Keanna

 

I don’t know what I’m expecting when Jett tells me to close my eyes. Well, popcorn, I guess. I can smell it at the top of the stairs. Jett’s hand closes around mine and I hear his crutches shuffling as he walks me to the game room.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

I do, and I’m faced with a thick red curtain blocking the arched entryway to the game room. I lift an eyebrow. It’s obviously a temporary addition to the house because the curtains have been thumb tacked into the wall.

Jett rolls out his hand and pushes it open for me. “Welcome to the birthday theater,” he says, then he frowns. “Okay that was lame. I should have thought of a better name.”

I step into the game room and my mouth falls open. Jett’s turned the space into a movie theater. It’s dark in here, with all of the windows blocked out. White rope lighting is taped to the floor, forming a fake center aisle just like in the real movie theaters. It leads to a leather loveseat that’s positioned in the middle of the room, right in front of a huge drop down movie screen that definitely wasn’t there before today.

The other chairs in the room have been shoved off to the side, making it just a theater for two people: Jett and me.

On the back wall of the room, there’s a real popcorn maker, filled up with freshly popped popcorn. There’s even paper bags with red and white stripes and a little metal scoop to fill the bags just like at the movies. There’s a table next to it with canned drinks in a bucket of ice, candy in dishes, and candy bars laid out—all of my favorites.

“You really outdid yourself,” I say, grinning as I turn back to Jett.

He’s leaning on his crutches, but he lowers his head down to mine as I wrap my arms around him. “Thank you.”

“Happy Birthday,” he says. “We get to spend the next eight hours watching romantic old movies on a ninety inch screen. And pigging out on junk food, of course.”

“Is there any other way to spend a birthday?” I ask.

He grins. “Nope.”

“Actually…” I say, sliding my fingers up Jett’s hard chest. I peer up at him, letting my intentions be known with the look in my eyes. “I can think of a better way to spend our time. At least…before the first movie starts.”

His eyes fill with desire, and a little grin appears on his lips. Balancing his crutches under his arms, he grabs my hips. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

I push him toward the loveseat, and he hobbles over. Even in crutches, Jett is the sexiest guy I know. His arm muscles only flex more on the crunches, the strength there turning me on. He eases himself into the loveseat and pats the seat next to him. I shake my head.

“That’s not where I’m sitting,” I say. I lower myself onto his lap.

“Mmm,” he murmurs. His hands slide up my thighs. “I’m loving these leggings, by the way. You look sexy as hell in them.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me to take them off?” I say as I slide my hands up his shirt, then pull it over his head.

He smirks, his hands finding their way up my shirt to unhook my bra. “As sexy as they look on you, my love, they would definitely look better on the floor.”

I pull off my shirt and Jett’s mouth instantly goes to my breast. All thoughts leave my mind as his tongue flicks over my skin with expertise. I gasp and rock against him.

“I love you, baby doll,” Jett breathes against my neck.

I tug on the button of his jeans. “Prove it.”

 

***

 

Once our clothes are back on, and I’m feeling more loved than I thought possible, Jett and I settle into the temporary movie theater. I get us popcorn and candy and we snuggle up under the massive movie screen.

Maybe it’s the sugar, or the salty popcorn, or the love of my favorite old school romances, but I feel my stress melt away. I’m here with Jett, wrapped in his strong arms and kept warm by a throw blanket, and Molly Ringwald is on the movie screen. School doesn’t matter. Chores and work don’t matter. Nothing all can weigh me down right in this moment. I am happy and free and relaxed.

Jett’s phone vibrates as soon as the credits start to roll on the movie Sixteen Candles.

“Shit,” he says as he leans over to take the phone out of his pocket. “I thought I turned this thing off.”

“You can answer it,” I say, getting up to stretch my limbs and get some more soda.

“It’s Clay. I guess I should.”

He answers the phone and I use the opportunity to go pee, then get more drinks and candy. When Jett finishes with the short phone call, he smiles up at me.

“Clay won this weekend’s race,” he says, taking the Dr. Pepper I hand him. “Team Loco is officially winning more arenacross races than any other team.”

“That’s good, right?” I sit next to him, placing the bag of popcorn between us.

He nods. “If it’s not me winning, I at least want it to be one of my teammates.”

I get up to put the next movie into the DVD player and settle back next to Jett, which could otherwise be called the greatest place on earth to sit. I love the smell of his cologne. The taste of his lips (salty and buttery from the popcorn) as we kiss every so often. I love everything about him.

“I love that you’re here with me,” I say, leaning my head against his shoulder. “This is the best birthday ever.”

“Oh shit,” Jett says, sitting up. “I totally forgot to give you your present! It’s over there on the other couch.” He nods toward the couch that’s up against the wall, then he pushes up on his hands and reaches for his crutches.

“Don’t worry about it,” I say, putting my arm over his. “Just stay here with me. I’m comfortable.”

“But it’s your birthday present,” he says. “You’re going to love it.”

“I know I will,” I say, snuggling my head against his chest. “I’ll get it later. For now, I just want to enjoy all this time with you.”

He laughs and runs his fingers through my hair, before resting his cheek on top of my head. “You’re the birthday girl,” he says. “So I’ll do as you say.”