An Unexpected Hunger (9 page)

“He will.
”

“And what makes you say that?”
I asked.

“Because he’d be crazy not to.”

His body felt warm and solid. His skin glistened with sun-sparkling beads of water. Our faces were so close, just a lips distance apart. I smelled the faint fragrance of the cologne I picked. Everything about him at that moment was drawing me in, telling me to forget about whatever stupid agreement I had made with myself. I had to remember why I was different from the other girls he so easily conquered. I had enough sense to pull away at the right moment.

So why wasn’t I moving?

“We better go back,” I said in just above a whisper. “I think I saw a jelly fish.”

I grabbed his arms, releasing myself from his grip.

I threw on the black sheer cover-up Mia lent me, feeling more comfortable with the extra coverage. After we were tired of laying in the sun, we all walked to the beach bar just across the way. We found a table by the edge of the sand and settled in with some drinks and appetizers.

“Yo, Ricky!”

We all turned our attention to the two guys who were sitting at the table next to us. They were tall and attractive, each with sun-kissed cheeks.

“Hey, Mark…what’s up?” Ricky said with a straight-lined smile.

Mark
walked over to our table, and Ricky turned his head and rolled his eyes.

“You know my sister and Nick,” Ricky said.

“Yeah, hey…what’s up,” Mark said, nodding their way.

Ricky jutted his thumb towards me. “This is Alexa. Nick’s sister.”

Mark flashed me a big smile. “Hey.”

I gave him a hello and
short wave of my hand.

“
Your girlfriend or…?” Mark asked.

Ricky’s eyes glinted my way. “No,” he
snickered. “Just a friend from way back.

I pretend
ed not to pay attention as Ricky clenched his jaw.

“You guys should come by my place tonight,” Mark said. “I’m having a little get together with a few friends. It’ll be a good time.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Ricky nodded.

“Cool…
about nine. You remember where, right?”

Mark eventually made his way back to his table, but not before giving me a wink. I turned my face out towards the ocean view, hoping my burning
cheeks weren’t giving me away.

“It’s so beautiful here,” I said, feeling the ocean breeze whip through my hair.

“It is,” Ricky murmured, staring right at me.

“We should do this more often,” Mia said. “It’s like old times again.”

“Yeah,” Nick smirked. “Only this time we’re actually legal.”

“Got into some pretty crazy shit
back then,” Ricky said, leaning back in his chair. “Remember, Lex?”

“No
,” I chuckled. “If I remember right, you and Nick were the ones in trouble all the time. I don’t remember Mia and I ever letting you two talk us into whatever crazy scheme you were getting into.”

For the next two hours
we all took turns telling our favorite stories. We laughed as Nick retold the incident of sledding down two flights of stairs during a bad winter storm when we were ten. I remembered watching with Mia as Nick and Ricky plowed into the brick wall at the end, toppling over each other. The stuff they did back then…it was incredible that they never broke any bones.

The waiter came with the check, and Ricky snatched it up before anyone had a chance to argue.

“I need to take a piss,” Nick said, getting up.

“I’m with you on that,” Ricky replied

“Thanks for the news flash,” I said.

Nick planted a kiss on Mia’s head. “Don’t miss me too much.”

“No chance of that happening,” she said, smiling. He tugged on a lock of her hair before walking towards the bathroom with Ricky.

Mia signed Ricky’s name when the waiter came back with the receipt. We grabbed our things and headed towards the door.

“What was that all about
earlier,” I asked Mia, gesturing towards Mark.

Mia shrugged. “I don’t know.
Ricky can’t stand him for some reason. I don’t think he’s that bad.”

I looked back at Mark who gave me one more wave before we walked out the door.

BEING BACK AT
Ricky’s house was a little weird. The last time I was here his mom, so tiny and frail, occupied the sofa. The house looked the same inside, except for a few things that had changed, including the couch. Mia spent the summer here, but returned to her dorm on campus once the Fall semester started.

Mia led me into the bathroom in the master bedro
om upstairs to shower and change before she headed to do the same in the bathroom down the hall. I sat under the warm water, feeling the sand sliding down my skin. I was easily distracted by the thought of Ricky and how it felt to be so close to him. So distracted that I couldn’t remember whether or not I shampooed my hair. Once I was convinced I had washed away every grain of sand, I grabbed the towel and stepped out of the shower.

As soon as I had both feet on the bathroom rug
, and the towel just about wrapped around my body, Ricky came bursting through the door I thought I had locked.

“Ricky! What
the hell! Ever hear of knocking?” I said, adjusting my towel.

“I’m sorry,” he replied
. He turned his head even though I could see him peering over in the mirror. “The lock on the door is broken. I heard the shower in the hallway and figured you were in there.”

“It’s fine,” I
said. “I’ll pretend it
wasn’t
intentional.”

“It wasn’t.
I swear.” He tried to hide the smile dying to make an appearance and giggled like a little kid. He turned slowly, probably waiting for me to kick him out. I stood there, clinging to the notch of my towel.

Ricky edged closer and closer, our eyes never breaking. The energy from the incident in the water was still palpable, stronger even. The closer he came, the less I wanted to fight the urge to hop on top of him. It had been almost six months since I let myself even touch another man. My body ached in the most painful way
. When Ricky’s lips fell on mine, I finally gave in to it.

At first, the kiss was sweet and gentle. Ricky slightly opened his mouth
, and when I let my tongue slide with his our kissing grew more desperate. I leaned into him as he pulled my waist closer to his body. Wrapping my arms around his neck, Ricky hoisted me onto the vanity. I didn’t care one way or the other whether my towel came with me. I hitched my legs around his, drawing him in even closer. His mouth moved down my jawline, gently kissing my neck. The feeling spread tingly warmth all the way down to my toes.

“Wait, wait…
Ricky, we can’t.” I said.

“Why?” he breathed into my ear.
He ran his hand up my thigh, and I practically melted onto the counter.

“Ricky…” I tried to push him away, but his lips al
l over me felt too damn good. I held my breath, and gave it one more try. “Really…we shouldn’t do this.”

He finally stopped
and pulled back. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

We froze in place
when Mia knocked on the door. “I got that hair dryer you wanted.”

“Okay, be right there,” I said.
My heart was nearly in my throat, and I flinched at the sound of my own voice.

Before I had time to hop off the counter, Ricky swung the door open. Mia’s eyes widened, looking past her brother to find me smoothing down my hair. He
grabbed the hair dryer and handed it to me, walking right past her without saying a word.

“Thanks,” I said. “You came just in time.”

She closed the door, letting her smile do all the talking.

Mia and Nick were itching to go out somewhere that wasn’t the Mug.

“I’m not up for it,” Ricky said.

Mia rolled her eyes. “What about you, Lexy?”

“Sure,” I said. “I’ll go.”

Ricky stomped off, while Mia led me upstairs to borrow some of her clothes.

It was nearly nine thirty when Mia and I came down the steps, ready to go. Nick and Ricky were already in the living room, slung back on the couch, each with a beer in hand.

“I thought  you said you weren’t coming?” Mia asked Ricky.

He shrugged his shoulders and took a sip. “I changed my mind.”

“Mia!” Nick said, getting up. “You
’re not seriously wearing that out, are you?”

She looked down at her clothe
s. “Why? What’s the matter?” she said, looking at me.

“I think you look great,” I shrugged
.

Ricky rolled his eyes at me. “Of course you do…look at what
you’re
wearing.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I asked, now examining my own clothes.

Ricky got up and grabbed his car keys. “You’re both wearing just enough clothing to make one complete outfit.”

We all piled into Ricky’s car;
Mia and Nick in the back, while I sat in the front with Ricky.

Mark’s house was brimming with people, the house reverberating with music.
Once we were inside, Nick and Ricky trudged through the crowd to find us something to drink.

I spotted Mark across the way and offered him a quick smile. He stopped the conversation he was in the middle of
and walked towards us.

“You guys came!” he said, giving me and Mia a hug.

“Yeah,” I shouted over the music. “Thanks for the invite.”

“No problem,” he shouted back. “Can I get you guys something drink?”

“The guys are on it now,” Mia said.

Mark leaned close to my ear. “You look sexy as hell,” he whispered.

I shot him a quick glance as Ricky and Nick returned with the drinks.

“Here,” Ricky
said, shoving the drink in my face. “All that’s left is beer.”

Mark took a few steps back from Ricky’s extended arm
.

“This place is amazing,” I said to Mark. The house was huge and beautifully decorated. Peeking through the huge glass doors in the back revealed a large, white-lit in-ground pool.

“Thanks,” Mark said.

Ricky smirked. “It’s his parent
s’ place. What are they out of town tonight?”

“Yeah,” Mark muttered. “For the next couple of weeks.” He and Ricky stared at one another for a few seconds.
I almost thought they were going to duel or joust or whatever the hell pissing contest guys did.

“H
ow about a tour?” I asked Mark.

He smiled wide. “Sure.”

I followed Mark, and left Ricky alone before he could get out another word.

* * *

Mark led me through the house, leading me upstairs. I caught a quick glance at Ricky who was following our every move with his eyes.

After peeking through all the rooms, we ended back downstairs by the pool.

“So you and Ricky aren’t-”

“No,” I said, not letting him finish. “Not at all.”

Mark smiled. “That’s good. You don’t seem like his type, anyway. He usually likes the ones that don’t talk too much.”

Mia came trotting towards us. “I’ve been looking all over for you,” she said, pulling me towards the dance floor.

The song changed, and Mia and I joined the pack of people crammed onto the makeshift dance floor in the living room. She and Nick stuck to each other like two stickers, while I felt Mark come up behind me. I danced until the sweat poured from my skin, and my feet ached in my heels.

Every once in a while
I scanned the room for Ricky, who seemed to be getting very familiar with the voluptuous, dark headed girl he was occupied with all night. I tried not to pay attention as he swept her long hair back and whispered in her ear.

“I need a break,
” I yelled to Mia after the fifth song. I fanned my face and walked outside. I found an empty patio chair and plopped down, feeling the cool air.

“Tired
already?” Mark asked. He grabbed my hand, dragging me back up.

“My feet,” I muttered. “They’re killing me.”

Mark scooped me up and over his shoulders. He walked over to the pool, threatening to throw me in.

“Let me down!” I laughed.

He set me back on my feet, and I stumbled on the uneven stone. I grabbed his arms for support as the heel of my shoe snapped off.

“Shit!” I said, taking off Mia’s
shoe.

“Oh man,” Mark chuckled. “I think I have some crazy glue to fix that. Come on.” He nodded me over
, and I followed back inside, passing Ricky and his next conquest on the way.

Mark rummaged through the linen closet at the end of the hallway. “I swear I had some,” he said.