Parker's Island (23 page)

“I’m sure you did!  Delaney, do I need to remind you of the rules in this house?”

“Mom, come on, we were only kissing.”

“And what would
I have found
if we cam
e home in another 30 minutes?” s
he accused.

“You would
have found
the house empty
, because we
’re just on our way to a movie
,
” I said.

“Well forgive me if I don’t believe you!”
s
he said.  “Brian, you know
that
we like you and
that
you are welcome in our home, but you are not welcome in this room or even upstairs.  You know the rules, and we expect you to obey them
,
”
s
he spat.

“Mom
, t
his is my room!  I’m 18 years old and I should be able to have my boyfriend in my room if I want.  We weren’t doing
anything wrong, n
ot that you could stop us anyway!” I said, angry for the way she spoke to Brian.

“Delaney
,
it’s okay.  I shouldn’t have come up here.  I did know the rules Mrs. Miller and I am very sorry.  It won’t happen again.”

“That’s good to hear
,
Brian.
I think you should go home
,
now.”

“MOM!”

“I’ll see you tomorrow
,
Delaney
,”
Brian said, obeying my mother without question.

“STOP right where you are!” I told Brian.  “Mom, I know you love me, and I know you think you’re trying to protect me
, b
ut I am not a baby anymore.  Brian’s parents trust us, why can’t you?”

“I don’t think they would have been very happy to know that he was in your room
tonight
,
young lady!”

“Why
?
I’m in
his
room
all the time
!”

“You’re what?”

“I told you, if we wanted to have sex, you couldn’t stop us.  But, we’re not doing anything improper!  Brian has been a perfect gentleman
,
and
in fact, I asked him to kiss me!”

“I don’t like your tone, and I’m not thrilled with this conversation.  Brian, please leave
. 
I need to talk to my daughter…
alone.”

He looked at me as if to say, “What should I do?”

“Don’t worry Mom, he’s leaving, and I’m going with him!” I said, furious now.

“Just where do you think you’re going?”
s
he asked.

“To a movie, just like we had planned!”

“Delaney, this isn’t like you!”
m
y mother s
creeched
.

“How would you know?  You don’t know me at all. 
You know, Brian’s parents are out of town all weekend
and i
f we were
planning on
sleeping together, we wouldn’t have needed to come here!  Now, w
e’re going to a movie
,
” I said, grabbing Brian’s hand, and then added “An R-rated one!”
             

I slammed Brian’s car door shut, seething at being convicted without cause.  “Why can’t my parent’s be more like yours?” I whined.

“Delaney, I think you were a little hard on her
,
” Brian said, and then changed tactics when he saw the look on my face.  “Okay, maybe she is a bit over-bearing, but she does love you and
she
just wants to protect you.
”

“I know.  I know that, I do
!
  She just jumps to conclusions and for no good reason
,
”
I
said,
angr
ier
more
at myself
then
than her.

“Delaney, why are you so angry?”

“I don’t know.  I guess I know she thinks that we’ve…you know, and we haven’t.”

“So what if she does?
  You
and I
know the truth.
”

“I’m a good girl
.
I am!
  I haven’t broken the rules!
” I said, crying now.
  Furious at Chad for taking my virginity, stealing something I should be saving for the man I love.

“I know that!  Of course you are!  Please don’t cry.
  You haven’t broken any rules
.
I know that
,
”
h
e said,
putting his arm around me and pulling me to him
.

“She doesn’t
!
  She thought I was pregnant last year just because I was upset
and crying in my room
about
…
” I stopped, not wanting to hurt Brian
by mentioning Logan
.

“About what?”

“It doesn’t matter.  The fact is
,
she doesn’t believe me and she obviously doesn’t trust me.”

“She just worries about you.  You are a good girl Delaney, and the only one you need to convince is you.  I know it
,
my parents know it and
honestly,
so do yours.”

“
Thank you.  You always know
exactly the right thing to say.
”

Changing the subject, he asked,
“So, what movie would you like to see?”

“I don’t want to see a movie.”

“But, y
ou told your…
”

“I know.  I lied.  Well, I didn’t lie
,
exactly
.
I
’ve
just changed my mind.”

“Okay.  So, then what do you want to do?”

“Go to your house.”

Brian took a deep breath and said,
“Delaney, I don’t think that would be wise.”

“It
will be
fine Brian
.  J
ust drive
,
”
I ordered.

“Okay
,” h
e said, obviously worried that he wasn’t going to be able to resist temptation.

“Okay
,
we’re here
.  N
ow what?” h
e
aske
d
,
nervously
fidgeting
with
his
keys
.

I didn’t say anything
.
I just took his hand and led him upstairs to
ward
his room.

“Delaney
,
what are you doing?”

“
Breaking the rules
.
”
I kissed him
at the top of the stairs
with obvious intention. 

“No
,
Delaney!  This isn’t happening!”

“Yes, it is
,
” I said, pulling him along into his room.

“NO!”

I put my arms around him and kissed his neck.  He smelled very good and I said so.

“Delaney, stop this.”

“Why?”
I said, unbuttoning his shirt.

He was breathing hard as I pulled his shirt down over his shoulders and dropped it to the ground.  “Delaney, we really…”

I kissed him again, and unbuttoned my own
shirt
.  His eyes were closed
.  H
e was trying to
keep himself in control
, but he wasn’t having much luck.  I dropped my
shirt
next to his on the floor.  He opened his eyes and
looked down at my state of undress.  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again.  I grabbed his hand and kissed his palm
and
then ran his hand down my shoulder and down to the side of my breast.  He opened his eyes and pulled his hand away
like it was on fire
.

“Get dressed
!
”
h
e
ordered
, stepping back, refusing to look at me.

“Brian, we’ve waited long enough.
  You told me to let you know when I was ready
,
and I’m letting you know.
”

“
Are you just trying to get even with your mother?
”
h
e asked.

“
No, I want to.”

“Why now?”

“Oh no, don’t tell me I need
to
give you
‘the right reason’
for this too?”
I asked
, grinning
up
at him.

“Yes
!  More
so than ever!”
h
e said, still refusing to look at me.

“Well, I’m prepared tonight
.
I have the best reason
,
”
I said, reaching around to un
hook
my bra.

“And what’s that?”
h
e asked
, s
tanding
rigid
in the center of his room
,
his arms crossed over his
bare
chest
.

“I love you!”

He looked at me then,
“And you said
I
always know the right thing to say.”

We kissed for a few minutes before he
asked
, “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“Yes
,
” I said,
sitting down on his bed,
reach
ing
for his hand.

He took a deep breath and sat down next to me.
             
“I love you Delaney
and I want this to be perfect for you
,
”
h
e said, looking in my eyes.

“It is perfect, I’m with you
,
” I said.

“I…I haven’t ever…
um
,
”
he started to say, suddenly
worrying
about
his lack of experience and
pleasing me.

“Brian, we love each
other
.  T
he rest will fall into place.  There is one thing though…
u
m
…
I don’t have…
I mean, I
’m not on the pill or anything
.
”  Why was this so hard to talk about, I thought.

“Oh,
just a minute
,
”
h
e said, pulling a huge box of unopened condoms out of his dresser.

“Planning on a big night?” I actually grinned.

“I just thought…hoped…
you know,
someday…
”
             
“Brian,
hush
,
” I said and kissed him, pulling him toward me.

I was leaning over him, kissing his lips and
moving to his
neck.  He sighed and
then
gently pushed me back
on his bed
.  He stared down at me.  I watched him swallow hard and take a deep breath as he lightly touched my nipple with his thumb.  I looked up at him and knew how much I loved him, but
as he leaned over to kiss me,
the image of Chad
briefly
flashed
through
my mind and I s
tarted to panic
.  I
found myself
transported
back to that room at the
I
nn
.
I pushed
Brian
away, screaming at him to stop.

“Are you okay
, now
?”  Brian asked after I had calmed down enough to talk.

“I’m
so
sorry
,
Brian.  I don’t know what happened
,
” I said, feeling horrible.

“If you didn’t want to make love, then why did you…”