“I still don’t believe they deserved the things you did.”
“Baby, let me tell you a story: There was this girl in my class in high school that I liked. Her name was Allison. I mean, I thought she was heaven walking on earth. She had this beautiful silky black hair and a banging body for her age. I mean, all the guys around the school were gunning for her. That’s how hot she was. And of all the boys in our grade, she liked me, Sweets.”
She smirked. “It was your animal magnetism.”
Josh laughed. “Yeah, that’s right, you know how it is. So anyway, I get the nerve to ask Allison to meet me by the bleachers after my football game.”
Summer frowned. “The bleachers?”
He nodded. “Yeah, Sweets, the bleachers. Hasn’t a boy asked you to meet him by the bleachers after a football game or basketball game?”
Summer shook her head. “Um, no they didn’t. I wouldn’t have gone anyway.”
Josh leaned into her. “You would’ve gone with me, Sweets. If I had known you in high school, I would have asked you to do a lot more than meet me at the bleachers.”
Josh winked his eye and looked at her struggle on his meaning. When she finally understood she tossed the pillow she had in her lap at him.
“You’re a pig, do you know that?”
“Yes, I do… anyway back to my story. So I ask the girl to meet me at the bleachers. Now everyone knows what it means to be asked to go to the bleachers. If you say yes, that means you are saying yes to getting kissed, groped, and God knows what else at a moment’s notice.”
“Whoa there, cowboy, are you telling me that you have had sex underneath bleachers in high school?”
“Sweets, stop concentrating on my lack of a moral fiber at sixteen and let me tell you my story. So of course being the guy I was in high school, Allison said yes. It was after my championship game mind you, so I was on a high. I showered, taking care of all the necessary parts of the body, you know, just in case she wanted to plant her face in my lap. When I got out of the shower, everyone pretty much left the locker room, so it was just me. So I got dressed, you know, thinking about what I was going to do to Allison first and not focusing on getting dressed. By the time I made it out to the field it was really dark. The field lights were out, and like I said, everyone was mostly gone except for Allison and me. So to make a long story short, we started instantly going at it, kissing and touching, and that’s when it happened.”
Summer’s eyes were wide. “What happened?”
He ignored her and added, “I didn’t think anything of it when I first felt it.”
“Felt what?” Summer asked, leaning closer to him.
Josh just shook his head.
“Then I didn’t know if it was the heat that was rising in me, but shit, when I got a boner, bam! It hit me.”
“What hit you?” She asked, more exacerbated with anticipation.
“Baby powder.”
Summer scrounged up her nose. “Baby powder? I don’t get it. How would baby powder affect your… you know… wait, unless you were…”
Just then, her eyes got wide, and she burst out laughing. Josh just nodded and leaned back against the couch.
“Yeah, now you get it. So it seems my brothers put baby powder in the crotch part of my underwear… and well, as you can guess, I’m extremely allergic to baby powder. I break out in hives, and wherever the powder touches I itch like crazy. And before you ask, I know it was them. They heard me bragging about what I was doing, and they are the only ones that know I’m allergic to baby powder. So as you can imagine, my crotch was on fire. Allison looked on in horror as blotches and rashes appeared on my face, my torso… my dick…” Summer was curled over laughing hysterically. Josh smiled and added, “Yeah, it’s funny now, but it wasn’t then. I stripped completely and tried my best to first get back in the school to shower, but the doors were locked. So I had to run to my car and speed home just to get that shit off my body.”
“Oh my goodness, Josh. That’s unbelievable.” Summer shook her head.
“Yeah, it may be unbelievable to you, but it happened to me, Sweets. Just imagine me running through the front door, parents sitting in the living room with a few of their friends, and I shoot by them butt ass naked. My brothers see me and fall out laughing hysterically, sort of what you just did. And me having to explain to my mother what I planned on doing tonight with a girl… yeah, that didn’t go over very well.”
Grinning she shook her head, “Yeah, I can only imagine.”
“So yeah, when I played the practical jokes on my brothers, I think it’s warranted. They deserve that shit.”
Summer put her hands up. “Okay I relent.”
Josh looked out the window and noticed the darkness was subsiding outside and in the apartment. His phone then started to vibrate on the table in front of them. Summer looked at it, then at him.
Josh reached for it, saying, “That’s my alarm.”
“I’m sorry–” Summer started.
Josh shook his head and said over her, “Don’t even say it. You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad I decided to swing by your place when I did, and I’m glad I stayed.” Josh reached for her hand and kissed it lightly. “Anytime you need me, just call me, okay?” She nodded and kept her eyes glued to their union . Josh asked, “Why don’t you call off and get some sleep? I’m sure someone can cover for you today.”
Summer nodded absently, still looking at their hands. Josh squeezed her hand and stood bringing her with him. He grabbed his keys and phone and headed for her front door.
“I have nightmares about him choking me,” she said softly.
Josh stopped and turned to face her. Summer stood there seemingly frightened as if she was still in her nightmare.
“Sweets…” Josh started, and squeezed her hand, but Summer shook her head and closed her eyes.
She said, “That’s what he used to do to me. I would be asleep, and suddenly wake up to him on top of me, cutting off my air, watching me struggle to breathe. When I wake up from the dream, I can feel him in the room with me, I can feel his breath on my face, I can smell his cologne everywhere, on my pillows, my hands, on my sheets. I keep buying new pillows and sheets because no matter how many times I try, I can’t get his fucking smell off of me…” Summer gripped her shirt tight and backed away, breath quickening with each step.
Josh moved quickly to wrap his arms around her just before she collapsed to the floor. He scooped her up in his arms and walked into her room. Crying, Summer held on to him tight, and even when he sat down on her bed she didn’t let him go. He held her too, not wanting to let her go, caressing her back, letting her hold on to him as long as she wanted.
“I’m so fucked up, Josh,” she said in his neck.
“No, you’re not. You’re just a woman who clearly has been through some fucked up shit. But guess what? You’re not in it now. And best believe I will not let you get into it again.”
Summer leaned back from him, and he wiped the wetness from her face with his fingers. Summer just watched him as he fussed over her.
“I hate that you’re afraid, that you’re living your life in fear,” Josh admitted.
“There’s nothing you can do,” Summer told him.
Josh scoffed and shook his head. “That’s where you’re mistaken, Sweets, there are plenty of things I can do, and best believe I will do them.”
“Josh, as much as I would love for you to help, I don’t want to get you involved. Noah has connections. He could…” She paused and moved from his lap to put her back against her headboard. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Can you understand that?”
“Look at me, baby. Look at me, Sweets,” he said softly, turning his body to face hers. She opened her eyes, and they fell on Josh. “There is no way that son of a bitch will ever put his hands on you again. He won’t be in the same room with you, or even breathe the same air as you as long as I’m around. I want you to trust in that, Sweets. Trust in me that I will do everything I can to make you feel safe.”
“He’s dangerous, Josh,” she said softly.
Josh ran his hand through her hair and stopped at her neck. He said to her slowly, “So am I, Sweets, so am I.” His eyes instantly grew dark, something that she hadn’t seen from him before. It was different, more ominous. She shivered slightly as his eyes never wavered from hers.
“Sweets, listen,” Josh moved closer to her and placed both his hands along the sides of her face. “I know we are just getting to know each other, and I get that it’s hard to trust people, especially men. But, God, I give you my word I will do everything I can to protect you. You’re not alone in this, okay? There’s no way I will let him come near you.”
“Why would you want to help me? Put yourself in danger for me,” she managed to say, softly.
Josh shook his head. “I can’t begin to explain the connection and the pull you have over me. I can’t stop thinking about you, I’m completely drawn to you, I want to get to know you, but most of all I want to protect you. If you give me a chance, I promise to show you that you can trust me. Will you give me that chance? Let me help you stop running.”