Better Than Revenge

Seth's POV:

"So, your Mom's working late?" 

Val just nodded. Her cheeks have been flushed red since we got in the car. "Until six." She added.

The clock on her dashboard said it was close to four.

"I wish you would have told me that's where you were going. I would have let you go even if you did." 

Her tone was joking, so I joked back. "I forgot to give you a copy of the schedule."

"I already had one, but a little reminder never hurts."

She spoke with a smooth voice, but I heard her heart beating a little faster every few seconds. I don't think she knows I can hear her.

I didn't really know what to say. "I'm sorry."

She chuckled at my lame response.

My mouth was dry, but my palms were sweaty. I tried to be subtle in wiping them on my shorts. I didn't know why I was so nervous. There was  nothing to be nervous about, because I wasn't even sure anything would happen. But she told me her mom was working late, and that no one else was home...

Doesn't that sort of imply that she's thinking the same thing?

I watched her release the tight grip she had on the wheel. If she was nervous, then my theory might be right. It kind of eased the nightmare I'd been having about her and Jacob, too. He never gave any hint that they did anything together, but I wouldn't expect him to rub something like that in my face. Since she was nervous, it meant she was new to it, too. Unless she was nervous because she didn't want me to find out about her and Jacob.

My mouth was really dry. "Can we stop and get a soda or something?"

"I have some at my house. Can't you wait five minutes?"

I nodded, rolling down my window a little for some fresh air.

. . . . . . . . 

Val's POV: 

"Do you want root beer or Coke?" The frosty air from the refrigerator felt nice on my face.

"Root beer, please."

I grabbed the last two cans of root beer with one hand, which wasn't my best idea. One of the cans tumbled to the floor.

"Good one." Seth smirked.

I set the good can on the counter closest to him. "You drink this one."

"No, you don't have to drink the bad one." He tapped it back towards me. "I can wait a few minutes."

"You're more thirsty than I am." I picked up the bad can and set it next to the sink. "You drink it."

"Val, drink the freaking rootbeer."

"I don't want it."

"Valerie!"

I took the can from the counter and shook it up and down. I set it next to the bad one. "There. Now we both have to wait."

He smiled, and my heart fluttered again. "You're crazy."

"That's what they tell me."

Seth winced when he turned his neck, reaching over to rub it and roll his shoulder.

"Did Paul hurt you?" I stepped closer to him.

"No," He answered quickly. "I'm just a little sore. I fell asleep on the couch last night."

"Uh huh." I rolled my eyes, brushing past him to sit on the sofa. "Come over here."

. . . . . . . . 

Seth's POV:

Seeing her sitting there with her legs crossed like a pretzel and biting her lip with a smile while motioning for me to come to her almost had my knees giving out right there on the spot.

I walked out to the center of the room and stopped, loving the way her hair fluttered over her shoulder and across her collar bone. 

She patted the sofa infront of her. "Sit down."

I obeyed, using the front of the sofa as a back rest. 

"Now, where does it hurt?" She leaned forward to see me around my shoulder.

I swallowed hard. "Um...right here." I poked my fingers into the sore spot.

She leaned back and started to knead her thumbs gently into the back of my neck. "Here?"

It felt amazing. "Y-yeah," I breathed.

Her thumbs pressed in slow circles, working out the tension that built there. Her touch sent electric-like currents through my body.

"Does that feel better?"

Hell yes. I just nodded to avoid making any embarassing noises. It wasn't my fault. Sam warned me about this, how you get so completely caught up in your imprint that you can't just ignore the feeling anymore. It becomes a necessity, not a desire. He says it's to make sure the werewolf gene gets passed on, but I honestly don't care about that. I was embarassed, but I couldn't let it go. It wouldn't go away until I filled it.

Her thumbs hit behind my ears, and then travelled down the sides of my neck to the base. It felt even better, but not quite the spot.

"A little lower," I asked, closing my eyes.

She dropped about an inch and I let out a groan. "Right there." I had to remind myself to breathe.

"It isn't fair that you're hurt this way. Paul deserves a good beating too, don't you think?"

"I guess." I would take a beating from Paul any day if it meant she would do this for me.

She moved her hands to knead into my shoulders. I bit my tongue to keep from groaning again.

"I used to massage my dad every night after he came home from work. He says my hands work magic."

"He's not kidding." I didn't mean to say it out loud.

Her hands shifted forward, brushing over my shoulders and around to the front of my chest. "You're not upset about losing the bet, are you?" She slipped her fingertips into the neck of my shirt as she leaned forward to show me her smirk.

"I don't know." I said.

"You shouldn't be. Even though that was a pretty bad way to go - you know, the part when you jumped off the cliff?"

"Paul cheated."

Val stopped massaging me, tossing her arms lazily over my shoulders. "Where you really thinking about me the whole time?"

"Maybe." I teased.

She squeezed her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Paul might have won eternal glory, but he still doesn't have you."

She kissed my ear and patted my shoulders, slowly rising to her feet.

"Where are you going?" I tried not to sound so upset.

"To get the soda. I'll be right back."

I waited until she rounded the corner before I freaked out. What the hell is she doing to me? It's either hard-to-get or completely innocent, and I can't tell which one. I had to push all my feelings away until I knew for sure. But my hands were already shaking, and I knew my face probably lost it's color. I had no choice but to just-

"Here you go." Her hand was outstretched to me, offering a can of root beer.

I reached for it, but she pulled away fast. "What do you say?"

Definitely hard to get. I snatched it from her hand. "Mine."

She laughed for a second, but then stopped to study my face. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, flipping the cap on the can. I took a nice gulp, and it gave me confidence.

She was smirking again. "Good, because I have a knot in my neck too, you know."

. . . . . . . .

Val's POV:

I stood up from the couch to let him take my spot, but he sat back far enough to leave room for me to sit on the sofa infront of him.

I sat between his legs and folded my hands in my lap, feeling his body heat radiate onto my back. He had to hear my heart slamming into my chest.

I didn't know what I was doing. He's probably not thinking about doing the same thing I'm thinking about doing. I probably just look like a fool.

Seth swooped my hair over to the side of my shoulder. He didn't ask where I felt the knot. Instead, his fingers drew a light line up from my wrists to the top of my shoulders, leaving a trail of goosebumps. He massaged my shoulders, but it was in my neck that I needed it.

"Right here." I reached around to point to the spot, which was on the left side.

"I got it, just be patient."

I almost choked on my breath. What does that mean?

His hands stopped moving, but they stayed where they were. I shuddered as his lips gently touched the spot I pointed to.

"Here?" He whispered.

I couldn't say anything.

He kissed my skin again, but his hands slithered down to my waist. I huffed out a breath of air, feeling that hunger ripple in my stomach. He has to be thinking the same thing, because if he wasn't, this would be plain mean.

His fingers flipped up the bottom of my shirt, dancing around on my sensitive skin. I curled my toes, almost unable to take it.

"Um-" I cut myself off because I hadn't meant to say anything in the first place.

He kissed me behind my ear, while his hands eased their way up my sides until his wrists were under my shirt completely.

This was so unlike him. Not that I was complaining, but I could never call him cute again. Not after this.

I hadn't realized my hands were clawing into his knees until I flinched at the sound of several car doors slamming. I prayed to God that it was my imagination.

But Seth froze, spinning his body to look out the window, which meant he heard it too.

I spied for myself, disovering a minivan and four kids packed in my driveway.

I stood up and covered my face with my hands. 

"Who's that?" Seth asked me.

I knew I would start crying. "My cousins."

Seth watched me to determine if my tears were real. He saw one roll down my cheek.

"I knew they were coming for the weekend, but it wasn't supposed to be until Friday."

He used the pad of his thumb to wipe it away. "It is Friday."

I didn't know what else to do but sink into his chest. He was disappointed, too. It was all my fault.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, holding back my tears for now. They wouldn't solve anything.

Seth leaned down close to my ear. "It's not the right time. When the right time comes, it'll be perfect."

"It was the right time." I mumbled. "It was perfect."

Knuckles rapped on my front door and the doorbell rang about forty times.

Seth kissed the side of my face. "I love you."

I found myself smiling. "Love you, too."

He was definitely worth waiting for.