by Holly Hood
“Stay the night with me,” he murmured against my mouth. I nodded, desire coursing through my veins. I wanted Slade—now.
I dropped down on his bed. He grasped my face, his kisses becoming more demanding.
The room was calm. The moonlight shined through the lone window as we tangled together beneath the sheets. Slade’s tongue and lips teased mine. My tongue greeted his happily.
I sat up, unable to get enough of him. Slade helped me out of my shirt, sending it sailing across his room into the darkness. I moaned at his fingers as they slipped past my bra toying with my nipples, his fingers sending pleasurable shivers through every part of me.
He ran his tongue across my breast, planting kisses on every inch of them. I gripped his upper arms, enjoying the feel of his biceps against my fingertips. Slade’s hand traveled down my waist. I closed my eyes enjoying the feel of his fingers on my body, every part of it.
He undid the button of my shorts and tugged down the zipper, his hand slipping beneath the waist of my shorts. I moaned at the feel of his hand. He slipped to my behind taking my shorts off in one swift sensual movement.
He moved between my legs, hovering over me. His perfect body smiling down on me, he kissed my inner thighs making me shiver at his touch.
“Do you want me?” he whispered, planting another kiss, looking at my tortured expression. It was obvious I wanted him.
He circled my navel with his tongue, working his way across my stomach. He kissed and bit at my hipbones.
Slade traced a single finger against my panties. My body reacted instantly. His fingers slipped past the material and teased me. He watched my expression, speeding up and slowing down when I was close to the edge. He slipped his fingers inside me, dropping down beside me and pressed his lips to my neck. I moved against his fingers hungry for the release, dying for it even.
Slade stopped, climbing on top, holding me down. We kissed once more before he eased into me. The feel of him inside of me was almost too much. I bit his neck. Slade kissed me again, his teeth pulling at my bottom lip. His hand tugging at my hair and keeping me in place, he quickened his movement. His body worked faster and harder. I cried out, burying my head into his neck. My mind erased and my body tingling from the delicious orgasm that invaded me.
Slade gripped my thighs, losing himself inside of me. “You’re fucking amazing.” He said, coming to a slow stop. He planted a kiss upon my forehead, pulling out and dropping beside me on the bed. We stared at the ceiling breathless, satisfied and exhausted.
Morning
Thick rays of sun beams poured through Slade’s bedroom window waking me from my sleep. I slipped out from under Slade’s forearm and searched the room for my clothes.
He rolled over. “What are you doing?”
I slipped into my underwear feeling dirty and ready for a shower and a fresh pair of clothes. “I have to go home. I was due for work twenty minutes ago.”
He sat up in bed. “Do you want me to call Kidd? He could drive you.”
I fastened my bra. “Why don’t you have a car?” I never thought much about this before. But now the question was eating at me, even I owned a car now that I was in college.
“Everywhere you need to go in Cherry is in walking distance.” He shrugged, dropping his feet to the floor. He ran a hand through his bed head.
“What if you want to travel further, like to a certain college where a certain girl lives?” I dropped down beside him on the bed and worked my flip-flops on. I wanted to say girlfriend, but it felt odd.
“When she invites me I will see what I can do. I never had a reason for a car. Everything I need is right here.” He hooked an arm around my waist tugging me back down on the bed. I squealed, kissing him. I liked this fun, carefree side of Slade.
“Okay. You’re invited.” I smiled at him. He smirked.
“You didn’t ask me. You just told me I was invited.” He poked, taking us back to the day I threw a terrible tantrum over the bonfire. I rolled my eyes.
“I want you to come see me when I go back to Csu. It would mean a lot.” I sighed. It meant more than he knew. I was the only girl at school with a boyfriend who never visited. If I had known all it took was asking Slade to come I would have a long time ago. And then the entire school would stop thinking Slade was some made-up figment of my imagination.
Slade pushed my hair from my eyes. “Get to work.”
I sat up, watching him slip on a pair of black shorts and work a gray t-shirt over his head. He tugged a baseball cap down on his head and lifted the contents of his wallet pocketing it.
“I think I might just call off.” I stood on shaky legs nervous to get into another conversation with Slade about us. “So, I invited you. Could you at least tell me you are going to come?”
He opened the door to his bedroom, his eyes dark and unreadable. “You said it would mean a lot. I’ll be there.”
I passed through the door satisfied by his answer. We both headed down the hall of the RV
“So what are you going to do today? Maybe we could get lunch or see a movie or something.” I offered. I figured I was late for work; I also needed to talk to Dad. So why waste the day away from Slade.
He hit the lights in the kitchen and tugged his door open. “I got a few things I need to take care of. Maybe you can call me later.”
I nodded, going out first so Slade could lock the door. I skidded to a stop at the sight of Audrey. My vision blurred and anger took over.
“Hope. I didn’t know you and Slade slept over.” She smirked, staring down at her purple nail polish rather than at me who she was busy insulting.
Slade moved past me. “Audrey I said eleven.”
I looked at Slade baffled. “Is this what you’re taking care of?”
“I guess you could put it like that. Will you call me later?” He asked, pushing past the issue at hand—the issue of him hanging out with the bitch that was Audrey.
Audrey stood feet away feasting on my insecurities and anger. What I wished I could do to her and her cute little pink halter and short shorts, that sun-bleached hair that I wanted to rip from her scalp.
Slade took me by the arm, pulling me aside. “How many times do we have to get into this? I do not want anything to do with her. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have to deal with her.”
I pulled away. “I thought you would have found a way to stay away from her.”
Slade sighed, letting go of my arm. “Are you going to call me tonight? Or is this going to be another two day silent treatment?”
“I guess you will have to wait and see. Have fun with Audrey.” I shoulder checked her as I head toward the gates of Henry park.
“I promise we will be good. Slade never does anything he doesn’t want to do. Right Slade?” She called after me. I spun around on my heels, fuming. I looked around to make sure there weren’t any witnesses and pointed a finger at her.
Slade stared at me confused. I envisioned shooting a fireball at her, setting her ablaze and sitting back and laughing as she burned. My fingers twitched. My hand shook, but nothing was happening. I started for Audrey, until I was just feet away from her.
“What are you going to do? You don’t know the first thing about magic.” She smiled viciously at me, daring me to try something.
“Hope, go home,” Slade warned.
I swallowed hard. She was right I didn’t know magic. If I did she would have been a fiery inferno by now. However, I did know how to slap someone. My hand connected with her face letting out a glorious sound, my palm ached from the force of it, but it was worth it.
Slade pulled me away in a hurry. “What the hell are you doing?”
“She was pushing me. And she is lucky,” I pushed him away from me, so I could get a good look at Audrey. “You are fortunate I don’t know how to use magic because you wouldn’t be standing there smiling right now.”
I didn’t bother hearing Slade lecture me about how wrong it was to slap Audrey. I knew it was wrong. However,
I was pissed. She was in every part of my life anymore, and I was tired of it. He wasn’t the one to tell me I was wrong. He put his hands on Tucker right before I got back.
***
I stomped up the porch steps and flung open the screen door to a kitchen full of teenage boys.
“I thought you were at work,” Elliot said, handing out cans of soda to the masses. The masses included a tan kid with shaggy black hair. And another tall boy with blonde dreadlocks, such the California kids, I thought to myself.
“I called off.” Which was somewhat true, I just didn't get around to it yet. “Where’s Dad?”
Elliot thumbed toward the hallway, which meant one of two things. He was in the shower or in his bed.
“You and your friends need to take a hike. Go surf or something,” I told them, opening the cupboard looking for cereal or anything to fill my hunger.
“You don’t live here anymore, don’t boss us around,” Elliot said. His friends laughed.
I closed my eyes, wishing them away.
“Come on guys, let’s get out of here,” Easton said, I turned around watching them walk away. That was easier than expected.
I shook a box of cereal, satisfied it held a sufficient amount to fill my empty stomach. I poured it in a bowl. I grumbled at the empty milk carton in the refrigerator.
I set it on the counter and sanded my palms together. Think Milk. I lifted the milk container from the table thrilled it was filled. Just as I was settling in my chair for a bite to eat somebody interrupted me, seconds later Tucker was walking into our house as if it was something he did all the time.
I dropped my spoon in shock; it clinked against the side of my bowl and disappeared beneath my conjured milk. “You don’t just walk into my house,” I snapped.
He stayed near the door, still good-looking and well dressed like every time before. I just didn’t know why he was there.
“I came to drop off the car keys for my mom. I took her car to the shop for her.” He dropped the keys on the counter and shoved his hands deep into his khakis.
“I guess that would mean she is here,” I muttered, sifting the bowl of cereal for my spoon, ignoring Tucker, who was looming in the background like an incessant gnat.
“How have you been, Hope?”
Was I hearing right? Did he ask me how I was after everything he did to me? I wasn’t even sure if I was safe standing this close to the likes of Tucker.
“Oh, not dead, and haven’t been forced to swallow date rape pills, so pretty good.” I rolled my eyes, standing and taking the bowl to the sink. I dropped it with a bang.
“If you think that why haven’t you told anyone?” Tucker said, leaning against the counter.
I laughed. “What good would it do?”
“Exactly, especially since you have your friends backing you up, and your boyfriend running around attacking me every chance he gets.” Tucker kept his voice low.
“My friends backing me up,” I asked I crossed my arms. “What does that even mean?”
“I know what happened that night.”
“Of course you do. So do I. Why don’t you leave before something bad happens to you again?" I told myself if he touched me, if he laid another finger on me, I would find a way to make it the last thing he did. I wasn’t the same Hope from last summer. He wasn’t going to get away with what he did. And he damn sure wasn’t going to do it again.
“I’m not talking about before. I’m talking about after.” He stepped forward, my fear spiking to an unhealthy high. “Admit what you are, Hope. Just admit it.”
I looked away. Dad rounded the corner just in time, toweling his wet hair. “Tuck, hey, your mom is getting dressed.” He grabbed the keys from the counter. “I see the car made it to the shop and back just fine?”
Tucker cleared his throat, shifting his anger out the door as he addressed my dad. “Yeah, tell her the car is good as new. I got to go, Mr. Zigler.” The door creaked and thudded shut. I lifted my gaze.
“I thought you worked today,” Dad said opening the refrigerator.
“I called off,” I told him. “I came to talk. But, I see you’re busy.”
“I’m never too busy for you, Hope. You know that.” Dad pulled up a seat at the table. I kept my arms crossed and refused to sit down. It was only a matter of time before Lynette emerged from his room or the shower.
“Rain check,” I said.
“Damnit, Hope. I don’t want a rain check. I want to talk to my daughter. What is going on with you?” Dad’s eyebrows knitted together, he scrubbed at his chin staring me down.
What was the matter? He was sleeping with the enemy. The guy who attacked me and planned on doing god knows what, was walking into my house. And the worst part was I couldn’t say anything. I knew that more than ever now. Tucker was on to me. And I feared what that meant if he accused me of being a witch.
I took a seat across from him at the table. I could feel his eyes boring a hole into me, trying to figure out why his only daughter was acting so unlike his only daughter.
“I want to understand,” he said, he laced his fingers together on the tabletop.
“It’s hard to see you with someone.” I looked away. “After Mom hurt you so bad I never wanted to see you hurt again. And now you’re with her, and I don’t want it to happen again.”
Dad was silent.
“I know I can’t fix you. Even so, I felt like I was doing a decent job of it when I was here.”
“I was a wreck, Hope. I was drinking my life away. I know you know it as well as this entire town.” Dad laughed it off, hiding his embarrassment. “Do you know I called her one night on one of my drunken stupors and begged her to take me back?”
I blinked away the sting of tears. I didn’t know he tried calling my mother.
“I was so lonely I actually wanted her to take me back. Nothing was working anymore, and I was letting everybody that meant something to me down.” He extended his hand. I placed mine in his. “And I never wanted to do that. But I was lonely. And now that I found Lynette, I’m not alone anymore.”
I pulled my hand away but Dad held on tight.
“Just because you’re lonely doesn’t mean you involve yourself with just anybody.”
“Isn’t that what you did with Slade?” Dad asked, this time, I broke free offended. I wasn’t him.
“That’s just rude. And no I didn’t,” I insisted.
Dad raised one eyebrow waiting for my explanation.
“I didn’t.” I shrugged. I knew what was coming next. He was going to tell me what I was afraid to admit. And most times he was right. I wondered if he would be this time.
“I think Slade was your way of filling that empty space inside you.”
I scoffed.
“You missed your life, your mother, your brother. You missed your old house and Karsen. Slade was the filler for everything you were too afraid to face.” Dad leaned back in his chair.
“I’m not afraid to face anything,” I snapped. “You’re not a psychologist, so why don’t you stop acting like one. I’m miserable because I have to take care of you. I have to carry around your emotions along with my own. I’m angry because she doesn’t care enough to call me or Elliot and Easton.”
“I’m angry because everything I thought I wanted out of life has seemed to fade to the background and be replaced by this dark cloud, this choking stifling life that somehow turned into mine.” I closed my mouth realizing I was saying way too much.
Dad was confused, it was written all over his face.
Lynette appeared in the doorway, wet hair.
“Hey, Hope,” she said sweetly.
I stood. “Now if the two of you are done with the bathroom, I would love to shower myself.” I stalked down the hallway. “If there is any hot water left.”
The party
Hot water hit my face, I willed it to wash away the bad feelings I felt toward Lynette. I tried to believe she was doing more good than harm when it came to Dad.
But, like everything else in my life my shower was ruined by someone’s intruding knocks.
I yanked the shower curtain to the side and yelled, “I’m coming.” Didn’t people know when a girl needed a moment alone?
I hurried out of the shower toweling the water from my body.
“Dad, the door,” I screamed, hopping into my shorts and tank top.
I slipped from the bathroom, towel in hand, that oh so fresh feeling as the cool air kissed my skin. Dad was nowhere to be found, long gone, probably frolicking on the beach with his girlfriend. I thought.
I rounded the corner pleased to see Karsen standing outside the screen door.
“Don’t you know you’re always welcome to come in? You don’t have to bang like a wild animal.” She smirked and looked down at the inside lock throwing my snarky comment to the wayside; it wasn’t going to work because she was locked out.
I flicked the lock, and she stepped inside carrying a bag of laundry.
“I wouldn’t say that to everyone. Who knows what weirdoes might be lurking around these parts,” she commented, pulling up a seat. She tossed her laundry on the tabletop. I pushed it to the floor.
“We don’t want your nasty panties on our table. I thought you did your laundry at Kidd’s?” I took a seat and started toweling my hair dry, working the towel from the very top all the way to the ends.
“I just wanted to get out of there.” She smoothed her hair behind her ear flashing me an innocent smile, but I was not buying it. Ever since we were kids, I knew how to tell when Karsen was hiding something.
“Nothing pries you away from Kidd, spill it sister.” I stared her down.
She sighed, looking bothered. “I told you I didn't want to be around her anymore.” She didn’t have to say who her was. I knew she meant Audrey.
“I slapped her today,” I said with a satisfied smirk creeping up on my lips.
“Good. I slapped Slade today too.” She dodged my shocked expression and my fallen jaw, crossing her arms in defiance.
