Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,25
her when she found out he was coming to town.”
Layla shrugs. “Yeah, maybe.”
She doesn’t sound too sure but I leave it at that, it’s a few months away.
We sit together, the heated seats and heater running keeping us warm, until the song is over.
“I gotta get going.”
The words are there floating between us but she doesn’t make a move to leave. My eyes roam down to her lips, that shiny shit on her lips long gone now. Slowly and seductively her tongue comes out to wet her lips and my restraint slips. Leaning over, my hand on her neck pulling her closer, inch by painful inch, until we are inches away from each other.
The air around us crackles, the music fades and it’s just our breathing that I hear and the swooshing in my fucking ears. I’ve wanted to do this since the day I first laid eyes on her. I know it’s wrong, it’s so fucked up on so many levels but none of them seem to matter in this moment.
“I’m going to kiss you.” Layla’s breath catches, her big green eyes darken. “If you don’t want that to happen, you have to get out of this car right now.”
I wait two heartbeats, she hasn’t moved an inch, hasn’t taken her eyes off mine. At first it’s just a peck on the lips needing to test the grounds. The next lingers and the third flips a switch for the both of us. Her hands find their way to my hair; my hand goes to her hips attempting to pull her closer. Her lips part and I make a move needing more. Our tongues caress and ignite a fire. Emotions whirl around and skid to halt when she suddenly pulls back.
She rushes out, “I have to go.”
“Layla, wait.” I urge not wanting her to leave like this but there is a tap at the window.
Layla curses. “Shit,” before opening the door and quickly shutting it behind her.
I wait a second debating on whether I should get out of the car and explain to her mom why she was late. I turn the radio down trying to hear the conversation happening just outside of my car but I can’t hear anything but muffled sounds.
Layla opens the car door again. “Thank you for the…” she clears her throat. “ride.”
Biting back a smile, I say, “You’re welcome. I’ll see you later.”
She smiles before shutting the door, talking to her mom again as I pull away and watch her out the rearview mirror until I can no longer see her.
When I pull up to my house a sense of loneliness washes over me, it’s too big, too cold. My dad, the asshole that he is, at least made sure that Erin and I have our own houses. I guess by making sure we have the bigger things in life that it makes up for the smaller ones, the important ones to me. He’s so wrong though, so fucking wrong. I know that I’d rather have my dad in my life than to have all the luxuries that he’s giving me. I wanted someone to come to my baseball games, teach me how to work on cars, take me fishing, just do stuff with me; but instead I’m left with a house that’s big enough for two families. Never seemed to bother me in the past but now it’s all I can focus on as I drift off to sleep thinking about Layla…and those legs…and those eyes…and her lips on mine.
Layla
Mrs. Stein tapping on the window of Eli’s car scared the shit out of me. I wasn’t expecting her, although it doesn’t surprise me that she didn’t come out to see who was parked in front of her house. She and my mom go way back to high school, they were great friends until my mom let alcohol and drugs ruin her life. At least she doesn’t have the drug problem anymore but the alcohol is a whole different story. Mrs. Stein has also helped me out a few times with watching Fallon so I didn’t miss school. She loves Fallon almost as much as I do so she’d do anything for her.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, sweetie, but we have a little bit of a problem.” She glances back towards the house and I see Fallon’s sad little face through the glass door. “You’re mom dropped her off about a half hour ago.”
I place a hand on my hip. There goes that sober streak.