Elijah
“Hold still.” Cat continued to scrub my forehead. It felt like my skin was being ripped off as she rubbed some type of exfoliating sponge back and forth. The entire time I was internally cursing Clayton and planning his demise. A slow torturous death seemed like it wasn’t enough. “I’ve almost got it.”
“You said that ten minutes ago.”
Catherine laughed, yet didn’t pause. “That was not ten minutes ago, it was more like two. Are you always this cranky?”
“Yes.” I looked up as she her bit her lip, trying not to laugh again. “Okay not always, but this shit hurts. Is there going to be any skin left when you’re done?”
“Not making any promises.”
It would seem she was a bit of a smart ass too.
“Why do you all do this to yourselves anyway?”
“Do what?”
“Set yourselves up for punishment. I mean you get drunk with a group of guys you already know are going to torment you, yet you do it anyway.”
“I normally don’t do it, but last night I made the dumb ass mistake of thinking even Clayton couldn’t outdo me. I blame this on you.”
“Me?” Her voice squeaked with surprise when she leaned back looking down at me. The fact that she had finally taken a break from scrubbing was the biggest relief. “Yes, I helped with the balloons, but other than that I did nothing.” She paused and wrinkled her nose up in the cutest way. “Okay, so I did help you get dressed after you got your ass glued to a chair, and I did allow you to pass out on me, but that was it.
I noticed she left out the part where I apparently shoved my dick in her face.
Smooth move, Eli.
“You allowed me to use you for body shots.”
“It was either that or stand back and watch Holly McHooters crawl up on the counter and take my place.”
The moment she finished the sentence her cheeks reddened in that familiar way they had a time or two before when I’d hit on her at Porter’s. I found it exciting that the idea of me with another girl sparked jealousy in her.
“What about that makes you irritated?”
“It doesn’t,” she lied. I knew this because she was still unable to look me in the eyes. “I was just—”
“Showing your jealousy.”
“I barely know you, what is there to be jealous about?” Still holding the sponge in her hand she attempted to move closer and go back to scrubbing my face. I lifted my hand and wrapped it around her wrist, holding the exfoliator only a few inches from my face.
“You could get to know me. We’ve already moved past the first kiss, so that awkwardness is gone.”
“It was far from awkward.”
I found it funny how whenever she spoke she quickly looked around and appeared embarrassed, as if her mouth got away from her and said things without fully thinking them through.
“No, it wasn’t awkward at all. Which is why I think we should do it again.”
“Now?”
This time I chuckled as I watched her eyes grow wide with curiosity, or maybe fear.
“I was thinking we should go out, talk, hang out a bit. After that we could definitely do some more body shots.” She closed her eyes and I could already tell she was thinking about that part of our night as the smallest trace of a smile tugged at her lips. I’d thought of it so many times myself since. Drunk or not, I dreamed of that part of my night. It was before I was drunk and everything grew hazy.
“I have to work tonight.”
“Then tomorrow.” I wasn’t going to let her out of this that easily. “You know you like me.”
“You’re pretty confident, aren’t you?” I nod. “Sunday.”
I’d felt like I’d just won the lottery. I wanted to reach out and pull her closer but instead lifted her hand and placed the sponge to my forehead. “Now let’s get this shit off, otherwise you’ll be embarrassed to be seen with me.”
Cat slowly began to move it back and forth, fitting her smile. “I’m not embarrassed, I still think you’re handsome.”
I could have said so many things right then. I could have told her that from the moment I first saw her that sweet innocence about her made my knees weak. I could have told her that though I’d barely met her I felt like I’d known her for years.
I was a quarterback for the University of Florida. A full scholarship, a free ride. With that came the girls, the expectations, but I didn’t want them. I never had, I just wanted to play the game I loved; I didn’t want the fame that went with it.
I was a private guy; most of my brothers didn’t even know about the life I’d lived. They didn’t know that Aunt Meg and Uncle Miles weren’t my parents. They didn’t know that my mother loved her drugs and men more than she loved me. I was dispensable.
Cat wasn’t like the girls who came in and out of this house. She wasn’t like the cheerleaders and groupies; she didn’t care who I was. She was fun and I looked forward to getting to know her.
“So Blake?” I said with my eyes closed as she continues to work on my face. “I thought your name was Catherine.”
She was silent for a moment and I noticed the way she paused, the sponge pressed to my cheek.
“My first name is Blake.” She began to move the sponge again only much softer this time. “It was my father’s name.”
“Was?”
“He died when I was twelve.” I opened my eyes when she removed the sponge from my face. “My parents were never together, though he’d always tried to convince her they should try. My mother was…” she paused as if trying her best to come up with an explanation, “…is difficult. She’s always been that way.”
Cat took a seat next to me on the bed and held the sponge in her hand as she looked down at it.
“She’s only ever truly cared about herself; he’d fight her for me all the time. But there was a time they got along, even if it was only the first few months of my life. She cared enough to give me his name, but after that she never wanted to hear it again.” She tilted her head to the side and looked at me. With a shrug she forced a smile. “So instead, I’ve always gone by Catherine. The only person that’s ever called me Blake was my father. I don’t even know why I told Clayton the other night. It was just one of those times my mouth got carried away before I could decide if it was what I wanted to say or not.”
“I like when you do that.”
She laughs, “Why?”
“It’s when I get to know you, the real you. Because those are the times you say the things you would normally censor.”
“You are so weird.”
Chuckling, I bumped my shoulder to hers softly. “It’s the truth, think about it. Would you have been so bold as to say the things you said last night while I was licking salt from your body if you had analyzed your words first?”
“How would you know what I said? You were drunk.”
“I wasn’t drunk yet, I remember what you said like it’s playing on repeat in my head. ‘Can we just skip the salt, drink, and lime then go straight for the kissing?’ I’m sure that’s how it went.”
“Something like that.” Cat lifted her gaze to meet mine. “In my defense though it was a really great kiss.” Her smirk told me she was taunting me. There was something Catherine would learn fast—I never shied away. Ever.
Within seconds I had her back to the bed and hovered above her. “One of five very amazing kisses.” Something I wanted to repeat, something I needed to repeat. “I don’t have any salt, or limes, and even though I’m sure there’s tequila downstairs, I’d rather just have your kisses.”
The way she was watching me, her eyes locked on mine, shifting to my lips and then back again made my heart pound so fucking hard it felt as if it would beat right out of my chest.
Just when I thought she would deny me, she began to lift her head from the mattress beneath and her lips touched mine. Softly at first, and I allowed her to lead. The intensity began to grow and she lifted her hand to cup the back of my neck. The moment her tongue swiped out to touch my lips I fucking melted. My ability to hold back ended the moment a soft moan escaped her.
“Better each time.” She whispered this as our lips parted for only a few seconds and I couldn’t agree more. It did get better, like something I’d never felt before.
I could have gone on kissing her all day, but when she looked to her left I could sense that she felt as if it should come to an end.
“We should get back to cleaning you up.” Though I wanted to push for more, I gave in and lifted my body from hers. In that moment our connection was lost.