I could do it again.
43
KANDY
When he kissed me goodbye, the weight of our non-existent future was lifted temporarily. For a split second, I forgot about reality and only thought about his lips and how soft they were, how perfect they matched mine. How amazing he smelled. How he groaned when he tried to pull back, but came in for more, like he was parched and couldn’t satisfy his thirst.
I don’t know how long we kissed, or who stopped first. I do remember holding his hand for a while, the rims of my eyes burning because I didn’t want to let go.
“Don’t,” he murmured. “You’ll be fine, Kandy Cane. I promise. I’ll still be here.”
That much was true, but it didn’t help. Still, I sucked it up like a big girl. I didn’t let my tears fall while I stood in front of him on the porch, but as soon as I made it up to my bedroom and tossed my bags in the corner, I curled up on my bed and shed the tears that’d been begging to be unleashed.
It lasted for a while—about a good fifteen minutes—until my phone chimed and a message from him popped up.
Cane: You better not be crying.
At that, a laugh bubbled out of me and I sent him a quick response.
Me: I’ll be okay.
Cane: I know you will.
I fell asleep a short while later, my eyes dryer and my smile faint.
The next day, I called my best friend. She’d been waiting to hear the details ever since I got home.
“Tell me every-fucking-thing,” she demanded. I heard noise in the background, a scraping noise like furniture was moving.
“What’s going on there?”
“Oh, my roommate is rearranging the furniture. Said she doesn’t like the layout. Whatever that means,” she muttered. “Anyway, go! Tell me everything! Was it as good as you hoped?”
“Oh my gosh, Frank,” I let out a joyous sigh. “It was…ugh. I don’t know how to put it into words.” I paused for a moment, and I knew the wait was killing her because she groaned. “It was better than I imagined it would be. He was gentle, but also rough and dominant. He knew exactly what to do to make me come.” I blushed at that, looking at myself in my bathroom mirror. “I didn’t want those two days to end. Ever.”
“If I were you, I would have stayed longer. Screw everything else. That man likes you just as much as you like him. Hell, he probably loves you now that you’ve given it up to him.”
I laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Was he big?” she probed.
I busted out laughing. “Huge, Frank. I was almost scared of it.”
“Holy shit!”
“Can you please not curse like that around me?” I heard someone shout in the background.
“Dude, fuck off!” Frankie snapped, her voice distant. “Don’t like it, request another fucking roommate, Polly!”
I giggled. Frankie could be such an asshole sometimes. “You’d better stop or Polly’s going to smother you with a pillow while you sleep,” I sniggered.
“Not if I get to her first. Gah, she’s so uptight. Damn prude. ”
I walked out of the bathroom when I heard a car door shut. Pushing my curtain back, I saw Cane’s car in the driveway. Mom and Dad were walking toward the house with suitcases, and Cane’s car was going in reverse. Was he not coming in?
“Hey, Frank, I’ll text you, okay? My parents are here.”
“Okay. Please do so immediately before I strangle my roommate.”
I promised before ending the call and tossed my phone on the bed. I hurried down the stairs and as I rounded the corner, Mom and Dad were walking through the door.
“Hey, baby!” Mom squealed.
“Baby girl!” Dad bellowed.
I smiled at both of them, rushing into their arms. They hugged me at the same time.
“How was the anniversary?” I asked when they let me go.
“So good,” Mom sighed, and beamed at my dad.
Dad returned a smug smile, and that was enough for me to know they’d fallen in love all over again—not that they weren’t before. It was just stronger now. I was glad. They needed that time to reconnect and learn about each other again.
“I see my house is in tip-top shape,” Dad said, walking past me and scanning the house.
I rolled my eyes. “There were no parties thrown here, Officer Jennings. Take a chill pill.”
They both chuckled. Dad came my way, planting a kiss on the top of my head before walking to the kitchen. Mom followed after him, letting out an elated sigh about her package on the counter, and when they were gone I walked to the living room to look out of the window. Cane’s car was nowhere in sight. I don’t know why that bothered me so much.
I shouldn’t have been worried though.
That same night, he sent a text to check on me.