Tommy looked over at me as his mother filled the coffee carafe and I couldn't do anything but stare back despite the little voice in my head that told me I should look away. There was something unreadable there—something that piqued my interest despite the fact that it shouldn't. Catalina looked over at us—noticing the tension and she shook her head as she walked back by, making sure she bumped into Tommy as she went. I could see him grimace. I'm guessing that she intended to be the one that grounded Tommy—that kept his thoughts from straying when he felt they shouldn't. Damn this whole charade!
"We talked about a lot of things online, Tom. Do you remember? But there was one question I asked you one night that you didn't answer. I'd be interested to know what you thought. Do you remember? I asked you if you believed in love at first sight?" I asked Tommy in a low tone as Catalina almost gasped perceptibly just as she was opening the kitchen door. Tommy didn't even flinch. He just met my gaze levelly.
"Depends on what you mean by love, Jude?" He asked as I sauntered over towards him—ignoring the fact that half the other room was exposed to us now. This was about Tommy and I. We had been dancing around this issue since that first kiss on my sixteenth birthday a year ago. I still wasn't legal—that hadn't changed but I had. And I could tell that he was beginning to too.
"Well, I'll give it to you straight then, Quincy. I don't believe in love at first sight. I believe in lust at first sight—attraction at the first moment of meeting that enables us to want to know someone better. I believe that real love has to be earned. Hell…" I started as Tommy placed his hand over my mouth before pulling me behind him towards another room. I could hear his mother about to say something but he ignored her—shoving me into a hallway before backing me into the wall and pressing his face close to mine.
"What are you saying, Jude? That you have lustful thoughts—that you're afraid you might be hiding behind lust because I can dispel that idea if you want. You might want to start fearing where lust can take you because let me tell you—it's one hell of a ride." He hissed as his lips came crushing suddenly down onto mine—seeking it seemed for some sort of answer to his own question. I groaned as he roughly plunged his tongue into my mouth—tasting him the way I had wanted to—the way I had dreamed about before and after he left. I couldn't do anything but ride the waves of sensation—to cling to the front of his shirt as he pressed me into the wall. I could hear him growl in the back of his throat as his hands pressed suddenly against my hips—pulling me to him hard enough it was as if he had been trying not to do this for years—as if he were a man lost in a desert starving for a drink of water. I almost sighed at the feeling—finding myself bringing my hands up suddenly to rest in his hair as he started to lift me up only to be interrupted by a loud clearing of the throat from behind us. We jerked away from each other—breathing deeply as our eyes met suddenly with Mason's at the end of the hall.
"I think, but I'm not absolutely positive that your family just sent me as some sort of chaperone because let me tell you that nonna of yours is practically holding your mother back from entering this part of the house." Mason stated frankly as Tommy groaned before walking away from me—only allowing one more glance in my direction as he went. It spoke volumes. Something told me Tom was erecting barriers made out of sand because I could see them shift slightly, but I couldn't help but wonder if I shouldn't have been so forward—if maybe I should be afraid he would want to forget the whole event. Hell, maybe I should just be glad I had gotten that kiss because my body still burned—still craved the touch that was no longer there. It's incredible how quickly your own body can become your enemy—wanting things that your heart fights against. I was hoping that my heart would loose the battle even though my head was telling me that I shouldn't let him win.