Twist of Fate (9 page)

Once inside, I shut the door behind us, cracked open two beers, then sat on the floor. I patted the spot next to me, but she took a seat across from me, leaning up against my bed. Paige started chewing on her bottom lip several times, then laughed under her breath. And, I could tell she was nervous. I crossed my legs at my ankles, then Paige did the same.
 
After a minute or so went by, and I was going crazy trying to think of something fun to do that didn't involve taking off our clothes.
 
Finally, I looked up at her and it was like a lightbulb went off, and everything made sense to me. "Hey, do you remember way back when that time we all played truth or dare on the beach?"

She rolled her eyes. And, I could tell what she was thinking. Really? Truth or dare? This was his idea of fun? "Yeah, I remember."

"What would you say if I asked you to play right now?"

"I'd say we're not in the sixth grade anymore. Ben, I have things to do. I can't stay to play a stupid game." She started to uncross her legs to stand, but I rose up onto my knees, grabbing her hands to hold her down.
 

"I know. It's just I feel like I barely know you sometimes, but other times I feel like you've been around forever." I was so desperate, I pouted. "Please? C'mon, P? Give me your best shot."

With her hands on her hips, she turned, suspiciously. "You'll answer anything?"

Once I realized she was staying, I sat back down, placing my arms behind my head,
 
leaning back into the bean bag on the floor. "What do you need to know? I'm an open book."

"Alright. I'll play. Truth or dare, Ben?"

I smiled, wickedly. "Truth, and go easy on me."

She was pondering a few questions, I could tell. "What's your major?"

"Wow! You really know how to dig deep there. That's what you want to know?"

She shrugged. "Why not?"

"Environmental Engineering."

"Really?"

"Yeah, hey, someone needs to do something about this damn planet. Why not me?"

I shifted a second then scooted forward to where my knees were now touching hers. "My turn. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

My fingers rubbed my chin several times, as I contemplated my question. "Okay, you have me curious. What about you? What do you want to be?"

"A social worker, I think. I want to help people, especially women."

Of course, she did. Saint Paige. "Ugh! Paige do you realize how shitty the pay is? I mean they make no money whatsoever."

"Yeah, well, maybe it's not about the money."

"Well, you can forget about all those cute little dresses and sweaters you wear. You won't be able to afford them."

She laughed out loud, making this evil sound as she rubbed her hands together like she was a villain in a movie. "You don't know my evil sinister plan to find a rich guy in school, dump him, and then take all his money. I'll still get my dresses and sweaters."
 

I eyed her nervously. "I'm sure you will."

"Okay, Ben." She started twisting her hair in between her fingers in quick circles. She looked over at me, then back down, then back at me. And, I was dying to know what she'd been thinking. "This is kind of fun, but it's my turn. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

She sat up instantly, excitement in her eyes. "Really? A dare?"

"Sure. Go crazy." I stopped to watch her, she looked so nervous, so I egged her on with little hand gestures to bring it hard. Then she slapped on this brave, stoic face.

"Alright, tough guy." She hesitated, but kept going.
 
"Kiss me."

I stared at her, then her lips, then fell back into the bean bag. "What?"

She leaned forward, and when she did her cleavage was right in front of me. She leaned in further until she was barely an inch away. "You heard me." Even as she said it, I could barely believe how brave she was being.

My eyes instantly scanned her exposed neckline, then I refocused and looked into her eyes. "But, why?" I asked slowly because now I was confused. It was not that I didn't want to kiss her, that's pretty much the only thing I could think of when I looked at her mouth, but why now? What was she up to? Even though I wanted this, part of me was screaming not to follow through. But, how could I not kiss her? Now it was my turn to nervously chew my lip, so I did, as she crept closer.

 
"I just want to see something." As she said this, I pushed up so that our mouths were almost touching each other. I studied her eyes for a brief second, looking for indecision, making sure this was what she wanted. I didn't see any, so I grabbed a hold of her waist, then smiled when she licked her bottom lip. I couldn't wait anymore. I pressed my lips softly to hers, quickly kissing her, letting myself get adjusted to her movements, and then I felt the immediate lingering warmth of her lips reacting to mine. The kiss started slow as we felt each other out, then a second later, I began to deepen it by slipping my tongue inside her mouth. It was like all those years that slipped by miraculously disappeared, and she was back to being my Paige, the one I never stopped dreaming of.
 
There was no hesitation as she pulled me to her, her arms went around me, and my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't believe I was finally kissing Paige Pearce. I imagined this for so long, and now that it was happening, I didn't want it to end. My hands moved underneath her shirt, wanting more. I was getting lost in her embrace, her mouth, my hands roamed around her back, and when I moaned into her mouth, she shivered.
 

Suddenly she pulled back, and I felt like a complete asshole when she pulled away, without a word. She just sat there, staring at me, then down to her hands, as she played with the hem of her shirt. I couldn't help but think I took it too fast, or did something wrong. She asked me for the kiss, not the other way around. What the hell happened?

I was racking my brain trying to figure out if she got the answer she seemed to be looking for. I still had no clue what that something even was. I'd had this weird feeling that Paige had some feelings for me lately. And, when we first started to kiss, I was positive that I was right, but then she stopped it, which now left me more confused.
 
I wanted to prove whatever theory she was trying to figure out right or wrong. If I only knew what was running through that beautiful little head of hers, all this would be much easier to figure out.

She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry about that. I should go."

As I stood up not ready to let her go, continuing to stare her down, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened. I could tell she looked conflicted, and truth be told, I wasn't ready for her to leave yet. "Truth or dare?"

Her eyes flicked to the door like she knew she could still get out of here without causing a scene.
 
But, how could I let her leave when she was staring at me with those damn confused eyes?
She swallowed hard. "Truth."
 

"Are you truthing on everything?"

She sat on the edge of my bed this time. "I refuse to take a dare. Last time we played this, Tommy was in the ocean for five whole minutes, naked."

I smiled, remembering.
 
"I wouldn't have done that to you. I promise. Well, I may have had you strip down, but no ocean.

She slinked back down to the floor next to me. "Very funny." I smiled at her, trying to reassure her that what just happened was cool, and to not over think it. Because she was always over thinking everything.

"Alright, truth it is. What's with all those damn dresses and sweaters? Why not wear comfy stuff like all the other girls?"

"Number one, this is comfy. Number two, it makes me feel pretty."

"That's it?"

"Well, I could dress in shorts and tees all the time, but it makes me feel dumpy. Don't get me wrong, I do wear them, but when I put on some cute little dress, with killer panties and matching bra underneath." She shrugged.
 
"I don't know. I feel good about myself, sexier."

Paige smiled shyly, then looked down at her fingers, "So, that is what's underneath, huh?" I teased, remembering her comment from a few weeks back. It was hard not to take all of her in, wondering what little number she had underneath tonight's outfit.
 

"I bet you can't go for one week without wearing one?"

"Can too. What's the bet?"

"If I win, we go on a hike. I choose the mountain. You win, and I'll let you teach me one of your yoga classes?"

I stuck my hand out to shake hers. "Deal. Do you have yoga pants?" She chuckled out loud. "I can't wait to see you do a chatarunga."

I smiled, because she had no idea how flexible twelve solid years of karate had made me. "If I lose I'll be prepared, but I'm telling you now, start doing some research on hiking. Better yet, maybe go buy a canteen, or something."

Without letting myself think it through I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her closer to me. Her body tensed for a minute, but then she relaxed, dropping her head onto my chest, allowing the embrace. Instantly, I felt awkward, and mean. Mean to lead her on after everything we'd shared so far.
 
Mean to blow off the kiss that meant more to me than I imagined. Mean because I wasn't sure I could be the guy she wanted. I wasn't sure how she felt about me, but I was pretty sure she felt something. And, I was scared that she could inflict the same kind of pain that Simone caused me. I didn't want her to be that girl. The one that ruined me. I was pretty sure I could trust her, but something inside told me that I needed to keep it slow. That this would play itself out.

Paige scooted back almost fully out of my embrace, but I kept my hands on her hips to keep her from getting away. She looked torn, troubled. I was trying to figure out how to read her face, her emotions, but it was hard since she'd been here, I hadn't been able to peg any of those things down one hundred percent.
 

"Hey, Ben," I trailed my fingers down her cheek, running my thumb across her bottom lip. She inhaled quickly, dropping back from me. "I think maybe we should take a breather." She fidgeted, nervously tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear without being able to look at me.
 

"Yeah, sure." My hands dropped to my sides. How did we go from kissing to taking a fucking breather? What did she mean by a breather in the first place? Did it mean we couldn't hang out, be friends? What? It was that moment when she took a second to glance back up, her eyes were a little glassy, and I knew that this girl could, and quite possible would destroy me. She was messing with me, and I didn't like the feeling that went along with it. I didn't want to go down this road again.

"This was really fun, but I do need to get back."

I moved in front of her, carelessly running my hands through my hair.
 
I could barely bring myself to look at her right now, but had to. "I can drive you if you want?"

She declined, even though I would do anything to stay with her for a little longer, but I knew she was right. I couldn't do this without her, and if she was already pulling back after one kiss, then she was the trouble that I thought she was going to be when she first walked back into my life. And even though it was just a kiss, and I made no big deal out of it, I somehow knew I wasn't going to be unable to forget the feel of her lips on mine.

"You sure. I don't like you walking back at night alone."

"I could use the fresh air. It's not that far. I'll be fine."

I followed her downstairs where a few guys were watching television, and a disheveled Tommy who walked in the moment I opened the front door for her.
 

"Hey, Paige. What are you doing here?"

She looked back. "Just hanging with Ben for a little bit, but I'm heading back to my dorm now."

Tommy smiled at Paige, then to me. "When you get back Ben, I've got a six pack calling our name."

She interjected. "Oh, no, he's staying. I'm gonna walk back." She started to shove past him, but Tommy grabbed her by the wrist.

"Hell, no, you're not walking. No cousin of mine, female cousin especially, is walking alone at one in the morning." He glared at me, letting me know he wasn't happy with me.

I held my hands. "I offered. She refused."

He scoffed, giving me one last hard look. "I'll be back in a bit. Someone needs to take Paige home." Just like that Paige was gone without even glancing back, and I couldn't help, but mentally kick my own ass for letting her back in so easily.

PAIGE
Chapter 11

I was being pulled out into the warm night by Tommy who was muttering under his breath, and I didn't like it. The whole time he laid into me lecturing me about safety, and guys, and how I needed to be more careful after what happened in Jersey. Like I could have possibly forgotten what happened to me?

Tommy did the full works by walking me to the front door. Once I opened it, he followed me inside.
 
Spinning on the balls of my feet, I turned to stop him. "Did you need something else?"

Tommy moved within an inch of touching me, looked side to side to make sure no one was around, then asked in a hushed voice. "Have you told Ben why you're here yet?"