Page 37 of Deliverance

I smile at her, resting my hand on top of hers. She smiles back before her head whips around, like she’s making sure nobody is watching. Can’t say I blame her, especially after tonight.

“What did your dad say?” I ask.

“Huh?” she says as her head turns back to look at me.

“In his office? Did he know? About…us?” I ask carefully.

“Oh, no. Just family stuff.”

I wait for her to elaborate, but when she doesn’t, I decide to let it go. We sit there in silence for a few more minutes as Bridgette casually, yet discreetly, links our hands together.

“I like it here.”

I nod. “You’re welcome anytime, if you don’t mind getting labeled a goth girl,” I tease.

She laughs and shakes her head. “Not on your fucking life, Bartlett.”

Chapter Thirteen

Bridgette

That golden sunlight shines like a veil. A thin layer between this day and the next. It’s bright and warm and represents everything good before being overshadowed. It’s cast to the side like it’s nothing, useless. A means to an end for the day, this one and the next. Then comes the darkness; it starts off slow, carefully swallowing the light so you don’t even notice the change. Then, second by second, minute by minute, the safe and warm embrace of the light vanishes, and you’re left in the dark cold, vulnerable, and alone.

A shadowy figure blocks the light currently bathing down on me as I lay by the pool. Quickly, I cover my journal, flipping it face down before I stare up at my intruder. Maggie stares down at me with a smile, her thick red hair pulled over one shoulder in a messy braid that has my OCD desperate to smooth out. That’s not who Maggie is, though. She is messy and artsy and kinda foul at times. She’s also crazy beautiful and creative and unfailingly kind. Even when she doesn’t have to be. Even when others don’t deserve her kindness.

“Hey.” She smiles.

“Hey,” I respond, unable to fight off the upturn of my mouth as I look at her.

She takes a seat on my chair before pulling my legs into her lap. I hesitate for a moment before she begins rubbing my feet. Then, I melt. Literally sink into the chair, my swimsuit coverup slipping off my shoulder slightly as I do.

Maggie’s eyes don’t miss a thing as they snap to my newly exposed skin. She shakes her head and laughs as she stares out at the pool.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing, it’s just, I can’t look at you right now.”

I frown at that. “Why not?”

“Because it’s already hard enough not to practically maul you every second of the day and to see you all sun kissed in your tiniest bathing suit is doing things to me, baby,” Maggie says, her voice somewhere between being tortured and loving every second of it.

I can’t ignore the way my stomach dips when she calls me baby. Just like it does every time. I don’t know how I’ve found myself in this…situation. We’re not a couple, obviously. I’m not gay. Or lesbian or whatever. I like cock. Tons of it. I can have it whenever I want it and I love it. This last month has just been…I don’t know what to call it. I don’t know how to explain it. It just has been. Period.

And I hate how much I’m loving it.Loving my time with her. In and out of the bedroom. I hate how often I find myself watching her. How many times I think about sneaking into her bed at night or her into mine, just so she can hold me. I mean, I wouldn’t be opposed to more happening. The girl knows how to make me cum like no one before, but I just…it’s more than that. We’re…friends, I guess. Friends that enjoy touching and kissing. Like friends with benefits, kinda.

Shit.

The further I go down this spiral, the more it sounds like I’m into Maggie, and I’m not. Not like that. I mean, I can’t be.

Right?

“Why is that a bad thing?” I ask, a soft teasing tone to my voice as I attempt to push away all the insane thoughts warring through my mind.

“Hm?” Maggie asks, still refusing to look in my direction.

“Maybe I like making you feel a certain kind of way,” I say as I lean forward.

Slowly, she turns to face me, a mischievous grin on her face as her eyes dart around before closing the distance between us. I can’t help but smile into the kiss. Her soft lips wrap around mine, moving slowly before cupping my face. I dart my tongue out to tangle with hers when she breaks away with a ragged breath, resting her forehead against my own.