Excerpt from Sedona Princess
Music woke Lauren from a half sleep, and from the corner of her eye saw a light burning in the direction of the stable. Snuggling her pillow she stared at the faint outlines of her doll collection. She rolled over, ran her hands over her breasts, down her torso, stopping at the contour of her hips. Her new curves making her feel womanly, she hugged herself. Then practicing a passionate kiss, pressed parted lips into the cleft between her thumb and finger. She stroked her face, ran her fingers through her hair, and imagined Américo caressing her cheeks and brows. Inhaling, she thought of his cinnamon scent and wondered how many other girls in the world had just realized they were in love. And if they felt confident their unspoken adoration was reciprocated. "He feels the same, I can tell, even if he doesn't know it," she whispered to the dark, to the unknown. "This summer changed me. I'm finally ready."
Américo looked up from his journal. Lauren silhouetted in the doorway was torture he didn't believe any man should bear. Light shone from behind. Her long legs were bare, her hair mussed from sleep. "Get back to bed."Lauren folded her arms. "Are you mad at me for staying in Monaco so long?"
"Not mad."
Her legs were bare, her hair mussed from sleep. "What are you writing?"
"Letter to Gabe," he lied.
Américo looked up from his journal. Lauren stood in the doorway, silhouetted by moonlight — a torture he didn't believe any man should bear.
"Get back to bed."
He'd spent the last four hours deciding that if it weren't him, he'd kill the first man who touched her.
Sitting on Jake's desk, Lauren crossed her legs, then rolled up the legs of her pink seersucker pajamas. "So, did you fall in love with Annie while I was in Monaco?"
Every cell in his body ached. He stood, grabbed her by the elbow, pulled her towards the door.
"Wish I had. Go back to bed. Jake will ground you if he finds out you snuck out."
Wrestling her arm loose from his grip, Lauren sat again on top the desk. "You can't wish for love, it's there or it isn't."
"You're a punk kid, what do you know?"
"Enough to beat you at quick hand of poker, fifteen minutes max?"
"Go home. Heading out myself."
"It's different between us. Why?"
Her gestures seemed uncontrived, without cunning, but when she tilted her chin, elongated her neck, and with innocent sensuality began braiding her hair, he stuffed his journal and pen in his backpack, downed the rest of his Coors. "Beat. Gotta go."
Swallowing back tears, Lauren whispered, "I made a decision while I was gone. I don't know if I should tell you. Not now."
He set down his backpack, squeezed his eyes closed, pounded his fist into his palm. "Go. Go home."
She wiped tears from her cheeks. "I want you to make love to me. Tonight. I'm grown up, can't you tell?"
He pressed his forehead against the wood plank wall. "Don't do this."
"I thought maybe you loved me, too."
Her hurried words slowed. "You're always teasing me about getting married."
"I do love you." He turned, folded his arms. "Just not like that. You're too young."
Pounding her fists against his chest, Lauren sobbed, "I hate you. Forget every secret I ever told you. Don't sit by me at Sunday dinners. Don't call me princess. I'm breaking our deal, you're not my best friend anymore, and don't ever ask me to be your cowgirl again."
He grabbed her, pressed his forehead against hers.
She pushed away, "Don't press your forehead against mine — ever, ever again. I hope you lose all your money at the poker tables."
Grabbing his face she licked his lips. Rotating her hips against him, she pressed her breasts to his chest.
"Leave."
"I can feel you wanting me."
"It's automatic…"
Lauren stepped back, raised her pajama top, cupped her breasts.
At the sight of her nipples, pink, puckered with desire, he moaned, "Why are you doing this to me, now?"
"See what you'll be missing. Soon I'll let some boy touch me everywhere, do whatever he wants to my body. You can spend the rest of your life wishing it'd been you."
He covered his eyes with his fists. "I know."
She walked away; he pulled her back.
After pushing him away again, Lauren turned. After pulling down the bottoms of her seersucker pajamas, wiggled her bottom."
"Damn it, Lauren, you mooned me."
"I've put a spell on you that you can never love anybody but me. Not ever in your entire life. So how does it feel knowing you can't have me, but you won't ever want anybody else?"
"Feels like shit. Get out of here."
"At least I'm honest enough to admit I love you like a woman loves a man. Not like a little girl loves her best friend."