His T-shirt was tight, his broad shoulders pulling at the fabric across his chest. He was sculpted like a V, his waist narrow and cinched. His hips lured my other hand in as they rocked back and forth and side to side with the rhythm. Andre had another V hidden under his shirt, the tip tucking itself below his waistline, pointing to well…enough said. It was my favorite part of his body.
Or…my second favorite part.
I could still feel his firm muscles when my fingers brushed over them. How had he gotten so strong? Andre had been built in high school. He was always fit and active, but now he felt like an overwhelming powerhouse. He felt like he was surrounding me. His warm eyes watched me as I explored him delicately. When I looked up, I was greeted with that signature crooked smile.
And it made my knees weak.
Andre
The way Lillian looked at me was a bit confusing. She had cupped my cheek so gently before moving down, feeling me out through my shirt. What a devil Lilly had become after all those years. She would have never done that before. She was too shy, too reserved. Too secluded in herself. Now she was gazing up at me, her hand on my waist, and I couldn’t help but stare.
Her eyes were gorgeous. They always pulled me in, no matter what was happening. I could stare at them all day. Her bronze skin was coupled with ash-blond hair in a perfect contrast that made her look like a summer goddess. Who was I to say that she was anything but that? Maybe I died on my way to the farm, took a turn too quickly on one of those winding back roads, and flipped the car, and I was lying by the side of the road, dead as a doornail, and this was my heaven. I would be happy if this were my heaven.
I reached out to her, as well. She wasn't going to be the only one having a good time. The music slowed to a lulling hum of string instruments. I didn’t know those hillbilly songs. It was nice though, the sounds flowed gently in my ears.
The crowd around us paired off. My hand laid softly on Lilly’s curved hip. It fit perfectly against the natural curve of my hand, and I tugged her in closer. She gave me a look of surprise as I pulled us close enough that our hips touched. My other hand went around and cupped the back of her neck, my fingers tangling in the braid that washed down her back in loose disarray. When I disturbed her hair, the scent of coconut and vanilla drifted forward. It tickled the inside of my nose in such a way, it brought back memories of her from long since past. Closing my eyes in blissful enjoyment, I hugged her close. Her cheek was warm against my chest, and she pressed herself ever so softly against me. I held her firmly.
That was what I was missing.
I was so sure of it. That was what our prom should have been rather than some social display with no enjoyment. I wanted to stay in the moment forever, and thankfully, the music lasted long enough. I led our motions, and we rocked back and forth, passing our weight from one foot to another, tracing a circle with our feet.
“I’m glad you're here,” Lilly whispered to me, her voice almost startling me, but it was so sweet and soft that I could hardly consider it an intrusion.
“I am glad I came, too, Lilly. I wouldn’t want to miss this for the world.” I meant that. I hoped she knew just how much.
The song continued, each note drifting through the air of the barn and out into the field. As we twirled and enjoyed the feeling of being against one another, Lilly looked up at me again. Every time she did, I was taken aback by her beauty. She had matured so well; her features looked as if to have been handmade—everything purposeful and exquisitely designed.
I was overwhelmed with feelings for a woman who I had let go once before. Before I was able to stop himself, I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers. I was greeted with a sharp inhale from my partner. Lilly hesitated, but after the smallest of moments, her mouth fit like a puzzle piece against mine—warm, soft, and sweet. Her lips were perfect and felt like they were just where they belonged. I held the kiss for multiple heartbeats before she pulled away. She blushed scarlet, and the color made her eyes as bright as the sky. I felt my own face warm but lifted a hand and ran the back of one knuckle against her cheek to wipe her embarrassment away. I was rewarded with a smile, and my heart fluttered like a caged canary inside my chest.
Gradually the music sped up and transitioned back to the lively racket it once was. The murmured hush of discussion turned into a rocking roar of laughter and fun. The alcohol had finally set in. All of the pairs assembled on the dance floor now split. We remained the last of the group to do so. Eventually, we turned shoulder to shoulder, and Lillian led us to the barn's entrance. I hadn't realized how warm it had become inside. The fresh air was crisp and cool against my skin, and I was very appreciative of it.
“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” she said softly as we exited the barn and took a step onto the pebble path leading around to a grove of fruit trees.
I grabbed her hand as we walked and laced our fingers together. I was amazed at how well her fingers fit between mine.
“I didn’t feel like I had to do anything. I wanted to do it. It felt right,” I said, swallowing nervously. “Wouldn’t you say so?”
Never in my life had I ever been worried about a woman declining my advances.
Usually, the kind of woman I went after was compliant if for no other reason than I had a ton of money. Sometimes they liked my looks, too, and every once in awhile, they enjoyed me as a person. But they always said my appearance helped. Lilly nodded, and strands of her blond hair fell over her shoulder and bounced around her chest.
“It did feel right. It felt surprisingly right…” Her voice trailed off. “You know, the way we ended things… It was a really jagged tear in my heart, Andre. To have you come back here like this and falling so hard for you again…” She pushed those strands of hair back behind her ears. “It’s scary.”
“I am sorry for what I did.”
“Do you even remember?”
“Of course I do. I remember that night like it happened yesterday. It’s like wallpaper on the inside of my eyelids. You didn’t want to be like your family. Even back then, William was already pushing you to make choices that weren’t you. You wanted to be your own person. We got into a fight about that and decided to call it off because of the distance between schools.”
“Right, that’s mostly it. But you told me you weren’t going to be associated with some freeloader who was just into you for your money. I wasn’t allowed to ‘piggyback’ off of you for my popularity anymore. That really hurt my feelings…” Her eyes were glued to the ground. “I ended up going to college for business to make my family happy, albeit six hours away from home, but I still went.”
I didn’t say anything. I wanted to give her the space to talk.
“So, my family thought I was some kind of freeloader, too. I was working so hard to save up money once I came home from school. I started a job in a coffee shop, and it was wonderful getting to work with people. My family, William especially, still despised me. I was the black sheep. You know what is pretty screwed up? I’ve been gone from home, left nothing but a note to tell them I wouldn’t be back, and they never even called me. No one checked in on me. They don’t care if I am there or not. Do they care if I’m alive or dead?”