. The only thing left is an incoherent mumble against my lips. The last thing I see are his wide, surprised eyes, and then I let my eyelids shut and my fingers dig into his hair, pulling him closer.
Hayden relaxes against me and returns my kiss.
His lips are full, soft yet firm, and when they’re pressed against mine, I feel like he’ll swallow me whole. One of his arms wraps around me, making me stumble and fall forward. The hand that’s been resting on my thigh inches upward, fingers sliding over my leggings effortlessly.
“Hayden,” I breathe, breaking our kiss to inhale, but then his lips are on mine once again.
That talented tongue slides past my lips and inside my mouth. I return each playful stroke with one of my own, making him groan. The vibration coming from somewhere deep in his throat. The hand that’s on my back moves to the nape of my neck, tilting my head just so he can deepen our kiss.
We’re both breathing hard, and I’m practically sprawled over the upper part of his body, the gearshift and bench are in our way, but neither of us minds.
“So good.” Hayden pants, his lips kissing the path down my chin and on the side of my neck. The few days old stubble scratches my neck, sending delicious tingles all the way down my body to my very core. He presses his lips to the hollow just between my neck and shoulder, his teeth grazing at the flesh, tasting my skin. “So sweet.”
“Mhmm… Just there.” I arch my neck, exposing more of it to his lips.
My legs, hell, my whole body is restless. The need to feel him, feel those taut muscles underneath me winning over any sanity I might have left. I try to straddle him, but instead I bump my leg in the gearshift, slipping forward.
“Fuck,” I yelp as the pain spreads through my leg.
Hayden chuckles, pushing hair away from my face. “Let’s go inside before I have to drive you to the hospital.”
I nod my agreement and before I know it, he unbuckles his seatbelt and slips out of the car. Then, in no time, he’s on the other side, pulling the passenger door open and helping me get out and on my feet.
My legs feel like jelly, so I’m thankful when Hayden takes my hand as we cross the short distance toward the quiet house.
Hayden doesn’t even bother with turning on the lights. As soon as we’re inside, he closes the door and pushes me against it, his lips latching onto mine, continuing where we left off.
We devour each other with kisses. I’m squeezed between him and the door, our bodies rubbing together. It’s too much, yet still not enough.
Hayden pushes my coat down my shoulders, his palms tracing every inch of my body. I arch into his touch, looking for
more friction, more of him, anything to dull this ache I feel deep inside.
“H-Hayden,” I call to him, needing him to kiss me again.
And he gives me just that. Our mouths crash hard, his tongue sweeping deeper than before like he can’t get enough of me.
His hands go down, caressing my back all the way to my ass, leaving small tingles in their wake. He gives it a squeeze, making us both groan as his fingers dig into my flesh.
Gripping my hips, he lifts me in the air, pressing my back against the door. I wrap my legs around him, pulling him in the crook of my heat.
“God, Callie,” Hayden breathes, his lower half rubbing against mine in all the right places.
My head falls back, breath ripping out of my lungs as my fingers dig deeper into his shoulders. His dick is hard and long, pressed just where I need it. My clit is pulsing, pussy clenching with need to feel him inside me. I’m so wet it’d be embarrassing if I had it in me to care. But at this point, I just want him. Now.
“Bed,” he growls, like actually growls.
Hayden hoists me closer, his grip on me so strong it’ll probably leave bruises. My grip on him tightens, pulling us flush together. Our foreheads touching, breaths mingling.
“C-Coat,” I breathe, trying to find some sense of clarity, but he doesn’t listen.
“Bed,” he repeats decisively.
“But what if somebody comes home?”
“The fuck if I care. I need you.” His heated gaze bores into me. “Now.”
Well when he puts it like that, who am I to disagree?
Pulling his head back, I press my lips against his in a sloppy, desperate kiss.
I’m not sure how we get upstairs and I don’t really care. There is a faint sound of the door closing and then I’m lying on the bed with Hayden looming over me.
The window is open, leaving just enough light so we’re not clouded in the pitch darkness.
Hayden cups my cheeks as he takes every inch of my face. He’s touched me before, looked at the scars on my face, but somehow it feels different now.
It’s unnerving, the way he looks at me, like he can see the smallest of details, like he can see me. Every single part of me, no matter how small or ugly.
