Raven. “Sage, that’s Raven.”
“Hey, Raven. What’s up?” Sage stepped closer to her, trying to imitate the greeting Peyton had given Tia...to a degree. He added a pat on the back with a very heavy hand.
"Dang...do I look like I'm choking or something?" she said.
Sage quickly pulled away from Raven.
"Oh. Sorry," he said, raising his hands as if to check her for damages.
They all busted up laughing at his awkward gestures. With the ice firmly broken, the group separated into pairs and headed for the snack bar.
"I want a small popcorn with butter and a diet Coke," Tia said.
"Uh, this was her idea," said Peyton, pointing to Raven.
“Ya'll really should be treating us," he added.
"We are. We're here," quipped Raven.
Peyton blew her off with curled lips and a wave of his hand. She smiled back sweetly and flipped him off--with both hands.
"Quit tripping, man. Get the girl her popcorn," Sage scolded. Peyton rolled his eyes, but he dug in his pocket for cash.
"Thank you, Sage. I'll have the same," said Raven.
The girls hung back while the guys loaded up on munchies.
“This better be good, man. Better be real good,” Peyton grumbled, peeling off one bill after another to pay the snack bar attendant. Sage just laughed and shook his head.
In the darkness, Raven was on Sage like an octopus. She was all grabby-hands and eager, searching mouth. At first, Sage caved under her touch. The pistons in his crotch area were firing so loudly, they distracted him from the red flags being thrown up by his conscience.
He was running purely on fuel from his libido. The little head was definitely not trying to hear a word the big head was saying. That’s precisely when an icy presence took over. Sage felt a sensation like the metal tines of a rake scraping across his spine. That snapped him to attention. Instead of just having wood in his pants, now he felt his whole body stiffen. Raven might as well have been making out with a tree.
"Um, what’s the deal? So you’re not feeling me now?" Raven huffed, pushing him away from her.
“What? What’d I do?" stuttered Sage, his face blank at first, then flushed with embarrassment.
Raven’s chin dropped. She tilted her head toward him in disbelief, but she still expected him to pick up where they left off.
Sage kept her waiting. He fixed his posture, straightened his clothes, and pretended to be interested in the blood and gore splashing across the movie screen...like nothing strange had even happened.
After a few minutes of his cold shoulder treatment, Raven sighed and cut her eyes at him.
"Are you serious? You’re really watching the movie? Dang, boy. Don’t be such a psycho.” Raven lightly brushed his shoulder.
Sage jerked his arm away, almost knocking her drink out of the cup holder on the seat.
“What the hell? It was a joke. Why are you so touchy?" Raven laughed nervously.
"Not funny," Sage griped.
“Fine. Whatever.” Raven settled her hands in her lap. Then she faked interest in the movie, but only long enough for Sage to drop his guard. Once he was comfortable again, the seduction resumed.
Except now Raven was gentle, purposely patient. She put her head on his shoulder; planted butterfly kisses his on neck. She even flicked his earlobe with the tip of her tongue. Sage, seemingly oblivious to where this had led to mere moments ago, melted like butter in a warm pan.
He sank lower into the seat with every touch. Raven's hand slid across the crotch of his jeans in slow circles. With each caress she had more room to work with; his thighs parted wider and wider under the encouragement of her expert fingertips.
Sage’s thighs may have been loose, but his hands had a firm grip on the armrests of his seat. His breath was heavy and quick in his chest, and it wasn’t just Raven’s body work