She shakes head, her breaths becoming labored.
“Because I knew the feel of your hand in mine was enough to last being grounded a thousand times over. I knew then you were mine, Caitlin. You have always been mine.”
I don’t need to initiate our first kiss. Her lips crash onto mine, moaning into my mouth as I run my fingers through her hair. She tastes of cinnamon and honey, and everything fucking sweet. I want to pick her up, shred her of her clothing in the street, and mark her as mine over and over again. I don’t care if the world sees us. This is us.
Jeremy and Caitlin.
And I’d protect her from the fucking world.
Right now, the world seems a faraway place as her lips part, darting out her tongue as it starts to play with mine. And when her body presses against my groin, allowing her the knowledge that I’m rock solid for her, a growl escapes my lips.
“Oh, God,” she moans and my head dizzies at the thought of what it would be like to hear her screaming that as I thrust my cock inside of her.
“Keep talking like that and I will come undone.”
With my bad hand, I pull her waist further into me, allowing our kiss to deepen. I want this to go on forever, but I also know we’re in a public place. Someone is bound to come upon us at any moment, but I can’t stop it. Her mouth is intoxicating, her touch enchanting. It’s like I’ve been cast under some sort of spell.
And what a spell to be under.
I allow myself one last taste before I reluctantly pull away, our breaths billowing in unison. “Come back with me,” I ask, leaning my forehead on hers. I pull away slightly, but only so I can lay a gentle kiss on her forehead. Caitlin lets out a soft moan.
I think I just came a little.
Fuck. What is this witch doing to me?
“Let me take you to my place. Please.”
Please is such a foreign word coming from my lips. I never beg, but I would crawl on my hands and knees for this girl. My head knows it, my heart knows it, and right now my dick knows it too.
I look into her eyes. They look lost—undecided. I brush away a strand of hair with my good hand and relish in her touch when she grabs it, squeezing it a little in hers.
“Okay,” she simply replies. “I’ll go with you.”
My body immediately relaxes. I didn’t realize how tense I was. Thank fuck. I want to skip along the road, dance in the fucking street. I don’t know what will happen once I get her in my house, but even if she wants to talk and nothing more, that kiss will be enough to see me through the night. No doubt I will jerk off too many times to count over this. It’s easily the sexiest moment I’ve had in all my nineteen years of life. I’ve kissed and slept with too many girls to mention since I lost my virginity at the age of fifteen to my brother and sister’s babysitter—of all people. I caught her making out with her boyfriend one night and went up to jerk off. She caught me and fucking floored me when she offered to finish me off. She was seventeen at the time and hot as fuck. She was a size fourteen, with the most perfect curves and rounded ass that I used to squeeze when she bounced on top of my cock. She babysat for a further five months after that, and with each time we fucked like rabbits. It was one of the horniest times of my life.
But even that doesn’t compare to the moment Caitlin and I just shared.
Not even close.
“You don’t need to look so smug.”
I hadn’t realized I was smiling until she mentioned it. “I’m not smug, I’m happy. There’s a difference between being smug and being happy. And who wouldn’t be happy after a kiss like that?”
She smiles, but then bites her lip. It’s almost as if she doesn’t want to show her emotions. But I can see them.
I see you, Caitlin Summers.
“You mean smug.”
Finally pulling away from her, I roll my eyes. “Okay, maybe I’m a little smug.”
“Was it that good?”
I smile and so does she. I think she knows what’s coming next.
“I’ve had better.”
After our long kiss, I’m glad Jeremy held on to me for a little while afterward, because I don’t think I would have been able to stand on my own two feet after that kiss.
That kiss.
It was the type of kiss you could only ever imagine in movies. Boy meets girl, boy sweeps girl off feet and they share this spellbinding kiss where fireworks explode and no one in the universe exists apart from them.
I’m trying my hardest not to get swept away by this boy, but it’s so damn hard when he looks the way he does, that confident swagger he has going on. I must admit, I was angry at him for stalking me and basically telling Brett to take a hike, but at the same time my loins woke up from the moment he bashed into Brett sending his books flying to the ground.
With that kiss, my inhibitions flew out the window. Right then, I didn’t care that I would be yet another notch on his bedpost. I didn’t care that Amy was a big part of his life—no matter how much he protests. I didn’t care that he punched people for money. All I cared about and still care about since that kiss is for him to take me back to his place, kiss me again until I can’t breathe—until I can no longer think.
And I knew that when I asked the question about our kiss that he remembered. He remembered it as much as I do. He remembers what he said afterward that had me punching his arm over and over again until he wrestled me to the ground and apologized.
“I’ve had better too,” I retort back.
“You and I both know that’s bullshit.” He glances around the street before looking back at me. “My car’s just down the street.”
I scrunch up my nose, offering him an unamused look. “I know.”
He reaches out his left hand for me to take, so I accept his offer, slowly walking beside him as we approach the car.
“You don’t look ill still,” I observe as we reach the car and he quickly darts to open the passenger side for me.
“I feel a lot better now.”
“Then how come you weren’t in college today?”
I get in the car and watch as he darts around the other side. He slides in, his features somehow looking a little scared for some reason. “I didn’t feel that great this morning, so decided to give it one more day.”
I shrug. That’s fair enough. I gaze out of the window, admiring the way the sun bounces off the leaves from the tree above before taking the seatbelt and strapping myself in. I hear the purr of the engine and when I turn, I find his right hand on the steering wheel, wrapped in bandages.
My brows furrow. “I thought you didn’t fight last week?”
He indicates, pulling away from the sidewalk. “I didn’t.”
“Then how did you... ?” It then dawns on me. “It was you who beat Amy’s brother up.” The way Jeremy’s jaw twitches is an answer enough for me.
Of course.
How could I have been so stupid? It all makes sense. It’s not a coincidence that Jeremy’s been away from college at the same time Amy’s brother lands in the hospital. He’s been off because he put him there.
“Pull over and let me out.” Suddenly, I’m enraged.
“It’s not what you think...”
“Of course it isn’t what I think. Amy’s brother’s not currently lying in a hospital bed, both eyes bruised up and his lips swollen because he ran into a tree! What do you take me for, Jeremy?”
I watch as he closes his eyes. He has no argument. “If you saw what he did to Amy then you—”
“I saw what he did to Amy, and he’s an asshole for hitting her. But there’s a difference between giving someone a bruise and beating someone to a pulp. You could have killed him!”
His eyes startle at my revelation, but I’m so mad. “Wait... you’ve seen Amy’s brother?”
I let out a breath, trying to calm myself. “Yes.”
“How?”
“I was at the hospital because some girl ran into me—”
“What?” he says, interrupting me. “You were
hit by a car and never called me?”
“It was nothing. A sprained ankle. I can walk on it perfectly now as long as I don’t walk too far.”
“Jesus, Caitlin. You could have—”
“This is going off topic now, Jeremy. I saw what Amy’s brother looked like. It looks like he’s been attacked by an animal. You almost killed him.”
“I know!” Gripping the steering wheel, he closes his eyes. “Does it make me a monster to want to protect vulnerable people? Does it make me a monster to care that he hurt another human being?”
There’s so many thoughts flitting through my mind right now, but the one and only emotion I feel now that my anger has faded is sadness. Jeremy may have been Amy’s protector from her brother, but in doing so it made him the monster he was trying to protect her from. I don’t begrudge that he had been there for her when she so obviously needed it. What I care about is his temper. And I’ve been around too many of those to last me a lifetime.
“It doesn’t make you a monster, Jeremy. But you became one the minute you threw that second punch, and then a third, and then a forth. You’re violent.”
He winces. I can tell I’ve hurt him, but right now he needs to hear it. He needs to hear the truth.
“I’m not viol—”
“No matter how you sugarcoat it, Jeremy, the fact remains the same. You didn’t just hit him once to make a point and be on your way. You landed him in the hospital.” I glance out the window, noticing we’re just a block away from my apartment. At least he had the acumen to realize there’s no way in hell I’m going back to his place now.
“Can you please pull over?”
“But we’re just a block from your—”
“Jeremy, I want you to pull over. I want to get out of the car!”
“Okay, okay,” he answers, quickly pulling over to the side of the road. “Why are you so mad at me?”
My hand on the door handle, I take in a deep breath and close my eyes. “I’m not mad at you. Just... disappointed, I guess. Someone of your nature... I don’t want them around me right now. No... no. That’s not right. Not ever.”
I make a move to open the door, when he says, “What happened to you?”
I hesitate for a moment before opening the car door and getting out. “I’m sorry, Jeremy.” I shut the door and walk, but I hear the sound of a window going down.
“If you won’t tell me, then I’ll find someone who will.”
He drives off, leaving me to round the corner to my apartment. I’m exhausted. Physically and emotionally exhausted. I know Jeremy wants answers, but he’s going to have a hard time finding any because the only person who knows what happened to me is Stacey, and I know she won’t talk.
As I’m getting ever-nearer to the apartment, I think back on these past couple of weeks and think how stupid I am. I thought I had learned a valuable lesson with Jack, but it seemed all it took was one killer smile from a boy I once played with when I was ten for me to get sucked back under. I had been blinkered with Jack. He molded me and manipulated me until I was completely blindsided by all his words and actions. Every snipe I thought I deserved. Every slap, I took and even apologized for.
Never again.
I promised myself that when I came here all distractions were to cease and my sole concentration would all be on my studies. Two weeks in and I have already broken that promise. It obviously didn’t take that much.
I feel duped and angry at myself. I close the distance toward the stairs, all the while I’m shaking my head at my stupidity. Today has been a crappy day. All I want to do now is get in, take a long hot bath, do my homework, and watch some Netflix before I collapse into a stupor. But as I approach the steps toward the door, I quickly realize that my crappy day is going to get a whole lot worse.
Lying in front of the door, perched on top of the welcome mat outside is a long-stemmed, dead, black rose.
I was so angry. Not at Caitlin, but at myself. I know I went too far on Amy’s brother and Caitlin was like my little angel voice of reason sitting on my shoulder telling me how bad a person I was. I deserved every word, but I know if faced with that situation with Amy, I would do it all over again.
And what kind of person does that make me?
I know, in a sense, Caitlin is right, but there’s also something not right. I don’t buy the story that she misses Virginia and that the college here is better. I had looked it up. Chicago would have been a better prospect, but for some reason she chose to travel a few states over. Why?
I think to bug Stacey about it, but I know her loyalty is fierce and no matter how much money, bribery, or blackmail I throw at her, she won’t budge. That leaves me only one other choice.
Getting home, I quickly go online, stalk Caitlin’s Facebook page for a while, and book the next flight to Nebraska. Her Facebook page is not what you expect. It’s not littered with photos of all her friends back in Nebraska, out together, smiling and laughing. She has a couple of photos of her and her parents climbing Table Top Mountain in the summer, but that’s about it.
I slink back in my chair, knowing I’m doing the right thing. Caitlin will hate me when she finds out, but I did warn her I would find out somehow. I believe she didn’t realize just how far I would take it. Jumping on a plane and flying at least five states over is the least I would do if it gets the answers I’m looking for.
My plane leaves first thing in the morning, which again means missing college. I know I need to get back and catch up. It doesn’t look great that I’ve only turned up for a week and then disappeared since, but some things are just more important.
Or, in this case, some people.
“What you doing, dick-face?”
I smile, knowing Calvin’s right behind me. I didn’t even hear him come in.
“How did you get through the door and I didn’t even notice?”
“Because I have stealth moves,” he answers, flicking his eyes from me to the laptop screen. He immediately frowns. “How come you got a map of Nebraska up on your laptop? Planning on overindulging on Kool-Aid?” He takes his eyes off the screen to sit down on the couch—or rather throw himself down.
“Caitlin’s parents are there. I’m visiting them tomorrow.”
Calvin’s eyes widen as he straightens in his seat. “With Caitlin?” I shake my head. “Does she know you’re going to visit them?”
“No, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. I won’t be long. I’ll be back by the following afternoon. I just need to see them.”
He narrows his eyes a little like he’s trying to think about something. “You’re not going to ask for Caitlin’s hand in marriage, are you? Dude, you’ve only known her a couple of weeks.”
“Fuck, no!” I shout, shaking my head. “I just need to speak with them.”
Calvin rises from his seat, stepping toward the cabinet. “Fancy a joint?”
“Do bears shit in the woods?”
Calvin laughs as he gets to work rolling a joint. I’ll smoke this and then go to bed and set my alarm. After all, I have to be up bright and early in the morning.
* * *
I land at around midday after an hour delay at the airport. The sun is up high, practically blinding me as I make my way to the rental car I booked online last night. A beautiful red Dodge Challenger RT. Perfect. I throw my bag in and inspect the car before climbing in and immediately starting it to put the aircon on. I hadn’t expected it to be this hot here today.
As the cool air blows, allowing me time to get comfortable, I take my phone and put in the address of Caitlin’s mom and dad. Of course, they’re expecting me. Being friends with Caitlin on Facebook allowed me access to her parents’ page as well. They had been surprised that I reached out, but also happy. I had asked for a visit, and they had worried, asking about Caitlin. I put the fears at ease before they said they would get Caitlin’s room ready for my overnight stay. I had been searching for a hotel, but they insisted. Knowing I was going to stay in Caitlin’s room
made me smile. When I tell her she’s going to be so pissed.
And I can’t wait to see that look on her face.
I put the address in Google maps, already knowing I only have a twenty-minute ride from Omaha airport to Bellevue, where her parents live. I send a quick message to her mom, Cathy, to let her know I’m on my way, before putting the car in Drive and taking her out the car rental lot. I note quickly that Omaha looks a lot like Virginia in many ways. Flat lands, lots of open spaces and greenery. Everywhere you look there’s nothing but trees.
I arrive at the modest house with its gray vinyl siding and beautiful front bay window. It only seems a few years old judging by how clean and flawless it all looks. I park up in the driveway as Cathy had already given me permission to. I had barely put the car in Park when I see the front door opening and Caitlin’s parents standing at the doorway, smiling. When I grab my overnight bag and get out, Cathy’s eyes widen a little at my appearance. Yeah, I seem to have that effect on women. They all think I look like I belong in an orange jumpsuit. Either that, or they want to find out what I’m like in the sack. I’m definitely guessing jumpsuit from Cathy’s state of shock.
“Wow, Jeremy. You’ve gotten so... big.”
Locking the car door, I smile before coming in for a hug. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Summers.”
“Oh, please. Call me Cathy.”
I nod before turning my attention toward Mr. Summers. I hold out my hand. “How are you, Mr. Summers?”
He smiles brightly before taking my hand and shaking it. “It’s Frank, and yes, I’m good, thanks. Come in. Cathy’s made some sandwiches and cookies.”
My stomach rumbles at the thought. “I can’t wait.”
One by one we stroll in and immediately we’re in the living room. Everything looks modern and light. “This house looks great!”
Scozzari: Deviant #3 Page 11
