Measuring Up (17 page)

Dana smiles. Tegan steps up behind my chair, leans over and kisses me. There’s no tongue, just touch of our lips, but it sears me just the same. “Hey, you,” he says.

Wondering if my voice will ever come back, I smile.

“You picked up an extra shift today?” he’s talking to his mom now.

“Yeah. The extra money doesn’t hurt.” Tegan shakes his head and his jaw is tense. He hates that his mom has to work so hard. “Did you?” she asks, but he ignores it. “That’s not important though. What are you guys up to tonight?”

“Of course it’s not. Running yourself into the ground isn’t import
ant at all.” The room is silent
. Usually they get along so well. It’s weird to see they’re a normal family just like the rest of us.

“Tegan…”

“We’re going for a jog, then heading out to a party.”

“Timmy’s staying with a friend and I won’t be home until late. I know you’re eighteen, but I’m still your mama and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you two to be good, right? No drinking and driving. No other things that will make me a grandma at way too young an age.”

Oh. My. God. I think I’m about to die. Is his mom giving us a sex talk?

“Annabel and Tegan. Sitting in a tree,” Tim starts. He’s way too old for that song, but I know he’s giving me a hard time. Especially when Dana sings the KISSING part with him.

“You’re such a twerp.” Tegan punches Tim in the arm and they start playing around like they did before the basketball practice.

“That’s enough boys. I have to go. Timmy, come on. Tegan, I’m serious. Be good.”

Yep, I’m dying.
Dying!

“We’ll try.” Tegan winks at me and I want to evaporate into thin air.

“Bye, baby.” She leans forward and kisses Tegan on the forehead and then to my surprise she does the same to me. “Be good, sweetie. Sorry if I embarrassed you.”

I wave her off and they’re out the door.

As soon as we’re alone, Tegan grabs me and pulls me close. “So…wanna break some rules?”

Chapter Fifteen

LET’S PARTY

I freeze. Is he talking about what I think he’s talking about? My body perks at the thought, but my head is pulling on the reigns for me to slow down. What if his mom comes home? What if I make a fool of myself? What if I’m not ready?

“I’m kidding, Annabel Lee. I can’t believe you’re really thinking about it.”

I try and pull away from him, hoping to find someplace to hide.

“No, don’t do that. I’m glad you’re thinking about it. It’s obvious
I
think about it. It’s just not what I meant right now.”

Laughter dances in his eyes, his lips quirked up in a smile like only Tegan can do. The way he always does, he wipes any tension from the room. I wonder if he knows how good he is at that. If it comes from all the practice he gets trying to make everything perfect for his family. Playfully, I push at his chest, finding it difficult to keep with my original train of thought, because his chest…nice. “So you’re conceited
and
perverted!”

He pulls me closer. “I’m multi-talented. What can I say?”

“Ugh! You’re a sick, sick person.” Wiggling, I try to break free of his arms, but he holds me tight.

“You can’t get away from me unless I want you too.”

I fight him harder, laugh
t
er pouring from my mouth and vibrating us both. Tegan’s laughing too, easily pulling me along with him as I try to get away. Then, we’re going down. My heart lurches a little, scared we’re going to go boom, but he’s only dropping back onto the couch and pulling me with him. This is my favorite side of him… when he’s just happy. Not working, worried about his mom or feeling guilty over his brother’s life. When he doesn’t have to hide because he knows there’s no pity from me.

“Let me up!” More laughter. “No, I hate to be tickled. Don’t tickle me.” His hands are at my sides and I’m squirming, but not as much as I could. He feels good. This feels good and even though I could pee my pants right now, I want it to last.

“You didn’t say the magic word.” Tegan’s on top of me, tickling. Th
r
ough my giggles, I look up, his blond hair is hanging down in his face. I can’t help but take him in. He’s so beautiful. Not perfect like I first thought. There’s the little chip in his tooth, a scar on his face. Gorgeous, yes, but not perfect and that makes me like him all the more.

Suddenly he stills. There’s no more tickling and he’s looking down at me, the way I’m looking up at him. There’s a distinct switch in the air from playful to if-I-don’t-kiss-you-right-now-I-will-combust. He feels it too. I know it by the way he leans toward me.

“You’re kind of addicting, do you know that? I don’t know what it is about you, but you’re different.”

If you could really die from joy, my poor parents would be planning a funeral.  But then, if I croaked, I wouldn’t be kissing him right now. Wouldn’t feel the now familiar press of his lips against mine. The sweep of his tongue as it delves in and out so skillfully. I wouldn’t hear the little groan in the back of his throat like I’m driving him wild.
Me.
And he’s making me just as crazy.

He kisses the corner of my mouth, my neck, down my throat and then back up to my mouth again.  His mom’s words start playing through my head. I see her too which is a total buzz kill, making me still.

“What’s wrong?”
he says, his lips on my collar
bone.

“We should slow down… Your mom. The party…” I wish I could pick a sentence and go with it.

He kisses me again, this one quick. “Fine, ruin my fun.” Even without the wink, I know he is only teasing me. Tegan stands up, grabs my hand and pulls me up too. “Come on. Let’s go work out some of this pent up energy in a less fun, but more productive…Nah, just a less fun way.”

***

We head out to our usual jogging spot, stretch and then take the familiar loop. I can jog the whole thing by now. We take it slow, I’m sure he runs much faster without me, but it’s still pretty cool that I’ve passed the point where I have to walk some of it. We do it enough that I know each step now, each turn and I welcome the burn in my legs and lungs. Like Tegan has said before, they’re my war wounds, proving to myself that I’m doing what I set out to do. How awesome is that?

And today, I need it. I have a feeling he knows which is why he suggested the run before we go to the party. I’ve never met his friends and I’m scared to death they’re going to take one look at me and wonder what the heck he’s thinking. Then, I mentally yell at myself for thinking that way because no matter what, there is nothing wrong with me.

We drive back to Tegan’s apartment. I take the shower in his mom’s room while he takes the one in the hallway, which let me tell you, it’s strange showering in his mom’s bathroom. He assured me he okay’d it, but still. The strangeness has nothing on the fact of knowing we’re both naked in the same house though, only a wall separating us.

Looks like Tegan isn’t the only pervert.

Soon, we’re sitting in Tegan’s little car on our way to the party. I’m wearing black capris, and a red button-up, summery shirt. The tag said it’s slimming, I’m not sure. Tegan’s gorgeous as always in his signature shorts, not too baggy, but enough that you can see the edge of his boxer-briefs when he doesn’t have a shirt on. I know, because he came out of the bathroom without one. How lucky am I? I’d watched as he pulled a t-shirt over his head, and another short sleeve, button up, over it, left open.

“It might be a little wild there, but not bad wild. They’re cool people. You’ll have fun.”

“Cool.” I’m annoyed that I’m so nervous, but happy I’m going regardless. That counts for something, right?

“Are you sure you wanna go? We can hit up a movie or something. Head back to my house, whatever. I don’t want you to go if you don’t want to.” His eyes are on the road, but mine are on him.

“No. I want to. I do. I’m just being a dork.”

“You are kind of dorky.” Tegan laughs.

“And you like me so what does that say about you?”

“That I’m lucky.” I don’t reply to that. We’re parking in front of a big house out in the boonies. I guess the guy’s aunt and uncle own it and they’re out of town.  He doesn’t turn off the engine. “Seriously, though. Do you want to do something else? We can hang out with your friend
, Emily
if you want. I’m up for anything. It just feels good to be doing something.”

Everything he says or does makes me like him more. He said he’s lucky? I think I’m the lucky one. Or actually, maybe both of us. “I do want to go, Tegan. I just get nervous. I haven’t really done the whole party thing. The people at my school are jerks, so this is all just new to me. I don’t want to back out though. I want to have fun and meet your friends.”

He sighs. “You know, one of these days, you’re
going to have to tell me what
happened. Who hurt you, but for now, I’m stoked because I really want to have some fun with you tonight. I haven’t gone to a party or anything in a long time.”

And he’s right, I do, but not now.

***

The house is swimming with people. Tegan and I have a hard time weaving through the crowd, but he doesn’t let go of my hand once. A few people say hi to him as he leads us through the sea. “We’re headed downstairs!” He has to yell over the crowd and music so I can hear him. “Rick and Bo said they’d be down there playing pool.”

Instead of tr
ying to fight the noise, I nod
my reply. Tegan presses a quick kiss to my lips and starts to walk again. Will I ever get used to that? I’m really not sure I want to lose the excitement. We find the stairs that leads us down to a game room, complete with a pool table, air hockey, big screen TV, and a wrap-around couch. There are a couple guys playing air hockey.  At a pool table, two girls and two guys are playing doubles.

They all look like Tegan. Well, not as good looking as he is, but they dress like him and you can tell they’re the type who were popular in school. The girls? They’re all wearing skirts, tight shirts and look way,
way
different from me.

“Holy shit! Tegan’s here. We d
idn’t think your workaholic ass
would actually show up!” One of the guys yells, beer in his hand. Everyone turns to look at us. I try to smile, hoping I don’t look as nervous as I feel. Tegan’s squeeze on my hand helps.

“Whatever, douchebag. Just because some of us work and have plans doesn’t mean you need to talk crap.” They’re laughing. Tegan lets go of my hand long enough to bump knuckles with a few of the guys and then he’s holding me again.

“Hey! I work. I just have a life too which up until tonight, you haven’t had for a while.” The guy looks at me. “Hey, you must be Annabel. I’m Bo.”

I’m not even embarrassed to admit, I’m doing a little squeal inside. It’s cool that Tegan has told these people about me and it soothes my nerves a bit. “Nice to meet you.”

Another guy comes over, wearing a baseball hat. “What’s up, Teag.”

“What’s up
. This is my girlfriend, Annabel.  Annabel Lee, this is Rick. The girl behind him is his girlfriend, April and,” he points to the other girl at their pool table, “that’s Sandra.” April smiles and gives me a wave. She has red hair and kind eyes. Sandra’s blonde and says hi too.

“Good job getting Tegan out of the house. He’s been a hermit lately,” Sandra says.

Their words surprise me. I know his mom said he focuses on work a lot and I know that’s because he helps her and is saving for school, but hermit seems pretty heavy. “Thanks, but he’s usually the one dragging me around.” They seem nice, smiling at
me as I speak. Pretty soon Bo’
s dragging them all back to the table to finish the game and I’m standing against the wall with Tegan watching them. 

The game ends quickly afterward. They ask us if we want to play and both Tegan and I say no, so they start a second game. “Want to share a beer with me?” he asks. I’m not much of a beer girl so I tell him no. He comes back with one for himself and a bottle of water for me. A few
people come by and talk to Tegan here and there. He introduces me each time and I’m surprised I haven’t gotten any double takes. No strange looks. Nothing.

Tegan finishes his beer and sets it on a table, leaning against the wall, he pulls me against him. My arms find their way around his neck, as he’s holding my waist, brushing his fingers back and forth.

“Not so bad, huh,” he whispers against my ear.

Truthfully, I say, “Not at all.”

“I knew you’d have fun. My friends are all pretty kickback.”

“I thought you said they’re wild.”

“It’s different. They like to have fun and in a few hours, they’ll be a little crazier than they are now, but they’re cool too. Kickback, just like to have fun and hang out. And they like you. I can tell.” He kisses by my ear, teasing his way down my jaw line. “I’m not the only one with good taste.”

I laugh him off, but inside I’m glowing. He’s always saying stuff like this to me and I never say it back.
Never say it first. I’m not sure why.
“I’m the one with good taste. I kind of like you, you know?”