“Eskimo kiss.” He chuckled, his breath warming my face.
“Eski what?” I pulled away. I’d never in my life heard those two words together.
He rolled his eyes then pulled me toward him, locking me in with both of his arms. “You’re so weird. Come here.”
He rubbed the tip of his nose against mine again, sending an electric current through my body. I put my arm around him and pulled his body closer to me, then uncrossed my left leg and moved it to the side so our torsos were mere inches apart. He closed his eyes, then I closed mine. And he moved in first, tilting his head until his lips were firmly locked with mine.
It only lasted for a moment, but it was a moment that would last a lifetime in my memory. I opened my eyes and looked down to see him smiling. He nudged my chin to look up into his icy blue eyes, then put his arms around me once more and we slowly collapsed into the bed.
This was my very first kiss. I couldn’t have imagined it to be as perfect as it was. We elongated our bodies onto the bed and faced each other. He grabbed my hip, and I felt more aroused than I ever had before. He finally confirmed what I was suspecting: He liked me, and he wanted me. I slid my arm under him and started to pull him in closer. I wanted my lips to caress his again.
“Shit,” I whispered. We were interrupted by a scratching noise coming from the bottom of my bedroom door.
“Is that Frankie?” He popped his head up.
It was my faithful companion Frankie coming to check on me. The best moment in my life had to be interrupted by my little best friend. And I bet you he did it on purpose. Frankie could always tell when I was happy, sad, angry, or even bored. He always came to check up on me when I was alone and in need. I was in need this time, but I was not alone. And I needed something else. Someone else.
I cracked the door open, and he waddled in, panting as if he’d been running around the house all night. Then I closed the door and placed books on the floor in front of it. I turned and Frankie jumped up into the spot where I was, next to Thad.
“So um. I’ve got some shorts and a T-shirt you could use. That way you don’t have to sleep in jeans,” I said, pulling out some clothes for myself. I normally slept in my underwear and a T-shirt, but I wasn’t sure how this was supposed to work.
“It’s all right. I sleep in my underwear.” He smiled as he rubbed Frankie’s belly.
“Oh. Um. Okay.” I hesitated then kicked the book to the side to open the door, carrying my sleeping clothes.
“Where are you going?” he whispered.
“I uhh. I was going to sleep on the couch. You can have my bed. But make sure to move the book back so the door doesn’t slip open.”
“Do you…are you okay? Wasthatokay?” He pointed to where we had been lying.
Of course it was okay.
“No yeah. I…” I grinned. “I thought you might want some privacy.”
“You’re hilarious. Close the door. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“No. Take my bed. You’re the guest. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
We could have slept in the bed together. We fell asleep next to each other on the beanbags at the party. But that was an accident, I thought. And sleeping in my bed with another guy wouldn’t look right if one of the twins barged into the room, as they often did.
I took off my jeans then changed my shirt. I decided not to change my underwear. I was not ready for someone to see me change like that. He had seen me change my bathing suit, but that was different. Normally I’d go to bed in clean underwear. I usually changed my underwear at least twice a day. Yes, I know I’m extra.
I grabbed a blanket from the closet after changing my shirt and Thad handed me one of the several pillows that decorated my bed. I sat upright on the floor then leaned my head back to rest on the nightstand. I turned to the left to admire the person with whom I shared such a wonderful moment, but Frankie sprang up and extended his long body and neck to lick my face. He licked my nose, then my ear for a second before I gently pushed him to the side to make eye contact with Thad. Thad stood up, pulled down his fitted jeans and threw them to the side, then pulled off his shirt and threw it next to the jeans lying on the floor. I would have at least folded them if I were him—which I ended up doing after he sat back down on my bed.
“You’re hilarious. You don’t have to do that.”
“I do, though. Or else I’ll be awake tonight thinking about it sitting there on the floor. Disheveled.”
He stood, holding in a laugh as I placed his folded clothes on top of my dresser. I would not have guessed he was the type of guy to be sporting contoured briefs. It was hot.
He grabbed ahold of my waist and pulled me close to him. The heat from his skin seeped through my shirt, warming me as I tried my hardest to calm my excitement.This is not the time, Étienne.I put my arms around him. We kissed again. One last glorious—and might I say sensual—kiss before we retired for the night.
The sound of thumping woke me the next morning as my brothers were running throughout the house. My mom must have already left for work; she would have been screaming at them if she were home. I opened my eyes and blinked several times so my vision could focus. I know I shouldn’t have, but I slept in my contacts again for fear of waking someone while washing my hands in the bathroom.
Thad was leaning so far off the bed I thought he was going to fall on me. I looked down at his extended arm and saw he was holding on to my hand.Wait. What?I looked again. I did not remember feeling him reach down for me while we were sleeping. I carefully unlocked his hand from mine and got up. He wasn’t just leaning over the edge to hold my hand; he was forced to sleep that way. Frankie claimed his spot right behind Thad. He did that to me sometimes. Actually, all the time.
I remember one night being violently awoken when I was fifteen. Frankie had fallen asleep on the pillow next to my face, after I was already asleep. I rolled over, nearly crushing him. He attacked out of fear, biting my left ear so hard he almost pierced it. It hurt like hell, but I couldn’t be mad at him. It was my fault.