Promise Me (Book One of the Kirkland Family)

Promise Me: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Justin shoved her away, rupturing all contact between their bodies.  “Enough!” he yelled.  “Goddammit, Hannah!”

She shuddered and fell to her knees, her eyes completely fogged over.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered raggedly.

Justin had to put more space between them.  He backed away, holding his hands up to ward off whatever spell she wove around him.  “Shit!  Don’t apologize!  You’ll just make it worse!”

“I’m sorry,” she said anyway, running a hand over her eyes, down her nose and tracing her wet, swollen lips with a fingertip.  He let out another curse...not even sure which one it was, but it was a loud one.

“Why did you let me do that?!” he roared.

Her head shook side to side, still dazed.  “I...don’t know...”

“Dammit!  Don’t ever let me do that again!”

Her head swung again in a No, but she said, “Okay.”  And she was still on the ground, staring off at nothing as she licked her bottom lip, sucking it between her teeth.

“Okay?  Okay?!  Sonofa...!  Quite licking your lips before I do it for you!”

“Okay,” she said again, that same out-of-focus tone to her voice.  There was a pretty flush to her skin and her hands fluttered over her thighs, trembling uncontrollably.

I did that to her, his inner beast bellowed smugly.  Justin wanted to punch it.  “And stop agreeing with me!”

“Okay,” she breathed out with a moan.  Her hands finally settled down and she slumped off her knees, plopping her shapely rear on the patio.

“For god’s sake!  Hannah, get up!”

She blinked up at him.  “Why?  And why are you yelling at me?”

He scrubbed his fingers through his hair in frustration.  Just leave.  Walk away, get in your truck and leave.  “Because I’ve never had a woman nearly pass out on me because I kissed her!”

“Oh,” she replied quietly, nodding in agreement.  “I see what you mean.  That’s a shame, though.  Your kiss could run for President, too.”

And with that...Justin started laughing.  Damn.  It really was too difficult to hate her.  She smiled at him, no longer dazed -- okay, maybe there was a tint of daze still left in her eyes -- but she wasn’t pissed that he yelled at her.  He was a little disappointed at that, though.  He kind of liked seeing her all worked up.

Gently, so to not startle her, or make her think he was about to kiss her again, he moved toward her and helped her to her feet.  She swayed drunkenly, clutching his forearm for support and grinning like silly.  “Whoa...I feel like I’ve gone a round with Jose Cuervo.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said with a smirk.

“It was meant as one,” she replied with the same expression.  “Now...I believe you were leaving.”

“Kicking me out already?”

“You were kicking yourself out, if I recall,” she said as she moved away from him.  “Something about a shower.  I could use one myself, so you should scoot.”

“I suppose you’re eagerness for me to leave has nothing to do with the fact that I kissed you,” he prompted.  She started gathering their meal leavings off the table and shrugged at his comment.

“Since I’m still confused as to why you kissed me again...or even the first time, I’ll let you make your own conclusions.”  She piled what she could in the wicker basket and turned to face him.  “But if it was another one of your tests, then I think I’ll drop that class.  I don’t have the time or the mind-frame to be your lab monkey.  I enjoyed the kisses -- very much so -- but I’d rather you not do it again.  It’ll be too weird, since Josie considers me to be her friend, and since you’ll both be leaving for your home in a few days.”

Justin shifted his stance, settling his weight on one leg as he considered her.  She spoke honestly and clearly.  Just because they shared a few intimate moments, she wasn’t expecting him to follow through with a relationship.  In fact, she practically discouraged it.  Which was what he wanted...right?  He didn’t want to get involved with anyone right now, especially Hannah Baker.  He needed to heal the relationship he had with his daughter first.  Then he could consider finding a woman to spend the rest of his life with.  And it wouldn’t be Hannah.  Like she pointed out, they lived in different states.  Once he left to go back to Savannah, he’d probably never see her again.

“Alright,” he said after a moment of them staring at each other.  “You summed up the situation quite nicely.  It would be pointless to kiss you again.”

“I agree,” she said, nodding.

“Well, then...thank you.”

Her chin rose slightly, but he didn’t know what that meant.  She replied with a calm, “You’re welcome.”

And he left her backyard, got into his truck and drove to his parent’s farm house for a quick shower, shave and change of fresh clothes.  I should have kissed her again anyway.

*****

Hannah fell into robot mode.  She cleaned up their dinner mess.  She loaded the dishwasher.  She folded some laundry.  She took a shower.  She played with the guinea pigs.  

She kept herself busy for the next two hours, doing everything but thinking about Justin’s kiss.  The second kiss.  In less than twenty-four hours.  And it was even better than the first.  Which shouldn’t be possible.  The first kiss blew her top off.  The second burst her top, her bottom and everything in between.

“Why did you let me do that?” he had yelled at her.

“Why, indeed?” she asked herself as she dressed to go see Josie.  She chose to wear a dress...a cute little number in a rosy pink color, and it wasn’t because she’d see Justin again!  Not at all.  A woman could wear a dress for any number of reasons.  Like...she had shaved her legs, and it would be a shame to cover them in a pair of jeans.  She could wear shorts.  But that would mean finding a shirt to go with it.  A dress was so much more convenient.  One piece.  Less time getting dressed.  More time to spend on a little make-up and running a curling iron through her hair.  Maybe she could call Kim afterward, and they could go out for a drink together.

A good enough reason to slip the cotton sheath over her body and add some dangly earrings to go with it.

Then she looked in her mirror and thought, Crap, he’s gonna think I dressed up for him.

“Well, I’m not taking it off,” she said to her reflection.  She’d just call Kim now.  Then she’d tell Justin Kirkland she was going out with a girlfriend -- if he asked -- and that would be her reason.

Dialing Kim’s cell phone, Hannah paced in her bedroom, wondering what shoes she should wear.  Nothing too flashy...not like she had anything flashy, but she owned a few heels from her auditioning days.

“Hey, Hannah,” Kim answered, “How’s our little angel doing?”

“Josie’s doing fine,” Hannah said.  “She should be out of the hospital tomorrow, I think.”

“That’s great.  I was hoping to go by and see her tonight.”

Perfect, Hannah thought with a smile.  “How convenient,” Hannah laughed into her phone.  “I was hoping you’d like to join me for a drink after I see Josie tonight.  We can leave together.”

“Oh...I was meeting Mark tonight,” Kim said, and Hannah deflated -- Shorts and a t-shirt, it is.  “But you can come along, if you want.”

“Thanks, but no,” Hannah sighed.  “I don’t want to invade your date.”

Kim laughed.  “Invade away, sweetie,” she said.  “Mark brought his grandson with him on our last date...a real killjoy, I tell you.”

“Gee, thanks.  I love it when I’m compared to a ten-year-old.”

“I consider you to be a little more mature than a boy playing on his iPod the whole time,” Kim said.  “So, come on...I know you haven’t been out in a while, and I could really use some girl-talk.  It’ll make Mark uncomfortable.  We can discuss menstrual cycles and breast exams.”

Hannah smiled.  “Okay, yeah...what time will you be at the hospital?”

“I’m meeting Mark at nine because he’s got his bowling league tonight, too...it’s 7:30 now, so, thirty minutes?  That way, I can spend about forty-five minutes visiting Josie and not overstay my welcome.  I’m sure she’ll be conking out about that time anyway, right?”

“It depends on how much pain medication she still gets,” Hannah said, digging for a pair of shoes to match her dress.  “And her dad will be there.  Those two need to spend as much time alone as possible.”

“Uh oh,” Kim said.  “Peeping Tom will be there, too?”

“He is her father.  He has a right to be there.”

“I know...but I’m not sure if I can keep my mouth shut about him.  I’d hate to go off on him with Josie in the room.”

Hannah chuckled.  “He’s actually not that bad,” she said.  “I’ve gotten to know him a little better.  He won’t provoke you into anything, I’m sure of it.”

Kim paused on the other end of the line.  “So...how much is a little better?  Just how chummy did you and him get?  Is he peeking through your windows now?”

Keeping her voice nonchalant, Hannah said, “We talked, that’s about it.”

“Bullshit.  What happened?  I can tell you’re keeping something from me.”