On the Line

“'lo?”
My eyes shot open as she giggled on the other line. “Good afternoon, Horany Toad.”
I sat up in bed, confused and delirious. “Huh?”
“It's nearly two in the afternoon, Niall. I'm out of class and free for the rest of the day.”
“It's what time?!” I shouted, staring at my alarm clock for confirmation. “Shit, I—Jesus, did you drug me last night?”
She laughed again, the sound sending a chill through me. “I knew my kisses were intoxicating, but...”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah...Have you been trying to call me?”
“No, but I texted you a couple of times. I figured you were asleep, though, your eyes were tired last night.”
“Oh, gee, thanks,” I teased. “Um...okay, you're done for the day. Um...what do you want to do?”
“Uh-uh,” she sang. “The first date was my idea!”
“Date? What date!?”
“Ice cream in the park!”
“But we never even had that date!” I argued. “You stood me up, and then followed me home!”
“But I brought pizza! I fed you!”
I laughed, falling back into my pillows. “Yeah, which I finished off after you left. Okay, fine, this date is my idea...”
“I realize you can't take me anywhere,” she added softly. “With ya know...your fame, or whatever. I know this has to be a secret.”
“No, no,” I sighed. “It doesn't have to be a secret...Well, it does for awhile, but not forever. But for now it needs to--”
“I'm not angry,” she interrupted with a laugh. “I understand. I just don't want you to feel like you have to take me out to dinner.”
“But I want to, eventually. And I want to hold your hand in public, too,” I mumbled. “But for now, how about I make you dinner?”
She snorted. “You can cook?”
“Yes!” I argued, sternly. “Quite well, if I do say so myself.”
“Alright, sounds good. Want me to bring a movie? Or a game? Or...”
“Whatever you want, Lily, I'm down for anything. I need to go to the store,” I muttered, tossing my arm over my eyes. “How about you get here at four? Or would you rather me come to you?”
She hummed for a second, thinking it over. “How about I come there? My place is sort of a mess and not near as comfortable as yours. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, sounds great. Um, if I'm not back when you get here, there's a spare key in the light by the door. Just lift the globe off,” I added. Even I was surprised to hear those words leaving my mouth. The only other person in the world who knew where the spare key was kept was my mother.
“A guy of your status keeps a spare key to his home on his front porch? And you just told a girl you met yesterday where to find it?”
“Hey, if you trash my place and steal my dirty knickers, I'll know it was you!” I argued, laughing. “I'll try to be back before you get here, don't worry.”
“Okay,” she sang, amused. “I'll be there around four.”
“Okay,” I whispered, blushing, rolling at my eyes at myself.
“Bye.”
“Hey! Wait!”
“What?”
“Um,” I started, smiling. “Wear that strawberry lip balm again.”
She laughed and I covered my face with my hand, embarrassed. “I will see you in a few hours,” she whispered, and then the line cut off.
After a quick shower and straightening up the house a bit, I hurried to the store and picked up what I needed. I was tempted to impress her with a fancy dish, but knew I'd muck it up and make a fool of myself, so I settled for pasta with homemade sauce, grilled chicken, a side salad, and a wine the lady behind the counter swore by.
By the looks of the sky, we were in for a cold, rainy night. For once, I welcomed it, I even hoped for it. I hoped for the kind of weather that had her jumping at every crack of thunder, lightening so strong it knocked out the power for a few hours. A storm so big it had her clinging to my side, just another excuse for me to hold her tight and run my fingers through her hair and get another taste of her strawberry lips.
I managed to beat her to my house, though the clock was nearing four o'clock. I found myself fidgeting, mussing my hair, tugging at my shirt as I checked the window. I started chopping vegetables, letting my mind wander. I nearly jumped out of my skin when my doorbell rang, knocking a glass off the counter and sending it crashing to the floor. “Shit,” I muttered, wiping my hands on my jeans as I stepped over the mess.
I raced to the door and pulled it open. She rushed past me, straightening her hair, her hat I'm her hand, mussed from the cold wind. I closed the door turned to her, giving her a warm smile. “Hey.”
“Hi,” she smiled, breathless, her teeth chattering, cheeks pink.
“Cold?” I teased.
“Oh my god, it's freezing,” she muttered. She took a deep breath and her hands moved to her jacket, pulling the buttons loose and letting the sleeves fall from her shoulders. She bunched it up in her arms and looked up at me, giving me a warm smile. “What's for dinner?”
I pulled her jacket from her arms and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen. “Your chef will be preparing pasta, complete with his mothers famous sauce. Grilled chicken is optional, but highly recommended.”
“Hmmm,” she hummed, sliding into her chair. “What are my beverage selections?”
“We have a fine selection of beers, wines, and water.”
She wrapped a chunk of hair around her finger, biting her bottom lip as she thought. “I think I'd like to see the wine menu, please and thank you.”
I spun on my heels and pulled the two bottles of wine from the fridge, one the bottle she had left the night before. “Which ever you'd like, miss.”
She lightly tapped her finger to the bottle I picked up and I nodded, turning to grab a glass from the cabinet. “Hope a pint glass is okay, I still don't have wine glasses.”
“It'll do just fine,” she smiled, taking the glass from my hand. She took a sip and I watched as she surveyed the taste. She shrugged, which led me to believe it wasn't awful.
“How was class today, Lillian?” I asked, turning back to the vegetables on the counter.
“Oh, just another day in paradise. I had another exam, but I did well.”
“Smarty pants,” I teased, pulling the broom and dust pan from the closet. “I made a mess, give me a sec.”
She watched as I swept up the broken glass and threw it in the trash. She stood up and began pacing around the kitchen, pulling open various drawers and cabinets, running her fingers over folded dish towels, skimming them across the counter tops. I watched, letting her peek into the fridge, scan through my collection of Pop Tarts and cereals. She stood and studied my spice cabinet before she finally spoke up.
“You're sort of a neat freak, aren't you?”
I shrugged, blushing. “I just like everything to be in its place.”
She narrowed her eyes, glaring at me, but she was playful. She spun on her heel and pulled open the drawer holding my dish towels. She slipped her hand beneath the stack of folded, color coordinated towels and shook violently, messing up the neat rows, unfolding them and leaving them in a tangled mess, gently closing the drawer, leaving a dish towel hanging out.
“What are you doing?” I laughed, confused.
She shrugged and moved to the silverware drawer, picking up the bin they were organized into and tipping it upside down, tossing the bin onto the counter. She eyed me, waiting for a reaction, but I gave her nothing, just a soft smile before turning back to the sauce bubbling on the stove. She did the same in the pantry, moving boxes of cereal onto the cabinet that held canned goods, switching crisps and crackers around.
When she was satisfied with the chaos she'd made, she sat back down and sipped her wine with a smile on her face. “So, how was the store?” Nonchalant, like she hadn’t just rearranged my orderliness.
We chatted back and forth as I cooked. She tried to help out, but I pushed her back into her chair and demanded her to sit, which she finally obliged to. We talked all through dinner, through mouthfuls of pasta. There was never a break in conversation until the lights flickered before turning off completely, sending my kitchen into a sudden darkness.
She took a deep, shaky breath and let out a nervous laugh. “My heart stopped.”
I stood and carried our plates to the sink. “Mine, too. Sit tight for a few minutes and I'll grab a few candles.”
The room lit up with in sudden blue light as a bolt of lightening hit the sky. I watched her jump out of her chair, her eyes wide, gripping the edge of the table. “Actually, I think I'll follow you to find those candles,” she shrieked, crossing the room in fast strides, stopping at my side.
I ruffled her hair and she smiled, pressing her face into my shoulder. “I'm such a chicken.”
“It's cute,” I mumbled. “This is a good time for me to give you the grand tour!”
I slid my hand into hers and pulled my phone from my pocket, letting the flashlight lead us into various rooms of my house, collecting candles from dresser tops and closets. We lined them up on the table in the living room, on shelves and windowsills. She sat quietly in the floor as I lit them all with a match, teasing as I burned the tips of my fingers.
Tossing the last match into the trash, I turned to her, liking the way the yellow candlelight lit up her blue eyes. “So, I guess we can't watch a movie,” I muttered, sitting down next to her, our backs resting against the couch.
She shook her head. “No, I guess not. Hey, you never showed me your room,” she giggled, bumping my shoulder with hers.
“I suppose I didn't,” I muttered, standing up and offering my hand to help her up. I grabbed one vanilla scented candle from the table and led her down the hall to the last room on the left. “Pretty dark in here so it's hard to see, let me grab another candle.”
I ran down the hall and grabbed a few extra candles and went back into my room. At the door was a pair of empty shoes much too small to belong to me. Underneath the blankets, was a figure.
“Come lay down with me,” she called, muffled.
I didn't need convincing, kicking off my shoes and pulling back the blankets. I settled in beside her and gave her a grin. “How's my bed?”
“I love it,” she groaned, face buried into the pillow. “It's so big!”
I smirked, laughing. “You love it, it's so big...I've never heard a girl say that exact sentence out of context before.”
“You're a dirty pervert,” she giggled, punching me in the ribs. She rolled over and sat up, resting her head against the headboard. “What's out there?” she asked, pointing to the vertical blinds on the wall.
“Second exit to the back porch. My hot tub, grill, a bunch--”
“A hot tub? You have a hot tub?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “I never use it much, though. No fun to go alone.”
“Can we go?”
“Now?”
“Yeah!” she yelled, excitedly. “Why not?”
“You don't have a suit...” I mumbled.
She shrugged. “No, but I have underwear and a bra.”
“It's cold,” I argued, weakly. I crossed my fingers behind my back and prayed like hell that she'd still want to get in. “You really want to?”
“We can cuddle for warmth,” she giggled. “Please?”
“Let me fiddle with the breaker box and see if I can get electricity back on,” I said, smiling.
She pulled the corners of her mouth into a small smile and nodded her head. “Lets take wine.”
“Whatever you want.”
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes meeting mine. She pulled in a deep, shaky breath before she leaned in and gently placed her lips to mine in a soft, sweet kiss.
I licked my lips, smiling. “Strawberry.”
She leaned in again, her hands holding my face gently, but her lips moved quickly. I was startled for a second, but relaxed and placed a hand to her waist and kissed her back until she pulled away, breathless, the tip of her nose against my own. Her eyes were wide and bright, her heavy breath warm on my face.
“Again,” I demanded, whispering. “Again.”
She pulled in a deep breath before leaning in. I laid back against the bed and pulled her down with me, wrapping my arms around her back as she straddled my hips. Her long hair fell forward and rested against my face. I turned my head, my lips falling to her cheek. I loosely gathered her hair in my hand and watched as she opened her eyes. I looked at her, giving her hair a gentle tug. “Strawberry,” I mumbled, smiling.
She grinned, lowering her lips back to mine. I let loose of her hair, I liked it against my face, and returned my hand to her waist. The hem of her shirt had ridden up and a good two inches of skin was visible above the top of her jeans. She didn't flinch as I pressed my fingers to her skin, instead her back arched and she pulled in another deep breath. Her reaction enticed me to slip my hand beneath the fabric, running my fingertips along her spine, stopping once I felt the band of her bra. I spread my hand out against her skin, my free arm slipping down her waist. I slipped my hand into the back pocket of her jeans and gave her bum a gentle squeeze.
When she finally pulled away, we both stared at one another, breathing heavily. Her fingers were deep into my hair, her skin soft and warm against mine. My heart was pounding and my stomach fluttering. She bit her lip and smiled. “Hot tub?”
I nodded, blinking once to bring myself out of the euphoria. “Yeah, I'll do that.”
She nodded and lifted herself from me, giving me enough room to pull back the blankets and stand up. She followed me into the garage and held a flashlight so I could throw the breaker and the room lit up. We both squinted, our eyes having adjusted to the dark. She looked around the garage, her eyes landing on my golf clubs. “Any good?”
I shrugged. “I'm alright,” I mumbled, running a hand through my tangled hair.
She nodded, walking away, running her finger down the side of my car. “I like Range Rovers,” she mumbled. She pulled open the driver door and crawled in. “Clean. Just like everything else about you.”
I smiled, shrugging. “I like everything in its place.”
“So you've said,” she laughed, jumping out. “Can I drive it?”
“If you want.”
She nodded, satisfied. “Okay.”
“Hot tub?” I asked, opening the door that led back to the kitchen. She followed behind me, through the kitchen, down the hall, and back into my bedroom. “It's cold out,” I reminded her. She shrugged, pulling off her socks. She wiggled her polished toes into my carpet and looked up at me. “Your turn.”
I smirked, resting back against the bed to pull my socks off. I watched as she pulled her t-shirt over her head, letting it fall to the floor, standing before me in jeans and a black bra. I followed suit, pulling my shirt over my head, throwing it to the ground. “Go on.”
She grinned, her fingers moving to the button of her jeans, where she halted, waiting for me. I did the same. Finally, in a flourish that had my stomach in knots, she pulled her jeans from her hips and kicked them to the side. Her skin was pale, a creamy color, a stark contrast to the black lingerie she wore. The tops of her breasts were home to two dark blue veins peeking out from her pale skin. She was fit, her body tight in the right places, and soft in my favorite areas. With shapely hips and thighs, her legs were long and smooth, even her knees were a sight to see. It was hard to look away, but I dragged my eyes back up her body and swallowed back my nerves. “Want a towel?”
I didn't wait for her answer. She waited as I retrieved two fluffy towels from my bathroom and watched as I flipped on the back porch light. She bravely stepped outside with me and didn't complain about the bitter wind as she waited for me to pull the cover from the hot tub. I tossed it to the side and we stood for a few seconds, watching the steam swirl into the night sky.
Braving the cold, she dropped her towel to the table and climbed the steps. I watched as she sunk down into the water, a relieved sigh slipping from her lips as she relaxed against the cushion. “Coming?”
“We forgot the wine,” I said. “I'll grab that, and I'll be back.”
She nodded, closing her eyes as she leaned back. “Turn off the lights on your way back out? I kind of like the dark with you.”
I blushed and bit my lip as I turned away. I hurried, not bothering to grab glasses to drink from. If we shared the bottle, it gave me an excuse to be close to her. I cut the lights as I closed the door behind me and hurried into the hot tub, the cement cold against my bare feet. I placed the bottle at the edge and sat down across from her. She had sunk down into the water up to her chin and she gave me a warm smile. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I grinned.
She sat up and leaned against the chair. My eyes instantly fell to the water bead that slowly slipped down her neck, making a crooked trail down her chest before hitting the water. She had pulled her hair into a loose bun on the top of her head, the baby hairs at the back of her neck had curled into tight ringlets. Her skin was flushed pink from the heat, her eyes bright, shimmering blue.
“No glasses?”
I shook my head, watching as her feet came to the top of the water. She stuck her toes out, and dipped them back in, over and over. “Not enough hands to carry it all.”
She nodded, reaching for the bottle. I watched as she wrapped her lips around the top and took a sip. “You did a good job with this,” she said, giving the bottle a shake.
“Nah, not me, a little old lady told me to get it. But I'm glad you like it.”
She smirked. “Little old ladies are just antique little girls.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You spend too much time Googling my name on the internet.”
She shrugged. “I just wanted to know a little more about you.”
“Could have asked,” I suggested, smiling.
She shrugged again. “You would have tried to impress me.”
“Maybe,” I agreed. “Do I impress you?”
She nodded, biting her lower lip. “Very much.”
“Good!” I laughed. “I'm trying.”
She shook her head, smiling. “No, you're not,” she whispered. “You're not trying.”
I didn't have a response, so I said nothing. I just watched her, dipping her toes in and out of the water, her body only illuminated from the dim lights of the hot tub.
“Think it'll ever stop raining?”
I looked out at my backyard, the grass housing deep puddles, the gutters gushing water. “Maybe tomorrow,” I mumbled. I watched another streak of lightening take over the sky and the thunder boomed. As the yard lit up in a blue flash, the sky opened up harder, the world outside of the deck becoming a blurred vision beneath a curtain of water, a true downpour.
“How far do you have to drive?” I yelled over the noise.
“About a thirty minute drive,” she yelled back. “It'll take an hour with this weather, though.”
I crossed the water and took her hand, tugging her from her seat and into my lap. “Stay,” I whispered into the skin of her neck. “Stay with me tonight.”
She turned her head, her lips barely brushing against mine, and she nodded once, her eyes fluttering shut as I gripped her hips and tugged her skin against mine. Her lips parted and I leaned forward, groaning out loud as my tongue met with hers, her hands gripped tight around my neck. “I can't get enough of you,” I mumbled against her lips, moving to her neck, biting at her collarbone. I instinctively ground my hips into her and she gasped, her head falling back onto her shoulders as I kissed the swell of her breast. She gripped my chin in one hand and pulled my face back up, our lips meeting in a hot, fiery frenzy.
Her mouth fit perfectly with my own, and we didn't need to take the time to learn how to kiss one another. We just knew, I knew deep in my bones that she was a sucker for the underside of her jaw to be kissed, and she knew I craved a good pull to my hair. I wanted to touch every bit of her I could reach, but she reacted best when I grabbed a handful of her ass, her back arching, her chest pressed against mine, nails digging into my shoulders, a delicious moan slipping from her mouth. I swallowed down that glorious sound and it resonated in my ears and I had one goal in mind; to hear that sound forever.
The weather had other goals in mind. With another loud crack of thunder, the lights of the hot tub went out, and the jets stopped. It was completely dark, silent, even the streetlights amber glow had disappeared. The only thing that had any illumination at all was the light in her eyes. She pulled away, but she remained in my lap, her arms wrapped loosely around my shoulders. I leaned in again and kissed her slowly, savoring the taste of her, the warmth of her mouth, the weight of her lips on my own, before I pulled away. “It'll get cold soon. We should go in,” I said, my voice thick and raspy.
She nodded and untangled her legs from around my waist, and stood up. She helped me put the cover back on and we raced inside. I locked the door behind us and pulled the curtain before I turned to her, the shivering figure in the middle of my bedroom. “Let me get you something warm to wear, yeah?”
I pulled a blanket from the closet and draped it over her shoulders before I dug around in my drawers for a pair of sweats and a soft t-shirt. She thanked me as she took them, running into the bathroom to change, giving me plenty of time to change clothes myself. She emerged, her small body dwarfed even more in my baggy sweats. They were too long, and she had cuffed the hem. She looked down at her shirt, a loose fit, and smiled. “Crazy mofos.”
I shrugged, stepping toward her. Using both hands, I gently untangled her hair from the messy bun and watched as her hair settled across her shoulders. She let me run my fingers through it, her eyes closed. I was slow and steady, whispering apologies as my finger caught on a knot. Once it was smooth, I pulled it over her left shoulder, the way she always wore it, and softly ran my thumb across her cheek. “I don't think I've told you yet, but I think you're beautiful.”
She pressed her lips to my cheek. “You hadn't said the words, but I knew. I felt it.”
“When did you know?” I muttered, loosely wrapping my hands around her arms, pulling her closer, my lips hovering above hers.
She closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering. “By the second phone call,” she whispered.
“How?”
She opened her eyes and scanned across my face. “You called back,” she whispered.
In the back of my mind, ever since I first spoke to her, all I wanted was for her to trust me. I know with my job title, trust is hard to come by. I can be gone for days, weeks, months, and the rumor mill is a twenty-four hour business. Lies are told and stretched thin, photographs are manipulated and splashed on the front pages of tabloids. Finding someone to trust is hard, but finding someone to trust me, to believe in me, has proven to be the most difficult task.
But as I leaned in and kissed Lillian, I felt a fire in the pit of my stomach that ran through my veins. It warmed my entire body, stung my eyes and formed a lump in my throat. My heart pounded in my chest and my lungs fought for air. All I've ever wanted was for someone to trust me, and that someone was in my arms, kissing me back with the same fire. When we finally pulled apart, I missed her. Her breath was still ghosting over my face, but I missed her.
“I think I'm ready for bed,” I mumbled, brushing a lock of hair from her face.
She nodded, agreeing with me. “Show me where the guest room is again?”
I didn't want to push her, so I guided her down the hall and led her into the dark bedroom, even though I wanted to hold her all night long. I kissed her goodnight, reminded her I was only two doors down, and left. Back in my room, I stripped my sweats and t-shirt off and climbed into my blankets, laid on my back and stared up at the ceiling until my eyelids began to droop.
Just before I fell under, I heard a set of footsteps in the hall. They grew louder, stopping just outside my bedroom door. I watched the doorknob twist halfway, slowly, before it twisted back, followed by the footsteps turning back down the hall.
I ripped the blankets off of my legs and sprinted to the door, yanking it open just as she reached her door. “Lily? Everything okay?”
She smiled, shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. She had discarded her sweatpants and she stood barefoot in my hallway, my t-shirt stopping mid-thigh. “Nevermind, sorry if I woke you.”
“You didn't,” I answered, stepping into the hallway. Her eyes widened, slowly moving down my body. I forgot I was mostly naked. “Sorry,” I muttered. “I forgot.”
She shook her head, eyeing my boxers. “Don't apologize.”
I hung my head, embarrassed, but elated. We stood in silence for a few seconds, and I watched her run her toes along the hardwood floors. She cleared her throat and looked up at me. “I was just a little cold, just wondering if you had any spare blankets.”
She way lying.
So I lied, too.
“No,” I said, nonchalantly. “I don't have any blankets.”
Her jaw fell slack, twisting into a smile that she tried to hold back. “Oh. Well, then I'll just be cold.”
“Yeah, you do that,” I agreed, wondering who would make the first move.
She hesitated a few more seconds, before slapping her hands to her thighs, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, okay then. Um, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Lillian,” I said, reaching for my doorknob. “I'll leave this door open if you need...anything. I'm just...right there,” I added awkwardly, pointing to my bed.
She nodded. “Okay. I'll be there—Well, not there! I'll be in here, but I'll also be in there..There, as in...bed. I'll be in the bed that is in this room, not in the bed in your room.”
“Okay.”
She nodded. “Okay. Bye.”
She walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind her, leaving me standing in my underwear. I listened for the creak in the mattress, but heard nothing but silence. She wasn't in bed.
I tiptoed down the hall and stopped at her door, raising my fist to knock, hesitating an inch from the door. I sighed and turned away. Before I even picked my feet up off the ground, she pulled open the door, the wind from the quick movement blowing her hair back. We stood awkwardly for a second, staring at one another, before I got the nerve to speak.
I raised a hand and pointed to my bedroom. “Do you want to sleep-”
“Yes.”
I didn't say another word, but I took her hand and we walked down the hall, into my bedroom. I closed the door behind us and we walked to the end of the bed, staring down at rumpled sheets.
“I missed you,” she said, honestly, no fear or nerves in her voice.
I turned my head, looking down at her. “I didn't want you to go.”
“Do you have a side?” she asked, tangling her fingers with mine.
“Do you?”
“I just want to be close to you,” she whispered.
I felt my cheeks redden and I couldn't stop myself from grinning.I raised my hand and pointed, directly to the middle of the mattress. “Meet you there?”