Emilia (Part 1)(6)
“Hmm. Is that right?”
“Would I lie to you?”
One side of his mouth hooked up and I swear on everything holy my stomach fluttered. “That’s up for debate, but I’ll play along for now. What do you want?”
“So, um, I’m eighteen now and all, and I-I…”
My courage stalled and I couldn’t get the request out of my mouth. I rolled my neck in a circle, unscrambling the tangled thoughts clouding my brain. He could say no, and without a doubt, I’d feel uncomfortable every time we ran into each other, and that was all right. I didn’t plan to remain under my father’s roof for more than another year anyway.
“I want a birthday kiss,” I blurted before my pride had the chance to edit my request.
His hand abandoned mine. “You do?”
“From you,” I added, heat crawling up my neck. Thank God for the darkness.
He glanced at the house and rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s not gonna happen.”
“Why?”
“Well, for starters, I think your dad would put a bullet between my eyes.”
“My dad is holed up in the study with the rest of the men drinking bourbon and smoking cigars.”
“That explains why it looked like a girls only party inside.”
“Yep.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled, taking me in and clearly deliberating the pros and cons of my request.
“In that case…” He tugged on my sleeve, pulling me closer to him. “I think I need to do my duty and grant the birthday girl her wish.”
“You do,” I rasped out, my eyelids heavy, my heart racing, and my lips tingling in anticipation.
Not a second later, his lips were on mine and a quick gasp flew out of my lungs, searing a path right past my parted lips. The kiss was so gentle I questioned whether I imagined it. He lingered there, not taking it any further. When he started to lean back, I whimpered, desperate for him to keep going and do something forbidden.
“Not enough?” His voice sounded gravelly and his eyes darkened.
My fingers dug into the tight weave of his dark shirt, my breaths choppy.
“Noted,” he whispered, his lips slanting against mine. They were warm and smooth and tasted smoky with a hint of honey. Every brush sent chills down my spine and doubled my heartbeat.
His tongue swiped across the seam of my lips before working its way inside my mouth. I moaned, and it was like throwing gasoline on fire. His arms circled my body and my back collided with the roughened bark of the tree. His hands moved up and down my sides, and my fingers speared into his thick waves. I transferred every emotion inside of me into that kiss: happiness, awe, loneliness, and a touch of anger and helplessness.
Sal’s hips wedged between mine, his mouth traveling to the pulse points next to my ear and at the hollow of my neck. His hands snuck under the hem of my dress and my leg muscles contracted beneath his fingers. Even in my lust-intoxicated state, I knew this didn’t resemble a sweet birthday kiss. I needed to pull the plug on this half-baked idea before my father got a wild hair up his ass and came outside looking for me. Only I couldn’t.
And like some divine creature heard my warring sentiments, Sal’s phone rang. He pulled back, chilly air quickly replacing the sizzling warmth of his body. With his heavy eyelids and his bee-stung mouth, he certainly lived up to all the stupid daydreams that had monopolized my brain over the past month. I still couldn’t believe he actually came to my birthday party out of all of the places he could be on a Friday night, and he kissed me out of all of the women he knows.
Best birthday present ever.
“I’m sorry.” He raked his teeth over his lower lip. “I didn’t mean for it to go that far.”
His apology hit my chest with the force of a punch. I’d rather he said nothing than apologize. Outside of Gian and Carmela, everyone treated me with kid gloves, and I suspected it had to do with who my father was more than anything else.
“No worries. It was the perfect first kiss.” He frowned, and I rushed to alleviate his fears. “There’s no reason to freak out. I won’t tell anyone.” I made an invisible x over my heart. “I promise.”
He glanced over his shoulder, studying my house. “I need to get back to work. I only had a quick break, but I wanted to give you that present and say happy birthday.”
“Oh, okay. So when will I see you again?”
“Soon, I’m sure.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and climbed to his feet. “Ciao, tesoro. Vivere una vita bella.”
“Bye, Sal.” He vanished around the side of the house to the front yard, his dark clothing and hair blending like a specter into the starless sky.