"What do you know about IEDs?" Izzie asked. "My mom wants me to get one because I can never remember to take my pill. But it seems kind of scary to put a fish hook inside you."
I elbowed Izzie. "He's talking about something different," I whispered from the side of my mouth.
We turned onto our street, with its rows of cute little brick homes shaded by leafy trees. It felt strange to be back in the old neighborhood, approaching the place that was my home up until nine months ago. No one had lived there while James was away, although Grandma did hire a housecleaner to tidy the place a few weeks ago in anticipation of James' arrival.
"Here we are," Paw Paw said as he steered onto the driveway. "Home, sweet home. I'd help you with your bags, but it looks like you've got it under control."
///
Izzie and I went into the house with James while Paw Paw and Grandma waited in the car. James threw his duffle bag down on the couch and immediately kicked his boots off.
"God, it feels good to be under my own roof again," he said. "I didn't even realize how much I missed this place till I walked through that front door."
"I gotta use the bathroom," Izzie said.
I smiled. It did feel good to be home again, to be with James again after such a long time apart. James noticed my smile and he grinned widely, crinkles forming beyond the corners of his eyes. His skin was deeply tanned and a bit more leathery than I remembered. I guess nine months under the desert sun would do that to anybody.
He grabbed me and gave me a huge hug, pulling me in close. I wrapped my arms around his waist and lay my head on his shoulder, breathing in his familiar inviting scent of aftershave and sandalwood. I could feel the firm muscles of his chest swelling with every breath, my body rocking peacefully to the rhythm of his heart.
"There, there," James said, petting my hair. "Your grandparents are waiting for you in the car."
"I want to stay here tonight," I said. "I want to sleep in my own bed for a change."
James grabbed me by my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "I don't know, Ellie. Your grandparents have gotten used to having you around."
"Please?" I asked.
He studied my face for a moment. "Okay, baby girl," he said, deploying the nickname he gave me when I was younger. "You can stay. Go tell your grandparents. Are you staying, too, Izzie?"
"No sir, not tonight," Izzie said. "Um, also? You're out of toilet paper."
III.
I didn't plan this one through very well. Most of my stuff was still at my grandparents' house. Rifling through the closet in my bedroom, I dug up an old white cotton nightie that I used to wear when I was like a sophomore in high school. When I tried it on, it was ridiculously small. Surely I hadn't grown that much in two years! My boobs were practically spilling out of the top, and my ass was practically spilling out the bottom.
I checked myself out in the mirror, feeling kind of sexy and kind of mortified to see my long legs running right up to my pink panties, which were just barely visible if I bent over even a smidgen.
Staring at the reflexion of my figure, I told myself not to be so self-conscious. James and I were supposed to watch a movie, just like old times. It's not like I couldn't stay locked in my bedroom while he sat on the couch, waiting for me so he could hit play.
When I walked into the living room, a look of surprise washed over James' face, his eyes sweeping downward from my chest to my legs, then back up, settling on my cleavage for half a second longer than it took to be obvious about it. With James practically ogling my breasts in my skimpy nightie, I was surprised to feel a slight stirring deep inside me. Something was tingling between my legs, and I had a sudden urge to rub myself against something firm, like the armrest of the sofa.
Instead, I just stood there, my lips widening into a coy smile. He was such a ruggedly handsome man, but right now he just looked adorable, like a kid in a candy shop or something. When James realized that I was watching him watching my tits, his face flashed red with embarrassment. He quickly composed himself, though.
"Oh, um … are you ready to watch the movie?" he asked.
"You can't be serious!" I teased. "Where's the popcorn?"
"Ah, right," James smiled. "Old traditions die hard."
"Be right back," I said, swiveling around, my nightie twirling to give James a little peek of my panties. I smiled myself as I pranced into the kitchen, sure that James was enjoying his private little show.
After nine months serving his country overseas, James deserved a little special attention. My mind wandered as I popped the corn on the stovetop-none of that microwave stuff for our family-thinking of naughty things that James could do to me if he wanted.
Then a sickening realization came to me.
This popcorn was for our family. As in me and James, my stepdad. What was I even thinking? It didn't matter that he was the man of my dreams. He and I were family, and I was an awful person for even allowing myself to fantasize about something more-something I could never have.
Still reprimanding myself, I poured the hot popcorn into the oversized bowl we always used on movie nights, then drizzled on the butter and salt. I set the bowl in front of James and joined him on the couch.
///
"Mmm, homemade popcorn," James said, breathing in the buttery aroma. "We couldn't get the real thing at our forward operating base."
"That must have been a real sacrifice for you," I teased.
"You have no idea," he said. "It's crazy to think about the little things you miss over there. I mean, I missed you sometimes. But take away popcorn? That's just brutal."
"You big jerk, you know you missed me!" I squealed, punching him in the ribs.
James reflexively grabbed me and put me in a playful headlock, pinning my face against his rock-hard abs as he rubbed the top of my head with his knuckles. He was treating me like a little kid again, and I couldn't stop laughing.
"Okay, stop! Stop!" I begged.
"Are you going to be a good girl?" he asked.
"I'm always a good girl," I replied.
"That's true," he said, releasing me from his grip. His suddenness caught me off guard, and I stumbled onto his lap, my cheek brushing against an unmistakable bump between his legs. I stifled a gasp. James was sporting a semi!
I quickly sat up. James threw his arm around my shoulder and I snuggled into him for a movie that he had picked out for us. For some reason James never remembered that I liked romantic comedies-not action flicks. Explosions and body parts flying did nothing for me. But I figured I should let the man watch what he wanted to. He'd let me pick out the next movie anyway.
I rested my head against James' chest, his heavy arm resting on my shoulders, weighing me down. His fingers trailed down my arm, absent-mindedly running circles on my bare skin. His touch was driving me wild. My body was rebelling, and I couldn't focus on the movie at all with so many feelings racing through my brain.
He's your stepdad, I thought to myself. Not just some piece of man meat for you to drool over.
My stern inner monologue did nothing to stem my arousal. I knew it was wrong to want him so badly, but I couldn't help myself. I could feel my nipples tightening against my nightie, revealing the shape of my two little bumps. James' hand accidentally grazed across one of my boobs. The electricity of his touch was about to set me on fire. I stole a glance at his crotch and my eyes widened when I saw the bulge in his pants. My mouth watered. I wanted nothing more than to free that enormous erection from its confinement. I wanted to taste him, to suck him off and drink down his cum.
Let's just say it was hard to focus on the movie.
James shifted in his seat, trying to discretely reposition his rigid manhood. The tension between us was impossible to miss. He wouldn't have such a raging hard-on if he wasn't as turned on as I am, I rationalized. All I have to do is reach over and touch it.
James glanced in my direction, then did a double take when he noticed that I was staring at him. Our eyes locked and his brow furrowed. There was something hungry and wild in his deepening expression. His eyes raked down my body, lingering on my chest, enjoying the view. My nipples were so tight they almost hurt.