Welcome to Monday Fiction. I'm revisiting some flash-fiction stories from my old blog and posting them here. Brand new flash-fiction stories will be coming soon, as well. Stop by every Monday for a super-quick read.
Just a Kiss
(this work belongs to Brynn Paulin and cannot be duplicated without permission)
“You can’t,” Rose murmured as she held back Liam—twenty-two year old Liam, her son’s best friend. He was a couple years older than Steven, but that age disparity didn’t really matter. At least, not like the age disparity between herself and this much younger man. It didn’t matter how she felt about him—feelings she’d thought hidden until this moment. She had to consider her son.
“Rose, please,” he murmured. “It’s just a kiss.”
She looked into his dark brown eyes and saw something there that terrified her. Determination, desire…commitment. And she knew he was lying. It wouldn’t be just a kiss. It would be a beginning.
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
With a sigh, he stepped away. “Is he here?”
“Steven? No. He drove over to the college to meet with his advisor and set up next semester’s classes—”
“Then he wouldn’t know. It’s just between us anyway.”
“For how long? Just a kiss and then what?” A tremble stole through her as he caught her hand and pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist. She held her breath to keep him from hearing its raggedness. Slowly, she let it out. She couldn’t let this happen. She was twelve years older than him, for God’s sake. She had to be mature and keep her head. “A kiss is never just a kiss.”
His thumb brushed over the spot he’d just kissed, raising goose bumps along her arm.
“The truth is I want you,” he said. “And Steve knows it.”
“You talked to him about it?” she exclaimed.
“Only after he asked me point blank.”
“Great.”
“He thinks it’s pretty cool.”
“Lovely.” Her child, her dear darling child, her high school mistake who'd turned out to be not so much a mistake and definitely a blessing, was planning her love life. With his best friend who was twelve years her junior. Should she be thankful he wasn’t the same age as her son?
“You’re freaked out,” he observed.
“A little. I can’t believe you two.”
“That doesn’t stop you from being interested in me.”
Admit nothing! A cartoon-like voice screamed in her head. Okay, she was losing it. She forced back a groan as his teeth sank into his bottom lip and his head tilted slightly forward as he waited, his eyes imploring her to say yes.
“I need to get back to work,” she said turning back toward her home office.
Before she could react, Liam, caught her wrist and pulled her flat against his chest. His mouth was on hers, demanding her response. Unable to hold back this time, Rose groaned and felt herself involuntarily soften against him. There was nothing she could do to stop her body’s response to something she’d wanted.
His tongue slipped between her lips. Helpless to her response, she met him, and he growled possessively. His body pressed hers to the wall, his hands holding her tight to him while her fingers curled into his wide chest. As his woodsy scent invaded her senses, filling her with him and inflaming her desires, she gave up her battle, miniscule as it had been, and admitted defeat—to him. To her traitorous body.
Minutes later, he lifted his mouth, leaving her rattled. She couldn’t want him this way. This wasn’t happening.
“Steven will understand,” he said, his eyes soft with what was passing between them.
Steven was probably the only one who’s understand…
“I’ll pick you up for dinner at six. Rose…” he prompted when she didn’t say anything. “It will be okay.”
Maybe it would. Maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe she was insane to even entertain the idea of spending time with him. “Will it?”
“Get to know me…”
“Kiss me again,” she said, conceding to the need inside her. And as his head lowered, his lips then brushing hers, she knew one thing. She’d been right about one thing. A kiss was never just a kiss.
Thanks for reading! I hope you return next week.