Chapter Five
JT drove home, hoping Ali couldn’t tell that she had a tornado of thoughts swirling in her head.
This was Tommy’s sister asking JT to take her home and not in a “hey can you give me a ride” kind of way.
Her best friend’s sister felt like someone she should not be kissing in a parking lot.
But, on the other hand, Ali was an adult and Tommy didn’t get to decide who her sister kissed. That would be weird and gross.
JT paused at the only stoplight in town, almost relieved to have a second to think. The drive to Ali’s house wasn’t long enough for her to sort all this out. She still didn’t have it figured out when she pulled into Ali’s driveway.
She left the engine running, not wanting to seem presumptuous. “So, I—”
“Do you want to come in?” Ali asked before JT could even attempt to put her thoughts into any kind of coherent sentence.
“Yes, but…” JT gripped the steering wheel. Her teenage self was screaming at her to shut up and walk into that house. “Are you sure?”
Ali leaned away, almost imperceptibly. “If you don’t want to—”
JT shook her head. “No. That’s definitely not it.
I really, really do. But it’s more important that you one hundred percent want me to.
” She looked at Ali, whose face was lit on one side from the porch lights.
In this light, she looked like the best version of a dream JT had been too scared to have.
Ali reached across the car and took JT’s face in her hands. Her lips brushed against JT’s before pulling back half an inch. So tantalizingly close. “I one hundred percent want you.”
JT didn’t think. She crashed her lips into Ali’s. Her hand found the key to turn off the car without breaking the kiss, which was rapidly escalating to not safe for the driveway.
JT pulled back and reached for the door handle.
Ali cocked her head. “I swear to god if you ask if I’m sure again, I’m going to make you pay for it.”
JT’s mouth dropped open. “Oh yeah?” She smiled. “Depending on what you have in mind, that could be fun.”
Ali laughed, full and throaty. She led the way to the door, unlocking it and turning on the light before JT caught up to her.
JT reached for Ali, spinning her around to face her.
She stepped forward pinning Ali against the wall.
Ali gasped into her mouth. JT’s hand found her waist, while Ali ran her hands up JT’s face, brushing her fingers through her hair.
JT leaned forward, relishing the feel of Ali’s boobs pressing against hers.
“Shit,” Ali said, pulling away.
JT immediately dropped her hands to her side. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
Ali shook her head and laughed. “No. Not at all. I just forgot about that.” She pointed behind JT.
JT turned expecting to see a house guest or someone Ali forgot she’d invited over.
She didn’t expect to see an empty room full of boxes.
“You forgot you have boxes in your living room?” JT had been with women who had decided they didn’t want to hook up after all but never because of some cardboard.
“If you don’t want to do this, that’s really okay. You can say so.”
“No, it’s not that.” Ali’s face turned pink. “I’m sorry. It’s embarrassing that this place is such a mess. I got caught up talking to you and kissing you and I forgot that my house is a disaster.”
JT took her hand. “If it helps, I didn’t notice until you pointed it out. And I don’t think having moving boxes when you just moved is weird or embarrassing.”
Ali squeezed JT’s hand. “It’s been over six months. It’s embarrassing. I’m sorry.” Her tone made it clear that whatever had been going so well was over, at least for that night.
Feeling a bit confused, JT leaned forward to kiss Ali’s cheek. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m around for the holidays. If you need help unpacking or anything else, let me know. I’m sure I’ll be dying for an excuse to get out of the house.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s my mess to clean up.” Ali let her head fall forward onto JT’s shoulder. “I really am sorry that all this ruined our night.”
JT pulled her into a hug. “You didn’t ruin anything.
I’m serious about helping. I’ve moved a lot and I’m more than happy to help you finish up.
” She paused, unsure of how to leave gracefully.
“I should go. I’m sure my nieces and nephew will be up at the crack of dawn.
” She kissed Ali on the cheek one more time before opening the door and walking back to her car.
The night had not gone at all how she’d expected, and at that moment she wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not.
Kissing Ali was more incredible than every teenage fantasy she’d ever had, but it was overridden by her fear that Ali wouldn’t feel the same way.
She sighed as she climbed into her still-warm car.
Staring at the door, she hoped Ali wasn’t standing on the other side regretting kissing her.