Killing Me Softly(A Broken Souls Series)

I look down and point my finger at him, “You might have distracted me for the moment, but you’re still going to pay.” I climb off of him and stand up. He does some crazed acrobatic move and lands on his feet. “You’re talented.”

“You have no idea,” He says as he kisses my cheek.

Yeah, that will lead to trouble.

Tate drapes his arm over my shoulder, not before picking a twig or two from my hair.

As we walk up to the house, everyone is laughing and Don is taking stuff off the grill.

“Hope you’re hungry,” Don says to us.

“Starving,” Tate admits. “Here, you want me to take those in and bring out another plate for the rest?” He reaches for the stack of burgers. “Man, these look good.”

I hold the door open as we walk into a room of laughing girls. There’s always this feeling in me that people are laughing at me, but I’ll never admit it to another soul. Everyone was cool and didn’t seem to have cared that I ran out of the house twenty minutes ago.

Through dinner, everyone tells me about Tate being shy until he gets to know a person. Apparently they were all impressed that he’s so open and free with me. As the girl who’s crushing on him, the words make me feel good about being with him.

The TV is on in the other room and the familiar beeping sounds that are followed by a storm warning comes on. Tracy goes over and turns up the weather so we could all hear the warning. Gary Stratus, the weatherman is talking about a front pushing through that’s bringing strong winds and heavy rain. I hadn’t seen the news in several days so I didn’t know the weather would get bad. The weatherman says the storm is going east towards Del City and Midwest City and to be prepared for lightening and about three inches of rain.

Tate and I exchange a knowing look.

“Tate, looks like you picked a great night for a bike ride. Why don’t you and Holland stay here tonight? They said it will be clear in the morning,” Tracy asks.

Spend the night as in sleep here? Oh good lord, how in bloody hell am I going to keep my promise to myself not to have sex with him? His body pressed next to mine in a bed. He wouldn’t wear jeans to bed. I bet he wears boxers. No, he could be a boxer-brief guy. What if he wears old fashioned tighty whitey’s? There’s so many scenarios running through my head.

“It’s up to you Holland,” Tate says.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Girl, you’re not a burden at all. Tate stays out here most weekends. It’s nice seeing him with someone. He sits by the fire pit and plays that guitar like a lost puppy,” Tracy says.

Don clears his throat. “Don’t pay her any attention. We’d be happy to have you stay over. We knew when we moved out to the boonies, we’d have to have a place for our friends to crash.”

“Sure, that sounds good. My car should be fine where I left it, and I don’t need to rush home for anything. I guess that means I can have another sangria.”

Tate’s hand goes to my back and he rubs it up and down. “I can take you home in one of their cars if you want,” He whispers. “I’d rather have you in my arms during the storm though.”

Exactly! What if I don’t stop and we aren’t only in each other’s arms but we’re doing things a good reclaimed virgin shouldn’t be doing? “No, I’m good here. It sounds like the weather is going to be pretty bad, and it sucks being alone.”

Tracy has fresh glasses of sangria for us and beers for the guys. They’re drinking something one of the pilots brought Tate from Germany. He leans forward and tells me about the beer and how people are always bringing stuff back from other countries. He tells me how he doesn’t have the heart to tell the guy he doesn’t drink much beer, or much of anything.

The lightning flashes and thunder booms across the night sky. Every single time I hear it, I jump. Tate sits back on the oversized couch and pulls me back with him. With his arm over my shoulder I’m comforted knowing I’m not alone in that little house listening to the windows rattle.

“Holland, follow me,” Tracy says as she jumps up from the chair her and Don were sitting in together.

I get up and follow her back to her room at the end of the hallway. It is decorated as though a fancy designer put it together. The wall behind her headboard is done in geographic red and white wall paper. It stands out against the large black furniture throughout the room. The bedding is white with giant red poppies across the puffy comforter.

“Your room is beautiful,” I gush.

“Thank you, my sister-in-law is an interior designer, she put it together.” She pulls open a neatly organized drawer and pulls out a pair of shorts and t-shirt. “You and I wear about the same size, here take these to sleep in,” she says as she hands them to me.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

She smiles up at me and I can tell her eyes are glassier than they were an hour ago. “You know he really likes you, don’t you?”

“How can you tell?” I say without thinking.

“Because he’s laughing and having fun. He’s not quiet and reserved. Tate may not have said anything to you, but he hasn’t had a girlfriend since he’s been stationed here. So do me a favor will ya, don’t mess with his head. If you’re in this for a good time and run, go ahead and run away now. I’d hate to have to hunt you down and beat your ass. I kind of like you, but I like him more.” She holds her hand out for me to shake, “Deal?”

Andy, did you just hear her? She just threatened me. “I wasn’t planning on it, but it’s a deal. So what happens if he runs out on me?”

“You’re kidding right? He said he invited you to meet his grandma! Guys don’t introduce girls to their grandma if they’re not serious. Tate’s good people. Earlier we talked about his flaws, well the one flaw he has, if you call it a flaw, is his fighting. I shouldn’t be telling you this but I will. He’s had a few run ins with the law back in Oregon. Our broody musician likes to fight. Or shall I say, he did like to fight. Oh don’t look at me like that! He doesn’t hit women! No, he had a temper on him. That’s why he doesn’t drink too much, he likes to stay in control. I’m telling you this so you don’t panic if you see him get pissed off. He’s like one of those Gremlins, don’t let him drink whiskey.”

“Tracy!” Don yells from down the hall.

“Oh hey, we better go. Friends?” Tracy asks.

I smile at her and she flings her arms around me in a hug. “Wait, you’re just going to tell me not to let him have whiskey and run off? That’s not very fair.”

“You’ll do fine. If you two do the deed, the washer and dryer are in the hall by the room you’re staying in.”

I can’t tell if I like her for being so brazen, or if I want to hit her for being stupid.

***

The guest room is bigger than I expected. Tate walks over to the dresser and grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. With him staying here every weekend, it makes sense for him to have some clothes here. As he walks out of the room, I set my purse down on the queen sized bed. Sleeping over with a guy is new to me. Taking care of my dad has made sleeping anywhere other than in my own bed impossible.

The shorts are loose around my thighs but tight across my butt. I pull my hair up in a ponytail so it won’t shed all over the bed. Andy always told me to keep a toothbrush in my purse in case this were to ever happen to me. I didn’t listen to her. After debating the bra situation, I finally decide to keep it on. The less stimulation I allow my body to have, the less likely I’ll lose my reclaimed virginity. Who are you fooling? Shut up head! I can call myself whatever I want.