Chapter 29

The Aliens Stole My Heart…

NOW

(Leith)

It was typical Bucky when the knock at the door seemed endless. There was never a time when it was just a normal hangout. He had to have as many people as possible. Now, for his apartment, it was only ten people but it felt like a hundred. All kinds of types of people too. I felt like I spent half the night looking for Beth, wanting to grab her hand and keep her close.

But she was enjoying herself.

Admiring Bucky's artwork. Asking stories about me and Bucky writing together.

She could get along with anyone and everyone.

You could tell she was an amazing bartender too.

There was something about her that made it all work.

A hand slapped my back. "That's the one, huh?"

I looked at Bucky. "Yeah. Always has been."

"And you two found each other again."

"We did."

"That's how it works in life. Makes it realer this time around."

"Hey, Bucky. What happened between us, man…"

"Nothing," Bucky said. "You never have to worry about that. You did what you felt was right."

"Bucky, I walked away from our friendship."

"You thought it was the right thing to do. Maybe it was."

"No, man. I never wanted to walk away from what I enjoyed."

"Hey, let's not get caught up in the past. Let's go forward. Want to help me write something? Meet some friends of mine? I can get you rubbing elbows with some of them."

I laughed. "You don't have to do that."

"Don't have to do what," Beth asked as she wiggled her beautiful body against mine.

"Was just telling Leith here he should write something with me."

"Do it," Beth said. She grabbed at the front of my shirt. "Do it right now."

I looked down at her.

That moment for some reason became one of those moments.

Meaning everything around me and her became nothing. It was as though we were alone. The rest of the world was gone. Time was gone too. Just my eyes beading down at her eyes.

Falling in love with her even more right there in the middle of Bucky's shitty apartment. With voices around me as a dull murmur sound. Music playing somewhere in the background too.

"I have something I'm working on," Bucky said. "Let me show you."

He went to what was supposed to be a kitchen table. He spread his hands across it, sending things scattering everywhere. He grabbed a sketchbook and flipped it around and opened it to a page that had some drawings all over it.

"Kids book," Bucky said. "Aliens and shit."

"Nice," I said.

"Leith teaches kids," Beth said. "This is perfect."

"Just need an idea to really run with," Bucky said.

I studied the drawings.

"We used to do this all the time," I said to Beth. "Bucky would draw up something or write something quick. And then I would tear it apart."

"In a good way," Bucky said.

"So do it again," Beth said, pushing at me. "Come on. Don't be a pussy."

Bucky laughed. "She's full of fire, huh?"

"I'm right here, Bucky boy," Beth said.

"She can hear you," I said to Bucky.

"She's not going to beat me up, is she?" Bucky asked.

"I'll take both of you on," she said. "But first, I want to hear the alien story."

"Do you want it scary or what?" I asked.

"Not sure."

"Two angles then," I said. "If it's a fun story, make it so the alien came to school to learn. That he was bored with his space school or whatever. He learned about humans in his science class. So he decided to visit and see what it was like. Makes friends and becomes part of a group and settles in. Then he has to make a decision on what to do."

"That's nice," Bucky said.

"Or," I said. "Go scary. You have aliens coming to the school to steal the young brains of the kids. It's how they feed their leader or something."

"Gross," Beth said.

"But good," Bucky said. He flipped a page and pointed. "That's kind of scary, right?"

It was a picture of an alien with a large mouth and sharp fangs. Like an alien mixed with a werewolf.

"That's scary," I said.

"Look at us, man," Bucky said. "Right back at it again."

"And this time, there's no snobby bitch to ruin it," Beth offered.

Bucky let out an ooohhh sound.

I looked at Beth.

"Sorry," she said. "I'm going to go get another drink."

Beth walked into the kitchen like she owned the place. Her confidence - when it kicked in - was something fierce to be around.

I rubbed my jaw.

"If you end up marrying her, she might be the death of you," Bucky said.

"I know that."

"You're crazy enough to do it anyway I bet."

I nodded. "Yup."

"Hey, we should work on this together. For fun. When not so many people are here."

I moved my eyes to Bucky. "Works for me. I'm still teaching."

"You look good, Leith. You look happy. The last time I saw you, man…"

"I didn't look happy?"

"I don't know what you looked like. You were there but you were… spaced out a little. I don't know what happened with you and Amy but if it wasn't meant to be, that's okay. You know? I know she didn't like me. I know why. I don't blame her. I didn't take it personally."

"Hey, Bucky. I don't care about that anymore. No more past, right?"

"You're right. Sorry." Bucky patted my back again. "I miss you, man. I really do."

"Well, I'm here now. Trying to sort this all out."

"Start with this damn alien story then." Bucky laughed. "Aliens. We used to sit there, on those steps in that park, right? And we used to get drunk as anything. And we'd talk about stories and life and wanting to create something so big."

I laughed with him. "Nothing wrong with dreaming a little."

"Nothing at-"

Bucky stopped as a sound came from across the room.

I turned my head and did a double take.

Beth was standing on the messy coffee table. Holding a drink in the air. The music was turned up really loud. She had a small group gathering around her.

She looked right at me and shrugged her shoulders.

She was finally going to sing.

I leaned against the table to keep my balance.

There were a hundred ways to fall for Beth.

And each one was slowly taking a piece of my heart.

Hearing her sing was everything I needed to hear. Every possibly cliché went through my mind. Along with all the memories of her. The visions of her on a big stage with people cheering for her. People wanting to hear her sing. What could have been for Beth if she really pursued it.

Even still, it didn't matter.

She sang while standing on a table in Bucky's apartment.

The ten of us there cheered her on.

Even the few people who were on the balcony smoking opened the door to listen to Beth.

The best part of it all was that as she finished, I walked toward the table.

I made a straight line for her and when I reached for her, her hand slipped into mine.

She bent her knees and lifted her drink, offering a little curtsy.

Bucky whistled loud, which was followed by a few others doing the same.

She stepped off the table and fell into my chest, burying her face.

I laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"You are amazing, angel," I said.

"I can't believe I did that," she said.

"Why?"

She looked up at me. "This is all your fault. Everything."

"Oh, it is? I forced you into this?"

"Yeah," she said. "Now I can't get away."

"Do you want to get away from this?"

"No," she said, smiling.

I slipped my hand to her back and walked her toward the kitchen where it was a little quieter and private. Someone else started to sing, but they were nothing compared to the sound of Beth's voice.

In the kitchen, I touched her hips and lifted her up onto the counter.

She wrapped her legs around me and pulled.

It was like we were younger again. Teenagers without a care in the world.

We kissed so calmly and casual.

Kisses that promised forever, which was what I wanted to promise her.

"Hey," I whispered. "Tell me what happened. With the singing."

"Why?"

"I just want to know."

"Leith…"

"You stopped singing, Beth."

"I had no voice," she said. "In some ways you were my voice."

"He told you to stop."

"It doesn't matter what he told me. Just like it doesn't matter what she told you."

"Playing that game, huh?"

"We've been through them all," Beth whispered.

She playfully kissed my bottom lip.

"I never loved anyone the way I did you," I said. "Just so you know."

Beth touched my cheeks. "Me too."

But you loved someone enough to get married.

"Let's go to the wedding together," I said.

"What?" Beth inched back.

"Your friend's wedding."

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"We're going," I said. "We're getting dressed up. We can laugh through it all. But we're going together."

Beth put her arms around my neck. "Speaking of going… when are you going to get me out of here? It's getting late, Leith."

"Oh, and you're tired?"

"I'm more than tired," she said.

I groaned and kissed her.

She was pure and perfect temptation.

The living room was getting louder.

Bucky's gatherings had a way of taking on their own personalities too. They could get loud and wild. They could go beyond just a few drinks.

I slipped my hand into Beth's and we snuck out of there. I'd catch up with Bucky later.

Right now, the night was about Beth.

Hell, every night had been about Beth.

And every night going forward would be about Beth.

She sang the entire ride home.

The windows down, air throwing her hair around, Beth sang to the dull lights that came from houses, businesses, traffic lights, and even to the stars.

I couldn't remember the last time I smiled the way I did.

Hearing her voice.

Feeling the cool air rushing through the windows.

But my heart pounded hard wanting to get her home as fast as possible.

She made me chase her to my own front door.

She kissed me as I fumbled to get the key into the lock and open the door.

She pulled me inside my own house.

But that's where it stopped.

I threw my keys to the floor, locked the door, and pulled her against me. I cupped her ass and picked her up.

When we were in the bedroom, I put Beth to her feet.

The room was dark and quiet, so much so I could hear our breathing.

I turned her around and stepped back.

"Leith?"

"It's okay, angel," I whispered. "Stay with me."

I slowly began to undress her. And for each piece of clothing I took off her body, I did the same for myself.

When I unclasped her bra, she let it fall forward to the floor.

I gently dug my fingers into her hair and lifted it.

Beth let out a purring groan.

I pressed my lips to the back of her neck.

Each kiss was an inch lower than the previous one. Taking my time, savoring every second and every taste of my lips to her soft and warm skin.

I moved my hand from her hair and slipped both hands to the sides of her panties.

I crouched low as I took off the last piece of her clothing.

My lips touching the small of her back.

She shivered and groaned again as she stepped out of her panties.

My hands touched the backs of her legs, moving up as I kissed back up her back.

I cupped her ass hard and pushed, making her jump and step forward.

The front of her legs touched the bed and she put her hands down to the sheets.

My body arched over hers as I demanded to finish my kissing where it had started.

As I kissed the back of her neck, the tip of my tongue writing her a quick love letter of what she was doing to me, I pressed my lower half against her sweetness. Her warmth was welcoming as she rocked her hips, making me feel what all those kisses had done to her.

I was swollen and heavy, aching for her.

I bent my knees and pressed forward, inch by inch as I entered her, hissing at the way her body suddenly began to pulse against me. My hands touched her sides as I drove forward even more.

Beth let out a sigh of relief as I offered all I had to give her.

Standing there with her, our bodies connected, her hands curled around the sheets on my bed. My hands inched up her sides and around. My fingertips grazed along her soft breasts, finding her tight nipples. I cupped her and began to thrust at her. Taking her right there off the side of my bed.

She moved at the same speed I did.

Pushing harder at me, making our bodies collide together with a sound that echoed around the bedroom.

Our breathing grew erratic as the pleasure for both of us began to grow wildly.

Beth leaned into the bed more and lifted herself for me. My hands hurried to move from her breasts to her hips. I held her and kept moving, feeling her gradual rise toward climax.

She whispered my name with a breathless sigh as she came. Her hips quivered at my touch as I took her through it, gritting my teeth at the feeling of her body begging for me to do the same.

But I wasn't letting go of her just yet.

No way, angel.

I gently guided my way from her body and moved her up on the bed. My hands holding her as I placed her head down on the pillow. Her hands dug at my back as I lowered back down, her body welcoming me one more time. She put her head back and arched her chest. I dipped my mouth down to her breasts, tasting sweet skin. My tongue rolled around her puckered nipples. I sucked in breath after breath, grunting with each exhale, holding myself together as long as I could stand.

"Leith," Beth purred. "I'm ready again. Right… now…"

She put her back to the bed and looked at me.

I put my forehead to hers and felt the swell overtake my control.

I didn't move my eyes from hers as we came together.

Her nails forcefully scratched their way down my back and then pulled at me.

I gently rock my hips for a few seconds before thrusting one more time and stopping. Our hearts racing. Our bodies pulsing together.

I lowered my mouth down to the curve of her neck and kissed.

Beth bit at my shoulder and groaned. She put her head to the pillow and let out a long sigh.

I inched my way away from her body, turning her sideways to face me. I reached up and stroked the hair out of her face. I traced lines down her cheek, across her chin, and up to her nose. I playfully rubbed my finger on her nose and she started to laugh.

She took a deep breath. "What a night."

"What a night," I whispered back. "I think we covered everything we ever talked about."

"And then some," Beth said.

"I love your voice, Beth."

"I love when you write stories, Leith."

"I hate what happened," I said. "With everything and everyone."

"But it's all coming back now."

"I guess it is," I said. "We have a lot to sort through still."

"But we aren't doing that right now. I'm in your bed. I'm a little drunk. I'm really tired."

"Too tired for more?" I asked.

I didn't let Beth answer though.

I moved forward and kissed her.

She groaned into my mouth.

Her breath was warm and had a hint of her being drunk plus the heat between us.

I touched her hip and let my fingertips climb up and down her body, making her groan and shiver.

I slipped my arm to her back and pulled her toward me.

Beth slithered her beautiful body on top of me.

I held her tight.

I kissed her wildly.

I was never going to let her go.