The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) (26 page)

A cocky smirk appeared on Jared’s lips.  “Girl, I got skills you’ve never seen before.”

My head fell back against the headrest.  “Save those for Miss Right.”

Jared started the engine and pulled back onto the freeway.  “Okay, knowing you like I do, why did you succumb to the elusive Mr. Wise’s wily ways?”

I relaxed back into my seat, licking my lips softly.  “Liv only told part of the truth this morning.  Drew broke up with her weeks ago.”

“You’re kidding me!” Jared exclaimed.  “Wow! What a way to spin the situation.”

Twiddling my thumbs, I swallowed hard.  “Jared, last night Drew told me that he’s in love with me.”

Jared’s lips twitched into a half-grin.  “It’s about time he admitted it.  I’m happy for you, McKenzie.  I really am.”

“Thanks, Jared.”

We arrived at my apartment, still joking and laughing.  My best friend was once again sitting beside me.  All of the strangeness that I had felt around him over the past few days dissipated.

“Can I be a fly on the wall when you and Drew tell….whoa!  That’s a sweet ride,” Jared pointed out a black Audi S5 parked in front of my building. 

I glanced at the car barely giving it a second thought.  “It’s okay.  I’m sure it belongs to some pompous guy trying to compensate for the lack of something.”

My hand rested on the door handle, as I stared blankly at the sporty little car.  My whole life had changed in the course of a night.  Where I went from here was a mystery to me, but I knew one thing for sure, I was happy.

“Are you okay?”

I tilted my head looking back at Jared, smiling brightly.  “I’m fine.  Better than fine.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he reassured me.

“Thank you again, Jared.”  I leaned over and tenderly kissed his cheek.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he whispered.

“Now, get your scrawny ass home and get some rest.  We have school tomorrow.”  I stepped out of the car.

Jared laughed heartily.  “I’ll see you later.”

“See ya,” I replied, shutting the car door behind me. 

The morning was dreary.  The sun had yet to make an appearance thanks to the heavy rain clouds hanging about.  As I approached the front door, it vibrated due to the rumbling sound of the
engine coming from Jared’s car as he drove off.

“Hey, Mickie.”  Drew appeared out of the darkness. 

My keys slipped from my hand as I jumped, frightened.  “Jesus, Andy!  There you go again.  Tryin’ to give me a heart attack.”   

He reached down and picked up my keys, unlocking my front door for me.  “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you.  I thought with my car out front you would’ve expected me.”

I glanced back toward the parking lot.  The Range Rover wasn’t in sight.  “Hmm, I guess I missed it.”  I shrugged it off and followed him into my apartment.  “How long have you been here?”

He shut the door behind us.  “About an hour or so.”

“You could’ve sent me a text message, you know.”  I dropped my bag by the door.  The room was dark.  Only the dim light from the non-existent sun peeked into the room from the blinds.

He plopped down on the sofa and opened his arms to me.  “Nah.  It gave me time to think.”

“Think about what?” I asked.  My plan was to sit down next to him, but he wasn’t having that.  He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into his lap.  Cocooned in his warm embrace, he pressed his soft lips to mine. 

“This,” he whispered. 

I wrapped my arms around his neck, as our lips mingled together in soft, passionate kisses.  Every kiss stronger and deeper than the last, leaving me breathless and hungry for more. 

His hands moved into my hair, cupping my head firmly, as his mouth devoured mine.  The taste of his lips mixed with the scent of his cologne intoxicated me. 

Lustful groans resonated in the dark room.  Neither of us uttered a single word and yet we moved with fluidity that only comes from two souls speaking to one another.  Passion burned in the atmosphere around us.  Each kiss added more fuel to the flame.

I adjusted myself so I was straddling his waist.  Drew didn’t waste the opportunity.  He gripped my hips tight.  In a hasty move, he lifted us up off the couch and laid me down.  A seductive grin adorned his face, lighting up his blue eyes, as he hovered over me.  I reached up and touched his angular jaw.  Coarse stubble scratched against my palm as he turned his face to kiss my wrist.  His eyes fluttered closed as he breathed me in. 

My body was pinned beneath him.  One leg was pressed firmly to the back of the couch by Drew’s hips while I wrapped the other around his waist.  Every inch of his body pressed into mine as he returned to his passionate assault on my mouth.

He pushed my hair back from my neck, softly kissing his way down to my collarbone.  Pulling my vest top over, his lips made their descent over the top of my breasts.  Ravenous kisses rained over me from his skillful lips.  He was wanton and hungry which only matched my need for him.   

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

In his arms I felt beautiful.  My body yearned for him.  I ached for him to make me his. 

He pulled back and looked into my eyes.  His eyes were on fire with passion.  Yet, I could see he was searching for something.  A gentle smile formed over his perfect pout.  “Everything inside me wants to take you into that bedroom right now and make love to you, but something happened after I left.  Am I right?”

All the fire was suddenly gone.  Ice water now ran through my veins.  I nodded silently.  “I knew it,” he whispered, kissing my lips once more.  “What happened?”  Drew raised himself off of me, pulling me up with him.  Nestled in his arms, we returned to our original position on the sofa.  “Talk to me, Mickie,” he murmured, as he started to play with my hair.

Comforted by his gentle touch, I opened up to him.  I told him about everything Olivia had said and what happened with Jared.  When I finished, Drew released a deep sigh.  “I’ve had that feeling about Jared since I met him.  I could see it in his eyes.  I’m so sorry.” 

I tenderly touched his face.  “Don’t apologize.  If I were to be honest with myself, I knew it too.”

Drew kissed the tip of my nose.  “And as for Olivia, you shouldn’t feel like you’ve betrayed her, because you haven’t.  She can’t force me to love her.  It doesn’t work that way.”

I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.  “I know.”

“Baby, you have to understand that Olivia isn’t blind.  She might use terms like ‘best friend,’ but just like Jared, she’s only deluding herself in believing that there’s nothing more to us than that.”

“You think she knows?” I gasped.

“I think she knows we care about each other.  In her mind, she refuses to let it get any farther than that.  What I don’t get is why she’s so hell bent on having me.”

Using my thumbs, I flattened the deep lines that had formed in his brow.  “I know why you.  You’re everything that she’s ever dreamed of.  You come from money, you have class and breeding.”

Drew chuckled and muttered, “Makes me sound like a dog.” 

I ignored his interruption and continued, “Plus you’re beautiful.  To her, you’re the package deal.”

“And to you?  Am I everything you ever dreamt of?”

“Yes, but not for the same reasons.”  I cupped his face in my hands.  “Andrew, when I look in your eyes I see the real you.  Not the stern lawyer or heartless bastard you try to make yourself out to be.  I see a man with a big heart, a playful laugh, and a gentle smile.  You shoulder the burdens of the world.  You hide all your pain behind your gorgeous smile.  You’re smart.  You’re funny.  And you brighten the room the moment you walk into it.  My heart skips a beat whenever I’m near you.  You’ve made me feel when I thought I never would again.”

“Stop, please.  I’m not that great,” he whispered. 

“But you are.  I wish you could see yourself as I see you.” 

Drew’s hand brushed over my cheek.  I closed my eyes as his lips met mine.  The passion from earlier was gone, but there was still intense power behind his kiss. 

He pulled back caressing my neck.  “What would you like to do today?”

“What do you say we hang out here?  We can veg out on the couch and watch movies.”

“I’d like that.”

I hopped off his lap rushing to the kitchen to get the number for the local Chinese restaurant that delivered.  “Chinese food is a requirement for vegging out,” I stated plainly.

“Orange chicken, please.”

“Orange chicken coming right up.”

The rest of the day we spent cuddled up on the couch making out like teenagers, while watching our favorite flicks.  It still amazed me that he was as much a fan of Harry Potter and Star Wars as I was.  We held somewhat of a marathon, watching our favorite movies from each group, starting off with The Empire Strikes Back and ending with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. 

We discussed each film extensively.  We dissected our favorite scenes, laughed as we quoted lines to one another and even pointed out editing bloopers, trying to catch one that the other didn’t know about.  Halfway through the first film, Drew started giving his own little commentary leaving me in tears from laughter. 

As the credits for Harry Potter started to scroll, I looked at my watch.  “Damn, it’s nearly seven thirty.”

Drew got up off the couch.  With a deep yawn, he stretched to his full length.  A tiny peek of his skin appeared as his shirt pulled up exposing his abdomen.  I caught myself staring at his tight abs.  Flushed, I turned away pretending to yawn. 

“Well, we’ve been inside all day.  What do you say to us going out and doing something a little more active?” he asked.

Having spent a day wrapped up in his arms had been like a dream.  But I wasn’t opposed to venturing out.  “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, you mentioned last night that you’ve never been to a drum circle.  Why don’t we head over to Siesta Key and check it out?  They start at sundown, so we have enough time to get over there if you’re up for it.”

I looked down at what I was wearing.  I was still dressed in the same clothes I had worn the night before.  “Do we have time for me to change?”

“Would you like a little help?  I’d gladly strip your clothes off for you.”

“Andy,” I screeched.

He laughed at my reaction.  “Yeah, we have time, beautiful.  I’ll be a good little boy and sit right here.”  He pointed to the spot he had been sitting in.  “Maybe.”

“Feisty, aren’t ya?”

“You have no idea.”

A fluttering of passion burst through my veins.  I waved him off with a phony laugh in a failed effort to hide my desire.

“Go get dressed,” he told me.

“I won’t take long.”

Drew sat back down on the couch and I trotted down the hall to my bedroom.  Since we were heading to the beach I figured I would slip on my favorite beige colored crotchet bikini that blended perfectly under a thin matching sweater dress.  The dress was perfect for the beach.  It accented my curves, but also hung loose and comfortable over my body.  It was light enough for summer, but heavy enough to keep me warm on the cool beach.  I finished my look with a pair of gold sandals. 

Satisfied that I didn’t look like I had spent a day on the sofa, I left my room full of expectation of what was yet to come. 

As I reappeared in the living room, Drew stood up.  His eyes washed over me sending a trail of heat coursing through my veins.  On his face was a look of desire mixed with an underlining of pride.  I liked how he was looking at me.  It made me feel beautiful. 

“Wow! You look stunning.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, a shy feeling tingled my spine.

Drew offered me his arm.  I accepted it graciously with a girlish giggle.  His mouth pushed up into a smile reaching his eyes.  “Shall we?” he asked.

“Are we off to see the wizard?” I teased.

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain,” Drew rumbled in a deep voice.  I laughed, but deep down I was swooning.  Not only had he shared my love for the greatest movie series’ of all times, but he could quote The Wizard of Oz too.  He really was too good to be true.

“To Oz?”

He laughed.  “To Oz.”

I grabbed my purse and locked up my apartment.  Drew pulled his keys from his pocket.  “We’ll take my car if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, that’s fine with me.”  I hadn’t even considered who might be driving.  It didn’t matter to me, either way.  Drew approached the black Audi.  I stopped dead in my tracks, remembering what I had said to Jared about the car.   “You’ve got to be kidding me.  This is your car?”

“This here is my baby,” he boasted with pride.

I buckled over in laughter.

“What’s so funny?”  His smile disappeared.  His jaw clenched and a flint of anger flickered across his face.

“I’m sorry.  I don’t mean to laugh.  It’s a great car.  It’s just–”

“Just what?” he questioned, his cadence was detached and calculated.

My stomach hurt from laughing so hard.  I crossed my hands over my abdomen in an attempt to hold myself up.  “I told Jared when he dropped me off that the owner of this car was compensating for the lack of something.”

Drew ran his fingers through his hair, leaning against the open door.  His nose flared in a snarl.  “Interesting.  And what might I be trying to compensate for?” 

My laughter ceased.  He seemed angry and rightfully so.  I did just insult him.  My mind scrambled for something to say.  Anything to make this right.  He thrummed his fingers against the paneling of the door, impatiently.  “Well?” he pressed.

“Um…well…I…”  I lodged my hands in my hair, tugging at the roots.  Nothing I could say or do would make this any better.  “I’m sorry.  I had a bad morning…and–”

“And so you decided to take it out on my car and me?  I see how it is,” he sulked.  He crossed his arms staring at me expectantly.

“No.  I meant nothing by it.  Really!” I pleaded.  Drew’s aggravation turned to smugness. Humiliation showered me in red. 

“That was too easy.”  His chest rose and fell in an effort to hold back his laughter.

“Andrew Jonathan Wise!” I bellowed.

“Damn, I got the full name.  And here I was the one insulted.”

“I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“I know.  That’s why this was so fun.  Now, get in the car, beautiful.”  He moved away from the door, holding it open for me.

Without hesitation, I climbed into the vehicle.  The scent of leather enveloped me along with the new car smell.  The interior was exquisite with its jet black leather seats and granite seams.  The dash was high tech and futuristic.  It was luxurious and sporty.  The car was extravagant, but I couldn’t deny it was spectacular. 

“You better buckle up,” he instructed, as he put on his seatbelt.  He stifled a laugh as I wrestled with the seatbelt.  It was locked and wouldn’t budge.

“It’s stuck.”

“Here, let me help.”  He reached over me, gently tugging the seatbelt from the door.  His wrist brushed over my chest as he pulled the belt across my body.  My breath hitched and my whole body tingled at his accidental touch.  I looked over at him to see a smirk on his face as he put the car into gear.

“Thank you,” I whispered sheepishly.

“It can be a little tricky.  It takes the right touch.”  He licked his lips and cast a glance in my direction.  It appeared his accidental touch wasn’t so accidental.

Drew exited on I-75 heading west to the beach.  I looked up at the dark clouds that had been invading the sky all day.

“Looks like we’re in for some more rain.”

“Yeah.  It’s okay though.  They continue the drum circle even in the rain.”

“You must really enjoy these things,” I analyzed.  “Do you go to them often?”

Drew’s playful expression turned downcast.  He looked off into the distance, as his fingers gripped the steering wheel tight.  “It’s been a long time.”

“You’ve never taken Olivia?”

“No.  The last person I went to one with was my ex, Rebecca, before I moved here.”  Drew gritted his teeth avoiding eye contact.  This was the first time he had ever spoken of his ex-girlfriend before.

“Well, I’m honored that you’ve chosen to make your reappearance with me.” I knew all too well how hard it was to talk about an ex-lover.  It still stung to even think about Nate, let alone talk about him.  There was no sense in pushing him for information.  This was a date after all, and I wasn’t about to ruin our night. 

Drew’s body relaxed.  He looked at me through his peripheral vision and smiled my favorite smile.  He reached over and brushed his fingers gently over my knee.  “The honor is mine.”  

Finding a parking spot was next to impossible.  The beach was crowded with people getting ready for the event of the evening.  Once parked, he jumped out the car making haste to open my door. 

“Welcome to the Emerald City,” he teased, as he offered me his hand and helped me from the car.

“Damn, I forgot my ruby slippers at home.”  My witty remark tickled him. 

Casually, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me to the beach.  As we approached the sand, I was astonished to see so many people already gathered.  I was used to the beach being full on a daily basis.  Siesta Key was a common tourist attraction after all, but this was different.  Sure, tourists were here, but the majority of the group appeared to be locals. 

Drew guided me through the crowd like a captain sailing a ship.  We passed swarms of people from all different lifestyles.  Some had set up tents.  Some had marked their spots with rows of blankets and towels laid out on the sand, while others stood around with a beer in their hands watching the sun set behind the darkening clouds.  I was enamored by the diversity of the gatherers, but what really caught my attention were the rows of drums that were being set up.

I recognized the conga drums and the snare drums, but there was one I couldn’t identify. It looked like a large washtub that someone had painted black and placed on a stand. 

“Andy, what’s that?”  I pointed it out to Drew, trying to be inconspicuous.

Drew chuckled and whispered to me, “That’s a steelpan.  It’s a metal drum that makes a high tenor sound.”

I nodded in fascination.  Drew led me to the front of the crowd and came to a stop.  The sun now fought for dominance in the western sky, illuminating the water with a gorgeous array of colors.  It shimmered with hues of orange, red, and yellow setting the water on fire.  A low drum started to play in the distance.  The vibrations could be felt all the way to where Drew and I stood.  All talking ceased. 

The beat of the drums became louder, as other drummers started to join in the rhythm.  People began to sway to the beat of the music.  A tall African American man with dreadlocks started to roll a stick through the steelpan.  Drew was right, it made a beautiful sound.

An unexpected melody arose through the air.  There was no one orchestrating the rhythm, yet it flowed as if someone had spent countless hours writing a masterpiece.  This gave a whole new meaning to marching to the beat of your own drum. 

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled with electricity.  My eyes shifted up to Drew who was standing behind me.  His attention was focused strictly on me.  I opened my mouth to speak, but he touched his fingers to my lips and wordlessly directed me back to the crowd. 

My breathing became deeper as the drums started to pick up speed.  Women moved away from the group and started to dance near the water.  They were free from conformity.  They allowed themselves to be lost in the music with not a care in the world.  I was mesmerized by the way their bodies moved.  These were women that in normal walks of life might be overlooked.  But here on the water’s edge they became sensual and sexy as they danced to the beat of the music.

I closed my eyes as the heat of the day disintegrated into the sunset, and let the rhythm gradually overtake me.  The music pounded deep into the recesses of my stomach.  The pulsating sound had a power in which no one was able to deny.  It was provocative with an emotional depth that reached the soul.  The pitches were both low and high, as if two lovers were talking to one another.

My body started to swing with the beat.  Energy pulsed all around me.  Carried away by the thrum of the drums, my arms lifted of their own freewill over my head.  The sway of my arms moved down to my hips.

Even though I had always loved to dance, I wasn’t thinking about dance steps.  That’s not what the beat was about.  It was about freedom. 

Flinging my head forward, my hair flew around my face in the soft wind.  I pushed my blonde locks back from my face.  Bending my knees, my body dropped close enough to the ground that I could touch the soft granular sand.  I pulled back up, as my shoulders rolled and my hips moved languidly from side to side.  All logical thought had ceased to exist.  I was one with the music. 

The air grew cooler as the dark clouds took over the sky.  My hands roamed over my own body, feeling the vibrations pulsate inside of me.  As they reached the tops of my legs, I gripped my dress in one hand and started swishing it gingerly, exposing my thighs.  Tiny drops of water began falling from the clouds, adding its own personal beat to the music that had invaded its territory.

I continued to move with the heady thrum set by the drummers.  The rain ran down my body causing my dress to stick to me.  It chilled my skin making my flesh goose bump.  I felt empowered and even sexy as the material conformed to my body.

The rain started pouring down on us.  Blinded by the water, I closed my eyes and felt the rhythm.  No amount of water was about to turn the musicians away.  The rain only spurred them on. 

The beat became harder and deeper.  The more intense the beat became, the faster the rain seemed to fall.  I swiped my wet hair back from my face and wrapped it around the side of my neck. 

That’s when I felt him.  I had been so lost in the music that I had forgotten all about Drew being behind me.
 
It felt so natural to have him close to me.  His hands gripped my hips, pulling my body flush to him.  His fingers dug deep into my waist, pressing the soaked cotton of my dress deeper into my skin.  I felt his bated breath on my neck, as his nose ran along my jaw.  My skin ignited with fire at his touch. 

We mirrored each other’s movements without a word.  Our bodies had a language of their own that guided us.  Our hearts beat in the same cadence.  The rhythm provided by nature and the drums.

His hands tightened around me, pressing me firmly against his taut stomach.  He groaned deeply in my ear as his hands roamed over my soaked form.  Wrapped up tight in his arms, his hands encircled my ribcage, pushing his hips into my backside.

Never in my life had I ever experienced something so erotic.  My hands reached behind us, gripping his hair at the nape of his neck.  He dragged his tongue down my neck
, licking away the water that was collecting on my flesh.  Tremors quaked down my spine at the touch of his tongue on me.

“So beautiful,” his husky timbre resonated through me.

Drew turned me to face him.  Water dripped down his face.  His jaw was rugged and hard.  He grabbed me and pulled me flush against him.  The way his masculine form led me in the dance of desire had me aching for him.  I maneuvered my hips to where I could pull one of his legs between mine.  Lost in his touch, I began grinding against his leg, relishing the friction.

The beat grew louder, engulfing us.  Drew’s lips crashed into mine.  I gripped his wet hair in my hands holding him tight to me, as he picked me up from the ground by my backside.  My heart pounded against my chest as ou
r tongues wrestled with deep-seated desire.  All of the sudden, the drums came to a stop.  People began to cheer around us, but neither of us cared.  His kisses became more fervent as his hands kneaded my flesh.  I moaned loud uncaring of the spectacle we were making.  He pulled back with a seductive half grin.  “You want to get out of here?”

“Yes,” I growled.

He gently placed me on the ground and took my hand in his.  Wasting no time, we sprinted toward the car. 

The rain continued to beat down upon us as we approached the Audi.  Without any warning he pushed me up against the car, effectively pinning me between him and the vehicle.  His lips attacked mine thrusting his tongue deep in my mouth.  He grabbed my leg and wrapped it around his hip, grinding against me.  My nails raked down his back eliciting the most delectable of sounds from him.

“I need you,” I begged.  He pulled back staring at me with passion shrouding his face.  The liquid blue of his eyes had hardened into a sapphire.