AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The sound of doors opening and closing sound down the hall before we hear the shower running.
“Who's here?” she whispers.
“Probably Grant,” I answer. Maddie is surprised when I flick my tongue over her skin, kiss it, and then pull away. She swallows hard, and I smile. This is going to be a lot of fun. “You never answered my question either.”
“I think we have the same answer.”
“We do?”
She nods. “Yes. Both answers are yes.” Maddie plucks the beanie off my head, tosses it aside, and then wraps her arms around my neck. “You're positive about this?” All it takes is a nod of my head, and she presses her mouth to mine.
It's hurried and urgent and better than any of my dreams. My hand runs down her back before cupping her ass. She wiggles closer to me, kissing along my jaw before pulling my earlobe into her mouth and gently biting. God, she's going to drive me insane. When her hands go to my side and grab the hem of my shirt, I stop her.
“Maddie, we need to slow down.”
“One more.” She clutches my sides and kisses me hard one more time, like she said. “I've been thinking about that for a long time.”
“Me too.” I kiss her forehead before grabbing her hips and lifting her out of my lap. “We need to get back to camping. Time for a scary story, don't you think?” I question, grabbing a flashlight to hold under my chin.
WE WERE QUIET for a long time. While she was getting a change of clothes, while we walked to my car, while we drove to my house. I only talked upon our arrival to tell her where things are in the bathroom. I use the down time to think and analyze what’s happened. Sure, we’ve become friends of sorts. Lucy’s as comfortable around me as she is around her brothers. We have stolen moments where something changes or happens between us, but we haven't really acknowledged it.
Today means something though. It’s a day where she’s usually with her brothers and has always been. Their reaction to her saying no made that obvious. This day means something to all of them, and they were none too happy that she was spending it with me instead of them. The fact that her oldest brother is going to make sure he sees her makes me think that whatever it means, Lucy is at the center of it.
Which brings me back to the next obvious question. One that I may be able to ask. Why did she choose me? Why me over her brothers or her other friends? Is it because I’m the only one in the dark about the mysterious situation? Lucy plops down next to me on the couch, dragging me from my mind. Her hair is wet and in very loose curls around her shoulders.
“Has the game started yet?” she asks, watching the TV for clues, but it’s on a commercial.
“It’s about to.” Lucy scoots closer to me and presses herself into my side, resting her head on my shoulder again while holding my hand in hers. It’s an intimate gesture for her. It’s just enough to give me the nerve to ask. “Can I ask just one question
?”
“I might not answer.”
“Why me, Lucy? Why not them?” Straight and to the point.
Lucy sits upright to look at me. She’s going to answer, and I’m going to listen to every sound that leaves her mouth. “I’m not sure I can explain it, Grant. My brothers have always made me feel safe, but you make me feel a different kind of safe and that’s what I wanted tonight. Not their safety. Yours.”
The announcers appear on the TV and Lucy returns to how she was sitting before. That’s all I’m going to get. It feels like I got too much though. I make her feel safe? Why does she need to feel safe? There’s always so many questions surrounding Lucy. Who she really is under the surface, and sometimes, I think all she lets me see is the surface.
That’s not entirely true. Lucy gives me more all the time. It’s just in small pieces, and I never know what to make of it or how to put it all together.
“I’ve never met Corey before.”
Lucy frowns. She must have thought we were done talking. I don't even know why I said that. It's not like I want to meet the guy. “He’s the worst of the three when it comes to me. Jon bothers you, doesn’t he?” I nod. “Then you definitely won’t like Corey. Can we watch this? No talking.”
We’re back to the silence with the exception of the game on TV. She keeps squeezing my hand in hers every couple seconds. It’s almost like she’s making sure that I’m still here. She’s been doing it on and off for about twenty minutes now. When I squeeze her hand back, it catches her off guard, and she looks up at me, a small smile playing on her lips.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“For what?”
She lays her head on my shoulder again. “This.”
We’re quiet again until midway through the second period. “Still don’t know what’s going on?” I ask with a hint of laughter.
“Number 25 is about to score. That’s what I know.”
I’m about to ask her what makes her think that, but I’m interrupted because he scores. Son of a bitch. How did she know that?
