Chapter Six Thiago
Chapter Six
Thiago
“I wasn’t expecting you today,” Maggie said, opening the door to her apartment downtown.
I hadn’t been expecting to visit her either, but I desperately needed to get out of the house.
I couldn’t stand the sight of my brother. I actually felt like I wanted to fight him. And what was I supposed to do when I felt that way about someone I loved so much?
This was fucked. I was fucked. Her smile, her dimples, just her—I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Kam. The way she hopped every three or four steps to keep up with me.
The way she was always blowing her hair out of her face.
The way she held her brother’s hand when he was upset.
The three freckles on her nose. And then there was the way she looked at me…
“I brought some wine,” I said, holding up a bottle I’d picked up at the gas station. Nothing spectacular, but I couldn’t show up empty-handed like I need to have sex with you to get the love of my life out of my head.
Maggie smiled. “Come on in.” She stepped aside to let me through.
Her place was small but charming, even if it was a little feminine for my taste.
Everything matched—her freaking toothbrush matched her shower curtain—it was too much, but since it wasn’t my place, it wasn’t my problem.
I’d been staying with her most nights for the past two weeks since Mom wouldn’t let us have girls sleep over, at least not girls I was just hooking up with.
My relationship with Maggie was purely accidental.
I mean, look: she was hot, she was nice, but she was too perfect, too girly, too…
I don’t know. I often felt like I wanted her to react more, even act crazy, just something to show me she had blood pumping through her veins.
I guess you need kindness and an even temperament to be an elementary school teacher, but me… I needed fire.
Maggie got a couple of glasses from her tiny kitchen, and we sat down on her couch. I opened the bottle and poured her a glass and then one for me.
“To what do I owe this unexpected visit?” she asked.
“I just wanted to fuck you,” I said, looking into her eyes.
How would she react to that? She squirmed; I could tell it made her uncomfortable. “Did anyone ever tell you how crude you can be sometimes?” she asked, taking a sip and looking at me with her sky-blue eyes.
“Yeah,” I said, reaching out to stroke her arm. She was wearing pajama shorts with a matching silk tank top. Her skin was soft. “You like it, though, don’t you?” I leaned closer, lifted her chin, and brought my mouth to hers.
She kissed me back but then pulled away and grabbed her glass of wine. “Are you in the mood for a movie?” she asked, standing up and walking over to find the remote control.
“Sure.”
Halfway through, I don’t even know which movie because I wasn’t paying attention, in the darkness of the living room, her hand crept under the blanket she’d thrown across us and down into my pants.
She grabbed my dick. And I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t need to be told twice.
Five minutes later, she was kneeling before me, slowing sucking me off, while I had my hand in her hair.
“Keep going,” I said. I wanted to come in her mouth, but I knew she wouldn’t let me.
“Keep going. Deeper…” I murmured, closing my eyes and imagining it was someone else.
I couldn’t help it: in my mind, it was Kam, and just the thought of it aroused me in a way that Maggie never could.
I was so hard, I only fit halfway in her mouth.
I came in her hand, and when I opened my eyes to see Maggie instead, I was so disappointed it put me in a bad mood. I wanted to get up and go, but I couldn’t be an asshole. So I stripped her naked, buried my head between her legs, and began to pleasure her with my tongue.
She did come in my mouth.
Afterward, I helped her clear the wine glasses we’d left on the table, said goodbye, and went home, leaving the movie unfinished.
Up in my room, I couldn’t help but look out my window.
I saw Kami. She had fallen asleep with the light on.
I needed to touch her so damn badly… She would be at my house the very next day, and I had no idea what I’d do to avoid her.
I wished I could just leave and get away from the temptation, but Mom had insisted Taylor could only have his party if I stayed there supervising and making sure nothing got out of control.
I looked out the window again. How had I managed to go from hating her so much to pining away for her?
Sometimes, I missed the hatred because it had helped me stay away from her. Without it, without the resentment, there was nothing holding me back. And damn…every day I was one step closer to the edge, to forgetting the reasons that kept me away from her.
***
On Saturday morning, I woke up in a cold sweat. As for my dreams, I won’t say a word, but I’m sure you can guess who had the starring role. I was so horny, and I had an erection I couldn’t get rid of, so I jumped in the shower before throwing on my tracksuit and heading out for a run.
I jogged all the way into town, ran along a few side streets, crossed the plaza, and stopped at Mill’s.
I wiped a bit of sweat off my face, hesitated, and then went inside.
Of course, the fucking bell rang, and Kam turned right around and looked at me.
I could see the words good morning forming on her lips with that false cheerfulness she had to show to the customers.
That vanished, replaced by something much more authentic that she immediately tried to hide.
“Good morning, Mr. Di Bianco,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron when I made it to the counter. “What will it be?”
“I’ll take a coffee, Miss Hamilton,” I said, feeling some of that pressure that had been building up inside me dying down. “Just a black coffee, thanks.”
“For here or to go?”
To go, Thiago. To go. “I’ll have it here,” I replied, cursing myself.
I went to my usual table, and five minutes later, Kami walked over with a tray and a large white enamel cup.
“I brought you a slice of carrot cake,” she added with a sweet smile. “On the house. I made it myself. It’s not my best, but it’s better than anything else you’ll find around here.”
Her modesty—or lack thereof—made me chuckle, but I accepted the cake with a nod. I looked around and noticed there was hardly anyone else there. “You feel like sitting down for a second?”
She thought it over briefly and then took a chair. “What are you doing up so early on a Saturday?” she asked.
You were in my head, I wanted to say, but instead I responded, “I don’t know, I just had trouble sleeping.” I stared down into my cup.
“You went out pretty late last night…”
“Are you spying on me, Kamila?” I asked, looking up at her. She blushed, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“My desk faces your house. It’s not hard to see what’s going on there.”
“Right.” I didn’t care. I liked that she was watching me.
“Where’d you go?” she asked.
Ugh. This was slippery terrain. I just stared at her, making it clear that I wouldn’t answer that question.
“Not like I care,” she continued, “I’m just asking because if you know a cool place to hang out at that hour in this sleepy town…”
How about my bedroom? I thought. No, focus, Thiago. “I feel like the kids at school are always throwing parties. Isn’t that enough for you?” I took a sip of coffee and tried a bit of the cake. Damn, that’s good.
“You like it?” she asked.
“It’s dry,” I lied, wanting to get under her skin.
“You wish. My cakes win prizes every year at the county fair.”
“I guess the competition’s not that stiff.” I took another bite.
“You know, one day you could try just giving me a regular compliment without being mean.”
“Fine,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything as spectacular as you.
” I realized I should have thought about the consequences of my words a little longer.
In the ensuing silence, she blinked, and her breathing sped up.
I wished I could kiss her on the neck, just where I could see her jugular throbbing.
I knew my words had excited her, and they were true: I’d never seen a more beautiful girl in my life.
“Now,” I added, “was that compliment enough, or does the queen still need more?” I joked to break the tension.
Kam leaned back and grinned. “I’m not sure I’m the queen anymore,” she said.
“That’s right, they did knock you off your pedestal, didn’t they?” Maybe I shouldn’t have made light of it. It was messed up how everyone had Kam in their sights. They’d all admired her and loved her, and now they were watching with envy as someone tried to take her down.
“I prefer to say I’ve retired. I never wanted to be the center of attention,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
I noticed the silver earring dangling from her earlobe and imagined sucking on it. Trying to ignore the image, I said, “Yeah, but that’s what makes you deserve it. I’ve got to admit, though, it’s funny watching you try to be a regular mortal.”
“I don’t know why you’re trying to act like I’ve always been some kind of diva,” she said, irritated. “I was just the head of the stupid cheerleading squad.”
“Don’t forget you were going out with the captain of the basketball team…and when he got the axe, you started going out with the new captain.” That stung me again, thinking of her with my brother. “You’re a cliché, you know that, right?”
Now red in the face, she asked, “Do you really think I’d go out with a guy just because he’s captain of a stupid sports team I don’t give a shit about?”
“Hey! Careful. Don’t bad-mouth basketball, Kamila.”
She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I’m happy for Kate. I hope she enjoys it. Me, I’m doing exactly what I need to be doing right now.”
Liar. “Yeah, you must love riding a bike to school and studying in whatever time you can find between serving people coffee so your grades don’t suffer.”
“If people only liked me because my family had money and I was the head cheerleader and I drove to school in an Audi convertible, then yes, I am happy that’s all gone because it means whoever’s left actually cares about the real me.”
“Touché” I gulped down my coffee. “Either way, you’re still the queen of Carsville High, much as I hate to admit it.”
“Why would you hate to admit it?”
“Because the Kam I know, the Kam I like, is this one, not the stuck-up girl from the start of the school year.” I got up and dropped a ten on the table. “I’ll see you tonight to dig up our time capsule.”
“You’re actually coming?”
“I’m sorry to say I don’t trust you two to dig a hole without falling in, so yeah, I’m coming.”
“Are you going to dress up too?” Kam asked, shaking her head. “Wonders never cease, Mr. Di Bianco.” Those two adorable dimples appeared in her cheeks.
“For sure. My costume is dude who doesn’t give a fuck about Halloween.”
She laughed, and I forced myself to leave with the words, “See you around, Hamilton.”
I felt worse than before I’d gone in. Why did I always want what I couldn’t have?