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Clayton
Saturday night and I get to see Abigail. She’s playing at Mac’s then coming back to hang out at Adam’s for the night. I’ve made a heaping pan of lasagna, full of meat and cheese and my mom’s sauce recipe. I hope they like it. It should cook for about forty more minutes once we get to Adam’s, but that’s okay, it gives us time to relax. I get it wrapped and ready to go in the fridge when I hear the old man come down to leave for his poker game.
“Humph. Don’t you look all proud with your faggy concoctions? You gonna start wearing your mother’s heels next, boy?”
I can tell from the sound of gravel in his voice he’s already started in on the whiskey tonight. I move from the fridge and toward the sink, trying to not get cornered. “No, Sir,” I answer, trying not to sound as venomous as I feel.
He walks over, looking at the dishes in the sink. “You better clean this shit up and not leave it for your mother.” He smacks a dish off the counter, sending it smashing to the floor and I jerk back. He laughs at me. “Fucking pussy, if I was gonna hit ya, I’d just hit ya.” He sneers at me, grabbing me by the shirt collar. “See here, I’ve heard you been running round with trailer trash. My boy doesn’t associate with trash.” He pops my head off the side of the sink, sending me to the floor. “Let’s see if she want’s you if you ain’t so pretty.” He punches me and the lights go out.
I’m not sure how long I am out, but when I come to it’s gotten dark and I’ve got blood down the front of me. My head is spinning, but I stumble up anyhow, I need to get to Abigail. I won’t stand her up on our first technical date. I take off my button down and am just in my black t-shirt as I grab my keys and hop into my car. I was supposed to meet them at Adam’s and drive over to Mac’s, but I had also told them I may not make it till later. They probably went on without me, so off to Mac’s I speed.
I almost end up in another ditch, the road is everywhere, or maybe it’s my vision. I don’t know, but by the time I get to Mac’s and step inside, Abigail is saying her goodnights! Fuck, I missed her whole set! She’s gonna be so mad at me.
I hear some whispers as I look around and realize they must be talking about me. I have no idea what I look like, but if the look on Adam’s face from the bar is any indication, I look like I’ve been hit by a train. I duck into the men’s room and am immediately met by him.
“What happened, did you get jumped?” he squeals, putting out his hands, afraid to touch me but wanting to help.
I tear off my shirt and look in the mirror. Fuck, my eye is nice and bruised, my head is cracked open from where it connected with the sink, and my jaw has a good welt too.
“Nope, just good old Dad.” I click my jaw. “Doesn’t hurt too much, though, at least.”
“Where is he?” Abigail’s voice comes barreling in through the door followed by her little frame. She looks at me and she looks pissed.
“Who?”
“His dad,” Adam answers for me.
Her brows knit together, and she wraps her arms around me. That makes the beating worth it. I’ll never tell her what it was for, ever. I pull away. “I’m okay...Really.”
“You need to be cleaned up,” she insists, turning to Wayde. “We’re getting out of here. Meet you at the house.”
He nods. “Sure, Abi.”
“Give me your keys, you can’t drive, you probably have a concussion. I can’t believe you drove here, to begin with. You should have called the boys.” She’s in full-on mother hen mode. It’s sorta hot.
“I was just thinking that I had to get to you.”
“Yeah, and if you’d have wound up in a ditch?!” She is draggin’ me half naked through the bar, now. “What good would you be to me dead?” She spins on her heel as soon as we get outside. “Huh?” She smacks me in the chest and I cough. “I’m so not sorry, you—That scares the shit out of me. I’ve just found you two, I’m not losing you now. Be more careful, please. Now, is your house still empty?”
I nod. “And your mom has all the medical stuff?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I stare at her.
“Okay, then, c’mon.” She grabs my hand and puts me in the SUV, then hops in and has to pull the seat all the way forward just to reach the peddles, then has to lift it up to see over the wheel. I can’t help but chuckle.
“Shush, you, or you’ll get it from me next.”
***
We walk into the house and she is on point. “Where does your mom keep the medical stuff?”
“Um, there’s a first-aid kit in the bathroom over there.” I point to her right and she’s gone, only hesitating a moment as she passes the kitchen and sees the mass of broken dishes I hadn’t cleaned up before my hasty exit.
I walk over to the mess and grab the broom, while she’s getting the first-aid kit, beginning to sweep.
“What are you doing? Go sit your ass down,” she barks. “I got this.”
“No, I gotta, if my mom sees it.”
She sighs. “We’ll take care of it, but first let’s take care of you.” She takes the broom from me and then takes my hand gently, leading me to the kitchen table. She sweeps some of the glass aside so she can wash her hands and then joins me at the table with a washcloth and some soapy water.
“It’s gonna sting,” she whispers.
“I know.” I swallow. “I’m sorry I missed your set.”
“Wasn’t your fault.” She pats my head, cleaning the gash. Shit stung like a mother fucker. I hold firm, though. She smiles, knowing I’m manning it up.
“He was drinking?”
“Isn’t he always?”
She nods. “I’m sorry. Well, looks like it’s just gonna need a couple butterflies. Your eye’s just gonna need time.” She peels open the paper stitches and applies them, squeezing the wound closed. “That’s it, now just go sit. I’ll clean this up and we’ll get out of here. But you’re not drinking tonight just in case you got a concussion.”
“Right, Designated Dave I’ll be.” I salute, tapping the gash and wincing a tad.
“See, that’s what you get for trying to be sassy,” she smirks, walking away. God, she looks great. Taking off my jacket, she’s wearing low rise dark blue jeans with Chucks, and a black long sleeve, wide-neck shirt, only the sleeves are fishnet. She might live in the country, but she can fit in the city with no problem. I’d love to take her to Columbus, to the clubs for dancing. I still know some of the bouncers, we’d have a great time. We could even bring the boys. Hell, I’d let her bring Vic, at least there we’d be normal.
I watch her, and it occurs to me that this is the first time we’ve ever been alone and comfortable together. I get up and walk over to her, leaning into the kitchen doorframe.
“What are you staring at?” She smiles with a slight blush as she picks up the last bit of glass, putting it in the garbage can.
“My hot girlfriend, what else?”
“Hmm.”
I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her, my hands finding her ass and squeezing it.
“You’re touching me.”
“Yup. I’m about to be kissing you too.”
“Is that right?” She grins up at me.
I nod as she wraps her arms around my neck. I lift her up, putting her on the counter, my lips finding hers. My bare chest is pressed firmly against her, I can feel her nipples harden through the thin fabrics of her clothes.
So, she’s easily aroused, good to know. I slowly part her lips, my tongue seeking hers. She tastes like butterscotch and I want to devour her. Instead, I take my time, torturing myself. I want to savor her, taste every inch of exposed skin as I come to it.
Abigail moans into my mouth and I smile as I kiss down her chin to her neck, her clavicle, then her exposed shoulder. I pull her from the counter, staring into her green eyes. She’s panting hard. Fuck me, I want her, but it’s too soon. I take her hands in mine and she looks at me curiously.
“What’s wrong?”
“We can’t go much further, is that okay? That I don’t want to rush it?”
“If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, you’re one weird creature.”
I can’t help but laugh as I lure her to the couch for an intense makeout session before we head to Adam’s.
