Undeclared (The Woodlands)

Chapter Thirteen



Dear Grace,

We have been moved to a tiny forward operating base near the base of some mountains in eastern A’stan. A patrol went out in the morning and was hit with small arms fire, mortars, and RPGs. One of the sergeants was shot and killed. The entire FOB felt the blow. Everyone liked this guy. I can’t even write his name down. Too painful.

An older NCO who has been on several tours said that the patrols are nowhere near as dangerous as they were even six months ago, and that deaths are becoming rarer. But no one believes him, not when your buddy’s corpse is lying in a tent, waiting be flown back to Dover.

I probably shouldn’t even write this to you. Now I really do feel like I’m contaminating you, like the dust on the letters is carrying all the ill feeling to you. Maybe the ocean can cleanse it.

Yours,

Noah


Noah

I wanted to take Grace home. I was pumped full of adrenaline and flush with cash. There was only one thing that would make this night better, but everyone wanted to celebrate.

Grace had promised her cousin earlier that she would go hunt down some frat boy and no amount of wheedling would get her to change her mind.

“Why not The Circus?” Grace told me Lana was down there, waiting for her.

“That’s a dance club,” I shook my head no. I didn’t want to dance. I wanted to go have one drink and then go home or to Grace’s apartment. I didn’t care which one.

“There’s a dance floor and music, so if that constitutes a dance club, then, yes, it is,” My victory had made her sassy. I liked it. Of course, there was little I didn’t like about Grace. Even her earlier worry made me feel good, but I didn’t tell her that.

“Grace,” I drew her name out slowly. “That’s like the seven circles of hell for me.”

“What’re you talking about? I saw your moves inside the circle.” Apparently now that the fight was over, it was okay to refer to it.

“I told you before that dancing isn’t my thing.”

“I’ll ask them to play a marching song,” she reassured me, laughing.

“You know why dance clubs are the worst?” I said.

“No, why?” Her giggling made me smile, but I wasn’t going to back down.

“Because you girls love to dance, which attracts all kinds of fools, and then I’ll be forced to beat them all up.” I needed to unwind, not get all worked up again. I might attack Grace on the dance floor, and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t be down with that.

“Then maybe you shouldn’t come to the bar with us.”

“That’s a negative.” I shook my head to emphasize my words.

“Oh come on, Noah. It won’t be that bad,” she wheedled.

“It will be.”

“Don’t you dance in the ring?”

“It’s called the Octagon. And only because I’m trying to avoid being punched in the face. That’s not the right attitude to have on the dance floor,” I said, impatiently. I wanted to get Grace alone and ask her a very important question about her past experience with other guys. My desire for her coupled with the post-fight adrenaline made me restless and uneasy. I’d settle down once I had her in my bed, and could show her how little any guys she’d had in her past mattered.

“You aren’t going to talk me out of this, because I already abandoned Lana earlier tonight,” Grace insisted.

“Why don’t we go to the Americana? They have bands. I’m sure there is a dance floor there, because that’s where my roommate Adam broke his leg,” I offered.

“You know, when you are upset, your accent becomes more pronounced.”

“We don’t have accents, sugar,” I laid it on thick. “It’s you Yanks that have foreshortened all the good words, so they aren’t even any fun to say anymore.”

“Well, cowboy, are you going to meet us out or are you gonna wait with your horses at the campfire?”

“You have a terrible drawl, but don’t worry, I’ll give you all the tutoring you need.” This tutoring would require for us to both be naked and my tongue all over her body, but I kept that to myself.

After a bunch of texting with Lana, it was agreed. She’d meet us at the Americana.

***

Grace wanted to go home to change. Given that she had a mixture of my blood and sweat all over her, I didn’t argue. I drove her home, and she said she’d meet us at the bar.

Bo taped a small cut above my eye that must have come from the weak, late head butt, and I pulled out a T-shirt and jeans that I had thrown in the bag.

While the Americana wasn’t a bevy of hot chicks like a college party, there usually were plenty of women here. But tonight it was like a 10 to 1 ratio of guys to girls. Our group, composed of the five roommates and three guys from the Spartan gym, wasn’t helping much.

We were all relieved that Grace and her friends were coming.

“Is the band like a bunch of rapists or something?” I asked Adam, who was slumped sullenly in his chair.

“Nah, screamers though. Kind of like Slipknot wannabes.” That explained it. Few women were going to want to sit through a bunch of bad headbangers.

“Don’t text that to Grace,” Bo said, grabbing my hand.

“What am I, twelve?” I shook him off. Of course I wasn’t going to text Grace, who wanted to go dance at some techno hip-hop club, that she was in for a night of heavy metal rock. “But you know she isn’t going to want to stay long.”

“I know. Didn’t you say there was a party over on Forest?”

“Yeah. Grace’s cousin is trying to hunt down some frat guy tonight and thinks he’ll be there.”

“The lovely Lana is single?” Bo raised his eyebrows. That was the first interest he’d tossed in that direction.

“Apparently her boyfriend accidentally forwarded a nude picture of some woman he hooked up with over the summer,” I explained. The entire table was now leaning in listening to our conversation. I felt like I was in the middle of some goddamn church picnic where everyone got together to gossip about their neighbor while pretending not to really care.

“Ouch,” Bo grimaced. “Rookie mistake.”

“Who’s lovely Lana?” Mal asked.

“Lovely Lana,” Bo said, “is a glorious blonde creature.”

“You hitting that?” Mal asked.

“Nope,” Bo leaned in. I could tell he was going to impart one of his dating philosophies. He had many. “There are only two circumstances in which you sleep with your wingman’s girl’s friend.” He pointed to me. “First, when all you’re doing is hooking up casually. Second,” he lifted another finger, “when you think you’re both going to marry those girls. Otherwise, you dip your wick elsewhere.”

“Why’s this?” Mal said.

“Don’t encourage him,” I protested.

“Because when your wingman breaks up with his girlfriend, you don’t want to be stuck with the extra baggage.” He cocked his fingers at me and pretended to shoot me with them.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I didn’t really get Bo’s objection to Grace and me as a couple. He seemed convinced we weren’t going to last.

The door to Americana opened, and I heard the entire bar suck in their collective breath. I didn’t need to look at the door to know it was Grace and her cousin. But I looked anyway, because I was hungry to see her. She was dressed up in shorts and heels. It was a good look on her, and apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Some a*shole detached himself from the bar to greet her. I stood up.

Bo stood next to me. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to hold me back or go with me, but I didn’t wait. As soon as I started moving, I saw Grace notice me. Her eyes lit up and she smiled. The guy next to her glanced in my direction but didn’t back away.

He was talking to her, and she pointed to me and shook her head. I caught the tail of her conversation.

“I have a boyfriend,” I heard her say. Pride swelled up in me, along with a fierce possession at her use of the word boyfriend.

“I had tacos for lunch,” he replied.

“What?” Her attention swung away from me.

“I thought we were talking about random things of no importance.” He grinned like it was the wittiest, bad-ass, motherf*cker thing that he’d ever thought of it, but it was a well-rehearsed line that I had heard trotted out a million times at base bars.

She just shook her head. “My random thing of no importance is standing right behind you.”

I refrained from baring my teeth at him and instead took Grace’s hand and pulled her to me. I bent down. Instead of kissing her on her lips, I pulled her hair aside, exposing her neck, and pressed a hot wet bite to the soft flesh right above her shoulder. Her breath hitched in surprise. I didn’t even raise my head, but I turned my face slightly so I could look at the guy with challenge in my eyes. She’s mine, I told him silently. I wanted to describe how I had choked someone until he passed out, but refrained. He got the message, though, and I watched him carefully until he turned and went back to the bar.

“Um, hello,” I heard Grace say. I kissed her neck again and straightened up, brushing her hair down her back. I wanted to mark her, but I knew I probably shouldn’t do that in public. I drew her back to the table. In my absence, another table had been pulled up and three more chairs added. I looked behind Grace and saw Lana and Amy, the girl I carried up into Grace’s apartment the night of that frat party. When we were out of shouting distance of the bar, Grace tugged me down so she could speak into my ear. “I don’t know whether to be grateful that you didn’t hit him or mad that you manhandled me. Those are two bad options.”

I tried to look repentant, but I wasn’t pulling it off. “I’ll do better next time?” I offered. I thought that as time went on, and I was surer about everything that maybe I wouldn’t react so poorly after seeing some guy hit on Grace in front of me. But probably not.

She gave an un-Grace-like snort and went to the table. Bo greeted her with a hug and shook hands with Lana and Amy. Bo was thawing toward her. Every guy at the table perked up at the sight of two additional women, but the odds were still on the poor side. I slid Grace’s and my chairs back a little, so we were out of the line of fire as the guys all geared up to compete for Lana and Amy’s attention.

I tuned out whatever they were talking about and instead spent my time admiring Grace’s sheer top and the tight fit of the tank top she wore beneath. Tonight I’d like to see Grace wearing just that sheer top with nothing on underneath. I could suck her nipples through the cloth and see the wet fabric cling to her skin. If there was a light behind her, the entire top would be illuminated, both hiding and displaying her curves.

I shifted in my chair, my jeans suddenly a bit too tight on me. I closed my eyes and pictured myself dismantling my rifle instead of disrobing Grace.

A screeching of guitars and a smattering of mismatched drums woke me out of my reverie. The band was getting ready to play.

“Why are we here again?” I asked Adam.

“The lead singer used to be in my band, and I want to make sure he didn’t steal any of my music,” Adam replied. I nodded to indicate I heard him and sat back. I placed my hand on Grace’s back, and felt the silky fabric beneath my palm. I rubbed my hand up and down, idly wondering if the delicate shirt would catch on the calluses of my hand. I wanted to reach under the shirt and smooth my hand over Grace’s skin. The tank she had on was riding up a little, and I could see the top of the waistband of her shorts. The tank needed just a slight nudge upward, and I’d be treated to a sliver of golden skin.

I wondered if I could get Grace to go the bathroom with me. No, too public. Maybe the truck. My backseat was a bench and I could—I shifted again. Pulling my hand off Grace’s back, I took a deep breath. I needed to calm down. Remove the magazine. Empty the chamber. Place rifle on table. Pull the hand guard. Breathe.

She turned to me with a questioning look. “Anything wrong?” she mouthed.

I’d like to lay you across the table and eat you out, and I don’t care if the entire bar watches. I shook my head no, but she slid back in her chair and nestled up next to me. My arm closed around her, almost involuntarily. Her nose brushed my neck as she leaned in and I had to suppress a shiver.

“Is it okay that we are here? Seems like we have interrupted a manly convention of drinking.”

“Just before you came, the entire table was bemoaning the low chick to dick ratio.”

She released another little snort and said, “Nice.”

She said something else, but I couldn’t hear her because the band had started their first song. It was a lot of screaming, jumping around and really poor guitar playing. I winced at a particularly bad note and nudged Adam again. “These guys are really bad.”

He yelled back, “I said that they were like Slipknot, not that they were Slipknot.”

There was only one acceptable act after fighting and that was f*cking. If I didn’t get Grace alone for a minute, I was going to explode. Standing up, I pulled Grace up from her chair and led her toward the only semi private spot in the joint.

The hallway to the bathrooms was dimly lit and there was a small space at the end illuminated only by a faint EXIT sign. The walls provided a barrier against the awful sound emanating from the stage.

I leaned her against the wall and put an outstretched arm by her head.

I rubbed a strand of her dark brown hair between my fingers and then leaned close. “I’m going to kiss you here, okay?” I felt I should ask because it was public, but Grace didn’t protest. She only pressed her body closer to mine.

“Because it’s the only way to endure the music?” she teased.

As if I needed an excuse. I didn’t respond with words, but instead closed the distance between us. Her lips were soft and a little sticky, remnants of some lip gloss perhaps. I swept my tongue across the bottom of her lip and then pushed inside to taste her.

The cool of a mint still lingered and I could feel a faint tingling sensation. Dimly, I thought that she must have just eaten a breath mint. She offered no resistance to my touch and instead curled her little tongue around mine, stroking it, welcoming me inside.

My hand tightened in her hair. I clenched my other hand in a fist against the wall even though I wanted to touch her all over. Cup her breasts. Unbutton her pants, stroke her from throat to p-ssy. But this was a semi-public place, and I didn’t want Grace to feel embarrassed by anything she did with me, ever. Public making out seemed to be a good limit. For now, at least.

But that didn’t stop me from imagining what it would feel like to have her hot mouth all over my cock, having her suck me like she was sucking my tongue. Then I couldn’t resist. My body blocked the view from anyone else. I let go of her hair, pressed my palm just below her breast, and let the plump weight rest on the top of my fingers. When she moaned, I took this as permission and covered her breast, kneading it slightly with my palm and rubbing my thumb across the nipple I could feel even through the sheer shirt, the tank, and the bra she wore underneath.

I wanted to put my mouth on that tip and suck it like the juicy piece of fruit it reminded me of.

My hindbrain was telling me to keep going, to rip the shirt off, and pull her shorts down. I pulled my hand off her breast and tore my mouth from hers.

She made a small sound of frustration. Me too, sweetheart. Me too. Instead of taking her again, I pulled her in for a hug and held her close, trying to will myself to calm down. “Can we go home or are you committed to a night out?” I asked, pushing strands of her hair out of her face and down behind her ear.

“I can’t,” she whispered to my shirt. “Lana, she’s had a rough week.” I took a deep breath and exhaled. I had waited this long, another few hours wouldn’t kill me.

“Later, then, tonight?” I hoped she knew what I was asking. Maybe it seemed like we had only been dating for a short while, but our courtship had extended nearly six years. Surely that was long enough.

“Yes, tonight,” she promised.


Grace

Noah’s response to my agreement was a blinding smile. Shaking my head, I asked, “Why doesn’t just being with me generate that kind of happy response?”

“It does. It’s just on the inside.” He gave me another hug and a kiss on the top of my head. “So let’s go find this Jack dude.”

“Wait,” I said and looked down. Lana had told me I should let Noah know he was my first, so he could be gentle with me. I was embarrassed and wasn’t sure how he would take it.

“What is it?” Noah asked, tipping my face up. I must have looked pained because he stroked my face and kissed my temple. “What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“I’m, ah,” I stumbled around for the words. “I’m not very experienced.” I felt his body tense up against me. Was he upset by this? I should’ve never told him.

“Oh baby, really?” he said, sounding a little winded. I nodded and looked down, a little afraid of seeing the expression on his face. He laughed a little and hugged me closer.

“God, this is going to make me a jackass if I say this, because it truly wouldn’t have mattered to me if you weren’t a virgin, but goddamn Grace, this is amazing.”

“So you aren’t upset?” I asked him, finally looking up. When I saw his eyes, my breath caught. His lips were curved upward in a smile, but his eyes were blazing.

“No f*cking way. I’m glad you told me, but now I’m so hard I’m not going to be able to walk for a good minute,” he admitted. “I’m going to make it so good for you, Grace, I promise.” He said it so seriously that it was like he was vowing it on his mother’s grave.

I gave him a small smile in return. “I believe you.” I ran my hands up and down his chest, molding my fingers against the ridges and valleys. I shivered with delight at the idea of Noah teaching me all of the things other, more experienced girls hinted knowingly about.

He pressed me closer and took long, deep breaths that I felt in his chest when he inhaled and against my hair when he exhaled. After at least a minute, Noah stepped back, reached down to adjust himself with a pained grimace and said, “I think we can go back now.”

“What time is it?” I pulled up his wrist to look. It was past ten. Surely whatever party the Forest house was holding was in full swing by now. “Do you think the guys will mind if we leave?”

We both looked toward our table. It was nearly empty, as were almost all the tables around the stage. Adam sat in one chair, his legs outstretched and arms folded. Mal sat next to him texting someone. The rest of the occupants were either by the pool tables in the rear of the room or over by the bar.

“You round up your girls, and I’ll see who else is coming with us.” Noah instructed. I nodded. Lana and Amy were by the bar with Finn and a couple of other guys from the table. Lana gave me a smile and wiped a finger across her lip when I approached.

“Do I have lipstick on my teeth?” I asked.

“No, but there is some gloss on your cheek.” She reached out and smudged it with a finger. Turning my head slightly, she said, “Also on your jaw.” I’m sure I blushed because everyone in the group laughed.

“You guys ready?”

“Just waiting for you,” Lana replied. I beat back another blush. Apparently Noah and my makeout session had been seen by all. At least our conversation had been private.

Noah came up with the other guys whose names I didn’t catch when I came in. “It looks like Mal and Adam are staying here. What about you Bo?”

Bo drained his glass. “I’m with you.”

“Who’s good to drive?” Noah asked. One of the unnamed guys raised his hand, but Noah ignored him. “Great, Finn, you drive Eric, Bo, and Tim. I’ll take Grace and the girls.”

This drew a round of protest from Eric that made Lana and Amy smile, but Noah ignored them and hustled me toward the door. “Let’s go, or we could spend the whole night talking about who drives whom.” The tone of Noah’s voice was implacable, so we just went. He held opened the back door of his -truck and helped both Lana and Amy in. Then he lifted me into the passenger side.

I didn’t protest like I normally did. Noah liked doing this, and admittedly I didn’t mind either his minor show of strength or his courtesy. These little things made me feel important to him, like I was a treasure. As he was circling around the front of the cab to climb into the driver’s side, Amy said, “God, swoon. He helps you into this car? Is Bo like this?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never ridden with Bo,” I said.

“Did you ask Noah if he was seeing anyone?” Amy said.

“No, Amy, he was too busy giving her a tonsillectomy.” Lana hit Amy in the arm.

“Ouch, I was just asking.”

“I’ll ask him,” I promised. Noah climbed in, started the engine and the heavy metal music he enjoyed listening to filled the air. I immediately turned it down and flipped it to a popular radio station.

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t change the station.

Amy and Lana chattered in the backseat, but I felt strangely shy. Noah reached over, picked up my hand and placed it on his thigh. It was rock hard beneath my palm. I absently stroked it until Noah halted my motion by placing his hand firmly on top of mine. He turned to look at me. His dark eyes glittering, and he gave me a slight shake of his head. He pulled my hand higher and pressed it lightly over his hard-on and then released my hand.

I hid a small smile, delighted in my ability to rouse this man’s body. Noah lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it and placed it back on his thigh. A hot ache spread through me, and I clenched my own legs together in anticipation and excitement. I felt feverish, as if all my blood was bubbling right under the surface of my skin, and I wanted to run his hand all over my body. Could he ease me just by a touch? I didn’t know, but I wanted to find out.

“Swoon,” Amy said in the back. This time my smile couldn’t be disguised.

Noah dropped us off with a promise to catch us inside after he found a place to park. Bo and the other guys spilled out of Finn’s car and walked us inside. The house was charging cover but the guy at the door waved us girls in for free.

Away from Noah, my comfort level took a nosedive. Had I just promised to have sex with him? It’s not that I didn’t want him. I did. But what did I know about pleasing a guy like Noah in bed? What if he decided I was so terrible at sex that he would break up with me? Or worse, what if I was terrible, but he didn’t tell me and kept pretending that he enjoyed having sex with me but instead had to fantasize about Emma Stone or something. Actually, I didn’t even know whom he would fantasize about.

I wondered if I could get Lana alone and get some tips from her. What if I needed to pull a Meg Ryan and pretend like I had an orgasm?

Inside, crepe paper streamers were draped along the walls and lit up with Christmas lights. A fake disco ball was strung up in the middle and spun every time someone tall enough went by and slapped it. The place smelled like weed, spilled beer, and sweat.

Either it was too early or the entire crowd was in the back, but the front room was fairly empty except for a few people loitering around the windows.

A table set up at the end blocked the path to the rooms beyond. It was full of small shot glasses filled with amber liquid. A guy wearing a T-shirt that read“ FCK” in big letters waived us over. As I neared, I could see that the small print read“ All that’s missing is ‘U.’”

“$2 a shot for the guys. Free for the girls. Beer’s free back there.” He gestured behind him. I rolled my eyes. The Forest house was apparently a party house where the members tried to make money by charging for liquor. The freebies for the girls were to entice the guys to come and spend generously.

I wanted to wait for Noah out front, and I turned to head back out when Amy grabbed my arm. “Let’s do a shot,” she said. I nodded agreement. I hated whiskey but maybe a little liquid courage would help me in bed. I’d have fewer inhibitions. I wouldn’t be so embarrassed at being naked.

“Is that whiskey?” I asked.

He nodded, “Jack.”

“Please,” Amy pleaded. Maybe she needed some liquid courage to hit on Bo, too.

“You should wait until Noah gets here,” Bo suggested, which set off Lana.

“She needs permission from Noah to drink now?” Lana marched up to the table and laid down a ten-dollar bill. “Three shots. This can be your tip.”

Shot guy wordlessly picked up the $10, stuck it in his pocket, and pushed three shot glasses forward. I took one of the shots and drained it. As the Jack burned down my throat, I coughed and wiped at my watering eyes.

“Come on, ladies, do a shot with us.” Tim and Eric, the guys from Noah’s gym, come forward to do their own shots. Bo looked to protest again, but Lana held up her hand. He remained silent but brooding. We all did another shot while Bo looked on like a discontented father. This one went down far easier, as if the first one burned away any resistance. I felt better already.

Tim and Eric wanted us to do another shot with them, but by that time Noah and Finn had walked in. Noah looked unhappy to see us crowded around the shot table.

“Did you have to park really far away?” I asked him.

He laced his fingers through mine and pulled me close to him, placing a quick kiss against my forehead. “No, why?”

“You look unhappy.”

“I tried to stop them, brother, but no go,” Bo said, clapping a hand on Noah’s shoulder. He turned to the shot man, with sarcasm heavily weighting his words, “Did we pay a sufficient toll?”

Shot guy merely held up his arms. “Go on through.”

Noah led the way, pulling me behind him. This room had tubs of glass-bottled beer, a luxurious drinking item for college students. Noah stopped and bought drinks for everyone. I tried to remember the rhyme. Was it liquor first and then beer or reverse?

“You look perplexed,” Noah said, leaning down to speak into my ear. His breath tickled my lobe and thoughts of our activities in the bar made me squeeze my legs together slightly. Thank god I was a girl. The shots were doing their job. I wondered if there were some dark corners I could take him into.

“I’m trying to remember if I should just keep drinking shots or if it’s okay to have beer.”

“Liquor first. You’re good to go,” Noah said and then sighed.

“Do you want to go?” First the glower and then the sigh.

“No, it’s all good,” he replied, squeezing my hand.

We wandered through to the back deck that was very crowded. There were two kegs out here and dozens of plastic cups already discarded on the ground like abandoned toys.

“Walk through the crowd with me,” Lana demanded. I turned to Noah and informed him of our plans.

“I’ll be right back,” I reassured him.

He nodded and went to hold up a piece of railing with Bo while the other guys delved into the crowd. Amy looked at Lana and me and then back at Bo. “Go forth, young pilgrim,” Lana said, winking at Amy.

We began a slow circuit through the crowd, saying hello to the people we knew. Lana was more familiar with the faces than I was. At the back of the yard, someone was handing out paper cups full of Jell-O shots. We were forced to swallow two before we could get out of there. By the time we had done a full circuit, we hadn’t seen Jack anywhere. It was early yet, but I felt buzzed.

“Lana,” I tugged at her hand, “how do you know when you should fake an orgasm?”

“I don’t think you’re going to have that problem with Noah,” she said, scanning the crowd.

“How do you know?” Had she slept with him!?

“No, I didn’t sleep with him.” She rolled her eyes, sounding disgusted. I must have said that out loud.

“Sorry. It just came out,” I apologized.

“Noah can barely allow your feet to touch the ground. He opens your doors. He carries your backpack for you. He makes sure you have food and that you’re entertained. Trust me when I say you aren’t going to have to fake anything.”

Rubbing the side of my face, I tried to add together all the facts. Impatiently, Lana grabbed my hand and said, “He will make sure you are satisfied. Don’t hide your reactions. He’ll learn from them.”

Lana’s explicit instructions penetrated a little better. Don’t hide. Be happy. Or was the song“ ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy?’” Confused again, I asked Lana, “Is this the point to stop drinking or keep drinking?”

Jack appeared out of nowhere to hand me a bottle and say hello to Lana. “Keep drinking,” he offered.

“Are you a genie?” I asked him stupidly. He laughed and tipped his head back to swallow his beer.

“No, why?” he asked, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.

“We were just talking about you and, poof, here you are,” I said, looking at Lana. I didn’t want her to bring up my orgasm question in front of Jack.

“Like magic,” she nodded in agreement.

“I’ve got something magical, but I can’t show it to you here,” Jack replied. Lana rolled her eyes, but I was gone enough that I actually giggled despite his lack of originality.

I felt a warm hand at the nape of my neck and turned to find Noah behind me with a curious look on his face. Like he wanted to take Jack’s magic and crush it beneath his size 13s.

But when he noticed me looking up at him, he smiled that tender sweet half smile that I could tell was just for me. I swung myself around and threw my arms up to his neck.

“Whoa there,” he said, taking the beer bottle out of my hand. Apparently my actions had sprayed a little beer out of the newly acquired bottle. He said nothing about his bath and, instead, scooped me up to half walk, half carry me back to the railing, leaving Lana and Jack to discuss his David Blaine tricks.

Amy was still there with Bo, but there were others as well, guys and girls.

“Do all these people want to take Bo home?” I asked Noah. He choked a little on his drink and threw a look of glee toward Bo.

“I don’t know, but Bo’s pretty open minded, aren’t you Peep?”

Bo lifted a finger, but shifted closer to us so I could hear him. “You do know why we call Noah Jep right?”

“Sure, because he knows all the answers on Jeopardy,” I recited.

“That and because the only one who’d blow him was a toy he built himself.”

“Better the puppeteer, Geppetto, than the puppet. At least I can get it up without the assistance of pharmaceuticals,” Noah said.

“You know, when you brought Bo to the movies, Mike thought you were a couple,” I confided. This made both Noah and Bo laugh.

Bo leaned toward me. “I have slept with Noah before, Grace. He snores, just an FYI.”

I turned to Noah. “Is this true?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t ever been awake while I’ve snored. But I wouldn’t trust anything Bo says. He’d sleep through revelry played right in his ear.”

I turned toward Bo for confirmation.

“True. I was a bad Marine,” Bo said. He didn’t look too sorrowful about this. Amy used this opportunity to lure Bo’s attention back to her by asking when he got out.

Pulling Noah’s head down to mine, I boldly told him, “I’m ready to go home.” Instead of swiftly carrying me to his truck, he groaned a little and cuddled me closer. I snuggled into him and waited, but nothing happened.

So I pressed up against him a little and rubbed my hands down his T-shirt. When I got to the bottom, I slipped my hands underneath the cotton so I could enjoy the feel of his skin against my palms. Instead of allowing my exploration to continue, however, Noah pushed my hands out and loosely held my two wrists in one of his hands while he bent down to place my bottle on the floor.

He looked at his watch and said, “Time to go?” I nodded eagerly. Don’t hide. Be happy. Don’t worry. Be happy. He looked over at Bo and said, “You got her?” pointing to Amy. Bo lifted his chin in agreement.

“Alright, baby,” Noah said. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Instead of heading off to bed, though, Noah went over to Jack and Lana. “I’m taking Grace home, Lana, and I’d like to take you home as well. Bo will make sure that Amy gets back safely.”

“Um,” Lana looked to Jack, and Jack shrugged.

“I’ll see her home.”

Noah shook his head. “Can’t do it. I brought her, and I need to see her home.”

“I live close by, mind if I catch a ride?” Jack said.

“Fine,” Noah turned. “Ready?”

I nodded eagerly. I was ready. Very ready. I turned and gave Lana a sly wink but apparently everyone saw it because they all shook their heads at me.


Noah

Getting Grace into her apartment would’ve been easier if she’d been passed out. Then I could have just slung her over my shoulder and carried her to bed.

Instead, inebriated Grace was handsy, dipping her fingers under my shirt and underneath the waistband of my jeans. At this rate, the wood in my pants would be so hard by the second floor that I’d have to rub one out just to be able to make it up to her apartment without being crippled by my hard on.

I figured that not taking Grace tonight would be another of those Twelve Labours of Hercules. I had to be close to accomplishing them all by now.

On the third floor, I picked Grace up to avoid her wandering hands, but when she started licking a sensitive part of my neck, I began wondering at my own restraint. Would it really be so bad? After all, Grace was a virgin. Maybe having her drunk would make it hurt less the first time. I could really make it good for her the next day.

I quelled my thoughts. I wanted Grace to remember our first time together. And I would make it good for her that time and every time after.

Lana unlocked the door and stumbled in. Jack followed close behind. I was going to have to kick Jack out, given that Lana wasn’t able to walk a straight line.

First things first. I carried Grace to her bedroom. It was the first time I had been in her room, although I saw a brief glimpse of it when I had picked her up for breakfast that first morning.

It was all white, but there were flowered curtains and a huge bed with a white comforter that looked like it had lace or something around the edges. Huge. Like I think I could have fit a platoon in that bed.

“You have a big bed.” I stood her up while I pulled back the covers.

“All the better for you to sleep in it with me.” Yeah, Grace was really drunk. She wouldn’t be so forward unless she had a few too many tonight. I liked it, though. I wondered if, over time, Grace would lose her inhibitions without alcohol. I certainly wouldn’t mind her rubbing against me like a cat against a scratching pole if I could actually do something about it.

I laid her down and stroked my hands down her legs to pull her sandals off. I saw that the straps had made red marks in her feet, and I massaged them a little, trying to rub circulation back in. She moaned and said, “That feels soooo good.”

I looked at her body and contemplated what exactly I should remove. The sheer blouse was an easy choice. Her shorts? I debated that for about two seconds and said f*ck it. I went to unzip her shorts.

Except there was no zip. I rolled her to her back and found only a seam. Did she just pull these on? Women’s clothes were mystifying. Grace’s hand went to her side and pulled down a tiny hidden zipper. Underneath I saw all-lace, black panties. I broke out in a sweat.

Boot camp wasn’t nearly as painful and trying as this. I pulled down Grace’s unfastened shorts and placed those on top of her shoes. I looked at her for a full minute, and, yeah, I even stroked her lightly over the lace nestled between her thighs. She liked it. Her legs fell open to grant me easier access, and she thrust up against my hands.

Jesus, the shadowed valley between her legs called to me. The musk of her arousal rose up in the air, and I wanted to fall on her and devour her. I pressed my forehead into her belly and prayed to someone for a little strength.

I took a deep breath, unbuttoned her blouse, and left her in her bra, tank, and lace panties. I deserved a goddamned medal for this.

When I covered her up, Grace leaned up on her elbows. The weight of her body pulled her tank top down so her plump breasts looked bigger and the cleavage looked deeper.

“Noah?” her tone was questioning. “Are you coming to bed?”

“I’m going to sleep on the couch tonight,” I admitted.

“What? Don’t you want me?”

“F*ck, of course, I do. Jesus Christ, it’s all I can do not to fall on you like some crazed beast, but you’re too drunk tonight.”

“I’m not,” she said truculently.

We could play this game all night. I went to the bathroom to get a washcloth and wiped her makeup off as much as I could. There wasn’t much but it must have felt good, because she made another moan.

“That feels so good,” she repeated. She reached for me, and I bent down to kiss her freshly cleaned forehead. Her head tipped. Despite her tipsy state, she was able to make contact with my mouth, her tongue tracing my lips. Involuntarily, my mouth opened slightly and her tongue darted inside, sweeping around my teeth and deeper to stroke my tongue.

I managed to pull back. “But why?” she cried.

“I’m going to make you feel so good the first time we make love that you’ll want to jump my bones every second afterward. If you don’t remember it, my plan will fail,” I explained, knowing she wasn’t listening to me.

“You and your damned plans,” she said and turned over on her side.

“I love that you’re drunk and horny, but we’d both feel like shit if I did anything to you tonight,” I said. This was a special kind of torture.

There was some muffled response. Possibly a curse word. I heaved to my feet. One last thing before I could crash. Ejecting Jack.

I went to knock on Lana’s door that someone had shut. “Time to go, man,” I said and pounded again. Jack opened the door a crack.

“What the hell, man? Are you cockblocking me?”

“Don’t be that guy,” I warned. My patience was thin.

“You’re being an a*shole.”

“At least I’m not the one trying to get in a girl’s pants when she is drunk. Put your pants back on and come back tomorrow when you’re both not fully lit.”

“Just because you are boning her—”

I’d had enough of this dipshit. I covered his mouth with my hand and said, with all the frustration of the night in my voice, “You don’t even want to go there. Either you go put your pants on or I throw you out bare-assed. I don’t care either way.”

My words or menace must have finally penetrated, because Jack came out a moment later, fully dressed, and stomped out the door. He may have wanted to slam the door, but I wasn’t going to let him.

I shut the door and locked it. Lana was passed out in her bedroom. I made a mental note to tell her that her taste in men sucked and shut the door. Looking at the hard sofa and then at Grace’s bedroom, I muttered, “F*ck it.” I was going to sleep in that big ass cloud bed with my girl.


Grace

When I awoke the next morning, I heard the crinkle of paper as I rolled over to find the bed empty except for a note.

Grace,

You looked so beautiful and peaceful, I couldn’t wake you. There’s a glass of water and two aspirin on your nightstand. Hangovers are mostly dehydration. We’re going to have a party tonight at The Woodlands. Don’t plan on drinking much. I want you to take advantage of me. All night long.

Love, Noah

Love, Noah. I hugged the note to my chest.





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