South Row (12 page)

“Ten years ago, I touched something that was, by all intents, purposes and law, forbidden,” I begin, staring deeply into frightened cerulean blues. “And that touch scarred me for life.”

She takes an audible gasp and the flowers in her hands start shaking. I step closer to her and keep going as I speak.

“I have tried to forget you, South, and for a while I thought I did, but seeing you now…I’m scared shitless because it shows me that I never got over you. Not by a long shot,” I conclude, now almost face to face with her.

Tears swim in her eyes and it’s like I am staring into the calm of an ocean. She is so fucking beautiful. Her lips are red and bruised from her chewing on them, but I just want to claim them. Claim her.

Seeing her with Luke awakened something inside of me. Call it jealousy if you want, but I call it a heartbeat. My heart started pounding, like there was no life in it before. I knew right then and there that if she moved on I would never be happy, not with Kaylee, not with anyone; and if I can’t be happy, I’d die a slow and painful death as South makes my best friend happy. And I have no doubt that she would. Neither am I going to doubt that Luke would make it his fucking life’s mission to make her happy. Just a few days, and he’s hooked like a fish.

So, what about Kaylee?
my annoying inner voice chimes in. Oh, hush now!

“Wait, aren’t Connor and South the same age?” Johann asks.
Oh, crap.

“Um, yeah,” Wyatt answers. “So that would have made her…”

“Ten years ago…” Johann calculates.

“Shit!” Wyatt and Johann exclaim together, aghast.

Even Luke looks surprised. I guess she didn’t tell him our history after all. Now I look like a monster.

“Dude,” Wyatt whispers, shocked out of his wits. “You fucked her ten years ago?” Yes, master of the fucking obvious!

It sounded so more romantic when I said it.

“Hey, buddy,” South snaps at Wyatt, shoving a finger in his chest. Ah, my little firecracker. “Leave him alone. I seduced him.”

I groan, “No, South, that is so not better.”

The guys all burst into laughter. It is at my expense, but at least they’re laughing. South flushes with embarrassment, the little martyr, and clamps down on her bottom lip. Not helping.

Reaching out, I tug her lip loose, but the contact is like an electric current through my fingertips. She feels it, too. Her lips part on a silent intake of breath and her eyes snap to mine. I can’t bring my hand away from her face. I trail her bottom lip with a finger, feeling the soft supple flesh. Her tongue peeks out and wets her lips, touching my fingertip with the barest of touches that I feel all the way to my toes. I need a diversion before I mall her right here, right now. Wracking my brain, I find the perfect thing.

This is neither the place nor the time, but I know if I don’t ask her this now, I’ll never ask again. Not because I don’t want to know and it is important for me to know, but because the question will probably get lost somewhere between us taking our clothes off and fucking each other senseless. Although…

“Where were you?” I ask.

“Nebraska,” she whispers.

“Why-why didn’t you try to find me?”

“I was scared.” It is barely audible, but I hear her loud and clear and know what she must be thinking.

Maybe if she had reached out to me all those years ago, it would’ve been easy for me to let her go. At the time, she was still young and I was so deep in law school that I’d had no time for dates much less girlfriends. I would’ve probably seen her as a deterrent. I probably wouldn’t have seen her at all. Not the way I see her now.

All around us feels eerily quiet. It feels like we’re the only two people in existence right now. Nothing else matters but her and me. Right here. Right now. We are breathing each other’s air, staring deeply into each other’s eyes and I feel the pull; that magnet to steel force that always draws us together. This is a turning point for us, I feel it. Nothing can ruin this moment.

Nothing, except…

“Collin.”
Liam motherfuckin’ Stone showing his face.

My hand falls from South’s face quickly, the loss palpable. A flash of confusion shadows her features, which quickly morphs into irritation. Yeah, I’d be irritated with me too.

“Collin, I thought I saw you in there,” he says, coming to pat me on the back. “Somerville I should’ve known you’d be here, too.” He turns to me, observing my friends. “You don’t leave the pack behind, I see.”

I don’t say anything. I can’t. Not without getting fired. The man has the worst timing.

“Ahh, the lovely beauty,” Liam muses, taking South’s hand and placing a lingering kiss to it.

He’s a dead man.

I step up to him, but Luke clicks his tongue to get my attention and shakes his head ‘no’. I’m still super pissed at him, but, he’s right. If I do anything that links me with South in any way, the shit storm that will unfurl because of it might not only lose me my job, but jeopardize Luke’s as well. So I step back, clenching and unclenching my fists to calm the fuck down.

“Oh, you were a vision up there. You made an old man’s heart flutter, and that’s not good in my condition,” Liam flirts.

Cue gag reflex.

Is this guy seriously hitting on my…my…whatever, in front of me? All I envision are old balls and I’m grossed out. I shake my head to de-clutter it of the atrocious images and clear my throat, to remind him there are still people around. He straightens up and drops her hand, his eyes lingering a bit too long on her. Finally he focuses on everyone else.

“Wonderful to see you boys again,” he says to my friends. “I heard about this place from a friend of mine and I’m glad I came.” He glances quickly at South and I swear she turns green.

I want to laugh, but I suspect this is not the time.

“As a matter-of-fact, I’m a little miffed that my future son-in-law didn’t tell me about this place,” he teases.

I want to disappear. South winces and I see her face fall. Tears dance in her eyes and she looks away as if in pain. I want to hug her and reassure her that she means everything to me right now, but I’m a coward. I can’t take that risk with Liam right here. Besides, I think I should break up with Kaylee the right way, face-to-face. Just…not tonight. Or tomorrow.

“I didn’t know these places were your type of hangout,” I tell him, to get the subject away from my upcoming nuptials.

“What, a place crawling with beautiful women in different stages of undress, dancing erotically?” he asks sarcastically, rolling his eyes. I forget this man is a philanderer.

His wife only puts up with his cheating ways because he showers her with gifts. You can know when Liam has a new piece of ass, just look for the new car or the new diamond on Melora’s finger, or the new mink coat around her shoulders. It’s all about image with the Stones, and with image comes power and prestige. If she were to ever leave him, so will the power and prestige she has amassed from being Mrs. Liam Stone. They’re all power brokers in whatever shape or form and you would be lucky to even breathe the same air as they do, because simply
that
could land you in the big leagues, big time. It’s not about love. It’s about an image and what that image will bring.

Is that what I am destined for with Kaylee?
You already know the answer to that, brainiac,
my snarky inner voice comments. Do I?

“Well, I’ll leave you boys to it,” Liam bids. “Give my angel a kiss for me.” He stares at me pointedly and, for a moment, I’m afraid he heard what I said to South.

“Yes, sir,” I answer meekly.

“And as for you, sweet Sunshine,” he addresses South with a dreamy look. “You must do me the honor of dinner.”

What…the…fuck?

This time I do step to the old fart and Luke doesn’t stop me. South ends up saving me from making an ass of myself and potentially losing my job.

“I’m sorry, I don’t date patrons,” she answers.

“Hmm,” he mumbles. “I should remember that,” he says, looking at me.

I know what that means:
You
should remember that. It’s a warning.

He bids us a good night then strides off into the night. We all breathe a sigh of relief, but the air is crackling with nervous energy. I know I should leave before he calls his daughter, my fiancée, but I can’t seem to move. I can’t seem to stop staring. She is so beautiful.

“Well, uh,” Luke stammers. “That was, uh, interesting.”

“Understatement of the year,” Connor mutters.

Wyatt sighs and chimes in, “This whole night has been a little stressful. I think we all need some rest.”

“I second that,” Johann agrees.

“Come on, South,” Luke calls.
Oh, hell no.

“No way,” I
protest. “She goes nowhere with you, Somerville.”

“Dude, she
is
my girlfriend,” Luke persists, angering me further.

“Not gonna happen,” I threaten. “It ends tonight.” My voice is low and menacing. I mean every single word. It is not a debate. No other alternative.

“Are you seriously telling me who I can and cannot date?” South grits out.
Oh, shit.

“South…” I hedge, because that look on her face spells all kinds of death. Yes, I’m scared. What of it?

“Oh, South, honey, cut the man some slack. He is in love with you after all. I could never compete,” Luke resigns with a mischievous smile. He’s giving in? What is he playing at?

South directs her pissed off gaze at him and his face wilts the slightest bit. His game face slips back on quickly as he clears his throat and squares his shoulders, but the cornered animal look in his eyes betrays it all.

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who’s afraid of the little spitfire.

She turns back to me and says stubbornly, “He’s my ride home.”

“We can take you home,” I suggest.

“No,” she argues. Her voice takes on a softer, sadder tone when she says, “I just…I can’t be around you now. Not after that.” She gestures in the direction that Liam walked off.

“South, please…” I step toward her but she halts me with a raised hand.

“I’ve got a lot to think about, Collin. Just…give me time.”

Time. Okay. Time. That’s all she wants. How much can she need?

“Five hours? Twelve? A day? How about we talk tomorrow and–”

“Collin,” she utters sternly. “Time. That’s all I need. How much is entirely up to me.”

I sigh, trying to be reasonable. It’s a hard thing to do, considering that I could lose her, but I do nod. It is a slight, barely noticeable nod, but a nod nonetheless.

“Besides, I have to drop her home. You know, one for the road,” Luke adds, causing my blood pressure to rise.
Fucking fuck!

South glares at him, but her face is on fire. Oh dear God, please let them not have had sex already.

“We are so
not
having sex!” she hisses.
Sweet, baby Jesus, thank you!

Luke looks really upset about it, but shrugs his shoulders. “I thought I was ready to be a one woman man, but, alas, the universe agrees. I need to be around and single if I am going to save the world, one busted nut at a time.”

“Oh, my God, you’re gross,” South grouses. “Take me home, ho-bag.”

“That’s
Mr.
Ho-bag to you. And don’t you forget it.” He taps her nose and I feel the urge to break my best friend’s stupid finger.

Luke tells us goodnight and trots off to get his car while South stays behind.

Stepping closer to me, she says, “I want you to know that you hurt me deeply.”

I nod grimly. Don’t I know it?

“And what hurts worse is that you’re getting married and didn’t have the decency to tell me.”
Double fuck-up.
“Lydia wants to chop off your balls.” The Amazon chick. “And Scott doesn’t want to fuck you anymore.” I don’t know if I should be relieved or…I don’t know, flattered that he ever wanted to fuck me? Weird.

“But what you should be worried about is whether or not I want to chop your balls off…” Ouch. “Or whether or not I want to sleep with you.”

Which one is worse you say?

A life w
ithout Southerlynn Row. Simple.

“I can’t believe that actually worke
d!” I utter in sheer disbelief. Luke and I are driving home in his Audi R8, and I am tripping over the night’s events.

“I told you it would work. Never underestimate the master,” Luke gloats.

“Master at what?” I chuckle. “Lying and manipulation?”

“I knew my skills would come in handy someday. If not for getting out of an arranged marriage with an exotic Island Princess to save her endangered peoples, then definitely to do something like this.” I can’t help but
laugh at him. He’s hilarious…and cute. Why couldn’t I have been hung up on him again?

“This is my one good deed,” he carries on. “Jesus…” He looks up to the starry sky. “I hope you saw that.”

Laughing louder, I punch him in the arm. It really was a sweet thing for him to do – putting his friendship on the line just so I could
maybe
get the guy of my dreams.

When Luke had told me the plan I was skeptic, not believing for a moment that this kind of trickery would work. Honestly, I had kind of given up. When the guy you’ve spent your entire life pining after hits you with the “I’m getting married, just not to you” line – even if he didn’t really say it – heartbreak eats up your hopes and tarnishes your fatuous little notions of love just like that. And when
that
happens, bitterness and sadness settles in its place. So, I was feeling a little bitter and a lot sad.

But Luke’s devil’s tongue lured me in. “What have you got to lose?” Luke had said. What
did
I have to lose? Especially when I had only small glimpses of victories: a touch, a kiss, a feel, a cataclysmic orgasm…all shattered by everything that happened after those “victories”.

I really had nothing to lose, only more to gain. And boy, did I gain it tonight! The only thing that can ruin this progress is my guilt; guilt over possibly ruining Collin’s relationship; guilt over the heartbreak that will follow; guilt over
–

“Don’t do that,” Luke admonishes, jolting me from my guilt trip. “Don’t go there, Tiger.” 

He knows.

I sigh. “It’s just–”

“No,” he maintains in a firm voice and with a stern look on his face.

Luke is adamant that I am the girl for his friend; that Kaylee doesn’t deserve him. He seems to really hate this girl. The mere mention of her, whether by her actual name or his sweet name for her –
bitch
– causes a dark look of disgust to pass over his face. Right now, his fingers are clutching his steering wheel and grinding it to the point where his knuckles are white. Oookaayyy.

“Why do you hate her so much?” I venture.

“She’s…I can’t stand her. She isn’t real. She’s poison. She’s…” He sighs and rubs his forehead, clearly a little distressed. “I can’t even explain it, but I know she’s not the woman for Collin. Just trust me.” He turns weary, pleading eyes to me and I ache for my friend. He seems torn, pained. So I nod, mollifying him and myself.

We pull up to my complex and he decides to walk me up to my apartment. As I unlock my door, I hear stifled giggles and shuffling in my apartment. Luke hears it too.

He puts a finger to his lips for me to be quiet and moves me aside to open the door. As soon as he does, he bursts in and is pounced on by a laughing Lydia.

“Lynnie!” she squeals, but soon realizes it isn’t me. With a garbled
oops
, she slips off of Luke and falls to the ground.
Glad to know I’m not the only uncoordinated one around here.

“Careful,” Luke warns softly as he steadies her on her feet.

Lydia is a giggling mess – which means she and Scott have been drinking and she’s drunk – but when she comes face to face with Luke her giggles die on a hiccup and she stares at him entranced. Luke is transfixed, lips parted in mid gasp. Neither of them says anything for long moments, just stare at each other, until Scott breaks the tension.

“We’re drunk,
biatch!” he announces in a high-pitched voice.

“I can see that, honey.” He is upside down on my sofa, with his long legs hanging off the back of it, twirling an empty wine glass between his fingers.

And Luke and Lydia have not budged. I smile like the cat that got the damn canary after watching the little shit for far too damn long. It’s not hard to see that Luke’s search is over – not that he’d been looking for the “one”. So is Lydia’s. They’ve found each other. Thank God!

I thought Lydia was gonna end up an old maid like I was destined to be, and we were gonna share an apartment full of cats, talking about the not-so-good ole days when we were young and hot and couldn’t get a man. And I thought Luke was going to die a horrible death by vagina...not a bad way to go, if you really think about it.

I pass them and head farther into the living room, and as I do, I cunningly but nonchalantly throw out, “Luke meet Lydia. Lydia meet Luke”, then help get my other friend upright before he pukes all over my dirt-stiff carpet. That would have been a bitch to get out.

“Nice to meet you,” Lydia says softly, shyly. Shy? Lydia shy? That’s a laugh.

“Uh, um, yeah,” Luke stutters. Luke shy? And speechless? That’s an even bigger laugh!

And totally, and completely sweet! Aww!!!

“Hey, gay boy,” I call out to a drunk Scott.

“Yeah, psycho quasi-virgin?” he answers.

“Time to get in my bed,” I tell him, easing him up.

“Are you gonna finally turn me straight?”

“Yeah, sweetie. It’s about time.”

“But, I don’t want to. It’ll hurt,” he slurs, staggering upright.

“Don’t worry, sweetie, I’ll be gentle.” I lead him to my room and undress him, leaving him in his shirt and boxers. Pulling back the covers, I lay his heavy ass down and tuck him in.

“Goodnight, Lynnie,” he whispers sleepily.

“Goodnight, baby.” I kiss the top of his head and smile down at him. God, I love him. My little fairy baby.

Stripping out of my clothes, I wrap myself in a towel and head for the bathroom to cleanse my body of the evening. As I step out of my room, I am
not prepared to see Luke and Lydia mauling each other as they kiss.
Oh boy.

I just hope they keep it down when they go at it.
Nobody
wants a sexually frustrated South.

After showering, I carefully make my way out to the living room, en route to my bedroom
, not wanting to see Luke and Lydia bumping pretties – I’m pretty sure there’s nothing
ugly
about Luke, and Lydia is fucking beautiful. Surprisingly, they’re seated on the sofa facing each other and talking. Just talking.
I like this outcome better.

Smiling, I bid them a chirpy “goodnight” that they barely acknowledge before going back to their conversation. I am so happy they are getting to know each other. Even if Collin and I never work out, at least something good
has happened out of it all.

As I lay in bed, an image drifts to my periphery: Collin’s fiancée’s father talking to Fletcher. They seemed chummy. At one point, I saw them staring at me while the man spoke to Fletcher, as I got into Luke’s car. It felt as if they were talking about me…plotting something for me, maybe? I shrug off the ridiculous notion. They were probably talking about the hard-ons I gave their old ass
es.

I drift off to sleep, next to a snoring Scott. The last thing I think about, surprisingly and for the first time, is not Collin; but Lydia and Luke, hoping that they hit it off and find what I may never have with Collin.

**********

The pounding in my head intensifies with every passing second. You would think I have a hangover. As I crack an eye open against the sunlight spilling through the curtains in my bedroom, I roll my head to the side to see Scott still passed out, sleeping. It is then I realize that the pounding is not in my head, but at my door.

Someone has a lotta nerve, I can tell ya that much.

Throwing the covers off my legs, I stuff my feet into my combat boots and swipe up my baseball bat next to my bed – you never know when you’re gonna need a weapon. Glancing at the clock on the microwave as I pass the kitchen, I see that it is just after eight and I get even grumpier.

Luke and Lydia are nowhere to be found, but Lydia’s shorts are on the floor along with her panties. I guess somebody broke her vow of celibacy last night…or this morning…or whenever. Good for her.

The pounding increases and my irritation intensifies. I swear these Jehovah’s Witnesses are coming earlier and earlier. Well, I guess bat-shit crazy redhead in a Stone Temple Pilots tee, skimpy underwear, biker boots and a baseball bat will scare the fuckers. I’m more of a
Jesus is cool
chick anyway.

I fling the door open, ready to rip these Jehovah is God whackos a new one, but am confronted with the very delectable sight of Collin in faded jeans, grey Henley fitted to his every muscle and shoved up to his elbows, and grey Lanvin sneakers. Oh, those look sexy on his bowed legs. Before I can form a coherent thought – because his sexiness has seized and short-circuited my brain cells – he sweeps me into his arms and crushes his lips to mine.

It takes but a second for me to fall lax against him, my body melting into his kiss. And boy, what a kiss! It makes my toes curl, my head spin, my tummy flutter, my panties wet. All tension seems to vanish with his lips on mine like this. I am putty in his hands. Like the strings of a guitar, he plucks me just the right way to get beautiful music. In this kiss, he owns me.

Collin backs me to the wall, his hand trailing up my back to the nape of my neck, where his hand tangles in my hair. His other hand encircles my waist and br
ings my body flush against his. By this time, my baseball bat has long been forgotten, having fallen to the ground in a thud.

Growls rip from Collin’s throat as he lays claim to every inch of my mouth with his tongue. And, not to be outdone, I tangle my tongue with his, doing a little exploration, plundering and conquering of my own.
The minty taste of his breath is intoxicating, igniting ripples of fire through my bones.

Collin squeezes me to him and whimpers as he breathes out, as though in relief. When I feel his bulge against my stomach, the fire in the pit of my belly intensifies
like a volcano ready to explode, gushing the hot lava of my arousal down my thighs. There’s no quenching this fire, this desire…this love.

My fingers find their way into his hair and I grip the ends tightly. Collin groans and presses himself further into me. His groans turn into whimpers and I find myself elevated and my legs wrapped around his waist, with his hardening arousal pressed firmly against my wet, aching to be touched, or fucked, or both, core.

“S.T. Fucking P,” Collin growls in reference to my t-shirt, then latches himself to my lips once more.

Yes, we’ve always had a thing for rock bands growing up. Most times when I’d be in his room, we would lounge around listening to different rock bands, classic and otherwise. Our favorite band is Guns
’n’ Roses, and I’m not ashamed to admit, that Collin is the reason they’re my favorites. He had played
Paradise City
for me once and it was the first time I’d ever heard Axl Rose. I don’t remember what had happened that day, but I know it was some bullshit with that sperm donor guy – I refuse to call him ‘Dad’ – and that song gave me some intense feels. I desperately wanted to go to that city; anywhere, as long as it took me far, far away from Kenneth Row. It was such a cathartic moment; one that had me falling in love with both Collin and Axl Rose. It’s like Collin knew I needed cheering up, and used Axl to do it. Fucking amazing, isn’t he?

The hand at my waist dips down and he runs it over the curve of my ass and I whimper because I want his hand to go lower, to dip into my panties and touch what hasn’t been touched by
any
man but him. Mark you, Kitty Genovese – yes, I name my pussy – has seen a lot of action from me and Sir Whirs A lot – yes, I also name my vibrator – but nothing, and I do mean
nothing
beats the touch of a man.

…
Or so I’ve heard.

Squeezing my legs around his waist, the heels of my boots digging into his ass, I grind myself against the bulge in his pants. This, I guess, drives Collin crazy because he slams his hips into me and crushes his pelvis against my neglected sex.

Stars. That is what I see. And with another masterful stroke against my sensitive core, I shatter into tiny shards of ecstasy with a scream, waves and waves of pleasure rolling through my body causing my legs to go numb.
Holy shit.

A throat clearing from the door snaps our attention to it and we see Luke and Lydia hand in hand with shit-eating grins on their faces
; Lydia dressed in a completely different outfit than I saw her in last night. Scott stumbles from my bedroom, his usually well-groomed hair falling in disarray over his face, rubbing his eyes and scratching his bare chest, his morning wood greeting us better than he ever could.

The gang’s all here! Great. There goes my climactic high. I so hate my friends right now.