AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I snort. “Are you a closet nerd?”
“Not at all. I’m not even a fun guy. But being with you… brings out the kid in me.”
“Gee thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Just then, I see Aaron moving our way. Eyebrows is nowhere to be found, so I can only imagine he’s about to do something slimy.
I cling to Ignacio. “Help me Obi Juan, you’re my only hope.”
He kisses my forehead. “I’ll keep him occupied while you go on your mission impossible.”
“Good idea.” My hand reaches to feel for the screwdriver in my pocket. “Wish me luck.”
I slip away just before Aaron reaches us. I hear Ignacio telling him something about the mushrooms not sitting well.
I mosey on over to the front door, looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being watched. The guests are milling about, but no one’s paying attention to me. Ignacio had wanted to do this part of the mission, but he’s a lot easier to notice. I never thought I’d find the perks in being virtually invisible to people, but here I am, about to heist my ex-boyfriend’s house for a mezuzah.
My heart pounds from fear of getting caught by Pamela and her frightening eyebrows, but I unscrew it from the doorframe surprisingly fast and slip it into my pocket.
I go into the bathroom next, not really planning to snoop through the medicine cabinets, but still hoping to find something incriminating. There’s nothing interesting—just stuff like aspirin and band aids. I throw back the shower curtain and am sickened to find brands of personal care products for women. A devilish little voice inside me laments I didn’t have the foresight to sneak in hair remover to pour into the shampoo bottles. But I wouldn’t have room in my pockets anyway, and I’m not that vindictive.
I tell myself I’m not angry or upset at Aaron and Pamela anymore. I feel sorry for them more than anything because they’re stuck with each other.
While I’m here, I use the toilet and wash my hands, then go through the primary bedroom out of habit to get to the back patio. That’s when I see my quilt and my heart sinks. I’m over Aaron—I know that. But the scar is still there.
I go through the sliding doors and stay back in the shadows, away from the main part of the patio where most of the guests are hanging out. One thing I liked about this house when we first moved here was the outdoor fireplace. It’s a modern upright structure with white stone masonry. Very sleek. In the short time I lived here, we only used it once, and Aaron scoffed at me for wanting to roast marshmallows. It’s not in use right now, so there are no other guests on this end of the yard.
Ignacio glances my way, still in the middle of a conversation with Aaron. I give him a nod and pat my pocket to let him know I’ve got the loot. He nods back surreptitiously so Aaron doesn’t notice and continues talking. From this distance, I only catch an errant word, but the last thing he says to Aaron reaches me loud and clear.
“You know what?” he says, slapping Aaron in the shoulder. “Thank you. I’m glad you cheated on Olive because if you hadn’t, I might not have met her. And she’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
He taps Aaron on the cheek for good measure, marches over to me with purpose, throws back his hat, and tears off the mustache.
“Hello there,” he says, and all of a sudden, he’s kissing me. It’s not so much a kiss, but rather a wanton raid of my mouth. His lips part mine like a tempest tearing through an impoverished beach town, knocking down huts and flooding the streets. He presses into me until my back hits the stone of the fireplace. I can hardly breathe, panting—kissing him in return, or at least trying to keep up. His hands skate over my bare shoulders, setting fire to my skin, and his fingers find the nape of my neck, knotting into my hair.
I’m falling apart. I’ve never been kissed like this in my life. As a matter of fact, if this is kissing, I’m convinced that whatever my ex-boyfriends thought they were doing in the past didn’t even count as kisses at all. Ignacio takes my mouth hungrily with masterful strokes. I might die—right here against this fireplace dressed like Princess Vespa.
I clutch fistfuls of his tunic, his belt, his robes. My hands are everywhere.
“Olive,” he rumbles. “You are so insanely beautiful.”
All I can manage is a gurgling sound in the back of my throat. I’ve pretty much lost my capacity to think.
His scruff grazes my skin as he devours my neck, setting off little explosions all over my body. Heat pools in my belly, and at this point, I don’t care if Aaron or anyone else at the party sees us. I don’t care if this is for show or not. All I know is I want this man, and nothing—not even donuts—will ever compare to the way he makes me feel.
He crushes into me, tilting my head at the perfect angle to devour my mouth. Stars spin behind my eyes. I may be having an out-of-body experience. He’s that good of a kisser.
“Ignacio,” I breathe into the kiss. I don’t want to stop, but if this gets any hotter, I will seriously combust. And so I crack a joke I know he’ll appreciate.
“Is that a lightsaber in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
He smiles against my mouth. “I believe you might be referring to your blaster.”
He reaches to the side of his belt and produces his toy lightsaber. “An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.”
“Well then,” I say. “May the schwartz be with you.”
