by Chloe Walsh
Chapter Eight
Lee
“I still can’t believe you spoke up to Rachel like that,” Cam said as we stood in line at the movie theatre. Neither could I.
“I don’t know what came over me Cam. I’ve never spoken to anybody like that. I don’t even like Kyle, but she’s just so mean to him and what’s worse is he lets her. It’s disgusting.”
Cam grinned, “Well I for one am glad you did. I’m usually the one who chews up that gold-digger. I know Derek cannot stand her, but Kyle’s his best friend so he doesn’t get involved. We all hate her.” I smiled at that. At least everyone else hated her too; it made me feel a little better about my outburst. “She’ll probably want revenge, especially since you took her down peg in front of Kyle.” Rachel didn’t like me as it stood, how much worse could it really get? “And you committed the mortal sin when you kissed Kyle.”
I cringed. Did she have to bring that back up? I tried not to think about the kiss, at least not until I was tucked up in bed at night. “He kissed me first.”
Cam laughed as she paid for her popcorn. “He kissed you. You kissed him. Is there really a difference?” Was there? No, no there wasn’t.
“He doesn’t like me Cam. Rachel has nothing to worry about. It’s the other women he’s with that she should be angry with, not me.”
Cam studied my face for a moment, her gaze slipping to behind me. “Hmm, I’m not so sure about that babe.” She walked off in the same direction. “Hey boys, what a surprise to see you here. You’re not checking up on me now are you?” Cam said cheerfully.
I turned around and quickly turned back. Why God, why? Of all the nights…
“Of course not, come here and give me a little kiss,” I heard Derek say. That was a big fat lie. From what I’d seen he was always checking up on Cam. There was a truckload of trust missing from their relationship. It wasn’t my business though, so I didn’t ask.
“I’ll meet you inside Lee,” Cam said. I didn’t bother answering her. My night had just taken a major nosedive, not because of Derek showing up. It had more to do with Mr. Tall dark and sarcastic next to him and the way my heart wouldn’t calm the heck down.
I paid for my soda and popcorn while plotting all the ways I could get out of seeing this film. Cam drove here and it was a twenty-minute car ride with lots of different turn offs; I would never be able to find my way home.
Falling on empty, I turned around and slowly made my way over to the doorway with the sign ‘screen one’ over it. With any luck, they had chosen a different movie to us. I didn’t believe that though. Derek hadn’t shown up for any other reason than to keep an eye on Cam. Maybe I could just wait outside in the lobby until it was over? Dammit, I had been looking forward to seeing the movie. How was I supposed to relax with him nearby?
“Hey princess.” I jumped and ended up spilling my entire tub of popcorn all over the floor. “Whoa, there’s no need to be so jumpy. It’s just me,” he chuckled.
Yeah, it was just him; the walking, talking bane of my hormones. I turned around to scold him for sneaking up on me, but the words wouldn’t come out. Why did he have to look so good? It wasn’t fair. God must have been in a real good mood the day he made Kyle Carter. I took in the dark jeans and tight gray t-shirt he was wearing. Couldn’t he wear clothes that made him less…edible? It wouldn’t matter much what he wore though; Kyle smiling that perfect smile of his was enough to turn me into a puddle of mush on the floor. That dimple did strange things to my heart strings.
“Why did you sneak up on me?” I asked, when speaking was manageable again.
He threw his head back and laughed; a deep virile laugh and my heart accelerated. I couldn’t turn my eyes away from his throat and the way his Adams apple vibrated. “I was just waiting for you. The others have gone in already. Cam said it was your first time at the movies, I thought you might get lost.”
Gee, thanks for that Cam. As if I needed more help looking country.
Kyle took a step towards me and I gasped. I needed to get a grip. I backed up and managed to snag the heel of my shoe on an upturned piece of carpet. My coke flew out of my hand, as I flayed my arms out. Oh great, I was going down.
Before I could holler, two arms snaked around my back, pulling me into a chest of ribbed muscle and toned abs. I knew that because I had to endure looking at it every day. “You’re a little clumsy tonight aren’t you princess,” Kyle chuckled, as he held me flush against him.
“Uh…” I could not think of one thing to say. I involuntary shivered. He straightened and put some space between our bodies, but his hands were still on my hips.
He seemed to notice where his hands were and moved them away quickly, clearing his throat. “We should go in,” he muttered, as he turned and strode through the doors. I followed him, desperately trying to get a handle on my nerves. My nerves were causing the butterflies in my belly, nothing else.
Kyle
This was the biggest load of crap I had seen in years. It was a typical chick flick; girl meets boy, girl falls in love, boy screws up and girl runs off. Then boy fixes the shit pile he’s gotten himself into and gets nailed. What a crock. It was fucking painful to sit through and I had paid ten bucks for the privilege. Derek owed me big time.
His paranoia over Cam cheating was the reason I was now sitting in a movie theatre packed with women weeping and crying and shit. Fair enough, Cam had a past, but Derek needed to trust her. He couldn’t leave the girl alone for a minute. Sometimes Derek acted like a vagina.
“That’s it Cam baby, suck it.” Those two had no fucking shame. Even I drew the line at getting a blowjob public. Well at least not while sitting next to my friends…
I shifted as far in my seat as I could from them. It could get messy; I wasn’t taking any chances. A soft groan from the other side of me alerted me to the fact that I was now squashing Lee. We were in one of those love seats; the double seats used for making out. It was ironic, considering I couldn’t touch the girl who was pressed up against me. I had been trying to keep my distance from her all night. Cam had cock blocked me. “Uh sorry…” I muttered pulling back a little from her squashed body, but not so far that I was within aiming distance of Derek’s dick.
“It’s okay.” Lee looked up at me with a nervous smile. Her eyes were like saucers and I could practically see the innocence pouring out of them. “I guess I’d be moving closer to you too, if I had to sit on your side,” she whispered, pointing at Cam and Derek, who were now gone way past the point of return.
Lee blushed and faced forward, focusing her attention on the screen. I took that as my opportunity to study at her. She was so damn hot in those worn denim jeans and yellow t-shirt that it hurt to look at her. I was not used to girls who dressed like that.
The women I knew wore tight little dresses and low-slung tops. They had make-up plastered on their faces and orange skin from too much fake tan and hair designed into all types of weird styles. Even Cam was guilty of the make-up and short skirts. Lee wore none of that shit; she didn’t need it.
Her sun kissed skin was naked and she had her curly hair bunched up in a messy ponytail; the odd stray curl escaping. falling around her face. I wanted to reach out and tuck those silky curls behind her ear, but that would be bad. I would be edging too close to a line I wasn’t supposed to cross. I thought of the look on her face the morning she had defended me to Rachel. The way she had stood up for me… It wasn’t something I was used to. I’d expected to feel annoyed with her for interfering in my business. Instead, I’d felt…Pleased.
That shy little smile Lee had given me in the kitchen that morning; it had changed something in me. It made me feel and I hadn’t felt anything in so long. The girl was fucking amazing and she didn’t even know it. That made me even more determined to stay away from her. Lee didn’t need to be marred with my bullshit. I had to remember that; she was too good for me.
“Now Cam, it’s gonna be now baby.” I moved even closer to Lee than before.
“Dude you’re in a movie theatre,” I growled, “Show a little restraint.” Derek didn’t know the meaning of the word.
“Are you really this squeamish?” Lee giggled. I looked down at her. Her eyes were dancing with humor.
“Oh, you think it’s funny do you?” I teased. I reached out and tickled her, making her laugh harder. It was a pleasant sound and I liked it, probably more than I should. I couldn’t help staring at the way her tits bounced as she chuckled.
“Stop, Kyle I’m so ticklish,” she gushed, as she tried to wrestle my hands away from her sides. She pushed herself closer to me. “Oh Kyle, I can’t take anymore,” she groaned.
Fuck, I was turned on and it had nothing to do with the sex noises coming from the love seat next to me and everything to do with Lee and the way her body felt when I touched her. Without thinking about what I was doing, I pulled her onto my lap.
“What are you doing Kyle?” she whispered. Her eyes darkened; I could see the longing in them. Fuck, she was horny.
I rubbed myself against her ass and she whimpered. “Can you feel what you do to me princess?”
She nodded, pulling her plump lower lip into her mouth. It was too much…
“Fuck the line.”
I grabbed the back of her neck and sealed my mouth against hers. She moaned a real genuine to God erotic moan and I thought I might lose it. I plunged my tongue inside her mouth. She tasted unbelievable. Her hands were in my hair tugging me closer to her.
“Mmm, you taste like fucking heaven. I need more.” I said. I couldn’t help myself. I shifted in the seat until I had her on her back. I kept my mouth on hers as I pressed against her. Her racy little moans and cries were driving me fucking insane, I couldn’t think of anything except the driving urge I had to be inside her. I slipped my hands under her shirt to feel her tits. I’d realized the first night I saw her she was blessed in the breast department, but sweet Jesus, her tits were huge and one hundred percent real.
“Kyle,” she cried out softly as she bucked her hips against me. The way she was responding to me was driving me wild.
“Damn baby, these are fucking perfect.” I had to have a taste. I stuck my head under her t-shirt. Pulling down the lace bra blocking me from my destination, I grabbed one of her full breasts with my hand and latched my mouth to her stiff ripe nipple. I moved my other hand down to cup her between her legs. Holy hell, her jeans were damp. She was fucking ready for me here and now.
I stroked between her legs as I flicked her nipple with my tongue, until she was crying out my name. “Kyle…Uh Kyle? Kyle, get the fuck up man.” Wait… what?
I paused and realized that it was a lot brighter under this shirt than what it had been when I first ducked under. I pulled my head out from under her shirt and looked up to see the lights had come on and Derek was grinning down at me. “Dude, you’re in a movie theatre,” he said with a mocking tone, “Show some restraint.”
Lee
I couldn’t look Cam in the eye; she was furious. I couldn’t look Derek in the eye; he was laughing at me. I couldn’t look Kyle in the eye, because he had run off.
“What the hell was that?” Cam asked when she eventually calmed down enough to talk to me.
“I don’t know.” I didn’t. One minute Kyle and I were getting along and the next I was on my back with his hands and his mouth on me. He had quite literally jumped off me, muttered something about being sorry and then bolted. I leaned further into the passenger seat of Cam’s ford focus, wishing there was a secret button that I could press and fall out of this car and away from the angry looks from my best friend.
“Well, you sounded as if you sure as hell knew,” she sighed, as she indicated onto a street I was familiar with. Oh, thank God, we were nearly home. I needed to get away from Cam and be alone. I needed to figure out what happened back there.
“Babe what were you thinking? Haven’t I told you, warned you not to go there? You are not cut out for him.” Her words hurt because I knew she was telling the truth.
“Don’t you think I know that Cam?” My voice was barely a whisper. “Do you think I don’t know I’m not good enough for him?”
“Wait, Lee I didn’t mean…”
“I know what you meant Cam and I know I can’t compete with girls like Rachel. I’m plain looking and have too much hips and thighs. I have little education and even less money. I’m a small town girl with no momma and a two-bit drunk for a daddy. I know I don’t have the pedigree and I don’t care about that. What I do care about is the fact that my best friend, my only friend in the whole world, would count that against me.”
Cam pulled the car into the driveway and killed the engine. She inhaled sharply and turned to face me. “Firstly, I do not, nor have I ever thought any of those things about you and if you ever suggest that I do again, I’m gonna be real pissed.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. “You are a good person Lee. That’s what I meant when I said you weren’t cut out for Kyle. You are too good for him. I love Kyle like he’s my own brother, but babe, he ain't never gonna be good enough to have your heart. And that’s where this is going Lee. I can see it. It’s written all over that pretty face of yours.”
What was she saying? Did she think? How could she know…?
“Kyle has issues,” she continued, “I’m not sure what they are exactly, but I know they have something to do with Rachel Grayson.” I already guessed that. “He doesn’t talk about it, but I know the girl has something on him, something big. There is no other possible reason way he would tolerate her.”
“What do you think is going on with them?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Cam shifted in her seat. “He was different when we were younger, fun and easy-going and he didn’t have that nasty temper. He was seeing Rachel back then, but it wasn’t anything serious for either of them. Anyway during winter break of our sophomore year, his grandfather died. He was visiting him in Denver when it happened. He phoned to let us know, but he never came back over the holidays. He was gone for weeks. When Kyle finally came back, he was different.”
I didn’t get it. “So you’re saying Kyle changed when his grandpa died?” I asked.
Cam groaned loudly. “I don’t really know what I’m trying to say Lee. All I know is one minute he was the same old Kyle we knew and loved and then the next, he was…empty. Something happened to him, something more than just the grief of his grandfather dying.” She let out a breath. “He’s been Rachel’s lapdog ever since.”
I tried to piece the puzzle in my own head, but all the information Cam had given me was swirling around and not making much sense.
“I need you to stay away from him Lee,” she said softly. “I don’t want you dragged into their drama. Something weird is going on with him and that bitch and you need to stay out of it.”
I inhaled slowly and forced the words out of my mouth. “Cam you have nothing to worry about,” I said, forcing a smile. “From the look of horror on his face before he ran out, he won’t be touching me again.” I pulled my hand free and climbed out of the car.
“Where are you going Lee? We need to talk about this.”
I kept walking and let myself inside. I couldn’t talk about it. I couldn’t think about it. I got as far as my room before the tears came.
Chapter Nine
Kyle
My phone was ringing. I knew who it would be.
She knew.
I pulled the covers over my head and prayed for sleep to take me. I knew it wouldn’t. I hadn’t slept a wink last night. My conscience had reared its ugly head. Every time I closed my eyes, the image of Lee’s hurt face plagued me. Running out on her last night was one of the shittiest things I’d ever done. It was my piss poor attempt at protecting her. The hurt look on her face… I didn’t think my opinion of myself could get any lower. I was wrong.
My phone rang again. It wouldn’t be long now.
The loud hammering noise and the screaming of my name were my signals to get out of bed. Go
ddammit. I trudged down the stairs to the front door. I was in no hurry to deal with her. I inhaled a calming breath and pulled open the door.
She stormed in. “You fucking bastard.”
“Hello to you to Rachel.” I closed the door behind her and leaned against it.
“I heard about your little date night at the movies,” she hissed, as she glared at me. I nodded. What did she want me to do; lie? There was no fucking point. Her face reddened, “You no good sack of shit. The one girl I tell you not to touch and you can’t even do that.”
She slammed her index finger against my chest.
“What do you want me to say Rachel?” I asked, moving away from the door. “That I don’t want any other girl but you?” I could not stand still anymore. “If it weren't for the accident I wouldn’t have you inside my fucking door Rachel and you know it. You trapped me.” I knew what was coming, even before her hand connected with my face. It was a usual occurrence.
“Do you think you deserve to be happy? You know what that accident cost me. You’re a fucking waste of fresh air Kyle Carter. You should have died that night.” I couldn’t agree more with her. It would have been easier to have died in a car crash, then deal with the consequences and live this fucking empty life.
Lee
I hid in the living room until I heard the front door slam. I took that as a sign Rachel had let and released a breath I felt like I had been holding for an eternity. I’d been in here cleaning when Rachel barged in, screaming and shouting at Kyle. They had a massive fight, over me.
She knew about last night. Someone told her and she was furious. I cringed thinking of the horrible things she said to Kyle. My urge to run out to the hall and protect him had disintegrated when I heard the sharp crack of flesh hitting flesh. I knew that sound well, I had felt it often enough.
