Suburban Love Song (Burnouts Book 1)

by Karen Gordon

  “Great things come in small packages, right?” He could read excitement in her, “Right.” She pulled off the ribbon and opened the small blue box. Ben studied her face, she looked confused.

  “It’s a promise ring.”

  She looked at him and back at the ring. Now he was starting to sweat, despite leaning against the frosted window.

  “Are you promising to marry me?” She sounded genuinely confused but a little excited. Ben stopped breathing. Marry? What? He hadn’t really thought about exactly what he was promising. Her friend Suzanne had one, and Ben just thought it was what a guy gave a girl when they were a couple. He backed a little farther against the door. “I, um, I just wanted to give you something to show you how much you mean to me. I mean, um, something you could wear to show that we’re a couple.”

  “Oh.” She was looking down so he couldn’t read her face, but her voice sounded flat.

  “I screwed up, didn’t I?”

  “No! No, I um, it’s really pretty.” She touched his arm, “And it’s a sapphire. How did you know I love sapphires?” The stone was really small, but it was real. He had gone to a real jewelry store to pick it out. Ben breathed out a sigh of relief. “Your favorite color is blue and,” he relaxed, leaned a little closer to her and dropped his voice, “it’s blue, like your eyes.”

  Joelle beamed at him. She took the ring from the box, put it on her finger and admired it in the one beam of light from the house. “It’s beautiful.” He leaned closer to kiss her, and she met him half way, leaning over the break in the bucket seats.

  He started slow, just kissing her gently on the lips, “I’m glad you like it.” He touched his lips gently to hers again, and this time it was Joelle who leaned into him and slid her soft bottom lip against his. She pulled away, but only far enough to say, “I love it. Thank you.” Her breath was warm and scented like the mint gum she always chewed when he drove her home.

  Ben put his arms around her and pulled her across the gap and onto his lap. This is where she usually got uncomfortable. If he was hard, like he was starting to be now, and she felt it, she would scoot away or climb off his lap. But tonight she wrapped her arms around his neck and seemed to press against him, inflaming him even more. She stretched up, eager to kiss him again. He didn’t want it all to end too soon, so he cupped her head in his free hand and slowed the kiss; making sure things didn’t progress too quickly.

  God he loved having her this close to him; the smell of her hair and her perfume, the feel of her soft skin and curves pressing against him. She was so open and receptive to him tonight; he slid his tongue along her bottom lip and savored the taste and satiny smoothness. She opened for him, and he used his hand at the back of her head to bring her even closer as his tongue entered her. His excitement was building, his cock coming to life, wanting to join his tongue inside her wet warmth. When her tongue caressed his, his hips flexed up in a natural reaction. He kept waiting for her to put on the brakes, afraid he would go too far and offend her but urgently wanting to keep going at the same time.

  He broke the kiss and buried his face in her silky hair. She wriggled then clung to him tighter. Damn! This was hard, literally. His hands were itching to slide up under her shirt, to feel her soft, warm skin. And his cock, it absolutely ached for attention. He would have to take care of that himself, later. Would she be disgusted or turned on if she knew what he did when he got home after being with her?

  “You’d better go in. I’m sure your parents heard me pull into the driveway.” He was breathing hard when he said the words, and he didn’t mean any of them.

  Joelle nuzzled his neck, her cold nose pressed to the warmth inside his jacket. She kissed along his jaw till she reached his lips again, pulling herself in closer and really lost herself in the kiss.

  This was better than any reaction he had hoped for, and his overly analytical mind started to question why. Did she think the ring was a promise that they would get married someday? He really liked her, maybe even loved her, but he had a lot of things he wanted to do before he got married. And then there was her family and her church. She would probably expect him to convert for her. He just couldn’t do that. He didn’t go to Catholic mass often, but he knew it would kill his grandpa and grandma if he gave up being Catholic. What the hell am I doing? I’m thinking about church while I’m making out with my girlfriend.

  Ben ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. He was definitely feeling less horny now. Nothing like thoughts of his grandparents and church to kill the mood.

  He gathered all the will power he had and slid her off his lap, but he squeezed her hand, feeling the ring on her finger. Joelle admired her ring while she waited for him to come around and open her door for her. He held her hand and walked her to her front door.

  “Will you come to church with me this Sunday?” She was smiling at him and just so happy, he hated to break the mood, but there was a special harvest mass in Dutzow. He always went with his mom, and it had been weeks since he had seen his grandpa. “I can’t this week.” She didn’t even try to hide her disappointment. “I promised my mom I would take her to see her parents. It would be great if you would come too. I really want you to meet my grandparents.”

  “I can’t.” She left it at that, which kind of bugged Ben. This wasn’t the time, but he wanted more of an explanation why it was OK for him to go to church with her, but she couldn’t come with him. “I guess I’ll see you Monday.”

  “Yeah, Monday,” he nodded. “I’ll come by and pick you up before school.”

  “I can’t wait to show everyone my ring.” “I’m glad you like it.” He leaned down and placed a very chaste kiss on her lips. He never knew if her parents were watching.

  He felt disappointed as he drove home. Things had been going great ‘til religion came between them again. He forced himself to stop over-thinking. He had a beautiful girlfriend, who was crazy about him, and even if they weren’t going to have sex, making out was getting better all the time. He remembered her eagerness, her soft lips, her silky tongue and the curve of her little hip grinding into his cock. He knew what he was going home to do.

  Chapter 12

  Career day at the high school was always the last Friday before Christmas break. College and military recruiters and a few businesses set up booths in the gym and the juniors were supposed to bring their parents to look at options. For the burnouts it was known as skip day because most of them were short on both, parents and options. Carrie and MG had more of both than most of the kids in their group, but they still honored the skip day. No need to bring Lana and Earl out in public and Amber would be too busy working.

  Skipping was easier than Carrie had ever thought it would be. Her mom was still asleep so she just told her dad that MG was picking her up for school. As usual, Earl didn’t even look away from his morning news, he just called out, “OK” to anything Carrie said. She leaned over and kissed Christopher on the top of his head. He was eating the bowl of cereal she had made him and watching cartoons on the small TV near the kitchen.

  “Later, Two-fer.”

  He smiled at her through a mouthful of Cheerios. ♥ ♪ ♥

  “So what are we doing today?” Carrie asked as she got in MG’s car. She was keyed up and ready for some fun. “Well,” MG was in her element, planning trouble. “We have a slushie and pancake breakfast at Paul’s, followed by a visit to your favorite sexy man’s house for a little poker.”

  “Poker?” “Strip poker, hence, the slushies for breakfast first.” MG pulled a bottle of vodka from under her car seat and waved it in front of Carrie, who nodded that she understood the plan.

  MG tucked the bottle back under her seat and looked into her rearview mirror as she pulled away from the curb. She was checking her lip gloss, not looking for other cars. She hit the brake quickly and turned the mirror slightly toward Carrie.

  Carrie looked behind her, “What are you doing?” She followed MG’s line of sight and saw Ben in his driveway, dre
ssed in his Army camo uniform, heading for his jeep.

  MG flashed a devious smile, “Slight change of plans,” then she slammed the car into reverse and backed quickly into Ben’s driveway and up to him, blocking his jeep in the driveway.

  He glared at them.

  “Grab him.” Carrie still hadn’t figured out MG’s plan, “What!?” “Grab him. We’re kidnapping Officer Gorman. He doesn’t need to go today. He knows what he’s doing after school.”

  MG had a point, and Carrie was really starting to like this idea. Ben was still glaring at the car blocking his way when Carrie jumped out, ran to him, grabbed his arm and pulled him with her toward the passenger door.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We’re playing Army, and you are our prisoner,” she giggled. He looked at her like she was crazy, but he got close enough to the open passenger door that Carrie used his state of confusion to push him into the waiting back seat.

  He could easily have gotten out or fought her off, but he was enjoying the girls’ excitement too much, and he figured they would probably just take him to school with them and drop him off, so he went along with it.

  Carrie turned around and laughed at Ben’s lanky body squished into the miniature backseat of the convertible. She was relieved when he smiled back at her, and she could see from the excitement in his eyes that he was enjoying this game.

  “So, where are you two taking me?”

  “Quiet, prisoner,” MG yelled back at him, “You will do as we say, or I’ll have Corporal Carrie here torture you.” Carrie raised her eyebrows at him, promising some fun torture.

  Ben smiled and shook his head, but played along, “Yes ma’am.” When they pulled into a parking space at 7-11, Ben was starting to get a little worried, “Come on. We’re going to be late for school.”

  MG ignored him, “Discipline the prisoner for talking, I’m going in for supplies.” Carrie put on a serious face and nodded in agreement. She started digging around on the floor, looking for a torture device.

  “Carrie, I’m serious. I have to man the Armed Services booth today. You’re taking me to school after this, aren’t you?” Carrie turned around and popped him on the knee with one of MG’s pink flip flops that she found under the seat. “Quiet, prisoner.” She shot him the evil eye.

  “Carrie.” His voice was deeper and menacing. It was a warning. She gave him a pissy look because she had to get out of character. “You don’t have to be there ‘til this afternoon for that, they don’t take attendance today, and we are going to have some fun this morning,” She popped him on the knee again, “Is that clear prisoner?”

  She was right, and this was his chance to show her that he could be fun and that he wasn’t an old man, like she always called him. “It’s clear, ma’am,” he gave her a challenging sexy smile, “But what are you going to do if I try to escape?”

  “I will sit on you and beat you with my flip flop.” He started to launch himself out of the back seat, “Well, in that case.” They both laughed as Carrie swatted at his hands and legs with the flip flop. She stopped when MG kicked her door so they would open it. She had three large slushies in her hands. Ben reached his long arm over the seat and opened the door. He was even a gentleman when he was being held prisoner.

  “Prisoner, take your slushie,” she ordered. Ben took the styrofoam cup from her. She handed Carrie her cup then slid into her seat. “Good job beating the prisoner, Corporal.”

  “Thank you, mein General.”

  “So we are drinking slushies when it is like 20 degrees out?” Ben couldn’t suppress his overwhelming sense of logic.

  “Corporal, beat the prisoner till he drinks a few inches off the top of his slushie.”

  Carrie turned around and smacked Ben on his knee.

  “Ow, fine. I’m drinking.” The girls giggled and drank their drinks, trying to hurry but not get ice cream headaches. MG scanned the parking lot to make sure no one was watching them as she pulled the bottle of vodka from under her seat. She slid the lid off her slushie, and poured two inches of liquor on top.

  “What the hell? I’m not drinking before school.”

  Carrie opened the lid of her cup and held it out to MG. “Its vodka, no one can smell it, especially with these slushies, and we are going to breakfast, so you will have food too. It’s not like you’re going to get wasted on a little vodka,” she gave him her best challenging look, “are you?”

  Ben shook his head to register his disagreement with the plan, but he held his cup out. The look he gave Carrie said he was going to trust her, but only so far.

  They brought their slushies into Paul’s Pancakes where they met Steve, Casey, and Gina, who were a little surprised to see Ben. MG explained that she and Carrie had kidnapped him and he was their prisoner. The girls liked the plan. Steve was a little jealous.

  The waitress wasn’t sure if they could bring their own drinks in, but Steve charmed her and told her it was a school tradition to have pancakes and slushies on the last day before Christmas break. She rolled her eyes but took their order and let it go.

  “So after breakfast you’ll take me to school? I’ve got to check in with my CO before lunch.” MG considered his request. “Tell you what, Gorman,” she squinted, thinking hard on a good plan to torture him, “First you will tell me what a CO is.”

  “Commanding Officer.”

  “Good, I will take you to school on one condition.” Ben dropped his forehead on to the table in mock distress, “What?” “You have to call this CO guy and tell him what has happened to you. If he says you still have to come to school, then I’ll take you.”

  That seemed way too easy, “Tell him what exactly?” “Tell him that you have been kidnapped and are being held prisoner by four beautiful girls who are forcing you to drink slushies and eat pancakes.”

  Ben laughed, “OK.” “ And, that they want to keep you all afternoon to torture you.” MG was loving her plan, “And Carrie has to go with you to the phone to make sure you say exactly what I told you to say.”

  “Fine.” Ben took another drink of slushie and pushed away from the table. Carrie followed him to the pay phones near the restrooms. While Ben dialed, Carrie glared at him with her most stern prison matron look.

  She could hear his CO answer, “Captain Ferguson, this is Sergeant Gorman, I, um, I have a situation sir, and I might not be able to help out in the booth today.”

  He paused briefly, “Yes, sir, I, um, I’ve been kidnappd, sir, by, um, by four beautiful girls, and they are forcing me to have pancakes and slushies for breakfast.” Carrie burst out laughing and fell against him. “And they want to keep me all afternoon to torture me, sir.”

  Carrie couldn’t hear what the man on the other end of the phone said, but Ben’s huge smile told her that he was all theirs today.

  “Thank you, sir,” Ben paused again, “Yes, sir, I’ll call you if I need back up.” Ben hung up, and Carrie jumped up and hugged him, “Ha ha, you are mine now.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the table. “Ladies, and Steve, we have a prisoner.”

  The girls cheered, and Steve slapped him on the back, “Don’t worry, man, I won’t let them hurt you.”

  Ben nodded a thank you, but said, “I think I’ve got this covered.”

  By the time the pancakes arrived, they were all buzzing a little from the vodka.

  “So Ben,” Casey smiled and slurred, ready to give him grief, “What country do you plan to blow up after high school.”

  “I have basic training first, then AIT before they’ll let me blow anything up.”

  “English.” MG barked at him.

  “AIT, Advanced Individual Training. What are you planning to do after school?”

  Casey shrugged, “Probably work at Wynmark. They make wallets. My sister-in-law works there.”

  “I’m moving to New York,” MG announced. “Bullshit,” Steve shot in.

  “My mom and I already have plans, asshole.” Carrie looked up from her food, shocked. Thi
s was the first she had heard of MG planning to leave after next year. Seeing her fear, MG nudged her, “And Carrie’s coming with me.”

  “I am?”

  Ben looked just as shocked, “She is?” “Yeah, Carrie, come with us. It’s not like you need to stay here for anything. Maybe you can get a job at some high end interior decorator.”

  Carrie was boosted by MG’s encouragement, “That’d be cool.” “She’d be great at it,” Ben’s eyes filled with excitement for her, “bossy as hell,” and he smiled at their inside joke, “but great at it.”

  He had told her before that he thought she was good at decorating, but for some reason his ringing endorsement really touched her this morning. The emotion overwhelmed her and she gave him a shy smile and couldn’t look him in the eyes when she said, “Thank you, Ben.” He bumped her leg with his under the table.

  When the waitress laid one bill on the table, Ben reached for it, read it, then pulled out his wallet and placed the bill back on the table next to him with $25 on top. Carrie hadn’t really thought much about it before, but Ben always seemed to have money and didn’t have a job that she knew of. Maybe his grandpa gave him money.

  When they noticed that Ben was paying, Casey and Gina thanked him, and MG leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She always got overly affectionate when she drank. Steve insisted he could pay for himself.

  Ben held up his half empty slushie, “Tell you what, why don’t you get us something else to drink. This sweet stuff is getting disgusting.”

  Steve nodded in agreement as he and Gina and Casey got up to leave.

  “To Chuck’s house.” MG ordered.

  Steve let MG know, “We’re going to stop by my place and get some beer.”

  “Cool, we’ll see you there.”

  On the way out of the restaurant Ben caught up with Carrie, “Chuck, as in your boyfriend Chuck?”