About Time

by Danielle Torella

  I look down, “I uh, didn’t have a family to grow up around with.” I tell her. Why am I able to tell some people my business, when I have been keeping it a secrets as long as I could? Maddy doesn’t even know all of it.

  She makes a sucking, clicking noise with her mouth and she steps in to close the gap between us, “I’m sorry, I didn’t…” She grabs me in for a tight hug. She smells like vanilla and brown sugar. Like something I would bake.

  “It’s fine. I turned out alright I suppose, but this kind of family rivalry…well I just don’t get it I suppose.”

  She puts her hands on my shoulders, “Honey, this is normal. Especially for men. And those two have their issues.”

  I smile and nod my head. “Okay, I suppose I should get going home. I have a little bit of a walk ahead of me.” We both hear a couple of loud bangs and a woman yelling. We look back and forth at each other and just as we are about to go see what’s going on in the restaurant, I stop in my tracks.

  “No you don’t.” I hear a strong voice approaching from the restaurant door. I look harder to find Derrek coming at me and he has a red mark on his lip, he doesn’t look too pleased, but his eyes are saying something else. “Stacy.” He says as he reaches his older sisters side. She couldn’t be more than a few years older.

  “What happened?” I ask him, reaching for his lip. It is red and swelling and at a closer inspection it’s split open a little.

  He brings a hand to his mouth and rubs his pointer finger on the little cut and looks at it. “Just a little argument with my cousin. I’m fine. Now, if you don’t mind I would like to take you home.”

  Stacy rolls her eyes, “Are you okay Margot?” Offer a tight smile and she gives me an assuring look. “Okay well I need to do some damage control. If you two jerks made a mess…” She stomps off shaking her head. I like Stacy.

  “Let’s go.” He growls.

  “No. Not if you’re angry. I am not getting in the car with you if you’re pissed off.” I stand my ground. I don’t appreciate the way he took over and then had it out with Justin, who didn’t really do anything wrong. He was just being friendly. Right? I turn to walk away, I have no problem taking on the three mile walk.

  I get a couple yards away and I hear foot steps behind me. He is not following me is he? Really? I throw my hands up in the air and as I go to turn to argue my point with him I am being hoisted up over his shoulder. A shrill of a scream escapes my chest. He turns and starts walking back to his sleek black car.

  He has his keys out and hits the fob. The lights flash and he is heading for the driver’s side door. I’m smacking at his back, “I can walk!” He finally stops but when he sets me down he holds me in his arms and the next thing I know I am in the driver side of his car. I’m at a loss, “What are you doing?” He doesn’t say anything he just looks really pissed off. He closes the door to the driver’s side and he comes around the front of the car and gets into the passenger’s side.

  He hands me the keys, “If you won’t let me drive you home then you drive.”

  I raise an eyebrow, “Are you freaking kidding me?”

  “You know what? This whole ticked off little attitude is kind of sexy you know that?” He licks his split lip slowly, dragging it. He knows what he is doing to me by doing this.

  “Shut up and give me the keys.” I drive to my place, I’m not in the mood for any pit stops or any other kind of game he might want to play. We wound the corner to my street and I grumble when I see that Maddy is home, I can see her bedroom light is on.

  Derrek’s phone rings and he fishes it out of his back pocket. I allow my eyes to fixate on how he is pushing his hips up from the seat to reach for it. I go to put the car in park, but miss and jolt the car forward slightly. I can feel my face heat up. Here I am trying to keep my cool and remain stern.

  He stretches his neck before answering the phone, “Yeah?” He answers and glances in my direction quickly. I pull the keys from the ignition. “She’s home safe. Don’t worry, I…” He pauses and I see him make a tight fist and then he hangs up. Lifting those hips again he puts the phone away.

  “Justin?” I ask knowing the answer already.

  “Yeah, he wanted to make sure you got home. Like I wasn’t going to get you here safely.”

  “Technically I got myself home safely, just with your motor of transportation.”

  He looks me over and sighs.

  “How’s your lip?” I ask him. I see that it has stopped bleeding.

  “It’s fine thank you. Now would you care to explain why you were out with my cousin?” His eyes turn into slits and he crosses his arms over his chest. My heart starts to pound from the way he is looking at me. The car is getting hot inside, seeing as it is off and the windows are up. He doesn’t seem to be affected by it like I am.

  I go to reach for the car handle so I can get out and gain a breath of fresh air, but he puts a hand on my upper thigh, stopping me in my tracks. “I just need some air, it’s too hot in here.”

  He takes the keys and puts them back into the ignition and turns the engine on and cranks the air conditioning. “Better?”

  Still tense I nod my head and sit back into the seat.

  “Well?” His voice is deep and demanding. I don’t do demanding well. But shit when he does it… “What are you thinking about?” He asks.

  Without a thought I blurt out what it running through my mind, “I don’t like being told what to do. But when you are demanding, I feel confused…”

  His brows scrunch and he takes my hands in his. If he were Justin, I would have pulled them away. He had kissed me once and has told me his intentions, but I just don’t feel the same way he does. And with Derrek, he has also made his intentions known, but he has never pushed me. I have always seemed to meet him half way. That is what freaks me out.

  “Why do you feel confused?”

  I suck in my lip and he shifts in his seat. “Why does my lip biting affect you so much?” I had to ask. I know he told me it drives him wild, but really?

  He licks his lower lip and I can see the appeal, when I look at his mouth. He smirks, “See? It’s easy to be affected by watching someone’s mouth now isn’t it? Now with you, I want to know more of what you taste like. I want to feel your hot little mouth on mine again. I want to take that lip and suck on it so it’s plump. I have gone to bed with a hard on, just from thinking about that mouth and what you could do with it.” I feel wetness between my legs. His bluntness gets me riled up. “Now, I really want to know why you are confused about my, how did you put it? My demanding tone?”

  I move around in my seat, I don’t know what I am supposed to do with my body, the way it is reacting. When I shift around I feel sensitive down below. I let out a groan, “Because I have never been in control. Not a moment in my life, until I decided to come here. I was torn apart from the inside out. People, men demanding things of and from me. I used to be so scared when I was told what to do in a harsh tone and believe me, they were all harsh. But…”

  “Do I scare you?” Derrek asks me moving in closer to me. His hand on my leg once again and is tracing circles on my upper thigh.

  I shake my head no. “Not being afraid is what scares me.”

  Derrek moves in close to my neck and moves the hair from my shoulder and pushes it back. My breathing is becoming more rapid and ragged. He whispers, “Does he make you feel like this?” He brushes his lips lightly on my neck, just below my earlobe.

  I shake my head no.

  “Tell me how you’re feeling Honey Bee.” His hand moves to my inner thigh, but doesn’t move up.

  I lick my lips and close my eyes, “Good.”

  “Just good?”

  I let out a whimper when he takes the lobe of my ear between his teeth lightly. “Ah… Better than good…”

  “Good. If you were mine I would make you come right here. But seeing as you’re not and that upsets me greatly, because this…” He trails his hand up, and glides the tip of his finger ever s
o lightly over my sex. I toss my head back at the sensation. “…Is mine, weather you or him like it or not.”

  We are disrupted by a knock on the passenger side window. Derrek pulls away and looks out the window. He rolls it down and greets whoever is knocking, “Can I help you?”

  “This is private property, so whoever you got in there if they don’t live here then you need to get lost.” It’s Maddy. I lower my head and thank God it is dark and she can’t see me.

  He smiles and gives a nod, “Well what if I do have someone who lives here in here with me?” Oh crap he must know this is her. “What if we are getting ready to go upstairs?” He is playing with her.

  “Well, I know for a fact that there are no single ladies in this building that aren’t under thirty-five. Unless you’re into cougars.”

  He moves his body to take up more of the window space, I’m hoping it is to keep me from being seen. He leans into the window, “Are you a single lady under thirty-five?” What the hell? Is he really hitting on her? My heart sinks.

  I wish I could see what their faces look like, that way I can tell what’s really going on. “As a matter of fact I am.”

  “Well, then…” He starts and I tense up. His hand moves back to my leg and squeezes. I go to push it away when he speaks again, “Why don’t you go back inside since you are apparently the one and only single and lonely woman here.” His tone is cut and has a little snarl behind it.

  Maddy scoffs and walks away. When we are alone once again, he rolls up the window and turns back to me fully, “I am going to assume that was your room mate Maddy?”

  “The one and only.”

  “How do you put up with that?” He shakes his head.

  I sigh, “She wasn’t always like that. It’s been getting worse for the last couple of years.”

  He tips his head to the side, “Then why do you still live with her? I mean get your own place.”

  “Easier said than done. I don’t have enough for a security deposit and most want first month’s rent. I need to save up some money first and look for a better paying job than the diner. I will always stay at the library, but that’s part time.”

  “You work in a library and diner?” He asks me. Surprised that he didn’t know this already.

  I nod, “It’s enough to get me through here.” I look back at the converted house, “I can’t go right in there or she is going to put the pieces together.” I don’t need her on my case about seeing someone on the side of Josh.

  “Want to go somewhere then?” He offers.

  I should be having dinner with Justin and here I am with Derrek. Which still isn’t right considering I am with Josh and I can’t afford to really piss him off. I really need to get my stuff in order, a story together. I need to make some changes, but that makes me nervous. Change makes me nervous. I take in a deep breath, “Sure.”

  We quickly swap sides and I keep my head down so Maddy doesn’t see me, in case she is watching the car. “Anywhere you want to go?”

  “I’m up to anything, right about now, just nowhere with a lot of people.”

  He throws the car into gear and we speed off down the road. We’re in the next town over and we are pulling into the parking lot of a small pub. “I don’t know if I want to socialize…” I start.

  Derrek cuts me off, “Don’t worry, there won’t be anyone you don’t know here.”

  We walk in and I can see why. It is a pub that’s for sure, but it is very old school and has actual Irish music playing and the clientele is a little more mature. I feel at ease as soon as we find a spot at the bar. Derrek gestures for me to take a seat first and he leans up over the bar and signals the bartender. He orders us a beer each, and he leans his side on the bar and looks at me. Doesn’t say a word, but just looks. I feel itchy under my skin, like I can’t shake a feeling off. I know what it is, but I need to push it back until I am alone.

  The bartender is back with our beers and I ask him, “What’s that drink that you chase with beer?”

  They guy looks at Derrek and in a deep Irish accent asks him, “Is the lass serious?” He has a large toothy grin on his face and a reddish beard that covers his burly face. “Alright, hold on,” He chuckles and turns around.

  “You want to explain?” Derrek asks me.

  “Explain what? I feel like I need something a little tougher than just a beer.” I run my hands through my hair. I normally would just seclude myself in the barriers of my room with a stack of books. I stretch out my neck and Derrek reaches forward and brushes the hair off of my left shoulder.

  The bartender turns back around and sets a shot glass down next to my beer glass. It has a gold color to it, but not like the tequila, I look up at him and he tells me, “Whisky.” I smile and nod a thank you and he goes off to another patron.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea there light weight?” Derrek eyes me and the drink. “I know you’re not a big drinker…”

  “Well, tonight I am.” I pick up the small glass and pound it back. I feel the burn in my throat and when I take in a breath of air, I feel like coughing, but I manage to hold it back. I pick up the beer and take a few chugs of it. I can’t throw the whole glass down. I squeeze my eyes shut and push back the stinging tears. I look at Derrek who is sipping out of his own glass and watching me. “I’m a big girl I can take care of myself.”

  Setting his drink down he leans in, “Don’t get an attitude with me. You have no reason to. Whatever brought this on as of recently, maybe you should talk about it, rather than drown it out.”

  I stick my tongue out at him and he attacks my mouth with his. His hand grabs my hip and pulls me closer to him, pulling back he tells me, “Keep it up and I will take you back to my place.” The thought is exciting, but I know it wouldn’t be a smart move. He starts to pull me towards a booth and I lean back and tell the bartender that I want another shot.

  Derrek growls as he nearly pushes me into the booth, he sets both glasses down and just as he sits the bartender has one of the waitresses deliver me my drink. I go to grab it and Derrek takes it first, “Slow down.”

  “No,” I snip and pull it away and take it down before he can grab it back. The burn this time isn’t a as bad and I finish my beer with it this time. I start to feel the warmth of the booze and I’m feeling lighter, airy in a way. I breathe out in a gust and let my head fall back to the high backs seat of the deep green padded booth. “Wow, okay there is the rush…”

  “Easy Honey Bee,” Derrek says. He stands up and comes to my side of the booth, I slid over willingly and when he sits I grab his glass and take a long sip. “Ah, ah, ah slow down I said!” He takes it away and I slide all the way back to the wall and I turn so I am resting back against it. I bring my legs up and I am now facing his directly. I hug my knees and rest my head on top of them. I don’t say a word and neither does he. We just sit for a moment and look at one another.

  A different waitress returns with two more glass of beer and two shots of whisky, “On the house.” She winks at Derrek and I just give her a dead stare, when she finally looks at me she gives me a smug look. He may not be mine, but I sure as hell don’t want to see the flirting. I quickly grab mine and take it back hard and before she can open her mouth to hit on him I grab his face and turn it my way and I assault his mouth with mine. The booth space is pretty large so I am able to climb up into Derrek’s lap and really show her a reason to back the hell off. She finally scoffs and stomps away.

  Derrek has to struggle to pull away from me, but I can’t help it between the alcohol and the way he smells and tastes, I can’t seem to stop myself. Once he finally manages to break from my mouth he looks into my eyes, “Honey Bee, you’re drunk, I think it’s time we get going.”

  “To your place?” I ask. I don’t know if my tone sounded worried or excited about the possibility.

  “If you keep drinking like that I might have to. I won’t be able to get you all the way upstairs to your apartment, without there being the unwanted question
s from your roommate.” He analyzes what the sober me would contemplate.

  So what do I do now? I take his shot and pound it down. That’s four shots and a beer. And hello! I feel woozy so I let my head fall onto his shoulder to get my grounding and as I am looking down at his lap, I can’t help what my body wants to do. So, I allow my hand to travel to the tight fabric on his jeans. Starting at his knee and up his thigh. He growls at my touch and grabs my hand, just before I reach the part I am the most curious about.

  “You’re drunk.” He tells me.

  “Take me home Derrek.” I look up into his marvelous green eyes. The eyes that make my heart flutter and haunt my dreams at night. The dreams that make me want things that I never thought that I would or could desire. I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t want to do these things, it’s not right. But I’m with Josh for all the wrong reasons, I know that and he knows that, but I have no choice.

  He purses his lips and gives me a tight smile, “All right let’s get you home then.” He sounds disappointed.

  I lean into him before he stands, “No, you’re home Derrek.” I see a wave of emotions cross his face in a single moment. I see excitement, desire, lust and then it shifts to sadness, but why? “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  He puts an arm around me, “There is nothing more that I want other than to take you home with me. But you are drunk. I am not that kind of guy to take advantage of a beautiful woman, who is so clearly incapacitated. It would be wrong.”

  “No, what’s wrong is staying with a man who forces you to.”

  “What?” He growls.

  My eyes go wide and I realized that I have just said too much. Shit Margot what are you doing? This was a bad idea, such a bad idea. My head is spinning and I feel super-hot and like I’m suffocating. I need to get out of this booth, the sides are closing in on me and I can’t… I just can’t…

  “Let’s get you out of here,” He says as he helps me up and out of the pub.

  I’m awoken to the smell of coffee being made and I slowly start to open my eyes. Confused, because Maddy doesn’t drink coffee let alone make it. The sun is beaming in on me and I start to freak out when I hear a females voice, a different voice.