Summer Fling (3 page)

“Where’s Scott?” Donna asked.

Tony continued to empty the contents of
a bag of chips. “Marty said he’d do the late shift for Scott, if
he’d do the triple feature. He’s going to be a bit late, that’s
all.”

“What time does that finish?” Lorraine
asked as she sat at the kitchen table. She should have known that
something would spoil their plans.

“Nine o’clock,” Tony said. “He’s gonna
get back as soon as he can.”

Lorraine busied herself, taking glasses
through to the back porch, moving the furniture and fixing up the
stereo system, only to find that she could not get Scott out of her
mind. She didn’t know why she felt the way she did about him, as
she hardly knew him, but then, attraction was a funny thing. She
knew she had no hope in hell of being anything other than ‘Donna’s
friend who he had to put up with’, but it couldn’t stop her hoping
that there could be something more between them. She also knew that
if anything did happen between them, she would only end up being
hurt. When she fell, she fell hard, and she had no intention of
falling for someone she could never have a future with. But still,
her body and mind kept telling her she wanted to know Scott better,
physically if nothing else. Maybe this once, given the situation,
she was ready for a one night stand, or holiday fling, as Donna
would have called it. People did it all the time, so why shouldn’t
she?

“Lorraine, where are you?” Donna’s
cheerful voice yelled from the kitchen.

“In here,” Lorrain replied as she went
to the stereo and turned it on. Loud music filled the room and fine
quality speakers vibrated sound through the floorboards. If it was
one thing that could really get Lorraine moving, it was music. She
loved to dance, at parties and discos, especially if everyone else
was feeling the same mood. For a little while nothing else existed
and she could let go of all her inhibitions.

Lorraine heard unfamiliar voices and
went through to the kitchen. Sure enough, some of the first guests
had arrived. Four people stood just inside the door, talking to
Donna.

Donna turned and smiled when she saw
Lorraine.

“Lorraine, this is Michael.” She pointed
to the tall dark haired young man who smiled and nodded. “And this
is Sarah, Simon and Nick.”

Lorraine knew she wouldn’t remember any
names, and sure enough, in the next ten minutes she met so many new
people that her head was spinning.

“Donna, I didn’t know you invited so
many people,” she whispered as she stood in the kitchen, looking
through to the living room. The volume of noise was already quite
strenuous but nobody was dancing yet. Of course it was only
expected, as the first hour of a party was usually spent mingling,
drinking, catching up on the latest news, and so forth.

Most of the people present knew each
other, which made Lorraine feel like an outsider, however she had
expected that. With Donna’s help she was determined to become part
of the crowd.

“I told you we had lots of friends,”
Donna said, smiling as she crossed her arms tightly across her
chest.

Tony stopped behind her as he came into
the kitchen and slipped his arms around her waist. “Good party,
eh?” he said, bending his head and kissing Donna softly on her
neck.

“Not bad,” Donna said as she lifted her
arms and wrapped them around Tony’s neck.

Lorraine decided it was time to leave
them alone, so she moved through to the living room.

Before the party, Tony had removed all
the light bulbs and replaced them with coloured ones. Red, blue,
green and yellow lights dimly coloured the floor and lounge walls,
making it much darker than usual.

“Lorraine, isn’t it?”

She turned to face a dark figure whose
face she could not quite make out in this light.

“Yes, you’re…” She squinted to try and
force her eyes to adjust.

“Nathan. We met earlier.” He flashed a
pearly smile.

“Sorry, Nathan. I’ve met so many new
people tonight that I don’t think I remember nearly half their
names.”

“Sure, I know what it’s like when you’re
new in town,” Nathan said. Dimples creased his cheeks as he smiled
again. “Do you want a drink?”

“Thanks.” She watched as he poured a
beer for her into a plastic cup. “So, how do you know Donna?”

“Ah, we went to Hornby High together
when she was here.”

“Oh, so you’re still at school?”

He nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.”

The two slipped easily into a
comfortable conversation and were soon joined by several more of
Tony’s friends. Lorraine found herself enjoying their company, and
the attention she seemed to gather, being Donna’s only friend from
Blenheim.

A few people finally began to dance and
Lorraine sat back to watch, content to finish her beer and nibble
on a few chips. When she realised the bowl was empty, she took it
through to the kitchen for a refill.

Almost immediately the music was turned
up a few notches and Lorraine felt the beat pulsate through her
body. The kitchen was quite crowded and at first she did not notice
Scott standing by the door, watching her.

She stood at the bench and, as she
opened another bag of chips, she swayed her hips from side to side
in time to the music. As she turned around, her steps somewhere
between a walk and a dance, she caught sight of Scott and their
eyes met.

She stood, transfixed by the intensity
of his gaze and the music suddenly faded to nothing in contrast to
the power she felt in his aura.

His eyes travelled slowly down over
every inch of her and she knew that her body pleased him. His deep
brown eyes looked almost black in this light, but she knew he was
staring at her. Someone passed between them, almost breaking the
spell, and then was gone, leaving them caught in each other’s gaze
once more.

“Lorraine, come and dance with me,”
Donna’s excited voice brought Lorraine back down to earth.

Donna caught her arm and dragged her
back through to the living room. It was no use protesting, as
Lorraine’s legs felt like jelly and she had momentarily lost the
power to speak. She couldn’t get rid of the image of Scott staring
at her like that.

She shook her head to get the thought
out of her mind, focusing instead on Donna and the music.

Although he could no longer see her, she
could clearly still see Scott, standing where she had left him by
the door. Tony had thrust a beer into his hand and he was laughing
at something somebody had just said. She could hardly tear her eyes
away from the way his thighs pressed tightly into his jeans.

Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. She
excused herself from Donna, leaving her with a group of friends to
slip out onto the back porch. She fanned herself with her hand.
Where was all the air?

There were only a few people sitting
talking in the darkness and Lorraine gladly poured herself a glass
of wine. She leaned against the white railing that surrounded the
verandah, sipping her drink and listening to the happy voices
coming from inside the house.

It wasn’t long before Donna discovered
where she was. “Scott’s asking after you,” she said over her
shoulder.

“What?” Lorraine’s eyes widened.
“Why?”

She shrugged as though she had no idea,
but grinned all the same. “I think he wants to dance with you. Word
is the couples want some slow music on.” She took Lorraine’s hand
and began to walk back towards the house.

Lorraine pulled back, not moving from
her spot. “Donna, wait.” Her friend stopped and looked back at her
questioningly. “If you’re shitting me—”

“No, I’m not,” Donna said quickly. “I
wouldn’t. Not when it’s so obvious how you feel about him.”

“Is it that obvious?” Lorraine laid her
hand on Donna’s shoulder.

“Oh, come on, this is me you’re talking
to.” She shrugged. “Besides, you sleep talk.”

Lorraine blushed deeply, knowing that
she had indeed been known to sleep talk. But just what she could
have said about Scott, was beyond her.

The music changed to a slow song, one
that was a personal favourite of Donna’s. Tony approached them and
Donna went into his arms, not unlike several couples on the dance
floor.

Lorraine headed for the sanctuary of the
kitchen but knew straight away it had been a mistake when she saw
Scott standing in the doorway between the kitchen and lounge. The
impact of his gaze stopped her in her tracks momentarily and she
quickly attempted to push past him. She felt his large, warm hand
on her shoulder and she turned slowly. Unable to meet his gaze, she
waited, looking straight ahead at the smooth brown skin of his
chest. He placed his other hand gently under her chin and tilted
her head back so she had to meet his gaze. He smiled, a warm
crooked offer of friendship that made Lorraine’s heart thump so
hard she thought he must be able to hear it, even over the loud
music.

He took her hand and led her to the
dance floor, pulling her into his arms as he turned back to
her.

Lorraine felt breathless as their bodies
moulded together in time to the music. She felt his thighs beneath
the thin denim material pressed firmly against her own warm hips,
and a tiny shiver passed down her spine. His shallow breath was hot
against her forehead as his arms found the slim round of her waist
and her own arms encircled his neck, her head finding rest below
his right shoulder.

After dancing like this through two
songs, she felt him move away slightly. She lifted her face to his,
and his lips connected with hers in a soft kiss. Once, twice, three
times their lips met in a lingering kiss, until Lorraine felt
giddy.

Without a word, Scott led her through
the crowd and out onto the back porch. They were alone in the
darkness and the cold air wrapped around them like a blanket.

Scott bent and kissed her once more and
they moved closer. Lorraine felt she couldn’t get close enough to
him. His strong arms held her body next to his, pulling her even
closer still. His lips travelled down her neck, tasting the creamy
skin of her throat. She let her hands wind into his tousled
hair.

“Scotty, telephone,” someone yelled
through the open window.

“Damn,” Scott murmured as he put his
head up and looked into Lorraine’s eyes.

She gave a warm smile. “I won’t run
away.”

He laughed as he turned away.

He returned a few moments later, a
worried expression masking his handsome face.

“Feel like taking a ride?” he asked, his
jacket slung lazily over one shoulder.

“Sure.” Lorraine knew, given the
expression on his face, that it was best not to ask any questions.
She just knew she wanted to be with him.

Lorraine followed Scott around the side
of the house to the car.

He drove swiftly without speaking a
word, for nearly ten minutes, until he pulled into a small
driveway, outside a yellow brick house.

He jumped out of the car and came around
to open the door for her before she had a chance to do so herself.
She followed him obediently.

He pulled a small key out of his jacket
pocket and let himself into the house. “It’s only me, Tracey,” he
yelled down the hallway.

“I’m in the kitchen,” a sweet voice
called.

Lorraine could hear a baby crying from
one of the rooms, and a dog barked his discontent from the back
yard.

Scott took her hand firmly in his and
walked down the hall to the kitchen.

Tracey?
Lorraine was confused.
Why would Scott take her to the house of one of his girlfriends?
Her mind told her instantly that he wouldn’t. So, had she been off
the mark about who Tracey was?

The young woman sitting at the table
looked dreadful. She would have been pretty if not for the welted
cut across one cheek and a large purple bruise which had forced one
eye half closed. Her long ash-blonde hair fell about her face and
into a tangle on her shoulders, and she looked at Scott with the
same brown eyes now inspecting her damaged face.

Tracey was his sister. There was no
mistaking it.

Tracey smiled at Scott, even as she held
a cold, wet flannel up to her face.

“It was the worst it’s ever been,” she
said. “He got really violent and threatened to hit Toby if I
wouldn’t make him shut up. Then I went to get the baby and he just
lashed out at me.”

“Why did he go?” Scott asked, his
forehead furrowed in obvious anger. He let go of Lorraine and
walked to his sister’s side.

“I made it to the kitchen and grabbed a
knife. That’s how I got this.” She touched the lash down the side
of her face.

“And then he left?” Scott asked.

Tracey nodded slowly, her gaze moving to
Lorraine where she stood by the door.

“This is Lorraine,” Scott said. “She’s
down with Donna.”

“Hi, Lorraine.” Tracey flashed a
smile.

“Hi,” Lorraine said.

The baby began to cry again down the
hall, and Tracey motioned to get up.

“Stay there,” Scott said, laying his
hand on Tracey’s shoulder. “I’ll go.”

“I’ll go,” Lorraine offered. Before
either of them could answer, she turned and followed the noise down
the hallway to a dark room.

A cot stood in one corner, covered with
colourful blankets and small soft toys.

Lorraine lifted the infant into her arms
and cradled the soft blue bundle. He had bright blue eyes and clear
pale skin. He smelt like baby shampoo and tears. Lorraine guessed
he was only about six months old. Tears stained his reddened
cheeks.

When he stopped crying, she found a
nappy and laid him on the table, changing him quickly and dressing
him again. He gurgled at her in the semi darkness, moving his mouth
over his fingers and making sucking noises.

“You’re beautiful, aren’t you?” she said
in her best mother tongue.

He rewarded her with a lopsided
smile.