Page 38 of Dance of the Phoenix
I nodded, deflated, and said, “You’re welcome,” before turning around and attempting to head back to my safe haven.
But Aileen’s hand caught my wrist, drawing me to a stop and forcing me to face her again. She was about my height back then, before I had my growth spurt, and so our gazes linked in a direct line.
Her hold on me loosened as she stepped closer to me, invading my space. Then, before I could do anything, she pressed her lips against my cheek.
Frozen, all I could do wasfeel. I couldfeelher body a hairbreadth away from touching mine. All my thoughts—my entire being, really—were hyperfocused on the spot where her lips made contact with my skin. The fruity smell of her shampoo tingled my nose, making me want to lean into her, close the small distance that was left between us, take her head in my hands, and kiss her.
But before I could act on those instincts, she let me go and stepped back, giving me another look I couldn’t decipher before she walked away.
After that, in the privacy of my room, my sexual awakening reached its peak.
Chapter 17
Logan
I don’t know how it happened, but a couple of months after Aileen first joined my family, we became close.
It was a gradual process. At first, I’d been taking the food to my room for dinner every night. Then, I started attending dinners with my parents and her. The conversations were mostly about school, but they were pleasant nonetheless.
Then, at some point, Aileen and I started spending time watching movies in the living room after dinner. We never spoke much throughout the movies, just sat there eating microwave popcorn and getting used to each other’s company.
Before I knew it, we started eating lunch at school together. Or rather, I let Aileen join me at lunchtime with my friends. She didn’t speak to them much, or even me, but just sat there, listening to us as we talked about soccer and new superhero movies.
The turning point came a few weeks before my fourteenth birthday. I remembered it vividly: It was a Thursday night, and Aileen and I were waiting for the popcorn to be ready. My parents were out for the night—they had a weekly date every Thursday, which I found utterly disgusting back then—and so it was only Aileen and me at home.
“I’m so happy I got the Blu-ray from Dave,” I told Aileen while we waited. I was excited to see the movie; it was the third one in an epic fantasy saga I was completely into at the time.
Aileen smiled at me, and while I wasn’t immune to that smile, and it still made me feel things that confused me, I’d finally managed to get ahold of my newfound hormones. “The second one wasn’t as interesting as the first, so I hope this one’s better.”
I chuckled and almost jumped when the microwave announced the popcorn was ready. We grabbed the bag and settled in the living room next to one another, the movie already waiting for us to press play.
For the first twenty minutes, we simply watched the movie in silence, as we always did, munching on the popcorn. But then I felt her hand brushing against my thigh.
Freezing, I thought she didn’t do it on purpose and scolded my body for reacting to such a fleeting touch over my jeans. But then it happened again, and again, until suddenly her hand was on my thigh.
Blood rushing in one direction only, I swallowed hard and glanced at her. Her eyes were on the TV screen, but her thumb started making circular movements on my thigh.
Taking a deep, shivery breath, I tried to focus on the movie, but my efforts were in vain. My entire being was hyperfocused on the spot Aileen touched.
When the bag of popcorn was empty, Aileen put it away and, to my shock, closed the gap between us and cuddled up to my side, leaning her head on my shoulder, while her hand was still on my thigh.
My heart raced, and my face felt flushed. Everything disappeared but the feel of her body so close. I’d never had a girl this close to me before. I didn’t know what to do. I was dumbstruck by the unfamiliar, yet not unwelcome, situation.
“Logan.”
Her voice speaking my name made it hard to breathe. Slowly, I turned my head toward her, and she pulled her head back from my shoulder to stare at me. Her eyes were more brown than green in thedim light of the living room, and the way she looked at me, as if I were the answer to all her questions, made me feel a rush of feelings I couldn’t identify.
“Aileen?” I said, scanning her face, trying to figure out what it was she was trying to do.
Then, before I could process anything, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine.
At that point in my life, I knew nothing about sex, or intimacy, or anything to do with the subject of romance. I’d been sheltered, with soccer being my whole life before Aileen came along. I had always avoided watching the porn videos some of my friends sent me, since they didn’t really interest me yet. I saw them as vulgar and boring, so I didn’t bother clicking on any of those links.
But when Aileen’s maddening scent tingled my nose, followed by the soft touch of her lips, I was suddenly in a territory I had never dared broach before. Because, for the first time in my life, I felt desire. Lust, even.
For her.
Only for her.
