by Jessie Evans
“I echo Melody’s lack of understanding.”
Kitty smiled, but it faded quickly. “I guess I’ve never believed that anyone would be lucky to go home with me.”
“Why not?” John asked. “I’m the one with the white-fro and wimpy shoulders; what’s your excuse for low self-esteem?”
Kitty shrugged again. “I don’t know. I’ve never felt like I fit in here. Like I wasn’t girly enough, or curvy enough, or mainstream enough, or…something. I was definitely a huge disappointment to my mother.”
“How so?” John asked.
“She wanted a daughter she could put in frilly dresses and take to ballet practice,” Kitty said. “The first time I wore a dress was at junior prom, and the first time my mom wrestled me into a pair of pink tights, we didn’t even make it to the car, much less ballet class. I put the tights in the paper shredder in my parents’ home office.”
John wanted to laugh—he could just imagine a miniature Kitty feeding her pink tights into a paper shredder like incriminating documents—but something in her voice warned him this was a sensitive subject.
“So, you and your mom,” he probed, “things not so good there?”
Kitty shook her head, pressing her lips together for a long moment before she spoke. “She left me and Dad when I was seven.”
“I’m sorry,” John said.
Kitty nodded, but didn’t take her eyes from the road. “She moved to Atlanta and got remarried. I have two half sisters, Cindy and Stacey. I used to spend summers with them when I was a kid, but now I only see them at Christmas and Easter and the occasional family dinner. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Cindy or Stacey dressed in something that wasn’t pink, covered in sparkly shit, or both.”
John laughed. “That’s sort of gross to imagine.”
“It is kind of gross,” Kitty said with an amused snort. “But they have fulfilled all of my mother’s ideal-daughter dreams, so… Most of the time, I think Mom likes to pretend I don’t exist.”
“Ouch.” John flinched. “That’s harsh.”
“Barbara isn’t a silky soft experience. At least not when you don’t live up to her expectations.”
John watched Kitty watch the road, wondering what he could say to make her feel better, but coming up empty. Finally, he just said, “Well, I like you. A lot.”
Kitty grinned. “Thanks. The feeling’s mutual.”
“I hope so,” he said, nerves creeping in, making his hands sweat. “Because I’ve been thinking that I would like to spend more time together. Like, a lot more”
She glanced at him, the warmth in her eyes making him feel way more buzzed than he should be after one beer. “Sounds good to me,” she said, “assuming you pass your third test as well as you did the first two.”
“What was the second test?” John asked. “Not trying to drive Clyde when I clearly don’t have the skills?”
“No, it was the boys,” Kitty said, laughing. “The boys had to like you. If they hadn’t, it would have been the end.”
John nodded. “I get it. But you know what that means, right?”
She shook her head.
“It means you have to come meet my parents next week.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Next week? Isn’t that rushing things a little?”
“Nope,” John said, not at all nervous about introducing Kitty to his mom and dad.
His mom loved everyone, and his dad was basically a human teddy bear. Growing up, all of John’s friends had been jealous of how completely cool, welcoming, and accepting his parents were. John had never fully appreciated their awesomeness until now, when he knew with complete certainty that Mom and Pops would enfold Kitty into their family and make her feel so cozy there that she would never want to leave.
“I mean, I like you. You like me,” he continued, liking the idea more every second. “I’m going to breeze right through this last test and then I think we should make the whole thing official.”
“What kind of official?” she asked.
“I know you’ve been wanting to ask, so I’ll spare you the trouble,” John said, anxiety making his dry tone not as steady as he would like. “The answer is yes, Kitty. Yes, I will be your boyfriend, and render unto you all the rights and privileges thereof.”
Her lips quirked and John really hoped she was fighting a smile. “What kind of privileges and rights are we talking about?”
“The right to demand a foot rub at any time,” he said. “Assuming you’re feet aren’t more than average stinky.”
“That’s nice,” Kitty murmured. “I love foot rubs and my feet are rarely above average stinky. Only when I wear my shoes with the toes shaped into the end and I only wear those when I’m floating, so we should be good. What else are you offering?”
“You’ll have the last word in facial hair—beard, bare, or mustache,” he said, motioning to his face, which was currently only mildly scruffy. “I want to kiss you as often as possible and would like to facilitate that by trimming my facial hair in a way that pleases my lady.”
Kitty smiled softly. “That’s very sweet.”
“Talk about sweet,” he continued with a grin. “I am also willing to loan you any video game in my collection, cook you the best Mac N Cheese you’ve ever had, and devote myself to the pleasuring of your delicious body whenever you have need of pleasuring.”
This time, when she glanced his way John could almost swear he saw heat in those killer blue eyes. “That’s an impressive list,” she said. “Assuming you pass your final test, then I’m amenable to this proposal.”
“So, you’ll be my girlfriend?” John asked, not even caring that he sounded about fourteen years old.
“Yes,” she said, reaching out to twine her fingers through his. “Ready to head to my place for trial number three?”
“Bring it on,” John said, giving her hand a light squeeze. “I’m ready.”
And he was.
He and Kitty were meant to be, he could feel it in the way her hand fit perfectly in his, in the way their conversation flowed as if they’d been friends for years, and in the way her kisses made his soul lighter and his chest tighter and the future suddenly seem full of exciting possibilities.
He wanted to be Kitty Nance’s boyfriend more than he had wanted anything in a very long time, and if he had anything to say about it, she would soon be his.
Chapter Four
Kitty took a long swig of her beer before plunking the bottle down on the kitchen island and leaning over the foosball table with an “I mean business” expression on her face.
Across the table, John’s eyes flashed as he prepared for what could be their final round.
“Zero-four, my lead,” Kitty said, voice husky from shouting abuse during the last four rounds. “If I score again, I win.”
“Say your prayers, Nance. This winning streak of yours ends right now,” John said, sounding like he had escaped from a classic western movie. Kitty could almost hear the tumbleweed music filling the air as they gripped the rods on the foosball table and John slipped the ball into play.
As soon as the ball hit center, the battle began.
“Give it up, Nance!” John shouted. “Your luck can’t hold forever.”
“It’s called skill, O’Grady,” she said, every muscle strung tight as she expertly worked the foosball rods, maneuvering the ball into place for a slam shot into John’s goal. “And if I were you, I’d concentrate on getting a shot in before I lost my shorts.”
They were playing strip foosball and John was down to his boxers. Kitty wasn’t sure she was ready to see him completely naked, but what he’d bared so far was certainly nothing to sniff at.
John clearly lifted weights and had the defined chest to show for it, but he also had a hint of softness on top of the muscles that made Kitty sure he would be a phenomenal snuggler. He was a little narrow all over—simply not as wide as guys genetically disposed to a bigger frame—but that was perfect for Kitty. She was on the petite side herself, a
nd didn’t really enjoy being with guys so big they made her feel like a little girl when she held their hand. She liked a guy a little slimmer, a little softer, but with the ease and confidence of someone completely comfortable in his skin.
John had all that and more, including a dusting of reddish curls on his chest that made her want to pet them, and freckles on his shoulders that were begging to be kissed.
It was a peek at those freckles that cost Kitty the winning shot.
“Oh! Goal for O’Grady, and Nance is shut out!” John thrust his arms into the air in a V for victory and took a lap around the foosball table. “Start taking it off, Nance.”
“You’re a terrible winner,” Kitty grumbled, wishing she’d left her shoes on instead of taking them off by the door. Unless she slipped her underwear out from beneath her skirt, she was going to have to take her entire dress off. The underwear would be a viable option if she won the next round, but if she didn’t…
With a sigh, she reached behind her, fumbling for the zipper and doing her best to wiggle it down. This dress was always a pain in the butt to get on and off. She didn’t know if it was the vintage style or simply the fact that the zipper was old, but it usually took at least ten minutes and a substantial amount of cussing to bend the dress to her will.
“Here, let me help,” John said, stopping halfway around his second victory lap.
“Thanks,” Kitty said, letting her arms drop to her sides, shivering as John’s fingers brushed the nape of her neck as he found the zipper tab and smoothly drew it down. He paused at the bottom, his fingers lingering at the small of her back before his hands smoothed around to grip her hips through the dress.
“Hey, Kitty?” he said, all the teasing gone from his voice.
“Yes?” She shivered again, this time because his breath was warm on her neck, and his fingers were digging gently into her curves, and the way he said her name left no doubt he was feeling the same pull between them that she felt. The pull that made her stomach flutter and things lower in her body wind into a delicious knot of wanting.
“I forfeit.”
“Why?” she asked, turning to gaze up at him over her shoulder, breath catching at the desire obvious on his face.
The expression transformed him. Gone was the goofy, charming John. In his place was a man who understood what it meant to want a woman so badly it was painful.
“I don’t want the first time I see you half-naked to be while we’re playing a game. I want it to be special,” John said with a sincerity that made her want to kiss him. “And I want to know that you’re taking off your dress because you want to, not for any other reason.”
“That’s very chivalrous of you,” Kitty murmured.
“Not really.” John’s hands abandoned her hips to reach for the zipper. “There’s no way I would be able to concentrate on foosball with you standing across the table in a bra and panties. I might as well forfeit. I’d lose the next round anyway.”
He pulled the zipper back up to her neck, sending a wave of disappointment washing through Kitty, making her chest tighter than it was before. She agreed with everything he had said, and hadn’t planned on sleeping with him tonight, but still… She wasn’t sure how she felt about it being so easy for him to do the right thing.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, lifting one shoulder.
“No, something is wrong. I can tell. Your neck got all stiff.” He put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing her tight muscles for a moment before gently turning her to face him. “Come on, tell me. What did I do wrong?”
She relaxed in his arms, linking her wrists together around his neck. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just… I was kind of hoping you would have a harder time resisting my feminine wiles.”
“Who says it wasn’t hard?” he asked, his eyes darkening as his arm closed around her waist, pulling her closer.
Kitty’s breath feathered out across her lips as her breasts flattened against John’s chest and the rest of her came into intimate contact with the rest of him.
“That’s for me?” she asked, shifting her hips closer to the hard length of him as she tipped her head back, making her lips more accessible.
“All for you, hell cat,” he said, threading the fingers of his free hand through her hair as he dipped his head and his mouth found hers.
This time, there was nothing sweet about his kiss. This time, his tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, claiming her with a confidence and hunger that made Kitty moan and arch closer. Her fingers threaded through his hair, tightening into fists as his mouth abandoned her lips to trail down her throat, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin as one hand smoothed up her ribs to cup her breast through her dress. Kitty gasped as his fingers captured her pebbled nipple and rolled it gently.
“Kiss me,” Kitty demanded as her hands left his hair to urge his mouth back to hers.
When their lips connected, it was like sparks catching kindling and bursting into flames. The kiss grew deeper, hotter as John backed away from the foosball table, half carrying Kitty with him. He broke the kiss only for a second—to lift her up to sit on top of the kitchen island—and then he was between her spread legs, mouth reclaiming hers, hands warm on her thighs as he pushed her dress up around her hips.
“The windows are open,” Kitty murmured breathlessly against his lips as he eased one sleeve down her arm, baring the top of her bra.
John paused. “Should we take this somewhere else?” he asked, even as he continued to tease her, rubbing his thumb idly back and forth across her nipple until Kitty ached for her panties to be off and she and John naked and horizontal.
“We could go to my bedroom, I guess,” Kitty said, trepidation dulling the desire coursing through her body. She wanted to be with John so much—so, so much—but she didn’t want to rush into sleeping together until she was certain that they were going to break the three-date curse.
John pulled his hand away from her breast, obviously sensing her hesitation. “We don’t have to,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down the outside of her thighs in a way that was calming and arousing all at the same time. “I don’t mind waiting. I’d rather wait, actually, no matter how bad I want you right now.”
“Why’s that?” Kitty asked, crossing her ankles loosely behind his back, warmed all over by the need in his voice.
“You’ll think I’m a cheesy bastard,” John said, hands wandering around her back and pulling her into an embrace that was more sweet than sexy.
“No, I won’t,” Kitty said, marveling that he could set her blood on fire one minute and then fill her heart with soft, gooey feelings the next.
John dropped his eyes, staring at her shoulder as he spoke. “When we sleep together for the first time, I want to know you’re my girlfriend and that we’re both in this for more than few dates.”
“Me too,” Kitty said, with a smile.
John glanced up at her through his pale lashes. “So does this mean I should hit the pavement? My place isn’t far, I can walk home if you’re not in the mood to get Clyde out of the garage.”
“Actually, I was going to ask you to stay,” Kitty said, nervous now that the time for the final test had arrived. “Just because we don’t want to sleep together yet, doesn’t mean we can’t sleep together does it?”
John cocked his head. “Like a snuggle sleepover?”
Kitty nodded. “Is that too weird?”
“No,” John said then added with a sheepish expression, “as long as you don’t mind me stabbing you in the back while we’re trying to go to sleep. I’m not sure I can control that if I’ve got you locked in my spoon embrace.”
Kitty laughed. “I don’t mind. I kind of like it, actually.”
“That you can get me hard just by looking at me sideways?”
Kitty bit her lip and nodded.
John’s breath rushed out. “Okay, I’m down with a sleepover, but you should go change into very boring pajamas. Right no
w you’re just about too sexy to resist.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek that made Kitty sigh with pleasure.
“Okay,” she said as she unlinked her ankles, setting him free. “I’ll go change into some boring pajamas and then we can play Heavy Rain in bed before we go to sleep.”
“Sounds like my kind of bedtime,” John said, lifting her off the island with an ease that made her feel tingly all over again. She wanted to dig her fingers into his bicep muscles and kiss him until he groaned again, but instead she backed toward the door to her bedroom.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, spinning to go, but stopping when John called out—
“Does this mean I’ve passed the test?” he asked.
“We’ll see,” Kitty said, not looking back over her shoulder. “It’s not over yet.”
She slipped from the kitchen without another word, mentally crossing all of her fingers that John wouldn’t disappoint her. She wanted to believe he was the one who would break her long, unlucky-in-love streak, the guy who would like her for who she truly was, and a man who would finally make her feel like she had a family again.
She hadn’t felt so understood by anyone since her dad died. If John let her down, it was going to hurt. A lot.
Still, she wasn’t sorry that she’d given this a chance. There was always the risk that things could go wrong, but something deep inside her told her John was going to pass the last test with flying colors and that by tomorrow morning, she would have a boyfriend who had been more than worth waiting for.
Chapter Five
John’s drifted from a peaceful sleep at seven o’clock in the morning, but for the first time since he was a teenager, the early hour didn’t make him want to jab his own eyes out with a stick. He felt invigorated, so excited for the day to begin that it was downright repulsive—especially considering it was Monday.
But Monday or not, he woke with a smile on his face, a smile that only got bigger when he looked over to find Kitty asleep on the pillow next to him, looking so damned pretty it was hard to resist the urge to kiss her awake. But he didn’t want her to wake up yet, not until he’d slipped out to get her a little First Morning Together present.
