Chapter 9
When we get to my parents’ house in Brett's car, my parents are on the front porch to greet us.
"Brett, you outdid yourself this time," my father says walking to shake Brett's hand as he gets out of the car.
"It wasn't a bother, not at all. I'm always here for Ella, she knows that."
"You guys have had a long day, come inside for a drink. Are you hungry? I'm sure we could pull something together." My mom smiles warmly at my oldest friend and her father.
"Thank you, Julia," Kari says, pulling my mom into a hug. "God knows my dad won't have anything at the house. Knowing him, he's sent Rosie away on a holiday weekend. Right, Dad?"
One thing about Brett that I've always loved is his generosity. His warm heart and his willingness to help anyone. Kari has always complained that every single holiday weekend of her entire life her dad has sent the staff home. Which I tend to think is pretty dang sweet. She on the other hand, thinks having a warm meal on Christmas morning might be even better.
"Of course," Brett says. "And yes, I'd love a drink." My parents and Kari walk inside and I follow. Brett is behind me, and I feel his body treacherously close to mine. After I take a step into the house, I pause. Rocking back on my foot, I press my ass against him.
"Girl," Brett whispers in my ear, as I let my body lean against his for a moment longer than I should. "I mean it, I need you. You're more than a hook up. I want you to know that. You are mine."
Scared that I'm going to turn around, wrap my arms around him and kiss him like a maniac, I choose the opposite path.
I hightail it to the kitchen and stick my head in the freezer. Literally. I need to cool off.
"Are you getting ice? Mom asks coming up behind me.
I laughed nervously. Pulling out ice cube trays from the freezer. "Yeah, for the cocktails. Gotta get it for the ice bucket. For the drinks. The gin. Or whiskey? Whatever you want. Let me help."
I'm not usually a nervous talker, but I'm also not usually a girl who fucks on airplanes. I'd say I joined the mile-high club, but that wasn't what happened exactly. I didn't even need to get off the ground for him to turn my life upside down.
He said, you are mine.
And maybe it's crazy, foolish, absurd, but I believe him.
He told me he'd been thinking about me for years. Watching me for years. The idea that he watched, as my body developed, got curvier and bustier. The idea that he was waiting for me; the same way I've been waiting for him makes my pussy weak. Makes my belly roll.
I want more.
I want Brett.
"Let me help you with that, sweetie," my mother says, taking the ice trays from my hand. "Listen, Ella, I know you say you hate college, and that you want to do something different. Your dad and I want to talk with you about that this weekend, okay? I know we've been a little upset when we've talked on the phone, but we love you, and want you to be happy."
"Thanks Mom," I say, not expecting her sincerity over the one subject that usually gets us in a disagreement. "And since you're in such a good mood, you don't mind Kari and I drinking tonight, do you?”
"Just one." She wags her finger at me. "But don't go talking about it."
"Mom, we drank champagne on the flight over. We're big girls, besides, do you know how much freshman drink in college? Lots."
She follows me into the living room where Brett and my father, Derek, are sitting with Kari.
"Right," Kerry says hearing the end of our conversation. "Like you actually go to college parties and drink." She laughs, and I'm reminded once again how familiar our families are with each other. Our dads are friends; my mom has found her place as a confidant to Kari and a provider for me.
Still, I can't shake the desire of wanting to be with Brett, even though I know it would change everything.
* * *
An hour later, I am finishing my second gin and tonic -- I needed something icy cold with a twist of lime to take the edge off.
My parents and Brent are drinking wine, and evidently the bottle is empty. My mom goes to the kitchen to put together a meat and cheese platter, and my dad offers to help her. Kari is texting, sprawled out on a couch. She flashes the screen to me, Javier.
I smile, and pat her knee.
"I'll go grab another bottle from the pantry," I tell my parents, as I walk in the kitchen. “Pinot Noir?"
"That sounds lovely, Brett, is that okay with you?" Mom is at the cutting board, slicing hard cheddar. "You know though, it's a mess down there."
"That's fine, I'll give you a hand, Ella." Brett smiles warmly at my parents, and I turn my head quickly, scared I'll be blushing in front of them.
"Great," Mom says. Then she starts telling my dad to grab salami from the fridge and I make my way down the stairs to the basement before anything interrupts this stolen time with Brett.
Brett is a few stairs behind me and we walk into the basement. It's not some dark and dank basement; it's a carpeted rec room with a pantry off the side where Mom stores her Costco surplus.
"It's right here, Brett," I tell him. My heart racing as he steps closer to me. This feeling isn't anything new, for so long I've felt as if his breath, his energy, his physique, shadow my every thought. And now, he literally is shadowing me.
I step in the walk-in pantry.
"I'll get the door," Brett says as he comes up behind me.
He clicks the door shut and I reach for the light.
His hand covers mine and he pulls it from the switch.
"It might be hard to find the wine."
"You're looking for wine? Because baby, I don't think that's going to quench your thirst."
I lean against the door, and into Brett's kiss.
His lips are on mine in a hungry, desperate way.
His lips are sweet, the red wine heavy on his mouth, and his tongue presses against mine. I moan under him. And in a moment, his hands are down my pants, touching my wet pussy again. And my hands are groping him, his hard cock, and his firm ass.
All of him.
"I want you so badly baby."
I gasp for breath, his fingers not entering me, instead they run against the soft skin of my bare mound. Caressing me.
"Brett, upstairs you said you are mine, what does that mean to you?"
He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ears, cupping my face with his palm. I fit so well. And even if his cock is so much bigger than I expected, my body can handle him. I want to take him now.
"I meant those words completely," he tells me. "I want you to be mine. I've waited long enough."
"The age difference, our families... and Kari?"
"Would you give this up, this heat between the two of us because of what they thought? Because Ella, I can't. I won't. If you tell me that this isn't going to work, I'll respect your wishes. But it also means I have to leave."
He still caresses me, bending me to his will, and my hands run up and down the ridges of his cock through his pants. He kisses along my cheekbone, my jawline. He leaves kisses down my neck, on the center of my collarbone. I breathe him in, he smells like such a man.
The only man I want to know.
"When you say you would leave? What does that mean, Brett?"
"It means I would sell the house here. It means I would move my business. It means I would relocate. I can't see you knowing I can't have you. I've waited until you were eighteen years old. Counting down the minutes until I saw you again, hoping that the moment would be right. Then you and I were on that plane, and it was destiny. That may sound like I'm a romantic motherfucker but it's the truth. I love how sweet you are, how tender you are, I love the way you're not like other girls your age. You don't play games. You know exactly what you want. Most women my age aren't even like that."
"What I want is you. You."
He pulls his hand from my pants, and he wraps his arms around me, kissing me deeply, completely. My hands are around his neck and I'm sinking deeper and deeper into the kiss. Our bodies melting together, and I don't think we could be closer if we were completely naked. He tells me words that I am longing to hear, the excitement building up to my very core.
I kiss him hard, and he kisses me deeper.
Nothing could ruin this. We can tell everyone when the time is right. If they love us, they will understand.
As I moan against him, the door to the pantry yanks open. The light flicks on. Brett and I jump apart so startled by the light and the door and the screaming.
"Oh my fucking God." Kari is shrieking. Covering her mouth and her eyes. "Oh my God are you kidding me with this?" she yells.
I close my eyes, cross my arms and I watch as Brett adjusts himself and his erection furiously. His erection meant for me.
"This is the guy you fucked?" she screams. "You fucked my father?"
I don't want to make it worse, but I also don't want to lie to my best friend.
I just nod my head, knowing Brett and I have just ripped our families apart.