The Art of Starting Over

Chapter 38 - The Calm Before the Storm

His hands are under my shirt, one on the small of my back, the other goes straight through the neck opening and around my neck again. My own hands wander down his chest and when I reach the hem of his t-shirt, I lift it off him and throw it somewhere over my head. Keith looks up at me with his chest heaving and astonishment in his eyes.

He sits up, grabs my face and pulls me towards him until our foreheads touch. "Slow down princess, or I'll have to go home to stop myself from defiling you."

"I don't want you to go home," I answer kissing him again, this time pacing myself, enjoying his sweet, cinnamon lips. My hands slither up his arms. The hand that was caressing my cheek slides down my back. My knees press into cushions on either side of his thighs as I press my body against his. His other hand grips my thigh bracingly and we're off again, our mouths moving hard against each other. His hands, calloused from playing the guitar, are back on me, one underneath my bra strap, the other on my stomach. I will the butterflies to stop fretting about, afraid that he'll feel them. He bites softly on my lower lip and it's like I've been electrocuted.

I pull away and jump off him. "You're right! You should go!"

I look around frantically for his shirt and spot it at the corner by the door. I chuck it at him and he looks back at me stunned. I take deep breaths to slow down my raving brain. This is going way too fast. We haven't even known each other for two weeks.

"My grandmother is right upstairs and it's too soon and I don't want to rush this-"

"Hey, hey, hey," he says pulling his shirt back over his head. "It's fine. It's okay." He pulls me into one of his warm hugs. "It's okay. I don't want to rush this either, okay?"

He lifts my chin up towards his face, plants another kiss on my lips and heads for the door. But our fingers are still intertwined and when he's at arm's length neither of us let go. He turns back questioningly. When I don't move, he walks back to me.

His eyes are greedy again, the desire in them blatant. 

I breathe out slowly. I try to look away. I try to let go of his hand. But I can't.

#

"Oh maj Godd! You slept with Keith, the hot bartender!"

I sit on my bed hugging my knees, wincing against Sosa's loud voice over the phone. I thought the butterflies would heed a bit if I talked to someone about what happened last night. I was wrong. 

"No! We didn't get that far. But I'm telling you, it took every bit of willpower I could muster. Do you know him?" I ask, taken aback by her reaction.

"Uuu, not exactly," she exclaims. "From The Black Gold, hux, I know him. Alex has a huge crush on him. Why do you think we go there so often?"

A loud gasp escapes from my lips. "What? What about Matt?"

"What about him? She isn't going to do anything about it." Then after a short pause, she adds, "Ooh! So she was right to eyeball you while you were at the bar! And there I was, telling her she had nothing to worry about. Ha!"

"How was she right?" I counter, slightly offended. "She has a boyfriend!"

A long bout of shouting and swearing quickly followed by a loud crash suddenly sounds over the other end of the line. Then there is a loud bang and finally, silence.

"Is everything okay?" 

"Yes," Sosa huffs moodily. "Mum and Dad are fighting again. I tried slamming the door to shut them up but they're still at it. Don't worry about it, they'll stop eventually. Come on! Tell me more about Keith! What happened? How did you end up together last night?"