A Timeless Place

Chapter 5 - Part II

"Really," Wes smirked, eyes glinting in the darkness. 

He grabbed my hand resting on his shoulder and pulled it around the back of his neck. My back hit the wall behind us as he pushed me back. My breath caught as he moved closer to me, pressing his body against mine. His hand rested on the wall behind me as his face leaned in closer to mine. We were under the staircase, out of sight of everyone else. I was paralysed in place, unable to think, unable to do anything. Subtly, he slid his left hand over my waist and moved it slowly down, tracing patterns on my waist, past my hips and rested at my thigh, lingering there for a second before pulling it up. I gasped at the sudden movement as my dress rode up to my mid-thigh. I felt heat rise up to my cheeks and spread throughout my whole body. It was the opposite of what I had felt when Max had touched me. Wes felt warm, inviting. I felt as if I wanted to press myself closer to him, to feel his warmth envelope me, to never let go. He leaned close to my ear and whispered. 

"You were saying?" his lips brushed my ear lobe.  

My heart was racing. I tightened my arm around his neck, my hand smoothing into his black hair. It was so damn soft, so unfair. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, not expecting my response. 

"Something about you being a jerk," I whispered, combing a hand through the hair standing on the back of his head. 

He smiled at me, a true genuine smile for once. No cockiness, no arrogance, just a smile for the first time. It shocked me to see such a genuine smile I had never seen him give before. He leaned his face closer to mine until we were just a few inches apart. His eyes were dark with an unexplained hunger as they looked down at my lips and back up to my eyes. I closed my eyes just as he leaned in- 

"Wessss!" someone called from behind. We both jumped apart, Wes hitting his head on the underside of the stairs. The blood rushed to my cheeks but I quickly covered it up by laughing as Wes clutched his head in pain. Jordan's head popped up next to us. 

"Oh, um, was I interrupting something?" Jordan asked, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. 

"No, not at all!" I replied, my voice a bit higher than usual, glad to have been interrupted. My hands fluttered to my cheeks where I knew must be tinged with red. I seriously had no idea what had come over me then. I didn't want to think about what would have happened if Jordan had not interrupted. 

Wes glowered at Jordan as he rubbed his head in pain. But Jordan seemed oblivious, constantly sneaking anxious glances at the kitchen where Eli and Dracula were, undoubtedly. His face darkened. 

"So what're you guys doing here?" I asked, trying to distract Jordan. 

"I should ask you the same thing," he grinned distractedly at me. I could see the carefully hidden hurt beneath the smile. 

"Dracula invited us-" I said, before putting a hand over my mouth, pressing my lips together. That was awkward, I accidentally called him Dracula out loud. 

Wes and Jordan both roared with laughter. 

"Just don't say that to his face," Wes laughed. 

"So I've heard. Thankfully, I don't know the guy personally." 

"So then why'd he invite you?" Jordan pressed. I knew he secretly wanted to know what Eli was doing here, specifically flirting with Dracula. 

"He invited Eli, she dragged me along," I replied. "What about you?" 

"He's my brother's friend," Wes said. "I used to hang out with them a few years back." 

"Does that include Max?" I asked, curiously. I didn't know much about Wes' or Jordan's past.