Page 123 of Collision
“So, it would be just you and me…with no responsibilities or feelings?” Feelings that I already have, while he has, at best, an attraction accompanied by an inexplicable possessiveness.
“No ties or responsibilities,” he confirms.
We stare at each other in silence for a few moments. I bite my lip, not knowing what to say or even what to think.
“I don’t know, Thomas…”
“It could be better than you imagine.”
Or worse than you think…
I draw in a deep breath and blow the air out of my nose. “I’ll think about it.”
For a moment, he seems surprised by my answer. “You will? Really?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” He clears his throat and pulls himself together. “Now let’s go. You can’t fucking breathe in here.”
He extends his hand to me and I, though hesitant, take it. Before we leave the closet, Thomas stops, turns and looks at me. He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into him. Only a few inches separate us. He takes my face in his hands and caresses my cheekbones gently. His eyes scrutinize me. I wonder what he is thinking about.
Suddenly, he wraps his giant arms around me, and I take refuge in this seemingly indestructible fortress. He rests his chin on top of my head, while I press my cheek to his chest, deeply inhaling his scent. We don’t say anything to one another, but words aren’t needed. We remain like that, embracing, for a few moments that I wish could last forever.
Thirty
When we try to return to the others, we find that the truth-or-dare group has disbanded. In our absence, the party seems to have gotten into full swing; everyone is tipsy. We go out and find Tiffany and Alex by the pool. They both give mewe’ll talk about this laterlooks. I smile weakly.
Thomas sits on a small patio sofa and lights a cigarette with all the ease in the world, as if we hadn’t just spent the last ten minutes lusting after each other, tearing into each other, and then… I don’t know. I couldn’t even define it. Whatever it is though, it’s still turning my mind upside down.
I drop into a vacant chair a few feet away from him. A girl with an inflatable pumpkin under her arm suggests we get in the pool. Everyone else seems enthusiastic, but I’m feeling extremely anxious at the idea of getting undressed in front of all these people.
Thomas stands up and, in a matter of seconds, has taken off his shoes, jeans, and sweatshirt, remaining in just a pair of blue Bermuda shorts, which put his sculpted, tattoo-covered midsection on full display. Wait a minute, are those nipple piercings? Those are new, right? The last time I saw him without a shirt on, he definitely didn’t have them. My God, that’s somehow even sexier.
“Done drooling, Ness?” asks the absurdly overconfident man in front of me.
“W-what?” I stutter, trying to shake the dopey look off my face.
“You should know by now: I’m a shy and insecure boy. You can’t stare at me like that, I’ll be intimidated.”
“I was just looking at your piercings, stupid. Did they hurt?” I babble, feigning indifference.
“I felt them. But that’s the downside of beautiful things: they hurt.” He smiles crookedly at me. “Come on, I want to see you darting through the water like a minnow.”
“Um, to be honest, I don’t really feel like getting wet right now.” I lower my gaze to my nails, worrying at my cuticles.
“Didn’t seem that way a few minutes ago,” he answers mischievously, without an ounce of shame.
I turn purple in a split second. “Thomas!” I scold, throwing the first empty plastic bottle I see at him. It hits him on the shoulder, and he bursts out laughing. He leans over me and rests the palms of his large hands on my thighs. It is fascinating to watch the contrast of my pale flesh with his own completely tattooed skin. “Come on, don’t make me beg.”
“I won’t. Just go, I’ll stay here. Besides, this—”
Before I can finish my sentence, I find myself hanging upside down over Thomas’s shoulder.
“No, Thomas, let me go!” I slap his back wildly, but all it gets me are his fingers tickling my side. I try not to, but finally I cannot help laughing.
“I can’t swim, remember? Besides, I’m still dressed.”
“Are you asking me to undress you? I thought there were certain things you preferred to do away from prying eyes. What a dirty little girl you are,” he pats my exposed butt cheek as he continues walking.
