UNCAGED: A FLIGHT SHORT STORY
Raven
She’s a thing of beauty.
The cold metal of my Milwaukee tool cabinet presses against my shoulder as I lean back and take in the view.
A ’77 Pontiac Trans Am in phantom black. The firebird on the hood and all the pin-striping done in gold pearl giving it that classic look with an added flare that’ll only be seen close up or when the sun hits it just right.
I take one more walk around it making mental notes on what more needs to be done—exhaust, 15x8 gold snowflake wheels, and—
“Mom!”
I whirl around to find Sadie’s head popped in through the cracked door to the garage.
Her face is a little flushed and her eyes sparkle with panic. “You promised you’d help!”
The clock says six fifteen. I always lose track of time when I’m in here. “Crap, I’m sorry.” I wipe my hands on the thighs of my overalls and head toward my seething seventeen-year-old daughter.
Tonight’s a big night. Her very first real date.
Jonah told her she couldn’t date until she turned thirty.
Sadie argued it down to eighteen.
After months of carefully manipulative persuasion I got him down to seventeen.
Her birthday was yesterday.
“I can’t believe you forgot,” she grumbles as I pass by her through the door.
“How could I forget when it’s all you’ve been talking about for the last two years?” I rock my hip into hers and manage to crack a smile in her lovely face. “You look great already. I don’t think you need my help, I can’t imagine making you look any more beautiful than you already do.”
She’s dressed in a pair of faded blue skinny jeans and a thin black sweater that hangs off the shoulder ever so slightly. She paired it with a crisp new pair of black high-top Vans—the epitome of understated beauty. I think she got her taste in fashion from me. She’s never been much of a girlie-girl, new skate shoes is about as dressed up as she gets.
“Mom,” she hits me with the side-eye as we cross the yard to the main house. “I don’t need your help getting myself ready.” She slides open the back door and points to the large foyer at the front of the house. “I need your help with that!”
I frown at the two men—one quite a bit larger than the other—who’re sitting in dining room chairs placed about three feet from the front door. Even from the back I can see the tension in their bodies. Shoulders squared, arms most likely crossed at their chests, intimidating scowls firmly in place.
“Go finish up.” I move to squeeze Sadie’s shoulder but she ducks and darts out of reach.
“Eww, your hands!”
I don’t have to look to know they’re covered in grease. “Sorry.” I motion toward the boys. “I’ll take care of this.”
Her shoulders ease up their tension and she smiles. “Thanks, Mom.” As she walks away I hear her mumble about how embarrassing this is going to be.
Yes, baby girl, it will be.
I knew this day would be torture for Jonah, seeing his little girl grow into a young woman hasn’t been easy on him.
I stride across the room and watch their shoulders further tense when they hear the squeak of my Converse against the marble floor.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Jonah growls to the front door as I stop right behind him. “I am not okay with this.”
“Me either,” the smaller but no less threatening voice at Jonah’s side pipes up. “I hate the way he looks at her.”
I ruffle my son’s black hair and then smooth it away from his face. “Carey…”
“Our boy has a point.” A quiet buzzing comes from the pocket of Jonah’s shorts, but he ignores it. “He does look at her funny.”
I circle around them and lean back against the huge front door noticing neither of them move their matching hazel eyes off the door’s handle to look at me. A smile pulls at my lips, so big that I have to cover it with my hand. Jonah’s dark eyebrows cut across his face in a menacing slash, his full lips thin from the weight of his scowl, and Carey is his mini-me, the perfect clone in both looks and hard stare.
I clear the laughter from my throat. “Boys, you know the way he looks at her means he likes her.”
Carey grimaces and finally I get his eyes. “Yeah. Gross.”
“So fucking gross,” Jonah mumbles
Our son’s gaze darts to his Dad. “Swear jar,” he whispers.
“Would you guys rather Sadie go on her first date with a boy who doesn’t like her?”
Jonah’s gaze slides from the door handle up the bib of my overalls to my face. His expression softens a little while he takes me in—my hair piled high on my head, red bandana holding it all back, and I’m sure there’s black grease smudged somewhere on my skin. His eyes fire with an expression I’ve come to know well. One that says, “I want you.” My pulse kicks a little harder, my tummy tumbles in the way it still does when he swallows me up in his stare. Even after eighteen years of marriage he manages to make my knees buckle and my cheeks go instantly pink with one look.
“Yeah! That’s the one!” Carey points at his Dad, which has Jonah blinking heavy eyelids as he pulls his gaze away. “That’s exactly how that punk looks at my sister!”
Jonah’s upper lip curls back with a snarl and the phone in his pocket picks back up with the buzzing. He glares down at it but makes no move to answer.
I hang my head and sigh. “Don’t you think you should just talk to him?”
“Don’t give a fuck what—”
“Swear jar!” Carey points to the kitchen where the Mason jar filled with most of Jonah’s money—penance for his dirty mouth—is kept.
Jonah shakes his head and leans his elbows on his knees. His biceps and forearms flex so hard I fear he’ll rip through the sleeves of his shirt. He puts his hands in prayer position, the tips of his middle fingers touching his lips. “Carey, why don’t you go get your stuff together. Your uncle will be here soon to pick you up.”
“I don’t have to have a sleepover with Henry, Dad. You’ll need me here to help you.” The way he says it makes me almost burst into tears, as if his tiny ten-year-old self could genuinely be a help to his six-five, two-hundred and fifty pound heavyweight champion father, and yet his conviction is hard to argue.
Jonah grins, but it’s slight and he tucks it away before Carey can see it. “Not gonna lie, son. It’ll be difficult doing this without you, but I’ll try. Besides, Rex is taking you to the skate park and you know how much he sucks so if you don’t go then Henry’ll be shredding alone.”
Carey’s eyebrows pinch tightly together. “Good point.” He seems to mull that over for a bit and then nods and slaps his dad on the shoulder. “Alright, but…text me if you need backup.”
“Will do, kiddo.” Jonah hooks our boy behind the neck and pulls him in to drop a kiss to the top of his head. “Now go, and make sure to pack a toothbrush.”
Carey throws one more glare at the door handle then jogs down the hallway that leads to his bedroom.
Jonah’s phone buzzes again. I take the seat next to my husband and slide my hand inside his pocket. His thigh is tense beneath the fabric of his shorts and I’m tempted to run my nails along it but remember I need to save my daughter from social humiliation first.
I hand the vibrating phone to Jonah who refuses to look at it. “Just talk to him.”
“Why the hell would I do that? It’s his fault I’m even in this fucking nightmare.”
I bite down on my lips to keep from laughing. “How is this his fault?”
He glares at me, but I don’t miss the way his eyes gravitate to my cheekbone which confirms I definitely have grease on my face. “How? Have you been paying attention at all? He’s the one who—”
The phone buzzes in my hand earning a groan from Jonah.
I hit Accept and place the phone to my ear. “Hey.”
“Rave, what the fuck!” The male voice barks back.
“Listen, I think if we all just calm down for a minute we’ll see that this is actually a great thing for—”
“Great thing?! Did you just say this is a great thing? Please tell me I heard you wrong and you did not just say that shit to—I know, Mouse, but he threatened my son!”
My eyes dart to Jonah who must hear Blake’s voice through the phone because he averts his eyes. “Jonah, did you threaten Jack?”
“He deserved it.”
“Oh my gosh,” I shake my head and sigh. “Blake, I’m sorry, you know we both love Jack—”
“Not when he’s dating my daughter I don’t!”
“Jonah!”
“You listen to me, Vajonah,” Blake yells into the phone, “I swear to all that is good and holy in this world, if you flip your switch and lay a finger on my boy—”
“No one is going to lie a finger on anyone!” I say to both men.
Jonah grows even more tense. “You bet your ass no one is going to lay a finger on anyone!” He leans close so Blake can hear him. “You warn your boy that whatever he does to Sadie he can guarantee I’ll do to him with my fucking fist, you hear me?!”
Blake and Layla bark at each other in the background and Jonah’s ears turn red as he spews threats to anyone who’ll listen.
“Blake, everything’ll be okay, I promise.” I don’t wait for him to respond as Layla tries to calm him down. “Okay, bye!”
I hit End and grip the phone between my palms praying for patience before I end up smacking some sense into my husband. “Jonah.”
He’s still mumbling a string of profanity, throwing in phrases like, my baby and my life followed by gruesome threats of bodily harm.
“Jonah!” I place my hand over his and squeeze. “You need to calm down.”
He turns to me, his eyes glistening with anger.
“What is wrong with you?”
His thick black eyelashes make a slow pass over his eyes and he stills. “She’s my baby girl…”
I shake my head. “She’s not a baby anymore. Her and Jack have been best friends for years. He cares about her, like really cares about her.”
His expression softens. “I know, but—”
“You’ve put the fear of God in both her and Jack, I don’t think you need to worry about them spending a little time together.”
It seems to take great effort, but he finally nods.
“I mean, my gosh, they’re going to dinner and a movie, what could possibly happen.”
The moment the words are out of my mouth I wish I could suck them back in. I watch in slow motion as Jonah’s expression hardens and he sets his eyes on mine. He tilts his head as if he’s trying to implant memories into my mind, and just like that the visions flood in.
Sadie was a baby. We’d finally get a date night out.
Dinner and a movie.
Sex in the backseat of the truck.
A nice dinner.
Our hands down each others pants on the way to the theater.
We’d pick the worst, most boring movie knowing the theater would be empty so we could sit in the back row and make out like it was our last chance to do so before the apocalypse.
Once we even lied about going to a movie all together and drove out to Shepard’s Lookout and had sex in the backseat.
My face feels flushed and my breasts heavy as images flash through my minds eye. Jonah’s colorful forearms braced on the back and side window covered in a sheen of sweat as he moved between my legs. I’d have one foot on the center console and the other hooked over his hip while we stayed hidden behind tinted glass and the steam our bodies made together.
I suck in a breath as Jonah pulls me over to straddle his lap right there in our foyer. Even through the thick denim of my overalls I can feel him hard between my legs and roll against him on pure instinct. He groans and drops his forehead into my neck, his lips running kisses up to my ear. My hands slide up his massive shoulders and into his hair.
“We have the house to ourselves for a few hours after Sadie and Carey leave,” I whisper against his temple.
“This is so fucking weird.” He licks at the spot on my neck where my tattoo peeks up over my shoulder. “I can’t believe it’s even possible to get hard right now with how pissed I am about Sadie going out with Jack.”
“Shhh… just let her go. She’ll be fine and we can be alone.”
“I don’t know, I still don’t like it.”
“Don’t you think—”
“Ew!”
We both whirl towards Sadie’s voice.
She looks thoroughly disgusted but ready to go out with her hair in long silky flat-ironed panels and a fresh coat of pink-tinted Chapstick. “Why are you guys being gross right by the door? He’s here!”
“I’m distracting your Dad.”
“Hey!” He squeezes my ass and then pushes me to stand, following behind me. He does a quick adjustment to the front of his shorts and then moves the chairs back into the dining room.
“Did you talk him out of doing anything stupid?” Sadie asks in a whisper.
“He’ll be fine.” I kiss her forehead. “And you look stunning. Jack won’t know what hit him.”
She blushes. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Shit. Fuck, shit.” Jonah throws open the door to catch Jack just as he rounds the front of his white 4-Runner.
Jack has a small bouquet in his hands.
My husband frowns.
Sadie’s eyes grow big and she flashes all her perfect white teeth in a stunning grin.
I stand in the middle hoping I’m not lying to my daughter and that there won’t be Daniels blood shed on our front doorstep.
Jonah
No motherfucking way am I allowing my daughter to go on a date with this kid in that fucking car.
Not only is there a backseat big enough for two, but there’s enough room in the very back for a damn orgy.
No, nope, and fuck no.
“Jonah…” Raven whispers at my side and squeezes my bicep. “Shh.”
Shit, did I say that out loud?
I’m about to ask when Sadie pushes past me and throws herself into Jack’s arms. A growl bubbles up from my throat which has Raven pinching my tricep so hard I yelp and glare at her. She winks and turns back toward the handsy teenaged boy wrapped around my baby girl. He looks up at me over the top of her head and I wonder when the little shit got so tall. He’s easily six-foot. Not that it matters. I’d still kick his puny ass—
“Uncle Jonah.” He releases Sadie—smart kid—and crosses to me offering me his hand. “I mean, Mr. Slade.” He’s a prettier version of his dad, all the hard angles of his face softened a little with the addition of Layla’s DNA. Where Blake always looks like a threat to all womankind, Jack’s friendlier more approachable features makes me think he’s an even bigger threat.
Raven rocks into my right arm practically shoving it forward to take the kids hand. I do and notice his palm isn’t sweaty and his grip is firm. Why isn’t this kid nervous? He should be terrified to be alone with my only daughter.
I release his hand after a quick shake and he smiles up at me. “Mom said since this is a formal date I should refer to you as Mr. and Mrs. Slade.”
I grunt.
Raven wraps the kid in a hug. “I will always be Aunt Raven to you, kiddo. Not Mrs. Slade. Please.”
“Cool.” He looks between us, and God, his grin makes me want to throat punch him. He got his Dad’s cocky confidence but his mother’s gentle charm which does not bode well for me if I plan on my daughter fighting off his hormonally charged advances.
“Come in.” Raven tries to shove me aside so he can come through the door but I remain right the fuck where I am. He can stay outside as long as I tell him to stay out—
“Dad,” Sadie whispers, her big gorgeous eyes the color of her mom’s shining up at me with urgency. “Please,” she mouths.
Fuck. I never could say no to her.
I step aside and Jack comes in. He’s wearing a button up, collared shirt and jeans with blue Vans and I wonder if he wore my daughter’s favorite brand of shoe just to impress her.
I should’ve known any son of Blake Daniels would be a master manipulator of the female gender—motherfucking shit.
The mental swear jar is overflowing as I stare on helplessly while Jack offers Sadie the weird candy bouquet in his hands.
“For you, because I know how much you like Blow Pops.”
Blow Pops?! Is he out of his damn mind? I know exactly why a man would give a woman something to suck on and it has shitall to do with her love of candy. I ball my fists at my side. Don’t kill Blake’s son. Do not kill Blake’s son.
Her cheeks get red and she accepts the bouquet. “Thank you.”
He points to them. “They’re all cherry. Your favorite.”
“Fuck,” I grumble and all eyes come to me. “What?”
The frantic squeak of rubber soles on marble sounds from the hallway seconds before Carey slides to a stop at my side. Like an angry little coyote he glares up at Jack and shows his teeth. “You.”
“What’s up, little dude.” Jack holds up a hand and steps closer to my son. “High-five.”
Carey stares at the hand like it’s covered in cat shit.
“Care?” Sadie scolds. “What the hell?”
Hating to upset his sister he begrudgingly gives Jack his palm but I notice it lacks enthusiasm.
“I brought you something,” Jack says as he reaches into the back pocket of his jeans. “I know you’re into video games and stuff, but I saw this the other day and thought you’d like it.” He pulls out a Hot Wheels car and hands it to Carey on a flat palm like he’s feeding it to a wild animal.
Carey’s eyes widen and the sides of his mouth jump. “It’s a ’68 Camaro,” he says on a whisper. “Gunmetal gray, just like Dad’s.”
My eye twitches. This fucker.
Jack shoves it toward Carey. “Yeah, it is. Here, take it. It’s yours.”
“Are you sure?” My son stares between the small car and the kid giving it to him like he can’t decide which one he loves more.
Traitor!
After taking the car he rushes into Jack for a rough man hug. I shake my head thinking he can blind my daughter with grossly sexualized candy, my son with toys, and even my wife with his good manners, but he’s going to have to work a lot harder to win me over, little asshole—
“Damn, Uncle Jonah, have you been lifting heavier than usual?” Jack’s green eyes that look so much like his dad’s grow wide at my chest. “You’re bigger than my dad now. What do you bench?”
My molars grind together. “Five-fifty.”
He whistles. “Whoa. Yeah, you are definitely bigger than my dad.”
It isn’t until the side of my mouth starts to pull up that I realize I’m smiling. No! I force a frown.
Sadie hooks her arm through Jacks. “Right, well…we better go if we want to catch that movie!”
Jack nods and looks up at me. “I’ll have her home by ten-thirty.”
“Nine.”
Raven rocks into my side. “Ten-thirty is fine.”
Sadie moves away from Jack long enough to press the side of her face into my chest. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you,” she whispers.
Those three words. I close my eyes and press a kiss to the top of her head. “Love you too, baby. Be safe.”
She rejoins Jack and they turn to head out. I hate the way he opens the door for her, how he puts his hand on her lower back to guide her out to the car, how he throws his head back and laughs at something she says. I hate it all because I know all the moves and I know the intention behind them. He’s out for one thing and one thing only, just like all boys his age—hell, who am I kidding, most men in general—he’s not thinking with the head on his shoulders but the one between his legs.
“Wait!” I bark and both of them freeze halfway to his car. “What movie are you seeing?”
Sadie looks up at Jack to answer which tells me she didn’t have a say in the movie choice.
He grins in the slow and calculated way I’ve seen his father flash to a million different women when he’s trying to be persuasive. “Progress. It’s a documentary about the industrial revolution—”
“You son of a—” I lunge but Raven steps in front of me and I slam into her back.
“Great, sounds good. You guys have fun!” She slams the door and whirls around. “Don’t you dare.”
“Move out of my way, baby.” I shove a finger toward the door. “I am going to chase that fucking car down and rip that little shit apart.”
“No. He’s a good kid and we raised Sadie right. Stop acting like Jack is Blake and your daughter is some helpless girl with zero self-worth.”
I blink at that.
“She’s a strong young woman, Jonah, and she knows she’s worth a whole hell of a lot more than to be used by some kid with a hard-on.”
I open my mouth to defend myself but she cuts me off.
“Jack is a good guy. He’s not out drinking or doing drugs. Both Layla and Blake have him working at the gym and he never complains. He gets good grades, he’s always respectful, so stop making him pay for your and Blake’s sins. He is not you guys.”
I don’t know if I should take offense to that, but I decide she meant it in the best possible way. She’s right. Jack hasn’t shown that he’s untrustworthy, but still. No one will be good enough for Sadie.
“Fine,” I grind out.
She slaps my phone into my palm. “Call Blake and let him know you didn’t kill his son. I’ll be in Carey’s room.” She presses a kiss to my cheek and walks off. I watch her hips sway, her bitable ass swinging beneath the denim of her overalls, and try to forget that Jack Daniels will be looking at my daughter with the same thoughts that are washing through my mind right now.
I punch Blake’s contact and put the phone to my ear.
“What?”
I walk into the kitchen and grab a beer. “I didn’t kill your son.”
“Good, because it would be a real fucking bummer to have to bury my kid and my best friend while being incarcerated for murder, you asshole.”
“Please tell me this kid is nothing like you, you walking fucking case of gonorrhea.”
“Fuck you. You kiss your wife with that mouth? Don’t act like your dick didn’t have just as much of a chance of fallin’ off as mine did back in the day.”
I take a long swig from my beer and drop down onto a barstool with a groan. “What are the chances that our kids are better than us?”
“Shit. With Layla and Raven being their moms? I’d say pretty fucking good.”
“Good point.”
A few beats of silence pass between us.
Blake clears his throat. “If it makes you feel better, I threatened to kick Jack’s ass myself if he doesn’t do right by Sadie. She may not be my blood but she’s my girl too, ya know?”
“Ditto.” Jack’s just as much a part of my family as my own kids, which is why I hate that he’s putting himself on the other side of the protection zone by dating my daughter. “It’s just…” Shit, I should probably let it go.
“What?”
“You know he’s taking her to see a documentary on the industrial revolution?”
Each silent second that ticks by grows thicker with tension.
“Blake?”
He’s still quiet.
I check to make sure our call didn’t get dropped.
“Repeat that?” He practically whispers but it’s not because he’s trying to be quiet, he’s fighting off rage.
“I think you heard me, brother.”
“Funny,” he clears his throat. “I just got an urge to see a movie.”
I grin. “Is that right?”
“Sure as fuck is. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Later.”
He hangs up before I can say goodbye and I chuckle to myself while finishing my beer.
Yeah, Sadie’ll be alright. Once Jack sees his Dad in the theater he’ll be wondering who else is following them and he’ll keep his hands to himself or I’ll break them both clean off his body.
Raven
“My brother just left with the boys,” I say as I come into the bedroom to find Jonah flat on his back staring at the ceiling fan. “You hear from Blake?”
He grunts. “Yeah, he’s sitting behind them at the movies.”
“Jack will never forgive him for ruining this date.” I unhook my overalls and let them drop to the floor before scooping them up and tossing them into the hamper. “Do you know how long the movie is?”
“Couple of hours probably, I’m sure Blake will text me when they’re done.” He pushes up to his elbows as I slip the dirty white tank top off over my head. I don’t know what it is but he always seems fascinated to watch me undress even if it’s only to hop into the shower or change my shirt.
I turn my back to him and look at over my shoulder. “See something you like?”
His wide eyes glide up my back to my face. “Come here.”
I shrug one shoulder and unhook my bra. “Can’t. I have to take a shower.”
“Raven, get your ass to this bed,” he growls.
“Sorry. Can’t.” I drop my bra and hook my thumbs into my panties to shimmy them down my legs. “I’m dirty.”
He moans and the sound of him shifting around on the comforter is immediately followed by the thump of his footsteps as he quickly crosses our bedroom to me. He closes in behind me, his huge hands coming around to cup my breasts and squeeze. A rumble of approval vibrates in his chest as I lean back to give him my weight. His thick, callused fingers run along my nipples then pinch and pull at them. I arch deeper into his hands rubbing my ass against his thick hard-on with a deep sigh. His big body practically wraps around mine and it’s in these moments that I’ve never felt safer.
“You know I like you dirty.” He bites my neck, clamping on with his straight white teeth to hold me in place. It’s primal, primitive, and so damn hot.
“Prove it.” I smile as his teeth lock down a little harder and he sucks at my skin probably leaving a mark before releasing it with a wet pop.
His palm slides heavily down my hips, over my belly button, and slips roughly beneath my panties. “You’re already wet.”
I snake a hand behind my back and palm his erection over his shorts. “So are you.”
A low chuckle vibrates against my neck sending goose bumps over my body as he pushes my legs apart with a tap of his foot to my ankle. “Wider.”
I obey and he rewards me with two fingers pushed deeply inside. My head falls back to the cradle of his chest. He allows me a minute to close my eyes while his hand at my breast and his fingers between my legs overwhelm me with sensation. My hips begin to rock in time with his hands and he moans in approval before pinching my nipple hard.
“Open your eyes and look how hot we are together.”
I knew he wouldn’t let me close my eyes for long. He enjoys watching me watch him pleasure me, it’s a tiny obsession he has and although at first it made me a little uncomfortable, now it gets me off just as much as it does him.
My head feels like it weights a hundred pounds as I lift it up to look down my body. Strong fingers pull and roll my nipple and watching as he does it only makes the sensations stronger. I gasp as he pulls.
“Tell me.” He nips at my ear. “Tell me how it feels.”
“It aches, but in a good way.”
He hums against my skin and curls his fingers between my legs. “And this?”
I stare through hooded eyes at his colorful forearm, the tattoos seeming to dance as he thrusts his fingers in and out of me in a slow and deliberate pace. His big, strong hand covered in pale pink lace, his knuckles bulging and practically ripping through the fabric. “It’s like…” I lick my lips. “You’re stroking every nerve in my body.”
“And?”
“Stretching. Filling. Pounding.”
He mumbles a string of curses into my throat and I lose his hand when he lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bed. “I swear it’s getting harder and harder to have long-lasting foreplay with you, baby. The second I touch you I need to get inside.” He tosses me to the bed and quickly strips my panties from my legs. “No one home for hours.” He makes quick work of the buttons on his shirt, opening it up and dropping it to the floor. “You can be as loud as you want.” With a quick jerk he’s got his shorts off. Every muscle in his body seems to expand and contract with every breath as he stands over me.
“Are you waiting for a formal invitation?” I grin at the feral look in his eyes.
He crawls over me like a predator stalking his prey. With one powerful thrust of his knee, he spreads my thighs further apart then sits back to look down between my legs. He licks his lips and my hips jack off the bed in anticipation of his tongue.
He drops down and buries his face in my thighs. I cry out as he sucks and licks his way into my body.
“Yes.” He growls. “Louder.”
Every time he lashes his thick, heavy tongue against me has my body singing and my mouth forming words that make no sense. He works me into a frenzy before backing off and I claw at his hair pulling the soft strands that have now taken on a few grays and make him even more devastatingly handsome.
“Enough!” He pushes up, flips me to my stomach and with that same knee, presses my leg wide and into the bed. Positioning himself with his hand, he guides himself to me then sinks inside in one, firm thrust. “I could die here, Raven. Buried deep.” He thrusts again, bottoming out. “Right here. Right fucking here.”
He leans over me and licks up my neck to my jaw. I know what he wants so I lift my head and turn just enough to take his tongue deep into my mouth. I taste myself on him and suck my flavor from his mouth as he pushes and pulls in and out of me in lazy strokes. Minutes turn into longer minutes until time becomes irrelevant. He kisses my shoulders, bites at my neck, and whispers filthy words into my ear until I’m bucking to get more, begging for him to fill every single part of me, to rip me in half and lick at my wounds.
His hand slips into my hair and he holds firmly to my nape. “I’m close.”
I tilt my head again, offering him my mouth. He takes it and grinds in deep for one…two…three times and my release zaps my spine so hard I swear it would send me off the bed if it weren’t for Jonah’s weight holding me down. I call out, cry out, groan, and whisper as the force of it wracks my body with aftershocks.
“So sexy, baby. So fucking…” he thrusts again, and again. “Sexy.” His tongue pushes between my lips and I suck it down my throat. His hips pound deeper until he groans and his eyebrows pinch together as he’s overcome by his own release. He slows and milks his orgasm whispering how much he loves me before dropping his weight onto my back.
With sweat-soaked skin against sweat-soaked skin we lay there, him on top of me, catching our breath.
“I love you…” he says, then takes two more heavy breaths. “So much.” He rolls off of me and gathers me to his chest.
I throw my arm over his gut and my leg over his thigh. “I love you too.”
“That was fun.”
I grin against his pec. “It’s always fun.”
His fingers trace patters on my backside and hip, soothing me to an almost sleeplike state. When his hand stills and his breathing evens I know he’s almost asleep too. I close my eyes and I don’t know how much time passes when I’m jerked awake by the ping of Jonah’s phone.
He groans and with a clumsy hand slaps around the bedside table to grab it. I look up to see it’s a text from Blake.
They ditched me!
Jonah hits a couple buttons and then puts it on speakerphone just as Blake answers with a grumbled, “I tried.”
“What happened?” Jonah sounds a lot more relaxed and I give myself an internal pat on the back for a job well done.
“I was sitting right behind them in that movie—and man, let me just say, that movie was boring as shit! When I woke up, they were gone!”
“Woke up? You fell asleep on date duty? What good are you?!”
“I told you the thing was boring as shit, man! You try to sit through that crap and keep your eyes open.”
I smile into Jonah’s chest while he rubs his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “How long into the movie until you fell asleep, asshole?”
“Not long,” he mumbles.
“It’s okay, Blake.” I rub Jonah’s abs hoping to sooth the tension that I feel building in his muscles. “You shouldn’t be spying on them anyway.”
“Hold up, why do you guys sound weird? Wait…Carey’s with Rex and Gia, are you seriously calling me post-coital?”
Jonah barks out a laugh and I bury my face into his armpit and answer, “No.”
“Liar! I can hear it in your voices! The ole ‘no kids home so lets wake the neighbors’ sex. I’m not stupid.”
“Whatever,” I say.
“How was it? Jonah still getting hard at his old age?”
“Fuck you!” Jonah says and Blake laughs.
“It’s cool, old man. It happens to guys your age.”
“I’m hanging up.”
“They make pills now!”
Jonah hits End and tosses his phone to the foot of the bed. “I hate him.”
“You love him.” I squeeze him tighter. “Just think, if this thing with Jack and Sadie works out you guys will be brothers.”
He groans and throws one muscled arm over his eyes. “Stop.”
I settle back into his warmth.
“I think it’s alright that Jack and Sadie are dating.”
Shocked, I blink up at him. “Really?”
He shrugs. “Yeah, I’m not going to be happy about it, I mean…she’s my baby. But, I wouldn’t want to deny her finding what we have.”
“Well look at that.” I prop myself up on my elbows. “You came around.”
“Not really. I just realized that the kind of love we have is rare and I’d hate it if something I did kept my kids from finding their person, ya know? I’d never forgive myself for that.”
I kiss his pec right by his nipple. “Exactly. So…you’re going to let her date then?”
“I don’t like it.”
“I know.”
“But yeah. I’ll try.”
“You’re a good man, Jonah Slade.” I push up and kiss him. “We’re lucky to have you.”
He runs a hand through my hair and pulls me down for another kiss, this one longer and wetter and it leaves me breathless. “No way. I’m the lucky the one. You are and always will be my angel. You gave me life, gave me two amazing kids, give me you. All I have to give you… is me.”
“That’s enough.” I settle back in and smile. “You’ve always been enough.”
Jack
I’m going to kill my dad for showing up at the movie theater tonight.
He knew how long I waited to ask Sadie out on a real date. He knew how much tonight meant to me. When I felt that tap on my shoulder in the theater just as the opening credits were rolling and I turned and saw him scowling at me, I’d never wanted to hurt my dad until that very second.
I grind my molars and try to let the sound of Ryder’s new band Faithless calm my jacked up nerves.
“This is really good,” Sadie says and nods toward the stereo. “My Dad said Ryder got picked up by some well known band but I didn’t think he’d be drumming for Jesse Lee.”
The way she says the name Jesse Lee all dreamy-like makes my stomach sour. Not that I should be surprised, even my mom has a crush on the Grammy winning rock god. Barf.
His voice pours through the speakers like sex and hot honey so I hit the power button earning a weird look from my date.
“Sorry. The music was distracting and there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh. Okay.” She folds her pretty hands in her pretty lap and—my God, I am such a goner for this girl. “What is it?”
That dreamy wistfulness in her voice is replaced by worry and I want to kick myself for making her sound like that. Why can’t I be Jesse Lee? Whatever. “Yeah, well…” I clear the nervousness from my throat. “I wanted to apologize again for my dad. I honestly don’t know what he was thinking. I hate that he ruined our first date.”
She smiles and tilts her head so fucking adorably I have to remind myself I’m operating a vehicle to keep from falling into her gorgeous eyes and staring at them forever. “He didn’t ruin it. He fell asleep like five minutes after he got there. Not that I blame him.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, that movie was a snoozer. I had a feeling one of our parents might follow us so I picked the most boring movie.”
“Really?”
I shrug feeling a little uncomfortable. It’s true, but it’s also true that I didn’t want to see a movie I would be into because I wanted to spend the entire time watching Sadie, sharing popcorn, holding her hand if she’d let me. “Yep. I thought for sure it would be my mom though. She’s like a tiny ninja spy.”
She giggles and the sound stirs up all kinds of havoc in my chest. “I’m just grateful it wasn’t my dad. He can be a little overprotective.”
“That’s good.” I catch her eye and hold her gaze for a serious second. “I’m glad he’s like that, Sadie. You’re worth protecting.”
Her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink that I wouldn’t be able to see in the dim light if it weren’t for the glow thrown by the lighted dash and stereo. “Thank you.”
I catch the entrance for the park up ahead and turn into the lot.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s only ten. I’ll get you home a little early but I’m going to milk my last fifteen minutes.” I wink at her and she grins so wide it makes my chest cramp.
“Are we going to go on the swings? It’s kind of cold.”
I turn, angling my body toward her with my back against the door. “Actually, I hoped we could just talk.”
She mimics my body language, even pulling up one leg and I grin when I see her Vans. It’s as if she was made just for me. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”
“You.”
Her big blue-green eyes grow even bigger and I wonder if I shouldn’t have just blurted that out. Way to sound like a creeper, Jack!
“I mean…us.”
Nope, still not the right thing judging by the way her lips fall open a little.
I rub my forehead and chuckle. “I’m sorry, I mean…what I mean is—”
“I like you, Jack. You’re funny.”
My gaze snaps to hers. “You do?”
She looks around her as if to say, yeah, well I’m here aren’t I?
“Right, but…you like me, as in, you like me more than a friend?”
“Yes?”
I squint one eye. “Is that an answer or a question?”
She laughs so hard she throws her head back and cracks it against the window. “Ow!” She laughs even harder now rubbing the back of her head.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” I’m laughing now too, but leaning forward and wanting so badly to pull her head to my lips and kiss the bump that’s sure to form on the back of her head.
She must see my inner struggle because she sobers and her smile falls.
“I don’t want things to get weird between us.”
She drops her hand from her head and knots her fingers together in her lap. “Me either.”
“But at the same time I don’t want to be just friends anymore.” I blow out a long breath and dig for the courage to say what I need to say. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”
“You have?” she whispers.
I rub the back of my neck feeling like the heat of a hundred spotlights is shining down on my head. Just say it, Jack. Just spit it out already, it’s what you’ve been waiting for. I set my eyes on hers and let ‘er rip. “I’ve been in love with you since…well, since as long as I can remember knowing you exist.”
She blinks rapidly, almost as if my words carried a strong breeze filled with dust that blew straight into her face.
“I know that’s probably a lot to take in and I don’t want you to feel bad for not feeling the same, but I can’t live with this secret anymore. Your parents wanted me to wait until you’re seventeen and you are and I want to date you, Sadie Slade. Like, more than once. All the time. Every day.” I wait for a response, anything, but she simply stares like she’s trying to translate a foreign language. “I want you to be mine. The way you’ve always been mine in here.” I tap my chest just in case she doesn’t quite understand what I’m asking.
She licks her lips and I brace for her rejection. This is what I’ve prepared for, what I decided was worth the sacrifice because I couldn’t stand to live another day with all these feelings I couldn’t act on.
“So, does this mean I’m your girlfriend now?” She lifts one eyebrow in a sweet and teasing way that makes me stutter.
Yep, I fucking stuttered.
“I…I…y-yes. I, yes. Please?” I laugh. “No, not please. Or please, yes, I don’t—”
She presses her palm to my knee. “Jack, just say yes.”
I blink away from the visual of her perfect hand with dark blue painted fingernails on my knee. My knee! “Yes.”
“Good.” She grins and takes her hand away.
I stare stupidly at the spot she left behind strangely still feeling the heat of her touch. “Does this mean I get to hold your hand at school?” I look up at her. “Carry your backpack? Walk you to class?”
“You don’t have to do that—”
“I want to…Sadie…I’ve always wanted to. I want everyone at Belleview, hell, everyone in the world to know you’re mine.”
“When you put it like that...”
I love the way she bites her bottom lip to hide her smile.
“Does this also mean…” I curse the crack in my voice and clear my throat. “Does this mean I can kiss you now?”
“Sure, but you should know you’ll be my first.”
A heavy swell fills every available space behind my ribs and I have the strangest urge to jump on the roof of my car and beat my chest. Instead, I say, “Good. But, I already knew that. We kissed when we were six years old. My mom has the picture to prove it.”
“That’s because you kept hopping after me swearing you were a frog and I should kiss you and see if you’d turn into a prince.”
I remember. I wouldn’t give up until I got her to kiss me. “It took me days to convince you.”
“Yep.” Her expression grows serious. “And it worked.”
“I’m not a prince,” I whisper so softly I wonder if she even heard me.
“You are to me.”
As if drawn together by some cosmic force, we lean in at the same time meeting over the center console. Her bottom lip quivers slightly.
I reach forward and cup her jaw, absorbing the warmth of her soft skin and run my thumb along her lower lip. “Don’t be scared, Sadie girl. Not of me.”
She moves a few inches closer. “I’m not scared. I’m excited.”
With that I tilt my head and watch as she closes her eyes and presses her lips to mine. I fight to keep my eyes open because I want to record every visual of her this close to my memory, but the softness of her mouth and the sweet cherry blossom scent of her skin swirls around me, and my lids drop closed. I part my lips just enough to pull her lower one with the smallest suction and she leans in even closer. She tilts her head and I use the tip of my tongue to wet her lip, a gentle request for entrance.
Blood surges through my veins as she parts hers and our tongues slide together for the very first time. My hand dips deeper into her hair and I gently hold her close making sure she knows she can easily pull away whenever she wants. But she shocks me by gripping the front of my shirt, fisting it, and tugging me in. Our kiss is sweet, wet, and once our teeth knock together we laugh and pull apart. She drops her hand from my shirt, but I keep my hold at her nape.
“Would you be alright if I kiss you at school?”
She scrunches up one side of her face adorably. “Like that?”
“However you’ll let me.”
“What if we get caught?”
“I’ll get expelled for you.”
She laughs. “What if my dad finds out we kiss like that?”
“He’ll kill me.” We both laugh even though it’s not really funny. He really will kill me, one hand, he’d crush me. “But I’d happily die for you.”
“I don’t think you’d need to do that—”
“I would, ya know. If anyone tried to hurt you I’d kill them or die trying.”
“Wow,” says on a breath.
“That’s how much I love you. Do you get it?”
Her hand holds my forearm and I almost expect her to push me away but she doesn’t, she only grips me tighter. “I love you too, Jack. I always have.”
I can’t even imagine there’s a cool way to smile when it takes over your entire face. From my chin to my hairline and everything in between hurts from the force of my grin—even my eyes are smiling. “Really?”
“Of course. I thought you always knew. I thought that’s why you chased me and drove me crazy.”
“So this is it. We’re finally going to be together.”
“Yeah.”
“What about Collin Shen?” Just saying the name of the kid who’s been after Sadie since freshman year has jealousy ripping at my insides. Collin’s a football player, quarterback, and smart—obviously, he’s in love with Sadie. He’s the school’s golden boy, the star, my biggest competition.
“He’s just a friend.”
“He’s not going to like that we’re together.”
“He’ll get over it.”
Wow… this is really happening. My Dad may have ruined the first part of the date but it ended better than I could’ve imagined. I check the time on the clock. I don’t want to screw up what will be our first date of many by pissing her parents off. I need to stay on their good side. “I should get you home.”
She leans in close and drops one last kiss on my lips. I hold back a ridiculous urge to say “thank you” even though it’s what I’m feeling.
Thank you for giving me your first kiss.
Thank you for giving me a chance.
Thank you for loving me back.
Stay tuned for two Fighting series spin-offs.
Free to Fly – Jack and Sadie’s story
Faithless: A Rockstar Romance – The story of Jesse Lee