25. Gage
GAGE
A loud POP from a flare gun disturbs us, letting everyone know that the show will start soon.
It’s nearly dusk now, the sky has faded from pink and purple to a dull dark blue.
The air has cooled off and Charli’s snuggled into me for some warmth.
Everyone gets another round of drinks, even I have one beer, and we chat about Seascape and everyone's summer.
Charli and I join the group and I sit next to her, keeping my arm wrapped around her waist, and gently stroke the patch of skin on her side where her top ends and shorts begin. She’s putting back a few seltzers and getting tipsy. Is it liquid courage because she’s nervous?
Once it gets a bit darker, we find places on the boat to watch the show.
She uses the head and grabs another drink.
Instead of sitting next to me, she wiggles her way in between my legs and leans back against my chest. Putting each arm on either side of my thighs, she rests her head on my chest. Fuck.
I reach down to adjust myself and then push her hair back from her face, leaning in to whisper, “Are you good?”
She turns up to me, soft lips grazing my jaw and breathes out, “Very.”
It’s a jolt to my crotch. I run my hands down the length of the silky smooth skin on her arms, and let them hang loose from my knees.
She reaches up and draws my arms to rest right under her boobs and intertwines my hands with her.
Her tits are pretty much spilling over and resting on my forearms. I swallow hard and take a deep breath.
This is fucking torture with her family sitting inches away from us.
I stroke her palms with my fingertips to give my hands something to do.
I whisper to her to look up and I point out several constellations that my dad taught me: Apus, Ara, Corona Borealis, and Draco.
She giggles in my ear. “I can only find the North Star and the Big Dipper on my own.”
“We can come out alone on another night and stargaze.”
“Sounds perfect.” Her breath is warm on my skin.
A loud burst in the still night cuts the conversation, signifying the beginning of the show.
The first sprays of color blossom in the inky black sky, a rainbow shooting around us, reflecting off the water.
The acrid smell of the smoke blows past us, pushed away by the cool ocean breeze.
A loud thump, thump, thump echoes over the bay as the workers light off more fireworks, the crowd oohing and ahhing at the display.
Our group around us murmurs low in their conversations, laughter from her cousins punctuating the air.
She leans into me, and I relish the feeling of her body in my arms. A peacefulness descends on us as the show continues to dazzle, the sprays of color mirrored in the water around us. I want this feeling to last.
We sit like this together for the entire display. We’re so close that her hair tickles my neck and face and my breath pushes into the long strands. When the show’s over, I force myself to peel away from her, and she shivers when I get up. She turns and a hot look of desire passes between us.
The harbor is busy with other boaters returning from their vantage points.
Voices echo about the wharf as others dock their boats.
I pull Wanderlust into the dock perfectly, drifting next to the wooden structure.
Harvey and I move seamlessly around the boat to tie up to the pilings.
Her family gathers their belongings and gets ready to leave.
Andi and Sam are laughing about something and Ian climbs to the pier.
“Hey, do you guys want to join us at my friend’s bonfire?” Ian asks.
Harvey immediately answers, “Yeah, sounds cool,” as he steps up the ladder.
I hesitate and look at her with hopeful eyes.
“Can you take me home instead? I have to work in the morning,” she asks.
“Of course.” I look at Ian. “Thanks, man. Maybe next time.”
Ian waves as he and Harvey walk towards the wharf. Andi and Sam glance at each other quickly, exchanging a knowing look before Sam smiles at me. “Thanks so much for tonight. It was so fun.”
“Yes, I love your boat.” Andi winks at Charli. “You two be safe,” she adds in a saccharine tone.
The group departs into the night. People hoot and holler in the distance and firecrackers pop off here and there.
Her neighborhood is quiet when we get there and the darkness envelops us as we walk hand in hand to her front steps. She has my sweatshirt on from the other night and it completely covers her shorts. I’m tempted to peel it off her; I want this more than anything now.
She climbs up one step from me and turns so that we’re eye to eye.
Blinking in the soft moonlight, she licks her lips.
I try to keep my breath steady. I know she's had at least four or five hard seltzers so far, and she seems fine. Without saying a word, she reaches out to hug me and circles her arms around my neck. I step closer and grab ahold of her waist. Turning her head, she brushes her lips across my neck and peppers small kisses lower to my collar bone. I flatten my hands to her back and squeeze her more closely, so that our bodies are flush. I can’t help but stifle a groan.
But again, she’s been drinking tonight, like the night we danced. Her guard is down, she’s ready, but I need a clear sober yes from her when the time is right. I already have a semi going from the memory of her warm body next to mine when we sat watching the fireworks.
She continues to kiss my neck softly, her plump lips moving up to my jawline. She hums out, “You smell so good.”
“What are you doing to me?”
“I want to kiss you,” she breathes as she tilts her head back and sweeps her lips across mine.
I unravel and kiss her back, bringing my tongue into her mouth.
She tastes like fruity seltzer and my cock surges and stiffens.
I know she must feel it pressed to her thigh.
I don’t try to hide it. My hands roam her back and one drifts lower to her round ass.
I rub it back and forth across her cheek and give it a squeeze.
She dips her tongue into my mouth and then sucks on my lower lip before pulling away for a second.
I rest my head on her forehead as we both breathe deeply.
The muscles in my legs flex as my mind battles my needs.
I turn slightly and dip my head so that I can nip at the soft skin of her neck.
My desires are edging ahead of what is right.
She leans her head back to give me access to the hollow by her shoulder.
I drop a trail of kisses along her smooth skin and breath in her hair.
It smells like vanilla. Fuck. I don’t know if I’m strong enough, my cock pulses as she shifts to press herself closer to me.
I ask, “So, did you want to get me alone?”
She runs her fingers through my hair and turns my head to face her again.
All she says is, “I did.” before crushing her lips to mine.
This kiss is more urgent. She deepens it, and I return it.
It’s sloppy and too wet; it’s a month of glances, touches, and innuendo built up in our bodies.
Her fingers are tangled in my hair now and when she shifts, her full tits rub across my chest.
I want her. But, I have to know that she is fully sober. It can’t be tonight, but I can kiss the hell out of her on this front step. She breaks the kiss, and nibbles on my ear before whispering, “Do you want to come inside?”
The thing is, we’ve actually become friends, she gets me. She’s adventurous and I like being with her. She makes me feel like somebody, not a person who’s only here for the season.
I reach up and take her chin on my hand to look into her eyes. “I do. I want you so fucking bad right now. But, let's be together on another night. You’ve had a few drinks, and I care about you too much for you to regret being with me tonight.”
She blinks at me, and gasps, “What? What do you mean? That kiss was so hot. I can feel that you want me.” Reaching down, she strokes the front of my pants with her palm. “God, I knew you’d be big.” She nibbles her lip.
I suck in a breath. “Jesus, Charli.” I exhale and say, “I do want to be with you, but I want you to be clear-headed about it. You’re special to me.” I still have a worry that I will lose this friendship when I leave here. I’ve let her in, she’s becoming more and more to me every day.
Leaning back slightly, I to make some space between our bodies.
The cool air is a shock. I bring my hands to either side of her face and sweep a gentle kiss across her mouth.
I pull back and look into her eyes. “Now, go inside and get some rest. I’ll take you on a date when your family goes home.
How about Tuesday we do something, maybe the beach? ”
Disappointment flashes across her face. She takes my hands from her face and holds them between us. “I’m fine and I know what I’m doing.”
I place another kiss along her jawline. “It’ll happen soon. Be patient.”
Her bottom lip juts out in a pout and her green eyes are a bit glassy in the dim light. “I don’t want to be patient. But I know you’re right.”
Lurching forward she plants a searing kiss on me.
Her hands snake under my shirt, her nails dragging along the skin of my torso, burning a hot path straight to my cock.
Our mouths are sealed together as she grabs my hand and drags it up to her breast. She moans low in her throat as I palm her over her shirt, her nipple pebbling through the fabric of her top.
Her other hand gets buried in my hair at my nape.
Fucking hell.
She hikes her leg up along my thigh as I grab her ass, holding her to me. Tilting her head back, she shudders a breath, her chest heaving. Then she sighs and pulls away.
“Night.” She turns to open her door.
I watch her go in and lock up. I rake my hands through my hair.
I don’t know if I’m an idiot or falling for her.
I want to get my hands on her, all of her, every inch.
I’ve wanted to be more than friends since the night she ran into me.
Shit, I could be balls deep in her hot wet pussy right now, and instead I don’t even know how I’ll be able to walk home because I’m so fucking hard right now.
And there’s another glaring issue: a few months from now, I won’t even be in this state. I tried long-distance before and it was a disaster. But the thought of not being around her nearly every day makes me panic.