The Cliff

by Gucker, Christie A. C.

  “Are you sure? Because it sounds like a double date, and you know we would love nothing more than having you as actual real family,” Samantha chirped while flitting through everything they’d brought.

  “Samantha. Don’t go there.”

  “But, Lanie, it’s perfect. The pact is broken once one of them is taken.” Of course my girls knew about the pact.

  “Don’t push her. She’ll come to her senses and realize Grant is the perfect man for her.” Well there was Chelsie’s two cents.

  “You guys know Grant doesn’t think about me like that.” I raised the two-cent ante.

  “I don’t know, Lanie … he seemed awful lost without you while you were gone,” Chelsie said.

  “Oh stop it already. He sounded fine whenever I talked to him.”

  “Right, because you were talking to him. Whenever I talked to him he sounded all sad and gloomy.” Samantha threw her two cents in, too. At this rate we would be millionaires. “And he made that comment,” Samantha babbled some more.

  “What comment?” I said as I pulled my knees up to my chest, feeling slightly uneasy.

  “Nothing. No comment.” Chelsie punched Samantha in the arm.

  “Ow!” Samantha cried, “Fine. No comment.”

  “You are so telling me about said comment,” I demanded.

  “Dane was all sad, too. It was like ‘who could be sadder that Lanie was gone.’” Chelsie ignored me completely. I had to get Chelsie out of the room so I could get loose-lips to spill it.

  “Chelsie, did you see the kitten Grant got me?”

  “Kitten? He got you a kitten? Where? I have to see him. I love little animals.”

  “Downstairs. You’ll have to search him out.” And with that she was gone. I turned to Samantha, who had the same sly look on her face I probably did. “About that comment you mentioned?”

  “I have to do it fast. You can email me any questions. So the other day, Chelsie and I came to see Grant. We asked him when you’d be getting home and he actually said …

  Chapter 3

  I’m Sorry, What Did You Say?

  … and I quote, ‘I don’t ever want to be without Lanie for any extended period of time ever again. Never without her.’ Yep, that’s what he said.” I could hear her shit-eating grin.

  My heart fluttered. Or was that my stomach? She had to be misreading what he meant.

  “I’m sure he was talking generally. You know, about the business and things around here. I’m sure it wasn’t meant that way.”

  “Well, you think what you want, but I was there and I know what our conversation was, and …” She stopped abruptly at hearing Chelsie cooing while climbing the stairs, “And do with it what you will.”

  “I see you found my little Woof.”

  “I’m sorry, what did you say? Did you just call this cat a wolf? You do know it’s a cat, right?” I exaggerated rolling my eyes. Apparently, that’s just how their family said Wolf. Woof. Whatever.

  After about an hour of looking through everything in my closet and all the garment bags the girls had brought, we all agreed on a slinky sapphire blue mini dress with black knee-high boots. Oh yeah, I was going to look hot. Samantha promised to stay to do my hair and Chelsie was all over my makeup. Why did I feel like there was more to this dress-up game we were playing than outdoing Sally?

  After a lunch of laughter, girl gabbing and a hot shower, they began transforming me into a formidable force of hotness. I had to give myself this one. I really did look good. I was stoked.

  Grant said he would swing past and get me. Of course he would, since he had to pass my front door to get to Dane’s. So at about 5:30, the girls headed out right as Grant arrived.

  “Ladies.”

  “Cousin.”

  “Have a really good time tonight,” Chelsie sang.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Samantha chimed in.

  Grant laughed and shook his head. “What’s up with those two?” He hadn’t even looked at me yet, and when he turned, his mouth dropped open. “Wow. Who cares? You look amazing.”

  I smirked to myself, satisfied that we had accomplished our mission. If someone who saw me as a sister was mouth agape, then I knew I looked hot. He offered me his elbow and I slid my hand around. I wished I had someone to do this with all the time. Hell, I wished I had Grant to do this with all the time, because he also looked quite fine on my arm.

  Did things seem different between us? No, I was sure it was just Samantha putting ideas in my head. Stupid Samantha! Why would she do that to me?

  We walked to Dane’s house, giggling all the way about what awful thing Sally would be serving for dinner.

  “Can she even cook?”

  “She probably ordered from a restaurant and is putting dirty pots around the kitchen.”

  “Can you get eye of newt and bat wings at the local market?”

  “Those aren’t hot dogs, they’re the fingers of all the men she’s dated.”

  “Dane Piccata on the menu tomorrow.”

  “Dinner is served! Bathroom to the right, coffins to the left.”

  By the time we got there we were in tears. We used Dane’s mom’s knockers, trying to be formal. Dane answered.

  “Why did you use the knockers?”

  “Who doesn’t want to touch your mom’s knockers before dinner?” Grant joked.

  “I can play with knockers anytime I want.” I smiled and walked in past them both.

  I saw Grant and Dane share a smile at that one and then they followed me into the grand hall.

  Dane’s house was just over the top. He had marble floors and a huge crystal chandelier that gave a clear starry night a run for its money.

  Although Dane was himself with us, he was all about image with other people. He had to have the expensive suits and the hottest sports cars (of which he had many), and he was ruthless when it came to making deals or taking down the competition. I was glad we were on his good side. And then I heard it. Oh crap.

  “Lanie! Oh my God, Lanie. Look at you. You actually look so good, no more awkward tomboy.” Lori threw her words at me.

  There she was in her too-short skirt with her too-low top. Her hair was perfect and so was her makeup. I had to give it to her. She was a very pretty girl—on the outside.

  “Yes, some of us just have good genes like that.” I shrugged it off. This was about Dane’s happiness and for Lori, that was as close to a compliment as it got.

  Yes, Lori was Sally Seawhore. My enemy. I hated her. I hadn’t always. We were good friends our freshman year of high school. We were always together and people referred to us as the twins. Not that we looked anything alike; we were just inseparable. We were so tight that even after spending the entire day together in or out of school, we would call each other the second we each got home. But then things changed.

  Lori spent the summer between freshman and sophomore year away, and when she came back, she was a different person, cruel and mean-spirited. Then the shenanigans began. She stole any guy I was interested in. First there was George Long. She nabbed him by my locker for the girls’ choice dance. I was shocked but chalked it up to “it happens.” Then there was Mike Pucci. We were in a study group and she apparently needed some tutor time in her pants. This I just thought was humorous. Then there was Tom Loft, my prom date. That one infuriated me. I remember them going outside for a smoke and then they were gone. I waited by the dance floor for the big last dance and he just never came back. Dane had left early with his date, so I called Grant in tears to come pick me up. I stood alone outside waiting for him, my chest heaving from muffled cries. Everyone was coupled and leaving for after parties or hotel rendezvous. They looked and whispered or completely ignored me.

  The car rolled up and Grant had to get out to help me in. I cried so hard when I saw him, I couldn’t even see the door handle. We left and drove straight to the beach. He put his arm around me as we stared at the ocean while I cried out every last bit of liquid in my body.


  He reminded me of how I had attended his senior prom with him and said I should hold onto that memory as my prom. And I do still, to this day. I also hold close what he told me that night.

  “When we’re married,” he cleared his throat quickly and added some comment about how if we each never met the right person we would marry each other, “and have kids,” again the throat cleared and he said something about our parents killing us if we never produced grandchildren, “I want them to see pictures of their parents together at the prom.” Sweet. Grant was just so compassionate.

  * * *

  Grant walked up behind me and gave his polite greeting. Lori took one look at Grant and squealed as she flung herself into his arms for a huge hug. Lori had two very nice assets that I was not blessed with. And now she was rubbing them all over Grant’s chest. I felt a serious pang of jealousy. You can’t have them both, I thought.

  There are only two ways to get boobs like that. You either have them put in or you’re a little on the heavier side. Or sometimes God just graced certain people with cleavage. Lori was an hourglass and carried it well. Although speaking of assets, my asset blew hers away! I had been graced with awesome buttocks. I had legs that went all the way up! Thank you, God.

  Grant was red in the face, so I jumped in to rescue him. “Lori, let’s go get some girl talk on while we finish any last minute stuff for dinner.” And I grabbed her arm and yanked her off Grant and toward the kitchen.

  When dinnertime rolled around, we all took our seats so Lori could serve us. She gave Dane a healthy platter without asking him a thing. Were they that close now that she knew what he liked? Maybe she just felt he needed some of everything she had to offer. That’s usually what she gave most guys. When it came to Grant, who she sat next to herself, she literally leaned down so he could see her heaving cleavage at eye level. “Can I offer you some sweet breast meat?”

  “Hmm,” escaped my lips curtly.

  “Oh no, thanks, I’m more of a thigh guy myself,” Grant said with a smile as he shot me a wink from across the table. What did that mean? Why was I questioning everything suddenly?

  As the night progressed, I watched Lori fawn all over Grant instead of Dane. Dane seemed not to notice or mind. That was out of character for him. He did have a jealous streak. Maybe Lori really did make him happy. He planted himself next to me on the couch and Lori did the same with Grant. It seemed the “couples” were all sorts of mixed up. We talked about old times and heard a lot about everything Lori. She loved to talk about herself.

  I was growing increasingly tired of her pawing Grant, and after coffee, I had had enough. “Grant, we need to head back. Remember, we have to get up really early.”

  “What? Oh, yes. Early. We should really head out. Dinner was really nice.”

  “Oh, we must do this all the time,” Lori said, while she tried to touch him yet again. We gave Dane the double raised eyebrow look as we hugged him goodbye and headed out the door.

  “Well, that was interesting,” I said flatly.

  “She was all over me, right? I mean, flirting and touching? And Dane thought it was cute or something, right?” He sounded completely confused.

  “Yes. She was, he did, and I didn’t like it.” The words escaped my mouth before I even had a chance to think of what I had done. Grant stopped in his tracks and grabbed my arm and pulled me back to face him.

  “Lanie? Which part didn’t you like?” I put my eyes to the ground and watched as my boot made little circles in the dirt. He tilted my face so our eyes met. His fingertip was tingling where it touched me. Suddenly, I could feel my eyelids getting heavy and my breathing change. I was feeling something different. I mean, since I had been back, things with Grant seemed different. Where was this going?

  “I didn’t like her touching you like right in front of Dane like that.” Damn. I was a chicken.

  “I see. And that’s all?” His eyes bore into mine searching for more. I could feel myself about to start babbling anything he wanted to hear. He was like walking truth serum.

  “How about we go one-for-one. Shall we?” One-for-one was a game we had always played together. When something was hard to say, we would go one-for-one. You tell me something, and then I tell you. You show me yours and I’ll show you mine. Well, that would have been a lot more fun.

  “You go first,” I said.

  “All right. I missed you so much these past six months,” he offered.

  “I already know that; that doesn’t count.”

  “But I don’t think you know the extent or how.”

  “Okay … how then?”

  “I don’t ever want you to be away again.”

  “Grant, work will always cause one of us to travel for extended—” and he put a finger over my lips. I suddenly felt the urge to wrap my tongue around it.

  “No, Lanie. I don’t ever want you to be away from me; never again. I missed you terribly.”

  “Um, terribly?” God I was so lame. I stared into his eyes. The heat between us became intense, as if electricity was cracking there.

  “Lanie, do I have to spell this out for you?”

  “Yes, please. Spelling, definition, and then use it in a sentence.”

  And then he …

  Chapter 4

  Could You Spell That Again?

  … just kissed me. It was a soft, gentle kiss that sent a shock wave from my lips right to my girliest of girl parts. When he pulled away, not very far away, he just stared into my eyes with something that was not looking at me like a sister. What was he searching for?

  “Could you please spell that again?” I murmured. He relaxed and laughed softly and kissed me again, this time allowing his tongue to brush across my bottom lip. I was melting.

  It took everything not to pounce on him and do all the naughty things that were suddenly running through my head right there on my porch.

  “Use it in a sentence, please.” I whispered with my eyes still closed, my head still tilted.

  “Of course.” And he crushed his lips to mine, pulling my body against his. I was lost in him. His tongue began swirling with mine and my head began swirling, too. We remained in this sentence, which was slowly approaching a paragraph. I didn’t care, I would have been happy kissing a novella with him.

  When our lips finally parted, I wasn’t sure what to do next. “Would you like to come in?” I sounded like a complete idiot.

  “Lanie, I’m not sure this is right or wrong. I just know it’s what I want. But I want to go very slowly. I don’t ever want to hurt you or ruin things between us. Maybe not tonight. Promise you understand.”

  I raised my right hand and stated, “I promise I understand.”

  And then his lips were on mine again. Reaching up, I curled my fingers into his hair and drank him in. I wanted to pull him inside to see where this would go, but I had promised. So I released him.

  “I’ll meet you at eight at the stables?”

  “Yes, and don’t be late. There’s a huge nor’easter heading in, looks to hit the island head on. Might be a really nasty one and we have a lot to do to batten down the hatches.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Great. Good night, Lanie.”

  “Good night, Grant.” We watched each other as he headed home until he almost tripped looking back at me. I could see him shaking his head. I giggled. I got inside and ran for the phone to call Samantha. Voicemail. Damn it. So I found Woof and told him everything. He purred and rubbed against me and listened. He curled up in my lap and fell asleep while I tried to reach Samantha two more times and left a slew of excited messages.

  I carried Woof up to my room and put him on the bed and dimmed the lights so I didn’t wake him. He was just so damn cute. I began to undress and my thoughts shot back to when I used to window tryst for Grant, well at least in my head. Maybe for old times’ sake.

  I walked over to see if his light was on. It was but something was blocking it. Was he looking at my window, too? I started to undress and fel
t a little silly at first. But taking the chance he might be watching made my confidence boost. In a matter of moments, the boots and dress were on the floor and I put on the sheerest nightie I had. I went to the window and pushed open the French panes. Immediately the breeze blew the curtains back. I rested my hands on the sill and tried to appear like I was looking at something. Got to love that wind. It was kicking up from the oncoming storm and blowing my hair back like I was a model on a photo shoot.

  I felt sexy knowing he was interested and the exhibitionism of the moment only added to it. I pulled myself up onto the sill to sit and listen to the ocean and give Grant a better view. I glanced over and I could see him. He was watching! I saw him run his fingers through his hair, then down his face, and pace a bit. It almost looked like he was heading toward his door, but then he was back at the window again.