Status: Slow moving... but moving, nonetheless.
She's Like a Piece of Home
August 31st
I warn you now... this is a long one. :)
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As she wrapped the fluffy towel around her hips, she began to make her way towards him. She had seen him head over to the pair of white Captains style lounge chaises after excusing himself from a group of adults that appeared to be paying more attention to him than their kids. She was beginning to feel a bit bad for him; she hadn’t seen him alone since he arrived. She stopped by the snack and drink table, grabbing two bottles of water to take with her.
She was stopped twice on her path to him. The first time was by her childhood friend, Emily, who she was surprised to see there with her niece, Zoey. She hadn't realized that Cami was still friends with her older brother. Emily had apparently spotted Luka when he first came in and briefly asked her why he was there and if he was alone. Raleigh’s smile was strained as she explained that he was a family friend. She could see Emily's forced smile in return as she looked past her at Luka. Her stomach knotted; she remembered why they had stopped being friends before she cut everyone out, as they spent much of their freshman and sophomore years at Sewickley Academy competing over everything. Jesus, Raleigh. You shouldn't care if you don't like him. The second time was by Cami, who wanted to make sure she had at least acknowledged Luka's existence today.
Since Tristan and Brooke had left an hour ago, she was on an island. After they left she had dipped herself into the pool waist deep and tossed rings to kids while they pretended to be dolphins. She was able to spend most of the party with them and avoid him and everyone else. Brooke had given her hug as they left and whispered “ship” in Raleigh’s ear as she tapped the strap of her modest, navy one-piece swimsuit.
She approached him slowly. He didn't openly acknowledge her when she came up to the chair on his left. Settling herself down on the white chaise next to him she held the extra bottle out as she glanced over at him. "You know, sitting back here by yourself kind of makes you look creepy.”
He shrugged with a sigh before turning his head to face her and taking the bottle from her outstretched hand. She could feel the blush rise from neck into her cheeks as his eyes moved across her body. “View not change for me."
She cleared her throat and looked at the pool, still full of noisy kids and a few just as noisy adults. "So, why are you sitting over here, by yourself, at a kid’s birthday party?”
“I needed minute of quiet.... I only sat down bit ago.” The corner of his mouth pulled into a sly, crooked grin. “Worried about me?”
“Only the safety of the children,” she said with a wink and a quick nod to the pool. She wasn't sure why the next words came out of her mouth, but they did. “You know, I could introduce you to a few of the ladies if you’d like. See that blonde over there?" She gestured to the other side of the pool where Emily could be seen in a short, pink cover up. "That’s Emily. She’s here with her niece. She’s pretty cute, huh? And very single."
He frowned and shook his head. “Nah. I okay.”
"Oh-kay," she jested as she laid back on the chaise, folding her arms across her chest and crossing her legs at her ankle. "I'm just saying I could get you an introduction. I would make that happen for you."
"Still okay right here," he replied in a semi-serious tone. She was starting to think her mouth needed a filter. This is why she didn't talk to him. She couldn't relax herself enough to not sound like an idiot and the things she said often seemed to throw him off as much as they did her.
“Tell me something, Luka," she began. This had been bothering her since she realized it at the zoo. It was nagging at her. She could see the curiosity in his eyes as he sat up straighter waiting for her question. "Why are you so good to her? To Mackenzie?”
His demeanor softened almost instantly as he began to speak. “She reminds me of my little sister.”
“You have a little sister?” Her voice rose in surprise and she sat back slightly. He gave her a very small, but genuine smile as he nodded. Her stomach twisted. She looked down at her towel and smoothed it out. Not okay.
“What does ‘moya myshka’ mean?” Her tongue struggled over the foreign words.
“My little mouse. She would make little squeak sound when I first meet her,” he explained. Raleigh laughed softly. She remembered when Mac would do that. It was her fault, really. They would pretend to be different animals. A mouse was always Mac’s favorite.
“So how’s old is your sister?”
“12. Eva.”
“I like that name," she said quietly. She looked up at him skeptically. “Hold on. She’s 12? How old are you?”
“28. Biggest shock to my mother,” he chuckled. “My father… not good. Happy, but surprise.”
She smiled and tried to imagine Cami telling Quinn she was pregnant when Mackenzie was just starting to drive. "What’s she like?”
“Who, Eva?” She nodded. “She so tiny when she was born. She still just little thing," he let out a small laugh as he said it, as though he had his own personal joke. "But tough," he added quickly with a flip of his hand. She smiled. She had him trained, she could tell. "Smart. Funny. Wants to be doctor.” He sat up and shifted, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He moved his finger quickly across the screen and then held it out to her. “Here. This from June.”
She took the phone from him and saw a picture a very pretty brunette smiling broadly and giving the camera two thumbs up. She looked so young with delicate features and long pin straight hair. Eva shared the same dark hair and eyes as her brother. She couldn’t help letting her finger swipe against the screen so it scrolled into the next picture. She bit back a smile, seeing the two of them next to each other making ridiculous faces in front of a large ornate building. She handed the phone back to him, before she was tempted to keep going. "She’s pretty. She looks sweet.”
“She is," he answered tucking it back into his pocket. She squirmed slightly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Eyes were on them somewhere. Her eyes skimmed along the groups of people by the pool and finally stopped on Emily. They locked eyes for a split second before Emily turned her attention back to the group she was with.
“You, uh,” she faltered for a second still looking in Emily’s direction. Raleigh realized he was still looking at her, waiting for her to continue. She quickly rolled into the question. “You haven’t seen her since June?” He nodded looking somewhat unaffected. “Isn’t that hard? Not seeing her for such long stretches like that? I mean, I didn’t see my dad all the time, but it’s not like he lived in a different country.”
“Is not easy,” he declared wistfully. He took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with it. “Sometime she miss school and visits with my parents.”
“Well, that’s nice,” she offered as she set her elbow on the arm of the chaise and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. She twisted her body so that she was facing him, tucking in her legs and resting her left hand on her ankle.
“Yes,” he said sitting up. He scooted forward and swung his legs over the side so that he was facing her. He picked the water bottle up from the small wooden table between them and took a drink. As he capped it, he rested his elbows on his thighs still holding the bottle. “I try to take her around when she visit.”
“Does she like to watch you play?” she asked without thinking. She didn’t want to smile, but she was. He was infectious at the moment.
He laughed and pushed a hand through his hair. “Yes and few others from what she says. I think she likes one of them.”
“Oh no. Crushing on boys already,” she teased. “Whatever will big brother do?”
He had that pleased look on his face. She recognized it from the zoo. She did something that surprised him. “Not let her – “
“Hey, Luka!” Mac yelled as she ran up to him. She stopped when she reached them, but would only look at Luka. She was being ignored… by a five year old. “Come swimming with us!”
Raleigh watched him looked over Mackenzie’s sopping wet hair and give her questioning glance. She shrugged and looked over at the pool again. “In minute, moya myshka.” Mac smiled sweetly at Luka ran off. “What you do to her?” he asked setting the bottle of water back on the table.
“Nothing. Guess I’m just not as important as the Great Luka,” she teased.
“You come swim?” he asked with a nod towards the pool. She shook her head. He tugged his shirt off and tossed it and his phone on the chaise. Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him. The more she told herself not to, the harder it was to fight it. He was smirking now, watching her eyes flicker as she tried to keep the eye contact. “If you should change mind…” he trailed off as he began to back away.
Her face burned as she bit her lip and looked away. He didn’t hide the fact that he was into her. Not like her. What was she doing? She buried her face in her hands. Get it together, Raleigh. You don’t like him anyway. She cupped her hands around her face, the palms of her hands supporting her chin and scanned the pool for him. He wasn’t there. She lifted her head a bit more, her fingertips running down her cheeks before she tucked them under her chin. Then she noticed him standing with Quinn, his body mostly facing her. He had a nice body. She was looking closer and biting her lower lip again, a really nice body. His eyes locked on hers. Shit. She immediately dropped her head, rubbing the back of her neck and looking away. She waited a few minutes telling herself repeatedly that she was not attracted to him. He’s just like the rest of them. Hearing Mackenzie’s wild giggle, she looked and saw him swinging her in his arms. They were counting together before jumping in. The tiny voice in the back of her mind that she tried to ignore spoke up, Maybe he’s not.
She inched forward in her chair as she watched them play. She could go in for a bit. A little more swimming wouldn’t be the end of the world. A blur of yellow forced her to break her stare. “So sorry. Am I blocking your view?” Cami taunted, hands on her hips, staring down at her sister.
Raleigh blinked, coming out of her daze and looked down at her hands. “Huh?”
She smirked as she stepped around the chair and picked up Luka’s shirt. Raleigh watched her as she folded it, set it on the table and then tucked his phone between the layers. She plopped down on the chaise and sighed dramatically, pushing her blonde locks off her shoulder. “Oh Raleigh,” another heavy sigh. “Isn’t it terribly exhausting constantly pretending that you aren’t interested in him?”
She gave her older sister a bored stare and folded her arms across her chest. “It’s not pretending.”
“Hmm… if you say so.” She reached over and grabbed the water bottle closest to Raleigh. “This one yours?” Raleigh nodded watching her take a drink. “I see that the conversation didn’t kill you.”
“Is Mac going to open her gifts soon?” She gestured to the table on the patio covered in presents. The party was only supposed to last until 4:00 and then Quinn would be barbequing for a select few that were invited to stay after and a few others that she had been told would arrive later. Something told her Luka was already included in that group.
“Eh. I guess. Was it really so bad?” the blonde asked, redirecting the conversation back to Luka.
“What?”
“Talking to him.”
“No,” she muttered annoyed.
“I told you…” she replied in a singsong voice. She watched Cami scan the yard. “Oh,” her voice and eyebrows lifted. She sat up and turned toward Raleigh. She passed a cunning glance to her sister. “It looks like someone else has decided to talk to him since you aren’t.” She patted her knee and stood up. “Well! I should go get some more veggies for the trays. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Raleigh’s eyes shot to the pool. Luka was in the water, waist deep, with his back to her. Emily had made her way over to him. Flipping her platinum blonde curls behind her shoulder, she flashed him a mega watt smile. Why Emily? Of all the fucking people here, of course it was Emily. He nodded at whatever she was saying. Raleigh could feel a crushing pressure on her chest. You don’t even like him! she tried arguing with herself. She watched, sitting up straighter, as she took a step closer to Luka and her fingers touched his arm. Raleigh looked down unable to watch Emily move in on him. She could feel her ears burning and her stomach lurched as she tried to take a few breaths to steady herself. She looked over at the empty chaise. Cami. Where did Cami go? She went to the kitchen. Raleigh forced herself off the chaise and hurried toward the patio doors, keeping her eyes straight ahead and head up. Don’t look back.
As she slid the door shut behind her, Cami glanced up from the island. “Here. I have stuff you can cut up.”
She pointed down at a cutting board with a knife and celery stalks sitting across it. Raleigh walked quietly across the room and headed for the sink. She washed her hands forcefully, as though she were hoping to wash the image of Emily reaching out to him from her mind. “Fuck,” she muttered when the water began scalding her hand. She quickly turned it off and squeezed hands together. They stung from the heat. Shaking them dry, she turned to the cutting board. For several minutes they could barely hear the sounds of the party over Raleigh’s vigorous chopping. Each clack as the knife hit the cutting board was louder than the one before.
“The party’s going well don’t you think?” Cami commented passively. Raleigh nodded without looking up. Another loud clack. Life suddenly exploded in the kitchen when the patio door slid open and Mackenzie and Zoey burst through. Raleigh, refusing to lift her head, caught a glimpse of Emily’s hot pink bikini behind the blur of the little girls. She scowled at the celery. Who the hell wears a bikini to kids birthday party? Clack. Surprised she pulled herself away from him long enough to come in. Clack. HONESTLY. Clack. She focused on the sound as she chopped the celery.
“Hey Mom, can Zoey and Emily stay for dinner?” Mackenzie was begging next to the island. Raleigh watched what she could without raising her head. She pushed the pieces she had chopped to the side and grabbed another stalk. “Puh-lease?”
She could see Cami set down her knife and wipe her hands on the dishtowel that was between them. “Emily, you don’t have any other plans or did your brother manage to rope you in for the whole day?”
“Oh, I have her all day,” Emily replied as she rubbed Zoey’s head. Of course you have her all day. Raleigh bit her tongue hoping the pain would distract her.
“Well,” Cami started. Damnit. She knew that tone. She was going to say yes. She could feel the word bubbling up in her chest. She couldn’t stop it. Cami started to approve, “I don’t see why –”
“Nope,” she declared brashly with another hasty chop of celery. She finally looked up to greet the stunned silence and found them all looking at her. Cami’s jaw dropped slightly. Both little girls looked shocked that Raleigh said no when Cami was very clearly about to say yes. Even Emily appeared surprised by her unexpected outburst. Raleigh continued, unfazed by the stares. “It’s just that Zoey here, Zoey looks exhausted. She’s been in the pool all day. And I’m sure you have something to do, Em. You should probably head out. Like now.”
Cami finally recovered from her shock and moved into the graceful host role. “Raleigh,” she said with a strained gentleness, “that’s not really your–”
She broke her stare with Emily and gave her sister an unconvincing apologetic smile. “My call. Got it. So sorry. Emily, feel free to stay for dinner.”
“Raleigh…” she could her the force behind Cami’s constrained. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” She pulled her out of the kitchen without of the kitchen without giving her a chance to respond.
“Ow. Ouch!” Raleigh squeaked as she dragged her by the tricep. She let go of her arm once they reached the living room. Raleigh gingerly rubbed her arm and gave her a scathing stare. “What?” she snipped.
“What the hell is your problem, Raleigh?” Cami’s anger snapped her back. Her sister’s patience was unending and she had just cracked it. She swallowed and looked away trying to avoid her sister’s penetrating gaze.
“I don’t have a problem,” she muttered. Luka is not a problem. Emily is not a problem. There is not a problem if they are talking. Her heart sank again with that thought.
“You just told my daughter that her friend wasn’t allowed to stay for dinner,” she fumed. She was becoming more animated, gesturing between herself and the kitchen.
“Oh, that. Zoey can stay,” she said in an attempt to recover herself. “Emily, though,” she added quickly. “Emily should definitely leave.”
“Emily? What is wrong with – OH!” Her eyes widened in disbelief and she snickered. “Oh, I see what this is. You’re jealous.”
“I am not,” she huffed and crossed her arms. There was no way in hell she was jealous. Especially not over Luka.
Cami started laughing harder, sucking in deep breaths to in an attempt to calm herself down. “You are so jealous. She was talking with Luka and now you are freaking out. This…” She inhaled deeply before finishing. “This is actually pretty comical.”
“I’m not jealous,” she repeatedly softly dragging her foot along the rug. Cami straightened up and twisted her lips trying to hide another smile.
“I will do this one thing for you.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You got that? This. I will try to keep her busy.” Raleigh said nothing. Cami rolled her eyes at her silence and began walking away muttering to herself. “This is unreal.”
She took a few minutes to try to pull herself back before returning outside. The kitchen was empty by the time she came back. Cami must have ushered them all back to the party. She reached for the handle of the French door and stopped short. Peering through the glass she could see a still shirtless Luka standing facing away from her near the edge of the stone patio and Emily approaching. She must have called his name because he turned and smiled. Raleigh froze mid-breath watching him lean forward to hear whatever she said. There was a pain coming from her palms. She glanced down, surprised to see her hands clenched into fists. Forcing them open, she looked up to see Emily close the gap between them, standing, Raleigh felt, way too close to someone she had just met. She had popped her hip out to the side, hands resting on her hips, back arched. You have got to be kidding me. Some people never change. Raleigh took a half step back as Emily nudged him. She couldn’t watch anymore.
She promptly turned on her heels and headed to her bedroom. She needed to be out of there. She needed to clear her head. The pulsing in her ears was deafening. She pulled her black Nike racer back sports bra and black with white trim Nike running shorts. Running always helped. She could sort her mind out and be away from him… and Emily. Far away from Emily. She dropped her suit in a pile and tugged her running clothes on. After pushing her feet into her hot pink Asics, she braided her hair behind her and grabbed her armband, phone and headphones. She popped the earpieces in and turned the music up loud. She needed to be lost now. She breezed through the house without looking back.
Head down, engrossed in her phone as she started her running app, she left the house. She looked up in time to not run into a group of Quinn’s friends that had just arrived. Mumbling a “sorry” she skirted around them and tucked the phone into the armband. She took off as soon as she hit the sidewalk. For the first few minutes, she concentrated on just moving. Don’t stop. Don’t look back.
Then she let her mind drift. Cami was so far off base. How could she be jealous? Jealous of what? Something that wasn’t hers? Something she didn’t want to be hers. But then why had she gotten so sick over seeing Emily near him? Even before that, why had Emily even asking if he was there alone bothered her? Was she always that blonde? And honestly, that bikini. That bikini was meant to get attention and she knew she had it. Emily had always been that way. Flash those big blue eyes, flip the hair, push the chest out and guys were there. She rolled her eyes as she ran. So cliché. And Luka responded. God. She was so right about him.
“Two. Miles. Great job. Keep it going!” She nearly tripped over her feet when the app’s voice broke through the music. She looked around without stopping. Two miles? She hadn’t even been out that long. Keep going. Don’t turn back. She pushed herself forward again. The music took over again. She went back to her thoughts.
Wait… had he responded? She was so intent on Emily, she could barely see past her. She had left when they were in the pool. She didn’t see him do anything. And on the patio, he smiled at her. But that wasn’t the smile he gave her. No. She had seen his real smiles enough times now. The one about Eva, that was real. That one he gave her… she felt like she was the only person there.
She stretched her legs out, pushing herself further, harder. No. You’re not going to think about that. How was it possible he had that affect on her? He brought something out in her. She didn’t know why but she had wanted to be near him. She went to him. That’s what she did today. He hadn’t approached her at all… Whuck? She had gone looking for him.
She took a few more steps and then stopped looking up at the clear, blue sky. Shit. She swallowed hard when she was hit with a second – and worse yet – realization. She might actually like him. This was not happening.
“Three. Miles. Keep moving!” the app chimed as she began running home. She kept her mind clear as she ran back. She needed to keep her focus. She concentrated on the music, singing along in her head. No more thinking. She couldn’t handle any more epiphanies today. Just make it a game to get through the day. See what happens when you play along. Maybe you’ll get over it faster. As the house came into view, the app announced she had hit the six mile mark.
Stopping in front of her house, she yanked the phone from her armband. She had only been gone for 43 minutes. She hadn’t gone that fast in years. She glanced down at herself. She was covered in sweat… and really thirsty. She made a beeline for the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator and a banana off the counter. The air from the A/C felt refreshing as she leaned against the cool granite to eat her banana. Movement caught the corner of her eye as she was dropping the banana peel in the trash. Turning, she could see Luka give her a curious onceover and say something. She tugged the cord of the headphones so that they popped out of her ears.
“What?” she asked, watching him as he crossed the kitchen. She tossed the headphones over her shoulder. Was there a reason he didn’t have his shirt back on? The definition on his chest and arms were much clearer as he neared her. He smirked when her eyes met with his again.
“I ask if you go running.”
“I needed to clear my head.” She rounded the island, putting more distance between them, sliding the bottle along with her.
“In middle of party?” He cast her a doubtful glance as he picked up a case of water from next to the sink.
“Yes,” she stated and picked up her water. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get a shower.”
She twisted her lips, trying to hide her own smirk when he broke the eye contact. He jerked his head towards the door. “Just hop in pool.”
“No, thanks,” she turned to leave and looked over her shoulder, “I’d rather shower.”
She gave him an innocent smile before turning back around. She turned herself up another notch making sure her hips swung as she walked. She knew he was studying her.
*
He was trying to think of something clever to say as he watched her hips, but she had surprised him with this change of attitude. Suddenly, her voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Hey, Luka, Quinn was looking for you.”
Raleigh turned, an astonished look on her face. He studied the brunette’s reaction. Her fingers curled slowly. She looked past him when Emily appeared in his peripherals. “Oh, hey Raleigh.” She looked her over. No, Emily was sizing her up. “I didn’t know you still ran.”
“Yep.” Her tone was unmistakably tense. Her gaze was locked on Emily. He glanced at the blonde and stood up so that he was closer to her. Raleigh’s eyes had quickly shifted to him. He pushed his tongue to his teeth and gave the brunette as slight smile. The past these two clearly had might work to his advantage.
“Quinn said he needed your help.” Emily was speaking again. She nearly beamed when he placed his hand on the small of her back. He slid a look over to Raleigh as he did it. Her cheeks were a deep red and her eyes narrowed just enough to give her away. “Am I interrupting something?” Emily added glancing over her shoulder.
“Nope.” Her response was as sharp and quick as her turn. She didn’t look back as she headed towards her room, but he could see her fists clench again. Oh, he had this.
*
She stood, wrapped in her ivory bath towel, staring at her bed. She had tossed the white bikini and short, sheer purple sarong as well a black tankini on her bed before getting in the shower. The cool water had helped her to calm down a bit. She had actually found herself muttering over and over in the shower “he’s just like the rest of them.” God, he drove her crazy. Her eyes flickered between the two suits again. Well, the birthday party is over… She picked up the bikini bottoms and immediately set them back down. There are still kids out there… and Luka will definitely look at you. She picked them back up. He will definitely look at you.
She didn’t look for him when she stepped out onto the patio; instead she headed straight for the food table, still feeling hungry from her run. She was putting a few slices of celery on a plate when she felt someone move in next to her. She glanced over quickly. He wasn’t touching her, but he was close. She inched herself down the table putting a bit of distance between them. She picked up a few carrots and was about to leave when he started talking.
“Hey, you must be Cami’s little sister.” She turned to face him, curious as to who would address her as ‘Cami’s little sister’. It had been a long time since she was known as that. He was taller than her, but not as tall as Luka, with bold blue eyes and dark blonde hair, wearing a faded gray Boston Celtics t-shirt and cargo khaki shorts. He was pretty cute and holding his hand out. She quickly switched the plate to her left hand.
“Yeah, that’s me. Raleigh.” She took his hand. “And you are?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. Zachary…well, Zach. I work with Quinn. You almost took me out when we were coming in.” He nodded towards the front of the house. She looked back quickly and then gave an apologetic grin.
“Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I kind of get lost in my own world when I run.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Oh, I know how that goes,” he responded knowingly. “I’m the same way.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You run?”
“Yep,” he answered with a nod. She slid easily into a conversation with him about running. She had nearly forgotten about Luka until he gave he a quick onceover. She blushed realizing she had forgotten she was in nothing but the tiny white bikini and short flowery, purple sarong. And while Zach, who despite being quite attractive, rather charming, and very flirtatious, was nice, she was only marginally interested, at best. She scanned the yard quickly and spotted Luka on the other side talking to a small group of people, facing her, but not looking at her. She looked back at Zach.
“Well, I still think you could handle it,” he told her with a wink, which told her that he was only partially referring to the full marathon they had been talking about.
She bit the inside of her gum. He was making it painfully obvious to her. She glance in Luka’s direction again, Emily had joined them. She forced herself to return her attention back to Zach. No reason you can’t enjoy this. “Thanks,” she mumbled and then cleared her throat. “So you said you work with Quinn? What do you do?”
“Same thing he does, just a different department.” They had reached the table and he gestured to the seats. She nodded sitting down in the chair closest to him. She turned it slightly to face him.
“I see.” Her mind worked through it. Quinn worked in accounting. Well, you can’t get much safer than that. An accountant. Reasonable. Regular. Perfectly ordinary. She was looking at Luka again. He made eye contact with her. That crooked smile and a shake of his head, as though he always knew her next step. He had put his gray PITT shirt back on. He was finally clothed. She pushed a bright smile on her face and returned her attention to Zach.
*
She was trying hard to ignore him. He could tell after that faint blush had crept up her cheeks when he had caught her looking at him. Her hair was down in loose waves and she appeared to have a light tan, which wasn’t as noticeable in the navy swimsuit she had been wearing earlier. It was the white bikini and short purple skirt that showed off her skin and she looked unbelievable. Now that… that he hadn’t been expecting. It often seemed as though she went to great lengths to keep herself as covered as possible. They had apparently hit a new level in this cat and mouse game she had created.
He also couldn’t believe her reaction to Emily. Ugh. Emily. There was something he was use to, a girl fawning over his status instead of him, making things far too easy for him. She was a knock out, too. He couldn’t deny that he liked the attention to an extent, but she had the worst timing. When Emily had appeared after she had gotten back from her run she had immediately tensed. She had seemed to be jolted, angry, jealous. The last one had nearly thrown him off, but it was obvious to him when she came out in that suit. He had spotted her immediately and so had one of Quinn’s friends.
He had thought about heading over to her, but decided to wait when he saw the sandy haired guy slide in next to her at the food table. He had watched briefly, splitting his attention between the group he was standing with and her.
“Can you believe those Pirates? Playoff material!” One of the guys, Shawn, if he remembered correctly, was saying. Brady tipped his bottle at Shawn.
“Unbelievable. They haven’t done this well since I was kid! I think I was in grade school,” Brady said laughing.
He joined into the conversation half-heartedly. These two, Shawn and Brady, were okay. They didn’t make a big deal out of him and treated him like everyone else. Emily was still hovering in the group. At this point, he was actually getting annoyed with how hard she was trying. Emily would give him doe-eyed glances from time to time. He had to let her down gently. Almost laughing to himself, he thought of Molly. She would have a field day with this. “You’re finally growing up!” He could almost hear her say it.
*
Cami stood next to Quinn as he flipped the burgers on the grill. She was watching the two of them from a distance, her sister on one side of the yard talking with one of Quinn’s co-workers and Luka on the other side talking to group of people. She was aggravated with whatever stunt her baby sister was trying to pull. She was holding the plate out for Quinn to start putting the cooked burgers on.
“Who’s Raleigh talking to?” she blurted out unable to contain her frustration any longer. Quinn flipped the burger closest to him and looked around.
“That’s Zach,” he answered unconcerned and went back to the burgers. She was tapping her foot as she watched Raleigh push her hair back and laugh. What the hell was with her? She was stunned when she saw her finally emerge from the house in her rarely worn white bikini. Why wouldn’t she just talk to him? She was so stubborn. She was like this when they were younger, too. It was as though she had something to prove. She pulled the plate back in, resting it against her stomach and frowned.
“That’s it. I’m going to talk to her,” she declared decisively causing Quinn to glance over at her startled. He set the stainless steel spatula down on the side tray of the grill.
“Who? Raleigh?” he asked.
“Yes,” she stated firmly and set down the plate next to the spatula. She went to take a step and Quinn reached for her, pulling her back.
She gave him a hard look as he groaned. “No. Look, Cams, they are both adults. Free to talk to whomever they want. He’s made it pretty damn clear to her that he’s interested in her. That’s on her if wants to reciprocate.” Cami grumbled something unintelligible about her sister. “I’ve seen them talking today. She’s coming around.”
“And in the meanwhile – ”
“In the meanwhile, nothing. Luka’s been talking to that Emily chick all night, so neither of them are exactly innocent right now. So I’m going to remind you again that they are all adults.” Quinn reached out and pulled Cami over to him, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. “Give Raleigh time, okay?”
*
Around 8:00 pm, Quinn’s parents left with Mackenzie, and Zoey as the two were suddenly inseparable. There were no other kids left and the party had changed its pace with about 20 adults remaining, including Emily. It was that moment which led to Raleigh’s more vodka than cranberry juice drink.
He spotted her sitting on the tan couch, sitting close to the arm. She was leaning towards the fire pit, arms resting on her thighs, cup in hand and staring at the flames. He knelt down next to her on the other side of the couch arm.
“So that guy is really your type, huh?” he asked. She looked over at him, startled out of her thoughts.
“Huh?” She glanced over the flames at the tall blonde. “Oh, Zach. Eh. What about Emily? I bet she’s exactly your type.”
He nodded, no point in lying. She’d see through it anyway. “Yeah. Exactly.”
“Hmm…thought so.” She sounded amused. “You would go for blondes.”
“I like girls with brown hair.”
“I bet.” A familiar smell hit his nostrils as she turned her head and shook her hair through her fingers. Her hair brushed dangerously close to him.
“Do you smell lavender?”
“I – what?” She turned to face him again. The fire set a gentle glow on her face. He saw her right then. No thoughts of any other woman crossed his mind.
“Lavender,” he said quietly. Her eyes narrowed slightly and suspicion clouded her eyes.
“How do you know what lavender smells like?”
“My mother grew it during the summer. It was right outside my bedroom window.” Her face softened into an odd look, half amused, half disbelieving.
“You’re so weird.” She was trying to hide a grin.
“I weird? Not the one staring at fire all night.” She giggled, before straightening herself back up again and turning to woman who had just sat down next to her. There was the icy coolness he had grown accustomed to. He shook his head as he stood up. One moment there was hope; the next there was none.
*
After a couple hours passed, everyone finally started to leave. Emily had left about ten minutes ago, but not before noticeably giving Luka her number in front of Raleigh. Raleigh attempted to busy herself by cleaning up. She spotted a cluster of toys in front of the playhouse. She surveyed the ground as she walked for any other straggler toys. Bending down she pulled the door open and stepped partially inside feeling blindly for the light switch.
“You need help, Raleigh?” Forgetting she was still standing in the doorframe, she stood up quickly smacking her head. She crouched back down and instantly reached for her head.
“Ow!” She looked over her shoulder and saw him leaning against the edge of the playhouse, arms crossed and looking down at her. “Of course it’s you. You’re like a damn stalker.” She reached out and flipped the switch, light flooding the small space. “No, thank you,” she stated simply as she grabbed an empty bin from the floor.
She heard a ‘tsk’ as she knelt down to pick up the toys. “Is okay to accept help, ja?” She glanced up through her lashes to see him kneeling in front of her picking up the toys. He had changed into khaki shorts at some point, but was still wearing the same gray shirt. He looked good. That thought bothered her. She tugged the unzipped black hoodie higher on her shoulders forcing it to cover her more. “I not see you a lot tonight.”
“Well, you did spend a lot of time with Emily,” she mumbled dropping another Barbie in the container. Ugh, she hated how she sounded right now.
“I think you ignore me most of night,” he shot back. And then a sly grin appeared as he raised his eyebrows. “You said you want me to meet her.”
“It appears you didn’t need my help.” She yanked the bin closer and pushed herself up, picking it up as she stood. “You have her number,” she commented unable to hide the snarky tone. She entered the little house and put the bin on an empty shelf. “You could call her to come back.”
“Oh, I not keep it.” She glanced out the door to gauge his truthfulness. He standing now, hands in his pockets leaning down so he could see her. Was he serious? He looked serious. No, there’s no way he didn’t keep her number. He definitely looked like he was telling the truth. She scrunched her face up. “Truth.”
“Right,” she replied cynically as she came out and closed the door and locked it with her back towards him. Shit. He was so close. So close. She turned around slowly to face him.
“You could search me if you don’t believe me,” he said with a wink as he shrugged his shoulders. The motion caused his pants to stretch across his hips. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t- her eyes flickered downward. She squeezed her hands together and her head shot straight up towards the nighttime sky. Just… fuck. She chewed her bottom lip and inhaled deeply through her nose.
“Oh,” she started bringing her eyes back to his. The smirk on his face told her that he definitely noticed where she had looked. She cleared her throat and looked down turning her head, her eyes darting around the yard. Noticing one of Mackenzie’s small inner tubes, she stepped off to her right to retrieve it. “No worries, I believe you.”
He stepped with her, closer, causing her to take a step back at the same time. He closed the gap between them. She glanced around. Mackenzie’s playhouse was shielding them from view. “Do you?” he teased.
“Yeah,” she murmured as she attempted to side step him. She was caught off guard by his speed as his left hand grabbed her waist pulling her directly in front of him. Her breathing picked up instantly and her arms remained paralyzed at her sides. Now that she was that was much closer to him, she couldn’t ignore the spiced scent around him. She surprised herself when she took the baby step forward that closed the remaining distance between them. With his other hand he slipped the tips of his fingers between the fabric of her hoodie and her skin, letting them linger along her waist. She shuddered, her skin tingling against his touch.
Finally, she lifted her head, bringing her eyes to his. He stopped just short of her lips. She could feel soft, short breaths against her mouth. He was deliberately taking his time letting his lips gently graze hers. Teasing her, taunting her as a returned favor for everything she had been putting him through today. The gentle contact caused her to respond instantly, as she pushed herself up to her tiptoes. Their lips collided, neither of them holding back. He tightened his grip as she tugged at the hem of his shirt using it to pull him along with each half step she took backwards. There was a tree somewhere. She knew it was near them. At last her shoulder brushed against the trunk, she backed up against it turning him with her.
She rose to her tiptoes again, trying to level herself out with him. He was so tall. She settled her hands on his neck, her fingers weaving into small locks of hair at the base. She let him push her mouth open with his and as the tip of tongue touched hers, her back arched and hips rolled his. He deepened the kiss in return, hungrier now as though both of them were trying to make up for the lost time. His hands were exploring her now, over her hips, small of her back and returned to her waist, his thumbs trailing along the bottom of the bikini top. She tightened her grasp around his neck and pulled out of the kiss.
Her body was relaxing with each jagged breath she let out. Her legs were beginning to shake from having to keep herself on her toes. She lowered herself slowly and let out a satisfied sigh as he dropped his head into the curve of her neck letting his lips graze her skin.
“I knew it,” he muttered into her neck.
“What?” she breathed. She couldn’t focus as she balled up the hem of his shirt in her hands and her knuckles skimmed his skin.
“Lavender.” As she pressed her fingers against his skin she could feel the light tug on back tie of her top. He managed to loosen it quickly. Her hands dropped to his belt loops and hooking her fingers through she pulled herself into him, closer than before. His mouth was on hers again. She couldn’t hide the moan or the shiver when he let his fingers run ever so lightly from the top of her spine to top of her bikini bottoms.
“Raleigh?” Was that her name? Was someone calling her? Her mind began refocusing. Wait. Wasn’t there a reason she didn’t want this, why she didn’t trust him? What was it? She began to pull away, but it wasn’t easy. Her body was winning. She didn’t want to back away. Fuck. What was it? You talked about stuff today. Sister. No. Lavender… They were moving. Luka was guiding her closer to the side of the playhouse and further back. He barely pulled his lips off of hers, except to give a quiet ‘shhh’.
“Raleigh?” the voice was getting closer. She whimpered quietly against his mouth out of frustration. Reality was pulling her back in. She was remembering.
“Raleigh, are you over here?” That voice again. Not lavender, her brain picked back up immediately. No. No. Something else. Something else. M. It started with an M. No. Emily. EMILY.
“Emily,” the word barely escaped her lips and she opened her eyes. He’s just like the rest of them.
“What?” he whispered. He had moved his hands to her waist, tightening his grip and staring down at her, confused. He looked like she had just shot him.
She took a step back out emerging from his grasp and pulled the hoodie tightly around her, covering her entire upper body completely. “I can’t,” she mumbled with another step back. “I need to go.”
She stepped around him quickly. One hand tight on her hoodie, she scooped up the pool toy she had spotted earlier with the other. She nearly walked into Quinn when she rounded the corner of the playhouse.
“There you are!” he exclaimed. “Cami and I –” She shoved the tube into his chest.
“Mac left this out,” she blurted quickly breezing past him. It was Quinn. She owed him for preventing her from making a huge mistake. She tightened the grip on her hoodie. It would have been a mistake, right? Wait. Wasn’t what she was just doing a mistake? That was a mistake. Anything more was a mistake. Quinn saved her. It hurt as she walked away. She wanted to go back. Why? She wanted to go back to him? It wasn’t a mistake? Her head was foggy and she couldn’t make sense of it. She couldn’t figure out why she still felt the butterflies thinking of him running his fingers down her back.
*
“Whoa!” Quinn exclaimed clutching the tube and tried to regain his balance. He turned quickly watching her stalk hastily toward the house and nearly taking out her sister. What had gotten into her? Shaking his head, he walked past the playhouse looking for any more of his daughter’s pool toys. Surprise didn’t even begin to cover Quinn’s reaction when he noticed a familiar body picking a pool noodle from the far side of the playhouse. “I thought you left,” he stated slowly. The realization dawned on him as he recalled his sister-in-law’s speed to avoid him. He looked back over his shoulder towards the house where Raleigh had rushed to and then back at Luka, who looked… disheveled? “I – Did I –” he paused and threw another look over his shoulder before facing Luka again. “Did you get attacked by a raccoon or something?”
Luka shrugged and walked towards him holding out the toy. “Something like that.”
He took it from Luka and couldn’t resist grinning. “Should I call animal control?”
Luka shook his head as he walked past and patted him on the shoulder. “You are ultimate cockblock, man.”
The laugh exploded from him. “Oh, dude. I am so sorry.” Still laughing, he continued throwing his hands out to the side. “Seriously, man. I’m sorry.” He took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. “Shawn and Brady are still here. We’re gonna play some COD, wanna play?”
Luka shook his head, looking past him at the door. Quinn was starting to get the feeling he really interrupted them. Admittedly, he was a bit astounded at the events he had uncovered. He had told Cami repeatedly to give it time, not to rush her sister. He just wasn’t expecting this. “No,” Luka told him as he passed him. “Going to head home.”
“You sure?” Quinn felt badly seeing the defeated look on his friend’s face. He frowned as he tried to offer something useful to the situation. “Look, she’s uh, she’s getting there.”
“Yeah… hey, see you Thursday?” He had shoved his hands back in his pockets as he took slow steps backwards. Quinn nodded.
“Yeah. I’ll catch ya later,” he commented as he watched him head towards the house. He had stopped on the patio and was talking to Cami. He smiled and nodded at her, giving her quick peck on the cheek before heading back into the house to get his stuff to leave.
*
She collapsed against the back of her door letting her head slam against it. She instantly regretted it as pain radiated through her head. She rubbed the tender spot gingerly as she pushed herself off the door and began to shuffle to her bathroom zipping up her hoodie as she went. She needed some ibuprofen and to go to sleep. Quickly go to sleep so she could push what she had just done out of her mind. Her heart was still speeding as the memory replayed, her mind a blur. What had she just done? She snatched her phone off her desk as she passed it and quickly tapped out a text to Brooke.
OMG. HOLY. SHIT.
She carried it with her, waiting for a response. It rang as she swallowed the second pill.
“Hel – ”
“What?” Brooke’s voice sounded panicked. “Is everything okay?”
Raleigh paced the room unable to bring herself to sit down. She pushed a shaky hand back through her hair. “I don’t know what just happened.”
“Uh, okay… start at the beginning?”
“I didn’t – I don’t,” she paused struggling to find the right words. She just made out with Luka. Behind Mackenzie’s playhouse. She made out with him. With him. Shit. What was she thinking? Why wasn’t she thinking?
“Raleigh?” Brooke’s voice broke through her thoughts. “What happened?” She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling. She couldn’t tell her. She had to tell her. “Raleigh. What happened?” her friend prodded again through the phone.
“ImadeoutwithLuka,” the words tumbled together into one unintelligible blob.
“Something about Luka?” Brooke repeated hesitantly as though she were still trying to decipher the jumbled words. Raleigh took a deep breath and tried to brace herself so that she could repeat the words clearer.
“I made… Luka kissed me. A lot.” She stopped and then quietly added, “I didn’t stop him.”
“What happened after I left?!” Brooke exclaimed.
“I don’t know.” She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt a crumbled up piece of paper. Curious, she pulled it out and unfolded it. Zach’s number. She had forgotten that he had slipped it to her before he had left. She had a tiny feeling of guilt over the hard time she had given Luka.
“So you made out with the person you claim to despise and then tell me you don’t know?” There was a skeptical tone in her voice.
“Zach gave me his number,” she stated, almost surprised by the calmness in her voice. The thought of Zach brought her back down. Zach was nice. Zach was not Luka. Zach was an accountant. Zach was normal. She frowned. Normal is what she wanted.
“Who the hell is Zach?”
“One of Quinn’s friends,” she replied setting the scrap of paper on her nightstand. “I think I’m going to call him tomorrow. He asked me to go to dinner sometime.”
“You are not.”
“What?” How was Brooke telling her what to do? She needed to push Luka far back out of mind and not think about his lips on her neck. Her skin warmed immediately at the thought. No.
“Don’t do this to Luka… or this Zach guy.”
“Do what?” she asked as she pulled some pjs from her drawer and started changing. She needed to get this suit off now, the still hanging strings kept brushing against her body reminding of her what she had just done.
“Raleigh, just don’t be stupid, okay?” There was silence and she could papers shifting. “I have to go. I’m going over some notes from my cases today.”
“I won’t be. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.”
“Night,” she replied softly as she heard the click of Brooke ending the call. She fell to the bed and curled up in a ball. She had no idea what to do as thoughts of Luka ran through her head. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t stopped him. Why she hadn’t stopped herself. She felt so…alive with him. She shivered, remembering how eagerly she kissed him back. What if Quinn hadn’t come looking for her? There was a thought there, right before Quinn had called her the first time, she was ready to find a way to drag him into the house. Where did that come from? How many mistakes could she make in one night?
________________________________________________________________________
As she wrapped the fluffy towel around her hips, she began to make her way towards him. She had seen him head over to the pair of white Captains style lounge chaises after excusing himself from a group of adults that appeared to be paying more attention to him than their kids. She was beginning to feel a bit bad for him; she hadn’t seen him alone since he arrived. She stopped by the snack and drink table, grabbing two bottles of water to take with her.
She was stopped twice on her path to him. The first time was by her childhood friend, Emily, who she was surprised to see there with her niece, Zoey. She hadn't realized that Cami was still friends with her older brother. Emily had apparently spotted Luka when he first came in and briefly asked her why he was there and if he was alone. Raleigh’s smile was strained as she explained that he was a family friend. She could see Emily's forced smile in return as she looked past her at Luka. Her stomach knotted; she remembered why they had stopped being friends before she cut everyone out, as they spent much of their freshman and sophomore years at Sewickley Academy competing over everything. Jesus, Raleigh. You shouldn't care if you don't like him. The second time was by Cami, who wanted to make sure she had at least acknowledged Luka's existence today.
Since Tristan and Brooke had left an hour ago, she was on an island. After they left she had dipped herself into the pool waist deep and tossed rings to kids while they pretended to be dolphins. She was able to spend most of the party with them and avoid him and everyone else. Brooke had given her hug as they left and whispered “ship” in Raleigh’s ear as she tapped the strap of her modest, navy one-piece swimsuit.
She approached him slowly. He didn't openly acknowledge her when she came up to the chair on his left. Settling herself down on the white chaise next to him she held the extra bottle out as she glanced over at him. "You know, sitting back here by yourself kind of makes you look creepy.”
He shrugged with a sigh before turning his head to face her and taking the bottle from her outstretched hand. She could feel the blush rise from neck into her cheeks as his eyes moved across her body. “View not change for me."
She cleared her throat and looked at the pool, still full of noisy kids and a few just as noisy adults. "So, why are you sitting over here, by yourself, at a kid’s birthday party?”
“I needed minute of quiet.... I only sat down bit ago.” The corner of his mouth pulled into a sly, crooked grin. “Worried about me?”
“Only the safety of the children,” she said with a wink and a quick nod to the pool. She wasn't sure why the next words came out of her mouth, but they did. “You know, I could introduce you to a few of the ladies if you’d like. See that blonde over there?" She gestured to the other side of the pool where Emily could be seen in a short, pink cover up. "That’s Emily. She’s here with her niece. She’s pretty cute, huh? And very single."
He frowned and shook his head. “Nah. I okay.”
"Oh-kay," she jested as she laid back on the chaise, folding her arms across her chest and crossing her legs at her ankle. "I'm just saying I could get you an introduction. I would make that happen for you."
"Still okay right here," he replied in a semi-serious tone. She was starting to think her mouth needed a filter. This is why she didn't talk to him. She couldn't relax herself enough to not sound like an idiot and the things she said often seemed to throw him off as much as they did her.
“Tell me something, Luka," she began. This had been bothering her since she realized it at the zoo. It was nagging at her. She could see the curiosity in his eyes as he sat up straighter waiting for her question. "Why are you so good to her? To Mackenzie?”
His demeanor softened almost instantly as he began to speak. “She reminds me of my little sister.”
“You have a little sister?” Her voice rose in surprise and she sat back slightly. He gave her a very small, but genuine smile as he nodded. Her stomach twisted. She looked down at her towel and smoothed it out. Not okay.
“What does ‘moya myshka’ mean?” Her tongue struggled over the foreign words.
“My little mouse. She would make little squeak sound when I first meet her,” he explained. Raleigh laughed softly. She remembered when Mac would do that. It was her fault, really. They would pretend to be different animals. A mouse was always Mac’s favorite.
“So how’s old is your sister?”
“12. Eva.”
“I like that name," she said quietly. She looked up at him skeptically. “Hold on. She’s 12? How old are you?”
“28. Biggest shock to my mother,” he chuckled. “My father… not good. Happy, but surprise.”
She smiled and tried to imagine Cami telling Quinn she was pregnant when Mackenzie was just starting to drive. "What’s she like?”
“Who, Eva?” She nodded. “She so tiny when she was born. She still just little thing," he let out a small laugh as he said it, as though he had his own personal joke. "But tough," he added quickly with a flip of his hand. She smiled. She had him trained, she could tell. "Smart. Funny. Wants to be doctor.” He sat up and shifted, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He moved his finger quickly across the screen and then held it out to her. “Here. This from June.”
She took the phone from him and saw a picture a very pretty brunette smiling broadly and giving the camera two thumbs up. She looked so young with delicate features and long pin straight hair. Eva shared the same dark hair and eyes as her brother. She couldn’t help letting her finger swipe against the screen so it scrolled into the next picture. She bit back a smile, seeing the two of them next to each other making ridiculous faces in front of a large ornate building. She handed the phone back to him, before she was tempted to keep going. "She’s pretty. She looks sweet.”
“She is," he answered tucking it back into his pocket. She squirmed slightly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Eyes were on them somewhere. Her eyes skimmed along the groups of people by the pool and finally stopped on Emily. They locked eyes for a split second before Emily turned her attention back to the group she was with.
“You, uh,” she faltered for a second still looking in Emily’s direction. Raleigh realized he was still looking at her, waiting for her to continue. She quickly rolled into the question. “You haven’t seen her since June?” He nodded looking somewhat unaffected. “Isn’t that hard? Not seeing her for such long stretches like that? I mean, I didn’t see my dad all the time, but it’s not like he lived in a different country.”
“Is not easy,” he declared wistfully. He took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with it. “Sometime she miss school and visits with my parents.”
“Well, that’s nice,” she offered as she set her elbow on the arm of the chaise and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. She twisted her body so that she was facing him, tucking in her legs and resting her left hand on her ankle.
“Yes,” he said sitting up. He scooted forward and swung his legs over the side so that he was facing her. He picked the water bottle up from the small wooden table between them and took a drink. As he capped it, he rested his elbows on his thighs still holding the bottle. “I try to take her around when she visit.”
“Does she like to watch you play?” she asked without thinking. She didn’t want to smile, but she was. He was infectious at the moment.
He laughed and pushed a hand through his hair. “Yes and few others from what she says. I think she likes one of them.”
“Oh no. Crushing on boys already,” she teased. “Whatever will big brother do?”
He had that pleased look on his face. She recognized it from the zoo. She did something that surprised him. “Not let her – “
“Hey, Luka!” Mac yelled as she ran up to him. She stopped when she reached them, but would only look at Luka. She was being ignored… by a five year old. “Come swimming with us!”
Raleigh watched him looked over Mackenzie’s sopping wet hair and give her questioning glance. She shrugged and looked over at the pool again. “In minute, moya myshka.” Mac smiled sweetly at Luka ran off. “What you do to her?” he asked setting the bottle of water back on the table.
“Nothing. Guess I’m just not as important as the Great Luka,” she teased.
“You come swim?” he asked with a nod towards the pool. She shook her head. He tugged his shirt off and tossed it and his phone on the chaise. Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him. The more she told herself not to, the harder it was to fight it. He was smirking now, watching her eyes flicker as she tried to keep the eye contact. “If you should change mind…” he trailed off as he began to back away.
Her face burned as she bit her lip and looked away. He didn’t hide the fact that he was into her. Not like her. What was she doing? She buried her face in her hands. Get it together, Raleigh. You don’t like him anyway. She cupped her hands around her face, the palms of her hands supporting her chin and scanned the pool for him. He wasn’t there. She lifted her head a bit more, her fingertips running down her cheeks before she tucked them under her chin. Then she noticed him standing with Quinn, his body mostly facing her. He had a nice body. She was looking closer and biting her lower lip again, a really nice body. His eyes locked on hers. Shit. She immediately dropped her head, rubbing the back of her neck and looking away. She waited a few minutes telling herself repeatedly that she was not attracted to him. He’s just like the rest of them. Hearing Mackenzie’s wild giggle, she looked and saw him swinging her in his arms. They were counting together before jumping in. The tiny voice in the back of her mind that she tried to ignore spoke up, Maybe he’s not.
She inched forward in her chair as she watched them play. She could go in for a bit. A little more swimming wouldn’t be the end of the world. A blur of yellow forced her to break her stare. “So sorry. Am I blocking your view?” Cami taunted, hands on her hips, staring down at her sister.
Raleigh blinked, coming out of her daze and looked down at her hands. “Huh?”
She smirked as she stepped around the chair and picked up Luka’s shirt. Raleigh watched her as she folded it, set it on the table and then tucked his phone between the layers. She plopped down on the chaise and sighed dramatically, pushing her blonde locks off her shoulder. “Oh Raleigh,” another heavy sigh. “Isn’t it terribly exhausting constantly pretending that you aren’t interested in him?”
She gave her older sister a bored stare and folded her arms across her chest. “It’s not pretending.”
“Hmm… if you say so.” She reached over and grabbed the water bottle closest to Raleigh. “This one yours?” Raleigh nodded watching her take a drink. “I see that the conversation didn’t kill you.”
“Is Mac going to open her gifts soon?” She gestured to the table on the patio covered in presents. The party was only supposed to last until 4:00 and then Quinn would be barbequing for a select few that were invited to stay after and a few others that she had been told would arrive later. Something told her Luka was already included in that group.
“Eh. I guess. Was it really so bad?” the blonde asked, redirecting the conversation back to Luka.
“What?”
“Talking to him.”
“No,” she muttered annoyed.
“I told you…” she replied in a singsong voice. She watched Cami scan the yard. “Oh,” her voice and eyebrows lifted. She sat up and turned toward Raleigh. She passed a cunning glance to her sister. “It looks like someone else has decided to talk to him since you aren’t.” She patted her knee and stood up. “Well! I should go get some more veggies for the trays. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Raleigh’s eyes shot to the pool. Luka was in the water, waist deep, with his back to her. Emily had made her way over to him. Flipping her platinum blonde curls behind her shoulder, she flashed him a mega watt smile. Why Emily? Of all the fucking people here, of course it was Emily. He nodded at whatever she was saying. Raleigh could feel a crushing pressure on her chest. You don’t even like him! she tried arguing with herself. She watched, sitting up straighter, as she took a step closer to Luka and her fingers touched his arm. Raleigh looked down unable to watch Emily move in on him. She could feel her ears burning and her stomach lurched as she tried to take a few breaths to steady herself. She looked over at the empty chaise. Cami. Where did Cami go? She went to the kitchen. Raleigh forced herself off the chaise and hurried toward the patio doors, keeping her eyes straight ahead and head up. Don’t look back.
As she slid the door shut behind her, Cami glanced up from the island. “Here. I have stuff you can cut up.”
She pointed down at a cutting board with a knife and celery stalks sitting across it. Raleigh walked quietly across the room and headed for the sink. She washed her hands forcefully, as though she were hoping to wash the image of Emily reaching out to him from her mind. “Fuck,” she muttered when the water began scalding her hand. She quickly turned it off and squeezed hands together. They stung from the heat. Shaking them dry, she turned to the cutting board. For several minutes they could barely hear the sounds of the party over Raleigh’s vigorous chopping. Each clack as the knife hit the cutting board was louder than the one before.
“The party’s going well don’t you think?” Cami commented passively. Raleigh nodded without looking up. Another loud clack. Life suddenly exploded in the kitchen when the patio door slid open and Mackenzie and Zoey burst through. Raleigh, refusing to lift her head, caught a glimpse of Emily’s hot pink bikini behind the blur of the little girls. She scowled at the celery. Who the hell wears a bikini to kids birthday party? Clack. Surprised she pulled herself away from him long enough to come in. Clack. HONESTLY. Clack. She focused on the sound as she chopped the celery.
“Hey Mom, can Zoey and Emily stay for dinner?” Mackenzie was begging next to the island. Raleigh watched what she could without raising her head. She pushed the pieces she had chopped to the side and grabbed another stalk. “Puh-lease?”
She could see Cami set down her knife and wipe her hands on the dishtowel that was between them. “Emily, you don’t have any other plans or did your brother manage to rope you in for the whole day?”
“Oh, I have her all day,” Emily replied as she rubbed Zoey’s head. Of course you have her all day. Raleigh bit her tongue hoping the pain would distract her.
“Well,” Cami started. Damnit. She knew that tone. She was going to say yes. She could feel the word bubbling up in her chest. She couldn’t stop it. Cami started to approve, “I don’t see why –”
“Nope,” she declared brashly with another hasty chop of celery. She finally looked up to greet the stunned silence and found them all looking at her. Cami’s jaw dropped slightly. Both little girls looked shocked that Raleigh said no when Cami was very clearly about to say yes. Even Emily appeared surprised by her unexpected outburst. Raleigh continued, unfazed by the stares. “It’s just that Zoey here, Zoey looks exhausted. She’s been in the pool all day. And I’m sure you have something to do, Em. You should probably head out. Like now.”
Cami finally recovered from her shock and moved into the graceful host role. “Raleigh,” she said with a strained gentleness, “that’s not really your–”
She broke her stare with Emily and gave her sister an unconvincing apologetic smile. “My call. Got it. So sorry. Emily, feel free to stay for dinner.”
“Raleigh…” she could her the force behind Cami’s constrained. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” She pulled her out of the kitchen without of the kitchen without giving her a chance to respond.
“Ow. Ouch!” Raleigh squeaked as she dragged her by the tricep. She let go of her arm once they reached the living room. Raleigh gingerly rubbed her arm and gave her a scathing stare. “What?” she snipped.
“What the hell is your problem, Raleigh?” Cami’s anger snapped her back. Her sister’s patience was unending and she had just cracked it. She swallowed and looked away trying to avoid her sister’s penetrating gaze.
“I don’t have a problem,” she muttered. Luka is not a problem. Emily is not a problem. There is not a problem if they are talking. Her heart sank again with that thought.
“You just told my daughter that her friend wasn’t allowed to stay for dinner,” she fumed. She was becoming more animated, gesturing between herself and the kitchen.
“Oh, that. Zoey can stay,” she said in an attempt to recover herself. “Emily, though,” she added quickly. “Emily should definitely leave.”
“Emily? What is wrong with – OH!” Her eyes widened in disbelief and she snickered. “Oh, I see what this is. You’re jealous.”
“I am not,” she huffed and crossed her arms. There was no way in hell she was jealous. Especially not over Luka.
Cami started laughing harder, sucking in deep breaths to in an attempt to calm herself down. “You are so jealous. She was talking with Luka and now you are freaking out. This…” She inhaled deeply before finishing. “This is actually pretty comical.”
“I’m not jealous,” she repeatedly softly dragging her foot along the rug. Cami straightened up and twisted her lips trying to hide another smile.
“I will do this one thing for you.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You got that? This. I will try to keep her busy.” Raleigh said nothing. Cami rolled her eyes at her silence and began walking away muttering to herself. “This is unreal.”
She took a few minutes to try to pull herself back before returning outside. The kitchen was empty by the time she came back. Cami must have ushered them all back to the party. She reached for the handle of the French door and stopped short. Peering through the glass she could see a still shirtless Luka standing facing away from her near the edge of the stone patio and Emily approaching. She must have called his name because he turned and smiled. Raleigh froze mid-breath watching him lean forward to hear whatever she said. There was a pain coming from her palms. She glanced down, surprised to see her hands clenched into fists. Forcing them open, she looked up to see Emily close the gap between them, standing, Raleigh felt, way too close to someone she had just met. She had popped her hip out to the side, hands resting on her hips, back arched. You have got to be kidding me. Some people never change. Raleigh took a half step back as Emily nudged him. She couldn’t watch anymore.
She promptly turned on her heels and headed to her bedroom. She needed to be out of there. She needed to clear her head. The pulsing in her ears was deafening. She pulled her black Nike racer back sports bra and black with white trim Nike running shorts. Running always helped. She could sort her mind out and be away from him… and Emily. Far away from Emily. She dropped her suit in a pile and tugged her running clothes on. After pushing her feet into her hot pink Asics, she braided her hair behind her and grabbed her armband, phone and headphones. She popped the earpieces in and turned the music up loud. She needed to be lost now. She breezed through the house without looking back.
Head down, engrossed in her phone as she started her running app, she left the house. She looked up in time to not run into a group of Quinn’s friends that had just arrived. Mumbling a “sorry” she skirted around them and tucked the phone into the armband. She took off as soon as she hit the sidewalk. For the first few minutes, she concentrated on just moving. Don’t stop. Don’t look back.
Then she let her mind drift. Cami was so far off base. How could she be jealous? Jealous of what? Something that wasn’t hers? Something she didn’t want to be hers. But then why had she gotten so sick over seeing Emily near him? Even before that, why had Emily even asking if he was there alone bothered her? Was she always that blonde? And honestly, that bikini. That bikini was meant to get attention and she knew she had it. Emily had always been that way. Flash those big blue eyes, flip the hair, push the chest out and guys were there. She rolled her eyes as she ran. So cliché. And Luka responded. God. She was so right about him.
“Two. Miles. Great job. Keep it going!” She nearly tripped over her feet when the app’s voice broke through the music. She looked around without stopping. Two miles? She hadn’t even been out that long. Keep going. Don’t turn back. She pushed herself forward again. The music took over again. She went back to her thoughts.
Wait… had he responded? She was so intent on Emily, she could barely see past her. She had left when they were in the pool. She didn’t see him do anything. And on the patio, he smiled at her. But that wasn’t the smile he gave her. No. She had seen his real smiles enough times now. The one about Eva, that was real. That one he gave her… she felt like she was the only person there.
She stretched her legs out, pushing herself further, harder. No. You’re not going to think about that. How was it possible he had that affect on her? He brought something out in her. She didn’t know why but she had wanted to be near him. She went to him. That’s what she did today. He hadn’t approached her at all… Whuck? She had gone looking for him.
She took a few more steps and then stopped looking up at the clear, blue sky. Shit. She swallowed hard when she was hit with a second – and worse yet – realization. She might actually like him. This was not happening.
“Three. Miles. Keep moving!” the app chimed as she began running home. She kept her mind clear as she ran back. She needed to keep her focus. She concentrated on the music, singing along in her head. No more thinking. She couldn’t handle any more epiphanies today. Just make it a game to get through the day. See what happens when you play along. Maybe you’ll get over it faster. As the house came into view, the app announced she had hit the six mile mark.
Stopping in front of her house, she yanked the phone from her armband. She had only been gone for 43 minutes. She hadn’t gone that fast in years. She glanced down at herself. She was covered in sweat… and really thirsty. She made a beeline for the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator and a banana off the counter. The air from the A/C felt refreshing as she leaned against the cool granite to eat her banana. Movement caught the corner of her eye as she was dropping the banana peel in the trash. Turning, she could see Luka give her a curious onceover and say something. She tugged the cord of the headphones so that they popped out of her ears.
“What?” she asked, watching him as he crossed the kitchen. She tossed the headphones over her shoulder. Was there a reason he didn’t have his shirt back on? The definition on his chest and arms were much clearer as he neared her. He smirked when her eyes met with his again.
“I ask if you go running.”
“I needed to clear my head.” She rounded the island, putting more distance between them, sliding the bottle along with her.
“In middle of party?” He cast her a doubtful glance as he picked up a case of water from next to the sink.
“Yes,” she stated and picked up her water. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get a shower.”
She twisted her lips, trying to hide her own smirk when he broke the eye contact. He jerked his head towards the door. “Just hop in pool.”
“No, thanks,” she turned to leave and looked over her shoulder, “I’d rather shower.”
She gave him an innocent smile before turning back around. She turned herself up another notch making sure her hips swung as she walked. She knew he was studying her.
*
He was trying to think of something clever to say as he watched her hips, but she had surprised him with this change of attitude. Suddenly, her voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Hey, Luka, Quinn was looking for you.”
Raleigh turned, an astonished look on her face. He studied the brunette’s reaction. Her fingers curled slowly. She looked past him when Emily appeared in his peripherals. “Oh, hey Raleigh.” She looked her over. No, Emily was sizing her up. “I didn’t know you still ran.”
“Yep.” Her tone was unmistakably tense. Her gaze was locked on Emily. He glanced at the blonde and stood up so that he was closer to her. Raleigh’s eyes had quickly shifted to him. He pushed his tongue to his teeth and gave the brunette as slight smile. The past these two clearly had might work to his advantage.
“Quinn said he needed your help.” Emily was speaking again. She nearly beamed when he placed his hand on the small of her back. He slid a look over to Raleigh as he did it. Her cheeks were a deep red and her eyes narrowed just enough to give her away. “Am I interrupting something?” Emily added glancing over her shoulder.
“Nope.” Her response was as sharp and quick as her turn. She didn’t look back as she headed towards her room, but he could see her fists clench again. Oh, he had this.
*
She stood, wrapped in her ivory bath towel, staring at her bed. She had tossed the white bikini and short, sheer purple sarong as well a black tankini on her bed before getting in the shower. The cool water had helped her to calm down a bit. She had actually found herself muttering over and over in the shower “he’s just like the rest of them.” God, he drove her crazy. Her eyes flickered between the two suits again. Well, the birthday party is over… She picked up the bikini bottoms and immediately set them back down. There are still kids out there… and Luka will definitely look at you. She picked them back up. He will definitely look at you.
She didn’t look for him when she stepped out onto the patio; instead she headed straight for the food table, still feeling hungry from her run. She was putting a few slices of celery on a plate when she felt someone move in next to her. She glanced over quickly. He wasn’t touching her, but he was close. She inched herself down the table putting a bit of distance between them. She picked up a few carrots and was about to leave when he started talking.
“Hey, you must be Cami’s little sister.” She turned to face him, curious as to who would address her as ‘Cami’s little sister’. It had been a long time since she was known as that. He was taller than her, but not as tall as Luka, with bold blue eyes and dark blonde hair, wearing a faded gray Boston Celtics t-shirt and cargo khaki shorts. He was pretty cute and holding his hand out. She quickly switched the plate to her left hand.
“Yeah, that’s me. Raleigh.” She took his hand. “And you are?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. Zachary…well, Zach. I work with Quinn. You almost took me out when we were coming in.” He nodded towards the front of the house. She looked back quickly and then gave an apologetic grin.
“Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I kind of get lost in my own world when I run.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Oh, I know how that goes,” he responded knowingly. “I’m the same way.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You run?”
“Yep,” he answered with a nod. She slid easily into a conversation with him about running. She had nearly forgotten about Luka until he gave he a quick onceover. She blushed realizing she had forgotten she was in nothing but the tiny white bikini and short flowery, purple sarong. And while Zach, who despite being quite attractive, rather charming, and very flirtatious, was nice, she was only marginally interested, at best. She scanned the yard quickly and spotted Luka on the other side talking to a small group of people, facing her, but not looking at her. She looked back at Zach.
“Well, I still think you could handle it,” he told her with a wink, which told her that he was only partially referring to the full marathon they had been talking about.
She bit the inside of her gum. He was making it painfully obvious to her. She glance in Luka’s direction again, Emily had joined them. She forced herself to return her attention back to Zach. No reason you can’t enjoy this. “Thanks,” she mumbled and then cleared her throat. “So you said you work with Quinn? What do you do?”
“Same thing he does, just a different department.” They had reached the table and he gestured to the seats. She nodded sitting down in the chair closest to him. She turned it slightly to face him.
“I see.” Her mind worked through it. Quinn worked in accounting. Well, you can’t get much safer than that. An accountant. Reasonable. Regular. Perfectly ordinary. She was looking at Luka again. He made eye contact with her. That crooked smile and a shake of his head, as though he always knew her next step. He had put his gray PITT shirt back on. He was finally clothed. She pushed a bright smile on her face and returned her attention to Zach.
*
She was trying hard to ignore him. He could tell after that faint blush had crept up her cheeks when he had caught her looking at him. Her hair was down in loose waves and she appeared to have a light tan, which wasn’t as noticeable in the navy swimsuit she had been wearing earlier. It was the white bikini and short purple skirt that showed off her skin and she looked unbelievable. Now that… that he hadn’t been expecting. It often seemed as though she went to great lengths to keep herself as covered as possible. They had apparently hit a new level in this cat and mouse game she had created.
He also couldn’t believe her reaction to Emily. Ugh. Emily. There was something he was use to, a girl fawning over his status instead of him, making things far too easy for him. She was a knock out, too. He couldn’t deny that he liked the attention to an extent, but she had the worst timing. When Emily had appeared after she had gotten back from her run she had immediately tensed. She had seemed to be jolted, angry, jealous. The last one had nearly thrown him off, but it was obvious to him when she came out in that suit. He had spotted her immediately and so had one of Quinn’s friends.
He had thought about heading over to her, but decided to wait when he saw the sandy haired guy slide in next to her at the food table. He had watched briefly, splitting his attention between the group he was standing with and her.
“Can you believe those Pirates? Playoff material!” One of the guys, Shawn, if he remembered correctly, was saying. Brady tipped his bottle at Shawn.
“Unbelievable. They haven’t done this well since I was kid! I think I was in grade school,” Brady said laughing.
He joined into the conversation half-heartedly. These two, Shawn and Brady, were okay. They didn’t make a big deal out of him and treated him like everyone else. Emily was still hovering in the group. At this point, he was actually getting annoyed with how hard she was trying. Emily would give him doe-eyed glances from time to time. He had to let her down gently. Almost laughing to himself, he thought of Molly. She would have a field day with this. “You’re finally growing up!” He could almost hear her say it.
*
Cami stood next to Quinn as he flipped the burgers on the grill. She was watching the two of them from a distance, her sister on one side of the yard talking with one of Quinn’s co-workers and Luka on the other side talking to group of people. She was aggravated with whatever stunt her baby sister was trying to pull. She was holding the plate out for Quinn to start putting the cooked burgers on.
“Who’s Raleigh talking to?” she blurted out unable to contain her frustration any longer. Quinn flipped the burger closest to him and looked around.
“That’s Zach,” he answered unconcerned and went back to the burgers. She was tapping her foot as she watched Raleigh push her hair back and laugh. What the hell was with her? She was stunned when she saw her finally emerge from the house in her rarely worn white bikini. Why wouldn’t she just talk to him? She was so stubborn. She was like this when they were younger, too. It was as though she had something to prove. She pulled the plate back in, resting it against her stomach and frowned.
“That’s it. I’m going to talk to her,” she declared decisively causing Quinn to glance over at her startled. He set the stainless steel spatula down on the side tray of the grill.
“Who? Raleigh?” he asked.
“Yes,” she stated firmly and set down the plate next to the spatula. She went to take a step and Quinn reached for her, pulling her back.
She gave him a hard look as he groaned. “No. Look, Cams, they are both adults. Free to talk to whomever they want. He’s made it pretty damn clear to her that he’s interested in her. That’s on her if wants to reciprocate.” Cami grumbled something unintelligible about her sister. “I’ve seen them talking today. She’s coming around.”
“And in the meanwhile – ”
“In the meanwhile, nothing. Luka’s been talking to that Emily chick all night, so neither of them are exactly innocent right now. So I’m going to remind you again that they are all adults.” Quinn reached out and pulled Cami over to him, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. “Give Raleigh time, okay?”
*
Around 8:00 pm, Quinn’s parents left with Mackenzie, and Zoey as the two were suddenly inseparable. There were no other kids left and the party had changed its pace with about 20 adults remaining, including Emily. It was that moment which led to Raleigh’s more vodka than cranberry juice drink.
He spotted her sitting on the tan couch, sitting close to the arm. She was leaning towards the fire pit, arms resting on her thighs, cup in hand and staring at the flames. He knelt down next to her on the other side of the couch arm.
“So that guy is really your type, huh?” he asked. She looked over at him, startled out of her thoughts.
“Huh?” She glanced over the flames at the tall blonde. “Oh, Zach. Eh. What about Emily? I bet she’s exactly your type.”
He nodded, no point in lying. She’d see through it anyway. “Yeah. Exactly.”
“Hmm…thought so.” She sounded amused. “You would go for blondes.”
“I like girls with brown hair.”
“I bet.” A familiar smell hit his nostrils as she turned her head and shook her hair through her fingers. Her hair brushed dangerously close to him.
“Do you smell lavender?”
“I – what?” She turned to face him again. The fire set a gentle glow on her face. He saw her right then. No thoughts of any other woman crossed his mind.
“Lavender,” he said quietly. Her eyes narrowed slightly and suspicion clouded her eyes.
“How do you know what lavender smells like?”
“My mother grew it during the summer. It was right outside my bedroom window.” Her face softened into an odd look, half amused, half disbelieving.
“You’re so weird.” She was trying to hide a grin.
“I weird? Not the one staring at fire all night.” She giggled, before straightening herself back up again and turning to woman who had just sat down next to her. There was the icy coolness he had grown accustomed to. He shook his head as he stood up. One moment there was hope; the next there was none.
*
After a couple hours passed, everyone finally started to leave. Emily had left about ten minutes ago, but not before noticeably giving Luka her number in front of Raleigh. Raleigh attempted to busy herself by cleaning up. She spotted a cluster of toys in front of the playhouse. She surveyed the ground as she walked for any other straggler toys. Bending down she pulled the door open and stepped partially inside feeling blindly for the light switch.
“You need help, Raleigh?” Forgetting she was still standing in the doorframe, she stood up quickly smacking her head. She crouched back down and instantly reached for her head.
“Ow!” She looked over her shoulder and saw him leaning against the edge of the playhouse, arms crossed and looking down at her. “Of course it’s you. You’re like a damn stalker.” She reached out and flipped the switch, light flooding the small space. “No, thank you,” she stated simply as she grabbed an empty bin from the floor.
She heard a ‘tsk’ as she knelt down to pick up the toys. “Is okay to accept help, ja?” She glanced up through her lashes to see him kneeling in front of her picking up the toys. He had changed into khaki shorts at some point, but was still wearing the same gray shirt. He looked good. That thought bothered her. She tugged the unzipped black hoodie higher on her shoulders forcing it to cover her more. “I not see you a lot tonight.”
“Well, you did spend a lot of time with Emily,” she mumbled dropping another Barbie in the container. Ugh, she hated how she sounded right now.
“I think you ignore me most of night,” he shot back. And then a sly grin appeared as he raised his eyebrows. “You said you want me to meet her.”
“It appears you didn’t need my help.” She yanked the bin closer and pushed herself up, picking it up as she stood. “You have her number,” she commented unable to hide the snarky tone. She entered the little house and put the bin on an empty shelf. “You could call her to come back.”
“Oh, I not keep it.” She glanced out the door to gauge his truthfulness. He standing now, hands in his pockets leaning down so he could see her. Was he serious? He looked serious. No, there’s no way he didn’t keep her number. He definitely looked like he was telling the truth. She scrunched her face up. “Truth.”
“Right,” she replied cynically as she came out and closed the door and locked it with her back towards him. Shit. He was so close. So close. She turned around slowly to face him.
“You could search me if you don’t believe me,” he said with a wink as he shrugged his shoulders. The motion caused his pants to stretch across his hips. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t- her eyes flickered downward. She squeezed her hands together and her head shot straight up towards the nighttime sky. Just… fuck. She chewed her bottom lip and inhaled deeply through her nose.
“Oh,” she started bringing her eyes back to his. The smirk on his face told her that he definitely noticed where she had looked. She cleared her throat and looked down turning her head, her eyes darting around the yard. Noticing one of Mackenzie’s small inner tubes, she stepped off to her right to retrieve it. “No worries, I believe you.”
He stepped with her, closer, causing her to take a step back at the same time. He closed the gap between them. She glanced around. Mackenzie’s playhouse was shielding them from view. “Do you?” he teased.
“Yeah,” she murmured as she attempted to side step him. She was caught off guard by his speed as his left hand grabbed her waist pulling her directly in front of him. Her breathing picked up instantly and her arms remained paralyzed at her sides. Now that she was that was much closer to him, she couldn’t ignore the spiced scent around him. She surprised herself when she took the baby step forward that closed the remaining distance between them. With his other hand he slipped the tips of his fingers between the fabric of her hoodie and her skin, letting them linger along her waist. She shuddered, her skin tingling against his touch.
Finally, she lifted her head, bringing her eyes to his. He stopped just short of her lips. She could feel soft, short breaths against her mouth. He was deliberately taking his time letting his lips gently graze hers. Teasing her, taunting her as a returned favor for everything she had been putting him through today. The gentle contact caused her to respond instantly, as she pushed herself up to her tiptoes. Their lips collided, neither of them holding back. He tightened his grip as she tugged at the hem of his shirt using it to pull him along with each half step she took backwards. There was a tree somewhere. She knew it was near them. At last her shoulder brushed against the trunk, she backed up against it turning him with her.
She rose to her tiptoes again, trying to level herself out with him. He was so tall. She settled her hands on his neck, her fingers weaving into small locks of hair at the base. She let him push her mouth open with his and as the tip of tongue touched hers, her back arched and hips rolled his. He deepened the kiss in return, hungrier now as though both of them were trying to make up for the lost time. His hands were exploring her now, over her hips, small of her back and returned to her waist, his thumbs trailing along the bottom of the bikini top. She tightened her grasp around his neck and pulled out of the kiss.
Her body was relaxing with each jagged breath she let out. Her legs were beginning to shake from having to keep herself on her toes. She lowered herself slowly and let out a satisfied sigh as he dropped his head into the curve of her neck letting his lips graze her skin.
“I knew it,” he muttered into her neck.
“What?” she breathed. She couldn’t focus as she balled up the hem of his shirt in her hands and her knuckles skimmed his skin.
“Lavender.” As she pressed her fingers against his skin she could feel the light tug on back tie of her top. He managed to loosen it quickly. Her hands dropped to his belt loops and hooking her fingers through she pulled herself into him, closer than before. His mouth was on hers again. She couldn’t hide the moan or the shiver when he let his fingers run ever so lightly from the top of her spine to top of her bikini bottoms.
“Raleigh?” Was that her name? Was someone calling her? Her mind began refocusing. Wait. Wasn’t there a reason she didn’t want this, why she didn’t trust him? What was it? She began to pull away, but it wasn’t easy. Her body was winning. She didn’t want to back away. Fuck. What was it? You talked about stuff today. Sister. No. Lavender… They were moving. Luka was guiding her closer to the side of the playhouse and further back. He barely pulled his lips off of hers, except to give a quiet ‘shhh’.
“Raleigh?” the voice was getting closer. She whimpered quietly against his mouth out of frustration. Reality was pulling her back in. She was remembering.
“Raleigh, are you over here?” That voice again. Not lavender, her brain picked back up immediately. No. No. Something else. Something else. M. It started with an M. No. Emily. EMILY.
“Emily,” the word barely escaped her lips and she opened her eyes. He’s just like the rest of them.
“What?” he whispered. He had moved his hands to her waist, tightening his grip and staring down at her, confused. He looked like she had just shot him.
She took a step back out emerging from his grasp and pulled the hoodie tightly around her, covering her entire upper body completely. “I can’t,” she mumbled with another step back. “I need to go.”
She stepped around him quickly. One hand tight on her hoodie, she scooped up the pool toy she had spotted earlier with the other. She nearly walked into Quinn when she rounded the corner of the playhouse.
“There you are!” he exclaimed. “Cami and I –” She shoved the tube into his chest.
“Mac left this out,” she blurted quickly breezing past him. It was Quinn. She owed him for preventing her from making a huge mistake. She tightened the grip on her hoodie. It would have been a mistake, right? Wait. Wasn’t what she was just doing a mistake? That was a mistake. Anything more was a mistake. Quinn saved her. It hurt as she walked away. She wanted to go back. Why? She wanted to go back to him? It wasn’t a mistake? Her head was foggy and she couldn’t make sense of it. She couldn’t figure out why she still felt the butterflies thinking of him running his fingers down her back.
*
“Whoa!” Quinn exclaimed clutching the tube and tried to regain his balance. He turned quickly watching her stalk hastily toward the house and nearly taking out her sister. What had gotten into her? Shaking his head, he walked past the playhouse looking for any more of his daughter’s pool toys. Surprise didn’t even begin to cover Quinn’s reaction when he noticed a familiar body picking a pool noodle from the far side of the playhouse. “I thought you left,” he stated slowly. The realization dawned on him as he recalled his sister-in-law’s speed to avoid him. He looked back over his shoulder towards the house where Raleigh had rushed to and then back at Luka, who looked… disheveled? “I – Did I –” he paused and threw another look over his shoulder before facing Luka again. “Did you get attacked by a raccoon or something?”
Luka shrugged and walked towards him holding out the toy. “Something like that.”
He took it from Luka and couldn’t resist grinning. “Should I call animal control?”
Luka shook his head as he walked past and patted him on the shoulder. “You are ultimate cockblock, man.”
The laugh exploded from him. “Oh, dude. I am so sorry.” Still laughing, he continued throwing his hands out to the side. “Seriously, man. I’m sorry.” He took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. “Shawn and Brady are still here. We’re gonna play some COD, wanna play?”
Luka shook his head, looking past him at the door. Quinn was starting to get the feeling he really interrupted them. Admittedly, he was a bit astounded at the events he had uncovered. He had told Cami repeatedly to give it time, not to rush her sister. He just wasn’t expecting this. “No,” Luka told him as he passed him. “Going to head home.”
“You sure?” Quinn felt badly seeing the defeated look on his friend’s face. He frowned as he tried to offer something useful to the situation. “Look, she’s uh, she’s getting there.”
“Yeah… hey, see you Thursday?” He had shoved his hands back in his pockets as he took slow steps backwards. Quinn nodded.
“Yeah. I’ll catch ya later,” he commented as he watched him head towards the house. He had stopped on the patio and was talking to Cami. He smiled and nodded at her, giving her quick peck on the cheek before heading back into the house to get his stuff to leave.
*
She collapsed against the back of her door letting her head slam against it. She instantly regretted it as pain radiated through her head. She rubbed the tender spot gingerly as she pushed herself off the door and began to shuffle to her bathroom zipping up her hoodie as she went. She needed some ibuprofen and to go to sleep. Quickly go to sleep so she could push what she had just done out of her mind. Her heart was still speeding as the memory replayed, her mind a blur. What had she just done? She snatched her phone off her desk as she passed it and quickly tapped out a text to Brooke.
OMG. HOLY. SHIT.
She carried it with her, waiting for a response. It rang as she swallowed the second pill.
“Hel – ”
“What?” Brooke’s voice sounded panicked. “Is everything okay?”
Raleigh paced the room unable to bring herself to sit down. She pushed a shaky hand back through her hair. “I don’t know what just happened.”
“Uh, okay… start at the beginning?”
“I didn’t – I don’t,” she paused struggling to find the right words. She just made out with Luka. Behind Mackenzie’s playhouse. She made out with him. With him. Shit. What was she thinking? Why wasn’t she thinking?
“Raleigh?” Brooke’s voice broke through her thoughts. “What happened?” She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling. She couldn’t tell her. She had to tell her. “Raleigh. What happened?” her friend prodded again through the phone.
“ImadeoutwithLuka,” the words tumbled together into one unintelligible blob.
“Something about Luka?” Brooke repeated hesitantly as though she were still trying to decipher the jumbled words. Raleigh took a deep breath and tried to brace herself so that she could repeat the words clearer.
“I made… Luka kissed me. A lot.” She stopped and then quietly added, “I didn’t stop him.”
“What happened after I left?!” Brooke exclaimed.
“I don’t know.” She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt a crumbled up piece of paper. Curious, she pulled it out and unfolded it. Zach’s number. She had forgotten that he had slipped it to her before he had left. She had a tiny feeling of guilt over the hard time she had given Luka.
“So you made out with the person you claim to despise and then tell me you don’t know?” There was a skeptical tone in her voice.
“Zach gave me his number,” she stated, almost surprised by the calmness in her voice. The thought of Zach brought her back down. Zach was nice. Zach was not Luka. Zach was an accountant. Zach was normal. She frowned. Normal is what she wanted.
“Who the hell is Zach?”
“One of Quinn’s friends,” she replied setting the scrap of paper on her nightstand. “I think I’m going to call him tomorrow. He asked me to go to dinner sometime.”
“You are not.”
“What?” How was Brooke telling her what to do? She needed to push Luka far back out of mind and not think about his lips on her neck. Her skin warmed immediately at the thought. No.
“Don’t do this to Luka… or this Zach guy.”
“Do what?” she asked as she pulled some pjs from her drawer and started changing. She needed to get this suit off now, the still hanging strings kept brushing against her body reminding of her what she had just done.
“Raleigh, just don’t be stupid, okay?” There was silence and she could papers shifting. “I have to go. I’m going over some notes from my cases today.”
“I won’t be. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.”
“Night,” she replied softly as she heard the click of Brooke ending the call. She fell to the bed and curled up in a ball. She had no idea what to do as thoughts of Luka ran through her head. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t stopped him. Why she hadn’t stopped herself. She felt so…alive with him. She shivered, remembering how eagerly she kissed him back. What if Quinn hadn’t come looking for her? There was a thought there, right before Quinn had called her the first time, she was ready to find a way to drag him into the house. Where did that come from? How many mistakes could she make in one night?