Page 30 of Kisses

Chapter 11

Lyla

It’s been a week since the last time I had sex with Sully. We texted a few times and then there was class. I don’t know. I’m not ready for him to ask me a million questions, especially about my mother.

What happened to my mother is VERY personal to me. After it happened, so many reporters tapped into our lives. My mother was quite private because of her secret life behind doors. My mother was a district attorney for the city of Omaha. The last thing she wanted was people to know that she was a swinger. You know how reporters get; they can be ruthless when digging up dirt. I swore they were going to find out, but my father and the community did a great job of keeping it hush, hush. I know it wouldn’t change the fact that she was killed, but I could see the headlines saying, “Slain District Attorney and her secret life.” It would have been a nightmare. There is so much about my mother that explains who I am as a person. I’m just not ready for someone to know more than they need to know.

Kandace knows everything about me. She is one of the few. There has never been any judgment on her part. She may give me shit for lacking the desire for love but she never judges. She always says, “Love is an incredible feeling. You have to at least experience it once in your life.”

Maybe she’s right. I don’t know. Here is the thing with Sully, I have this odd feeling that it’s going to lead to more than sex. Fuck, he’s already wanting to get to know me. It becomes more than sex when you get to know each other. I am not sure I am ready for that.

Yet, there is this pull to let him in. Would he accept everything about me? I know I won’t be the easiest person to care for. I don’t know how to show care back. Then this whole my mother was assassinated and him being a crime reporter. Will his interest become more about my mother than me? Meh, this shit is confusing.

***

Kandace has been all over me to go out this weekend. She feels we both need to get out of our slump. I am not in a slump, she is. However, I’ll play wingman for her. I really have no desire to pick someone up.

Wait a minute, did I just think that. What the actual fuck? That is unlike me. I am always game to hook up. But I don’t want to. Like, I am okay with only having sex with one man. What is he doing to me? God, help me now.

***

Kandace encourages me to take another shot. I am not feeling it, but I’ll oblige. We take a shot of One Ball. The mix of Rumchata and Screwball is absolutely delish. She puts her hands up in the air and yells, “Another one.”

I laugh, “Girl, calm down a bit.”

“What? I want to have the best time.”

I wave ‘no, thank you’ to the bartender.

Kandace pouts, “You’re a buzzkill.”

“What is going on with you?”

“I don’t know. I’m in a promiscuous mood.”

I laugh, “Let’s not do that.”

She rolls her eyes at me. We both grab our beer and water and head to a booth. This is a new to us bar close to our home. It is within walking distance, which is an added plus. I am surprised we have never been here before. Oh, well.

We sit down and start to drink our beers. Kandace is singing along to the music that’s playing. She is in a happy-go-lucky mood. The waitress comes over and takes our order. We have beer but who knows when she is going to come back. We decide to double fist it.

Kandace and I begin to discuss the class we share together. I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see Sully and Todd standing by our table. Kandace stops talking and looks right at Todd. A chill goes up my spine, and the tension is tight. Kandace flickers her eyes at Todd. I look at Sully and he is as hot as can be.

I know we haven’t talked much this week. My dumb ass was trying to avoid him. Here we are in public just looking at each other. Then there is Kandace and Todd, both of them into each other since the day they met. Yet haven’t had any contact.

I sigh. I know my friend has it bad for him. In my head, that is completely weird because it was just one night. The mark has been made.

I look at Sully and smile, “Hi. What are you guys doing tonight?”

Sully squints his eyes in surprise and says, “Just hanging out. Nothing big.”

“Do you guys want to hang with us?”

Sully questions, “Do you think that is appropriate?”

I grin, “Not here, silly. Back at our place.”

I look over at Kandace. Her nose is scrunched up and she looks confused. She hasn’t caught on to what I am doing. This one’s for her.