My Summer of Firsts

Chapter 20 - Temperature Rising

I became extremely busy over the next week. Between work, hanging out with Derek, and spending time with Elian, I had no free time. Not that I minded. I'd spent enough time on my own. I appreciated having my days filled. It actually felt like I had a full life for the first time in years.

Dragging my feet, I headed to the living room, where Mom was loading Ray up with an armful of serving dishes. Even though the barbecue was technically a party hosted by Michael and Terrence, everyone who attended prepared something to bring. Mom made her double fudge brownies. They were a big hit. Every year she added extras, and every year they all got devoured. She'd been baking for three days. At last count, when I went to bed, she was up to two hundred.

"Are you sure you can handle another one?" Mom asked, eyeing the four pans Ray already held.

Ray huffed. "No problem."

Mom stared at him with all the seriousness of a detective facing down a serial killer in one of her police dramas. "Raymond, if you drop these, I will tell everyone that you're the reason they didn't get their brownies."

Ray made a strained face. "Maybe I'll just take these to the car and come back for more."

Mom flashed her "I told you so" look that she'd given me so often. "Good idea."

Ray gave me a nod in greeting. "This is my third trip," he whispered.

I opened the front door for him. "Better you than me," I said, matching his volume.

Ray heaved a sigh and headed out to his car.

I pushed the door closed to keep the heat out. It was almost a hundred degrees outside, and it would only get hotter as the day wore on.

Mom came up to me. "You look nice, honey."

I looked down at my clothes—a Captain America t-shirt (I thought it was appropriate for the occasion) and denim shorts with flip-flops. I wore pretty much this exact outfit almost every day, with only a few variations. Though I did do alternating red, white, and blue polish on my nails the day before at work, just for the hell of it.

"Did you remember to put on sunscreen?" Mom asked. "You don't want another third degree sunburn."

"I was twelve when that happened. And I haven't forgotten it since."

"Okay, okay." She backed off, holding her hands aloft.

Ray returned to retrieve another batch of brownies before wordlessly carrying them outside.

"Is Elian coming?" she asked.

"On my way to pick him up now." I grabbed my keys off the hook and shook them. "I'll see you at the party."

Mom followed me onto the front porch. She shielded her eyes from the sun. Not a single cloud hovered in the sky, just pure blue all the way to the horizon.

Climbing into my Jeep, the leather seats seared the back of my legs. I rolled the windows down and cranked the air conditioning to max to blow the hot air out. Sweat had already begun beading at my temples before I even turned out of the trailer park.

By the time I reached Elian's house, the air conditioner was sputtering out barely cool air. A damp ring had formed around my collar, as well as under my arms. I loved my Jeep, but the poor old bastard couldn't combat this sweltering inferno.

I opened the door and peeled myself off the seat. The back of my shirt was soaked through. I dug through my backseat and found a clean t-shirt to change into. I'm pretty sure it was clean. It smelled clean and there were no stains or sign of wear on it.

I stripped off my shirt and tossed it onto the floor in back.

As I twisted the other shirt around to find the front, someone whistled suggestively.

I spun at the sound to find Elian watching me with a huge grin. "I didn't know this barbecue was clothing optional." He sauntered up to me, taking the shirt from my hands and tossing it into the front seat. He grabbed me by the back of my neck, pulling me into a deep kiss, pressing his body against mine, either oblivious or unconcerned with my sweatiness.

If he didn't care, then why should I?

I put my hands on his hips, my fingers gripping him tightly, eventually finding their way into his back pockets.

Without breaking the kiss, he pushed me against the side of the Jeep, letting his hands wander all over my body. He kissed a line from my mouth down to my collarbone. His breath was heavy against my skin as he mumbled, "You're so sexy."

I buried my face in his hair, inhaling his amazing scent. "How would you feel about being late to this thing?"

He pulled back to look into my eyes. "What did you have in mind?" His lips twisted into a sexy smirk, telling me he knew exactly what I had in mind. But he liked for me to tell him what I wanted. He said it reassured him to know when I was ready for things.

"I was thinking we take this into the house."

"Good start."

I kissed him again, sliding my hand up the back of his shirt. "Next, we get naked."

"Even better." He kissed my neck. "And then?"

My heart pounded even thinking the words. My voice came out breathy when I pressed my lips to his ear and whispered, "Then I stop being a virgin."

For this, he pulled away, examining my face carefully. "And you want that? You're sure?"

I gave an extremely enthusiastic nod. "I want it. I want you. Every part of you I can have."

"Oomph." He bit down on his bottom lip as his eyes scanned over me. "You really know how to make a guy weak in the knees, baby."

I leaned in, brushing the tip of my nose against his. "Is that a yes?"

"That's a hell yes!"

I grabbed him around the waist and lifted him up. He wrapped his legs around me, kissing my neck as I carried him inside.