breast —for about five seconds before I moved it. Things were moving way too fast. The heat we generated between us was scorching, the heat lamp totally unnecessary.
When the five seconds were up, I moved one hand from the front of me and one hand from the back of me as I pulled away and gave him my best indignant look.
“Um, that was nice, but do you think you can back it off a little? Maybe slow down a bit?”
I couldn’t help it. It was that sarcasm thing I’ve been trying to sort of work on.
He looked surprised.
“I’m sorry, Stacy,” he said quickly and stopped, taking a step back.
His face suddenly became earnest. He shook his hair out and composed himself. His look was all thoughtfulness and concerned apologies.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I guess I got carried away.”
He looked at me so intently, studying my face. His nose was five inches away from my nose. His wavy, dark brown hair was five inches away from my semi-professionally-styled hair. He repeated himself saying softly, “I’m sorry.” He looked like the handsome prince again, the one who would most definitely carry me away to his castle in the sky. The fairy tale.
“That’s okay,” I said to the prince whose pawing me was probably a fluke.
This is where Stacy York left the building. Those puppy eyes of his just destroyed me. At that moment I would have reached right into my purse and handed over my wallet, cell phone, cash. I would have given him everything I owned and joined his Anthony cult.
This is where he looked at me like he was Yogi Bear and I was the picnic basket.
Luckily, I heard my phone.
“Just a sec. It’s my mom.”
I promised her I’d answer when she called. I totally believed her threats about grounding, punishment, and other forms of general harassment. Plus it gave me a chance to catch my breath after being worked over by Anthony’s hands. Plus, plus: it gave me a second to work on my strategy.
“Okay, I’ll meet you out front,” I told her. “Anthony, I’ve gotta go. My mom’s picking me up.”
I waited for his reaction, feeling the butterflies in my stomach, getting lost in his brown eyes.
“I’ll walk you out…in a second.” He pulled me close and kissed me one more time, and this time it was soft and sweet, and I got the little goose bumps all over. And he didn’t try to maul me.
“How was that?” he asked in a soft voice.
Words failed me, so I smiled. He smiled back. It was very much like the fairy tale again. It definitely had that sweet feeling of unreality, like this couldn’t possibly be happening to me, right?
He took my hand in his, and we went back inside the party. And I was experiencing this slight floating feeling until I saw Chad talking to horrible Vanessa and some other girls. I was about to open my mouth to say hello, but he looked away when he saw Anthony’s arm around me, and it hurt. I mean, it hurt like an actual physical pain, because I miss Chad. But Anthony’s arm was around me . I could always feel bad about Chad tomorrow.
We waited together outside. Anthony’s arm was draped around me, casually, like it was a totally normal thing for him to do, and I felt happy again, all tingly and excited, because my world was a magical place with rainbows and glitter, unicorns and lollipops.
Mom pulled up, and we said our goodbyes.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said handsomely.
“Okay. Bye, Anthony,” I said, all starry-eyed. I gave him one last smile, and he smiled back, a genuine smile that assured me everything was right in the world.
Mom drove, and I floated the rest of the way home.
It was the most amazing night ever.
September 22 -
Sucker Punched
A sucker punch happens when a person is completely relaxed and casual. Unsuspecting. They might be standing around, talking to a friend, maybe laughing a little. Everything’s completely fine and normal until someone comes along and—without warning—punches them right in the solar plexus—the
When the five seconds were up, I moved one hand from the front of me and one hand from the back of me as I pulled away and gave him my best indignant look.
“Um, that was nice, but do you think you can back it off a little? Maybe slow down a bit?”
I couldn’t help it. It was that sarcasm thing I’ve been trying to sort of work on.
He looked surprised.
“I’m sorry, Stacy,” he said quickly and stopped, taking a step back.
His face suddenly became earnest. He shook his hair out and composed himself. His look was all thoughtfulness and concerned apologies.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I guess I got carried away.”
He looked at me so intently, studying my face. His nose was five inches away from my nose. His wavy, dark brown hair was five inches away from my semi-professionally-styled hair. He repeated himself saying softly, “I’m sorry.” He looked like the handsome prince again, the one who would most definitely carry me away to his castle in the sky. The fairy tale.
“That’s okay,” I said to the prince whose pawing me was probably a fluke.
This is where Stacy York left the building. Those puppy eyes of his just destroyed me. At that moment I would have reached right into my purse and handed over my wallet, cell phone, cash. I would have given him everything I owned and joined his Anthony cult.
This is where he looked at me like he was Yogi Bear and I was the picnic basket.
Luckily, I heard my phone.
“Just a sec. It’s my mom.”
I promised her I’d answer when she called. I totally believed her threats about grounding, punishment, and other forms of general harassment. Plus it gave me a chance to catch my breath after being worked over by Anthony’s hands. Plus, plus: it gave me a second to work on my strategy.
“Okay, I’ll meet you out front,” I told her. “Anthony, I’ve gotta go. My mom’s picking me up.”
I waited for his reaction, feeling the butterflies in my stomach, getting lost in his brown eyes.
“I’ll walk you out…in a second.” He pulled me close and kissed me one more time, and this time it was soft and sweet, and I got the little goose bumps all over. And he didn’t try to maul me.
“How was that?” he asked in a soft voice.
Words failed me, so I smiled. He smiled back. It was very much like the fairy tale again. It definitely had that sweet feeling of unreality, like this couldn’t possibly be happening to me, right?
He took my hand in his, and we went back inside the party. And I was experiencing this slight floating feeling until I saw Chad talking to horrible Vanessa and some other girls. I was about to open my mouth to say hello, but he looked away when he saw Anthony’s arm around me, and it hurt. I mean, it hurt like an actual physical pain, because I miss Chad. But Anthony’s arm was around me . I could always feel bad about Chad tomorrow.
We waited together outside. Anthony’s arm was draped around me, casually, like it was a totally normal thing for him to do, and I felt happy again, all tingly and excited, because my world was a magical place with rainbows and glitter, unicorns and lollipops.
Mom pulled up, and we said our goodbyes.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said handsomely.
“Okay. Bye, Anthony,” I said, all starry-eyed. I gave him one last smile, and he smiled back, a genuine smile that assured me everything was right in the world.
Mom drove, and I floated the rest of the way home.
It was the most amazing night ever.
September 22 -
Sucker Punched
A sucker punch happens when a person is completely relaxed and casual. Unsuspecting. They might be standing around, talking to a friend, maybe laughing a little. Everything’s completely fine and normal until someone comes along and—without warning—punches them right in the solar plexus—the
Similar Books
Different Seasons
Stephen King
Christmas Moon
Sadie Hart
Darkover: First Contact
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Guarded Heart
Jennifer Blake
Moscardino
Enrico Pea
Kickoff for Love
Amelia Whitmore
Fatal Fairies (Renaissance Faire Mystery Book 8)
Joyce Lavene, Jim Lavene
When the Fairytale Ends
Dwan Abrams
Killer Gourmet
G.A. McKevett
After River
Donna Milner