My chest tightened as he leaned closer. Every nerve in my body awakened as he leaned against me, his body hot against mine. I gripped the kitchen counter behind me tightly, my knees weakening as I felt his breath on my face. He lowered his face to mine, moving slowly and deliberately, giving me time to pull away. My body was frozen, hypnotized by him. When his lips touched mine, electricity ran up and down my spine, and I kissed him back, pressing our bodies together.
Blake ran his fingers through my hair as we kissed, hot and heavy, our tongues tangling. I grabbed his shoulders, his naked skin warm under my exploring fingers. I let out a low moan as he pressed his hips into mine and slid his tongue into my mouth again. I reached my hands up, twisting my fingers tightly into his hair. He grabbed my waist and hoisted me up onto the counter.
I wrapped my legs around him, placing several closed-mouth kisses on his lips before he forced my mouth open with his own, his lips molding perfectly to mine. He sucked lightly on my bottom lip and grazed his teeth against it, sending shudders down my spine. I was lost in his kiss and his touch.
Without warning, he pushed away from me. I was breathing heavily, my lips swollen and my face red. I looked at him, confused, and froze. I heard a car door slam shut in the driveway. I hopped off the counter and turned back to the food, hissing to Blake, “Go put your shirt on.”
I clutched the knife I had used to cut the vegetables. I was hot from the kisses, and my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. I took three deep breaths before I continued slicing the food. My movements were slow and deliberate, more cautious than usual because my hands were tingling oddly.
My father and Debbie walked in, and I felt extremely uncomfortable. I was horrified by what had happened between Blake and me, and I began to worry that the guilt was evident in my appearance.
“Hey, honey. How was class today?” Dad greeted me as he entered the kitchen.
“It was good,” I replied without looking at him. I focused steadily on the food in front of me and could feel my face redden from a mix of shame and embarrassment.
“What are you making?” he asked curiously.
“Just baked chicken and a salad.”
“Sounds delicious.” The smile in his voice made me feel guiltier than ever.
I finished cooking dinner and excused myself from the kitchen, claiming I wasn’t hungry. This wasn’t untrue, either. I was much too nauseous to eat. I ran upstairs and shut my bedroom door quickly. I couldn’t get the kiss out of my head. My body was hot from his touch, and I wanted more of him. My mind bitterly reminded me of my dislike for Blake, contradicting the deep, throbbing need I felt for his lips. Part of me was glad our parents had come home when they did—who knew how far we would have gone? A different part of me longed for more. As I climbed into my bed, I thought about how awkward school would be tomorrow.
Blake
I got ready for class slowly because I didn’t want to face Alyssa. I felt like an idiot for kissing her, but I hadn’t been able to stop myself. When I had leaned in close to her, she looked so beautiful and innocent, her lips so soft and plump. Of course I wanted to kiss her again, but I dismissed the thought quickly. Despite knowing how wrong my actions were, if I were ever in the same situation again, I would kiss her and touch her just the same. Alyssa caused a deep, hungry response in me, one that overrode all rational thoughts and logic. I had to act cool, as if her presence didn’t affect me, which was the only way to control my irrational need for her. Controlling my attraction was vital. Alyssa and I were a part of a new family. We were technically siblings, and what we had done was shameful and could make life hard for us both.
I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs, saying a quick good morning to my mother and stepdad. Alyssa was already downstairs, sitting at the table eating a piece of toast. I looked at her, but she didn’t look at me, just stared at her toast as if it were the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.
“Are you ready, Alyssa?” I asked her nonchalantly.
She froze for a second before she responded. “Yeah.”
I watched her get up and give her father a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing her backpack and walking out the door. I followed her to her car.
The drive to school was awkward and tense. I was hesitant to address the situation we had put ourselves in, and Alyssa’s stiff, quiet disposition implied that she felt angry and resentful towards me. Unable to find the right words to say, I decided to remain silent, but I constantly flicked my gaze to her, resisting every instinct to reach out and touch her.
Once we pulled into a parking spot, I hopped out and said, “See ya later, kid.”
I walked away quickly, unable to be near her any longer. I was overwhelmingly unable to properly handle the mess I had made by kissing her. I headed to my class, grateful for any distraction to get Alyssa off my mind. After an hour-long lecture, I left, rubbing my temples to ease the beginnings of a headache, and practically ran over Brittney as I walked out of the classroom. Clearly, she had been waiting for me.