Sparrow (6 page)

“Hey,
sleepyhead,” she says.

My
eyes pop open.  “Hey.  Sorry.”  I blink.

“You’re
not into this, are you?”

“The
movie?”  I glance over her head to see Kevin Bacon start to dance inside a
barn.  “Ah…”

She
laughs.  “It’s okay.”  Her mouth finds mine again and then she whispers, “Would
you rather do something else?”

Um,
yes.
  I
respond with a lazy smile.  “What did you have in mind?”

She
pushes herself up until she’s sitting on her knees.  Her hands find the bottom
of my shirt and start to lift it as she leans in toward me again.  “How about
we start with getting rid of this?”

Sounds
good to me.  I prop myself up to catch her mouth with mine as she raises my
shirt to my shoulders.  I lift one arm, then the other, then break our kiss to
help her pull it off over my head.  She tosses it on the floor.

Her
eyes follow her fingers as she trails them over my chest, around my ribs, and
down my stomach to land on the waistband of my jeans.  All my muscles tense as
she moves forward and kisses her way back up the same path.  When she reaches
my shoulder, she slides one leg over my waist and settles herself across my
hips.

Damn.
  Instantly, my jeans feel
two sizes too small.

She
sets her elbows on either side of my head, and I realize it’s my turn.  I grab
her shirt and pull it off, coming face to face with her chest.  The changing
light from the television tells me her bra is pale pink, and I want to take
that off too, but I’m not sure how far she wants to go.  I mean, we’ve messed
around a little, but nothing like this.

Instead,
I decide to kiss her neck, her jawline, and her chin.  My hands trace her
spine, and I think she shivers.

“Are
you cold?” I whisper beneath her ear.

She
shakes her head and pushes herself upright.  Her hands disappear behind her
back and when I see them again, they’re sliding her bra down her arms.  My eyes
must double in size because she quietly laughs, “This can’t be the first time
you’ve seen some of these.”

It’s
not, but it’s the first time I’ve seen hers.  There’s a difference.  The way I
feel about Addison…I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.  Age and
hormones aside, when I look into her eyes, I feel something deep and
unexplainable.  Something exciting and scary.  Something I don’t want to lose
or, God forbid, screw up.

I
allow myself a smile as I take her lingerie from her fingers and toss it over
my shoulder.  Before I have a chance to touch her though, she leans forward
again, pressing her body to the length of mine and burying her head beneath my
chin.  We’re skin to skin as I wrap my arms around her and follow the contours of
her back.  She has to be the softest thing I have ever felt.

As
minutes pass and my hands continue to roam, I can feel her heartbeat accelerate. 
Soon, my pulse matches hers, and I find myself pressing my fingers deeper into
her skin, kneading her muscles beneath the palms of my hands.  Her lips find my
shoulder and then my neck before landing on my mouth and kissing me hard.  She
grabs my hair and twists it in her fingers as our bodies move against one
another.  It’s an awesome, yet excruciating feeling.  I want the rest of our
clothes off.  Now.

Shifting
my weight, I slide out from beneath her, and she rolls on to her side, facing
me.  I reach for the top of her shorts and unfasten the button, then feel her hands
at my waist doing the exact same thing. 
Good to know we’re on the same page
,
I think as I work my mouth against hers and my hand in between her clothes and
her hip.  She runs her fingers over me as she lowers the zipper on my jeans,
and a surge of adrenaline snaps up my back.  I clutch at her hip and groan as
she smiles against my lips.

“Addison? 
We’re home!”

Holy
shit.

Instantly,
our eyes lock.  Addison pushes against my chest and whispers, “Get under the
bed!”

Panicked,
I do as I’m told.  I scramble to the floor as Addison moves to the center of
the mattress and quickly pulls the blankets over her.  I lie on my back and scoot
into the barely six-inch wide space; I have to press my cheek to the ground so
my damn head will fit.  Thoughts of her father demonstrating his marksmanship
blast through my mind as my shoulders register carpet burn.

Just
as I’m concealed, a ray of light appears across the bedroom floor.  “There you
are,” Beth says as she opens her daughter’s door.  “In bed already?”

“The
hike wore me out,” Addison lies.  “I decided to watch a movie.  Why are you back
so soon?”

Her
mother walks into the room, and I see Sam’s paws pass behind her ankles.  He
immediately puts his nose to the ground and makes a beeline straight for me. 
No!
I silently pray. 
Don’t give me away! 
Not only is it bad that I’m
hiding; it will look even worse if I’m found half-dressed and hard.

“Your
father didn’t feel well after dinner, so we decided to skip the show,” her
mother explains.  “How was your trip?  Did you have a good time?”

“Yes.”

Addison
doesn’t elaborate as Sam’s nose inches closer to mine.  I decide to hold my
breath.  There’s not much else I can do.

“Is
that all you have to say?”  Her mother sounds impatient.

“Well,
I got a blister on my heel.  It’s gross.  Would you like to see it?”

Why
in the world would she ask that?  What if her mom says yes?

“Oh,
no.”  Beth sounds disgusted.  “Did you use the antiseptic?”

“Of
course.”

Just
then, Sam’s nose bumps against mine.  He licks my face, and I can’t do anything
but slam my eyes shut and take it.

“Sam! 
What are you chewing on under there?”

“Oh,
probably a toy,” Addison says to appease her mother.  I feel the bed move. 
“Sam!  Go on; get out of there.”

His
face leaves mine, and I get the feeling Addison is pushing him away.

“Addison
Renee!”  Her mother’s voice sounds shocked.  “Are you sleeping in the nude?”

Christ!

“Mom,
it’s not a crime.”  Addison sounds exasperated.

Silence
passes between mother and daughter, and I imagine Beth’s eyes scouring the room
for any trace of my existence.  Nervously, I wait for her to find my shirt on
the floor.

“Modesty
is a virtue,” Beth eventually sighs.  “Please remember that.”

I
open one eye to see her feet backing away.  “Do you want the dog in your room?”

“He
can stay,” Addison says.

Finally,
I hear the door shut.  It’s like music to my ears.  I start breathing again.

After
a moment, Addison appears on the floor on all fours.  “You’re going to have to
leave out the window.”  She grins.

“I’m
glad you find this funny,” I whisper as I start to maneuver my way out of
hiding.  “I have rug burn on my back and dog spit on my face.”

She
stifles a laugh and grabs my arm to help pull me free.  “You’re still hot
though.”

When
I stand, I fasten my pants and notice she’s wearing her shirt again.  “Well,
this is disappointing.”  I trace her collar with one finger.  “You’re dressed.”

With
a wry smile, she repeats her mother’s words.  “Modesty is a virtue.”

I
search the floor for my t-shirt and come face to face with Samson.  “Dude, you
almost got me in trouble,” I quietly chastise him.  “You’re supposed to be my
wing man.”  He tries to lick me again.

I
find my shirt, pull it on, and then go to work removing the screen from
Addison’s window.  Luckily, it’s the same kind we have at our place, and all I
have to do is flip a few clasps.  I hand it to her as I step on to the bed,
then hoist myself over the window ledge.  Once I’m on the ground, I look back
up.

“Good
night,” I whisper.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See
you tomorrow.”

I
start to walk away.

“Hey,
Kyle?”

“Yeah?”

Addison
places her hands on the ledge and leans forward.  “Don’t think we’re not
finishing this.”  She smiles.

I
wink at her, then turn and walk away.

My
sentiments exactly.

“That’s
the only reason he likes you, you know.”

I
pull another piece of turkey from my sandwich and feed it to Sam.  “He’s a good
dog,” I defend my action.  “He deserves a treat.”

Addison
grimaces.  “Then you deserve to deal with his upset stomach.”  She grabs his
collar.  “C’mon beggar,” she says and leads Sam away from me, his supplier. 
They walk to where I anchored a rope around an oak tree, and she leans over to
tie him up.

I
finish my sandwich in two bites and start to pick up what’s left of our lunch. 
Tossing the garbage in a grocery bag, I notice Sam kicked up one edge of the
blanket Gram lent us for our picnic.  I kneel to fix it as Addison makes her
way back to me.   Her pale green sundress hugs her waist and brushes her knees;
it’s strapless and barely there.  She smiles as she pushes her long hair over
one shoulder, and I forget how to breathe for a minute.  God, I’m lucky.

When
she reaches the blanket, she pushes against my shoulders and falls forward, landing
on top of me.  I let out an “oompf” and she laughs as I catch her.  She slides
off my chest, settling into my side.

“I
like this place,” she says as she weaves her fingers through mine.  “How did
you find it?”

“By
accident,” I say.  “I ended up here one day on the quad.”

Two
summers ago, I stumbled across this property.  When I asked Gram about it, she
said it used to be a working farm, complete with an orchard, cows, chickens, pigs,
you name it.  She said a friend she went to high school with used to live here,
but his family moved and the place changed hands a few times.  Years ago,
lightning struck the barn, and everything went up in flames, even the house.

“I
like the trees,” Addison says.

“Me
too.”

Scattered
around the property are several huge oaks, the shade from their branches
keeping the grass low.  Just beyond them is the crumbling cement foundation of
the farmhouse, and beyond that lies the orchard.  The fruit trees are still
there, overgrown and unkempt, but perfectly aligned.  The way nature took over makes
the land look like a painting.

“Something
draws you here,” Addison says, looking up at me.  “What is it?”

I
shrug my shoulder beneath her and look into her eyes.  “I don’t know.  It’s
neat.”  Then I smile, adding, “And secluded.”

“Be
careful.”  She arches an eyebrow.  “Your ulterior motives are showing.”

I
lower my lips to hers.  “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

Our
kiss is slow and deep, and I think we may be headed toward finishing what we
started a few days ago.  We haven’t had much time alone since that night, since
her father came down with a hell of a migraine.  Spending any time at her place
is forbidden until he feels better, so we’ve been hanging out at my cottage
with my ever-present brother and grandmother.  That’s when I came up with the
idea for this picnic, to get away.

Addison
breaks our kiss.  “I think it’s more than that,” she says.

“What’s
more?”

“Your
reason for coming here.”  She looks around.  “You have an eye for the outdoors.”

I
laugh.  “Okay.”

“You
do,” Addison says and pushes herself upright to sit beside me.  “Think about
it.  I noticed the way you were mesmerized by the falls when we went hiking; I
see how you look at this place now.”  She pauses.  “The garden you planted for
Gram is beautiful.”  She tips her head.  “I think you were meant to be outside.”

I
stare at her.  “You think I should stay outside?  Like a mountain man or
something?”

“No,”
she laughs.  “I’m saying you should think about working outdoors.  Like, for
college.”

Huh. 
I’d never considered that before.

“Besides,”
she says as she leans back over me, “I don’t think I’d like you with a beard.”

“Noted.” 
I smile.  “Never grow scraggly beard.  Check.”

Just
as I try to catch her mouth with mine again, the song on the radio changes. 
Addison jumps to attention as the unmistakable opening chords of “Freebird”
carry through the open windows of my truck.

“This
is my favorite song,” she says as her eyes light up.  She quickly stands and
backs away, offering me her hand.  “Dance with me.”

My
response is skeptical.  “I don’t dance.”  Truth be told, I’m so bad at it, I’m
afraid she’ll stop seeing me once she finds out.

“It’s
not a waltz, Kyle.”

True. 
It’s Skynyrd.

She
crooks her finger, gesturing for me to come here, and I obey despite my
reservations.  I wind my hands around her waist and pull her against me as we
start to move in a circle.

“See? 
It’s not that hard.”  Addison wraps her arms around my neck and tucks her head
beneath my chin.  “Every song has a beat.  You just have to find it.”

I
sigh, letting her set the rhythm.  She decides how fast we move; I’m only here
for support.  I always thought dancing was strictly a girl’s show, probably
because I’ve only been around it at school or at parties.  Girls are either
trying to get a guy’s attention or trying to show off for their friends when
they do.  But, today, there’s no one is here but Addison and me.  The longer we
move the more I realize dancing can be something different.  Something
meaningful.

The
music continues and Van Zant’s voice starts to croon about never changing.  I begin
to wonder why Addison loves this song.  It’s about a guy who leaves a girl
because he won’t change.

“Why
do you like this song?” I ask.  “I mean, it’s a classic, but the lyrics are
horrible.”

She
lifts her head to look at me.  “How so?”

“The
guy loves the girl, but he won’t change for her.”

“Don’t
be so literal.”

I
throw her a confused look.

“The
song is about being free,” she elaborates.  “Fly free bird?”

Again,
I’m lost.

“I’m
free,” she says.  “Just like the song.  I can’t change, and I won’t change.  I
am who I am.  I make my own decisions, damn the consequences.”

Ah,
I get it.  “This is about your parents, isn’t it?”

She
shakes her head.  “Not just them.  It’s about life, Kyle.  Everything in life.”

I
can’t help but smile at this amazing girl.  I’ve never met another like her;
she’s strong-willed, confident, and hot as hell.  She seems to have everything
figured out.

“So,
if you’re such a free bird, what kind of bird are you?” I ask.

“It’s
a metaphor.”

“I
know, but what kind of bird would you be?  I’d be a falcon.  Or maybe a hawk. 
Something dark and dangerous.”

“You
are
so
not dark and dangerous,” she scoffs.  “You’d be more like a
peacock.”

“Ew. 
Why?” I make a face.

“Your
changing eyes,” she says simply.  “And the fact that you have a, well, a…”  
She looks down at my crotch.

My
jaw drops.  “Seriously?  You’re basing my bird on my junk?”

She
grins.  “I guess that makes me a brown-eyed Booby.”

I
can’t believe she said that.  I start to laugh and she giggles.

“I
refuse to be a peacock and you cannot be a booby,” I say, laughing.  “Pick
something else.”

She
tries to be serious, but can’t hide her smile.  She glances over my head. 
“There,” she says, “that tiny brown bird.  I pick that.”

I
turn to look over my shoulder.  “A sparrow?”

“Yep,”
she says confidently.  “He’s cute.”

I
study the bird.  He hops along the tree branch and stops near the end, tilting
his head toward us as if asking, “What are you staring at?”  Another bird lands
on his branch, and he ruffles his feathers, shooing it away.  I turn back to
Addison.  “You’re right.  A sparrow fits you.  You two are definitely little
and feisty.”

She
smiles and the music from my truck picks up the pace; it’s the middle of the
song where the tempo changes.  Addison steps away from me and picks up the beat,
moving her arms and swaying her hips in time with the melody.  The sun reflects
off her hair, turning it a golden caramel brown, and I imagine her as a hippie,
dancing in a field back in the ‘60s.  She gives me an encouraging smile to join
her, but that’s not going to happen.  Since I can’t dance, I decide to break
out my mad air guitar moves that are typically reserved for the privacy of my
bedroom.  She laughs and jumps in time with the music as I pretend to be Slash
on tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd.  If the dog is watching, I’m sure he thinks we’ve
lost our minds.

Near
the end of the song, Addison grabs my hands and starts to pull me in a circle. 
Our arms are extended between us as we spin faster and faster, ring-around-the-rosy
style.  When she lets go, she crashes on to the blanket, laughing.  I follow
and land beside her, breathing hard.

“That
has to be the longest song on the planet,” I say, trying to catch my breath.

“I
think it is,” she pants.

I
roll on to my side and prop my head on my hand as Addison brushes her hair out
of her face.  It’s a wild, tangled mess around her head.  I try to help by
tucking a piece behind her ear, and she smiles up at me.  Her eyes lock on
mine, and it’s then that I know.

My
world has shifted, and she is the center of it.

I
knew I was falling for her.  Hell, I think I fell for her the minute I saw
her.  But there’s a difference between like and lust and love, and I’ve just
figured it out.  I liked her when I met her.  I lusted for her the other
night.  But now?  Now, I’ve fallen for her in the hardest way.  We can be serious,
and we can be stupid.  I have no secrets from her, and she doesn’t hold
anything back with me.  Yes, we just met.  Yes, we’re seventeen.  But something
inside me says she’s going to be a part of my life.  Forever.

“Why
are you looking at me like that?” she asks.

“Like
what?”

“Like
you just noticed me for the first time.”

I
swallow, suddenly nervous.  “Because I think I just did.”

She
lifts herself to her elbows and searches my face.  “You had the forever moment,
didn’t you?”

My
forehead pinches.  “How –?”

“Because
I had it last week.”  Her hand settles on the back of my neck, and she nudges
me forward.  “I had it when you showed me Gram’s garden.”

Her
eyes soften, and I find myself getting lost in them.  For the first time, I
notice flecks of gold swim in their chocolate brown color.  When I remember how
to breathe again, I catch her mouth with mine.  I explore the fullness of her
bottom lip and the soft curve of her smile.  She winds her fingers through my
hair, holds me in place, and sighs as our kiss deepens.  My hand leaves her
waist, catches her knee, and pulls her leg over my hip.  Her mouth disappears.

“I
think I’m mooning Sam.”

I
peer down and, yeah, her short sundress is bunched around her hip, revealing her
perfect, panty-clad backside.  I can’t help myself, and I grab it.  She laughs.

“Technically,
you’re not mooning anyone.”  I arch an eyebrow as I run my finger just under the
edge of her underwear.  “You’d have to take these off first.”

Mischievously,
her eyes lock on mine.  “I will if you will.”

I
have to bite my lower lip to keep from breaking out into a stupid grin.  She
really just said that.

To
prove I’m up for the challenge, I slide her leg off of mine and sit up.  I
reach for the button on my shorts and unfasten it before Addison’s hand flies
out to stop me.

“Wait.”

Damn
it.

She
curls her legs to the side and kneels.  “Let’s do it together.”

Hell
yes.

Now
I’m kneeling, too.  We face each other, inches apart.  “Should we count to
three?”

A
small laugh escapes her, and she looks up at me from under her lashes.  Her hands
find my pants, finishing what I started, then slide inside and around my hips
to land on my ass.  I wrap my arms around her waist, pull her against me, and
start to lift her dress to return the favor.

“Hey,”
she says quietly into my ear before kissing it.  “I want you to know this isn’t
my first time.”

My
hands stop moving and I lean back to look at her.  “What?”

She
blushes, which is something I rarely see her do.  “I just…I thought you should
know.  In case you wanted to change your mind.”

The
thought of her with another guy makes my stomach twist, although she did say
she used to have a boyfriend.  Did I really expect to be her first?  She’s not
mine.

I
kiss her forehead.  “I hate the thought of someone else touching you.”  I
pause.  “But that would never change my mind about us.  If we’re being honest,
it’s not my first time either.”

She
scrunches up her face, and I wish I could read her thoughts.  My past shouldn’t
be a deal breaker if hers isn’t.