Fast Lane - Kristen Ashley Page 0,50

my hands on his bearded cheeks and replied, “They made perfection even more perfect.”

And earned Preacher kissing me again.

Lyla:

Tommy grilled steaks that night, and it was the first, but not the last time he demonstrated he was exceptionally talented with a grill.

[Smiles]

Dave was high by steak time and determined to get me to agree to pierce my ears and do it himself.

Preacher put a very abrupt end to that.

[Laughs]

And that night, sitting by the pool after eating steaks, kicking back with the guys, was the first time I smoked pot.

[Expression shifts to pensive]

Dave was the one who talked me into it, and looking back, Preacher was not at one with this happening.

Though he let it happen, probably because I was curious and in a safe place with the guys. Also, because he’d learned by then that I made my own decisions and wasn’t a big fan of him intervening when I did.

I always thought he wasn’t hip on the idea of me trying marijuana because, at that time, he thought I was his good girl. Not to mention, he was looking after me as well as looking after my grandfather’s granddaughter.

He’d made my grandfather promises, and in his mind, and mine, he didn’t break them by making love to me. We were adults. That was our decision. And it in no way had anything to do with disrespect, even to my grandfather.

We were in love, that was an act of love, and even if the words had not been said, I knew we both thought from that moment on we’d spend the rest of our lives together.

But now, looking back, I know it was something else.

Preacher needed me to be free of that so I wouldn’t be a part of it which would mean he could come to me after times when that kind of thing was all around him, and also be free of it.

[Off tape]

“Tulips” is my favorite track from Like a Desperation. It’s the sexiest love song I’ve ever heard. I suspected it was about you, but I would not suspect it was about a deflowering.

This is what you don’t know when you’re young and your hormones are raging or you’re getting pressure from some asshole.

If you wait for the right person, it can be amazing.

We were like kids in a candy store, time on our hands, the guys had money, and we were in a place as cool as LA.

We lazed by the pool or made fun of ourselves doing touristy things, or we hit the beach, played frisbee badly and baked under the sun. We went to Santa Monica pier or strolled the Venice Beach boardwalk. Grabbed a ton of hotdogs at Pinks. Dressed up and went to The Dresden once for a steak.

Gram and Gramps brought Sonia and Jules out.

Miz Simms brought Penny and Lana out.

Loretta and Oscar [Williams] came out.

Dave’s parents came out and I don’t think they left the pool the entire time they were there, even at night.

[Laughs]

And I don’t think before or after I ever had that great of a tan.

It came clear early, when we moved in, as such, since none of the boys had much of anything, and I was only visiting, that, although my connection to Preacher was immediate, we realized we did not know each other very well.

[Shakes head, grinning]

We fought a lot.

He wanted to buy me a car so I could get back and forth to Brownsburg and Purdue whenever I wanted.

And I refused.

He wanted to help with tuition, so I didn’t have student loans.

And I refused.

He wanted to take me shopping on Rodeo Drive and buy me designer clothes.

And I refused.

[Laughs softly]

I blame my mother’s stubborn pride.

[Laughs more, then stops laughing]

But I was right to refuse.

A girl has to know how to make her own way.

She should never depend on a man, especially that early in her life.

When they’re partners and there are vows, no matter how those come, that’s one thing.

Until then.

Never.

Not ever.

Preacher was not very good at being famous.

[Shakes head, again grinning]

All the boys were more famous than they thought, but especially Preacher, Jesse and Tim.

Most especially Preacher.

It wasn’t like, in those early days, they couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized, but it happened more often than any of us expected.

[Off tape]

To you as well?

[Nods]

Obviously not as much as the guys, but it would happen.

And Preacher didn’t like it.

Especially when it came to me.

With my pad and pen, I wandered out to the pool, hitting a few of the lounges at the