I thought for a second. Did I really want him to come in? There was no telling what would happen if he did, and I wasn’t sure what that would mean for me or for us. Ignoring the bad feeling he’d given me earlier, I nodded and he walked in.
“I can’t believe how much stuff you managed to fit in this room. It all looks great,” Kingsley complimented as he looked around.
“Thanks, I had to take a bunch of it to my car because I was out of floor space.”
“Well, if you ever need to move anything, I’d be happy to help. I’ve got the muscle you need.” He flexed and I realized his coat was still on.
“Oh, can I take you coat?” I asked, sticking my hand out.
“Sure. I’m glad you decided to let me stay. I saw the wheels turning in your head when you opened the door. You have this adorable look on your face whenever you seem to be considering something.” He handed his coat to me and I quickly hung it up next to mine.
But now I had to turn around and face him. I looked down, embarrassed that he seemed to be able to read me so easily and I still questioned him. “I’m sorry, I just—”
“No.” He put a finger on my lips to silence me. “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you’re taking this seriously. It’s not just hooking up for me. If I wanted that, it would only be too easy, and I definitely wouldn’t have to wine and dine her. I save that for girls I could be serious about.”
I smiled up at him and bit my lip slightly.
“You look so sexy when you do that,” he whispered as he placed a hand gently on my cheek. “That insecure lip biting thing. It drives me crazy.” He placed his thumb on my bottom lip and grazed it softly. “It reminds me of when you nibbled on my lip last night.”
I took a deep breath and stepped forward, meeting him the rest of the way. I remembered my plan to be a bit bolder and looked up at him. “I feel like you need another memory.”
We kissed, and Kingsley ran his fingers through my hair and massaged my scalp. I melted into him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. The kiss deepened as I opened my mouth and he dove in. He placed his hand on my lower back and pushed me closer to him, eliminating any remaining space between us.
He broke the kiss and pulled my hair, forcing my head up so I was now looking at the ceiling and he had full access to my neck. Kingsley placed a trail of kisses from my earlobe down to my neck. He shifted the hand on my back to my side and slowly started inching it up toward my breasts. But he was moving painfully slow.
I pushed my chest out, hoping he’d take the hint, I needed to have him feel me. However, he didn’t touch me where I was begging him to. Instead, he leaned down slightly and picked me up. In three short steps, he was at the bed and placing me down gently.
“I think we’ll be more comfortable here, don’t you? I plan on doing this for a lot longer and I’d hate for you to get tired.” He nuzzled my neck and I tried to remember how to talk.
My pulse was racing and my hands were shaking a little as I reached out to hold the back of his neck. I pulled him into a kiss before I could change my mind. Following my lead, Kingsley kissed me hard and brought his hand, almost immediately, to my breast. He groped lightly and then reached for my nipple.
His fingers squeezed gently and I broke the kiss to let out a moan.
“If you like that, I think you’ll like this even better.” He slid his hand under my shirt, but still over my bra, and lightly traced the skin right above the lace fabric.
His fingers were warm and their heat, like earlier, seemed to flow through me, heating up body parts I didn’t know were cold in the first place. I broke the kiss and tried to breathe as he slightly tugged on my nipple. But my breaths came out ragged and quickly turned to a moan as Kingsley took this opportunity to suckle at my collarbone. My head fell back and a loud purr came out before I could stop it. I shut my mouth quickly, embarrassed at the sounds coming out of me.
But then Kingsley looked at me and the fire in his eyes was real. He sat up, quickly yanking his sweater and then t-shirt off, giving me the perfect view of his six-pack abs, broad shoulders, muscular pecs, and the light trail of hair that went down to the band of his jeans.
I reached up and felt his taut muscles. Before I realized what was happening, I leaned forward and licked between his pecs. Then I reached out and traced the ripples of muscles roughly with my nails. They felt amazing and I was even more turned on. The skin to skin contact wasn’t enough. I sat up on my knees and slowly eased my shirt off. However, I left my camisole on. I didn’t feel confident enough for him to see me shirtless. Earlier, I thought I’d be okay with it, but in the moment, it was intimidating.
“Don’t feel you need to cover up for me. I already think you’re the sexiest girl I’ve ever kissed.” He reached out and slowly touched the bottom of my shirt.
I stopped him. It was a reflex, and he jerked his hand away. “Relax, Annabelle,” he murmured in my ear before kissing just below my earlobe.
I closed my eyes tight and took a deep breath, waiting for him to try again. I felt a chill as he raised the hem over my stomach and then my chest.
“Put your hands up, babe,” he whispered eagerly.
I squeezed my eyes even tighter but did as he asked. The shirt gradually slid up my arms until I felt it pass over my fingertips. I hadn’t opened my eyes, so it was a surprise when Kingsley kissed my lips.
“See? You’re even more beautiful now.”
I bit my lip again, knowing he liked it, and slid my hands up his torso and around his neck. “I feel the same way about you.”
We kissed and he pushed me forward lightly so that he was laying on top of me. It was exhilarating as his hands slid up my naked torso and onto my breasts again. He kissed my neck, but this time he didn’t stop at my collarbone. Kingsley continued kissing down my chest and stopped at the top of my bra, where he placed soft kisses along the curve.
I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled gently. Kingsley froze and then looked up at me. “Careful with the hair pulling, it turns me into a beast and I can’t control what happens. Are you prepared for that?”
My eyes grew wide and my mouth went completely dry. I was kind of intrigued to see what he meant by a beast. For a second, I listened to his warning. Kingsley resumed kissing my breast. It felt amazing and empowered me. I tugged on his hair again, harder this time.
“You asked for it.” He grabbed me, pulling me into a seated position. Then he reached behind my back and unhooked the bra on his first try. I was impressed—I couldn’t even do that. But then all breath left my body as he grabbed one boob and began sucking on the nipple of the other one.
I forced my breathing to come in short bursts as I was growing lightheaded. Though it didn’t seem to get any better as he started to twist my nipple slightly between two fingers. I grew more and more aroused, loving this side of him.
“Kingsley,” I whimpered as I lifted my hips up to meet his.
He reached his free hand down to the one spot that, so far, I was the only one to explore. He began to rub the inside of my thigh and progressively inched higher. Suddenly, he was rubbing at my center and I was trying to shift my legs to get some kind of release but it wasn’t coming.
Kinsley moved to unbutton my pants and I instinctively swatted his hand away. I smiled meekly up at him and tried not to let my embarrassment show. But I felt the blush creep up my neck and settle into my cheeks. I hid my face behind my hands, completely humiliated at my reaction.
“I’m just not ready for that quite yet,” I replied meekly, hoping he wouldn’t be upset. He was probably used to a whole lot more with a girl. After all, I had invited him up to my room. What girl brought a guy to her room and then swatted his hand away when he tried to please her?
But Kingsley didn’t jump off the bed in a huff. He reached for my chin and tilted my head up so I was looking in his eyes. “I’ll be here when you’re ready. I’m in no rush.”
I grinned at him and gave him a light kiss. “Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course, but I’m not quite ready to leave yet. Can I just stay here and hold you for a bit? Maybe we can watch a movie or something?
“Yes, I’d really like that. Um, do you still want that hot chocolate? I actually made some that I can put back in my microwave.” I pointed to my desk where the mugs were sitting.
“Sounds good. Why don’t you handle the drinks, and I’ll find a movie. There’s gotta be something on that I like.”
We fell asleep not long into the action movie Kingsley swore I’d love. I didn’t really like it, but it was worth it to be lying in his arms. Kingsley had fallen asleep first and I thought about waking him. But it was so warm and cozy lying against him that I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I skipped my nightly skin care routine and closed my eyes. The rhythm of his breathing soon lulled me into a deep sleep.
It was a good thing my alarm was programmed to wake me up at seven every day, because I would have completely forgotten to set it. As the annoying blaring woke the two of us up, I reached over Kingsley to my nightstand and quickly turned it off.
I looked at him and smiled. “Good morning, sunshine,” I whispered, and gave him a kiss.
“Mhmm, that’s a nice way to wake up.” He brushed his fingers against my face and then kissed the tip of my nose. “All right, I have to head back to my dorm to get ready for my first class, but will I see you later?”
“Of course.”
Kingsley put his shirt back on and I walked him to the door. “Bye, babe,” he said, and gave me another kiss.
“Bye.” I waved as he walked down the hall.
“You little hussy.”
I whipped around and saw Violet walking out of the bathroom. “Oh my god! You had to be coming back from Berneli’s now?” I groaned and gave her a big embarrassed smile. “Come in, I’ll let you know what happened. I know you’re dying to know.”
She nodded and followed me in. I started to pick my clothes out and she sat at the desk chair. “So, what happened?”
“Okay, he kissed me goodbye and it was cold. So I just invited him up to my room for hot chocolate. But that got cold when we were making out on my bed.”
“Good thing I sat in the chair and not your bed.”
“Oh, stop, nothing happened. I did take my shirt off, but that’s it.”
“How was Kingsley with going slow? He kind of strikes me as someone who likes to get a little action.”
“That’s what I thought too, but he was great. He said he’d be ready whenever I was. Then he asked if we could watch a movie and cuddle.”
“Seriously? He did not strike me as a cuddler.” She chuckled.
“Well, he is a great cuddler. I think it’s the muscles.” I posed like he had earlier, making her laugh.
“Yeah, he is pretty jacked. I’m happy for you. I’ll leave you alone so you can get ready for class,” she said, standing up and heading to the door.
***
I walked around on a cloud the rest of that day. It didn’t matter that my face was a little dried out since I missed my moisturizing routine, or that I was a few minutes late to class. Nothing could take the smile off my face, especially when Kingsley showed up at my door that night with Chinese food and another movie.
He stayed the night again, and I slept soundly. We kissed but it didn’t go any further than that. Kingsley insisted he just wanted to be with me at whatever level I was comfortable with. And as he fell asleep, Kingsley pulled me against his chest and didn’t let me go until we woke up the next morning. That was definitely something I wanted to get used to.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Kingsley whispered, nuzzling against my hair. He gave me a little kiss and then crawled out of bed.
“I need to run and get ready for class. Maybe next time I’ll pack a bag so we can spend a little more time together in the morning.” He tossed his shirt back on and then his coat.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Great. Will I see you later?”
“No, I’m going over to Christie’s tonight to bake for the fundraiser.”
“That’s all right. I’ll probably check and see if the station needs me to pick up another shift. Are you sure we can’t hang out before you go? I’d love to have dinner or something.” He sat back down on the bed and gave me a kiss.
“I want to, but I just don’t think I have time today. My last class is at four, but they’re calling for snow, so I want to try to leave as early as possible. I can drive in snow but I’d prefer not to.”
He quickly got up, grabbed his jacket, and walked to the door. Before leaving, he turned to look at me. “Don’t worry about it. I probably have things I need to do too. Talk to you later.”
I swallowed hard, feeling guilty. I didn’t mean to reject him. Throwing my robe on, I ran after him, just catching him before he went outside. “Kingsley, maybe if you aren’t at a fire, you could come over when we get back?” I looked at him hopefully, placing a hand on his chest.
His heart rate slowed as he looked down at me. “Actually, that sounds great. Let me know when you guys get back to campus and I’ll make sure I’m here.” Then he grabbed my ass through my robe, pulling me toward him. “I definitely want to see you in these little shorts again.”
I pushed at his chest, trying to get out of his grasp, but he held me tight. Kingsley raised his eyebrows at me suggestively and kissed me. I held onto his jacket, using it to keep me upright as his hand slid under my robe and connected with the bare cheek hanging out of my short shorts.
“All right,” Kingsley said, finally pulling away from me. “Another minute and I won’t leave. I’ll see you later.” He tapped my nose and headed out the door.
Grinning from ear to ear, I walked to Violet’s door. Since she’d been threatened, she hadn’t been staying with Berneli. At first, I was a little worried I’d hear her screaming, but so far, it all seemed good. Lola and her boyfriend were apparently on the outs again so she’d been spending most nights in her bed
“Why are you looking so chipper?” She rubbed her eyes when she opened her door.
“It’s a nice day out, why not enjoy it?”
“Kingsley stayed over last night, right?”
“Obviously. So when do you want to head over to Christie’s? I want to try to go right after class.”
“Yeah, yeah, works for me. I’ll see you later.”
“Sounds good. I’ll meet you at my car at around four fifteen.”
I beelined it to the bathroom for a shower, a little sad I wouldn’t smell like Kingsley anymore.
***
My last class ended early so I texted Violet and Christie to see if they were both ready. Christie said she had just gotten back from the store with the baking supplies so she was free whenever. Violet said she would be at my car in a few.
I headed to the parking lot and gave Kingsley a call.
“Hey, babe,” he answered.
“I’ve been thinking about you.”
“Oh yeah? Can you hold on a second?”
He must have pulled the phone away from his face, or covered it, because his voice was muffled. However, it wasn’t muffled enough, and I could just make out what he was saying.
“Yeah, Karen, hold on. No, I need it now. Last night I needed it and I didn’t get it. Now I’ve been feeling off all day today. I promise I’ll get you what you need if you just help me out.”
My heart was breaking. What the hell was he asking Karen for? Was she more willing to hook up than me? What if she and Kinsley used to hook up back in the day? Seriously, who talked to the girl he was banging while on the phone with the girl he was seeing? Maybe Violet was right. He was a man of action.
“Sorry about that. Um, this is not the best time. Maybe we can talk later?”
“Kingsley, I really think we should—”
“I can’t right now, babe,” he said, cutting me off. “I’ll call you later.” Then he hung up.
I climbed into my car and tried not to cry. He and I weren’t together. It was kind of like what happened with Violet and Trent. They weren’t a couple and he was hooking up with his ex-girlfriend. Now, Kingsley was trying to do the same thing. My only hope was that Karen turned him down. I wouldn’t be with a guy who couldn’t keep it in his pants.
I jumped, like, five feet in the air when someone knocked on my window. I turned and saw Violet. She had two cups in her hand and a smile on her face. I unlocked the door and she climbed in.
“Hey, girl, I brought you some coffee.” She handed me the cup and took a big sip of her own.
“I thought you didn’t drink coffee,” I said.
“It’s hot chocolate. I don’t like cold.” She started talking about random things, her mood cheerful as ever.
I responded in short sentences and nodded when it seemed appropriate.
“So, things seem to be heating up with Kingsley. How’s that going?”
I looked forward and ground my teeth a little. It was crazy how happy I’d been with Kinsley last night and how upset I was now.
“You going to tell me why you just tensed up at the mention of last night? Earlier, you were practically glowing.”
“I don’t want to talk about it now. Let’s just go to Christie’s. I could use some comfort food at the moment, and brownies definitely sound good.”
Violet didn’t ask why I was upset again. Instead, she talked about her classes, EET, and some things she and Berneli planned to do. I could tell she was trying to distract me, well, at least I thought she was. This girl would talk to a wall. Either way, I appreciated that all I needed to do was nod and focus on the GPS.
In about ten minutes, we pulled into Christie’s driveway. It was a beautiful Cape Cod style home painted a bright yellow. There were flowerbeds all around the front of the house and a giant tree with a tire swing hanging from one of the branches. It looked homey and welcoming. Christie was standing at the door, waving as we walked up the front path.
“Hey, come in quick. It’s freezing out there.”
“I know. It smells like snow,” I said as I walked in.
“What did you just say?” Violet asked, a little exasperated. “How can you smell snow?”
“I don’t know, it’s a thing. Google it. Don’t you get a lot of snow in Maryland?”
“Yeah, tons of snow. I think last year we got, like, six inches. My high school was closed for two days. It was awesome.”
Christie and I looked at her for a second and then back at each other before breaking out into giggles.
“What? You guys don’t like snow days?”
“Oh, no, we love snow days,” Christie assured her. “But six inches of snow is nothing. We’ll probably still have class on days when it snows that much. At least that’s how it was when I was in high school around this area.”
“Really? I don’t think I even have snow boots,” Violet grumbled.
“Yeah, we’re gonna have to go shopping for that,” I promised her. “Besides, I think we’re overdue for a girls’ shopping trip. Christie, you’ll have to come with us.”
“Definitely, I am actually quite the skilled shopper.” She laughed a little and led us into her kitchen. “Okay, so I started a batch of cookies. They’re in the oven now, and I figured you guys could make some brownies.”
“So, just an FYI,” Violet warned us, “I’ve never baked anything before.”
“That’s okay. I’ll help you,” I told her, but I was a little afraid to let her make anything. Berneli told me about the time she tried to make him dinner and the fire department had to come put the fire out. Though, if the fire department came, maybe it would ruin Kingsley’s evening plans and he’d have to come rescue me.
“I bake constantly, so I can help too.” Christie handed me a recipe for double chocolate devil’s brownies. “All right, let’s get to work.”
We had been baking for about ten minutes when Violet was forced into clean up and DJ duty. I was struggling to fish all the egg shells out of the batter. The sad part, it was the second time it had happened. She really was a disaster in the kitchen but she tried so hard. I had to give her an A for effort.
Christie, however, was like Housewife Barbie and I was crazy impressed. Her long hair was pulled up into an elegant bun on the top of her head with a ribbon tied to it. Her makeup was flawless and her apron had a ruffled skirt. She expertly mixed, whipped, and decorated all different kinds of sweets without the slightest bit of flour on her face.
“So, how was your day?” Christie asked me.
Violet spun around and looked at me, concerned. There was an eagerness in her eyes, and I knew she wanted to hear what happened, but she was staying quiet. The more I thought about it, the more I realized thinking about Kingsley was eating me up inside. It was time to get it off my chest.
“All right, so here’s what happened.” I filled Christie in on Kingsley and Jason while Violet stayed quiet in the corner. She was giving me the reins to tell my own story. Normally, she would be cutting in and providing her two cents, but now she was silent. I began to wonder why she wasn’t saying anything. Did she know something I didn’t? Was there something she observed that I had missed?
“Well, I think it’s obvious that Jason is in love with you,” Christie stated.
“Thank you!” Violet shouted, and flung her arm up in the air.
“Whatever, I don’t believe you guys. But that’s not what this is about.” I told them about the phone call and both of their mouths fell open.
“Shut up,” Violet finally managed to utter. “Are you sure he said that?”
“Yeah, I heard it. His voice was a little muffled, but I still could make out the words.”
“Okay, I think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Christie cut in. “He didn’t say he was looking for sex. Besides, maybe he needed notes, or he lent her money. There could be tons of reasons he needs to see Karen immediately.”
“Maybe there’s an explanation and I jumped to conclusions. Do you think there could be a reason that doesn’t involve him cheating on me?” I asked, feeling hopeful. Maybe I’d misunderstood the conversation, but I couldn’t imagine what else it could have been.
“Well, maybe he had her pick a present up for you or something. Didn’t you say Kingsley had a surprise for you? Maybe he wanted advice from her. They’re old friends so it makes sense,” Christie suggested.
Violet tilted her head and squinted her eyes. “Um, I don’t think that’s it. But it makes me think about what Kyle said. What if he was buying drugs?”
I whipped around and glared at her. I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to bring that up again. I had already told her that he wasn’t a druggie. “Violet, he isn’t on drugs. I spent the last two nights with him and he was fine. He didn’t take anything and we were together pretty much the whole time.”
“Are you sure about that? He didn’t seem irritated, sweaty, or maybe a little hyper?” Christie asked me gently.
“Sometimes he’s, like, bouncing up and down, but it always seems like it’s because he’s excited. Kingsley is unbelievably sweet with me. It can’t be drugs. The only time he was sweaty was when we were hookin’ up,” I said, smiling a bit, thinking about his face when I touched him.
Christie shrugged. “Well, didn’t he say he didn’t get it last night? He may not have used when he was with you.”
“I think I just need to talk to him about it. It’s probably something silly and I’m making a big deal about it. Let’s talk about something else,” I insisted. I wanted to make it work with him but I just couldn’t ignore the pit in my stomach.
Violet held her finger up to try to speak but I quickly cut her off. “No, Violet. I don’t want to start this thing thinking the worst of him. I’m aware that something may be up, and my eyes are open to it. I’ll talk to him about it, but until then, I’m gonna be mature and stop speculating.”
She held both her hands up to indicate she was backing off. “Okay, whatever you say.”
“So, Christie, where are your parents?” I asked her as she pulled another batch of perfect cookies out of the oven.
“They went to visit my aunt and uncle. I told them you guys were coming over and they wanted to give me some space.”
“That was nice of them.”
“Yeah. I’m trying to convince them to let me live on campus next semester. I feel like I’m missing out on the real college experience.”
“Well, you’re welcome to crash on my floor any time,” Violet offered.
“Sounds good.”
We spent the next half hour cooking and talking about past EET events and who we hoped would perform for the concert later in April. We were having a good time until Violet came back from the bathroom.
“You guys gotta see this. It’s snowing like crazy.”
We all rushed to a window in the living room and jumped on the couch so we could see. Everything was covered in snow. There was at least four inches on the ground.
“Wait, hold on.” Christie grabbed a remote off the coffee table and turned the television to the Weather Channel.
The reporter was just beginning to talk about this storm. We listened carefully and stared in disbelief as they called for another five or six inches in the next couple hours. The flakes were supposed to be coming down pretty heavy.
Christie paused the show and looked at the two of us. “That’s crazy. I can’t believe it’s snowed this much already,” she said in shock. The window in her kitchen was over her sink and was a little high for us shorties to see out of. We really hadn’t noticed it was snowing.
“Still feel comfortable driving in the snow?” Violet asked me, and I frowned at her.
“No, you guys can sleep here. I don’t want you going out in that,” Christie insisted.
“Are you sure that’s okay?” Violet checked with her.
“Yeah,” I added. “We don’t want to put you out.”
“Oh, stop. It’s totally fine.” Christie waved a hand. “I bet my parents aren’t going to come home, so it’ll be nice to have the company.”
“Sounds good,” Violet said. “We can have an old-school sleepover with some of the cookies, movies, pillow fights, boy talk, and…”
“Lots of alcohol,” Christie finished. “I’m Irish, so my dad keeps the good stuff in the house. Since he won’t be home, it sounds like a good time to get into it.”
Violet nodded and I kind of grimaced. I’d never had alcohol before. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to try it. People did stupid things when they drank, plus it was illegal for us. But then again, we were going to stay inside. Maybe it was time for me to branch out a little. I didn’t need to get trashed but I could have a little bit.
“Okay, so what do you guys like to eat?” Christie asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I turned to look at her, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Dinner. It’s getting late and you guys are probably hungry. I can make us some food before we get our drink on.”
“Whatever you have,” both Violet and I said at the same time.
“Uh,” Christie mumbled, and opened her fridge. “I could make chicken parm. Do you ladies like pasta?”
I snorted a little as Violet practically screamed at her, “I love pasta!”
“Great, why don’t you put the sweets into the decorative bags I got for the fundraiser and I’ll get started.”
When we finished eating, Violet carried her plate to the sink and turned to look at Christie. “All I gotta say, Christie, is that if you ever want to bat for the other team, I’d totally wife you up.”
“While that’s a great offer, I wouldn’t say yes unless the carat size was equal to my shoe size,” she responded, continuing to clear the table.
“I like that philosophy,” Violet commented.
“I don’t want a big rock. I’d be afraid to leave my house with it,” I said. Fancy bling wasn’t really my cup of tea. “I like the idea of a solitaire and a simple wedding band. I’d rather have the big wedding,” I added, grabbing my plate and walking to the kitchen.
“You all can just leave the dishes in the sink, I’ll get to them later. Why don’t we head to my theater room and grab the booze?” Christie grabbed some Sprite, lemon and lime juice, and two other things I didn’t recognize. “How do you all feel about an Irish Redhead?”
“Blondes are more my thing,” I joked since they were both blonde.
“Well, I guess you’re going to have to settle.” Christie laughed.
We followed her to the basement where both Violet and I stood in awe for a moment. “This is one hell of a room,” Violet gasped.
There was a giant sixty-inch television with massive surround sound speakers mounted on the walls and an elaborate lush leather sectional. It was better than a movie theater. There wouldn’t be any small children kicking the back of my seat, that rude, self-centered jerk who answered the phone during the movie, or those ridiculous teenagers who thought it was okay to Snapchat during the show.
“All right, so my movie rack is over there.” Christie pointed to a wall filled with DVDs. “You girls pick one, and I’ll make the drinks.”
Violet walked over to the DVD rack, but I looked at Christie. She had three glasses in her hand and I was a little nervous. I was willing to give it a try but I still wanted to take it easy. I went over to Christie as she was free handing the measurements.
“Uh, Christie, I don’t really drink. Maybe you could go a little easy on mine.”
“Yeah, no problem. I can make you a virgin, if you’d like.”
“No, that’s okay. I’m willing to try it, just maybe don’t make it as strong as you make the others.”
“You’ll barely taste the alcohol. There is so much other stuff in it that it kind of tastes like punch mixed with Sprite, but be careful, they kinda sneak up on you.” She handed me a glass with a silly twisty straw. “If you don’t like it, I can make you something else.”
I gingerly took a sip and was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious. I gave Christie a thumbs-up and headed over to the movie rack with Violet.
We ended up going with a romantic comedy all three of us had seen close to fifty times. The drinks were flowing and we were constantly misquoting the best lines. It was a really good time. Well, it was until my phone rang. I checked the screen and it was Kingsley.
I rolled off the couch in about the most ungraceful manner possible. But when I stood up, the room spun a little bit. I stuck my hands out to try to balance myself, however, when I did this, I dropped the phone. Around Violet, that was a terrible idea. She grabbed the phone off the ground and answered it for me.
“Hey, you have some serious explaining to do, mister.”
“Uh, Anabelle?”
“No, it’s Violet. Annabelle is right here, hold on.” She tried to hand me the phone but I kept shaking my head forcefully. I may have overdone it. Who would have thought redheads could be so feisty?
“Annabelle,” I heard Kingsley calling through the phone.
Violet grabbed my hand and placed the phone in it.
“Hello.”
“What the hell is going on, Annabelle?”
“Nothing. It snowed and I can’t get back on campus but I get the feeling you won’t be lonely tonight.”
“Oh really, are you inviting me over?”
“No, I just heard you talking to Karen. It sounded like you guys were going to, I don’t know, hook up or something tonight.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I was called into the firehouse. I got a migraine and I got a pill. I had to get to the station. Did you expect me to go out and fight a fire when I couldn’t concentrate?”
“But why does she have to give you the pills? Can’t you just take something, like, I don’t know, over the counter?”
“Normally, I do. It’s not a big deal. I’m fine. Will you please look outside? I can explain everything.”
“Outside? What?”
“I’m outside Christie’s house right now.”
I grabbed my boots, rushed to the window, and screamed for Violet and Christie. “Guys, Kingsley isn’t with that girl, he’s outside with a big ass plow.”
“Shut up!” Violet rushed over to the window, drink in hand, twisty straw in her mouth.
“Did he plow my street?” Christie asked.
“Looks like it,” I said, staring at in him shock. He definitely didn’t have time to be with anyone. I stuffed my feet into my boots, rushed to the door, and flung it open. Kingsley jumped out of the SUV, and ran to me. “What are you doing here?” I asked him.
Kingsley reached out and grazed my cheek with his hand. “I got called into the station earlier and saw the impact the storm was making. So I texted Jason and got Violet’s number, then I asked if you all were all right. When she said you were snowed in, I contacted a friend of mine, and, well, let’s just say I owe him a favor.”
“You didn’t have to do that. We would have been fine here.” I saw Violet on her phone earlier but I thought it was just Berneli. She was really just being sneaky. It felt good that she was looking out for me. I knew she had reservations about him but I liked that she was giving him a chance.
“I know, but with me, fine isn’t good enough.” He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me into a kiss. At first it felt nice, but I couldn’t help but notice how he was shaking a little. Kingsley was the one decked out in a coat, boots, and hat. There was no reason for him to be this jittery. Maybe he was just excited to see me. I kind of liked it.
“Hot mama!”
“Get it, girl!”
I turned around to see Violet and Christie shouting obnoxious things at us.
“Sorry, you must be cold,” Kingsley said as if he just noticed I was standing in the snow in a pair of boots, jeans, and a t-shirt.
“I don’t know. You’re warming me up.”
“Perfect,” Kingsley whispered, and kissed me again. “I’ll let you get back to your friends, but now you can get out tomorrow and head back to the dorms. Who knows how long it would have taken the plows to get to this side street.”
“Well, aren’t you the considerate one,” I said in a singsong voice as I slowly unzipped his jacket.
“How much did you have to drink?”
“I have no idea. Violet and Christie are terrible influences. You should take me far away from them and teach me a lesson.”
“As much fun as that sounds, I’m not sure if that’s the best idea. You seem a little—”
I cut him off with a kiss. It was dangerous and filled with heat, passion, and a whole lot of lust. I was practically begging him to shove those pretty morals aside and have his way with me up against Christie’s front gate.
Kinsley wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in tight. He was playing it safe, and I didn’t want that. His hands were warm and I needed that heat. I grabbed one hand and slid it up my shirt and over my breast. He eagerly held on and groped me as I broke the kiss to moan.
He kissed my neck and started to suck at my collarbone as his other hand slid down my back and grabbed onto my butt. My head fell back and I basked in the wonder of his abilities. Until we were interrupted.
“Okay, guys,” Violet said, grabbing me by the shoulders and pulling me out of his grip. “So, Kingsley, that was awful sweet of you, plowing the street and everything, but I think it’s time to bring Annabelle inside before she catches pneumonia or an STD or something.”
“Wait a minute, Violet, she came on to me. There is only so much I can resist. I’m just a lowly human.”
“I know. Let’s talk about it all later. It really was great that you did this for us,” she said, and pulled me back into the house.
I waved at Kingsley from the window and watched as he climbed back in his SUV.
“That was fun,” Christie said, and smiled at me.
“I can’t believe I spent all that time doubting him when here he was, just trying to look out for us.”
“Did he say what the phone call was about?” Violet asked me.
“He said she had his notes or something. I totally overreacted.” I didn’t want to mention the pills. I’d heard migraines got rough so he probably just wanted a clear head before going into a burning house. I couldn’t blame him for that but I had a feeling they would.
Christie’s mom called to let us know she was staying over at her sister’s and she wanted to check on us. Christie assured her we were fine and told her the street was plowed but that we’d be fine for the night. They said good night and we all decided it was probably a good time to go to bed before we could get into any more trouble.
Christie gave us some blankets and we set up some makeshift beds on the sectional. She joined us there, insisting she’d miss out on the bonding if she slept in her own bed.
We all awoke the next morning when we were blinded by the sun streaming through the blinds. Groaning, the three of us shuffled upstairs and Christie grabbed us cups for very large glasses of water.
“Ugh, I need grease,” Violet complained as she downed her glass in what seemed like a single gulp.
“Easy there. It’s a shame your boyfriend is in England. You’re a good swallower,” Christie pointed out.
Violet and I looked at each other for a second and she subtly shook her head. “Trust me,” she said with a forced smile on her face. “I won’t let my skills go to waste. But I may waste away if I don’t get some food. I think I’m gonna go out and pick up a breakfast sandwich.”
“Not in my car, crazy lady!”
“Please, you aren’t going out there just for a sandwich. Sit your butt down and I’ll make you one,” Christie demanded.
While she cooked, Violet and I sat on the couch and got our phones out. We figured classes had been canceled but wanted to double check. Turned out the whole school was closed. We relaxed a bit and I turned to her.
“You didn’t have a terror last night.”
“I know. Maybe the key is to get liquored up before I go to sleep.”
“Um, you didn’t seem that drunk. I was a mess and you helped handle me.”
“Maybe it was nice to fall asleep knowing you guys were next to me. I’m sure he’ll lose interest. That’s all I need to do, get him to lose interest.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple.”
“He will. Berneli’s investigator said he was on to something. He thinks he knows who the connection outside the jail is but he is checking on a few more things.” She sounded so sure, but I had a really bad feeling about it.
There was so much that could go wrong, and she was at risk the entire time. The only thing I could do was trust her, and it made me feel terrible. That or this awful hangover was affecting more than just my stomach.
“Breakfast is served, bitches,” Christie called a little later. She had a plate of bacon sandwiches for each of us, and a massive plate of pancakes. “I didn’t cut up any fruit because I figured we weren’t in the mood for healthy food, but we have some if you want.”
“Screw that!” Violet grabbed a sandwich and took a monster bite.
I quickly followed her lead and got my own. I was a little concerned she would inhale hers and then go for another one, leaving me with the dreaded fruit.
As I bit into it, I knew this was exactly what I needed. I groaned as my eyes rolled back into my head. Violet and Christie burst into laughter and I stared at them, confused.
“I’m sorry, was that your O noise?” Christie managed to ask between giggles.
“My what?” I started to blush, a little embarrassed.
“The noise you make when you come,” Violet clarified.
“Shut up. That wasn’t what that was.”
“No, but seriously, is that the sound you make? Mine is more like an, ‘oh gawd.’” Christie started to fake an orgasm in a very Harry Met Sally kind of way. I tried to ignore her, but it was hysterical. Soon we were all faking it and it sounded a bit too much like a brothel.
We spent the rest of the morning hanging out and getting to know Christie a little better. But by lunch, we were definitely imposing. Christie had made us three meals and refused to let us contribute any money, or even help her cook.
“I have a crazy day tomorrow that I need to get ready for. We really have to go,” Violet said finally.
“Yeah, and since Kingsley and I are going on that date tomorrow, I should probably work on my homework a bit.”
“All right. I guess that’s fair.” Christie walked us to the door and handed us some of the cookies. “But text me when you get back so I know you’re safe,” she called after us.
“Don’t worry,” I shouted at her. “I’m gonna drive. Violet can barely drive in perfect weather conditions.”
“Rude,” she insisted, and tossed some snow at me.
I shoved her gently and then climbed in the car. I didn’t have gloves and she’d definitely win in a snowball fight.
“Do you mind dropping me off at David’s?”
“Don’t you want to go home and get some clothes or toiletries? You don’t want to show up tomorrow looking like you slept in your clothes or anything.”
“I actually have some stuff there.”
“Wait, like you forgot some things there or you have a permanent place for your deodorant and your clothes go in their own drawer?”
“I have my own drawers, as in two,” she bragged.
“That’s a big step. But it’s so great. I’m happy for you guys.” I wanted to ask her what was going to happen at the end of the semester when he went back to England. But every time I’d asked her before, she always said she was living for the moment. This made me anxious since their temporary situation was sounding a whole lot more like a permanent one. Guys in movies didn’t give a girl a drawer until they meant business. But then again, what right did I have to say anything? Here I was, dating for the first time. At least they had some kind of plan, even if it was a day by day kind of thing.
I dropped Violet off and then headed back to school to get started on all of that homework.
***
It was around ten and I was climbing into bed to watch some TV when Kingsley called.
“Hey, babe, are you ready for tomorrow?”
“I would be more ready if you would tell me what we were doing.”
“Well, I called to give you some hints.”
“Oh, I like hints.”
“But you have to earn the hints. For the first hint, tell me what color bra you’re wearing.”
I looked down at my ratty sports bra and did what any girl would do in my situation. “I’m wearing a red lace bra”
“I like the sound of that.”
I hoped he never asked to see it since I didn’t own anything close to that sexy. It was probably time to go lingerie shopping with Violet and Christie.
“All right, the first hint, wear comfy shoes. They won’t get dirty, but we’ll be doing some walking.”
“But there’s snow on the ground. Where are we going to be walking?”
“You earn your hints, babe. What are your panties like?”
I wanted to be flirtatious and fun, but the truth was I didn’t always sleep in panties. You had to let your hooha breathe sometimes. Then I realized that was probably an even better answer than anything I could have made up and I went for it. “Actually, Kingsley, I’m not wearing any panties. Just a pair of those short shorts you like so much. They are even smaller than the ones from the other night.” I hoped this worked, but it sounded ridiculous to me.
Kingsley definitely didn’t think that though. He groaned. “Aww, babe, you’re killing me. All I want to do is come over and rip those shorts off.”
“No, you’re breaking the rules. Where’s my hint?”
“Okay, fine, I just hope you still have some Christmas spirit in you.”
“Wait. Why? I love Christmas.”
“No, you don’t get any more hints. I’ll pick you up at ten.”
We said good night and I sat with my phone in my hand for a few more minutes. I did want to see him. I was a bit eager to finish what we started the other night. The more he touched me, the more I wanted to do with him. Maybe he would be my first. He just made me feel so special. But I couldn’t ruin his surprise. It sounded like he was going all out.