Guarding Light (2 page)

   He spoke over Jack's shoulder. "Hi, Catlyn."

   She didn't speak, turning her head to stare out the windshield.

   Normally Jack would have stepped aside to let J.T. take his turn to speak but for some reason his protectiveness kicked into overdrive and he was reluctant to allow J.T. even a centimeter closer to Catlyn.

   "Dude, why do you continue to try?" Sam put in before J.T. could say anything else. "Leave the girl alone. She obviously doesn't want to talk with you?"

    "Dolson, mind your business." J.T.s pleasant stance changed to combative. "I was talking to Catlyn."

   Sam got out of the car. Jack stood and stepped back, which forced J.T. to step back. Sam faced J.T. and warned. "Man, I am done being polite with you."

   Sam advanced on J.T. Jack kept a restraining hand between the two, keeping pace as Sam backed them to J.T.s car then continued in a stern voice. "I am telling you, don't talk to her, touch her or look at her!"

   J.T.s spine straightened to his full height of 6 feet, chest jutting out. "Or what, Dolson?"

   Sam crowded into J.T.s personal space. Jack then put a restraining hand on both their chests, forcing a bigger gap between them.

   "Come on, guys, we're all teammates." Jack reasoned.

    Sam kept his eyes on J.T. "We may be teammates but we're not friends Dark. And, I am telling you for the last time stay away from Cat!"

   "Cat, is it?" J.T. smirked. "Is that what you call her now that you are getting her pussy? You're getting Cat's snatch? So, how is dark meat, Dolson?"

   Sam gave an angry cry before going at J.T. like they were in football practice. Jack knew as soon as J.T. uttered those fighting words there would be no reasoning with either of his friends. So he braced himself, strengthening his arms against each man's chest. But they were all slammed against the BMW by the force of Sam's shove.

   Jack put more of his substantial body in between the two, catching a punch meant for Sam on the shoulder. "Come on, guys. Stop this!" Jack pushed hard against J.T., forcing him back the few inches he gained as he tried to rush Sam.

   Sara and Catlyn both got out of the car. Sara screamed when she saw the punches which her brother and J.T. were exchanging. Several hit Jack as he continued to try and separate his two best friends.

   Catlyn rushed to the trio and grabbed Sam's arm, pulling him towards her. Not really seeing, J.T. swung hard, missing Sam, his fist connecting with Catlyn's jaw. The sickening smack, Sara's scream and Catlyn's gasps of pain as the force of J.T.s punch flung her to the ground seem to paralyze everyone.

   J.T., Sam and Jack all froze and looked on in horrified surprise as Catlyn shakily sat up, cupped her jaw as blood trickled from her bottom lip. Jack swore and gave his friends one last push in opposite directions before going to Catlyn still on the ground.

    "Oh, baby!" Without thinking, Jack kneeled, picking Catlyn up, cradling her against his chest. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest as she started to cry.

   Jack started to walk down the row of cars towards his own Ford sedan. As he heard someone start to follow them he shouted over his shoulder, not caring which one it was, "Don't! Stay back!"

   When he reached his car Jack opened the passenger side and gently placed Catlyn sideways on the seat. She was crying, nursing her jaw with her right hand and wiping blood off her lips and chin with her left.

   Jack opened his glove compartment and took out his mini first aid kit his father always insisted he carry in his car. Squatting in the open doorway, he took out several medical wipes and gently taking her hand away from her jaw, soothing as she protested. "Ssh, baby. It's ok. I won't hurt you but I have to see." His voice turned husky.

   He wiped the blood from her lip and chin, being very careful not to cause her anymore pain. She was docile under his touch, sitting quietly as he finished by cleaning the blood from her hands.

   Cautiously he put his fingers on her chin, tilting it tenderly. "Sweetie, you're already starting to swell and I think you're gonna turn a bunch of colors." He looked in her tear drenched, soft brown eyes and felt himself drowning in their depths. "How do you feel?"

   In her soft tones that sent a shiver down his spine and rushed straight to his dick she answered, "I feel like I've been punched by a six-foot football player."

   For half a second Jack froze until he saw the twinkle of humor in her eyes. My God, she was lovely. Beautiful. Wait! Jack shook his head. What was he thinking? Sara was his girl, his crush for two years now. What was he doing drooling over Sara's best friend? And a baby at that! At his last thought, he took a quick glance at the breasts that were highlighted sexily in her blue and gold cheerleader outfit. Her breasts were bigger than Sara's and most of the girls on the squad. Catlyn may be three years younger than her classmates but her body was just as mature as theirs. And she was built along the lines of a center-fold. Damn!

   Jack quickly brought his eyes back to hers so she would not catch him staring at her chest. She got enough of that from J.T. and he most definitely did not want to be in the same category as J.T. with this girl who was affecting him.

    He laughed at her humor. "Next time, stay out of the way sweetie," Jack cautioned. "Let me handle it, ok."

   She smiled at him and then winced as the split in her lip stretched.

   He tenderly stroked her chin. "I am sorry you got hurt."

   "That's, okay." She touched the hand that was caressing her chin. "It was not your fault."

"Will your mom freak?" Jack was concerned.

   Catlyn shook her head. "No. She will listen to what happened, decide it was an accident and tell me to stay out of it and she might throw in a kiss-to-make-it-better."

   Jack stilled at her comment. And at that very moment he didn't know what guided him to do his next action only that he wanted very much to do it.

   His gaze holding hers he slowly began to lean toward her, giving her plenty of time to stop him if she wanted. "I don't want to leave out the kiss in my first aid." He whispered.

   Other than her deep brown eyes going wide, Catlyn didn't move. He held her gaze until hers flutter closed as his lips made contact with her jaw.

   Gently he feathered kisses along her jaw, cheeks and closed eyes. Her smell was driving him nuts. She smelled like sweet peaches warmed by the sun.

   Softly he put his lips against hers, being careful not to use too much pressure. Catlyn gasped against his lips. Instinctively, he knew it wasn't from pain, her sweet sigh lengthening his cock, pushing it against his jeans. Tempering his desire to crush her to him, Jack put the tip of his tongue to her uninjured top lip, gliding it slowly back and forth.

   She moaned. "Jack."

   Suddenly, Jack pulled back. Just that quick taste of Catlyn had him wanting to bury his cock so deep in her that he didn't care that they were in the middle of the school's parking lot.

   "I am sorry, Catlyn." His voice was husky again. "The last thing you need after being hit by a six-foot football player is being fondled by a six-two football player."

   "You didn't fondle me." Catlyn's voice was lower too and her sweet smile did things to his insides.

   If she was older he would have said something other than, "Legs in." As he stood and waited until she was settled before closing the door.

   He quickly ran back to where Sam, Sara, J.T. were waiting and picked up his duffle that he dropped.

   "Is she ok?" J.T. asked.

   Jack was pissed at him. What was his deal with Catlyn? He didn't know and at this point he didn't care. It was time to nip this in the bud. "Do you really care if she is ok?"

   J.T. frowned. "What kind of question is that? You know how I feel about her."

   Shouldering his bag, Jack nodded. "Yes, I know how you feel about her." He glared at his closest friend. "And I know how she feels about you."

   Jack put up a hand, stalling anything J.T. was about to say. "Catlyn has told you. Sara and Sam have told you." He crowded into J.T.'s space. "Now, I am telling you J.T. stay the hell away from her!"

   J.T. sneered at his friend. "What? Now you want to get a hit of dark meat too, Jack?"

   Jack had started back towards his car, at J.T.'s words he didn't hesitate. He spun quickly, dropped his bag and stepped into a roundhouse punch directly to J.T.'s jaw.

   J.T. went down just as violently as Catlyn had. Jack didn't like violence but he wasn't going to let his friend harass a girl. He wasn't brought up that way. Females were to be protected.

   He stood over J.T. and warned, "I knew you were a pig sometimes when it came to girls. But those girls you did and dumped were willing, your little groupies. Catlyn has told you a million times in a million ways to leave her alone. I've stayed out of it because you are my friend and you were being harmless even though you were also clueless." Jack unclenched his fist as he continued. "J.T. you're wrong! The girl wants nothing to do with you. Be the man I think you are and leave her alone!"

   Jack turned and grabbed his duffle then turned back to J.T. still on the ground. "Now you've been warned by
me
." He looked at Sam and Sara. "I am giving Catlyn a ride home. I will see you guys at the party."

   Catlyn was silent on the short ride to her house. She didn't live in one of the best neighborhoods. Jack rarely had a reason to venture into the ghetto part of his town. He spent most of his time in his own upper middle class suburb or the more opulent splendor of J.T.'s neighborhood. He really didn't have a reason to be in this part of town.

   He took in the rows of three and four story brick buildings and storefronts. Some of the areas looked very clean and neat. But then just a few blocks over they were unkempt, dirty and graffiti ridden, with large groups of mostly kids of all ages walking or just hanging around on the porches and steps of the buildings. And on the corners were even bigger groups of mostly teens, mostly males and all black.

   "Just make this left and it's the third building on the right." Catlyn's softly spoken words took Jack away from his study of her neighborhood.

   Following directions he pulled in front of the building she indicated and parked. "Is your mom home?"

   She shook her head and opened the door. "Thanks Jack."

   Not wanting to leave her alone just yet he got out of the car and walked with her up the external flight of steps to white double doors. Catlyn's building was one of the nicer ones. She rang a doorbell for the second floor.

   "You live on the second floor?" Jack didn't know why he was lingering but he didn't want to leave.

   "No. My neighbor Latasha does. I live on the first floor." She gave him a look from under those gorgeous eyelashes. "My book-bag, with my keys, is in Sam's car."

   "Do you want me to run and get them or you can ride with me since you can't get in your place." Jack liked the idea a lot.

   "That's ok. Latasha can let me in. I will hang at her place until mom comes home."

   Just as Jack was about to tell her he didn't mind going, the front doors opened.

   An older teenage black girl with a high afro and a huge smile looked at Catlyn. "Hey girl, you locked out again?"

   Catlyn smiled at the girl, nodding. "Yeah, can I hang 'til mom gets back?"

   "Girl you know you don't have to ask." Latasha looked from Catlyn and Jack and then back again. "So who is this fine white boy?"

   Catlyn bowed her head and admonished in a stage whisper. "Tasha!"

   "Oh, gurrl, puhlease! You know he fine!" Tasha rolled her eyes and looked Jack up and down and made an appreciative sound in the back of her throat.

   Jack found himself blushing. He had never encountered such an openly sexual look before. He also found himself liking Catlyn's friend.

   He stuck out his hand. "Well, white boy's name is Jack Gard, nice to meet you Tasha."

   Tasha's eyebrows climbed. "Ooooh, okaay." She took his hand and shook it. "I see you got one of those really whitewhite boys." Tasha cocked her hip, putting a hand on each. "He ain't one of those whiggers."

   "Oh, my God!" Catlyn covered her face with both hands. Jack looked at Catlyn and this time he knew she was blushing.

   He laughed and looked back at Tasha. Cocking an eyebrow at her, he questioned, "Whigger?"

   "Ya know, a white boy tryin' to be black, not a nigger but a whigger."

   Jack studied Tasha to see if she was kidding. But he could see she was in earnest. "Oh, well. I am just me."

   Tasha threw her head back and laughed, giving Jack a slap on the back. "I like you white boy."

   "I like you too, Tasha." Jack found himself meaning it. He wasn't familiar with any blacks other than Catlyn. And Catlyn seemed exactly like all the girls in his circle except for the color of her skin. Tasha and Catlyn even spoke differently.

   "Now, I can see by the look on your face that you was expecting me to be like Kitty Cat here." Tasha teasingly reached over and pulled Catlyn's high ponytail.

   Jack narrowed his eyes at Tasha. "That's good. How did you know what I was thinking?"

   Catlyn gave him a quick look. He couldn't tell what made her give him such a speculative look. He returned it quirking his eyebrow at Catlyn. "What?"

   Catlyn just shook her head.

   "She surprised you honest." Tasha told him with a smile. "I think Kitty Cat wants her some white boy."

   "Oh, Tasha, do shut up!" Catlyn said.

   "Uh oh, she got her prissy-white-girl tone going." Tasha smiled and winked at Jack. "That mean she mad at me."

   Jack looked at Tasha. "Why is she surprised?"

   "Urrr, if you answer him Latasha Kei Williams I will never speak to you again." Catlyn went to her and put her hand over Tasha's mouth as she started to speak, totally ignoring Catlyn's threat.

   Jack laughed. "Ok, I will leave it for now."

   Tasha pushed Catlyn's hand off her mouth and smiled at Jack. "She will tell you herself if you ask right."