RJ knew better than to pop his horn when picking me up, but tonight he did it anyway. Daddy always pointed out that a gentleman would come to the door and pick up his lady. Thankfully, my parents were out on a date.
As soon as I turned the key locking the deadbolt, I ran to his truck where he had the door already open for me
“Hey.” I hopped in and gave him what I thought would be a quick kiss. Rather than pulling away, RJ wrapped his hand around my neck and pulled me closer, taking my mouth deep and humming while his tongue swirled with mine. He always had a way of making me forget—everything. I grabbed onto the top of his thigh, needing to erase any distance between us and squeezed. He had no idea that soon I’d give in. Relaxing into his touch, my body knew it was slowly losing the battle. Everything in me knew without a doubt RJ would be my first and only to bring it the ultimate pleasure. Most importantly—my heart agreed.
“Umm.” He hummed as he pulled away. “You ready?”
“Of course.” I knew my eyes were twinkling at the sight of him. We buckled up and headed out. First stop, food. There was no way we could go all night partying on an empty stomach.
Surprisingly, there wasn’t a long line for the drive through. RJ pulled right up, ordered into the mic box, and within minutes, we were on our way.
“I can’t believe we’re halfway through the summer already.” He looked at me and covered up his worried eyes with a wink and that sexy smirk.
“I can’t believe it either, but I know I want to enjoy every last minute of it with you.” I clasped my nervous hands and hid them between my thighs.
We bounced around the cab of the truck until the ground under us evened out and we came to a stop on the far eastern side of the Crenshaw property. The side Lilly gave us permission to use. Shifting the truck into park, RJ unbuckled his seatbelt and then pressed the button to release mine as well.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I love that you’re always a gentleman.”
“I guess my mama taught AJ and me right.” He winked and then pushed open his door before grabbing the white paper sack.
“It’s nice out. Let’s eat in the bed of the truck.”
I scooted my butt across the bench seat and hopped down, careful not to drop the drinks in my hands. By the time I rounded the back of the truck, RJ already had the tailgate down and was pulling our food from the bag. He turned, and before I could stop him, he hoisted me onto the tailgate. The sudden movement jostled the drinks and spilled root beer on my thighs.
“Shit, Addie. I’m sorry.” By the look in his eyes, I knew he wasn’t really all that sorry. When he bent and licked a line of soda from my skin, I realized he wasn’t sorry at all.
A tiny whimper escaped as his tongue inched higher up my thigh and closer to my sweet spot. So many different feelings were rushing through me at once, and when he gripped my waist, I carefully leaned back on my palms in a silent invitation. The anticipation was brutal. Need shot through my body, my eyelids fluttered closed, and my head fell back. All my senses were heightened, ready, and counting on him to take this further. He nipped and kissed me over my soaked panties.
When the soft tip of RJ’s nose ran slowly up my center and he inhaled an audible breath, a throaty sound passed his lips, and I bit down hard on my bottom lip. Before I could lock my hands in his hair and pull him into me, he stood, righted my dress, and grabbed the paper sack. “Let’s eat. I’m starved.”
Locked in place, trying to calm my libido down, I stared with frustrated eyes at the jackass I loved and hated in that second. The bastard had the nerve to chuckle.
I scoffed softly. “What the hell was that?” I sat up straight, my legs dangling off the tailgate.
“What was what?” His signature cocky smirk pulled at the corner of his lips while he feigned ignorance.
“You are such an ass sometimes, you know that?” I tossed a fry at him.
He chuckled again and hopped up on the tailgate, barely leaving an inch between us.
“Awhh, come on, babe. Don’t be like that.” He gently shoulder bumped me. “In due time. This”—he snuck his hand under my dress, ghosting his thumb right where I wanted him— “is all mine.”
With the way the night was headed, it was a good thing I told my parents I was sleeping over at Lilly’s house. I hated having to tell them a little white lie, but as much as they loved RJ, there was no way they’d allow me to stay out all night with him—eighteen or not.
She was so mad that I had stopped, but she would have been more upset if someone had walked up on us and saw exactly where my mouth had been heading. We ate in relative silence, her stewing over the frustration that was clear as day on her face and me waiting for my cue from Tyler. I crumpled the paper that had been wrapped around my sandwich and tossed it in the bag, as Addie let out what could have possibly been her hundredth heavy sigh.
“Babe, don’t be like that.” I bit back my smile.
“Don’t be like what?” She answered back. She must have heard the faint sound of bass and fiddles playing, because suddenly I’d lost all her attention. My phone buzzed with a text, most likely Ty letting me know it was time to party, but I changed my mind. I would much rather spend the time with Addie—alone.
“What’s going on?” she asked as she turned back to face me.
“Ty and I had planned a party . . . but I’d rather be here with you.” I touched her cheek. “Is that okay, or did you want to go and check it out?”
“Stay here.” She smiled. “Why don’t you put some music on?”
“Right.” I rushed to the front of the cab; excited thinking that tonight was it. I pulled two condoms from my wallet and tucked them in my front pocket. After the fireworks show, I would lay her down in the bed of my truck and finally show her how much I loved her.
Tuning the radio to some country station, I shot Ty a quick text saying we weren’t coming down to the party and would watch the fireworks from the bed of my truck.
I rounded the back of my truck to find Addie standing there.
“Dance with me?” she asked, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight.
I nodded and grabbed her hand, locking our fingers together as my other hand slid around her waist. Addie laid her head on my chest, and both of our feet moved in tune to the music. The first few minutes it was nice having her in my arms, but as the second song came to a close, I wanted nothing more than to have her writhing under me. I was sure she could feel how worked up she got me.
“You look real pretty tonight.”
“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.” Her hand made its way into the back pocket of my jeans, and she pulled me just a bit closer. I gulped knowing just what she was hinting at, wanting tonight as much as I did. More so, since she had only about a month left before leaving.
Quit being a piss head.
Shut the fuck up.
Don’t start being an idiot now; you’ve got a girl to love on.
That was for sure.
I lifted her by the waist so she could stand on my shoes. The third song came on, and I danced the two of us to the slow melody as a sweet woman’s voice crooned about young love and lasting forever. “I love you so much, Addie Mae.”
“I love you, too.” She squeezed my neck a little tighter. “This will always be my favorite song.” She moved her head from my chest to get a good look at me. “Anytime you hear this song, think of me okay?”
My throat grew thick with emotion, but I couldn’t let her know how much that had affected me. “This’ll always be our song.”
She smiled and whispered, “Our song,” as I slowly walked her backward until her legs hit the tailgate of my truck. I dipped low and kissed her. Her mouth was soft and warm, always tasting like bubble gum and by the way she tangled her tongue with mine confirmed we both craved for more. “Babe—” Addie gasped as she turned in time to see a shower of blues and greens fill the night sky. I wanted to cuss out Tyler for ruining our moment, but Addie looked impossibly beautiful as the colored lights danced around her. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and rested my chin on the top of her head. The next one shot into the sky, exploding in white lights high above. They were beautiful, but I could not stop the little tingle of nerves that settled into the pit of my stomach. They were beautiful, they were also illegal as fuck, and I didn’t want to have the night ruined by the red and blues.
“It’s so pretty,” she said in awe. “I can’t believe you and Ty pulled this off.”
“Me either, especially since he has a big mouth.” We laughed.