The Tattooed Devil Wears Chucks

Chapter 16: The Dance

"Mom!" She groans as she is attacked with hairspray. "Mom please stop!" Courtney's arms are shooing her mother away as I laugh.

"Need some Gabby?" She holds up the hairspray can.

"No thank you Mrs. Parker, my sister tried to kill me with it earlier, this hair isn't going anywhere."

She smiles sweetly and goes back to fussing over her only daughter as I laugh. Courtney admits defeat, placing her head down with her hands over face to mask the fumes of the hairspray.

Courtney's parents were very kind every time I had been here, or in the yard with Court. Of course I wasn't allowed in their home by my father but I think hey must have known that. Her mom always made you feel like another daughter, fussing over me just as she did Courtney. Her dad loved telling jokes, which I was sure he only knew a handful because I had heard the same one about a brunette, a fisherman and a priest in a bar about five times. I always made sure to laugh as though it was the first time I'd heard it.

Kane's arm stays snaked around my waist as they begin snapping pictures, first of just Felix and Courtney. Courtney looks ridiculously happy standing with Felix. I make a mental note to ask what my brother's intentions are with her after tonight. I'm assuming he doesn't know about Courtney's past, and I won't be telling him, but I don't want him to mess with her either.

Kane's grip on me tightens. My head lifts to him, but he's not looking at me. His eyes are fixated towards the kitchen, his jaw clenched. My eyes draw to what he's looking at to see it's not a what but a who, Jax. He's staring directly at me.

Our eyes meet, his full of genuine surprise that I am standing in his living room right now. I feel awkward, suddenly wishing I wouldn't have swapped my rubber bands for the bangled bracelets on my wrist. This is the guy that I cried over all week and I'm standing here in his house with Kane's arm placed tightly around my waist.

"Books" he nods with wide eyes.

"Alfie" I force a smile at him and then avert my eyes back to Kane. He looks into my eyes almost as if he wants to kiss me right here in this room just to piss off the man in the kitchen. I look away from both of them, towards Felix and Courtney.

Get me out of here.

"Jackson come stand next to your sister for a photo" his mom calls out to him. Her hand waves him forward eagerly.

He rolls his eyes and obeys his mother's wishes. You can tell he is older than Courtney and has learned not to fight with his mother's orders. He stands next to Courtney as more flashes occur. They end once Jax is holding his hands up to his eyes from being blinded. "Jesus Ma, that's plenty."

She grabs her son's arm, moving him out of the shot and begins shoving Kane, Felix and I back into frame for our group photos. I can't count the number of squares I'm seeing as I blink.

And I thought my mom was terrible when it came to photos...

Jax stands off to the side of the room, watching the show as we all begin squirming at the flashing lights. I attempt to look away to save my 20/20 eyesight and again his eyes meet mine. My stomach does a summersault as he eyes my dress slowly. He stops and smiles, shaking his head with laughter when he finally reaches the floor and sees my dark red chucks. His eyes fly back up to mine as I give a little chuckle myself, only he would understand my need to wear them tonight. I needed a bit of me to stay the same, no way I was leaving the house without them.

The grip on my waist gets tighter as Kane apparently notices our little interaction. I look back up to Kane just as he leans down and lands his lips upon mine. It startled me at first, but my lips move with his. It's short and sweet. As I pull away, all I can think is that it was a great kiss, but it was nothing compared to the first kiss I shared with the tattooed man currently watching us.