by Seven Steps
It had to be.
But it felt so real.
His heavy head rested on my shoulder, his lips grazing the sensitive skin below my ear.
“Now, I’m asking you. Sophia Johnson, may I kiss you?”
My chest hurt. My back hurt. My entire body hurt.
Sweet God. Was this real? Would he disappear when I turned around? If so, I was sure I’d die.
His hands came to rest on my hips, slowly spinning me around until I was facing him. As if by magic, my arms were around his neck. His forehead came to rest on mine. His eyes were closed. Mine were too.
He didn’t move closer, but his hands kneaded my hip bones, making me shiver.
It felt like I’d been holding my breath too long. I felt dizzy and weak kneed.
Somehow, my lungs unlocked just enough to let out one simple word.
“Yes.”
His lips came crashing into mine and a groan escaped my throat.
This was no dream. This was real. This was happening.
My body was on fire. My lungs stalled as his mouth captured mine. His lips were smooth and firm, his breath minty, like he’d just brushed his teeth. The last time we’d kissed, I was unskilled, a novice. Now that he was here, and in my arms, I felt compelled to show him all I’d learned. Our mouths dueled like well taught swordsmen. Each nip, lick, and caress carefully executed and matched. He angled his head, deepening the kiss. I pulled back, forcing him to move closer and capture my lips again. Giddy delight filled my chest. He felt so good in my arms. So right. I cupped his face, pressing him to me. He wrapped his arms around me until not even air could come between us. My pulse pounded, and blood rushed through my ears. He was everywhere. His lips, his hands, his scent surrounded me, breathing life into my weary spirit.
When we came up for air, we were both panting and breathless.
With any other boy, this would be when the fire between us cooled. He’d drop me home, and I’d forget his name. But with Joe, the fire between us blazed even hotter. I’d never been kissed like that before, and I wanted more. Much more.
Joe’s mouth curved into a lazy smile that was so sexy I could hardly stand it.
“I’ve wanted to do that all year.”
I smiled.
“Me too.”
Then his hand ran up my cheek, settling it behind my ear and drawing me forward. I tipped my head, ready to drown in him again.
“Um…”
Joe broke from the kiss, turning his head while, simultaneously, keeping me trapped against the counter.
“I just wanted some coffee.”
Crap. It was Bella.
I peeked around Joe’s body, taking in Bella’s wide, teasing eyes. She was grinning from ear to ear.
“Don’t mind me.” She walked around me and slipped her coffee under the spout of the coffee machine.
Joe took a step back, and my body immediately cooled.
“Bella—”
She held up a hand. “Nope. I’m not even here.”
She pulled her full coffee cup from the machine and saluted us. “Just. Carry on.”
Then, she pushed open the door, leaving Joe and me alone.
I shook my head.
Only Bella.
I looked at Joe, watching him watching me.
“So…”
“So…”
I cleared my throat. “That was… good.”
His eyebrow rose. “Just good? I must be losing my touch.”
He gave me a teasing smile and I returned it.
I felt dizzy and drunk. My lips buzzed. I could still feel his hands on me and I shuddered.
“So, what do we do now?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” I peeked over my shoulder. “Maybe get some coffee?”
He smiled. “And eggs. Toast. Maybe some bacon?”
“And pancakes,” I said. “Definitely pancakes.”
“Pancakes it is.”
I turned back to the counter, trying to catch my breath.
I was ready to give up on us, but Joe’s kiss had changed everything.
What would happen now?
What would happen when we got home?
What if my mom found out?
What if Quincey found out?
What if—
Joe placed a pot on the counter in front of me and kissed me on the shoulder.
“Stop thinking. Start cooking.”
I grinned.
He was right. I decided then and there that I wasn’t going to think too hard about this.
For now, Joe and I were friends. Friends who liked each other… and who kissed. This was completely normal, wasn’t it?
I added some water to the pot and placed it on the stove.
Suddenly, I was starving.
I thought I’d had happy days in my life.
But today blew them all out of the water.
Cole and Bella spent the day bike riding and hiking while my day was filled with movies, popcorn, and lots and lots of kissing. Since this morning, it felt like Joe and I were in a frenzy. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. It was like we were making up for all the time we lost. And still, it wasn’t enough.
I didn’t even realize what time it was until Cole and Bella walked back in the house and whistled at us.
“Whoa,” Cole said. “Get a room.”
I pulled away from Joe’s lips. Slower this time. I was a lot less embarrassed about it than before. Cole and Bella had already caught us making out in the kitchen. Twice. At this point, they were probably used to it.
“Did you two even leave the couch?” Bella asked. She was holding three boxes of pizza, while Cole was holding plastic bags.
“Twice. To use the bathroom, I think,” Joe said.
“And to get more popcorn,” I added.
Bella tittered. “Aw, new love. So sweet.”
My cheeks reddened.
Love? Was that what this was?
“We got dinner,” Cole said. They walked over to the table in the living room and dropped the pizza on it.
“Great. I’m starving,” Joe said. But his eyes were on me. I bit my lip, suppressing my smile.
“Crap, did you get utensils?” Bella asked.
Cole shook his head. “I thought you did.”
“Nope. We’re going to need cups and plates.”
“I’ll get the cups,” Joe said. He pulled me to my feet.
“And I’ll get the plates,” I added.
Bella narrowed her eyes at us.
“I am counting to sixty. If you two aren’t back out here, I’m going into the kitchen and hosing you off.”
“Noted,” Joe said, pulling me into the kitchen.
It’s amazing how quickly one can grab plates and cups when they’ve been making out for fifty seconds and only have ten left to avoid being hosed down.
I guess that’s why they call Joe Superman. He’s faster than a speeding bullet.
The four of us finished the pizza pretty quickly, then headed outside to restart the fire.
It felt like a lifetime had passed since yesterday.
The last time I sat here, I was confused and angry.
Now, sitting on blankets around the fire, laughing and singing songs, with Joe’s hand in mine, it felt like everything in my life was coming together. It was amazing how his presence comforted me. Soothed me. I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed in sheer bliss.
Cole strummed a tune on his guitar.
“What do you say, Soph, up for a little tune?”
He wiggled his brows at me, and I chuckled.
“I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I sang.”
“Just pretend you’re back at the nursing home doing karaoke,” Joe said with a grin. “I can put on a wig and be Grams.”
I pushed him playfully. “Ha-ha.”
“Come on, Soph,” Bella said. “It’s been a long time since I heard you sing. Please?” She poked out her lip and my hesitance melted.
“Guys, I don�
�t even know if it can.”
“Try. Here.” Cole grinned. “I have the perfect song.”
I rolled my eyes. “You always do.”
He started to play “All of Me” by John Legend. He was right. This song was perfect.
He sang up the first verse, then Bella picked up the second.
My hands began to shake. My heart was racing.
This was worse than singing at the nursing home because I actually knew these people. Bella and Cole were my old bandmates. My friends. They’d seen me fall apart once. What if I fell apart again right now? What would they say?
“Hey,” Joe whispered. I looked at him, my eyes wide.
“Keep your eyes on me,” he said. He put his hands on my face, cupping my cheeks. “Just look at me and do what you do best. Sing.”
I gazed into his beautiful hazel eyes, drawing on his strength. On his courage.
And, for what felt like the first time, I sang. I infused every emotion into my words, singing the words straight to his heart.
His eyes looked so intense. So focused. I wanted to be the center of his focus for the rest of my life.
When the song was over, Bella and Cole clapped and whooped.
But I barely heard them.
Joe’s lips pressed to mine. It was a brief kiss, but it felt like so much more.
A promise. A resolution.
“Sophia, you did it!” Bella cried. “I knew you could.”
“Now you can join the band again,” Cole said. “Blue Persia is about to take over the world!”
He put his guitar down before jumping on top of me, hugging me tightly.
Bella joined in.
Then Joe.
Yes, my back was screaming from the stress.
And yes, they were all way too heavy.
But I didn’t care.
It felt like everything had come full circle.
I’d found a boy who made my heart race.
The band was maybe getting back together.
My grades were up.
And my soul was at peace.
I breathed out and breathed in.
For once, everything was going right.
43
“Sophia, are you listening to me?”
Mom stared daggers at me across the dining room table.
Crap, had I zoned out again? I couldn’t help it. It was hard not to think about Joe. His lips. His smile. His kisses.
I frowned, trying to clear away enough cobwebs to hear what my mom was saying.
“I’m sorry. What?”
Quincey cut his steak across the table from me, examining me closely, while Purity sat to my right.
“I said that my church group is coming by tomorrow and I expect you to be here and hang around for a while. They’ve been asking for you.”
Ugh. Church group. I didn’t want to hang out with them. Besides, Joe and I had some studying to do, and we had to rehearse for the play. I did not have time to cater to a bunch of Mom’s new friends. Still, I was feeling charitable lately. If she wanted me to talk to her church group, then I’d give them an hour, then go find Joe.
“Do you mind if I come over too?” Purity asked. “I love church groups. They remind me of home.”
Mom gave Purity a smile.
“Sure, Purity. As long as Sophia is coming.” Mom looked back to me. “Sophia?”
“Okay.”
Mom’s eyes bulged. “Okay? That’s all you have to say? No arguing or throwing a fit?”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll be there.”
She narrowed her gaze at me. “What is up with you lately? You’re humming and smiling, and your cheeks are all red. Are you feeling okay?”
I took a bite of my steak. “I’m fine. Just things are going well. That’s all.”
“What things?”
“School.”
Mom hmphed. “I’ve never known you to hum about school.”
I shrugged. “Well, now I am.”
She and Quincey looked at each other, then back at me.
Purity cleared her throat. “Sophia has been doing phenomenal in school. Her teachers are all raving about her grades.”
I wondered what Joe was doing at that moment. Eating dinner too? Was he thinking about me?
“Is that true, Sophia? Sophia?” Mom repeated.
“Oh, yeah. It’s great.”
“I hope to improve my grades too,” Purity said. “I want to go to college.”
“College?” Mom asked. “What college?”
“Duke. I visited last fall. It was beautiful.”
“Oh. Quincey goes to Duke.”
“Yes, I know. I sa—uh… he mentioned it.”
“Mentioned it?” Mom asked. “When did he mention it?”
“So, Sophia, how was the camping trip?” Quincey asked.
My ears perked up. Why was there so much focus on me tonight? Why couldn’t we just eat, and I daydream about Joe in peace?
“It was okay.”
“Who was there?”
“Just Bella’s family.”
“Like who?”
“Like her dad.”
“So, it was just you, Bella, and her dad?”
“And Cole.”
“Hm. That’s it?”
What was his problem? Why couldn’t he talk to Purity and my mom like he’d been doing all night and leave me alone?
“Yup.”
“You sure?”
I put down my fork. “If you know something, then say something. Stop beating around the bush all the time.”
He snorted. “Jeez, Sophia. I was just asking a question.”
“No, you were grilling me.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Quincey said, holding up his hands. “I’m just trying to help. That’s why I’m here.”
I swallowed a green bean, while Mom’s gaze dropped from me to her plate.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“Q,” Mom said. I didn’t miss the warning in her voice.
“Wait, what did that mean?” I asked him.
“Nothing,” Mom said. “Just drop it.”
“No, I’m not going to drop it. What did he mean?”
Purity wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Maybe I should go.”
I put my hand over hers. “No, P. Stay.” I turned back to Quincey. “Tell me what you meant by that.”
Quincey dropped his fork into his plate, and it clanged loudly. “It means that you were up here acting like a wild child. Aunt Pam needed some help before you ended up pregnant, so she asked me to come and help out, and I did. But now I see why she couldn’t handle you. You’re stubborn and don’t listen to nobody.”
I looked from my mom to Quincey and back to my mom.
“Is that true?” I asked. The question was directed at my mom. “You brought Quincey here to babysit me?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“But you did ask him to come here?”
“Yes. To help keep you out of trouble. Sophia, you were out of control.”
“I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Yes, you were. You think I don’t know you were sneaking out of here at night doing God knows what with God knows who? And now you come back in this house smiling and singing. You think I don’t know what’s going on?”
“I haven’t been doing anything.”
“She’s telling the truth, Ms. Johnson,” Purity said. “Sophia hasn’t done anything with any boy for like a month.”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “Just a month?”
I groaned. “Not helping, P.”
“Was Joe on this camping trip?” Quincey asked.
I glared at him but didn’t reply.
“Was. Joe. On. This. Camping. Trip?” he repeated.
I wanted to strangle him. I was going to strangle him.
“Does it matter?”
“Depends. Is that the reason you’re wearing a turtle neck in fifty-degree weather?”
I slammed my hands on the table. �
��What is your problem?”
“I told you before, Sophia. I’m done covering for you.”
“I didn’t ask you to cover for me. I asked you to stay out of my life!”
I pushed back from the table and stormed into my room.
I couldn’t believe this. Quincey was sent here to babysit me? My mom called me out of control? I was not out of control. In fact, I was feeling very in control before tonight’s dinner.
I threw a pillow on my bed. It bounced off and landed on the floor.
This was ridiculous. My family was ridiculous.
I picked up my phone.
There were three missed text notifications. All from Joe.
Joe: I miss you. Call me when you get this.
Joe: I’m going crazy down here. Where are you?
Joe: The best part of this weekend was hearing you sing. Can’t wait to hear it again.
I smiled. Joe was the shining spot in this miserable day. I wanted to see him. To have him hold me in his arms again.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“Sophia, it’s me.” Purity poked her head into my room, her pale face flushed.
I tucked my phone into my pocket and patted the spot next to me on the bed.
She sat and put her arm around me.
“Rough night, huh?” she said.
“Yeah. I just found out that I’m an out of control teenager.”
She shook her head. “You’re not. You’re like the best person I know. I can’t believe Quincey would say all those things about you. Especially since… I mean… what was he thinking?”
“He was probably thinking: how can I destroy my relationship with Sophia and kiss up to my aunt? Oh, I know. By being a total jerk.”
She frowned. “It’s not like him.”
“How would you know that?”
Her ears tinted red. “I don’t. Just… what you told me about him, it just seems out of character.”
“Well, people change. Especially if those people hang out with my mom.”
She sighed. “I think we can fix this.”
“How? By shipping him back to college so he can stop ruining my life?”
Her hand dropped from my shoulder to my back, and she rubbed it in small circles.
“We’ll find a way,” she said. “But, keep your head up, okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll try.”
She gave me a parting hug and left.
