"You look like a little kid at Christmas, Slick."
"I don't care. The Fourth is my favorite holiday. You can't say anything that'll get me down today, Killer." I stuck my tongue out at him, and his eyes lit up with lust. If Jessie and Van hadn’t been in the backseat, I have a feeling we would’ve made a detour.
“Why do you like the Fourth of July so much?" he asked as he started circling the parking lot, looking for a spot.
“Don’t make fun of me,” I said, biting my lip. Knowing my explanation was going to sound stupid.
“Ahh, Faith, it's cute. Nobody's going to laugh at you,” Jessie said, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. Of course, she knew the reason I loved this holiday as much as I did. I blushed red as I explained.
“When I was little, my dad told me the fireworks were for me. So, on the Fourth, I would wake up thinking the whole country was celebrating my existence, and my dad never corrected me. I got into a few fights when I was little, when kids would tell me the fireworks weren’t for me at all. I even walked out of the classroom when my third-grade teacher laughed at my explanation.”
Kill found a parking spot and glanced at me while I fidgeted with the seat belt I’d just taken off. Van leaned over between us, blocking my view of Kill. “Come on, little sis; let's go see your fireworks.” Van had taken it upon himself to start calling me little sister, and it had stuck.
I smiled at Van and hopped out of the car, refusing to look at Kill as he moved around the car. When I finally got the nerve to turn my head and face Kill, he was staring at me with what looked like awe in his eyes. "You are incredible," he told me as he traced his finger down my cheek. The wonder in his voice caused my breath to hitch in my lungs, the touch of his finger sending electric impulses that made my body hum with emotion.
It took a while for Van to remove his wide frame from the tiny back seat of Kill's Mustang. It surprised me he had been able to get in there in the first place, but he’d wanted to sit with Jessie.
“Holy shit, that was like being born again, except without all of the amniotic fluid,” Van huffed out when he finally emerged from the back seat, rubbing his hand over his bald head while his tattoos rippled along his enormous arms.
Jessie hopped right out behind Van, her slim frame easily escaping. Van smiled at her and kissed her deeply, taking advantage of her good mood. Earlier today, I’d warned Van that Jessie always called her parents before the fireworks, which would inevitably lead to them fighting. Judging by Van's actions, he wanted to get as much time with her as possible.
While we were cleaning up the food, I tried to reason with Jessie. If she could get over her pride and tell Van about her past, I know Van would be able to reassure her. She may have been hurt by drummers before, but if things didn't change, it would be Jessie hurting Van.
Brushing aside what I couldn't change, I jumped up and down as we walked into the crowd. There were street vendors lined up on the side of the walkway. I browsed the different merchants to see what they were peddling. It always amazed me how talented people were.
I was at a make-your-own-candle booth when Kill pinched me on the ass, making me jump. I continued looking at the different containers and candles, refusing to turn and acknowledge him.
He let out a frustrated huff, obviously not getting the reaction he’d wanted. I bit the inside of my lip to keep the corners of my mouth from lifting. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, making my body break out in goosebumps as his warm breath fanned across my earlobe.
“Do you let just anyone grab your ass, Slick?”
I turned, feigning disappointment. “Nope, I knew it was you, so I didn’t get excited. Now, if it had been someone else, I would’ve definitely turned around and mauled them.”
His eyes flashed with desire, and he took my hand, leading me toward the entrance, passing everyone in a rush.
Van and Jessie looked at us, perplexed. Amy and Jet were getting their faces painted and weren’t paying attention to anything. D kept glancing between us, shaking his head. Kill's hand held mine tightly. I shrugged, not knowing what had possessed him to act like this.
“I forgot my money in the car, and I promised Slick I’d buy her a funnel cake,” he said, dragging me away.
"I have cash," D said.
Kill shook his head and called over his shoulder. "No, I need to get my wallet for later, anyway. I lost a bet with her the other day, and I need to pay up."
My mouth stayed closed as I struggled to keep up with his wide steps. When we reached his car, his breath was just as ragged as mine. I opened my mouth to ask him what the hell our little sprint to the parking lot was about, he shushed me and tangled his fingers through my hair, tugging me toward him.
My mouth was slightly open, from the words that were about to exit. He took full advantage, thrusting his tongue inside and coaxing mine out to play. A low throaty moan escaped me as I grabbed the back of his head, keeping his mouth sealed to mine.
He turned us around, placing my back against the car, never breaking contact. His intensity had me on sensory overload. At that moment, all I wanted to do was be closer to him. I molded my body to his. Sensing my need, he removed his hands from my hair and grabbed my ass. Kill lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around him, squeezing him closer until his erection was pressed into the burning heat of my inner thighs. He groaned, and I swallowed his desire.
I clawed at his back wanting to feel all of him, not caring that we were in the middle of a public parking lot for the whole of Portland to see. He pulled back and placed light kisses down my face nipping on the spot right below my ear. I ground myself shamelessly into him, and he thrust into me, pressing me harder into the car and setting off the alarm.
“Fuck,” Kill mumbled as he tried to get his keys out of his front pocket with me still clinging to him.
I shifted to give him more access. My movement caused me to brush against his erection, eliciting a hiss from both of us. I unlocked my legs and leaned against the car.
Laughter bubbled up inside of me, and I couldn’t stop the giggles as they burst out. His half smile slowly crept onto his face, causing me to laugh even harder. I tried to get myself under control, which caused me to start laughing again, and I had to start the process all over.
Kill smiled as he shook his head. “Are you done?”
