by Lexi Hunter
I tried not to look at him. I was just as embarrassed as he was. Actually, the more I watched him, the less certain I was that he was embarrassed at all. His cheeks weren't glowing red like mine, and his breath was even and steady.
I kept sneaking glances at his face before I finally realized that I wasn't the only one sneaking glances. My cheeks flushed and I brushed my hair back, tying it into a ponytail so that I wouldn't start twirling it like an adolescent.
What did it matter if he'd seen me naked?
That didn't change anything between us. Yes, his chest had looked exactly like it had in my dream. His muscles were tight and his body was built like a brick wall. I knew if I only ran my hand over his chest I'd be rewarded with the feel of smooth skin and solid muscle. But so what?
The one thing I did want was to see if Colt's eyes were the same deep caramel from my dream. Every time I tried to sneak a look at him, I caught him looking back at me. Then he would fidget in his seat and turn his head, covering half his face with a coffee cup before I could get a good look.
"More cream?" I finally asked, unable to take it. Colt finally looked at me, and I could see that my dream had not lied. How could I have never noticed eyes that brown before? It was like staring into two pools of chocolate syrup.
"I want more cream," Dad said. His voice boomed much too loudly for so early in the morning.
"Here," I said, pouring some creamer into his cup for him. Apparently, he and his cronies had had a little too much to drink last night. My father had taken to heart my parting bedtime comment telling him to get his own beer. He'd gotten not just one beer, however, but several. Apparently, Colt had joined in until he could no longer drive, and so Dad, being the responsible adult he was, had insisted he spend the night.
I was a little sorry I'd missed seeing Colt drunk. It might have loosened him up a little. He was always so stiff. We hadn't said one word to each other about our meeting in the bathroom. I was pretty sure we never would. But that didn't stop me from picturing the way the light had hit Colt's body when I opened the door. I didn't think I'd forget that ever again.
The phone rang and snapped me out of my trance. I looked around and saw my cell sitting next to Dad's on the counter.
"Hello?" I asked, not looking at the number before I answered.
"Hey, babe."
"Oh, hey, Erik." I wasn't sure why, but I left the room to stand where Colt couldn't hear me. "So what's up? Did you have fun with your folks last night?"
I already knew the answer would be a resounding no, but asked the question anyway to be polite.
"Actually, yeah. It was fun."
I stopped pacing the floor. Why was I pacing, anyway?
"Really? It was fun?" Erik and I had been dating since we were sophomores in high school and he had never once referred to "family time" as "fun time."
"Yeah. Jake beat the hell out of me at Skee-Ball. I kind of let him win, you know. He is eight."
"Oh," I said, a little surprised by Erik's sudden attitude. I'd thought he hated Skee-Ball. "Well... good. I'm glad you had fun."
"So, listen," he said. "Do you mind meeting me at the party, instead of me picking you up?"
"Sure," I said. "Why?"
"I... promised Jake I'd drop him at his friend's first and help them download some video games before I left."
"That sounds nice," I said. "Very sweet of you." The thing was, Erik wasn't sweet. At least, not to his little brother. An alarm bell sounded in my head but I pushed it away. "You are still coming to the party, right?"
"Oh yeah," he said, "for sure. I'll just meet you there is all. Don't bother going to the party too early, I'll probably be with Jake for a little bit. Like, at least an hour."
"Okaaay... so like eight?"
"Nine," he said immediately. "More like nine."
"Alright," I said. "Then I guess I'll see you at nine." I hung up feeling Erik like had called and told me he'd been kissing frogs all night. This wasn't like him.
I walked back into the kitchen and Colt was gone.
"Where's Colt?" I asked.
Dad shrugged. "Home. We got another poker game tonight at Bill's. Need to get in some extra sleep. Tonight's the big one. Bigger pot, extra players. Bill really knows how to throw them. Colt's gonna pick me up on his bike since my car is in the shop." He sipped on his coffee and I thought he had a point about tonight being a big night. For both of us. I was planning to give Erik his present.
"You got your party tonight, right?" Dad asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm meeting Erik there." He looked at me suspiciously.
"Any of your girlfriends going?"
I laughed, "Of course, Dad. Everyone's going. Anyways, I'm a big girl now, remember?" Maybe it was because he'd missed out on so much of my childhood that he kept treating me like a little girl.
He nodded, satisfied.
"I think my party might be even bigger than your poker game," I said and winked at him. He grinned back and the strange vibes I'd gotten from Erik fled my mind. I was just tired and overthinking it. Dad might be right about catching a nap. I'd gotten up at five and wouldn't even be at the party until nine. I didn't want to poop out before I could give Erik his graduation gift. Tonight was the night I planned to lose my virginity. And judging by how frisky I'd felt lately, I'd say it wasn't soon enough.
CHAPTER 5
Erik
I WOKE UP from my nap feeling refreshed. I'd dreamt about Colt again, only, this time, he had been dressed like a knight. I wanted to cringe and roll my eyes at how trite that sounded. I mean really, a knight in shining armor? Come on. But it had actually been incredibly erotic.
I'd felt that same deep craving for him that I'd had in my dream last night, only this time, I hadn't been able to get close enough to kiss him. This time, some idiot king refused to allow our love because of our age difference. Colt had slashed the king's throat with his sword, but I had woken up before I could claim my reward.
Dad knocked on the door. "You decent?" he asked.
I double checked that my dress was zipped in the back and nothing was hanging out that shouldn't be. The hot magenta fabric hugged my body in all the right places, making my hips look small and my breasts look huge. "Yeah, come in." The door opened and Colt stood behind my father, staring at me.
"Hi Colt," I said, without thinking. I felt the heat rise into my cheeks. I hadn't said "hello" to Colt since our first meeting three months ago. His only response had been "hello" followed by a quick nod as he scurried out of the room, away from me.
Now, he glared at me. I felt my body shrink back and wondered for the millionth time what I'd done to offend him. I knew why I hated him, but why did he hate me? He was too cute to have such a scowl on his face all the time. If only he would stop staring at me with those provocative eyes, I might be able to get him out of my head.
Did I just call Colt cute? Colt wasn't cute. Erik was cute. Colt was too mature to be cute. Sexy? Yes. Handsome? Sure. But cute?
Oh my God! Stop it! You just called him sexy and handsome!
I seriously had no idea what was wrong with me. Colt glared at me a moment longer before retreating silently down the stairs, his tight jeans clinging to him and giving me an eyeful as he walked away.
"Do I look that bad?" I asked my dad.
"What?" he asked uncertainly. "You look great."
I smiled. Sometimes my father really was nice. I was starting to wonder whether mom hadn't been a little unfair to him all these years. Maybe I should have him take a picture so I could send it to her. Then I remembered I was mad at her for leaving me alone here in Washington.
"Have fun tonight," he said. "Be safe." There was a tone behind his words that made me wonder if maybe he didn't know more than he was letting on. I hoped he hadn't found the lingerie I'd bought. Ew.
"You too," I told him. He shut the door and followed Colt down the stairs.
I looked at my phone. It was only six thirty, but the party had already started. I was anx
ious to get over there and see what was going on. Alec said he'd even hired a band. I could hang out with Beth and Courtney till Erik got there, so I gave myself one final look of approval in the mirror and left.
Alec's house was already packed by the time I got there. Someone handed me a drink as I walked in and I didn't ask what it was, I just took it and enjoyed. The house was huge, and I wondered how Alec had ever gotten his parents' okay for a party like this. Then I remembered his complaints that his parents were never around because of work, and I figured Alec had had an easy time throwing a guilt trip on them.
I wandered through the sea of people, saying hi and stopping to chat now and then. The backyard had more people than the inside of the house. Some were swimming, some were eating. I smelled barbecue and saw a banquet table laid out with food. The band was on a stage that had been set up with blue lights and smoke machines. Alec ran up to them between songs, making requests. I saw Beth over in the corner and started towards her.
"Hey," I said. Tyler had his arm around her and I hoped I wasn't intruding.
"Heeey!" Beth shouted over the music, wrapping me in a hug. She started to tip over but Tyler caught her.
"Been drinking much?" I teased.
"Nah," she shouted, blowing air in my face. Her breath smelled like the inside of a beer can. Tyler laughed.
"She's okay," he said. "Besides, Erik started way before her. If you've gotta worry about anyone here tonight, it's him." The music blasted in my eardrums, but slowly, it all faded out. Everything except Tyler's words.
"Erik's here?" I asked. "Already?"
Tyler looked like he'd stepped in dog shit. "Oh," he stammered, "yeah. I mean, I thought he was. Here I mean. Somewhere." His eyes shifted around the yard and that nagging feeling I'd had earlier, like I was being lied to, flooded back. "Hey, I'm gonna go get some food in our girl before she gets sick. We'll catch up with you later." He ushered Beth towards the banquet table, looking back over his shoulder at me.
I turned around and searched the crowd. Erick wasn't in the yard. I saw Carson standing with Mac and David. If anyone knew where Erik was, it was them.
"Hey guys, you seen Erik?"
"No," they all said together. I stared at their faces and knew they were lying.
I moved through the crowd, asking anyone I recognized, but asking people proved to be pointless. Either they lied to me or they really didn't know. When the lines became too blurred to tell which was which, I stopped asking and started walking around the house opening doors.
Alec's staircase was one of those long, winding ones you see in old movies where the protagonist lives in a mansion that sweeps across some great valley. I climbed it and felt like a queen, or at least a Hollywood starlet, until I reached the top of the stairs.
There was one long hallway, with bedrooms on either end. I walked to the left and peeked in through the first door. Nothing. There were two more doors down this end of the hall, but only one stood open.
I walked right past the open one and turned the knob on the closed door. It opened onto a scene which I wished I could wash from my mind forever. Erik lay in bed with Mimi Triliano spread across his midsection, one leg on either side as she bounced on top of him... Amy Bonita lay below him, her feet by his head, her head by his...
They screamed when they saw me. Mimi threw a pillow at me. Funny, she was bouncing on top of my boyfriend and she was the one yelling for me to get out. I decided to do as she suggested. I ran down the stairs, almost tripping over my feet as I tried to run faster than the speed of light. The stairs that had seemed so elegant now felt like a barrier to my freedom. I hurried down them and managed to fall only as my foot hit the bottom step. I went sprawling on the ground and a small circle of people crowded around me.
"Are you okay?" someone asked.
"She's fine," a drunken voice slurred.
Someone's hand reached out to help me up and I shook it away. I couldn't see. Tears clouded my vision. When I finally stood up I almost ran into a wall. I wiped at my eyes and saw the front door standing open for me. I fled through it as Erik ran down the stairs, chasing after me.
CHAPTER 6
Run
I DUG IN my pocket for my keys but couldn't find them. "Shit!"
I turned back to the house, thinking I could look for Beth or Macie, but there was a crowd gathering on the front lawn now. I didn't want to go back inside, and I really didn't want everyone to see me crying like this. I pulled my phone from my purse and dialed my dad. It rang twice before he answered.
"Dad," I said, trying not to sound too upset. "I... I um, can you come get me please?" I waited for an answer, suddenly afraid that he'd had one too many beers at his poker game.
"Maddison?" The voice that answered was not my father's. It was too husky to be his.
"Colt?" I squeaked through my tears. Great. "Can you put my dad on please?" For some reason, Colt was the last person I wanted to know about Erick's cheating on me, but it was impossible to hide the tears in my voice.
"Maddie, I'm sorry. He's not here. He left his phone in my satchel on our way to the poker game. I didn't realize I had it till I'd gotten home. I don't even think he's left the game yet."
That was when the tears exploded. Colt heard them in my voice, there was no way not to. I'd completely forgotten my dad's car was in the shop.
"Are you at Alec's?" Colt suddenly asked, his voice growing dark.
I gasped, how did he know that? "Yes."
"I'm coming to get you. Stay there."
I stared at the phone, incredulous. How could Colt possibly have known where I was? And he was coming to get me? Did he even know where Alec lived?
My mind raced trying to find answers to my questions. I couldn't think cleary.
"Maddie, wait! Don't go!" Erik came running down the lawn, still half naked. "Let me explain." I knew everyone was watching us, and that only made things worse. "It's not what it looked like."
My eyes turned on him and my hand fell across his face before I'd even realized that I'd slapped him.
"Did you just hit me?" he screamed, and I realized he was drunk. It looked like my small hand had barely touched him. His cheek wasn't even red.
"Don't you dare yell at me," I screamed, a circle forming around us. "I didn't do anything. How could you... Is this what you were doing last night when you said you were with your family?" I could tell by the way he flushed that I was right.
"Maddie, it was just a one-time thing, okay? They meant nothing to me." It was every cliché in the book and my stomach lurched at the ease with which he expelled them. If he could lie to me this easily now, how many times had he lied before?
"I don't care," I screamed. My throat felt raw. I wanted to run away. I'd run all the way back home if I had to, I just wanted to be out of this place and away from this humiliation. I looked for an opening in the circle, but it had grown tighter around us. I couldn't see beyond it anymore. Everyone was drunk and a fight seemed entertaining to them right now.
"Maddie, just listen to me." Erik reached out and grabbed my arm. It felt like fire on my skin and I yanked it back.
"You're being ridiculous," he said.
I laughed. I was being ridiculous? Was he for real? His mouth tightened and his eyes grew a shade darker. "Are you laughing at me?" he asked.
I couldn't answer him, though. I was doubled over in giggles. It really wasn't very funny. I wasn't quite sure why I was laughing. It was just that the idea of him being mad at me was so ludicrous I couldn't stand it. A few people in the circle chuckled, and Erik's face turned red. He suddenly seemed to realize how big a crowd had gathered around us and he didn't look happy about it. I thought I'd better just get out of here. I turned to run, even if it meant tackling the people who blocked my path.
"You bitch," Erik said, so low I almost didn't hear.
I heard someone gasp and saw Beth push Tyler towards us, mouthing something to him.
"Uh, Erik man, maybe you should..."
"Shu
t the fuck up Tyler," Erik said. His voice sounded more like a growl, and I wondered what had happened to the Erick I had thought I'd known and loved.
Tyler backed towards Beth and pulled her close. I saw an opening in the right of the circle and headed towards it. Erick's hand shot out and wrapped around my wrist, pulling me towards him.
"Ow!" I screamed. "Let go, Erik, you're hurting me!"
"You're the one who should be getting laughed at." He pulled me forward and I felt my shoulder pop in a strange way I didn't like. "What did you expect me to do? Wait forever for your virgin pussy?"
"Let go!" I screamed as loud as I could. How could no one be helping me? Everyone in the crowd seemed frozen, like deer in headlights. Erik's hand felt like it was crushing my wrist. I tried to yank it away but it wouldn't budge. He slapped me once and everyone around us gasped, but still, no one moved.
Tears rolled over my cheeks in thick waves. Erik still had a hold of my wrist. I could tell that it was about to snap. He was going to break it. "Someone help!" I screamed, desperate now.
Then a voice, deep and gritty, shot through the air outside the circle. "Get the hell out of my way." The crowd parted and Colt stepped through.
CHAPTER 7
Fight
I COULDN'T BELIEVE he was there. I'd never seen Colt so angry. His caramel eyes assessed the situation quickly and efficiently. His muscles raged beneath his skin, swelling up in him like a tidal wave. He looked at Erik, with his hands on me, and in one swift move crossed over to us ready to snap Erik in two, just like the snake in my dream.
"You let her go now," Colt said through gritted teeth. His hands trembled with rage. He towered over Erik and I knew it was only because Erik was so drunk that he insisted on doing the opposite of what Colt said. Instead of releasing me, Erik yanked me harder towards him, so fast I almost fell. I heard a soft whimper like an injured kitten and realized the sound had come from me.
