Tainted

18 - Colt: Conscience

I huffed in exhaustion, peering down at Vee from my spot on the ladder with my arms outstretched, the long chain of Christmas lights dangling behind me.

She squinted her eyes to fixate her gaze, taking a step back to examine my handiwork. Her hands were poised on her hips, body weight leaning on one leg and teeth gnawing at her lip.

"No, Colt, higher up! Fling it over the hook part and twist it a little and it'll fall perfectly!" she yelled from her spectating position.

I rolled my eyes, groaning. "Thanks, 'cause that's helping so much."

"Maybe... Just let me go up for one-"

"No!" I yelled at her, turning to give her a death glare. "By no means are you getting up here, not even if I'm holding you up. No, Vee."

She smiled mischievously and I rolled my eyes yet again, reading her mind. "Don't even make a comment about me being incapable or I'll tickle you until you pee yourself."

"Fine, well, then do it right!" she giggled, making me smile the slightest against my will.

"What's your definition of 'right'?"

"Properly! Ugh, Colt, lemme call Ben or Jaxon or someone to help you out."

"I know what I'm doing, it's just not cooperating."

She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, taking another step backwards.

Hanging Christmas lights over your porch was a harder task than I would've ever thought. But, like everything else I'd done since Vee had moved in, I was doing it for her. And I would keep trying until I got it right.

"Okay, how about we put in the mini hooks so it'll stay? That way there won't be like, a hanging part in the middle," she suggested, but it was in the girly voice I'd rarely ever heard her speak in.

"Excuse me, could you repeat that teenage drama queen?" I teased, stepping down from the ladder slowly.

She smiled and shook her head as I made my way over to her. I reeled her in by her sleeve and grinned.

"Say it again." She shook her head and I begged, sticking out my bottom lip a bit. "Please. Say it again, it was cute."

Her tongue darted out of her mouth to hydrate her lips quickly before she spoke.

"It gon' geh wan belly part in da middle," she said quickly, and I bursted out laughing, squeezing her body into my chest as I leaned into her for support.

"That was not what you said, babe," I chuckled, "I keep forgetting you're part Guyanese. You're the cutest little West Indian, I fancy it."

"And you're the whitest man meh eva see, God help meh soul," she taunted in her little twang, making me cackle again.

Then she made a loud kissing noise with her mouth, puckering her plump lips to create an irritated sound, making my eyes grow wide.

"You still need to teach me how to do that," I commented, and she shot me her wicked half smirk.

"Tough," she shrugged, her smirk never leaving her face.

I narrowed my eyes at her and attempted to pucker my lips the way she had, mimicking the way she'd done it. All that I came up with was excess salvia and a spit bubble forming between my lips. I frowned as Vee laughed, not even bothering to hide her amusement.

"I'll work on it," I grumbled. "It's just 'cause I'm an Irishman."

She laughed and shoved me lightly and pointed to the smaller hooks with a small smirk painted on her face and her eyebrows raised. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she leaned in and pressed a promiscuous kiss to my neck, emitting a sigh from me.