Heart's Desire Ch 24

Chapter 24

EPOV

“So Jason starts to chant, ‘I’m a pretty little girl…’I’m a pretty little girl’, we’re thinking the boy has finally lost his damn mind, we look over there and birthday boy here is asleep mind you…in the middle of algebra… singing ‘I’m a pretty little girl…I’m a pretty little girl’. Our teacher, Mrs. Fant, looks over at me and tells me to wake the ass wipe up before he says anything more incriminating.” Hoyt says having a hard time telling his story through all the laughter.

“Yeah and if I recall, you woke me up by sticking your obscenely wet finger in my ear.” Jason interrupted.

“Well, the class felt Sleeping Beauty should have been woken up with a kiss, so you tell me; did I make the right call? If not…it’s not too late ya know.” Hoyt said puckering up.

“Shut the hell up, you tow headed nipple.” Jason retorted.

The closeness these guys shared was incredible and I was envious. I had never experienced that level of friendship; my life during those years had been completely focused on my education. Knowing my sister had put her life on hold to take care of me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it would have been selfish of me to spend my time partying and whooping it with friends. By the time I reached my college years, I had already become so goal driven that I couldn’t be bothered with establishing those kinds of ties. Looking back on it now and with the subsequent loss of my sister, I can’t bring myself to regret how things turned out because it afforded me more now precious time with Pam. But loneliness was a bitch.

The stories had gone on and on for the last hour, each one trying to outdo the previous with the degree of embarrassment. Everyone seemed to welcome me into the group without reservation using these stories to share their history with me; that is all except Malcolm.

Whether it was him or me, I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t like the fucker. All afternoon his comments to Sookie had completely run the gambit. One minute he was hitting on her and the next he was insulting her. Twice I had bit my tongue so hard to stop from lashing out at him that I had tasted my own blood.

I wanted to be a good host. I wanted her friends to like me but more than that, I wanted Malcolm to keep his damn mouth shut and his hands to himself. When everyone else had pulled chairs together over to one side did Malcolm? Nope, the asshat chose to sit at the foot of the lounge Sookie and I was on.

Four times. Four times he had touched her bare leg and four times I had wanted him to pull back a bloody stump.

The first time he was smooth, placing his hand on her knee pretending to console her for an insulting comment that he himself had made. Ballsy! The second time, while everyone had erupted in laughter, he seemingly innocently placed his hand again on her knee allowing it to linger there longer than it should have but removing it before I had to chance to object. Fucker. The third time had been much the same but his hand remained a little longer still.

“MINE!” I wanted to scream. I felt like a two year old trying to snatch his favorite toy out of the clutches of his playmate but I couldn’t help it, this time was the final straw. Here we sat, Sookie laid against my chest with my arm around her and hers draped across my hip and down my leg…I mean…shit man, get a clue. Sookie had bent her legs up to accommodate Malcolm’s space at the foot of the lounge and he decided to place his hand yet again on her knee but when his finger dipped in the crack created by the bend of her knee I almost came undone.

Whether it made her uncomfortable or whether she sensed my impending explosion, I’m not sure but either way she decided evasive maneuvers were necessary.

“I don’t know about you guys but I’m ready to get in the pool.” She said and I shifted my position to allow her to get up off the lounge.

Malcolm and Hoyt quickly took the two steps to the pool and plunged right in while JB and Jason stood by the edge whispering for a couple of seconds before turning to quickly scoop up an unsuspecting Tara and Dawn and jump in.

I climbed off the lounge, stood up and removed my shirt and I couldn’t help but grin when I saw Sookie staring at my chest with a glint of lust in her eyes. She looked away embarrassed when she realized she had been caught staring.

“Don’t be embarrassed love, you have the same affect on me.” I whispered in her ear before placing a kiss on her neck.

She smiled, reached down to grab the hem of my shirt she was wearing and when she pulled it over her head I had my own episode of lust filled staring.

“I don’t know about you Northman, but I’d tap that.” Malcolm yelled from the pool nodding in Sookie’s direction.

OH HELL NO! That boy had a death wish. Clancy was going to have one less person take back to Bon Temps and I was already contemplating where on the estate would be the best place to bury the body. Just as I felt my body lunge toward the pool, Sookie put a hand on my chest to stop me.

“Malcolm you better be referring to the keg on the bar behind me.” Sookie replied sternly.

“Aw, Sookie babe, don’t be like that. You know how badly I’ve been wanting to get your panties off.” Malcolm said with a grin.

“Well you knew they would be too tight when you put them on.” She scoffed.

My girl was funny! But he wasn’t taking the hint.

“Ignore him, I do.” She said and she pulled up on the tips of her toes to place a tiny kiss on my cheek.

I just nodded without saying anything, not trusting my mouth to agree with her suggestion, and we made our way down the steps into the pool.

The temperature was almost perfect just cold enough to be refreshing and provide relief from the heat. After a few minutes I made my way to the edge and pulled myself up and out of the water to sit on the side not willing to take any chances when the rough housing began.

Jason dove down under and with a little maneuvering came up with Dawn perched on his shoulders; within seconds Tara and JB as well as Tray and Amelia had done the same. I looked across the pool at Sookie who was laughing at hard at her friends and their pitiful attempt at playing chicken when suddenly her eyes when wide. Malcolm had submerged and positioned himself between her legs and was attempting to resurface with a kicking and screaming Sookie on his shoulders. I stood up and moved closer to the end of the pool where they were trying to determine if her screams were one of playfulness or displeasure. Her next words removed any doubt.

“DAMN IT MALCOLM! PUT. ME. DOWN!” She screamed while grabbing and pulling two fists full of his hair to make sure he knew she was not joking.

He lowered her back into the water and was rubbing his head when he came back up beside her.

“Come on Sookie, you know you like my head between your legs.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. Acceptance be damned, this was stopping now.

“Damn it Malcolm that is enough!” I said apparently quite loudly because all the playing stopped and everyone’s heads snapped in my direction.

“Look man, I’m trying to be a good host here, and as much as I want all you guys to like me, I cannot and will not allow you to come into my home and talk to the woman I love in that manner. Do we understand each other?”

I knew that question was probably condescending as hell, but I couldn’t give a fuck. He wasn’t catching on to all of Sookie’s hints so by God I wanted him to be crystal clear where I stood on the subject.

Malcolm looked around to all of his friends apparently looking for support before saying anything in response. And as bad as wanted to look at Sookie, I didn’t dare. Finally Malcolm looked at Jason silently asking for help.

“Dude, don’t look at me.” Jason shrugged. “I’ve been trying to warn you for awhile now that you were pushing your luck with her. Hell, I’m surprised Sookie hasn’t kicked your ass herself, but you honestly can’t expect her boyfriend to sit by and let you talk to her like that.”

I was surprised when Jason referred to me as Sookie’s boyfriend. She had told me before they arrived that she had not told any of them about us so I could only hope this meant that he was ok with it.

“Well, I’m going to go in and start getting dinner together.” Sookie said quietly excusing herself.

Oh shit! I was screwed. I could tell by the look on her face she was deep in thought no doubt about my outburst. I had been so concerned with everyone else’s reaction that I had not stopped to consider hers. Before I could make my excuses to follow her into the house, Malcolm spoke up again.

“Hey man, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you guys were together and I guess all my joking has kinda gotten out of hand. No hard feelings, huh?” His apology sounding genuine.

“I appreciate that Malcolm, but I’m really not the one you need to be apologizing to.” I said. “Now if you will excuse me, I think I will go see if I can give Sookie a hand with dinner.”

I walked directly into the kitchen from the lanai. Sookie was standing by the island in the kitchen with her back to me when I walked in and I saw her body stiffen when she heard me behind her.

“Love, I’m …” She put her hand up to interrupt.

“Did you mean it?” Her voice was low, barely above a whisper.

“What?”

“What you said, did you mean it?” She said without raising the volume of her voice or turning to face me.

Did I mean it? Of course I meant it, did she not expect me to defend her? I was confused as I thought back over everything I said to Malcolm during my diatribe. Oh hell! I am such an ass.

“Every word.”

“Say it again.”

“I love you Sookie.”

With one step she launched herself into my arms, crashing her lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around her and held her until she broke away to look up at me.

“Sookie, I’m sorry…”

“Are you apologizing for loving me?” She interrupted again.

“Never.”

“Then shut up.”

“Yes ma’am.” I said pressing my lips to hers again.

TBC