Chapter 30Nick
Chapter 30
Nick
NOVEMBER | Tarot: Ten of Cups
Annie and I arrived within fifteen minutes of each other, her letting me get a head start. Kitty chastised her for being late as soon as she got in.
“Sorry. Couldn’t find my one boot,” she said, acting like she was the silliest goose for forgetting. Annie, Leroy, and I held up the “single” contingent, with Romelski and his family, Sorrento and his, and Mikey and Jessie making up the rest of the guest list.
“You could have brought your new girl,” Guy said, clapping me on the back.
“Oh, yeah. Still kinda new,” I said, glancing over at Annie, who was busy already exchanging secrets with Kitty.
Greg played with Sorrento and Romelski’s kids, though I did have to stop him from going to humptown on Romelski’s son. Greg got put in time-out in the guest bedroom for that one. Sometimes the little fella just gets too hyped up.
We eventually sat for dinner after some shooting the shit and a cheese tray. Annie and Guy helped Kitty carry out the dishes, Guy almost dropping the turkey and Kitty almost passing out from the stress of the near-turkey-drop.
“Everything looks really nice, Kitty,” Leroy said, and I swear everyone snapped a little at his statement. Compliments were rare from him. Maybe being away from Sydney had really changed him.
Kitty started with an acknowledgment of the First People and the land where we shared the meal. Then we all went around and said what we were thankful for.
Leroy was thankful for his kids and his divorce attorney. Jeanine was thankful for our friend family. Jessie was thankful for having met Mikey this year, and Mikey was grateful she put up with his shit. A tear gleamed in Annie’s eye when it got to her. She drew a shaky breath.
“I’m grateful I got to move to L.A. I got to live with my best friend and her husband. I got to meet all you wonderful people and y’all have been so welcoming. It really,” she wiped under her eyes, “it really means a lot after a hard year.”
Kitty hummed and side-hugged Annie next to her. “We love you so much, Annie.”
“Okay, someone else go,” Annie said, waving her hands. “I hate public crying.”
As it moved to Romelski on her other side, I caught her eye and shot her a wink. She gave me a soft smile and took a sip of her wine.
When it came to me, my heart pounded and my face went hot. “I’m thankful for all of you lovely people, especially the ones who protect me on the ice. I’m thankful for Greg. And uh, I’m thankful for the new person in my life, even though it’s just getting started.”
A whoop went up around the table as I briefly met Annie’s eyes.
“Show a pic!” Romelski said.
“Oh, uh,” at this point my whole neck was boiling. “I don’t have any fit for public consumption.”
Leroy howled like a coyote and more cheers erupted.
But really, Annie and I didn’t have any pictures together. I wanted them, but I figured she’d tell me no. It wasn’t practical. What were the chances that anyone would go through my phone and be like “HA! I knew you were trading orgasms and kisses with your agent!”
Still, I knew not to ask.
Dinner was loud and warm, full of laughs and ridiculous jokes, and talk of what our families were doing back home.
Annie excused herself to go call her family toward the end of dinner, noting that it was getting late back home. She was gone ten or so minutes, and I hoped everything was going okay. I stepped away to go to the bathroom, then slipped into their backyard to check on her. She had the sweetest smile on her face talking to her family, waving me over when she saw me come out.
“You don’t want to miss it. My sisters are doing their dance routine,” she whispered. I caught the last minute of their performance, sitting next to Annie on a pool chair with our heads together to watch the screen. We cheered when the song ended and the two sisters ran over to talk to Annie.
“Is that Kitty with you?” one asked.
“No. Here, come in the light, Nick. This is my friend, Nick. The youngest there is Ophelia, and the other is Olivia.”
“Oh, wow. You guys really look a lot alike.” It was true. Two almost-twins of Annie at younger ages looked back at me. “I loved the dance.”
“He’s cute, Annie,” Ophelia said.
“Yeah, he’s alright,” Annie said, turning to me as I blushed. “Who made the pies today?”
They launched into how their stepmom used store-bought crust. “You should have been here, Annie. You do it the best.”
“I know, kiddo. I wanted to be. Hopefully soon.”
“Christmas?” Olivia asked.
“We’ll see. Where’s your brother? And where’s Gracie? And Dad for that matter?” Annie asked.
The phone got passed around, and Annie made introductions. Her dad said he remembered my face from the wedding and said to be good to his little girl.
“Dad,” Annie whined. “Nick’s a friend.”
“Oh, my bad, my bad,” he said mischievously.
“Well, hey, my phone battery’s about to go, but I’m glad I got to see y’all. Miss you.”
“We miss you too, Annie. Hope we can see you soon. Love you.”
As Annie ended the call, her smile faded. She pretended to be highly interested in the garden wall next to us. I put my arm around her. “Your family’s great, Annie.”
She nodded and sniffed.
“Come here, baby.” I tucked her close to me, kissing her temple. “It’s okay to miss them.”
Her tears began in earnest then. “I miss them and I miss my mom. Seeing my house and knowing she’s not there . . . it’s just really hard.”
“I bet.” I felt like we were being watched, and looked up to find Greg waiting at the sliding glass doors, marble eyes blazing. I could even see his whining mouth going full-steam. “Stay here. Hang on.”
I let Greg onto the patio, who peed, then made a beeline for Annie.
“Your buddy came to check on you,” I cooed as Greg put his paws on Annie’s knee.
“Oh, Greg,” Annie laughed, wiping her nose. “You always know.”
“He’s psychic about the blonde lady’s needs.” I pulled Annie’s underwear out of my pocket. “Best I can do for a tissue.”
Annie chuckled. “What a gentleman you are.” She handed the panties back after she’d used them as a makeshift tissue and folded them neatly. Then she grabbed my chin and with a quick glance in my eyes, she kissed me. All of our friends were inside, and yet, here she was, kissing me anyway. I moaned into her mouth, my stomach tingling from the rush of doing something we shouldn’t.
“You trying to get us caught?” I asked.
She grinned. “Just trying to kiss the guy who said he’s thankful for me.”
I looked around, trying to find a spot to hide us from view. “Come here.”
I took her hand and dragged her next to this tacky fountain thing along the wall of the house. I pressed her against the house, the warm brick gritting against my fingertips. My hands grazed Annie’s sides as I got lost in kissing her, in tracing her curves. She, and all her glowing skin and beautiful eyes and wild spirit, for the moment, was mine. And I wanted to hold onto that moment for as long as I could.
My angel.
When we came up for air, she peered up at me. “I’m thankful for you too, Nick.”
Was that statement coded to mean something more? I didn’t know. I wanted to tell her how sunk I was for her. How I knew what a fool I was for wanting it all, but when I was with her, pretending was the only option I had. Playing make-believe.
So I kept kissing her with everything I had. If I couldn’t tell her with words, I could show her. My lips and my tongue had to convey how much her walking in a room changed everything, how watching her laugh was the best thing ever, how nothing ever felt so settled as when she was in my arms.
But then her two hands trailed down my back and kneaded my ass, and well, heart-fluttery feelings traveled more south. Her skirt fell just below her knees, some tight getup that made her ass look incredible. I bent to lift the bottom of it, skating my hand up her inner thigh. I breathed her name as my fingers found her dripping onto her legs.
“So goddamn sexy, Annabelle. You want this?”
Annie’s pupils were blown so wide I could hardly see the green iris that surrounded them. “We’ll have to be quick. They’re going to be looking for us.”
I pumped my fingers into her as she reached into my pants, her hand meeting my cock. She had my cock and balls exposed to the cool night air before I had time to think. And fast we were. The thrill of maybe getting caught was quite a high to chase. We were quiet, just heavy breath and fierce kisses and moving hands. She kept squirming, so I gripped the globe of her ass to hold her steady as my thumb worked her clit.
“Feeling the breeze on that pussy turn you on, baby?” I asked.
Annie whimpered softly.
“Such a good girl being bad for me.”
“Nick,” she begged, and I gave. She bit my earlobe, then held her mouth at my neck as I brought her over the edge, coming into her hand right after. I braced myself against the house.
“I think we need the underwear handkerchief again,” she giggled. We got ourselves put back together, and she decided to go inside first since I was still visibly hard. “I’ll say Greg had to poop.”
I couldn’t go back in there with the underwear reeking of sex in my pocket, so I shoved them in a planter. I’d retrieve them some other day.
Pie and coffee were served, and at the other end of the table, Kitty was wheedling Annie about staying the night.
“I can give you jammies! It’ll be a pajama party! Let’s ask Jessie to stay too!”
Annie’s worried eyes went back and forth as she tried to talk Kitty down with some good reasons.
“Come on, it’s a holiday! We’re all off tomorrow!” Kitty tried, all full of wine and relieved that the meal was over.
“I don’t have any underwear,” Annie hissed as the room went quiet. Romelski snorted back a laugh until everyone cracked up.
Annie sank in her chair until she’d practically slithered under the table. “I’ll just go die now.” She covered her face. “I just didn’t want lines on my skirt.”
“There are really great thongs that don’t leave lines, Annie,” Jessie teased.
“Can vouch,” Mikey added, raising a finger. “They are really great.”
“Mikey,” Kitty whined. With a sympathetic glance, Kitty handed Annie her wine and patted her shoulder.
And though Greg and I went home alone that night, I dreamed of a day when Annie could really be mine.