Offense & Defense

Feeling the adrenaline still pulsing in my veins, I stop and look at Kim. She seems shocked by the whole thing, and there’s a small cut on her lower lip; I rest my hand against her cheek, feeling her warm skin under my fingers.

“Hey, you okay, ‘sis?” I whisper, her beautiful eyes sinking their hooks in me. She simply nods and I notice she’s shaking, her skin prickled. I take my jacket and place it over her shoulders. “It’s alright, I’m here.”

“Just take me home,” she whispers, leaning into me and resting her head against my chest. I hold her tight, feeling the rise and fall of her chest and savoring every moment of it.

I take her by the hand and guide her toward my motorbike “Take this,” I tell her as I grab the helmet it and lower it over her head. It looks comical on her, and it’s probably a bit too big for her, but it’ll do on the ride home.

“Where’s yours?”

“That’s mine. You can take it. I don’t need it... “

“Are you sure?” she asks, anxious to go home but still not wanting to break the rules.

“Yeah, it’s fine. It’s not that far anyway.”

Kim simply nods in agreement, and I hop on the bike. She climbs on the back clumsily, and I rev up the engine as I wait for her to be settled. Breathing in deeply as she laces me with her arms, my heart kicks as the palms of her hands press against my stomach. I’m not sure if all the adrenaline that still courses through my body is due to the fight or to her being so close to me.

Either way, I need the open road. I can feel my mind cooling down as the harsh wind beats against my face, lashing at me as I cut through the night fast. I can feel the growl of the engine between my legs, Kim's body tightly pressed against mine, the vastness of the open road unfolding before me… It’s a perfect moment, more perfect than anything that has happened for a long time.

I wish for it to never end, for the road to stretch under me for endless miles. But good things always come to an end, and soon I’m halting to a stop behind our beach house. She hops off the bike and takes the helmet off as I kill the engine, a strange feeling taking over me as the silence of the night embraces us both.

“Thank you, Cody,” Kim says, looking into my eyes and almost making my heart stop. I can see she still isn’t herself, so I just smile and take her inside the house.

“Don’t worry about it. Just try and get some sleep. I…” I stop for a while, lost in her eyes. And that’s when she does the unthinkable.

She leans in and kisses me.

78

Kim

One kiss. One stupid little kiss.

My lips linger on his for God knows how long, and then we look into each other’s eyes.

“G’night,” I tell him in one heavy breath, and then head to my room, my head spinning. Why did I kiss him? Why?

I shut my bedroom door and sit on the edge of the bed, my heart still galloping inside my chest. How did a night, which was supposed to be a fun, turn into a complete and utter mess?

Before I could even tell what was happening, John’s hands were on me... and then Cody showed up. I can’t help but relive that moment, my heart tightening each time I recall the look on Cody’s face. He didn’t seem like… himself.

He looked like someone who’d go to any length to protect his family and… to protect me. Feeling his protectiveness toward me was… good. I had never felt like that before. It’s a bit weird to think about it, but in the ride back home, my arms firmly embracing Cody as he drove, I understood that he’ll always be here for me.

Even though he barely knows me, he cares.

He fought and won just to save me. And I can’t help but think that he looked as handsome as ever when doing it. Every time I think of that hard look on his face it’s almost impossible to not picture how his body looks when naked… And now that we’ve kissed, I can’t erase from my mind the way his lips taste when brushing against mine.

Before I know what I’m doing, I stand up from the bed and get out of the room. I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m doing it. All I know is that I need to see him just one more time before sleep. And nothing more, I promise, fully knowing I’m lying to myself.

I stop in front of his door and rap my knuckles against it. He doesn’t answer but I can’t turn back now. I grab the doorknob and turn it, simply standing there as the door swings back on its hinges.

Cody’s sitting on his bed, looking straight at me. I stand here like an idiot, not knowing what to say.

“Are you alright?”, he finally asks me, getting up from the bed and walking toward me.

“Yes, I… I, uh, I just wanted to see you,” I half-whisper, botching a, I just wanted to see if you’re alright too. He says nothing, simply staring into my eyes and making it almost impossible to focus on whatever I want to say.

“Kim. Go to your room, please,” he tells me, almost making my heart stop.