Confounded: Part II - 28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28 --==Kit’s POV==--

I was restless. The longer Dad’s talk with Tom lasted, the more worried I became, wondering what the heck they could be talking about. It had to be something pretty heavy if it lasted for longer than an hour.

After dinner, I’d gone to my room to get ready for our date, meaning another change and tidy up (which didn’t take much longer than five minutes, tops), check again if I maybe needed another shave (nope), put on some cologne, change my shirt from dark blue to dark red, then to white, then back to dark blue, finally settling on the crisp dark red one; open another button, or would that look desperate? By the time I was considering to change the cut off faded jeans for a longer pair, and checked my breath for the umpteenth time, it was well past 8pm, the original time of our date. And still Tom hadn’t showed.

I was just about ready to go over to dad’s office and demand what was going on, when a soft knock sounded on my door. Thinking it was Taylan and not in the mood right now for his antics, I yanked open the door, a scathing retort on my lips in case he was in one of his funny moods.

“Hey…sorry I’m late,” Tom said, waiting for me to move aside so he could come in. Instead of doing so, I stood there, gaping at him until he motioned with his hand. “Hmm, my Jedi powers don’t work, apparently; so how ‘bout you move on your own volition?”

He’d taken a shower; his hair was still a bit wet, curling at the ends and he smelled fresh. He’d also changed his clothes, wearing a black short-sleeved button-down shirt, form-fitted with the buttons opened down to his sternum, and black jeans. As I slowly stepped aside, he came in. Tight jeans indeed; they hugged his ass like a second skin. My mouth suddenly dry, I caught myself staring as he went further inside and I closed the door. Damn. He cleaned up nice. Very.

“So what’re we watching?” he asked, going over to the DVD collection.
I’d already picked one, though; it was already queued up.

“Avatar.”
He raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously? That’s a three hour movie..”
Ahuh! That’s why I chose it; he’d be here for a long, long time.

“Seen it before?”

“Nope. Wanted to, but never got around to it.”

“Want something to drink?”

“I guess a beer is out of the question?”
I held up a finger.

“Be right back. You stay right there.”

“Yo.”

Quickly I headed for the kitchen and asked if it was ok. Some unknown thing passed between Taylan and dad (I got the distinct impression they’d discussed it already) and I got their permission.

“Sure. You can drink two, each, but that’s it, ok?”

“I’ll take water.”

“Fine, but that doesn’t mean he gets to have yours. He can drink two, no more.”

They’d actually always been very liberal about that, especially Taylan. He didn’t agree with the age limitations at all. I wasn’t allowed to drive after one, or buy myself, of course, but when I turned sixteen, I could drink a glass of wine or have a beer at dinner (but only during weekends). Not every day of the weekend either, just occasionally. He figured, he’d told me one day, that it was better to gradually get used to it than go overboard at the moment I turned 21. Even dad had seen the point and had agreed, preferring to make me try wine, though. I preferred that, to be honest. Taylan was more of a beer guy, or mix’s. Most of the time, I’ll take water, though.

Grabbing one beer and one water, I returned to my room. Tom was still right where I’d left him, standing in front of the shelves with DVD’s. Setting both bottles on my desk, I then went over to stand behind him.

“Hi.”
Looking up and over his shoulder, a corner of his mouth went up.

“Hey.”

Holding his gaze, I lowered my head for a kiss. He didn’t cringe or move a muscle when I set my hands on his midsection. Encouraged by that, I slid my arms loosely around him from behind, interlocking my fingers. Standing there for a bit, I let him read the cover of a DVD he’d taken from the shelve while deeply inhaling the scent of shampoo still lingering in his hair. He heard me do it.

“Softy.”

“Shut up,” I mumbled.
He snickered and returned the DVD to the shelve, then tried to step away but held back by my arms. I grinned when he looked up, annoyed.
“Nuh-uh. Proper kiss first.”

“Fuck off. I don’t do touchy feely.”

“I do, so get used to it,” I countered.

“Bossy.”
I shrugged.
“You always so needy?”

“I’m not needy. I just want a kiss from my boyfriend.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Ok, lover then.”

“Not!”

“Yet,” I shot back.
The corner of his mouth perked up a little.

“I think I prefer the old Kit; you’re being weird.”

“I haven’t changed. Still me. Just a more happy me. Sue me.”
Looking up and over his shoulder, he grinned.

“Sap!”
Quickly lowering my head, I caught his lips.

“There,” I growled but not offended in the least, finishing with a kiss on the tip of his nose. It made him huff, but he didn’t say a word, nor seemed all that opposed to it. Far from it, actually. Good. “Resistance is futile. We are the Kit.”
He rolled his eyes at the Star Trek imitation of bad guys.

“Tool.”

“Boyfriend,” I shot back.
No retort this time.

I loosened my arms a bit so he could turn around. Lowering my head again, I gave him another kiss, this one good and proper. Then I let him go and touched his shirt.
“Nice threads.”

“Thanks.”
He seemed a bit self conscious.

“Dressed up for me?” I teased. It was fun seeing him out of his element.

“In your dreams.”

“In my dreams, you have no clothes on.”
His head shot up at that one, almost connecting with my chin. I raised my hands.
“Wow, teasing here…teasing…

“Yeah, right…”

“Okay, maybe I lied.”
I grinned when he rolled his eyes, exasperated.

“Yeah, well…you keep on dreamin’ because that’s not gonna happen. I got a warning from your dad. I’m apparently the responsible one.”
Huh?

“What do you mean?”

“The talk I had with your old man? He basically told me no hanky panky.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I had a feeling that it wasn’t exactly what Dad had told him.

“Really…”

“Ahuh…”

“Strange. See, he told me to be safe.”
Shoving my hand in my pocket, I produced a packet of well-known foil.
“As in this kind of safe.”

He stared at it and then looked away, his jaws working. Hah! Busted!

“He told you the same thing. Didn’t he?”
When he didn’t reply and instead moved away, I crowded him until he sat down on the floor, at the foot end of my bed, nowhere else to go.
“Didn’t he?”

“Alright, fine! So maybe he did. But he also said he expected me to be the responsible one because I…”

“Because you’ve already been with a guy…” I guessed, after a long silence, sitting down on the floor beside him.
He looked up.

“Damn, dude…were you there?”

“No. Simple one-plus-one.”
I got a long stare in return.

“You’re scary.”
That made me smirk.

“Why?”

“How do you know how your dad thinks?”

“He always looks out for number two.”

“Who’s number one?”

“Taylan.”
Duh.

“Must be nice…”

“What?”

“Knowing someone’s looking out for you.”
I never thought of it that way.

“Yeah, I guess it is. You have that too, y’know.”
That stare again. Then he looked away, a corner of his mouth turning down bitterly.

“My dad doesn’t look out for me. It’s always been Jay.”
I gently shoved him with my shoulder.

“I meant me, you numbnuts.”
He stilled.

“Oh…”

“Yes, oh.
He shrugged and I felt offended. Really offended.
“You don’t get to shrug me away like that. For your information; I need a number one too, you know. I was kinda hoping you wanted the position.”
He felt extremely uncomfortable and it showed.

“So how about that movie?”
Oh no he wasn’t!

“Fuck the movie.”
His head whipped around.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you swear…”
I felt my face sour.

“Yeah, well…if it’s any consolation, you made me do it.”
And suddenly I’d had enough. He made me work for it, too hard. It shouldn’t be this hard.
“Damn it, Tom; open your eyes. I’m right here, you emotionally stunted…fuck!”

Uh-oh...trouble in paradise?