Kissed

by Ms. Carla Krae

  “Little bit.”

  They kept bumping shoulders—just a brush that said hi, I’m still here. “Sorry. I don’t mean to scream ‘tourist’. You have an interesting neighborhood. Good-interesting, not interesting-is-code-for-I’m-afraid-for-my-purse.”

  He smiled. “I get it, love.”

  “Okay.”

  They walked a while, in no rush. She smelled fried food and felt her mouth water. He grabbed her hand to pull her into a shop.

  “Fish ‘n’ chips?”

  “The best on this side of London,” he said.

  “Thank you.”

  He glanced down at her. “For what?”

  “Not being too busy to spend time with me.” Her hand was still in his. Her palm started to sweat.

  He lifted her chin with his finger. “Hey, there’s always room for my Bethie.”

  His Bethie. God, I loved the sound of that. She got caught in his eyes and the room fell away.

  “Next!”

  He stepped up to the counter to order, dropping her hand. He’d touched her more today than she could remember before. What did she do with that? Was this how he was with women in general now, or did it mean something? She wished she had more experience in the boy-girl thing to figure it out—wouldn’t know a guy like-liked her unless he came out and said it or kissed her. Anything more subtle was over her nerdy head.

  “Beth.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Food, love.”

  Caught spacing out, she blushed. “Oh.”

  “Where do you want to eat?”

  She shrugged. “It’s your town.”

  He thought for a second, then led her to a small park. They picked a bench. Pigeons waddled over for fries.

  “Huh. Not only in the movies.”

  “What isn’t?” he asked around a mouthful.

  “Pigeons everywhere.” Mmm, fried fish. Something about traveling always increased her appetite.

  “Ah. Yeah, like winged rats. Breed like bunnies.”

  “Pretty feathers, though.”

  “I s’pose.”

  A nice park on a not-too-hot summer day, good company, yummy food…she could get used to this leaving the house thing. Temporary, though. Just a vacation. He’d be on his side, she’d be on her side, and another year would pass before they could possibly do it again.

  Pessimist? Beth? Nah.

  They went back to his apartment after lunch.

  Fortunately, she did have a change of clothes in her bag, a tank top and knee-length skirt that didn’t wrinkle. Normally didn’t wear skirts often, but coming to a different country, she didn’t know when she might come upon a dressier occasion. The tank she had in case the temp spiked, but it also worked better for a club than her preppy shirt.

  She braided the sides of her hair off her face and added another coat of mascara and gloss.

  “Beth! I need my bathroom!” he yelled through the door.

  “Okay!” She grabbed her stuff and opened the door. “I was only in here ten minutes, geesh.”

  He looked her up and down. “Nice.”

  Chewing her lip, she asked, “Really? Not gonna stand out like a sore thumb?”

  “Beth, you can never go wrong with black.” He kissed her cheek as they passed in the doorway. “Now get out.”

  “Yeah, yeah…”

  The door shut and she heard the shower turn on.

  Naked, sudsy Jacob…

  Whoa, thought train.

  “Let’s see what’s on TV,” she muttered.

  A short time later, he walked out in only his jeans to finish dressing in his bedroom, hair still wet and drops of water clinging to his torso. Even hotter than she remembered. This vacation was not going to go well if she couldn’t get her hormones under control.

  They took a cab to his venue since he had to carry his guitar.

  “Pick a table where you want,” he said, and hopped on stage to start the sound check.

  Beth hadn’t watched him perform since the talent show his senior year. Tingles raced down her spine and they wouldn’t start the concert for close to an hour.

  The club wasn’t well-lit, and painted in dark tones. Tables sat along the sides, leaving a dance floor in the middle. The bar was in the back. The floor was sticky. They’d come down a short stairwell from the street, so she guessed you could consider this the basement. Looking around, the place would maybe fit two-hundred people standing.

  Jacob was on lead guitar and vocals. He had a bassist, a drummer, and a guy that bounced between rhythm guitar and the keyboard. She winced at the volume when they started to play for real. Would it be that loud for the concert?

  The sound check wasn’t the same as a rehearsal—they started and stopped a lot of songs, playing, then calling out to the sound guy some musically-technical instruction she didn’t understand. She’d get into the groove of a melody, then poof—no more song. Like watching her father flip channels on a Sunday.

  She ordered a soda and adjusted the light settings on her camera.

  Chapter Six

  Beth must’ve been a good luck charm, ‘cause they kicked ass.

  The lights went down on the stage so they could carry their equipment off before the next band. Jacob zipped his guitar into its soft case and went in search of her. She was still at the table, sipping from a glass. She smiled when she saw him.

  “You were great!” She stood to hug him and swayed on her feet. “Whoo, head rush.”

  “Love, what are you drinking?”

  She held the glass up. “Coke.”

  “May I?” he asked, holding his hand out.

  She placed it in his palm. “Sure.”

  He took a swallow. Rum and Coke. “How many of these have you had?”

  “I don’t know. The waitress said they were on the band’s tab.”

  Shit, he’d forgotten anyone linked with an act got free booze. Place filled up most nights just because they didn’t card. “Someone gave you the wrong drink, Beth. Let’s get you home.”

  She shrugged. “Okay. It’s hot in here.”

  They hit the outside air; she shivered. He moved to the curb to hail a cab. She pressed into his side. “Cold?”

  “No.” She sniffed his neck. “You smell good.”

  “Thanks.”

  She nuzzled the skin above his collar. “Yummy.”

  He grinned down at her, trying not to laugh. Girl was an adorable drunk. A cab pulled to a stop in front of them. “In you go, love.” He climbed in after Beth and gave the cabbie his address. She slid closer to lean her head on his shoulder. “Tired?”

  “No…”

  A warm hand snuck under his shirt, then she nuzzled his neck again. “Uh, Beth, what are you doing?”

  She straddled his leg and nibbled his throat. “What does it feel like?” Two hands explored his abs.

  He felt his body responding to her attentions and grabbed her shoulders to push her back. “Sweetheart, you’re drunk.”

  She smiled. “Feel fine.” Her fingers tickled his sides. “Feel good, actually.”

  “Beth—”

  She kissed him, then put her finger on his lips. “You talk too much.”

  Trapped between her and the guitar, he couldn’t really move, and she was persistent in being naughty. She trailed hot, wet kisses up to his ear, then flicked the lobe with her tongue and sucked it into her mouth, her teeth applying light pressure. His hips arched off the seat as a jolt of electricity and blood went straight to his groin.

  “Playin’ with fire, love.”

  He felt her grin.

  “Good.” One of those sneaky hands slipped under his shirt again. “Can’t tell me you don’t like it.”

  True enough, but it wasn’t right. He put his hands on her hips to push her away, then clenched his fingers when she bit his ear again.

  “Beth—”

  She cut off his complaint with another kiss, plunging her tongue in his mouth.

  The cab stopped and the cabbie announced the
fare owed.

  Beth pulled away, grinning while Jacob fumbled for his wallet. He shoved a few bills at the man and opened the car door, grateful for the cooler summer air to calm his hormones. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he slung his guitar case on his shoulder.

  One of her hands slid in his back pocket. He jumped. She smirked up at him, mischief in her eyes. “Quit that. I need to unlock the door.” The door to the street was locked after dark except to residents.

  “Hurry up, then.”

  He turned his key in the lock and opened the door for her. It locked automatically again once they were inside. He slammed her against the wall and kissed her hard enough to bruise, hoping to scare her into backing off. “That what you want?” he spat.

  She stared at him, then grabbed his head and kissed him back, wrapping her long arms around his neck and curling her leg around his hip. Part of him thought you’re resisting this, why? She kissed like he was her favorite treat and she was going to gorge herself on him.

  Sod it—he picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, and carried her into the stairwell to press her against the wall. He let the guitar case slide carefully to the floor. Snogging his best friend was the last thing he expected to do tonight, but he couldn’t deny it was a bloody good time. The cock-stand in his jeans was hard enough to hurt. Couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this turned on.

  Or wanted this much.

  She clung to him like to a life preserver, one hand grasping the back of his shirt, the other tugging on the hair at the base of his skull each time he did something she liked. He pressed his hips into her center, seeking pressure for some relief. She squeaked and pressed back.

  Oh god…

  His southern brain took over, dry-humping moans out of his girl that echoed up the stairwell. He slid his hands under her ass to support her weight and give him greater leverage. She sucked his tongue numb, but he didn’t care.

  “Jacob…” Shiny eyes and lips swollen from kisses. Gorgeous.

  “Upstairs?” he asked.

  She nodded. He let her down, picked up the guitar, and grabbed her hand. They ran up to his flat. Keys in the lock, knob twisted, and they were inside. He pressed her against the door, unable to resist her lips.

  She walked him backward to the futon and pushed him down, straddling his lap. His hands slid under the back of her top. God, her skin was soft. They parted for air and he hiked the tank over her head and dropped it on the floor, then kissed and nibbled her neck, making a path over her collarbone and—

  A charm on a delicate chain.

  Beth’s graduation gift.

  His best friend, barely out of high school and barely eighteen.

  God, what am I doing?

  Any other girl, and they’d be racing to his bedroom to get naked right now, but this was Bethie. Sure, they’d have a night of fun, but then would come the sober harsh light of day and things would never be the same.

  Jacob needed to regain control.

  He gently moved her off his lap and handed her top to her. “I’m sorry, love.” He went to the kitchen for water, and distance.

  “For what?”

  “I shouldn’t’ve kissed you back. You’re drunk.”

  “That occurs to you now?”

  He turned to her, surprised she was pissed off. “Hey, tryin’ to be a gentleman, here.”

  She started to argue, then grabbed her belly. “I’m going to throw up.” She walked quickly to his bathroom.

  He heard the seat lifted up, then the sound of her emptying her stomach. Poor thing. He dampened a cloth and walked into the bathroom. “Here.” He pulled her hair back and placed the cool cloth on her neck.

  “Thank you.” She had her head over the basin.

  “Empty?”

  “Maybe.” She straightened and flushed the toilet, then plopped down with her back against the tub. “Ugh.”

  He smiled. “Been there.”

  She frowned. “You’re under twenty-one.”

  “Drinkin’ age here is less, love.”

  “Oh. All I ordered was a soda…” She leaned over the bowl and wretched again.

  He held her hair back again. “I know. You can’t trust the bartender there.”

  Once she stopped, he got up for a bottle of water. He brought it back with aspirin, set the pills on the sink and handed her the water.

  “Here. Rinse your mouth.”

  She did so, spat, and flushed the toilet again. “Yeah, that was sexy.”

  “Done?”

  “Think so.” She dropped her head back on the rim of the tub and closed her eyes. He touched the cloth to her flushed cheeks. She sighed. “Don’t have to take care of me.”

  “Rubbish.”

  She opened one eye. “Mean it. Not a kid anymore.”

  “Got the message on that, yeah.” He still felt her kiss.

  “You can go away now.”

  “It’s my bathroom, love.”

  She groaned. “Don’t call me that. Please.”

  He tilted her chin up. “What?”

  “Don’t.” She jerked her head away.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “By what?”

  “Not calling you ‘love’. Never seemed to mind before. I don’t understand.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Bethie…”

  “You don’t mean it.” She dropped her face on her folded knees. “Forget it.”

  “Can’t. It’s going to bug me now.”

  She lifted her head. “Life is full of disappointments. Deal.”

  “Hey, don’t take your hangover out on me.”

  “Forget it.” She wobbled to her feet. “I just wanna lie down.” She started for the futon.

  “Take my bed. It’s more comfortable.”

  She shook her head, one hand on the wall. “Not throwing you out of your bed.”

  He walked around her to face her. “I’m offering. You only have to take it.”

  “Jacob…”

  Tired of bickering, he picked her up and carried her to his room. She didn’t protest when he set her on the mattress and started removing her shoes. He pulled the covers over her, turned off the light, and began to leave.

  “Don’t go,” she whispered. “I just…I feel like crap and I don’t sleep well in strange places.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, alright. Let me shut off the lights.” Once done, he grabbed the water and aspirin and set them on the bedside table.

  She’d already rolled to her side, facing the wall. He took off his boots and belt and lay down next to her on his back.

  What a night…

  Her breathing slowed. He rolled over to check she was asleep and gently removed her glasses, setting them on the table next to her.

  You don’t mean it echoed through his mind. Don’t mean what?

  He couldn’t sleep in his clothes and quietly rolled off the bed. The post-gig shower and pig-out awaited. An exceptional set always amped him up. Normally, he’d party with the boys, but with Beth along, he’d declined.

  And why was that? He said no before he found her sipping on a doctored drink. His mates had no problem meeting a new friend, so that couldn’t have been it. His mother already knew he’d bring her back tomorrow, so that wasn’t it, either.

  Because she’s Bethie, his mind whispered, and you didn’t want any of them to hit on her.

  Well, yeah…but I wouldn’t recommend them to any female friend.

  Tell us another one.

  Hey, brain. You’re s’posed to be on my side.

  I am, idiot, if you’d open your eyes.

  He turned the faucet knob and cut off the shower, toweled dry, then slipped into a pair of sweats and padded to the kitchen for munchies. Carrying a piled-high sandwich and a beer to the futon, he turned on his Playstation, keeping the volume low.

  He’d been playing an hour when she walked out of the bedroom. “Hey, pet.”

  “You left.”

  “Wasn’t sl
eepy. Feeling better?”

  She sat on the sofa, several inches between them. “Some. My head hurts.”

  “Left aspirin—”

  “I know. I took some.”

  “Oh.” He reached the end of the level and paused the game. “Okay.”

  She nodded, twisting a ring on her hand. “Sorry for…”

  “Being a horny drunk?” he teased.

  Her hair fell to hide the side of her face. “For snapping at you. I’m not a friendly patient.”

  “No harm done.”

  She nodded again, still not facing him. “Well, you can have your bed back.”

  “Beth—”

  “I’d go back to your mom’s, but it’s the middle of the night.”

  “Bethie—”

  She looked at him, then. “Please, Jacob.”

  He sighed, nodded, and stood to leave. “I’ll get you a pillow.”

  “Thank you.”

  She sat in the same place when he came back, looking small and lost. He crouched down in front of her and brushed her hair behind her ear.

  “Hey, look at me. Don’t be so hard on yourself, alright? You’re still my Bethie.”

  She glanced away. “Whatever that is.” Wincing, she closed her eyes. “Sorry.”

  Couldn’t say later what possessed him to kiss her, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. He gently touched his lips to hers, cupping her cheek in his hand. She gasped in surprise, but tentatively kissed him back. It was slow, sweet, and…innocent.

  He ended the embrace as gently as he started it, kissed her forehead, and said goodnight.

  Chapter Seven

  When Jacob kissed me, I almost cried.

  What the hell did he mean by doing that? Make the stupid kid feel better for acting like a fool? She couldn’t sleep after that, and couldn’t move to chase him for an explanation.

  Dammit…

  For one brief moment, she thought he wanted her. Her. Instead, he got her shirt off and changed his mind. Wonderful confidence booster, that was. Never drinking alcohol, deliberately or by accident, again.

  As soon as light shone through the windows, she snuck out and left. It took a while for a cab to come by, but she finally flagged one down and told him Mrs. Lindsey’s address. The day was starting out cloudy and even a little hazy with fog in spots. Summer was weird in this place.