Succeeding Love

Drugs

Feighlynn

It was almost time! I had the chicken enchiladas in the oven, keeping warm, freshly made salsa in a bowl ready to bring outside, along with a bag of tortilla chips from the Mexican restaurant I like. I was standing in my kitchen, wearing my bathing suit and a dress cover up while smashing avocados for guacamole when Kevin’s barking started. I was startled, then bounced on my heels in excitement.

I could see my dog pacing at the window, going nuts like he does when someone is getting close to the house. I knew any second now, Vin would knock on my door. I squealed, having waited all day for this. I couldn’t find water guns anywhere, but I found something just as good. I ran on my tiptoes when I heard the knock, grabbing the Nerf gun I found in Preston’s old toy box where I left it on the counter.

I threw open the door excitedly, taking maybe half a second to appreciate Vin in his snug shirt and board shorts. When Vin saw the bright blue gun in my hands, that crooked smile lifted his face, and he let out a deep, throaty laugh as I shot him in the chest.

“Ah, you got me,” he clutched his chest in laughter. Kevin got excited about my gimmick and tried to tackle Vin to the ground in a playful attempt to help me, and Vin went along with it, going down on one knee and letting Kevin attack his face with wet kisses.

“Not fair,” I murmured. Seeing Kevin kiss Vin made me a little jealous, but it was still cute. Kevin kisses me all day, so in a way, it was like an indirect kiss.

Vin was still laughing as she stood back up and pushed Kevin fully in the house to close the door. “I don’t feel so childish about bringing these,” he said, lifting a shopping bag with two big water guns inside.

I burst into a fit of giggles. “Great minds think alike.”

“That, and you warned me,” he said, coming up next to me to give me a sideways hug, kissing the top of my head. “You’re so adorable. You know that, right?”

My cheeks flamed at the compliment. “I got it from my mama,” I said jokingly.

“I bet your daughter gets it from you,” he said lightheartedly.

“She does!” I boasted, laughing as we walked further into the house. “Speaking of Jessie, she saw your flowers and card this morning.”

“Uh, oh.” Vin looked at the flowers on the breakfast bar with a guilty expression. “How did that go? I know you said you haven’t talked to your kids about, um, this yet.” He pointed between me and him.

This . I enjoyed thinking about us as a this. I enjoyed thinking about Vin all together.

I smirked, feeling pride in myself and my daughter for our exchange this morning. “She actually took it really well. She said she was happy for me.”

“Good. I know you mentioned she was still really close to her dad. Divorce and parents dating again has to be hard on a kid.”

“Yeah, that’s why I was holding back from telling them. But Jessie likes Nick’s girlfriend, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“She sounds extra sweet,” Vin leaned against the counter, “just like her mama.”

“Adorable and sweet,” I chuckled. “I must have good genes.”

Vin gave me that look, the one that had me biting my lip as my face grew hot. He pushed himself off the counter, walking over to me. I craned my neck to stare up at his face, which suddenly grew serious.

“Can I get something out of the way?” he asked in a raspy whisper. “Something I’ve been wanting to do all week?”

“W-what?” I blinked as his face got closer to mine. His intentions were clear, his eyes lingering on my lips. I don’t know what came over me. It might have been nerves or just my inability to keep my rabid thoughts to myself. “Oh, gosh, did I brush my teeth?” I whispered frantically.

Vin froze, and then just burst into laughter, buckling over and gripping the counter with one hand to support himself. His other hand was clutching his stomach.

My face flamed more than ever before. I covered it with my hands, mortified that I said that out loud. “I’m sorry!” My voice came out muffled through my fingers. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

“Oh, man,” Vin stood up and wiped a thick finger under his eye, wiping some moisture away. “You are so fucking cute.”

“I’m an idiot,” I groaned, peeking at him through my fingers. “I have no brain to mouth filter.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” he smirked, taking my hands and pulling them away from my face. “I like your no-filter, stinky mouth.”

“Does my breath really stink?” I groaned.

“I don’t know. Let me check.” He gingerly placed his lips on mine, and despite my best efforts to hold my breath, I ended up melting into the sweet feeling of the moment, whimpering softly. I don’t know about my breath, but he tasted like mint. Sweet mint. Like the sweetest mint in the world.

“So sweet,” I gasped when he released my lips, resting his head on mine. The filter was still missing inside me, it seems.

He smiled and said, “Thanks. You taste like chicken.”

“Do I?!” I sampled a lot of the chicken as I was cutting it up. Darn it, I wish I had remembered to brush my teeth.

“I love chicken.” His deep laughter fanned my mortification, until he leaned in and kissed me again, this time deeper than before. His tongue pushed between my lips, and I moaned, no longer caring what I tasted like, as his sweet mint flavor overpowered all my senses. I leaned into him, gripping his shirt with both hands. His large hand encompassed the back of my head, holding me to him, commanding more.

My knees were weak by the time he pulled away, his green eyes swimming with smug affection. His face, his scent, his body, and the way his large body was holding mine did nothing to help my inability to think or filter my words.

“Wow. Just like an action hero,” I murmured.

He chuckled. “Your action hero.”

I mewled, and he laughed even deeper. Those green eyes of his glinted, watching me intently. His hand on the small of my back rubbed rhythmic circles that tingled up my spine. My swim bottoms were getting uncomfortable under my dress. If he kept this up, I was going to have to change into a new swimsuit before we got in the pool.

“Speaking of action heroes,” I mumbled, trying to avert my gaze so I could think straight again. It wasn’t working out for me very well. “I, uh, set up our date in the backyard.”

“The backyard?” He leaned up and looked out the kitchen window.

I bit my bottom lip, nodding. He couldn’t see the pool or the projector screen I had set up beside it. I was thrilled to show him the plans I had been working on all week. “Help me carry out the food and I’ll show you.”

Vin laughed excitedly when the pool came into view. He set down the pan of enchiladas on the hot pads I had arranged in the center of the outdoor table and walked over to the projector. The first DVD box sitting beside it on the little table was none other than Riddick. I have the older movies from the series in a pile beneath it.

My in-ground pool had a kiddy pool floating around on top of the water. I had the outdoor pillows and a few blankets from the couch set off to the side, along with a pile of swim towels. The pool lights were glowing beneath the surface, and the waterfall was turned on, making the babbling sounds of water waft through the chilly night air. The pool was heated, and I even turned on the hot tub earlier today, so it was steaming, almost glowing with the fluorescent lights below.

“Of course it’s Riddick ,” Vin said, lifting the first DVD box and waving it towards me. “This is awesome. Seriously.”

“Thanks,” I said giddily. “I saw it on a video and thought it looked fun.”

When we finished bringing all the food out, I felt the cold in the air. My teeth were on the verge of chattering, so I went to turn on the gas heater.

“Righty tighty, lefty loosey,” I muttered to myself, trying to remember the right way to turn on the gas. I’m usually not the one that does it. Nick never trusted me with gas or matches, or fire, and that rubbed off on Preston. Preston usually turns the outdoor heaters on for me now.

“Need some help?” Vin asked, squatting down next to me.

“I can get it,” I grunted, turning it too hard in the wrong direction for the fourth time while trying to push the ignitor button at the same time. “Maybe. Why won’t it light?”

“Hold down the gas valve after opening the tank.” Vin leaned in to show me the correct button. I pressed the button, and Vin leaned over me to turn the tank valve the right way, and I smiled sheepishly. I pushed the ignitor button again, and when I released the other button that Vin showed me out of frustration, he reached out to hold my finger in place for a few more seconds. Finally, the heater came to life. “Keep holding it for thirty more seconds or it will kill the flame.”

I did as he said, feeling accomplished for almost doing it on my own. No one else has ever shown me how to do it before.

“I did it!” I cheered, hopping on my feet.

Vin watched with amusement. “You did. Good job.” He had that look in his eyes again. The one that makes me blush and want to squirm.

My dancing died down, and I averted my gaze shyly. Being praised by such a big man while he looks at me like that isn’t helping my swimsuit bottoms situation.

After serving both of us a generous helping of enchiladas, I started the movie to play as we ate. However, neither one of us was very invested in watching it though. We talked as we ate, missing most of the first half of the movie.

“Damn, I want more,” Vin said, rubbing his belly after his second helping. “What do you season your food with? Crack? I can’t ever get enough.”

“Yep. It’s labeled “oregano” in my spice cabinet,” I giggled.

“Wrong drug,” Vin smirked.

“Oh,” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never used them.”

“Except in your food?”

“Well, yeah,” I bit back a laugh.

Vin looked at me that way again, murmuring, “Adorable.” I didn’t know how being unfamiliar with drugs made me adorable, but I was growing addicted to that appraising stare of his.

I bashfully looked at the mounted white screen at the back of the pool, then back at him. “Before you get any more full on my drug-laced enchiladas, do you want to go for a swim?”

He looked at the pool and the makeshift raft floating around in it. There was still plenty of room to swim. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, smirking, then asked, “Wanna have a water gun fight?”

“Uh, yes!” I squealed, squirming in my seat.

He chuckled. “Be right back. Gotta go get them.”

On his way back inside, he pulled off his shirt, so he was only in his swim trunks, hanging low on his waist. My mouth dropped to the concrete ground. I knew he was fit, but didn’t know to what extent.

“Wow,” I accidentally whispered loudly as I got up to jump in the pool before he got back. My swim bottoms felt ruined, and I needed to get them back before he got back. Stupid Kate. If she hadn’t waxed me down there, it might now be this sensitive.

I heard his deep laughter as he went inside and knew he heard me.

Well, he now knows I have no filter. He’s not running for the hills yet.

I tugged off my dress, tossing it on a chair before I jumped in the warm water. Hopefully, this hides all the evidence of what he’s done to me this evening.