A Little Bit More

Her weekend plans didn’t work out. She hoped to spend it with her best friends, enjoying a much needed girls weekend. Except her friend cancelled on her last minute, telling her that her boyfriend had planned a weekend getaway between his constant touring. Cori didn’t really have the heart to be upset at Emily, knowing how much she missed Kennedy when he was gone and how much they needed to see each other.

She was sitting down on her bed when the phone rang, Dree’s name and picture flashing across the screen. Reluctantly, she grabbed the device, sighing into it as she answered.

“Cori, you gotta come with us.” Her friend cried out, “Jess cancelled and I can’t take another weekend alone with John, Josh, Brian, and Stephen. I’ll go crazy.”

They were all in Dree’s boyfriend’s band. Cori had only met them a few times, at parties Dree and Stephen threw and at the few shows she had attended with her friends. But they were all strictly acquaintances and their faces and names still didn’t match up in Cori’s head. On the rare occasion that she’d go, the band would always be off in some corner, discussing secrets that she was sure not even Dree know about.

“Please, please.” Dree pleaded, “They’re awful and smelly and I can’t take it.”

Cori sighed again, falling back into the mattress and considered what would go into going. She’d have to pack tonight and leave with them for a six-hour car ride. Really, she had no intention of moving for the rest of the weekend, crawling into her bed with a glass of wine and watching her favorite movies alone. Leaving would just ruin that plan and wear her out even more then she already was.

“I was really hoping to just sleep all weekend, Dree.” She tried, her palm falling over her eyes and a deep breath escaping her. “It’s been a long week, I worked everyday—“

“And think about how relaxing the beach would be.” She could see Dree’s smile as she tried to sell it, “I mean we can sit in the sun all day and you can sleep as much as you want and the house is air conditioned. C’mon getting out of Arizona will only help you at this point.”

Just the conversation was wearing her out. So she agreed, not because she really cared either way about going, but because she knew her friend wouldn’t leave her alone until she would tag along. After a few minutes of her friend gushing through the phone about all the things they could do while there, Cori hung up, curling further into her bed and hoping she dreamt the whole ordeal.

She finished packing up her stuff only minutes before they pulled onto her block, her phone chiming at the text message Dree sent. In the few hours she’d had to pack her things and ready her small house before leaving, she had gotten herself excited to go. She loved the beach and staying in a beach-front house for the weekend sounded like exactly what she needed. So after a much needed cup of coffee, she perked up and packed up her belongings.

The ride was long. She seemed to have forgotten what riding in a car with Dree and Stephen would entail. They were so flirty it was sickening. Stephen’s hand would rest at Dree’s knees, climbing as high as she would let him before swatting it away and giving him a glance that Cori didn’t even want to imagine the meaning of. At stop lights and intersections, Dree would kiss under Stephen’s jaw, across his cheek, and eventually meet his lips. Their faces would flush when the car behind them honked, interrupting their brief moments.

“You two are worse than Em and Kennedy, I swear.” Cori muttered after the fourth time.

Both Stephen and Dree scoffed, glancing back at her. “If Emily and Kennedy were here, Cori,” Dree spoke, ripping open a bag of gummy bears for Stephen, “They’d already have fucked.”

“Twice.” Stephen chimed in, his hand open waiting for his girlfriend to put some candy in.

“And they wouldn’t even wait for us to pull over either,” Her friend laughed, “Those two…”

“They have no shame.” He sent her a glance. “At least Dree and I can keep our clothes on long enough to get out of the car.”

Cori didn’t bother responding to defended her friend, know how true it really was. They continued driving well into the night, Cori eventually falling asleep against the door in order to avoid watching her friends touching anymore. It never really bothered her before, but in that car for the endless hours made her start to resent them for their closeness. It wasn’t jealousy really, she just got sick of it. She couldn’t hang out with a friend without their boyfriend tagging along, ruining the point of going out with her friends.

She woke up when the car came to a stop, voices saying her name, and car doors slamming. When she blinked open her eyes, she saw the coastline, the rising sun stretching out over the calm waters. As she stepped out of the car, she watched Stephen and Dree move around the car, pulling their luggage from the trunk and start to step towards the small house.

It was no grand mansion, however, it was nice. There was a large, wrap-around porch with rocking chairs and lounge chairs covering its surface. The white shutters framed the opened windows, and the windowless red door stood out against the beige, clapboarded walls. Cori wasted no time, pulling out the rest of the bags and slamming the trunk door shut. She knew this was what she needed: a nice, calming weekend to ease away her week’s stress.

Stephen put his key into the door, twisting it, and pushing the door open. The house was empty other then the provided furniture and lots of clothing and instruments covering the floor. The only sounds came from the ocean, the breeze coming in through one of the opened windows. Stephen said his brother’s name once, followed by the rest of his bandmates, but no answer came from anywhere in the house.

“Must still be out.” He muttered, kicking a few pieces of clothing out from the doorway he beside. “Cori,” She glanced at him, then back to the room, “This is your room for the weekend. Typically it’s John’s but we told him he gets the couch.”

Cori couldn’t help but laugh, moving to the doorway, and opening the door. Normally, she’d feel bad about someone losing their bed for her but she had decided before she left that this was her weekend and she wasn’t going to feel bad on anyone else’s account. The room smelled like a Gomez, but the sheets had been changed and his clothes folded neatly and put in the drawers.

She considered taking a nap, but decided against it, knowing she was missing out on prime beach time if she did. So she dropped her bag of the bed and moved back out into the hallway where Dree and Stephen still stood. Dree talked to her for a few minutes, telling her about the few house rules they had, and the bathroom schedule for the morning that no one ever followed.

“So this is the game room,” Stephen rambled, walking through the walkway and into the open space. “Obviously there are no games since we’re supposed to be ‘writing’.” He chuckled, picking the acoustic guitar from the floor and putting it into a stand. “But John and Josh turn it into the beer pong room if we have parties.”

They heard a crash from the other room, Dree’s head turning curiously towards the doorway and then back to Stephen. Cori watched the two exchanged a series of expressions, none she could actually translate, but moments later, Stephen let go of his girlfriend’s hand and moved into the other room.

The two stood in the room silently, listening to a series of noises and voices, one of which Cori couldn’t quite recognize.

Once Stephen returned, linking his hand with Dree’s once again. They continued with the tour, guiding Cori into the room that Stephen had just left. The backdoor was open, leading out to the backend of the porch and a small path leading to the beach.

“And this is the kitchen.” Stephen gestured into the room. “Or the booze room, as its better known.”

She surveyed the space, scanning over all the half-full bottles of whiskey and vodka. Of all the parties she’d been to with Emily or Dree, she’d never seen so much alcohol in one place. Dree had complained to her that this house was only serving as a place to drink more then they did at home, but Cori didn’t believe it until she saw the counters lined with so many glass containers.

The heard another crash, this time happening just across the room. Cori turned around first, watching one of Stephen’s bandmates stumble into the room. He looked familiar but she couldn’t remember what he did or his name. He had already pulled off his t-shirt and belt before he came in and was working on the button of his jeans. Dree sighed heavily, giving the boy a glare , before turning to Cori with a frown. “And that’s Jobe.” She groaned as the boy moved further into the room, shedding another article of clothing. “A very, very drunk Jobe.”

“Joshua Wesley Montgomery to you, Andrea. He corrected, his bleach blonde hair was falling in his eyes as they trailed over Cori. A small smirk climbed over his lips and he took a step closer, which made Stephen take one towards him too, giving him a glare. He picked up the empty shot glass, carrying it in one hand, a the neck of a cheap beer in the other. “But she can call me Jobe.” He pointed, “Actually she can call me what-whatever she likes.”

“Really Jobe?” Stephen’s voice rang out, watching him, “It’s not even noon and you’re already wasted.”

“Guys,” Jobe’s attention shot to Stephen again, ignoring his statement and a slight giggle escaping his lips as he looked at her again. “D-don’t you wanna go to Sea World and s-s-see the whales?”

Dree giggled, watching him slip out of his jeans so he stood in front of them in only his underwear. “You’re drunk, Jobe. How do you think you’re gonna get into Sea World?”

“Andrea,” He sighed, stepping closer to her with a smirk. “I didn’t mean I should go to Sea World, dear.” His slurring had stopped but he leaned awkwardly against the table beside him, using a chair as a support. “I meant, you and Stephen go and I stay here with this lady right here,” he pointed at her, giving Cori a more obvious smile then, “and while you two are looking at whales, I’ll let her ride one.”

Stephen didn’t bother answer, giving him another stern glare as his hands pushed back on his shoulders. “Josh…”

He didn’t let Stephen stop him from his path, gently pushing past the bassist and making his way towards the open bottle of tequila open on the counter. “Anyone want something?”

Both Dree and Stephen shook their heads, rolling their eyes at the guitarist. Cori couldn’t help but feel an attraction to him, the way he sauntered around and the seductive smirk he had when he looked at her. She didn’t even know when her hand shot up, volunteering to accept one of his alcoholic creations.

“Cori, babe, trust me, Jobe’s drinks are rough,” Dree tried, keeping her arm extended out to keep him from approaching them. “He doesn’t really know anything else to add besides alcohol.”

When Jobe sent her another smirk, she pushed Dree’s arm aside gently and gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I’m on vacation right?”

When Jobe handed her a red cup, full of a liquid she didn’t know, of course she was a little nervous. But when Jobe smirked at her, downing his own shot glass and moving to get another, she got the confidence, sipping the drink.

Dree was right, it was heavy, only taking moments before it hit her. It didn’t stop her from finishing it though, Dree and Stephen’s jaw dropping at the sight of her drinking it so quickly. If she suddenly felt nervous or worried, she’d look at Jobe and he’d only smirk, winking at her. Once she finished it, she set the cup on the table, leaning against the table. “Damn J-jobe.” She stuttered, lowering herself down into the chair and leaning her forehead on the table. “That w-was intense.”

When she twisted her head, she could see her friends leaving as he walked over towards her. “Does that mean you want another?”

She only shook her head, watching him smirk. “I think that’s enough for now. I’m going to be well beyond tipsy after that.”

“Tipsy?” Jobe giggled in the chair he sat in beside her, “Just tipsy? That drink was supposed do way more then that.”

It was the way he said it, his tone, that suggested more. She sat up suddenly, watching him with a smile. He looked the same as before, bare chested and blond hair falling in his eyes. And yet, he was different. His lips looked extra lush, his hands rough, and neck strong. Cori had to push the thoughts of lunging an attacking him from her mind.

Josh rose again, moving around the kitchen and she followed. His hands sorted through the bottles and she watched him, leaning back against the tiled counter close to him. She leaned her head back, focusing on keeping her balance there. He would mumbled something every few seconds, the sounds of glass clinking together following. It wasn’t until she felt a hand on her waist that her head popped back up, a smile on her lips.

“You should try this one.” Josh mumbled, raising the bottle up by the neck in his other hand. She looked at him nervously, biting her lip. He lifted the bottle to his lips, taking a swig and frown slightly after swallowing. Then he brought himself closer to her, his lips only centimeters from her skin. “It just burns a little going down.”

His hand dropped from her waist to her hip. She grabbed the bottle from his hand, taking a swig quickly like he did. With his other hand free of the bottle, he brought it to her hip, pulling her midsection towards his. Cori swallowed the liquid quickly, setting the bottle down behind her so his hands could stay on her. “A little?” She breathed out, her throat burning. “That was a lot more than a little.”

Josh smirked, brushing his lips down her neck slowly, “Really?” It was barely heard by her, the feeling of his mouth touching her skin distracted her. “I can make you feel better, if you’d like.”

She didn’t want to come across as eager but she wanted him. Badly. Just the feeling of his lips and his scent sent her into a daze, making her knees weak and eyelids fall. When he stopped, pulling his head back and looking at her, she let out an involuntary groan, making him smirk. When she finally got her head back for a second, she gave Jobe a quick nod before wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, pulling his head back towards her.

His kisses were more addicting than the booze. His hands worked magic on her body. She strived to make him groan or moan into her skin. The only time he pulled away was to grab the bottle and take another drink. She didn’t however, finding the taste of his lips much better than the burn of the alcohol. He moved so fast, his hands going from her hips to her neck and then back to her hips, playing with the hem of her shirt. She destroyed his hair, running her fingers through the soft blond strands over and over, only dropping to his neck when he’d suck at a spot on her neck, making her knees weak again.

This wasn’t what she had plan for her trip. She intended to sit at the beach all day, letting the sun warm her skin, and the smell of the salt water take her away. She expected to spend time with Dree outside while all the guys were inside writing. But now that she had this, she never wanted that. Jobe’s skin was warmer then the sun and his smell was more intoxicating. His teasing lips were more distracting then any conversation she would have had with Dree. She loved this.

He hoisted her up, encouraging her to wrap her legs around his waist. She went to work on his neck as he navigated through the house, only hitting a few walls whenever she changed spots on him. She giggled when he dropped her on his bed, pulling her top of before climbing over her and attacking her with kisses.

* * *

The sun was sinking as she stepped from the room, wearing one of Josh’s t-shirts that stopped at the top of her thighs. A hickey rested under her a jaw, her hair tangled, and lips swollen. The trails from Josh’s hands and lips had disappeared but the warmth he filled her with was still there. A blush covered her cheeks when she walked in the kitchen, seeing Dree cooking and Stephen’s arms wrapped around her.

The two smiled at her, taking in her messy appearance without commenting. Cori made her way to the coffeemaker and grabbed one of the mugs from the sink. She busied herself with preparing her coffee, hoping to push away the headache that was digging into her skull. Stephen and Dree giggled together, whispering something softly as she smiled at the drink.

“So,” Dree broke the content silence, swatting Stephen’s hands away from her hips. “How was your afternoon?”

Cori only shrugged, a smile covering her lips. It was great, perfect even. After they finished, she curled up beside him, falling asleep instantly. His hands drew shapes into her skin, his breath and heartbeat sending her into a daze. He let her sleep until she couldn’t anymore, the headache’s pain waking her up. Josh smiled and kissed her, volunteering to get her coffee and aspirin, but she stood first, slipping into his shirt and leaving the room.

“I can’t believe you had sex with Jobe.” Stephen laughed, kissing Dree’s neck in the few seconds she wasn’t paying attention to him.

Yet again, she shrugged, mixing sugar into the drink and taking a sip. The bottle they drank together was still on the counter where they stood, the bottle less then a fourth full. Cori couldn’t help but smile then, remembering what they had done and how it felt.

Before wither one could ask her another question, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and a kiss pressed to the back of her neck. “You’ve been gone too long.” He whispered.
She heard Dree chuckle at them but she didn’t care, twisting around in Josh’s arms and kissing him on the lips. “Coffee?” She asked, offering him the mug.

“Just you.” He mumbled, pulling her back towards the hallway that lead to his bedroom.

“I think John can have his room for the weekend,” She smiled at Dree, taking a sip of the coffee as Josh pulled her slightly back to the bedroom, “I’m gonna, y’know,” She paused when he dragging his lips down her neck, pressing a rough kiss into her clavicle. “S-stay with Jobe.”