Boy in a Band (A Morgan Mallory story) (14 page)

Chapter 17

Wh
en we got to the O’Conner’s, my mom walked in without knocking, which was pretty normal. The majority of the people were out back around the pool. We put our suits and towels in the guest bedroom off the hall, then Pat and I followed our parents out to the deck.

             
“Patty, Steve,” Ann flagged my parents and headed toward them. “Ready for a cocktail?”

“What you got?” I heard my dad ask while I scanned the group for Mathew.

I found him at the far end of the pool, sitting with Kevin and Randy. Randy of “oh I kissed another girl”. I made my way toward them. When I came out from the crowd at that end of the pool, Mathew saw me and bumped Kevin’s arm. Kevin looked at him and then followed his gaze. I felt self-conscious as I continued toward them. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. Mathew threw back his hair and sank lower in his chair, stretching his legs in front of him. A lazy sort of suggestive stance I was used to, which always got to me, made between my legs tingle. He checked me out as I approached them.

“Hey
, Morgan, what’s up?” he asked, giving me a sexy look that threw me.

“Nothing much
,” I said, trying to understand his look.

             
“Sit,” he said, reaching out and pulling the chair next to him closer to the group.

Th
e three of us talked about the graduation ceremony, what parties we knew of, and what had gone on. The boys all seemed a bit silly, but I didn’t think much of it. Mathew was making me feel comfortable, as were the other boys. He could be so good to me one minute and so not in another minute. I never knew who I would get. I stole some glances at Kevin, and Mathew caught me once. He smiled, but his smile confused me. I didn’t think Kevin was acting any differently towards me than he normally did. I thought it was Mathew who was acting strange. If Mathew was trying to set us up it sure didn’t feel like that. Kevin and Randy were talking about a party they were headed to.

“You and Mathew should come with us
,” Kevin said.

I glanced at Mathew
, who was blatantly looking at my boobs. He saw me catch him.

             
“Screw you,” I mouthed without the other two noticing.

He laughed out loud, and both Randy and Kevin looked at him, wondering
what the hell
. There were kids and adults in the pool and it was fairly noisy, so they just looked around to see what they had missed. Just about that time Ann served dinner, and I was glad for the distraction. We ate out by the pool on our laps and shortly after we finished, Kevin and Randy decided to go.

“You guys coming?”

              “Naw, I think I’ll stay here. Don’t want to bum my mom out, since she threw the party for me,” Mathew answered.

             
“Morgan?” Randy asked.

             
“No, I think I should stay,” I said, wishing I had the balls to leave him and go.

             
He knew I’d stay if he did.

             
“You guys are missing out,” Kevin said.

             
We followed them as they headed out the side gate. When they left, Mathew swung around and picked me up, walking to the edge of the pool.

             
“Swim time,” he said.

             
“No, Mathew!” I yelled.

             
“Throw her in!” someone yelled.

             
“No, Mathew, please,” I begged, throwing my arms around his neck tightly. “I have a bikini in the house.”

             
I hoped I was giving him a visual he might like.

“So
,” he said, sort of dropping his arms.

I fell slightly
and hung on more tightly.

             
“I won’t have anything to put on after. Don’t. Please,” I pleaded.

              He backed away from the pool and set me down. The kids in the pool booed him.

             
“Go get your bikini on, kid,” he said.

I went into the hou
se to change into my swimsuit relieved he’d listened. I wrapped my towel around my waist as I came out of the guest room. The minute I walked out back, I was toast. He grabbed me up again, and we went directly into the pool, towel and all. When we surfaced, he laughed.

“You
,” I said and started after him.

             
A kind of come-and-get-me tag went on between us with him getting grabby some times. I was having a good time and didn’t really care. I sort of expected it from his earlier suggestive looks and being honest, I wanted him to touch me. I wanted to feel his body, wanted him naked plunging into me actually. This wasn’t going to happen of course, but I could fantasize about it. After we played in the pool awhile, we went into the hot tub. It was getting dark, and a lot of people had moved indoors. Several kids were still in the pool playing Marco Polo.

             
“Nice outfit today,” he said.

“You noticed.”

              “Well, yeah,” he said, putting his hand on my back, playing with the tie on my bikini top, tugging slightly.

“You better not
,” I said under my breath.

             
He laughed. I reached back, grabbed his hand, and dragged it up front.

“Why did you say that about Kevin at graduation?”

              “I don’t know. He just said something to me that day about you.”

             
“Like?”

“Oh
, something about you looking hot.”

             
“So he didn’t say
tell her this
?” I asked.

“Naw.”

              “Were you guys high when I got here?”

             
“Yeah. We smoked a big fatty earlier. Was it obvious?” he asked.

             
“Not too much.”

             
“You tried it yet?”

             
“No. I’m sort of afraid,” I lied.

             
“Pot’s no big deal, Morgan,” he reassured me, “you should try it.”

             
I still hadn’t told him about trying it with Keri. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe all along I wanted to smoke it with him first. Him to be the one to teach me.

             
“Maybe you should get us some,” I said.

“Have some. You wanna get high?”

              “I guess so,” I answered.

             
He put his hand on my leg, rubbing it.

“You have nice long legs.”

I could feel the longing return, the thoughts of having sex with him flooded into my head. Yes, I wanted him to teach me that too.

“I’m ready to get out.
              I feel all pruned up,” I said, moving away from him trying to reign in my thoughts.

Ann had stacked some towels outside and I grabbed
one and wrapped it around me. He was still in the hot tub watching my every move.

“I’m going to change
,” I said.

“Ok
ay, meet me in my room.”

I
threw my clothes back on, shivering. I’d gotten chilly; whether it was a chill from the weather, from Mathew, or both, I wasn't sure. I took my time and brushed out my wet hair, and checked my makeup. I touched up my mascara and put on some lip-gloss. I put the jean jacket on over my top, leaving it unbuttoned in front, and walked barefoot down the hall to his room. When I walked in, I found him going through his desk drawer, then pulling out a pencil box.

A shiver went through me ag
ain as I looked at Mathew in his light blue jeans and red-stripe T-shirt. I wanted so much more from him, and I had to remember I wasn't going to get it. Steeling my nerves, trying to ignore my emotions, I walked in and casually sat on his bed.

             
“You’re obviously prepared,” I said, noticing that the pencil box’s contents contained several joints already rolled along with a bag of pot and a packet of papers.

             
He smiled, putting a joint behind his ear and stuffing a book of matches in his pocket. He opened his window and got on the desk.

“Come on
,” he said as he jumped to the ground outside.

             
“I don’t have shoes on,” I protested.

             
“Come on, I’ll help you.”

             
I sat on the desk and spun around, dropping my legs out the window. He reached up, putting his hands on my legs, placing them firmly on my bare thighs. I envisioned us naked and blinked hard to remove the image. I looked into his eyes as I scooted further out, and he slowly moved his hands to my hips. His touch and moves were somewhat sexual and I wondered if he meant it that way. I wondered if Kevin’s supposed interest had sparked something. He picked me up, and lowered me softly to the ground as I slid my hands down the hard muscles in his arms.
Oh, god, I want you.
I felt my skin tingle all over as I followed him around to the side of the house.

             
“Is this safe?” I whispered.

             
“Has been so far.”

He pulled the joint from behind his ear and lit it,
taking a hit. I watched him hold it in and then let it out.

             
“Inhale it into your lungs, hold it in, and—”

             
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” I interrupted.

He smiled
, took another hit, and passed it to me. It wasn’t big, and I was thankful for that. I didn’t want to get too stupid.

When we got back inside, Mathew handed me a TicTac.
“Just in case.”

He picked up his guitar and sat on the edge of the bed. I decided to sit on top of his desk. I was feeling this pot way more than the stuff with Keri, and the distance felt safer.

“I was surprised that you didn’t go with Kevin and Randy
,” I said.

             
He plucked at the strings as I swung my legs slightly. I was excited to be with him, this Mathew. High with this Mathew, just the two of us. The pot had seemed to fuel my desire, making it difficult for me to push down.             

“'Stairway
to
Heaven'
,”
I requested.

             
He started the intro when there was a knock at the door and Ann peeked in.

             
“Wondered where you two went. I saw Kevin and Randy go and then didn’t see you.”

             
I often wondered if our parents ever worried about what we did together in his room. They didn’t appear to. Now looking at Ann it seemed funny she had no clue I was sitting here stoned wanting to ravage her son.

             
“Mom, we were in the pool, in the hot tub, and just came in here.”

             
“That’s fine,” she said, pulling the door shut.

             
I stifled a giggle and Mathew grinned at me.

             
“Glad she didn’t come in as we were climbing through the window,” he said.

I couldn’t help
the laughter burst out of me.

“I would have loved to see you explain your way out
of that one,” I laughed harder.
Yep, I was definitely stoned.

We laughed and laughed and I think most of it was because of the pot. When we finally stopped I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. He picked up his guitar and played “Stairway to Heaven” for me.

“Mathew, where’s Brenda?” I asked about his current girlfriend.

             
“Brenda and I are sort of taking a break,” he said. “Another reason I didn’t want to go with those guys. I’m pretty sure she was going to that party.”

              “Oh. Sorry, didn’t mean to be a buzz kill.”

             
It made more sense to me as to why he’d stayed home. It wasn’t because of his mom.
Figured.
He wouldn’t stay because his mom wanted him to.

             
“I really like that top,” he complimented.

             
“I’m sure you do,” I said, laughing as I pulled my jacket open and stuck my chest out.

             
He reached over quickly and grabbed my wrist.

“Mathew
, let go,” I said, still laughing, trying to yank my hand away.

He held me tighter
. I was focusing on getting my hand back, trying to pry his fingers off my wrist.