Pull You Through

by Kaylee Ryan

  Stepping away from the tailgate to stand in front of her, I offer them my hand. “Good to see you,” I say. I don’t mean it, but I know it’s the polite thing to say. Not that they’ve done anything to me, but I can tell that they want her, and that’s just not gonna work for me.

  “You’re a marine, too, right? With Brandon?” the one who seems to be less of a douche asks.

  “Yep.”

  “Austyn, save me a dance later.” Douche, who I think is Lawrence, winks.

  She surprises me when she wraps her legs around my waist from her seat on the tailgate and pulls me back toward her. Not that it takes much effort; it’s as if I gravitate toward her on my own. I rest against the tailgate between her thighs. Going for casual, as if this is us, I rest my forearms on her thighs.

  “Not sure my guy here would be okay with that,” she says sweetly.

  “Is that how it is?” Lawrence asks.

  “Yep,” she says, popping the P.

  “Catch you around, Austyn,” Mark, the not so douche one, says and pulls his buddy to the other side of the huge-ass fire that’s blazing in front of us.

  “Sorry about that,” she whispers in my ear once they’re gone.

  Turning, I place my hands on the tailgate on either side of her. “What was all that?”

  She shrugs. “Lawrence is a flirt. He’s harmless but relentless. I thought that if he thought we were, you know, together, he would chill.”

  “Is he bothering you?” I ask, standing up taller.

  “No, not like that. He’s more like an annoying gnat that won’t go away. He’s not the kind of guy to go after someone who’s… attached.”

  “I see. So you used me to keep him at bay?”

  Worry crosses her face. “I’m sorry, Slade. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Hey.” Unable to resist, I lift one hand and cup her cheek. “If it helps you, I’m good with it.” She nods. “But what about when I leave? I’m only here for four more days.”

  “I wasn’t thinking that far ahead.”

  “Just tell him we’re still together. He knows I’m a marine, right? So he’ll know that we’re going to be gone a lot. Just tell him it’s me.” What I really want to say is I want it to be me. I want to ask her to try this with me, a long-distance relationship. It’s just my luck I’d find her when I’m already committed to the Marines.

  “He’ll figure it out eventually, when you don’t come back.”

  Her voice is small and laced with sadness, if I’m not mistaken. “Who says I’m not coming back?” My mind is calculating the next time I might be able to come to Kentucky to see her.

  “I just assumed. I mean, I know you aren’t from around here.”

  “I’m not from anywhere, not anymore,” I tell her honestly. I don’t know why, but I end up spilling the truth when I’m around her.

  “Slade,” she whispers, leaning in, and all I can think about is kissing her. Pressing my lips to hers, feeling their softness, tasting her… Austyn could quickly become my addiction.

  “What did we miss?” Savannah asks. She turns her back to the tailgate, and Brandon lifts her just as I did Austyn earlier.

  “Nothing much,” Austyn tells her.

  Brandon grabs us each a bottle of water. He holds his up as if we’re toasting. “Happy Birthday, brother,” he says to me. The four of us click our plastic water bottles together, causing the girls to laugh.

  “Not drinking tonight?” Savannah asks him.

  “Not tonight, babe. We’re underage, and if they test or some shit, it could be bad. The risk isn’t worth the potential punishment.”

  I’m still resting between her legs when I feel her shiver. “You cold?”

  “Just a little.” She smiles. “I actually brought your sweatshirt back to you and brought me another. They’re in the back seat of the truck.”

  “I’ll be right back.” I walk around the truck and see the two hoodies lying there. I grab mine and shut the door. “Here,” I say, holding it out to her.

  “I brought one. At least I thought I did.”

  “You did,” I say, handing her mine again. Her blue eyes light up with the glow of the fire and I can see recognition in them. She gets what I’m saying. I want her in mine. I wait until she has it pulled over her head and her arms in the holes before I take my spot back resting between her thighs.

  “What about you? Are you cold?” she asks.

  “No, but if I do get cold, I’m depending on you to keep me warm,” I say, keeping my voice low, just for her.

  She doesn’t reply, but she does move her hands to rest at my sides, right under my arms. To anyone looking on, we’re a couple. If only that were true. The night goes on with the four of us shooting the shit. I’m introduced to all kinds of people whose names I will never remember. The girls ate me up with their eyes, while the guys sized me up with theirs. However, all of them seem surprised to see Austyn and me so close. That’s exactly how we were, close. I didn’t leave her side all night. I asked her several times if she wanted to go say hi to her friends, but she declined. So did Savannah. The four of us stayed where we were and let them come to us.

  The party dies down. Apparently, we’re boring since we’re not drinking. Brandon doesn’t seem to mind, and neither do I. I prefer to remember every minute I have with Austyn. The four of us hang out until the fire dies down. We play some song trivia game that the girls made up. They have to sing a line of the song and Combs and I had to guess the title and the artist.

  When we get back to the house, we walk the girls to their cars. “Thank you, Slade,” Austyn says, not looking at me.

  Reaching out, I place my finger under her chin and lift gently until her eyes land on mine. “Never thank me for spending time with you.”

  “That… and letting them think we’re together. I know I was wrong, but—”

  “But nothing. I’d be one lucky son of a bitch to be able to call you mine, Austyn.” She opens her mouth to reply but quickly shuts it. “You’re beautiful.” I step closer to her. Her back is now resting against the side of her car. When her tongue slips out and wets her lips, I lose my resolve. Leaning in, I press my lips to hers. I want to fucking devour her, but I find my restraint and pull back.

  “Drive safe,” I tell her, stepping back to open her door.

  “I-I almost forgot.” She leans down and grabs something out of her car. When she stands, she shuts the door. “Happy Birthday, Slade,” she says, handing me an envelope.

  “You didn’t have to,” I say, without even opening it. The only other person in my life I’ve ever received a card from, hell, a gift from is Gran. It’s unreal—the fluttering in my chest from a piece of paper. Then again, maybe that’s just Austyn.

  “It’s not much.”

  “Thank you.” I lean down and kiss her again. Just a quick touch of my lips to hers, but a kiss all the same. It doesn’t lessen the way my lips tingle, or the way I long to kiss her for hours.

  I start to pull open the envelope, and she places her hand over mine. “Wait, just until I’m gone.”

  “Austyn, whatever it is, it’s from you, so it’s perfect.” I can’t see her blush with the darkness that surrounds us, but I know it’s there.

  “Goodnight, Slade.”

  “Goodnight. Text me when you get home,” I say, opening her door for her. When she’s buckled in, I close the door and step back. I watch her until I can no longer see her car. Not wanting to share whatever it is she’s given me, I slip the envelope under my shirt. I walk past Combs and Savannah; they’re too lost in each other to notice me, but I keep the envelope under my shirt anyway.

  When I get up to my room, I pull out the envelope and carefully slide open the seal. Austyn has no idea what this means to me; it could be a blank piece of paper and just the fact that she thought of me. No one has thought about me before, except for Gran. Pulling out the card, I open it, and something falls to the floor. Reaching to pick it up, I see it’s two of the pictures we took from th
e fair on Austyn’s phone. She and I are making silly faces in one, and she’s kissing me on the cheek in the other. She’s so fucking beautiful she takes my breath away.

  Realizing there’s more, I focus back on the card in my hand. It’s just your average birthday card, but it’s the note inside that gets me.

  Slade,

  Happy Birthday! It’s not much, but I wanted to give you something to remember your trip to Kentucky. I can’t imagine what it’s like, being a marine, but when times are tough, I hope that this will help lift you up.

  Always,

  Austyn

  Without even knowing it, she’s given me a gift that I will forever treasure. There have been so many moments in the last seven days that I want to commit to memory. All of them involving her. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I look at the black and white photo of the two of us. I can’t seem to tear my eyes from her until my phone vibrates. I know it’s her.

  Austyn: I’m home.

  Me: Thank you for the card and the pictures.

  Austyn: It’s not much.

  Me: It’s everything. Goodnight, angel.

  Austyn: Goodnight, Slade.

  I don’t even bother to change my clothes. I just kick off my shoes, turn off the light, and lie back on the bed. The moonlight filters in through the blinds, but it’s not enough light to see the picture, or to see her smiling face or the kiss she’s giving me. I hold the picture to my chest and close my eyes. I don’t need to see it because it’s ingrained in my memory. Every moment with her is.

  HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SLEEPING and wake up because you feel like someone is watching you? You’re in the state of being half asleep and half awake. You don’t want to open your eyes, but you know you should because someone is watching you. That’s me, and the culprit is my little brother, Dawson.

  “Morning, Aust,” he says, giving me a toothy grin.

  “Morning, bub. What are you doing up so early?” I ask with a yawn.

  “It’s not early. It’s almost lunchtime.”

  Groaning, I reach over and grab my cell phone from the nightstand. I see it’s a little after eleven and that I missed a message four hours ago from Slade.

  “Can we go to the fair today? You promised,” Dawson says, bouncing on the bed in excitement.

  I reach out and ruffle his hair. “Yeah, bud. Let me get a shower, and we can go. What are Mom and Dad doing?”

  “They are going on a date since I’ll be with you. A day date, Mommy said.”

  I smile. My parents are still so in love it would be sickening if not for the fact that I’ve watched it all these years. “Okay, make sure you get some old shoes or boots, and get a hoodie.”

  “Yay!” Dawson cheers and races out of my room.

  I take a minute to rub the sleep from my eyes before lifting my phone and unlocking the screen.

  Slade: Morning, beautiful. What are your plans today?

  Me: Sorry, I slept in. You were up early.

  Slade: Hazard of the job, I’m afraid. You get rested?

  Me: I did. I probably would still be asleep if it were not for Dawson.

  Slade: Ah, the little brother was tired of being quiet.

  Me: LOL. Nope, I promised him I would take him to the fair today.

  Slade: Want some company?

  Me: You want to hang out with me and my little brother.

  Slade: I leave in two days.

  Me: I thought it was three.

  Slade: We have to be there on Tuesday.

  Me: Give me an hour or so and we’ll swing by and pick you up.

  Slade: I’m ready when you are.

  Rolling my lazy ass out of bed, I grab some clothes and head across the hall to the shower. Twenty minutes later, I find Dawson in the living room, old boots on his feet, and a hoodie in his arms as he watches cartoons. I smile at his excitement and make my way to the kitchen.

  “Morning, sweetie. He’s excited.” She motions her head to the living room where Dawson sits.

  “I can see that.”

  “This is all he’s talked about all week. I left some money for you under your keys by the door.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Dad and I are going to lunch and run some errands. We should be back before or around the same time as you.”

  “Don’t rush. I’ve got nothing else going on today. I’m driving by Brandon’s and picking Slade up. He’s going to hang out with us today.”

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with him.”

  That’s Mom; she’s questioning without questioning. “Yeah, started out so he wouldn’t feel like a third wheel, but he’s a nice guy.”

  “Nice, huh?” she asks, taking a sip of her coffee. I swear she drinks that stuff all day long.

  “Yes, nice.” I hold back my laughter.

  “Do we get to meet him?”

  I shrug and finish chewing my bite of Pop-Tart before answering. “They leave in two days, so I’m not sure.”

  “Bring him with you when you bring Daws home.”

  “Maybe.” I shake my head and smile. “Where’s Dad?” I ask, changing the subject.

  “He ran over to the hardware store.”

  “I thought the two of you were running errands.”

  “Oh, we are, but he wanted to knock that one off the list and I didn’t argue,” she says with a laugh.

  “I don’t blame you.” I finish my Pop-Tart and rush back upstairs to grab myself a hoodie. When I see Slade’s hanging on my desk chair, I remember I have one in the car still. I grab his so I can return it, then head back downstairs. Dawson is waiting for me on the last step. “You ready?”

  “Yes!” He cheers, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my car. He climbs in the back and buckles himself in. I wait and watch him to make sure he’s secure before buckling in and heading toward Brandon’s. “Austyn, this is not the way to the fair,” he says from the back seat.

  I laugh. “I know that, bud. I’m bringing a friend of mine today. He’s a marine like Brandon.”

  “He is?” he asks, eyes wide.

  “Yep. He’s going to hang out at the fair with us today. That okay with you?” I’m not sure why I ask him if it’s okay; it’s happening regardless.

  “Sure. Is he nice?” he asks. “I mean, Brandon’s nice to me and he’s a marine, but the Marines on TV are big and scary.”

  “Scary?”

  “Yeah, they can kill people with their bare hands,” he says, wide-eyed.

  I glance into the rearview mirror, and he has a look on his face that says Duh, you should know this. “He’s nice, Daws.” The rest of the ride to Brandon’s, my little brother rambles on about how cool marines are. He repeats everything my parents and I have told him since Brandon left. Brandon and Savvy and I spend a lot of time together and a lot of the time includes Dawson after school. He was sad when Brandon left. Dawson is also good friends with Brandon’s twin cousins, Noah and Jonah. They’re all in the same class, so to these little guys, marines are their heroes, just because of Brandon. I don’t think their little minds process that all military, not just Marines, are our heroes.

  We pull into Brandon’s drive, and as soon as the car is turned off, Dawson is throwing off his belt and bolting from the car. He’s up the steps and knocking on the door before I can get my door shut. “Brandon!” I hear him yell and see him launch himself at him.

  I feel bad. I should have made sure that Daws got to see him sooner. I’ve been so caught up in Slade, it almost didn’t happen. “Hey,” I say, walking in the front door to find Dawson on Brandon’s hip. It’s something that he is too big for, at least for me. Slade stands beside him, and from the sounds of it, I’m just in time for the introduction.

  “Daws buddy, this is my friend Slade. He’s a marine like me,” Brandon tells Dawson.

  “You’re big like Brandon,” Dawson says.

  “Dawson!” I scold him.

  “Aust, he is,” he defends.

  Slade’s deep rumble of laughter pulls my attention fr
om my little brother. “Nice to meet you, Dawson.” Slade holds his hand out for him to shake. Dawson takes it, his tiny hand disappearing into Slade’s.

  “Aust,” Dawson says, letting go of Slade’s hand.

  “Yeah, bud?”

  “Come here.” He motions for me to come closer. “I forgot,” he whispers, but not really. We can all hear him.

  “Forgot what?” I whisper back.

  “What I’m posta say.” He jerks his head toward Brandon and points at Slade.

  “You lost me, bud.” I’m super confused right now.

  “When I meet the men like them, I’m posta say something, and I can’t remember.”

  Now I get it. I lean in close, and this time, I do whisper in his ear, just for him. “Thank you for your service.”

  His little head bobs up and down. He turns to Brandon and wraps his arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. “Thank you for your service, B,” he says.

  Brandon smiles over at me and hugs him back. Dawson lets go of his hold on him and wiggles out of his arms. Brandon sets him back on the ground and Dawson walks to stand in front of Slade. He stares up at him. I try to see him from his eyes. He’s a little taller than Brandon, my guess is a couple of inches, and his shoulders are broad, more so than Brandon’s. To a little boy like Dawson, I can see how he would be intimidating. Without a word, Dawson walks closer and wraps his little arms around Slade’s waist. “Thank you for your service,” he says softly. He lets go of him and comes to stand beside me.

  Placing my arm around him, I bend down and whisper, “Good job, buddy.” He smiles up at me. Standing to my full height, I see both Brandon and Slade standing a little taller at my little brother’s praise. Both wear looks of pride, as they should. “You ready?” I ask Slade.

  “When you are,” he says, stepping next to me.

  “What are you and Savvy getting into today?” I ask Brandon.

  “Hanging out here.” He smirks, and I read through the lines. Alone time it is.

  “Right, let’s go, Daws.”

  He grabs my hand and we walk out to the car. I open the back door for him and make sure he’s buckled in. When I get into the driver seat, I see Slade’s knees are hitting the dash. “You can scoot your seat back,” I tell him.