***
3
***
“Shit,” I swore aloud when I woke up the next morning and realized that Nick and I had slept in each other’s arms in my room. “Nick!” I whispered vehemently as I shook him a little harder than I should have. He barely moved. “Nick!”
He murmured and tried to reach out to hold me.
“Nick, you’ve got to get up. It’s morning.”
He opened one eye lazily and tried again to drag me back into his arms. “Come here.”
“No, Nick, we’re going to get in trouble.” I looked at my phone, which lay next to my bed stand. “It’s almost eight o’clock. Mom and Dad will be in our rooms any minute. Get up.”
Our parents made a habit of stopping by our rooms every morning to say hello and catch up before they left for work if we hadn’t already come downstairs. My mom had developed the habit when I was a kid, and she had continued it after I became a teenage. Leaving for college didn’t change things, and if anything, it made things worse.
“I’m going to clean up and run downstairs,” I said firmly as I got up and pulled on my clothes. “You better get moving or this will make for an odd start to the day.”
“Chicken.”
“Whatever,” I said with a smile. I threw a pillow at him. It felt good to feel free with him again. Even though there was still a lot unsaid between us, yesterday was a great start, and I was excited to see what the rest of the break would bring for us.
Thankfully, when I got downstairs, my mom hadn’t come down yet. I turned on the coffee machine and began making eggs and toast for breakfast. I hardly ever cooked, but I was so spent from having sex with Nick all night long that I certainly needed a little more than just orange juice for breakfast.
“Someone’s up early.” It was Dan, Nick’s dad.
“Good morning, Dad,” I said, smiling at him.
“And also cooking. Wow. What happened to you?” he joked as pecked me on the cheek. Everyone in our house knew I cooked either when I was happy or when I was forced to. But I couldn’t very well tell Nick’s dad that I was joyfully cooking because I spent all night fucking his son. That wouldn’t sit well.
“Nothing happened,” I replied, blushing and wondering if he could see the afterglow from a night of glorious sex on my face. “I’m just giving you and Mom a break. Making eggs won’t kill me.”
“I could get used to this,” he said as he pulled a plate from the cabinet and put his toast in the toaster.
“Don’t. I’m only home for four weeks,” I giggled as I put the first omelet on his plate.
“Well, I’ll enjoy the four weeks then,” Dan said with a chuckle. “Thanks, Maddy. It looks delicious.”
“Who’s cooking?” Mom walked into the kitchen, her clacking heels preceding her voice.
“Oh my goodness, why is me cooking such a big deal in this house? It’s just eggs and toast. I feel guilty now. I should have made a whole meal,” I said as I kissed Mom on the cheek.
“Honey, you know you hate cooking, so you wearing an apron at eight o’clock in the morning and making omelets for the entire family is a bit worrisome.”
“Good morning, guys.” Nick, shirtless, appeared.
I hated when he did that, which was often, as it had always had the wrong effect on me. And with having just fucked him and wanting more, his bare torso was affecting me in a way it never had before. The room suddenly felt hot.
“Maddy’s cooking? What’s the special occasion?” he joked.
“That’s it. I’m never cooking again,” I said, throwing a kitchen towel at him.
“That would be a shame, because you make the best omelets. I bet it tastes good,” Nick said as he strolled casually across the kitchen to the stove where I had just finished the last batch of eggs. He tried the eggs with a fork. “Hmm...maybe not.”
Our parents started giggling, and ordinarily, I would have giggled too, but instead, I blushed. I knew his comments about tasting good were not directed toward the eggs. He was talking about me tasting good, and right in front of our parents. I caught his gaze and he winked at me. I shook my head. This boy was trouble in every possible way.
“So, what are you guys up to today?” Mom asked. “You should get out of the house and enjoy this beautiful day.”
“We might just do that,” Nick said between forkfuls of eggs.
“Someone sure appreciates your eggs,” Mom said, laughing.
Damn. Eggs. I quickly made the connection to the extreme need to discuss contraception with Nick. Getting pregnant was not going to turn out right for either of us.
“I do appreciate this yearly display of cooking abilities,” Nick laughed. “Man, I was starving. Working out late at night makes me so hungry the next day.”
“I can imagine,” I replied, but I knew the exercise he referred to was our sex marathon, not the gym. He winked at me again when our parents weren’t looking.
Once our parents left, Nick grabbed my ass playfully and pulled me closer to him. He placed his mouth on mine - his tongue demanding. I responded, meeting his fervor, one hand slipping into his pants, the other hand grabbing his waist. His cock was soft and warm. As he kissed me, his hands caressed my ass the way that turned me on. My hand formed a stronghold on the length of his cock and started to gently rub him up and down, causing his cock to swell and strengthen.
“I thought we were going to watch a movie,” I said.
“We could make our own movie,” Nick suggested.
“Maybe later,” I said, taking my hands off his pants and planting a kiss on his cheek.
“You’re such a tease,” he said with a smile while still holding me close to him. “How much later?”
“Well, buy me lunch first and maybe I’ll give you dessert,” I said.
“Hmm…Tony’s?” he asked as he released me slowly.
“Sure,” I said. Tony’s was my favorite hangout spot.
***
We lazed around the house, lying on the couch, watching movies and just talking. It was nice to enjoy being siblings without the complications of sex. Sometime around midday, the phone interrupted our time together. I sat up and grabbed the handset.
“Hello?” It was Amy, my roommate, calling me from London. “Hey, Amy! So good to hear from you. How are you?”
“Good. Did I wake you up? You sound sleepy,” she inquired.
“No, I was just having a lazy morning,” I said, looking down at Nick, who was pretending to watch TV.
“How’s that brother of yours?”
“Oh, he’s fine.”
“Did you tell him about me?”
“Tell him what?” Then I remembered she wanted to hook up with him and started giggling. “Oh, he’s taken.”
Amy cursed on the other end and we both laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Nick whispered.
I put my hand over the mouthpiece so Amy didn’t hear me and whispered, “Someone wants to fuck you.”
“I’m ready,” he responded and tried to pull me down to him.
“Not me,” I said, pushing his hands away. “My roommate.”
“Are you still there?” Amy asked. I had almost forgotten she was on the other line.
“Yes, I am. Sorry. I was just a little distracted. So how are your parents?”
We talked for a few more minutes, catching up on our plans for the next few weeks. After a few more minutes, Nick circled his arms around me and kissed me fully on the lips. I put my finger on my lips to signal him to remain quiet since I was still on the phone, but he kissed me again.
“I want you now,” he said, kissing me a third time.
I quickly dismissed Amy. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later in the week.” I hung up and looked at Nick. “Are you trying to make Amy jealous?” I asked, kissing him back and laughing.
“No, just trying to get your attention,” he said as he pinned me underneath him.
****
Around noon we drove to Tony’s for lunch. It was a quaint bar and restaurant that catered to young professionals in the afternoon and rowdy college kids at night. The place guaranteed privacy, as most of our friends and family hardly visited there. The establishment was perpetually dark, an ambiance that promised a great hideaway. We walked towards the bar, hoping that J, an old high school friend of ours, was working today so we were guaranteed a free drink.
J worked part time at the bar while completing his undergrad degree in fine arts at the local college. He knew I liked Nick because he’d once teased me in high school that if Nick wasn’t my stepbrother, I’d probably hook up with him. How right he was about the hooking up part. After that comment in high school, I made sure to control all evidence of my attraction to Nick.
As we approached the bar, J’s back was turned from us; he was pouring some drinks for a couple at the other end of the bar. I wondered about the relationship between the couple. One of my favorite pastimes was to analyze the sexual relationship between two strangers and create a fantasy around their relationship. I wondered if they were fuck buddies or a married couple out on a date.
“Maddy! Great to see you, honey,” J said as he turned around and saw me.
“Hi, J,” I said, blowing a kiss across to him.
“Honey?” Nick whispered.
“Come on. Stop being jealous. You know he’s always called me that.”
“I know, but still, I can’t help feeling jealous,” he replied, grabbing my ass for a brief moment.
“Nick! J is right there,” I said, glancing toward J to see if he had noticed us. Thankfully, his attention was still on his customers. “You’re so going to get us in trouble.”
“You know I like trouble.”
“Well, I don’t,” I said firmly.
“Nick. Great to see you,” J called out as soon as he saw us together.
“Hi there, J,” Nick said, reaching across the bar to shake his hand.
“Haven’t seen you guys in a while. How’s it going?”
“Good. School and all that. What about you?” Nick asked.
“I’m good. Glad the semester’s done,” J answered. “Not easy trying to keep this gig and do the school thing, too, but it’s all good.”
“I hear you. I work at a bar during the semester as well. It can be rough,” Nick said.
“Oh, yeah,” J winked. “All those girls all over you? I can’t imagine.”
I didn’t find J’s words funny. Girls all over Nick was not my vision of how his days and nights in college should be. I hadn’t even known he worked in a bar.
“When did you start working in a bar?” I asked.
“Right before the winter break,” he said.
I nodded. I didn’t really like him working in a bar, but I didn’t want to start acting like the crazy girlfriend just yet.
“So, what’s there to eat around here, J? I’m famished,” I changed the topic.
“Here you go,” J said as he placed a menu in front of us. “I’ll get the server.”
“Are you hungry?” I asked Nick as J turned away.
“You bet.” He sat astride bar stool next to me. The mental image of his cock hanging between his legs made me want to reach out and stroke him.
“Ready to order?”
“Yes, please,” I said, and Nick nodded his head in agreement.
“I was at the end of my shift. You guys enjoy your lunch and drinks on me,” J said, placing a bottle of beer in front of Nick and a glass of cranberry-pineapple juice for me.
“Thanks,” Nick and I said in unison.
Once J left, we moved to a quiet, dark corner against the wall for more privacy.
As soon as we settled in, away from the lunch crowd and at an angle that allowed us to see anyone that was approaching us before they saw us, I unzipped Nick’s pants and slipped my hands into his boxers. He cock was semi-hard. He gasped at the touch and momentarily closed his eyes. I noticed a waitress about my age approaching us, and I froze for a second. She introduced herself and placed the menu on our table. I noticed Nick’s gaze shift from the menu to her watermelon-sized breasts, and I squeezed his cock a little harder, intending to inflict a little bit of discomfort.
“Aww,” he flinched.
“Are you okay?” Sarah, the waitress asked, a little startled, looking from Nick to me. I put on an innocent face.
“I’m fine. May we have some water please?” Nick asked.
“Sure.” She turned back towards the kitchen, and I noticed that she had a good-sized ass, too.
“What did you do that for?” Nick asked. “She’s got nothing on you.”
“Looked like she was turning you on. That ass and those breasts,” I said, still playfully fondling his cock that had since turned hard.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the one turning me on,” he said with a deep groan. “It’s totally unfair, what you’re doing to me right now.”
Sarah returned with two glasses of water and took our order before disappearing again into the kitchen.
“So, what’s for dessert?” Nick asked as he slowly lifted my dress up.
“What do you want?” I teased.
“What do you have to offer?” Nick said, giggling, his hand moving closer to my pussy.
“You’re so naughty.” I realized his hands had moved to my panties, and a finger began rubbing on my hardening clit. I formed a ring with my finger and thumb and started slowly stroking his cock. Soon, my legs involuntarily spread wider as he opened his legs to make it easier for me to stroke him. I was deliberately slow as I did not intend for him to climax, but I still wanted him to enjoy himself. Our hands kept working overtime as we pretended to be reading the menu in muffles and groans.
At last, our food arrived and we had to let go. I excused myself to the bathroom to wash up.
“Want me to come with you?” Nick asked mischievously.
“No. I can manage all by myself,” I smiled at him as I walked to the restroom.
It took all I had to resist touching myself as I washed up and returned to my seat. Nick looked at me with his head cocked to one side and the playful smile still plastered on his face.
“No, I didn’t,” I said to him. I knew he was wondering if I had touched myself while I was in the bathroom. It was amazing how I could almost read his mind and understand words unspoken between us.
“Great, because I want to take care of you myself after lunch,” he said, getting up to go to the bathroom.
His bulge had subsided enough for him to walk without drawing attention to the front of his pants. At the last minute, I followed him, intending on surprising him. It was another fantasy of mine to fuck him in a public place and the timing seemed right. I had no idea how I was going to pull it off, but I wasn’t thinking as I followed him. Every step I took towards the bathroom made me giddy as I imagined riding his hard cock. I imagined him pinning me against the bathroom wall and kissing me until I came.
To think that I had just had sex with him a few hours ago and still wanted more was a little crazy, maybe even frightening. My nipples hardened as I thought of Nick, and I got wetter as I approached the bathrooms. I wondered how I would sneak into the men’s bathroom when I saw him enter the oversized-family bathroom. There was no one around, so I quickly grabbed the door just as he was about to close it. A wide grin spread across his face.
“Hi, there,” he said as he pulled me into the bathroom and locked the door behind us. He pinned me against the wall like he had read my mind. “This is going to be a dream come true.”
“There’s a first for everything,” I said as I sought his mouth.
He kissed me, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth. His hands found their way under my skirt as I unbuckled his belt and let his pants pool at his feet. I pulled down his boxers and his cock sprang out at me, hard, erect, and warm to the touch. He rubbed my pussy for a few seconds, then plunged two fingers into my wetness, caressing me.
“So wet,” he said as his fingers glided in and out of me, stretching me wide as he gradually increased the number of fingers. I let him stroke me a few more times and then released myself from his hold and bent down to close my mouth around his cock. A few strokes up and down of my lips and subsequent engulfing of his balls with my mouth was enough to send him arching his body and writhing in pleasure. He gently pulled me up to a standing position and lifted me off the floor, partially supporting me by holding onto my hips and placing my back against the wall. My legs wrapped around him as slowly and surely he slid his entire cock into my wet pussy in one push, thrusting in and out. The tempo was very quick since we had to get back to our dinner table before the waitress suspected our absence. A few deep and intense strokes later, and we both exploded.
*****
The next Saturday turned out to be a beautiful, crisp winter day. I needed space to think about what was happening between Nick and me, so I started my morning with a five mile run around a local park and ended up at the local coffee shop. I ordered my usual decaf caramel latte with whip cream and milk. I sat at a corner table and glanced through a novel I had been reading for several days – ironically, a naughty, romantic erotica between a man and a woman he couldn’t date.
After leafing through a couple of pages of the book and realizing I had barely read a word, I gave up and closed the book. My mind was on Nick. I was beginning to fall for him, and certainly in an “unsisterly” way. I thought about him when I woke up, and he was the last thing on my mind when I went to sleep. I was already dreading going back to school in a few weeks, and I was worried about how our parents would take it when they found out what was going on between us.
I was still engrossed in my thoughts when I heard a familiar male voice place an order, and without even looking up, I knew who it was. My heart fluttered like a teenager in love; I picked up my book, pretending to read. Had he come looking for me? I heard him order his coffee – strong, black with two packets of sugar. I expected him to come sit next to me.
Moments later, a petite woman’s voice ordered an Americano with extra cream and extra sugar. I looked up to see who she was, and to my dismay, it was Amber, the girl who was supposed to be his ex, hanging on his arm. For a second, the bitch in me wanted to run over to them and yank her hands off him. I then remembered we weren’t supposed to be dating and calmed down. What the heck was she doing with him? I watched them, painfully, from the corner of my eye, sinking deeper and deeper into my seat as they engaged in a conversation.
Why would Nick bring her here this early? He had supposedly slept over at his friend’s house the night before. Was she the friend he had visited?
I suddenly felt so used. For a second, I had fooled myself into thinking we were a couple and that we had something special. But now, I realized just how ridiculous I had been. I had been vulnerable and he had taken advantage of me. Not that I didn’t enjoy having sex with him…it was heavenly. If I had only wanted sex from him, it would have been fine. But I was just beginning to realize I wanted more from him than just a physical relationship, and seeing him with Amber tore at my heart. I tortured myself watching them - Amber holding him tight and cooing in his ear, him smiling down at her and talking to her in a low tone - there was no future for us. I had been disillusioned big time.
I was back to being his naïve stepsister, and him, my jerk older stepbrother.
How could I have expected him to change just because we had mind-blowing sex? I felt so stupid. I needed to get out of there discretely – I couldn’t bear to see him with that airhead. But I was trapped; they had sat right next to me without noticing my presence. I could see her gorgeous locks of blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. She was the opposite of me, sophisticated and chic. Since I couldn’t really leave without being noticed, I decided to stay put until it was safe to walk out.
“Amber, how’s that going to work?” Nick said to her.
“Same way we’ve done it in the past. It’s not that big of a deal. Besides, we got along so well, I thought you’d jump on the opportunity. I don’t offer this to every guy I’ve dated.”
I watched Amber reach out to touch his face. I expected him to push her hand away, but instead, he took her hand gently in his.
“Amber, it’s a great offer and it would make me happy….”
What offer? What did he enjoy so much? My mind went to the one and only thing I knew Nick loved so much: sex. He was trying to have sex with Amber? He had told me he was done with her, but apparently, that was just not true. I tried to tune out what they were saying by focusing on my book; however, when I’d reread the same passage for the millionth time, I realized it was impossible not to listen in on their conversation. My heart was pounding, and I was shaking like crazy. He was propositioning her for sex? I didn’t need to hear any more. I needed to get the heck out of there before I strangled Nick with my bare hands. I got up and brushed past Nick, making sure he and Amber saw me. All I wanted to do was run as far away as possible as I could from him; the idea that I had thought he cared for me, about us and that I had slept with him, repulsed me.
“Maddy?” Amber saw me first.
“Hi, Amber. Got to run,” I replied without stopping. I didn’t want her to see the tears threatening to fall.
“Maddy!” Nick had risen to chase after me. “Wait up!”
“For what? You better step back,” I hissed as I swung open the door of the coffee shop.
“Maddy, wait. You’re getting it all wrong.”
“I heard enough, Nick. Go fuck your girlfriend and leave me the hell alone,” I seethed as I put my earphones in. I cranked the music that had kept me company on my run to the coffee shop. The tears I struggled so hard to fight back while I was in the café now cascaded down my hot face.
“Maddy!”
But I was long gone, breaking my own record speed as I ran the five miles back home in less than thirty minutes. Thankfully, Mom and Dad were gone by the time I got home. I headed upstairs, grateful the house was empty.
Sitting on the cold marble floor of the bathroom, I locked the door and willed myself to stop crying. I knew this might happen. We weren’t really dating or exclusive, but I thought we had meant something to each other. I guess I was the one that had it all wrong. Having sex with me was not a sign of commitment or of a relationship.
As much as I wanted to wallow in self-pity, I couldn’t bring myself to shed any more tears. What for? It would be useless. Tears weren’t going to change the situation.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been on the bathroom floor, but I woke up to Nick knocking on the door.
“Maddy, please open up. Let’s talk. I’m so sorry.”
“Please get away from me, Nick. Have Amber comfort you.”
I knew I was overreacting, but jealousy had taken a hold of me and wasn’t letting go. At that moment, I didn’t feel like hearing what he had to say. I didn’t want to hear his excuses or play his game.
I got off the cold floor and turned on the tap, hoping the rush of water into the bath would drown out his voice. Unclasping my bra, I freed my breasts. I had thought about this man all night and all day for months and had hoped we could make something work together. Apparently, that was wishful thinking. It was all about sex for him.
I poured jasmine salt into the tub, turned on some chill music, and lit some candles. I stepped into the water, letting the surrounding scents engulf my senses and drown out his voice. Stretching out in the tub, I closed my eyes to try and block out Nick and his foolishness. My muscles began to relax, and I could feel the tension ebbing away. Nick didn’t have to want me and that was fine. The vibration of the jets caused the soapy water to bubble around my stomach and send soft ripples of current throughout my body. Lying there in the warm water, I remembered the first time I knew I liked Nick.
We had both attended the same school grade school. I had been in fourth grade and he had been in seventh grade the first time we met. I was being bullied by a boy in the cafeteria, and he had stepped up to defend me. That was the first day I really noticed him, but we didn’t talk much over the years until our parents decided to marry. We were in high school at that point. Suddenly, the boy who I had admired from afar was now living in the same house with me. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if it wasn’t for the fact that he was very charming, even as an older brother. I kept my feelings for him at bay for years until he awakened me sexually at the end of last summer.
I should have known he probably didn’t feel anything more for me than he felt for the last ten girls he’d dated. I should never have let him that close to me, and now that we had crossed the line between siblings, it was hard to know which way to turn. It was too late; I couldn’t undo what had been done. All I could do was move forward. I turned the music up a little louder and closed my eyes, willing my mind to go blank. I was fine before Nick, and I’d be fine after Nick.
***
I must have fallen asleep in the tub because when I woke up, the sun was down, the water was cold, and Nick was gone. When I got to my room, he was sprawled on my bed. He must have fallen asleep while waiting for me. One part of me wanted to reach out and listen to him, but I was still in the combative mood. I knew I had to leave the house before I did or said something I would regret. I didn’t care where I went as long as I was far away from him.
I walked past him to my closet, where I found my most daring outfit - a black, body-hugging dress that did wonders for my curves. I paired it with my favorite red-and-white polka dot stilettos that elongated my legs. I had worn this dress under my high school graduation gown, and now it seemed appropriate to wear as I mentally prepared myself for a break from Nick. Glancing at the mirror, the dress looked sexy but not overtly suggestive. I was going to have a great evening. I put on a light makeup and left the house.
NYC was buzzing with night life, even as early as seven o’clock when I headed to Cafe Nuit, a new restaurant at the corner of 9th Street and 8th Avenue, less than two miles away. I needed the walk to clear my head.
“Maddy?” It was a voice I didn’t recognize.
I turned around to see a handsome man I didn’t recognize smiling at me. “Excuse me?”
“Maddy? It’s me, Kevin.”
“Kevin…Smith?” Kevin had been my middle school best friend. His family had moved to DC a few years ago. “It’s really you!”
“How’re you?” he asked as he grabbed me in a bear hug.
As our bodies touched, I felt a twitch in my stomach. Kevin had grown up so big and handsome. Really handsome. When we were younger, we had been really close friends, always making fun of each other.
“Maddy. You look so different.”
“I’m no longer a middle schooler…I guess I grew up!” I chuckled.
“No, not like that. I mean you’re now a woman.”
“Oh, you mean I grew some boobs?” I said, blushing and pointing to my chest. “Yes, it has grown quite a bit since you last saw me.”
It was his turn to blush. He burst out laughing, “I guess I’ll have to take my words back.”
“Better do so,” I said laughing. When we were younger, he had joked that I’d never grow breasts since I was super skinny. “They did grow, somewhat.”
“I’ve noticed. You look hot and amazing.” I could feel his eyes roaming all over me, soaking up the woman I had become.
“Thank you, Kevin. You didn’t turn out too badly either.”
In fact, he looked really great, like the type of stud I’d go out with, if my heart didn’t already belong to Nick. Kevin used to be a lanky, insecure nerd back in middle school. He had never been popular; I had been the only girl that talked to him, as we were neighbors. He had been my first crush until Nick rescued me a few months later from the bully. My attention had turned fully to Nick. The last time I saw Kevin was the night before they’d moved out of town. He had visited to say goodbye and had begged me to kiss him. I told him I’d kiss him the next time I saw him. And here he was and in my arms, all grown and I still had a thing for him.
“Visiting?” I asked, hoping he was in town for good. I needed a distraction from Nick.
“My parent’s actually just moved back, so I’ll be back for good.”
“Nice. Really nice,” I said, smiling. Things were about to get complicated for me.
“So, where are you heading?” he asked, again looking me up and down. “You do look really nice.”
“Oh, Cafe Nuit. It’s a new up and coming restaurant down the street.”
“Alone?” he asked, looking around like my date was just around the corner.
“Alone,” I nodded.
“No boyfriend?” he asked. I shook my head. “May I join you?”
“Sure, why not? Where were you going?” I asked as he fell into step with me.
“Nowhere. Just taking a walk around the neighborhood, hoping to bump into some old friends.”
“And here I am,” I said.
“Yes,” he replied, smiling and hugging me again. “So good to see you. I was really hoping to reconnect with you.”
“It’s great to see you again,” I said without disengaging from his hug. I needed a hug from someone, anyone. It was the only way I’d be able to keep thoughts of Nick at bay. Kevin was already proving to be a great distraction.
“Tell me what you’ve done since middle school,” he said as he threw a casual arm over my shoulder the way he used to when we were kids.
“We’re going to need all day for that,” I laughed.
Café Nuit turned out to be a posh French fusion restaurant. Kevin and I had fun catching up and sampling appetizers and playing pool. I had forgotten how much fun Kevin was to spend time with.
“So, how come you’re not dating anyone?” he asked as I took a turn at the pool table.
The question took me off guard, but I tried to answer as truthfully as I could. “I’m working on finding the right person. What about you?”
“I just broke it off with a long-term girlfriend. Taking a break from dating.”
I nodded. The waiter appeared to take our orders.
“I wonder what’s good here,” he said as he looked through the menu.
“I’m going for a salmon salad. They can’t really get that wrong.”
“You still like salmon,” he said.
“You remembered.” Salmon had always been one of my favorite foods.
A few minutes later, the waitress set our food down. As soon as the food was placed in front of me, I had a sudden overwhelming urge to throw up.
“Excuse, me,” I said to Kevin. I grabbed my purse and ran to the bathroom.
I quickly rinsed my mouth, careful not to gargle the water lest it make things worse. I leaned against the bathroom wall, waiting for the urge to throw up to pass. The smell of fish had upset my stomach. I had always had a sensitive stomach and the smell of certain foods sometimes aggravated me.
“Are you okay?” a girl who had just come out of one of the bathroom stalls asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Thanks.” I found a mint in my purse and popped it into my mouth. I hoped that would do the trick. It worked, and after a few minutes, I felt better and went back out to Kevin.
“You okay?” he asked as soon as I sat down on the table. “I was worried.”
“Sorry about that. But I’m fine.”
“Good, because your food is getting cold,” he said as he waited for me to settle into my seat.
I grabbed my fork and dug into my salad. But when the first forkful hit my stomach, I had to run right back to the bathroom.
***
NICK
***
As I laid in Maddy’s bed, pretending to sleep while I watched her put on that flimsy, sexy dress she’d worn underneath her graduation gown – a black, body-hugging dress – I felt like holding her tight and never letting her go. But I knew she was still too mad to listen to me. As if to confirm it, she stormed out of her room, cursing, subsequently banging the front door behind her. There was no need going after her. I knew she’d turn me down just like she had at the coffee shop earlier. She was just so stubborn, something I admired when it came to getting what she wanted, but I hated when it came between us, like now.
I had wanted to explain to her that Amber and I were truly done; Amber was simply asking me if we could still be friends after we broke up, but I knew Maddy wouldn’t listen to me. I knew her inside and out – a benefit of being her stepbrother for years. I knew she would not talk to me even if I ran down the streets screaming her name. She needed space to cool off, and I was prepared to give her as much time as she needed, but only on the condition that she eventually hear me out. I had so much to say to her – I needed her to know how I felt about her so she’d stop worrying about random girls. I also needed to know where she wanted to take our relationship, and finally, I needed us to start thinking about contraceptives because we were playing a dangerous game. And with the way things had been going between us, pregnancy was not impossible.